Family photos

Because I haven't blogged in forever.....this will have lots of photos and very few words. We had pictures taken of the kids and also of all of us for family photos. I am slightly ashamed to admit that Owen is a year and a half and this is the first time we have had a family photo taken (other than just snapshots.) So Owen will now finally be represented on the wall where our family photo hangs. Here are some of the highlights...... Owen wasn't in the mood to take pictures, so there are very few of him with a smile on his face.

Can you guess which ones are my favorites?

Love,

Katie

Stopping and taking the time to smell the "roses"

I was looking at these picture that I took with the kids the other day, and started wondering.... if not for the kids pointing it out....would I have even noticed this wasp that was so busy working. Would I have been like the wasp, and been much to busy to notice what was going on around me? And suddenly, I felt so thankful that the Lord has blessed my life with these 3 children, who make me slow down and notice all sorts of things around me. Thank you God for these 3 little blessings... and thank you for helping me realize how important it is to notice even the little things in life and be thankful for them.

Hope you all have a fabulous day, and I hope you are all able to slow down a little and enjoy what God has created.

Love,

Katie

Back to school

Okay so Grace actually started school on August 19....don't judge please. I have been neglecting my blog, but not my kids...I swear.

Grace is in 2nd grade this year. I thought this sassy little pose was to funny! It is so her. She HAD to wear this outfit to school. She got it from Justice (her new favorite store.) And it has been sitting in her closet for several weeks, just waiting for the all important first day of school. She had a great time on her first day, and came home saying "I love my new teacher!" I love this girl so much, and will miss her when she is gone at school.


This is Ethan's first day of preschool this year. He was 5 in July, so he could have gone to kindergarten, but we opted to let him have 1 more year to develop emotionally before he goes to school all day everyday. He is going to preschool at the Christian Church here in town. I am so excited about that as last year, we drove him to Altoona for preschool (awesome preschool in Altoona, but it was about 25 miles round trip to drop him off, go home, go get him and come back home.....so maybe you can understand my excitement that now I only have to go 8 or 9 blocks!) Yah for Mommy and less time driving! He did really well on his first day, actually way better than I was anticipating. He is my timid, doesn't like to try or do anything new kid, so I was pleasantly surprised when he walked right into his room on the first day and said,"Bye Mom!" So needless to say, I was outa there like a flash before he changed his mind about being brave!



This is Owen when we got home after dropping Ethan off on his first day.....he was not to pleased that I had left without Ethan. It took him just a little while, but I think he has discovered that it is fun to be home by himself and get ALL of mommy's attention.

Have a great day....hopefully I will be a little more timely in my posts from now on.....but just to be safe don't hold your breath while waiting for me to actually accomplish that!

State Fair 2010....nonstop fun????

Well, I decided I have ignored my blog long enough.....so here goes.

We took the kids to the first day of the fair. For those of you that don't remember....it was approx 350 degrees that day. We got there at 9:30 in the morning, and it was already so hot that just getting the kids out of the van and Owen in his stroller.....TJ and I were already dripping with sweat.....not fun. But, TJ had taken the day off, so we were determined to make the best of our day together, so off we went to enjoy the "nonstop fun" at the Iowa State Fair.

As you can see in this picture...we are all a little "moist." Ethan is cheesing it up for the camera. I believe he was posing in front of a large cow, but Daddy didn't get that in the photo.

Grace is petting the baby goat.

I am pretty sure there was a sign right above these rabbits that said something like...."Please do not stick your fingers in the rabbit's cage." (or something similar to that.)

Grace and I enjoying a moment with the sheep.

Grace and Ethan had a blast with these sheep. These sheep couldn't get enough of the attention my children were lavishing on them. (Notice how I am clinging to my drink....yes it was that hot. I thought I might dehydrate quickly if I parted with it.)

Ethan and his new friend "Mr (or Mrs...not sure which) Horse.

The boys and I looking at the very sweet little calf. Owen really liked all the baby animals.

This photo makes me giggle!

Owen was NOT enjoying the varied industries building....but Mommy and Daddy were enjoying a much deserved break from the heat.

That's right....Mommy and Daddy may be losing control of these little hooligans.

We made it about 5 hours at the fair in the 350 degree heat (no I am not exaggerating) with 3 kids, and spent a ridiculous amount of money for no longer than we were there. We definitely had fun, but.......... nonstop fun, now that's debatable.

Ethan's birthday

Ethan's 5th birthday was a month ago so I thought I had better put some pictures up. He always shares his birthday party with Klayton (his 1st cousin, they're b-days are 2 weeks apart) and then has another party with the Werner side. So he gets 2 parties every year! For his shared party he wanted to go camping. So we decided that since there are 10 kids that would be at this party and 2 of them are just 1, that we would "camp" in Grandma and Grandpa VDK's backyard. I made a fire pit cake for his camping themed birthday.





Here's a pic of the "campfire" cake all lit up.

And of course there were presents.....

And then we got to the camping. This is a couch out of my brother-in-laws deer wagon. (it is a wagon he built a shed on that they hunt deer out of....I suppose it is their version of a tree stand, only MUCH more comfortable) Notice all the little tents set up....the kids were really excited.

The birthday boys playing in the deer wagon.

Some of the crew enjoying the campfire.

This was the sunrise on Ethan's 5th birthday.

And here is the birthday boy! A big 5 year old now! I thank the Lord everyday for this sweet boy.

Love,

Katie

Ethan and the camera.....again.

We were getting ready to leave the park the other night after watching the balloon festival, and I thought I would capture the cute moment of the 2 older kiddies sitting on the curb. Well, as you may have guessed the minute I pointed the camera at them....well, that was all it took for orneriness to take over.



Me-Smile nice for mom.



Me- C'mon you two.... Would you please smile nice for Mommy?

Me-Ethan, I said smile NICE. (Notice Grace's nice smile is turning into....a hurry up and take the picture kind of smile.)

Me-Seriously Ethan, is it too much to ask for a nice smile from you???

Grace- Ethan, if you just smile....we can be done!

Me- Ethan would you please sit down and smile nice??

Ethan- But I am smiling nice!

Ethan- See Mom!

Gotta love that kid! Did you notice how Grace had the same pose and the same nice smile the whole time? The whole time hoping that Mommy would hurry up, and that her brother would just cooperate. Gotta love that girl also. They make me so glad that the Lord smiled (and maybe giggled a little to) on us when he bestowed these children into our care. Thank you Lord for my beautiful, smiling children!

Love,

Katie

A boy, a pool, and a frog.

Well, I really gave it all away in the title to this post. The kids got in their little swim pool after church the other day, and to Ethan's great delight....a little frog had come to take a dip in the pool also. It was (still is) a tree frog with the little grippy feet. Ethan played with it for quite awhile, and thankfully he didn't "love it" to much, and the frog did survive to climb another tree. However, I am guessing that the nice frog will probably not be nearly as tempted to take a dip in our pool ever again.

Hope you are able to enjoy the sunshine today!

Love,

Katie