Little footprints

2010-05-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

2010-03-13T19:41:00.000-08:00

Remember the ones who are deployed during the holidays...

2009-12-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear..
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me..
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-18T13:50:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-04T20:26:00.001-08:00

Orange Custard ...mmmmm....

2009-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be given a subscription to Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine for my birthday (from my mother in law). I love trying new recipes, so when the first issue arrived in the mail yesterday I chose my favorite recipe and started baking. It is called "Soft Orange Custard", and I thought it was delicious. The reviews amongst my boys and husband were not so great. I guess you have to like custard and citrus seperately before you will like them combined. Just in case someone else likes this interesting combination as much as I do, here is the recipe.

2 Tbsp. butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1 -1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup fat-free milk

1. In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium for 1 minute. Add the eggs, flour, and salt. Beat for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the orange juice, orange peel, and lemon juice. Stir in milk.
2. Pour into five 6-oz custard cups or ramekins. Place ramekins in a 13x9 inch pan. Add 1 inch of boiling water to pan. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for approximately 40 -50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove ramekins from water and serve warm or chilled.

New Website

2009-09-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

My new website is live! Yay! I am still in the process of uploading photos to it, but it is there on the real web, lol! :-) This is something that I have been wanting to do for awhile, and I have been working on switching over to the new site for a few weeks. So, feel free to take a look if you are interested. If not, ignore this post! You can find the link at the side under my "blogroll" section (which also needs updating!) where it says "Capture the Moment Photos". Feedback is always welcome!

Sweet Madelaine

2009-09-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

Meet sweet little Madelaine, the 4 year old girl that I got to take photos of this past Saturday. She was a little shy at first, but after a bit we had quite a fun time.

Some very cute kids who had a very hard time sitting still for 2 seconds. :-)

2009-09-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

More of This Weekend's Adorable Kiddos...aren't they sweet?

2009-09-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

The equation of motherhood :-)

2009-09-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

Someone once commented to me that being a stay at home mother would cause me to forget all of my education. Today, I have "proof" to the contrary. When you are a stay at home mom, your math skills must be sharp. Sometimes you must use your powers of deduction to figure out a not-so-tricky story problem. Here, I will let you see if you can use your own powerful thinking skills to come up with the same answer that I did!

As in any equation, there are several factors to keep in mind. First, there is the early morning riser, a certain 4 year old boy with a penchant for mischief. Then, there is the mother who is NOT so much of an early morning person, but must still rise. So, here is where the math comes in. Early mornings + small boy+ tired mother= distracted parenting. Add in 1 cup of coffee and 30 minutes of staring into space sipping said coffee, and you now have 1 semi-awake mother who is capable of resuming parenting duties. As this mother walks down the hallway she sees this:

So, now we have ANOTHER chance to practice our skills, this time our logical thinking is required! Strangely, pieces of fur are lying on the floor in the kitchen. Hmm, the cat must be shedding. I guess we need to get out the broom. Oh wait, there is MORE fur...in a trail down the hallway, across the kitchen, into the playroom...hmmm, whatever this was must have been shedding HEAVILY, or maybe has contracted mange??
So, mother begins the hunt for the animal who is missing quite a lot of fur. All 4 kittens seem to be intact. That leaves only one possibility. Yep, it has to be Spots. Upon closer examination, I do believe the mystery has been solved. That is, unless cats fur tends to grow in choppy,vertical stripes. My findings were substantiated by the small boy who was hiding behind the piano bench with these behind his back...

So, contrary to the comments of those who think my brain is turning to mush, I must say that there is NEVER a dull moment around here. I doubt that any career I could have chosen would involve a trail of cat hair, but hey, at least it keeps me hoppin'!

Last night's photo session

2009-08-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

I had the fun of photographing a sweet family last night. The little guy didn't want to smile, and the baby girl thought it would be more fun to RUN, but we did get some cute shots. Here are a few of my favorites. I'm planning to get a new blog started for my photo sessions, but for now, I want to share. :-) After all, it is what I have been doing alot of lately! I will try to get a few more sessions on as I have time.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

A couple more cuties...

2009-08-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

There are another 2 little ones that we don't see often. My cousin Samantha's children, Camryana and Carmelo. They are of course, as cute as can be, with their big brown eyes. I had to post these pics for you to see just how cute they are. :-) Their mama was 5 months apart from me in age growing up, and we lived within 30 minutes of each other. Every family gathering I couldn't wait to see Sammy, and we had some fun times spending summer days walking down the country roads near my grandparents' farm. We kept each other awake at night telling scary ghost stories (ok, I was mostly the one who got scared) and I told her every silly detail about my "first love". She was a very special friend to me,and it is really amazing that the two of us somehow grew into the adults in the bunch. Our kids seem to get along well, from football to hugs. :-)

Happy 11th Birthday, Karli!

2009-08-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

There is so much that I have wanted to post, but have not had the time!
I don't think I will ever get to catch up, so going forward from the last week or so is my best option.

This past weekend, my cousin Karli turned 11. I can't believe she is already a preteen! I remember carrying her around when she was first born, and playing with her as a baby, styling her hair whenever I got the chance as she was a little girl. The past few years I haven't gotten to spend as much time with her or her family because of the geographical distance. So, every time I see her and her sister, they have grown another couple of inches. It was so nice to get "home" for her party and to catch up a little bit on what is going on in her life these days. Thanks for having us over, Debbie and Gerry. It was fun, and the grillin' was scrumptious!

Happy Birthday, Karli!!!

Happy Birthday, Hunter!

2009-06-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

It is cliche for parents to say " I can't believe how fast they are growing". However, it is SO very true! I can barely believe that Hunter turned 4 years old today, and that all of his baby and toddler years are past. It seems like yesterday that we brought him home, and last week that I stayed up all night rocking my baby to sleep only to have him wake wanting to nurse a few minutes later. I stumbled through so much of that first year from lack of sleep, but it was also full of sweet, tender moments. As Hunty grows, the sweet side of his little personality does not fade, but the ways in which he expresses himself are even more heart-warming. He will give me a kiss several times in a day, for no real reason other than wanting to. He sometimes tells me " I was peeking at you because I love you , Mommy". He ALWAYS wants hugs and cuddles (especially in the morning after he gets out of bed and at nap time). When we accidently hurt his little feelings and apologize, he responds with "That's ok, you're still the best". There are times when he and his older brother just don't get along...but most of the time instead of hitting or pushing as boys are prone to do, he will get a sad look on his face and tell him " You broke my heart, and my dreams, and my feelings!" (Can you tell he is a bit dramatic at times?) Most of the time, the two older boys are best friends and nearly inseperable. Hunter is learning to watch out for his little brother, too. He will play with baby Kendan, and entertain him. He wants to hold him, but gets tired of it when Kendan pulls a handful of his hair or bites his nose. Hunty can always get the baby to laugh, and the rest of us, too! He tells creative little stories, with a real story line, and great characters. He loves chocolate milk, matchbox cars, and transformers. He likes to jump on the trampoline and play outside, and he will often be found just splashing in the sink during the day. He still has that childish innocence, and you can see it in his eyes...and in the way he takes pleasure in the simple things of life. A bird, a squirrel, an airplane in the sky, a cold popsicle on a sunny day,,,,blowing bubbles, playing in the sand...and running. Always running. My little Hunter holds a very pecial place in my heart, and I am so thankful that I have the privelage of being his mother and sharing in his childhood. I'm learning all over again to see things through "new" eyes...and I look forward to the future and to watching him grow into the person that God has in mind!

Happy 4th Birthday, my precious little boy!

(almost)Wordless Wednesday... Kendan's 8 month photos

2009-06-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

A Special Guest

2009-06-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

The last few days we have had the privelage of a very special guest. :-) Ken's sister Marjorie was able to fly into the local airport after being abroad for 3 months, and we got to spend a few days with her. The kids were so excited to see her and it was really great for them to spend time with her, as that is not an opportunity that comes along often. Hopefully, we will have some more time with Ken's family next weekend, so I will snap a few more pics. This one, though, I really like because it was the first time little K met his auntie. As you can tell, he was enjoying having her around. :-)

If you take a boy to a creek...

2009-05-28T21:46:00.001-07:00

...he will ask if he can stand on the edge while he eats his lunch.

Then he will decide to take his sandwich with him and wander into the water.

He may even have sooo much fun that he forgets to eat at all...but he will look so sweet & small that you let him have his space.

...and, if this boy is a country boy who has been transplanted into the city...he may even skip some rocks...just to see if his arm still works. It does. :-)

Look what I can do!

2009-05-28T21:37:00.001-07:00

These little hands...

...and chubby toes....

...have found a brand new trick. I CAN CRAWL!

...and I am VERY pleased with myself!

pardon the format...I copied this from an email in honor of Memorial Day weekend.

2009-05-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

We must never forget who

gets the credit

for the freedoms we have, and we must always remember the sacrifices made

that allow us to REMAIN free.

watched the flag

pass by one day.

It fluttered in the

breeze.

A young Marine

saluted it,

And then he stood at ease..

I looked

Him in uniform

So young, so tall, so proud,

With hair

Cut square

And eyes alert;

He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men

Like him

Had fallen through the years.

How many died on foreign soil?

How many mothers' tears?

How

many pilots' planes

Shot down?

How many died at sea

How many foxholes

were soldiers' graves?

No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of taps

one night

When everything was still.

I listened to the bugler play

and felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how

many times

That taps had meant "Amen"

When a flag had draped

The coffin of a

Brother or a Friend.

I thought of all the children,

The mothers and the wives.

of Fathers, Sons, and Husbands

with interrupted lives.

I

thought about a graveyard

at the bottom of the sea.

Of unmarked graves in

Arlington...

No,

Freedom isn't free.

Enjoy

Your Freedom

& God Bless Our Troops!!!

My boys are growing up!

2009-05-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

It seems that coming home after some time away has caused us to realize just how much our boys have grown up lately. There's something about seeing them doing new things in the old familiar environment that has brought me up short. I'm amazed at how much they are changing...especially baby K. He's scooting around here on his tummy now, and rolling around when that doesn't get him where he wants to go. It's only a matter of time until he crawls. We've noticed that he is responding to us in a new way, too. He has been smiling at us and cooing when we talked to him for awhile, but now he will do things to get our attention. He will make a silly face or stick out his tongue at us and crack up when we laugh. He'll pat me on the shoulder when I hug him, and dive at us with mouth wide open when we kiss his chubby cheeks. It's really alot of fun to interact with him at this stage! I wonder if that is why my house looks like it does?? The older 2 boys are developing as well, if not at such a rapid pace. Bradyn is catching on to reading all of the sudden and reads me every sign we pass, and every sentence on every box. He's getting most of the words correct, too. He always wants to know what the date is, and is constantly figuring out the time on his new watch. Hunter is a great helper. He's always willing to do a job for me, and runs back to ask what's next. He is learning to recognize the letter sounds, and likes to ask me how to spell words. They are all growing out of their clothes as quickly as I can empty the old ones out of their drawers. Our favorite form of entertainment is just watching the three children interact with each other. B & H are great at playing little games and spinning silly stories for their little brother, and you can see how much he loves them in return from his toothy(2 teeth, that is!) little grin. It is truly amazing to see our little babies growing into little individuals!!

We're home!

2009-05-13T09:49:00.001-07:00

We did go to Disney, had a very busy, very fun time, and we are back home...more pics to follow!! For now, I need to unpack the many suitcases and do LOTS of laundry!

I think we're going to Disney

2009-05-01T04:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right. I "THINK" we are going to Disney. We have had a Disney trip planned and paid for since January. We are scheduled to leave today and meet my parents at the resort on Sunday. Sounds great, right...a week of fun in the sunshine? WELL....I hope so. I'm actually worrying about this Swine Flu pandemic and wondering if we are really going to go. If there is word of an outbreak near or at Disney, you can be sure we will be turning our Odyssey around and heading back to our house. So, if you don't hear from me for a week, you know we are enjoying our vacation...and sanitizing our hands every 15 minutes...I'll be the one with the Lysol can in the cup holder of my stroller.

Goodbye Mr. Frog!

2009-04-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

It was time to say goodbye to the frog we found last summer. Kenneth found him inside the basement of a house he was working on(in your subdivision, Raelynn!) He was a tiny thing then....and has done quite well on a diet of pet-store purchased crickets. He needed more room to grow and jump...and the kids had pretty much lost interest...so Mr. Frog was released into our neighborhood's pond a couple nights ago.

Field Trip

2009-04-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I like best about homeschooling our children is that we can take a field trip without a bus and without permission slips. We have taken a couple in the last week or two. One was to the IMAX theater downtown to watch a documentary about the oceans to conclude a unit on the subject. Friday we took a field trip to Conner Prairie and watched a sheep being shorn and visited some baby animals. It was a great way to teach the boys about the origins of fabric (or at least one type) and their clothing. We were able to follow the process through shearing, stretching of the wool,washing, carding, , dying, spinning, weaving and knitting. Of course, all of this in the style of the 1820's or thereabouts, since it took place at the museum. The boys then went up to a classroom and sat in a circle for some sheep themed stories and songs, a snack and a craft. Although we have chosen to homeschool, I do realize the importance of the kids being able to listen respectfully in a classroom setting, so this was a good opportunity to practice manners. They both behaved quite well, and it was a really nice day for us all.

Signs of Spring in the yard,,,

2009-04-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Weather!

2009-04-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

We have finally had a day in which the temperature climbed almost all the way to 60 degrees! We have been hoping that would happen soon, and decided to take advantage of it by heading to the park for a bit. The kids have been sniffly the last few days...actually they have had sniffles for the better part of a week and a half now! I thought it would do them some good to get some fresh air, and talked them into sitting relatively still for these pics. Looking at them now, I am struck by how much they are growing. In the "every-dayness" of life, I must not have really looked at them lately. Look how tall Hunter is, and how grown up Bradyn is getting! ...and the baby...is sitting up all on his own and has a tooth already. I am at once happy and wistful...because these wonderful childhood days are speeding past and I know a day will come all too soon when I want to start them all over again. It is such a wonderful blessing to "raise" these little ones, and I am so thankful that I have them in my life. I am attempting to teach them, but I feel like I am the one learning sooo much!

Hmm...photo tag...

2009-04-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

I got tagged by Amy (*link to her blog at the side) ...so here's my part!
1. Choose the fourth folder where you store pictures on your computer.
2. Choose the fourth picture.
3. Explain that picture.
4. Tag 4 other people.

My pic is not that exciting! It's a loaf of bread that I made. It's from a book called "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day". Basically, you make the bread, keep in the refrigerator, and break off a chunk, shape it, and cook it when you want fresh bread. This was one of the loaves I was experimenting on. It is a french boule with rosemary...and I may have already blogged it??

Next up-
Julie, Wrena, Mandy, and Dora :-)

Swim Lessons

2009-04-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

Waiting (patiently?) for Spring...

2009-04-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

"Earth Hour"

2009-03-31T08:04:00.000-07:00

Did you join in the lights out for Earth Hour Saturday evening? Homes and businesses around the world turned out the lights from 8:30 to 9:30 pm to save energy. We decided to use the opportunity to teach our boys about conservation, and to enjoy the experience together. We lit candles (approx. a dozen) and made some ice cream sundaes. Then the kiddos took a bath by candlelight before heading off to bed. They had so much fun (and in a cheap, simple way,too!) that Bradyn asked me if we could have "Earth Hour" every night. I'm not sure that I could handle that, because there were so many things I wanted to do that needed electricity...laundry, dishes, ironing...that I was a bit lost without my lights! It made me appreciate the fact that we do HAVE electricity available, even if we do have to pay for it. So often I grumble about the numbers on our bill, but I imagine I would be doing more grumbling if I had to haul water from the retention pond to clean with, and/or lug my laundry down there to wash it! On that subject, we have been trying to cheapen up a bit without sacrificing creature comforts. On my list of "to-do's" is procurring a clothes line. We aren't technically allowed a clothes line in our development,but I am thinking maybe a retractable one won't get me in tooooo much trouble with the home owner's association. We switched out the majority of our bulbs to the new energy efficient type a year or so ago, and I finally turned down the thermostat for the month of March. Hopefully it will warm up soon and we won't need to use the heat or ac for awhile. It's not that we can't afford it, but it's quite annoying to spend money on basic things when we could use it somewhere else! How do you save money on the basics? Not just energy costs, but on groceries, clothing, etc.

Little Smiles

2009-03-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Here are the adorable kiddos that I mentioned visiting in a previous post. I didn't have one of M by herself, so I included the one of Bradyn with her. That's how they were most of the time, anyways. We parents had wondered if their interests would grow apart as they are getting older and she prefers to play with her dolls and he prefers basketball. We need not have worried yet, as the whole group managed to play together well with only a few bumps and bruises. :-) Isn't little guy getting so big already? And L and S are just as cute as ever. One thing I am sure of is that if I were in their parent's shoes, I would have a VERY hardtime disciplining S with her precious little smiles! Our boys had a lot of fun...it was the longest they ever spent with one set of friends "all in a row". Hopefully they weren't TOO happy to see us pack up and go home!

Seven years together...

2009-03-23T13:17:00.001-07:00

March 23rd, 2002 , 7 years ago, we were saying our vows. Has it really been that long ago? In some ways, it seems like it isn't possible that we have been married for 7 years! How is it that just yesterday I was falling in love and today we are already raising 3 little ones? Alot has happened very quickly for us in the last few years, and because of that, sometimes we don't take the time to remember just what it was that brought us together in the beginning. So, today I wanted to take the time to be thankful for the man who takes care of me, is a wonderful father to our children, listens to me, makes me laugh, knows all of my dreams (and opinions-sorry bout that one, Ken!)and loves me despite my faults. Thanks for being the one that does all of that and so much more, Kenneth! I love you even more today than I did the day I married you!

A less friendly type...

2009-03-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

Sea Creatures

2009-03-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

The treasures of the Atlantic...washed up right in front of us about 15 minutes before we left. I have wanted to find a conch for years... so I was excited to find this one...then not so excited when I saw it's occupant was still in residence!! The tough thing you can see at the bottom is the conchs "nail". It's hard like a hoof, and when you touch it the conch pulls inside the shell and protects himself with that hard outer nail. It is also reallly hard (and we later discovered, illegal!) to try and remove a conch from the shell. Anyways, interesting, right?

Tybee Island, GA

2009-03-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

On our drive home we followed an impulse to drive out and look at Tybee Beach, GA. It was almost impossible to be 15 miles from the coast and not visit...so we did....and then ended up staying another night so that we could enjoy the sand and sun. :-) Here are some shots of our critters...not the best photos, but it is really hard to get the lighting correct on the beach. There is literally 10 minutes of perfect lighting at sunrise and sunset...and a few of my pics captured the lighting correctly, but not the smiles. SO we will show you the smiles instead. :-) Pardon the shadows!

Sunday morning at our friends' in Florida

2009-03-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know us probably already know that we recently took a trip to see some of our good friends in Florida. We had a really great time! We spent a long weekend with them, and enjoyed the warm weather and being able to let the kids outside without bundling them up first! Since my blog is viewable to just about anyone who happened to stop by, I don't feel that I should post pics of their family without getting permission first, so I am only sharing a few of our kids this time. However, we did really enjoy catching up a bit! These pics are some we snapped after Sunday morning meeting. It's not been warm enough here to take pics outside, so I had to take advantage of the sun!

Beautiful Spanish Moss in Orlando, FL

2009-03-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

...found a couple more

2009-02-26T07:34:00.000-08:00

I just found a couple pics that my mom took on her camera while she was here a few weeks ago. You can see his whole team here. That would be team "Thunder!".I'm pretty sure he knew Grandma was taking his picture here. Silly!

Basketball Pics

2009-02-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to add some pics of Bradyn's basketball team/games. The lighting in the gym is pretty awful, so I have been waiting to get a better set of photos. That doesn't look likely with only one game left, so I am going to go ahead and post these from his first game. At least you can get an idea of what he's up to. :-)

Here the team is sitting down after the game, discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and being awarded color coded stars for what they did best that game.

Above:Bradyn got the rebound and is about to pass the ball to his team-mate. Or dribble...I forget.
Below: Dribbling down the court towards the basket.

This is his team at their first practice. Pardon the non matching shorts, as we didn't know what color their jerseys were until we got there! :-)

Quick Trip to Ohio

2009-02-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

We just got home from what we call another "flying trip" to Ohio. We left yesterday morning to go to Ken's parents' house, installed trim in the basement, and rushed back home in time for work and a Dr. appt. today. It isn't alot of fun to spend that much time in the cab of Ken's work truck, but it went more smoothly than I expected. The basement is looking great, by the way. They have the bedrooms painted and most of the drywall in the rest of the basement is finished. Ken set up the cabinets for the downstairs kitchen, and the doors and baseboards are now in place. There are some contractors getting ready to install the carpet, and John is planning to get to work on the other flooring next. So, as you can imagine, it's coming together nicely.
I should have taken some pics to post for those of you who are family and wondering how it looks over there. I will try and remember to do that when we go back in March.

Woponoly

2009-02-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

What follows is a conversation that took place at our house this evening. We had just finished playing a board game.

Ken: "It's time for bed, so let's put this game away."

Bradyn: "I don't want to quit yet."

Hunter: "Me too!"

Me: "We should really get you guys to bed now...what did you want to do?"

Bradyn runs into the bookcase and comes back..."How about Woponoly?!"

Parents: "What?"

Bradyn: "WOPONOLY!"

Parents: "What???"

Bradyn: "Well, I don't know for sure, but I think it says Woponoly!"

Me: "Ohhhhhh....you want to play MONOPOLY!?"

Bradyn: "Yea, that's the one!"

He had gone over to pick out a new game to play and thought that one looked like fun. :-)

The Homemaker

2009-02-17T20:56:00.001-08:00

"The thing that is so important for us to keep before us is that if we choose not to do this very special job, it will simply not get done. The mothering, the nurturing, the comforting and caring that fills the committed homemaker's day will simply be lost, and society will be impoverished..."

"Women can give up their jobs as clerks, engineers, salespeople, doctors-other people will step in and the world will go on as smoothly as before...Not so with homemaking. We are the people into whose hands the homes of the country and the world have been entrusted. When we leave this job the world does not go on as before. It falters and begins to lose its way. "

"Homemaking is much more than a job-it is a profession: a profession which is venerable, honorable, and of the highest benefit to mankind. We must not forget this."

~Mary LaGrand Bouma~

Is winter over yet?

2009-02-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

So, is anyone else ready for spring? This time Ken has whiplash, a bright red eye and a cold, and I have a sore throat and sniffles. So far, none of the kids are sick. Ken is convinced that his red eye came from his car accident the other day when he got rear-ended at a stop light...but I'm not really sure about that! It's been an interesting week. Ken got crashed into on Wednesday night on the way home from work in the middle of a rain storm. Then he got sick and went to the dr....got some xrays and found out that his accident tore a ligament in his neck. Of course, he's being super tough about it, but he did go see a chiropractor. I'm hoping that getting treatment right away will prevent it from getting any worse.
Anyways, on the good side of things, Kendan only got up once last night. Anyone that's had a tiny baby can understand why that is a big deal! Wooohooo! We are trying to have a nice V-day despite our little problems, and are enjoying being together. That's what makes life enjoyable, isn't it? The little hugs, the little "I love you's" and just sitting around the table together having a nice warm meal. We had to put our plans on hold this weekend, but we are still thankful for our little family! Kids make it alot easier to look on the bright side, don't they?

My new computer is here!

2009-02-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

Well, I am back in the computer world. Not that I was ever completely gone, but I was definately online less for a few weeks. I have been using Ken's laptop in the evenings as our old desktop hasn't been "plugged in" to the cable. Now we have our new computer, built my brother Matt. I am really enjoying it! It seems soo much faster than our old one. That one is going to be the kids' for their keyboarding lessons and their games. This one is for household finances, internet, blogging..:-) and oh...Guitar Hero! So, maybe I will keep up with the blogging now. See you soon!

Oops

2009-02-06T07:12:00.001-08:00

Well, I just looked at my blog and noticed that it has been over a month since my last post! Sorry about that. For some reason, I have a hard time posting because it seems like I never really get to post a cute little story or just the right thing....so, I guess we will have to settle for quick updates again.
We've been busy lately. Imagine that! Bradyn has been playing on a basketball team every Saturday. It's pretty neat, since it is for anyone to join, not just kids who attend a certain school. Since we're homeschoolers, we thought that would work out well. The games are at a local church gymnasium, and there are over 500 kids enrolled in the program. There are around 8 -10 kindergarten teams of 8 or so kids each. They arrive Saturday afternoon and practice for about 30 minutes and then play a game against one of the other K teams. The rules are great because they don't keep score at that age, although they are still thrilled when they get a basket! They are not allowed to steal the ball away from another player when they are dribbling down the court, so they are learning good control of the ball and the basic skills needed for the game. It's a good way to learn and keeps everyone positive. Ok, not EVERYONE. There are a couple dads that like to tell their boys to get it right...and that's not something I enjoy seeing, but over all the experience is a good one.
Last week my mom and brother came to stay for a week. It was really nice to have them here, if a bit crazy. Our 2 older boys seem to think that the rules don't apply when grandparents are here. :-) Over the weekend Dad came out and Mom, Kendan, and I went to scrapbook for a few days in Brown County. It was a nice little get away. Although, next year I think maybe I would get more actual scrapbooking done if I didn't bring my sweet little baby along. :-) I only managed to make 5 pages of the scrapbook I was working on. Not exactly a record.
This weekend we are going over to my brother Matt's place in Waterville, OH. He just finished building us a new computer which should be much "faster" than our current desktop. Right now I'm using Ken's laptop, so there aren't any pics available to post. I could upload to it, but I think I will just wait.
SO....now you know that we are here, and still alright. :-) I'm sorry for the lengthy pause between posts, and also for the rambling nature of this one! I have been updating my freebie blog a little more often, but I intend to do "better" at keeping up on both of them in the near future.

Posing

2008-12-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a few pics of our little "hams" taken 2 Sundays ago. We had just come home from meeting, and we talked them into sitting still long enough for a quick click or two. Aren't they sweet? :-)

Getting Better

2008-12-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

Well, we are finally on the mend. Everyone except for Ken, that is. He came down with the cold stuff that we have been passing around- he started feeling bad last night and is snortin' around here today. I'm sure he would appreciate my terminology. Anyways, I am over my cold (almost anyways) and the two older boys are just fighting lingering congestion. Sweet baby K has seemed to elude the bug thus far, and we are all sanitizing our hands constantly in hopes that he doesn't get it at all.
I spent the day today making several kinds of cookies to take with us when we go home for the holidays. I love to bake...it's my favorite hobby here lately. I ended up with peanut butter blossoms, russian teacakes, split second cookies(shortbread and jam type), sugar cookies, some choc ones,chocolate covered pretzels, and a yule log....and a rather messy kitchen! I didn't get to the cut-out butter cookies, but it's more fun to make them with Mom, anyways! We will head over there tomorrow afternoon (weather & health permitting, of course) and stay in OH til Sunday afternoon. We are planning a busy holiday with Christmas in the morning at Mom and Dad's , then out to my grandparents for dinner. Saturday we want to go visit my other grandpa and then go to Ken's parents' for the night. I'm really looking forward to being home. I haven't seen my extended family since July, so it will be nice to spend some time with them!!
I hope everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Down for the count

2008-12-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

Did you ever feel like winter is just like someone pushed a "pause" button and everything (like the sunshine, playing outside, and spending time with friends without worrying how many days it will be until your kids are sick) just hangs there until spring? I am feeling like that today. My two older boys are sick this week. Bradyn has had sniffles, but they seem to be getting worse instead of better-maybe slightly better this morning than yesterday. Sunday afternoon Hunter woke up from his nap with a fever and now he has the cold symptoms, too. It's no fun for them, although they do an admirable job of keeping on playing with a snort every now and then. It's also no fun to try and keep them away from their little brother. That means constantly telling them to step back from his play area and to wash their hands, to cover their mouths when they sneeze...yada yada. We have tried our best to keep the kids at home , but they still seem to pick up viruses every time we do go somewhere. Do people knowingly visit public places while sick? Last week we went to a really nice italian restaurant and were enjoying our meal when someone came in and sat in the booth behind us and started coughing, sneezing, blowing her nose, etc. right behind us. We knew it would be a matter of days. Now, I know that on the scale of illnesses, a cold bug is a pretty mild one. It could be a LOT worse. The thing that gets me is that some of these bugs can be alot worse for a tiny baby than they are for adults or older children, and it seems like people just don't realize that. SO, I guess we will continue to be hermits for the remainder of the winter season(except for the commitments we already have)...and hope my poor boys don't go stir crazy. Only....3 more months to go. Bleh.

Why Breakfast takes so long at our house...

2008-12-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

When we sit down to eat in the morning it goes something like this:

1. Sit down (ok, this sounds easy, but it's not!! Remember, I have THREE little boys!)

2. Decide WHAT to eat. This process is made easier if I choose for them. Unless, of course, that decision prompts someone to ask for something else. In that case, my attempt to be speedy only causes more delay as we discuss why we must eat what is put in front of us, even if the desired cookie is sitting on the counter RIGHT THERE!

3. Say our prayers- this usually goes off without a hitch. Unless whoever is praying forgets to stop in time for Hunter to say "In Jesus' name, Amen". Then we have a little discussion again.

4. Boys seem to be eating well, so I go in the next room to change the laundry loads around. I come back to see some very creative minds at work. The mixing bowl I was getting ready to make bread in has become an astronaut helmet.

5. Then said bowl becomes a drum.

6. Finally I say, "EAT"!!! Two chastised looking boys take a few nibbles and then ask for chocolate milk. I get the chocolate milk while they chew a few more bites.

7. I remind them that they want to play with their new train table before it is time for school, and they hurry up and eat (most) of their food. About this time, I turn around to get the chocolate milk out of the microwave(because it must be warm!) and they blurt "scuzemethanksmom" and bolt...leaving the milk on the counter.

SO, the next time we are a little late getting somewhere in the morning, remember this, and you won't wonder why! :-) Side note: I in no way want to rush them through their childhood. I do realize that these times that are sometimes a bit difficult now will someday be my best memories. It is, however quite funny to step back and look at the silliness that goes on around here at times!

Amazing deal on Photocards!

2008-12-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

I just got a really amazing deal on our family's holiday photocards, and I thought it was too good not to share! I got 30 cards for $3.48! SO, if anyone is interested, read on. If not, ignore this post! Here's how to get your cards for next to nothing:
1. Visit kodakgallery.com and create a photo card.
2. You must put at least 3 sets of cards in your shopping cart (10 in a set, usually) That comes to around $27.00.
3. At checkout when it asks for promotion codes, type in tryus3 . Click on validate.
4. Type in code 20freecards . Click on validate.
5. Proceed as usual.

You now have a huge discount on your cards! You do still have to pay for shipping, which was around $4 for me. Or, you can choose to pick up locally at a CVS or Target for free. :-)

Have Fun!!

ETA: These codes do NOT work on Martha Stewert designs!!!

Kendan is 8 Weeks Old!

2008-11-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

My sweet little baby is no longer a newborn, but a cuddly bundle who can coo, smile, and reach for his toys. He's still not very good at eye hand coordination, but he usually succeeds in getting a hold of whatever it is he is grabbing at. He loves his big brothers, and they are both able to bring a gummy grin to his face by babbling silly baby talk at him. Of course, it melts our hearts to see him give one of what we call his "whole body smiles". He lights up- his mouth opens wide in a grin, his eyes crinkle up (alot like Ken's!), he waves his little fists furiously and his legs get going like a little windmill . I had forgotten some of these little milestones in a tiny baby's development, and it's amazing all over again. We can't help but wonder who he will be as he continues to grow and change. I'm just beginning to see his little personality emerge. As distinctly different as his two older brothers are, I know he will be an individual as well. Anyways, I am enjoying the "ride".

Mantequilla

2008-11-21T17:34:00.000-08:00

We have been doing a unit study on Thanksgiving. So, we spent a couple of days learning about the customs of the early american settlers vs. our modern day conveniences. To illustrate the difference, our little "pilgrim" boy got to make butter in jar.

First you pour the cream in a jar, screw the lid on and start shaking...this is kinda' fun, right?

Then you KEEP shaking...and shaking...and shaking...til you almost fall over. :-)

You shake for a looong time, and you end up with something like this...There's real butter in there!

Drain off the milk, put it on a plate...
...and enjoy your hard work on a slice of homemade bread. All that work for boring ol' butter?? Yup. Aren't you glad yours comes in neatly wrapped quarters from the local supermarket?

Counting Down, Hunter style

2008-11-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

When there is something to be counted down, Hunty is more than willing to do it for us. Regardless of if it is the oven timer, the microwave, or time to go somewhere, he loudly chants "10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1....COMMISION!!" I can only assume this is Hunter-speak for "ignition" and that he is "blasting off" in his rocket to some great place in childhood imagination.

A Picture is worth a thousand words...

2008-11-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

I am completely outnumbered!! These silly guys sure do keep me busy! The older 2 kiddos are really good with Kendan, and love to help me out if he cries. Bradyn will run and get the binky and Hunter will either try to rock his bouncer or hide and plug his ears. :-)Anyways, just wanted to show you this pic...of our not very calm bedtime routine.

Bradyn's Birthday Party

2008-11-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

Our little boy is growing up so quickly. He's not 6 for another couple of weeks, but we had his birthday party this past weekend. Since Bradyn's birthday is the day before Thanksgiving, we didn't think anyone would be around to celebrate on the actual day and so we went ahead and had a little party a bit early. He decided to have a "pirate party" and wanted to hunt for treasure. We did the best we could with limited space due to some pretty chilly weather. It was alot of fun for me, and I think the kids had fun as well. I racked my brain for weeks trying to come up with some pirate-like games, and finally settled on a few. Actually, my favorite idea came from my aunt 2 days before party time. It was refrigerator box "boats" and a cannonball fight. We also did the traditional pin the tail on the donkey type game with a map and treasure chest. That went well until Ken realized they were peeking under the blindfold. :-) The kids dug for plastic jewels in sand, "walked the plank", made a pirate hat and sword, and hit a pinata. It's always amazing to me how so much work boils down to something that is over so quickly. All said and done, it was all worth it when Bradyn said "This is the best party in 5 years, mama!"He had missed out on the whole part experience too often because of Thanksgiving, so I really wanted this to be special for him. Thanks to all of you who helped make his day happen! :-)

Just a little note...

2008-10-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

It's 1:10 am. I am holding my tiny baby. I should be sleeping, and instead I am just enjoying the feel of his little head resting on my chest. I just love the smell of baby shampoo in his hair, his tiny fingers, his sweet soft cheeks, his fuzzy duckling hair, and the tiny little mewing sounds he makes while he sleeps. :-) Now, we know all new mamas need their sleep, but these precious little moments fly by so soon...and this time around I am taking the time to appreciate the little moments. I want to remember this.

All Together Now...

2008-10-22T07:47:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we had the privelage of enjoying my whole(immediate only) family for a couple of days. It was great, because we haven't all been together since Ryan left for boot camp last winter, and won't be again until some unknown time in the future after he gets back from his tour of duty in Iraq at least 8 months from now. It could be longer, but we never know for sure. Mom and Dad, Ryan, and Josh came out late Friday night, followed in a few hours by Matt & Melissa. They all crowded in and we tried to catch up as much as possible in 2 days. We got to hear some of Ryan's experiences, although I think he could write a book on what he has seen and done thus far overseas. Amidst the fun, we had an early Thanksgiving dinner and took some family photos. They turned out pretty great for 2 inexperienced ladies, 2 new cameras, and a tripod as photographers. I don't have time to type a whole lot right now (imagine that!) but I did want to share some of our pics with you. Here ya go! (Please pardon my still chubby self , as these pics are worth being in even if I am still only 3 weeks pp!)

2008-10-15T10:37:00.001-07:00

Just some more pics...

2008-10-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

Introducing Kendan Ross Lehman!

2008-10-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

Kendan Ross Lehman was born on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008 at 6:20 am. He weighed in at 7 lb 12 oz and is 20 inches long. He has a ton of soft black hair, with a blond patch on the right front side. He was 2 weeks and 1 day past my latest due date, so we were extra glad to see him make his appearance!

Labor was interesting...my midwife broke my water on Wednesday and thought we should have a baby within hours. Baby thought otherwise and decided to stay in my belly for a few more days...with only a few random contractions for those days. Since the norm for delivery after breaking the water is 24 hours, we started some cohosh(herbs) on Thursday night to see if we could get things moving. That didn't do too much either, but I did finally start having contractions Friday evening at dinner time. They were 10 minutes apart, 5 minutes apart, then slowed to 30 min and then an hour...so we thought it was a false alarm and went to bed around 2 am. I got up at 4:45 am and was shocked to have really strong contractions only 1 minute apart. It felt like it was time to have this baby, and the midwife wasn't even on her way yet! So, Ken called her and she got to our house around 5:15. I went ahead and got in the jacuzzi tub and labored there (the BEST pain relief ever) for the rest of the time. At 6:20 am Kendan Ross was waterbirthed into his mama's waiting arms! It was wonderful to have our baby come into the world at home, surrounded by the people who love him the most. Bradyn and my mom came upstairs to see him as soon as he was born, and Bradyn was a bit overwhelmed and went back to sleep. Hunter didn't want to wake up at all. Both boys have since decided that he is pretty cool after all and like to pat his head and tell me "the baby needs you" if he utters even a tiny peep. We are adjusting, and trying to get on a sleep routine...and loving every minute of having a tiny baby around the house again! We are all very much in love!

Josh is a Senior!

2008-09-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

My youngest brother, Joshua, spent a few days with us this summer and I convinced him to let me practice my photography "skills" on him. I learned alot about my new camera, and we came up with a few nice pics. He was very patient and cooperative with his annoying sister!

The Gator...

2008-09-19T12:52:00.002-07:00

This is the old, but new again, entertainment at our house lately. Ken brought this little machine home last summer for Bradyn and Hunter to play in as a surprise while they were at grandma's for a week. It was great fun for them then, but spent the better part of the summer in the garage due to a broken gear. I guess they don't make toy parts out of very strong stuff, but Ken decided to take it apart and have a look. Now, knowing Ken, you know he can fix just about anything that can go wrong with a mechanical part. So, a few screws and lots of Daddy grunting and muttering later, the gator is in working order again. It's once again their favorite toy, and Hunter is able reach the pedals this year. He even does a pretty decent job of shifting gears...if only he could get the steering down! It's a bit nerve wracking to watch him tear off around the house or down the sidewalk because he almost always waves at me and keeps waving until he almost hits a tree...or a fence...or my flowerbed...but he is SO proud of himself for being a "big boy" and I don't think he can cause any real damage. I never knew watching my kids enjoy their childhood would be so much fun. :-)

No, I have not had my baby!

2008-09-19T12:52:00.001-07:00

Ok, so it's been awhile since I posted ANYTHING on here. Sorry about that. Life has been busy, as you would expect with two little ones adjusting to a schedule of homeschooling and a very pregnant mama trying hard to keep up with all that needs done. I just had to put this in writing so that everyone knows...YES, I AM STILL PREGNANT! :-)

As we were taking a walk around the neighborhood last evening, chasing the kids as they drove their John Deere gator around the sidewalk in high gear, and waddling full tilt ahead, my neighbors kept asking about the status of my pregnancy. The most common phrase was "Haven't you had that baby, yet?". Also popular has been "Are you STILL pregnant?". However tempting it may be to respond with "No, I had the baby, the huge bump under my shirt is a watermelon", I resisited and we kept on walking and smiling. But then, I realized that there are probably alot of my family members and friends who are actually wondering if I am, in fact, still rotund. So, yes, I am. I am officially over a week past my latest due date. This little one is quite comfortable in there, and all of his test results say is he is doing just fine. We are planning to let him stay there for +/- another week or so before trying any medical intervention, as long as he continues to do well on his non-stress tests. Hopefully, he will just decide to arrive before then, and we will have some happy news to post. It will be nice to finally have our little one in our arms, and to be able to sleep on my stomach again! :-)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Hunter!

2008-06-19T20:53:00.001-07:00

I can't believe our little guy is 3 years old already! The time does fly! His actual birthday was yesterday, the 18th, but he had a little birthday party tonight and I will try to post some pics of that tomorrow. Lots of little kids running around, and lots of noise = lots of fun for both of our little guys! Tomorrow morning we are planning to go "bunny rabbit" shopping for his birthday gift...he says he will name it "three". :-) He is such a sweet natured little fella', always full of hugs and kisses for us, and with a smile to brighten the day. I am trying to remember every moment, even the mischevious ones, and store them away for the days when he doesn't come so easily to my lap. But for now, I love to hear him say " hold me, momma" and " I lub you"! If ony there were a way to save the feeling of little arms around your neck...

Deployed

2008-06-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it is official. My brother Ryan is deployed. He is currently in Kuwait awaiting a move on into Iraq that should take place in the next couple of weeks. The flight over was a long one, about 20 hours plus stop over time in Germany. He was able to call home and talk to my parents after he arrived, but the phone lines went out, and the internet is not much better. He paid by the hour for the internet service...which is slower than dial up here, so be thankful for your cable and dsl...and was able to tell mom and my brother Josh that he is already experiencing sandstorms and high temps. He seems to be positive about the whole experience, and eager to do something to help the war effort. I, on the other hand, am rather worried about him even being over there, much less fighting. I am proud of him for wanting to give what he can to help protect the rest of us, but it is hard to watch him do it, especially knowing that it is not easy for him. His tour of duty in Iraq is 15 months long, approximately. It seems that the army doesn't tell you much before you get your orders, and then only what you need to know at the moment, so we won't know alot until we hear from him. I will try to keep my blog updated on his progress as we get word. As of now, we don't have an address for him, but in a couple weeks, we should. If anyone wants to send him mail I will be glad to give you his address as soon as I know it. You can email me and I will give it to you. Having someone in my family serve overseas definately makes me see things that I have never seen before. The sacrifices of our soldiers and their families...every one that reports for duty...not just the heroes that we read about, but the quiet heroes who do their job and are willing to give up the control of their own lives for a cause. Every day is a new sacrifice, for the soldier who sleeps on a cot in the desert, and the mothers and fathers, husbands, and wives who do their best to carry on while they wait for their soldier to come home. It isn't easy, and so many of us don't even think about it. Ryan said that means the armed forces are doing their job, if the citizens of this country don't have to worry as they go about their day to day lives...but it would be nice to show some appreciation when we get the chance. Thankyou, soldiers.

Summer Flowers

2008-06-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

I have been playing around with some photos of flowers...and sneezing as I take pics. They are around for such a short time and it takes so much work to keep them looking nice, that I thought I would snap a few pics to keep them around a bit longer. I just ordered a new digital SLR, and I am super excited to start taking pics with it as soon as possible. I'm hoping that I can master lighting and exposure times with a little effort. Any of you who have experience in that area(Julie, Amy, anyone else??), feel free to help me along with advice!

McKenna

2008-06-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

This is a little girl with whom Bradyn seems to get along almost perfectly. Every time he sees her he tells me she is his best friend, and he reserves that title for her 90% of the time. They are only around 2 months different in age, and have been little buddies ever since they were tiny. I know we all have a friend or two in childhood that we remember as vividly as if it were yesterday...good foundations for a growing child. I'm thankful that Bradyn chose a friend that I feel comfortable having him spend time with. I know that she will be a positive influence on him, and I never have to worry about what kind of things he will learn and bring home when he is with her. I think a large part of that is because she has wonderful parents who spend time patiently teaching her...and it shows. :-) Now that both our family and her family is planning to move in the near future, we are starting to wonder what will happen to this little friendship. They seem to enjoy writing letters to each other now, so maybe they will be "penpals".

Happy Birthday to Ken!

2008-06-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well, his birthday was in May, but I am just getting around to posting the pics. :-) We "kidnapped" him and took him to Brown Co. State Park where we rented a cabin, had some great campfires, pony rides, and a nice long hike. Ok, so the hike was nice for awhile but then I got wimpy(blame it on the belly, right?), and Ken ended up carrying the youngest critter because "hold me, hold me daddy" is just irresistable! The last mile felt like 10, but it was beautiful in the woods and there were plenty of little streams to splash in. We had a great time, and some really nice sunny weather to go with it.

Eagle Creek Park

2008-05-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

We spent the morning at Eagle Creek park, a state park not far from where we live. Of course, I took my camera, and tried to catch some good grins...as the boys wandered through the woods and around the pond. Bradyn was less than impressed with the pond this time of year as it was covered in algae and pollen from the trees, and he told me "Mom, this is not a pond. It is a SWAMP!" It didn't look too inviting, that's for sure. Here are our critters trying to sit still long enough for me to capture them on film. That's hard to do when you are a little boy, ya' know!

Yeehaw!

2008-05-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

Bradyn and Hunter have a collection of costumes that they like to wear and pretend to be just about anything they can imagine. It's amazing to me how much they can "think up" in their little minds. One of their favorites lately is "cowboys" where they twirl their cap guns 'round their fingers and yell "YEEEEHA! Mommy, watch this!!" Bradyn gallops down the hall on his imaginary horse and Hunter follows behind, doing his best to immitate his big brother. Then they sit down and play me some music on their (slightly broken and out of key) guitar, harmonica, or whatever pots and pans are handy and happen to catch their interest. I took some photos today to remind me later of just how much fun they have at ages 5 and 2...because they are growing all too quickly!

Fun in the Sun

2008-05-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

The kids had a really great time playing in the waves, and shoveling sand. They kept their daddy and uncles busy shoveling out this giant hole and filling it with water.All the little cousins were so much braver this year in regard to the waves. It was good for Bradyn especially to have his older cousin Micah and brave little Carter to help him enjoy the ocean. Hunter was less sure, but did manage to work up enough courage to splash in the edge by the end of the week. Most of his time was spent playing in the sand and asking everyone for a fresh bucket of water to wash his hands! The pool was also more fun for Bradyn this year because he could touch the bottom and keep up with Micah and Hannah. A few pics of them enjoying their vacation...

Ok, a family pic just for laughs....

2008-05-21T09:14:00.001-07:00

I know that I said I wasn't going to show you the family pic attempt, but they are a bit humorous, and I will share a couple with you after all.

The scenery was great, but the sun was just too bright. I tried suggesting that we all just fake it, but as you can tell, that didn't go over so well with anyone. :-) NOT the sort that you frame, but a memory none the less!

We're Home!

2008-05-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

We have returned from a week of relaxation on the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico...and are missing it already! Actually, we have been home for a week and a half, but this is the first chance that I have had to post a few of my pics. We tried to take a family photo as well, but we tried on the morning we were leaving, and didn't get packed 'til the sun was already out, and BRIGHT...which leads to shadows and some VERY squinty eyes, so no family pic this time. :-) We did get a few cute "posed" shots of the kids, but it got dark on me that time, and well, live and learn! Here are the not so great shots of some very sweet little guys.

Quick Update...

2008-05-02T10:40:00.001-07:00

So, today we are planning to leave for FL, and hopefully get away from this WINDYrainy weather in IN for a few days. I am "supposed to" be packing, but there is only so much laundry a girl can take! I always think it would be nice to leave our house in an orderly state when we leave for vacation, but it just never happens. It usually looks worse than normal, in fact. Something about getting ready with 2 toddlers is just not that conducive to neatness. Anyways, I just thought I would let you know that I have not, in fact, fallen off the face of the earth, and will hope to be back on here with beach pics sometime in the next 2 weeks. More to do...so better keep at it!!!!

Enjoying the Sunshine!

2008-04-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

Bradyn and Hunter have been very frustrated with this cold snap, and couldn't wait to get outside again. Bradyn really wanted to get out his skateboard, and Hunter asks to stop at the playground every time we drive past the park. So, Ken and I took them to the park for a little while, and they had a blast. Now, I just hope this sunshine stays!!

Oh, and one more thing....

2008-04-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

It's a boy!! :-) We had an ultrasound about a month ago, and the tech said "well, it looks like another little boy"! They said they can't be 100% sure at the early age (it was only 14 weeks) but that it was pretty obvious, and well, I could tell myself and I don't really know what to look for. So, we are anticipating our third little guy, sometime in September! :-)

Graduation time!

2008-04-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

We are headed to Georgia tomorrow to visit my brother Ryan for his Graduation from Army company Foxtrot 1-50. He will graduate on Friday, but there is another ceremony on Thursday, and we aren't sure when we will be back home. It depends on if he gets leave or not...he should receive his "orders" officially at graduation, so we will know then. Tentatively, he is planning on around 2 weeks of leave, then going to Ft. Hood where he will be stationed until going to Iraq in December. Nobody seems to know for sure if that is what will happen, but that is what he has been told so far. I will be back with pics as soon as I get the chance! This pic is from family day a month ago. :-) Looks dashing, eh?

Where to start?

2008-04-13T20:07:00.000-07:00

Soo much to catch up on, as I have not been very faithful with my posting lately! I will try to get back on track again this week. This weekend I finished a wedding cake that took me hours and hours, and Wednesday we are leaving for Ryan's army graduation in GA, so there will be a couple days of down time in between there. :-) Maybe I can be productive enough in my "day to day" things that I can have some time to highlight what has been going on around here and in Ohio with the house project! Anyways, tonight all I have is a pic of the latest cake, which I am very glad to have finished. It was a challenge because of the construction- stacked layers. Also, I spent alot of time making the bavarian cream filling and the frosting, though it was so deliciously rich that is was worth the effort! :-) I need some more pratice on my piping....but my hand was soooo cramped by last night...I think I will give it some time before trying again!

"Pat-a-cake"

2008-02-15T12:45:00.000-08:00

My 2 "baker's men" helped me bake and decorate a heart shaped cake for Valentine's Day. They picked out the mix 2 weeks ago when we walked by a display at Target. It had little red sprinkles in it, so appealing to little eyes! They also chose pink frosting and heart sprinkles....and could hardly wait to make it for daddy. So, we got out the ingredients, took turns measuring them (dropped and cracked 2 eggs on the floor....) and baked it. Bradyn learned how to check to see if it was finished baking with a toothpick...then we waited on it to cool, and all got involved in the frosting. As you can see, they concentrated very hard and came up with quite the finished product!

House full of Sick kiddos!

2008-02-14T11:11:00.001-08:00

So, this not so wonderful Thursday finds us at home and for the most part, in bed. Our 2 sweet little ones have been sick since Tuesday with stomach bugs and all that goes with that. Hunter caught it first, then me, then Bradyn last night. Ken seems to have escaped without more than a tummy ache...I guess he owes that to the iron stomach that comes from eating ALL of the leftovers that he can dig out of the 'fridge, no matter how old they are. :-P I do wonder sometimes if that doesn't help him, because he seems impervious to stomach flus that the rest of us catch! Anywhozit, we had to miss bible study last night, and the valentine's party that our homeschool group had planned for today. That translates into some pretty bummed kids, but they got a happy surprise just before nap time...Sue showed up with a bag full of valentines for each boy! She had gone to school and collected them when the kids passed them out (for McKenna & Leyton, too, who are also sick). That was extremely thoughtful, and made their day as they dumped the bags and took stock of cards and candy. "Look who loves me, momma!" They went to sleep with grins instead of tears, and this momma appreciates that immensely! So, I am going to go try to bake a cake for Ken for V-Day. Have a good afternooooon!

Update on Ryan as well...

2008-02-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

Another quick update for those who have been wondering about my brother, Ryan and his military training. Mom and Dad got a long letter from him a few days ago, and he is hanging in there. Training sounds very difficult, but he is making it through better than most. It sounds like there have been lots of broken bones, AWOL attempts, etc. in his platoon in the last month. He has had pneumonia, and lots of antibiotics and pain killers to get through it. The doctor advised him not to participate in training exercises while he recovered, but of course, he did anyways. He seemed to be getting over that, thankfully!! His platoon has been in a tear gas chamber, learned how to use M16 rifles, antitank rifles, how to rappel, long marches, confidence courses,,,many many things. His body is wearing down from the lack of sleep, hard training, and sickness, but emotionally he is still very strong. He did say the the MRE's they eat are much better than the ones we used to buy from the surplus store. :-) He misses everyone, but is choosing to make a sacrifice so that we can all enjoy the freedoms that we do. We miss him, too, and can't wait til we can go see him on Family Day. He will get a 30 hour pass, so we will have a little time with him. Any prayers for him are appreciated. The photo is Ryan, rappelling down a 60 ft. wall. I am guessing that means he didn't inherit the same dizzying fear of heights that I have!! (edit: Ryan is the one in the center of the photo!)

House....

2008-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

So, several people have asked us recently how things are coming on our house and the plans to sell. I thought I would post a brief update. As far as the house in IN goes, we spent the last few days cleaning and painting and making it spotless for a showing that was scheduled for last night at 6 pm. NOBODY showed up! Needless to say, we were slightly annoyed. This morning, as we are relaxing and drinking our coffee, they called and said they would like to come tonight instead. Fighting the urge to scream, we agreed, and are now vacuuming again. :-) I suppose we will have to keep things pretty spic n' span around here, anyways. We got all new carpeting for the stairs and the second floor Thursday, too. That was quite a job, because we had to move ALL of our furniture out of the rooms and back in again. I guess now we just wait and see what happens!

Go Colts!!

2008-01-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

Come on Colts, says my Dad. Ok, well, that may not be exactly what he was saying...but the pic was perfect for today anyways! :-)

...and he's off!

2008-01-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

My younger brother Ryan joined the Army recently. He shipped off to Basic Training(better know as boot camp) last week. It is around a 10 week course, then graduation, and he is planning on a few more weeks of more specific training after that. It is hard to see him go, but we are proud of him for standing up for what he believes in...his country. May God Bless you and watch over you, Ryan.

Cousin Time!

2008-01-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

Bradyn and Hunter were so excited to get to see some of their cousins. We had cousins from 4 states gathered at Gma n Gpa L's house for a few days. The kids had a blast, as it isn't often that they are all in one place.

The rowdy bunch holding still for a minute...minus baby Kasen who was napping. Notice the extreme girl:boy ratio!

Catchin' up on the last few weeks!

2008-01-13T12:49:00.001-08:00

Over the holidays we were able to spend time with most of our families. First we opened our gifts at home, then went to my parent's for a family Christmas. These pics are just a few random ones. Hunty says "CANDY CANES!!" and proceeds to eat one before breakfast on Christmas morning.Bradyn is trying sooo hard to wait patiently for it to be time to open presents!

At home, wearing the ski goggles that were in his stocking.
This year the boys favorite toys and books seem to be anything "Thomas the Train".

Christmas Photos...

2007-12-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

I snapped some photos of the boys to send out on our Christmas cards. It was already past naptime, and they weren't able to sit still for long. Here are the few that we came up with, you will have to excuse some of the lighting/shadows.

Snowmen...the kind that doesn't melt!

2007-12-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

Both kids really enjoy crafty type activities, so we decided to use up some leftover materials from a preschool activity. Little artists hard at work, and then the final product. They were very proud of themselves. We also went to Grandma and Grandpa Lehman's and went snowmobiling, and made some real snowmen. Too bad Mom (me!!) forgot to snap some pics of that!

Mom, it's SNOWING!!!

2007-12-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

As soon as Bradyn wakes up he bumps sleepily down the stairs on his bottom. One day last week, as he reached the bottom he looked out the front door and saw that the ground was covered in white stuff. "MOM IT SNOWED!" He immediately ran to get his snow pants and new boots, but we did manage to convince him to wait until we got a few things accomplished first. He went outside and played, but Hunter was tired and wasn't interested in that white cold stuff anyways! Here's my buddy enjoying the fluff.

Progress Update on the house...

2007-12-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

We have a roof, a front door, windows, and walls! Next comes siding, plumbing, heating....then the finishing with drywall, paint and trim, and the kitchen...still alot to do, but lots of progress too! The man who will dig the well is to come tomorrow, and they went to choose brick this morning. I think they are going with cream colored siding and a brick called St. Thomas. Here are some pics for those of you who aren't close enough to see it in person.

Update: Ok the pics are here! Sorry it took me so long. Life is busy around here.

The new house...

2007-11-29T06:23:00.001-08:00

The work is well under way on the Lehman house! The framers are hard at work, and we snapped some pics to show you how it is shaping up. Hopefully things will keep moving along...and then J&M can be able to move in by spring time.

Splash Harbor

2007-11-29T06:11:00.000-08:00

To celebrate Bradyn's birthday, we spent Thanksgiving evening and the next day at Splash Harbor, an indoor water play area. It was a surprise for him when we got there, and he was SO excited! The kids had a great time, both of them going down the water slide (and only drinking a little pool water!), and playing air hockey.It's a good thing that the hotel had vending machines because NO restaurants are open on Thanksgiving. We had figured on at least McDonald's...nope, chips and gatorade! It was probably the least nutritious meal our kids have ever had, but they were thrilled about it.

Thanksgiving....

2007-11-29T06:02:00.001-08:00

I have alot of pics of Thanksgiving....we saw alot of family that we don't see more than once or twice a year. Here are a few of them. This is my side of the family- the Lehman crew is planning on a different time to get together in Dec.

Bradyn is 5 years old!

2007-11-29T05:47:00.000-08:00

Our little Bradyn turned 5 on Monday! I know everyone says that time flies when you have kids , but looking back on the last five years, it is incredible how quickly it does go by. It seems like just yesterday when we spent days and weeks holding the hand of our tiny baby in the St. Vincent NICU. Now, he is into the "kid" stage...no longer a toddler, and his looks are changing from those chubby cheeks of babyhood into a slimmer, taller version. It's amazing to watch him grow, and especially precious when he does something that shows his devoloping character. He is kind to his little brother, most of the time! He loves to help take care of Hunter, and he adores his grandparents and extended family. He is learning to read, write, and add...and when he prays he really talks to God. There is something to be learned from his simple prayers- he just pours out his heart, telling Him whatever he is feeling, with "no holds barred". It is such a privelage to be the parents of this wonderful little man....our big boy Bradyn!

Welcome to the family, Chase Anthony!

2007-11-20T21:05:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, Aaron and Mandy!! Little Chase is finally here! Now, let the sleepless nights begin.... ;-) He looks so much like his daddy already! Enjoy the tiny moments...they sure don't seem to have lasted long looking back, and I'm told they fly even faster as our children grow. Congrats!!!

Happy Birthday, Momma!!

2007-11-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Momma!

Happy Birthday to you!!

Autumn Brilliance

2007-11-19T19:58:00.000-08:00

The leaves are so beautiful this time of year! As I admire their hues of crimson and gold, I am wondering how leaves can be so beautiful as they are dying. I wonder if this is a bit like God looking down on His people, those who are giving of themselves and dying to selfishness. There is beauty in it, even when in the struggle. When we see a friend who has sacrificed, we see the fruits of their sacrifice, the kindness and joy that is warmth to others...the dying to human nature brings out something brilliant, just like these leaves.

My Saturday...

2007-11-17T17:38:00.000-08:00

I had a photo session today at a State park nearby. The family had 2 children, one of who was 2 years old, and did NOT want to hold still! He kept running away from his parents & little sister, but we managed to get some cute "on the go" poses. I guess that is something I will have to learn to deal with if I am going to get serious about this. We'll see! I have a few more appts coming up, and have begged some friends' children to practice on, too! Here's a couple of my fave clicks from today. Other than that,poor Ken is sick now. And the kids seem to be getting it again??? I am feeling guilty because I let them out to play at the park today, thinking the fresh air would be good for them, and that they were almost well again. So, Hunter fell on the slide and knocked his front tooth a bit crooked and bloody. Now he can't eat anything without crying, but it seems solid, not like it will be permanent damage. Poor guy, but he seemed to have fun playing afterwards anyways. Tonight he is mostly saying "I need you Mommy!" Not that I mind the cuddles!