Live - Love - Laugh

School Night

2012-01-26T17:45:00.000-08:00

Just one of those school nights, a little calmer than most. Kelsi and Rob went to basketball practice. Nathan was downstairs doing homework.

Karli fell asleep after getting into trouble for not listening.

She told me she was going to calm down on the couch after being spanked. :)

It was very quiet as I was making supper!

I wondered if this is what it would be like when the kids are grown and gone. :)

Nathan came upstairs, we talked about his day, started to eat supper.
Then Karli woke up and joined us.

I told Nathan how much I appreciated him for emptying the dishwasher and Karli for sitting like a big girl at the table without getting up and moving around. (Usually having an accident!)

Tried out some of the "Sticky Faith" stuff that I am learning.

I am usually tired after school and can focus on the negative at the end of the day instead of the positive. I am working on it.

Tonight was a good night.

After things were cleaned up, Nathan even helped his sister with her homework. :)

Little Fun With A Car Hood!

2012-01-22T19:16:00.000-08:00

Saturday Nathan and his friend, Asa, were suppose to go to Ft.Wayne for IMEA Music Conference but because of the snow it was cancelled. So they had a little fun in the snow.

Rob got a car hood from our neighbor, Chad, and they had a blast!

Then it was the girls turn!

New Year's Weekend

2012-01-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

Stayed up too late last night getting caught up with pictures to Christmas. Now I need to finish the holiday festivities. We went to my brother's over the New Year's weekend and had a great time. Here are a few pictures of our time together.

We arrived Friday evening, made our own yummy pizzas, and then sat around the table talking but mostly playing Scrabble against each other on our own phones, ipods, or ipads! :) Reminded me of that funny Christmas picture where everyone is looking at their phones instead of the photographer. :)

Saturday we slowly made our way out of bed and went to

the airplane museum. It was a really cool place.

At least the older ones enjoyed it and the younger one didn't complain the whole day.

This is the first airplane that you get to see, The Wright military flier.

Karli was not too thrilled. Rob was reading every word!!

I thought it was a great place to take pictures. The lighting was cool. If only I could get my focus right.

I loved this picture! How many times have you been here, Erin?? ;)

I like Erin's expression in this picture, too.

Entertaining the youngest!

Then the twirling began! They were happy at least!

Rob was all excited that Nathan took an interest in the engines.

So he was teaching Nathan everything he knows!

There were engines everywhere!! These guys were slowing us down!!

I loved all the cool planes!

Then we saw "Fighter Pilot" in the IMax theater. Cool!

After the movie we had to hustle it over to take the bus to see the presidential planes in a different area. It was very mysterious! We took a bus to a different air base and were told not to take any pictures. Rob even looked on google earth to see where it was located and it was not on the map! We walked on the plane that served as Air Force One on the day of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. We also walked on the presidential aircraft of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower.

I thought it was really neat, thinking of the history!

We went home, had fondue for supper, opened presents, had more fondue for dessert, and watched Sherlock (my new favorite show).

Watch out for Rob. He can be deadly with his fork!

Then we (well...most of us) watched the ball drop and off to bed.

Hope your 2012 is everything you hope it to be!!

So.......

2012-01-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

It has been a while hasn't it! I suppose I just haven't been into blogging lately. There is FB and now Pinterest. I often look at FB and blogs but have just recently started pinning. It is addicting, all those things that I like, want, wish to have. I have found some really great things on there. You know how one thing can lead to a million other things and the next thing you know you have been on the computer for hours! Well, I did find a site called Women Living Well and it has led me (or was it God leading me?) to think about what God wants for me instead of me wanting for myself. Awesome site! (If you are reading this Kathy, thank you! I guess I found it from your link on FB.) I found the Gentleness Challenge and then the Ephesian's Study. Now my goal for this year is to spend more time in God's Word then on the computer.

Being in God’s word is KEY to true transformation.

(which came from Courtney on Women Living Well)

I want to be more dedicated??? driven??? determined??? persistent??? committed??? devoted??? DISCIPLINED!!!! I couldn't think of the word I was looking for!!!!! DISCIPLINED!! I haven't been disciplined. :( I want my kids to see that I am disciplined in not only taking care of my family, my job, but also my walk with my LORD, JESUS CHRIST. I want them to to have a lasting faith! (Another book that I want to read, StickyFaith.)

So I guess this brings me back to blogging. I will try to keep blogging, at least for my mom who is 600 miles away since she is really the only one who reads it anyway. :) Maybe for a few other friends and family that care. :)

Here are some pictures since the last time:

Soccer

The Beginning of September Birthdays

Nate's 14th

Karli's 6th

Visit to Karli's Kindergarten Class

Mrs. Mast teaching P.E. That was fun! ;)

Friends that she talks nonstop about!

Kelsi's 9th

FALL FUN!

My 40th with some great friends and my mom and dad surprised me!!

Thanksgiving

After a delicious dinner, walking the dogs on a beautiful day.

My first experience paragliding. Awesome!

See it on youtube.

Christmas

New tradition - jammies for everyone Christmas Eve.

Lot's of reading and playing games.

First Day of School!!!

2011-08-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

Nathan had to get up early for his first day of 8th grade!!!

He was ready to get on the bus at 6:30. I felt so bad for him. :(

The girls were sooooo excited!!

Karli was ready for Kindergarten and Kelsi for 3rd grade.

Rob started a tradition when Kelsi was in Kindergarten.

He gave her a necklace to remind her of us and how much we loved her.

He has continued every year since then.

He gets the necklace himself, usually from a coworker at Everence that makes them.

Karli was so excited that she finally got a necklace, too!

Rob caught a picture of them getting on the bus.

And.... I got home in time to catch them getting off the bus!!

For the next hour or two I just listened to the new experiences they had at school.

What a fabulous first day! I just know that God has great plans for them this year!

**I had a pretty good day at school, too! I am excited! I have a good group of first graders.**

Summer Vacation

2011-08-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

I am quick posting this before school starts this next week!! This was our "back to school bash" this year. We usually take the school kids (Nate and Kelsi) somewhere like the water park or Cedar Point before school starts. But this year we decided to go to Florida!!

Rick and Jen were there for a wedding. So we got stay with each other for a couple of days.

One night we went down to the beach to look for sand dollars.

Had to stop at the "Unconditional Surrender" Kiss Statue.

Every time we drive by it Nathan wants to know what is under the dress.

Everyone got out except Rob and Rick!

Football fun! Uncles vs Nephews!

While we are here we like to go to the Mote Aquarium. The kids love it!

Karli's favorite, seahorses!

Phillippi Creek, one of my favorite seafood restaurants.

Drove down to the Venice area beaches looking for sharks teeth and dolphins.

I saw a dolphin but nobody else did.

Nathan and his favorite "eats" while we are there.

Yoders for rivel soup and pie!

Sweet Berries for the girls!

More beach time!

Storm rolled in and out. It was fun to watch but Karli didn't like it.

We love Siesta Key!!!

**Back to School pictures next week! Yay! I'm trying to be positive. :)**

Karli did it! That little stinker!

2011-07-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

Last year Karli wanted to ride a 2 wheeler, so Rob started to practice with her. He took off the training wheels and practiced going down the hills in the grass. But then she lost interest.

This summer started off and she didn't say much about riding her bike. Then they went camping and were gone for two weeks. First thing Karli wanted when she got home from camping was her training wheels put back on!! Rob said no way! But she begged. So Rob said if you go out and practice and learn how to ride your bike I will buy you a razor, like Kelsi. That little stinker went outside with Kelsi's help and came back in a 1/2 hour saying, "When are you going to buy me a razor?" We went outside and she had done it!

She was riding all by herself!

I had to take a picture of Nate, too! Just practicing!

Summer Camp

2011-07-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

First, both girls went to Grandparent's Camp with my mom for a week in Ohio. They had a great time! According to Kelsi this was their schedule: breakfast, swimming, bible study, lunch, nap, swimming, dinner, "vespers", more swimming, snack, games, and bed!

Karli was so excited to have made a new friend! Kelsi's favorite part was the bible study. Kelsi is already planning how she can go back next year to another camp while Grandma and Karli go to Grands Camp again.

Big THANK YOU to Grandma!!

Then my mom and girls picked up my niece and nephew in Dayton and drove to Turkey Run to meet my Dad with the camper. We drove Nathan down and did a little canoeing at The Shades Park before they arrived. Had a blast and are looking for more places around here to do some canoeing!

The van ride to drop off.

Unloading the canoe and kayak.

The rapids!

Nate loved kayaking!

Snake!!

After our adventure, my mom and dad arrived. We were excited the see the girls, hadn't seen them for a week. Kelsi gave me a big hug but Karli wanted to be held for a while and then she was ready to camp! We helped them with a little set up but then knew they wanted us to go home!! :)

They had another great week of camping!

This was their schedule according to Kelsi: Sleep in, pancakes for breakfast, hike, lunch, nap, swimming, camp fire for food, smores, showers, watched a movie, and bed. They also did some canoeing, visited the nature center, more hiking, ate some ice cream, and played at the playground. Karli loved swimming, the chocolate chip pancakes, and sleeping in the camper. Kelsi loved the smores and swimming. Nathan's favorite thing about camping were the hiking trails!

Wonderful memories made with Grandma & Grandpa!!

THANK YOU!!!!

Karli's Last Day!

2011-06-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

Today was a very sad day for me! I didn't even want to leave school and I think I was the last one to leave the building. I was not sad that the workshop was over. (Sorry, Lisa!)

It was Karli's last official day at Lorene's. :( [tears]

She has been our babysitter for 13 years! Isn't that amazing! She started with Nathan and ended with Karli. What an amazing gift she has been. Words can not express my gratitude for this gift that she has given me as a working mom. She taught my children, cared for my children, and loved my children so that I could teach. I am so very grateful for her and thankful that God placed her in my life! I know that it will not be the last time I see her but it is a phase in my life that is over. I look back and can see God's handy work! He knew the perfect person for me when I had Nathan and fretted (remember, Rhoda!) over finding just the right person to take care of him. He also knew that she would be there for my other children that I would have five years later and continue on for the last. I never had to worry! God had it covered!

Now all of my children will be school age! I will continue to put it all in God's hands. He can handle it so much better than I can. :)

(If I forget, please remind me!!)

School is out for the summer!

2011-05-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Here we are at another end of a school year! Nathan completed 7th grade and Kelsi 2nd grade. Here are a few of the end of the year activities that I didn't have time to post.

Pet Day

Kelsi's 2nd Grade Teacher, Mrs. Merryman

Kaity's Prom

One of our favorite McFarland girls, Kaity.

Soccer

End of the season tournament is June 4.

We are looking forward to a relaxing summer!

Boys....

2011-05-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

(Notice the splatters of mud on his nose)!

and their toys!

"Reading Rocks"

2011-05-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

Back in March, Kelsi had a "Reading Rocks" week at school.

They did all kinds of fun stuff and dressed up like the 80's, 70's, 60's, and 50's.

We did our best to dress her appropriately!

80's - big hair, big ear rings, pegged pants, baggie sweatshirt, and lots of bright bracelets

I missed taking a picture for the 70's and 60's. Here is the 50's.

Kelsi was sure that Lorene, our fabulous babysitter, could make her a poodle skirt.

First she practiced on a skirt for Karli and then made Kelsi's.

They both loved them!

Every girl has to twirl when you have skirt like this! :)

(Mom, notice the flooring?)

Easter Festivities

2011-04-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday I took the girls up to the Nappanee Easter Egg Hunt.

It was a little soggy but at least the sun was trying to shine through.

Kelsi found a friend from school to hunt with.

Karli was quite the little sprinter!

It was a good hunt with lots of tootsie rolls!

Can't forget this cute kiddo! He had a soccer game and couldn't go with us.

Sunday, they were dressed in their best, ready for church!

It was a beautiful day! Perfect day for Easter!

I was in the nursery at church, which I love! I usually end up with the same sweeties when I go to first service. But, to be honest..... I was a little disappointed to not be able to worship on Easter Sunday. Towards the end of the service/worship Rob came back to see if I could come take communion with him and Nathan. So I did and man, did I feel full after that! Full of joy! Full of blessings! I don't know!

I just felt the Holy Spirit!
We took communion and the worship team was singing "Beautiful The Blood".

That is my most favorite worship song ever!! (Well, one of them!)

Do you know the lyrics?

I never knew death could be so sweet
I never knew surrender could feel so free
I never seen such meekness in majesty
That the blood of Jesus was bled for me

And now I sing freedom for all my days
It's only by the power of the cross I'm raised
The King of Glory rescued me

How beautiful the blood flow
How merciful the love show
The King of glory poured out
Victorious are we now

Never knew through these nails would love unfold
And never knew these wounds would heal my soul
I've never seen such beauty and sorrow meet
The blood of Jesus was bled for me

Once I heard that song, I wasn't disappointed that I missed the service.

After being thanked for helping in nursery, "on Easter", by a sweet, sweet family I wasn't disappointed!

I was so glad that I had nursery duty that Sunday! I hope that everyone that serves at church some way or another can feel that joy and appreciation when they think they might "miss out" when serving, like I thought I was going to. I will definitely be more thankful for those people who help out!

Sunday continued.......
After church, we had a wonderful Easter dinner at the Blucker's
and spent the afternoon hanging out with family.

Pete, Sheri (Rob's oldest sister), Jordan, Cristen (Jordan's girlfriend), Niall, and Zoe
Rick and Jen were there, too! They just didn't ask for a family picture. :)

Then we went home and dyed some eggs! Little late but the girls had to do it!

Nathan did not like the smell of vinegar! Can you tell by his face?

(That's the one bad thing about putting a finger coated with vinegar on a terrible two year old's tongue when they say "no"! Now he hates anything that has vinegar!)

Finally, a slight smile!

The end result...happy girls and sweet memories!

It's only by the power of the cross I'm raised (and my children)!

Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross!

Spring Break

2011-04-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

We had a great time over Spring Break with our friend's, Jeremy, Jessi, Chloe, & Seth, at this awesome water park in the Dells. Each park was great!

We spent the most time in the dome with the wave maker.

It was a beautiful sunny day and it felt like we were outside!

My beautiful friend! :)

Then we went to Schaumburg on the weekend. Girls were a little tuckered out!

We had connecting rooms with the Yoder's and had a little fun!

Jessi and I even got a chance to get away and do a little shopping and talking at IKEA!

Then it was time to go home. :( Thanks for going with us Yoder's! We had a great time!

Sleeping Beauties

2011-04-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago, on a shopping trip with the kids, Rob bribed the girls.

(He doesn't do that often....really! :)

At Old Navy the girls found these colorful, silky eye masks and HAD to have them. Rob told the girls that he would buy them but ONLY if they wear them ALL the way home!

They were all over that! Yep! They were going to wear them all the way home! :)

They did end up wearing them all the way home and eventually falling asleep in the car.
(Rob's sneaky little plan in the first place!)

The masks were handy, too, when I wanted to take a picture of them asleep in bed!
They weren't bothered at all when I turned on the lights to get a good picture! :)

Well, tonight was funny and it goes along with my "Sleeping Beauties".

So tonight I told them both that if there is any talking I will shut off the music and nightlight.

(I'm so mean, I know!)

See Karli likes to talk after they have been put to bed. Most days she gets a two hour nap at the babysitters and does not settle down so easily. She goes to bed but not to sleep!

Then Kelsi is soooo tired from her day at school, she just wants Karli to be quiet! (Of course, there is complaining and it is just a battle!)

After awhile I start hearing this nonstop talking! I yell down the hallway "Karli be quiet! I am going to come back and shut off your music and lights!" The next thing I hear is Kelsi shouting back, "But, Mom, it's me! I am just telling Karli a story so that she will settle down and fall asleep!"

How can I say no to that! :)

Another Snow Day!

2011-02-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

Yes, Fairfield cancelled (the school district I teach in) and Wanee did not (the school district Nate and Kelsi go to)! Nate is never happy with me when that happens!

So, Karli and I had a great snow day at home!! She was pretty pumped to be the only one home with mommy!

We had fun playing our favorite....

Making matches!

Have you ever tried to play Memory Twister style?? Karli was! :)

Then she got a little distracted.... or someone else wanted attention!

Ugh... doggy kisses. Karli doesn't seem to mind.

Did a little wrestling!

Libby is such a good dog! Karli can do anything to her and she just lets her.

Fianlly, back to the game! Karli won 38 to 34 matches. :)

It was a good day! Karli even helped me clean with her own bucket, rag, and pretend water. Love her!

Playing in the Snow

2011-01-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

A Few Of My Favorite

2011-01-22T19:39:00.000-08:00

I haven't been very good about blogging lately. Other priorities for now. But here are some of my favorites with family from the holidays.

Jordan with all the girls! :)

Karli and her favorite kitty, Sparkle.

Nathan (13) and Niall (16) , looking like twins and being goofy.

Wish I would have gotten a better one with the men.

They all had on their Grisswold shirts, a favorite holiday movie in our family.

Bunch of fakers!!!

Grandpa Jans and Kelsi

Grandma Jans and Kelsi with her new cuddly kitty.

So much better than the real thing!

So thankful for our families!!!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.......

2010-12-05T17:52:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-11-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

Hi! It's been awhile since I have blogged! I guess I needed a break and was just a little busy the month of September. Then October rolled around and it was still busy. Now I can't believe it is the end of November!!

Some things that have happened since I last blogged:

Nathan turned 13!
Our friends, Mike & Michelle, had their beautiful baby girl, Tenley!
Karli turned 5!
Kelsi turned 8!
Nathan's arm healed and he got to play the last football game of the season!
Rob and I drove to NE to be with my mom during her heart valve replacement surgery. (That went so smoothly)
School, school, and more school!
I turned 39! (Don't feel it one bit!)
Flew to NE to help my mom. We enjoyed visiting, sleeping, reading, and I cleaned!
Everyday life!

I was so ready for this extended weekend! We planned to stay home and just relax. Yesterday we enjoyed our Thanksgiving Day at The Blucker's! Rob made the turkey on the big green egg and his mom made all the trimmings! It was very yummy! After ALL of the dishes were taken care of (there were 17 total this year) we played Wits & Wagers and then the famous Shanghai Rummy! I won! :) They weren't very happy with me.

Today we slept in and I tried to organize and do laundry most of the day! How fun! :( The girls had fun playing though. They dressed up and did ballerina most of the afternoon. Then Kelsi, my little homemaker, wanted to make a snack that she had found in her new magazine, Sparkle. She is constantly creating or wanting to cook! It drives me crazy but I know that I need to let her drag all of her crafts out or make a mess in the kitchen!

Side note: Recently she made a picture for Nathan. It had a picture of him all dressed up, titled "Princess Nathan". :) We saved it!

Love the look!

Making sure to follow the directions!

Karli is waiting patiently!

Taadaa! The finished product! She was so proud.

The simplest things that make your heart sing!

Humerus!

2010-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here is my boy! Last Monday he had a football accident. He fell and jammed his arm. We thought it was nothing and told him to suck it up!! He would be okay after icing it. Well..... after two days of letting it hang and not using it we thought we better go see the doctor.

Our family doctor took an x-ray and told us we better see an orthopedic doctor. He said it didn't look too good, he was worried that it may have damaged the growth plate. So we decided to see the orthopedic doc. that also saw Nathan when he broke his leg.

We were a little worried. The family doc. said he could have permanent damage and not be able to fully stretch his arm. Right away we told our family and friends to pray that it was not the growth plate. To pray for quick healing!

Guess what??!!! Rob and Nate went to Doc. Ware today and he told him he broke his humerus!!! Thank you, Jesus!!!

Nate broke it close to the elbow, where the arm turns from bone to cartilage. Doc. Ware put a splint on him and said to come back in 2 weeks. It should be healed and he might be able to play football yet this year!!! I'm not so sure about the playing football yet!

GOD IS GOOD!!

Here are the Details!

2010-08-28T18:02:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 23 I was on my way home from school (New Paris) on CR 142 (going west) to pick up Karli from the babysitter's in Waky. I was coming up on CR 15 where there are some trees and a house right at the corner, along with a stop sign for traffic on 15. All of the sudden I see this white F150 truck speeding through the intersection (going south) as I was right there. I remember saying oh no and locking my arms. Then the next second the airbag exploded and I could see nothing. I remember slamming on the brakes at some point and just not being able to stop. (The skid marks are after the impact.)

Here is a picture of her truck.

The next thing I knew my Toyota Highlander was on the wrong side of the road in a corn field. The neighbors came down to help. I had my cell phone right beside me and called 911. I was pretty shaken up and could not remember where I was. Some other calls must have come in and she suggested the road I was on and then I remembered.

Steam/smoke was coming out of the car so I wanted to get out! But the door was jammed. The neighbor helped pry it open for me. Finally he got me out and I called Rob right away. I felt ok. I felt a little pain in my hip, neck, and shoulders but nothing major. I was up walking around. The other ladies truck was on the other road in the corn so I could not see it from where my car landed. She came over and apologized right away wondering if everything was okay. She told me she did not see the stop sign at all!! She had three children with her, one of them was taken to the hospital because of a cut on his head.

Rob happened to be on his way to the Goshen hospital to see his uncle who happened to be in critical condition due to an infection. He got there soon after the cop and ambulance. So we just stood around while they got all the information.

It is a miracle that neither of us were injured badly! We were both driving around 55- 60 mph!! I hit her right in the bed of her truck, just behind the wheel. We think that the highlander is totaled but are waiting to hear from their insurance. You should have seen all the debris on the ground. Rob said that it is because the vehicle is made to absorb all the shock. I think we would get another highlander, even though it got a bad rap last year!

I am just amazed that I am still here today! It is a miracle!

It was a very difficult day, though. Nathan came home injured from football practice. He jammed his arm as he fell and he couldn't move it. I took him with me to the doctor Wed. and now we have to go to an orthopedic doctor next week.

Then that night, Monday, we got a phone call that Gene, Rob's uncle, passed away. He had parkinson's disease and had surgery to help his shaking two weeks earlier. Somehow he got an infection and just went downhill very quickly. I wish Rob could have seen him before he was gone. We had the viewing and funeral this week.

Through all of this you stop and think about what could have happened. I am so thankful for what I have, too often I am unsatisfied and want what others have. I am just reminded how quickly it can all be taken away. I need to make every moment count! God has me here for a reason and I need to be more aware of my impact here. I have been a little too caught up in the busyness of life and the things I want. What is really important?? I think my relationship with God and the others in my life!

Chanelle had a bad day!

2010-08-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

School Days

2010-08-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

School has begun! Where did the summer go???

Nate is in 7th grade this year and Kelsi in 2nd. (Karli still goes to Lorene's.)

Nate was very groggy in the morning but Kelsi popped right out of bed, got ready and came running out into the kitchen all smiles. Here is our first day of school picture.

It was a great day! Kelsi came home saying that 2nd grade is AWESOME! Nate was even telling us how he liked all of his teachers. Looking forward to a great year!!

Tradition

2010-08-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

It is a tradition here that we always take our "school-age" kids somewhere fun right before school starts. In the past Rob has taken Nate to nearby water parks. Then when Kelsi started school it stormed the day they had planned to go so they went to a movie. This year we went to Cedar Point!! It was a blast. I got some pictures as the day started out but then it poured while we were there and my camera stayed in my bag.

Nate being goofy at Bob Evans. He LOVES pie! Mmmm pie!

Kelsi loves hot chocolate!

This was the first ride we went on, The Iron Dragon. Kelsi loved it! Her and I went on it many times while Rob and Nate went on the scarier rides.

Nate made me go on this ride! As we went up, I stared straight ahead. I knew if I looked down I would freak out! As it thrust us down from the top, Nate informed me that I screamed like a little baby. I hated it but loved it!

We had so much fun and can't wait to go back next year! (Maybe we will go again for Nate's birthday in a couple weeks!!)

2010-07-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

Summer has been busy! Here are some pictures to get you caught up.

Kelsi and Karli had swimming lessons.

Did a little fishing. Kelsi was the lucky one!

Nathan making us laugh!

I am taking a nine week photography class on line, The Photography Workshop by Karen Russell. I am loving it and learning some awesome stuff!

Our little helper likes to go to Grandma's house and help her with all kinds of things since her back surgery. She spent the day doing laundry and garden stuff.

Karli learning to ride her bike without training wheels.

Rob got to ride in a helicopter, right in our back yard!

My mom and dad took the grandkids camping, a yearly tradition. So Rob and I spent a few days in Chicago. We went to Taste of Chicago, road on an architectural boat tour, and did lots and lots of walking!

We had a few days until the kids came home so we got a few projects done.

Kelsi went to Grandparent's Camp with my mom in Ohio, while Nathan went to Ohio to stay with his cousins.

And... Karli got her tonsils out!!

Registered at 7:15.

Waited....

and waited....

10:00 went into surgery

11:30 out of surgery and sleeping

4:00 ready to go home!

Ice pack on her neck, popsicle stained mouth, and ice cream bear in the background. She has been a trooper.

The other two come home tomorrow and only 3 1/2 more weeks until school starts! Not ready!

Father's Day Weekend

2010-06-26T19:55:00.001-07:00

The start of the weekend we had a fun Small Group pool party at Jeremy & Jesse's house. Well... we got some swimming in before the storms hit (the first weekend of the storms, that is!) I wanted to go in the basement but Jesse thought I was nuts! ;) Here are a few shots of the kids.

Kelsi & Karli

Ali & Kara

All the girls!

Seth & Nate (all the boys!)

This is when we should have been in the basement!

This isn't the best shot but I loved how Seth had Nate in a nose lock.

We ended up leaving soon after the storm went through because we knew our electric was out. Thankfully, our electric came on the next day around 10 a.m.

Father's Day - Rob did something fatherly! He and Nate went out and did some shooting. Then, who showed up??? The "City Slickers"! Our nephews, Jordan and Niall!!! They were all in heaven??

Niall was a natural!

Jordan....... not so much! :)

But that is okay because Jordan wants to be a youth pastor and Niall wants to be a cop!

This picture below, Jordan did nail that one! You can see it blasting apart in the sky! He was so proud.

Here are all three of the boys shooting against each other.

Then Rob got out the handgun. Scary! But look how cool my picture is!! You can see the smoke! Look at Niall's face, he is smiling!

The other kiddos!

This one couldn't handle the noise! :)

Then the cops came!!! Guess the neighbors didn't like the noise. :(

Just kidding. It was only Rob's cousin, Curtis.

Boys will be boys!!

Patio Update

2010-06-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm sad to say the patio is not going to happen right now. :( I'm bummed!

Karli's tonsillectomy on July 19th is going to cost us a little more than we expected. So we are just trying to be wise with our money. Rob and I actually felt a little relieved when we made that decision. Money can be so stressful sometimes!!

We are trying to fix a water line that goes from the house to the shed. That has turned out to be a pain in the butt! With all this rain the hole has been full of water.

(Can you tell that Kelsi had been at Lorene's on this day??)

Just have to add to this blog what an awesome husband, father, son, and friend that Rob is!! He would drop anything to help anyone out. I love that about him!

These little monkeys love him, too! We had a fun Father's Day weekend, will post more on that later.

2010-06-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

i heart faces!

Saturday I went to Chicago with my friend, Traci, for the first i heart faces Photo Walk. If you have never heard of i heart faces it is a photography site. Each week they have a photo challenge that anyone across the world can enter.

Well, this was their first organized walk in 20 other cities across America where other photographers were meeting and taking pictures of all sorts of things on their walks. Our Chicago group had about 12 (?). It was funny, 4 of us were teachers (2 others had been in education). All of us were amateurs, except Traci and our leader Randy. We met at the fountain there at Navy Pier and got acquainted. Then off we went! Snapping pictures....until it started to pour!! Luckily we had some shelter. We spent about 2 hours walking around and then the rain finally quit. By then we were famished! So we walked down to a market called Fox & Obel and had some yummy food.

I'm glad Traci talked me into going! I really went to learn more and have some fun! Here were some of the pictures I took.

I wasn't quite ready for this one, Traci! We were just checking out some lighting issues. :)

That's better!

Catchin' Up

2010-06-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

School's out for the Summer!

The first week of summer vacation I usually have a hard time adjusting. I don't have a schedule or an agenda, somewhere to be, paperwork to do..... well I do.....but it just changes. I am just not quite sure how to manage my time! I'm much more efficient during the school year.

But this year is different! I think it had something to do with my group of first graders. They didn't suck the energy out of me this year! Really! Sometimes you just have a group that takes everything you have.

Not this year! They were a fun-loving group of kids that gave me plenty of hugs each day! They "filled up my bucket" so I have plenty for the summer!

So my first week off has been pretty productive! I have spring cleaned and now I am ready to work on landscaping! Soooooo happy (and thankful) it's summer!

I have neglected my blog but other things have been happening. Take a look!

Nate and Kelsi had their piano recital.

Kelsi played "Chinese Painting", without the music in front of her!

Nate played two pieces, "Pink Panther" and "The Ballade".

Kelsi finished 1st grade this year and Nate is moving on to 7th grade next year! (Karli has another year at the babysitter's :)

Now it's time to spend summer the right way, swimming!

Look out pond, here we come!

Creative Cuties!

2010-05-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

Kelsi begged to have Chloe over today after church. (I was told life would not be fair since her brother had a friend over Friday.) So dramatic!

Well, look what these two cuties decided to create! They went out "exploring" and brought in a bucket of "wilderness" treasures. They put them each into a baggie and decided to write a book about each thing they found. You should hear them working together! They are going to take them to school and share them with their classes. :) Love it!

Here is a piece of wood, labeled "wildernis ecsqlores" (wilderness explorers) :)

Can't forget this cutie! ;)

1 Down, 1 To Go!

2010-05-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, Kelsi's gardenette is planted! She is happy! It has a strawberry plant, jalapeno plants, tomato plants, and some flowers. We may get a few more things like peppers and onion. Then we could have a salsa garden!

Kelsi's face is painted from her field trip to Curious Kid's Museum. Rob went as a chaperone. He had a group of girls! He thought it was rather interesting. It wasn't that bad though, I think he would do it again. :) He is such a good dad!

We will see how it goes! It is Kelsi's responsibility.

Mom, here is my first iris!! I didn't think it would live. It is in an area that water sits if it rains alot! It did better than the other iris on the other side where water never sits!

The next project is the patio! Stones are picked and layout is decided, just need to pin down the measurements and get started excavating! :) We worked hard on the other yard work this weekend and our bodies are sore. We used the sod cutter from the shop to make wider edges around the trees and landscaping. It was a lot of work but will be helpful in the end.

I will keep you updated.

Where's Waldo?

2010-04-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Nathan had a choir concert tonight. Biggest group of choir kids for Mrs. Angle. She said there were around 210 6th graders on that stage! They did a great job. Nathan played the temple block for one of the songs.

Can you find him? .....................Where's Waldo? .........................He has red and white on. :)

Then it was time for some late night logic! Thank you to his "Career's" Class. Were really not sure what this class is for!

He has ISTEP testing tomorrow!! He needs to go to bed! Who assigns homework and especially on a night they have a concert! (I know......these were all of HIS excuses!)

We love this kid! He works hard to do his best. Lately, we have been really praying specifically that God really guides us and gives us wisdom to be the best parents we can be to Nathan. Those teen years are beginning! :) (At least that is what he is telling us!)

Garden & Patio Wishes

2010-04-22T15:07:00.001-07:00

This is just a quicky post. I need to get out and help Rob with mowing, which I really do love to do. Just put my headphones on and mow away with no distractions, for the most part.

Well, Kelsi likes to be outside helping with yard work also. She will go outside with Rob whenever he is out. I picked her up from Grandma Blucker's the other night and she was helping her dig around the trees. So you get the picture!

The other weekend she begged to stay overnight at Grandpa & Grandma Blucker's. While she was there they went to Bell's in Waky to get some plants. She has been asking about starting a garden and I said no. I used to have a little one. Here are a couple pictures I was able to find.

I did enjoy having one but it was so hard to get it planted at the end of the school year. Then harvesting at the beginning of the school year was stressful. So this is what it looks like now.

While Kelsi was with Grandma she talked her into buying a strawberry plant!! Bell threw in a few other plants on top of that! So.... guess what we need to do..... plant a garden!

So here are the projects for the summer:

Project #1: Build a little box garden for Kelsi to tend to this summer.

Project #2: Build a patio. (I've been waiting!)

I will try to keep you posted! Rob is not too happy with me posting this. Now he feels pressured! :)

Two in One! Shedd Aquarium and Organizing

2010-04-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Got up early Thursday morning to go to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. I thought Rob was nuts! He insisted we get there when the doors open. We left the house at 7:00 a.m. and arrived in Chicago at 8:21 (their time). We were the first car in the parking lot!! It didn't open till 9:00 but there was a line already for the one-day ticket holders so we stood in line shivering for about 20 minutes. Thankfully, the night before, Rob ended up getting us a membership on-line, with a family of 5 it is about the same price of tickets for a day. The membership line was empty so we were right up at the doors.

We were so thankful when the doors opened! We were freezing! So we got our wrist bands, tickets for the show, and headed on in. First, we checked out the Amazon. People were slowly trickling in. We still could look at everything without waiting. Then we went down to the Wild Reef. Nathan was in heaven! He wants to be a biologist but that means he probably won't be sticking around here! :(

By now it was time for the Fantasea Show. So we headed on in and got some good seats. There were lots of people now. My pictures didn't turn out very well. The flash had to be shut off and I didn't know what to do! (Can't wait until June! I am taking an on-line photography class with Karen Russell. Then I will be a pro! :)

When the show was over the Aquarium was packed! Surprisingly we ran into a couple people we knew. They both said that they were too late to get tickets to the Fantasea show. For us it was time for a snack, the kids were running out of steam. We finished up looking at the other areas and were ready to go. By the time we left you should have seen the line to get in!! It was all the way down the steps and down the sidewalk. I couldn't believe all the people. Guess my hubby knew what he was doing!

I talked Rob into going to Schaumburg for a little shopping. We ate at The Cheesecake Factory. Rob and I shared the Red Velvet Cheesecake! Sooooo yummy! Then we went to the Container Store and Ikea. I was so thrilled! :) I have been organizing all spring break and now I feel like I have control over all the paper clutter. Here are some of my accomplishments:

In the computer armoire I got some nice boxes to store things. My biggest problem is my husband. I'm finally teaching him that everything needs a "home". He just jokes about it but I am training him, just taking a long time! :)

I got this LifeStyles Drawer kit from The Container Store. It was so easy to put together!

These crates I just got at Walmart. I saw this idea on another organizing blog. For Nathan I just had a big tub and concocted my own files but it was really too big. I'm finding I need to just keep the really important stuff, not everything. Having a smaller file helps me to accomplish this and it looks cute!

Kelsi help me put in all the tabs. It is so weird to think of the years they will all graduate! Nate graduates in 2016, Kelsi 2021, and Karli 2024!

Easter!

2010-04-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

Grandma & Grandpa Jans came for Easter! The kids were so excited because this meant wild and crazy fun! What do they like to do with Grandma & Grandpa??? Well, here you go!

Nathan plays chess with Grandpa. He actually beat him this time! Then he pulled out the poker chips and played poker, that's right! Grandpa taught Nathan how to play poker when they went camping last summer! We warned Grandpa that if Nathan has a gambling problem in the future it is all his fault. :)

The girls pull out their own games to play with Grandma. First, it was Sorry Sliders and then they all liked playing Guesstures. That is a site to see! Karli likes to get right in there and do her own acting out with her own ideas.

Saturday, while the boys went off to do their stuff, us girls did our own fun things. We went to Wakarusa for their Easter Egg Hunt. The weather had been beautiful the day before but today it was suppose to rain. We found the girls' areas to race and waited. Karli and Mom spotted the gold egg in their section right away and were determined to grab it when they announced the hunt was on and she did! Kelsi ran as fast as she could to gather up all of the eggs in her area. When all the eggs were found we took Karli's gold egg up to receive her Easter Basket prize. She was pretty excited!

Later, while it was pouring down rain, we colored some eggs. When we were done we had a beautiful surprise out the front window! A rainbow!

Sunday we enjoyed our church service and then Easter dinner at our house with Rob's parents, my parents, and Rob's sister and family.

Grandma & Grandpa had to leave Monday morning. The kids were sad and I am sure Grandma & Grandpa were sad but ready for some rest. It is just go, go, go when they are here. The kids try to pack it all in! We were all glad to have the time to spend with them!

We love you!!

Kelsi, My Little Pleaser

2010-02-24T18:19:00.000-08:00

I came home from school today and Kelsi was a busy bee! She had set the table and was in the process of washing the kitchen floor. Then she proceeded to dust and wash the windows. The whole time working with a smile on her face because she knew that what she was doing was making me a happy momma. :)

Then while we were waiting for supper she decided to fold some laundry!! Who could ask for more? During all this I was holding a sick little Karli. She has tonsillitis, again! Third time within the last two months.

Nathan..... he is a pleaser also, just in the adolescent stage. He would say "preteen"! He decided to go to bed early tonight and read. I will try to get some good ones of him on here soon!

Kelsi was so excited to read to us her new Junie B. Jones book from school. So Grandma J., you know what kind of books to be sending her way! :)

It's A Snow Day!

2010-02-10T07:13:00.000-08:00

We had a snow day today. So the girls got out early and played in the snow with Libby.

My little snow angels!

The Big Green Egg and The Easy Bake Oven

2009-12-28T16:48:00.000-08:00

Rob just got a Big Green Egg. It is the World's Best Smoker and Grill. The best thing about it so far has been that Rob is all motivated to do the cooking! Tonight we made pizza. It was awesome! I don't think I could go back to the oven baked pizza now. We'll see what Rob comes up with next!

In the meantime, Kelsi has been doing her own cooking with her new Easy Bake Oven. She was so excited to make brownies today. They were good, the little itty bitty piece that I was able to have. :)

Rob Turned 40!!

2009-11-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

Rob's 40th birthday was Sunday! I surprised him with a party at our house the weekend before. He knew something was going on but did not know the extent of it all. With a little help from my friends :) we had fun, food, and football! (ND lost and that pretty much ended Weis' career. We'll remember that one!)

I'm so thankful for my hubby! He is a humble man that wants to grow closer to God. What a blessing that I get to share my life with him! I love you, Rob!

Count Your Blessings!

2009-11-28T13:25:00.000-08:00

We are so very thankful this year! Family, friends, church, jobs......

We have enjoyed an uneventful Thanksgiving, no traveling this year. Thursday we enjoyed a meal with Mom & Dad Blucker and Rick & Jen's family. The adults had fun playing Shanghai together while the kids played.

No shopping for me this year on Black Friday! We did head over to Mishawaka later in the day to get a few things. The rush was gone and did notice empty shelves. After shopping we ate at Palito's and then off to the ND/Bowling Green hockey game with friends. We did all think that hockey is much more exciting than basketball. :) ND won in OT and just by a goal in the last 2 seconds of OT. It was thrilling! (Kelsi's new word) I should have taken my camera!

Today has been lazy, except for Nathan - he got to go para-gliding!! He thought it was awesome! It freaked me out! It took them three times to take-off. They bit the dust twice! I didn't know if they would make it! The corn field was causing some funky wind swirls and made it much harder than normal. The guy told Nathan to run once they took off and keep running until he told him to stop! :) He did! They slowly rose into the clear blue sky (little hazy). I was extremely uneasy!

Like the amish in the background watching? They usually show up. :)

Up, up, and away!

But when he was done he was all smiles! What an experience! Nathan said it has been the best Thanksgiving ever!

Last Birthday of September!

2009-10-03T10:29:00.001-07:00

Kelsi turned 7 on the 27th. She was so patient! It is difficult being the last child to have a birthday in the month of September around here.

She was very specific on how she wanted her cake decorated this year. It had to have a pony with a flower in it's hair. That is what she got! We love Denise! She is a great cake maker!

Kelsi got lots of American Girl stuff, soccer stuff, and clothes. Her brother even wanted to get her something this year. She was pretty impressed. He gave her a watch that she just had to have and I told her no! She has also been busy making potholders, with my help (it's rather relaxing for me!).

That is it for birthdays for now. At least no more planning for the kids! :) Soon I will be 38 and Rob will be the big 40!!

Then - Karli's Birthday!

2009-10-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

Karli turned 4 on the 9th! She was so excited! She wanted all princess and ballerina stuff. That is what she got, and more!

September - The Month of Birthdays!

2009-10-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

Nathan's birthday was the 5th. He turned 12!!!!

We had a great time spending the day in Chicago. Nathan took his friend, Asa. First we went to the Skydeck. That was great! The sky was a little hazy but sunny. Then we walked around town for a little and ate lunch at Giordano's. So yummy! Then we headed out to Schaumburg. We had reservations at Medieval Times. The show was fun and the food was good. Although, Rob didn't enjoy eating like a barbarian! The boys loved it!

First Days!

2009-09-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

I forgot I was going to post these pictures of the kids' first day of school. I didn't get very good pictures. It was a frazzled morning! Nathan is now in 6th grade at NorthWood Middle School. He will soon be 12!! More pictures to come of birthday celebrations! You know September is the busy month of birthdays! :) It's a fun time though and just makes me smile.

Nathan was very anxious about his first day. The bus was suppose to come at 6:37 a.m., so of course he was out there at 6:30. Well....... it didn't come until 7:00 because of a break down. He was sure the bus driver forgot him!

So I missed getting Kelsi's picture taken before school. We just took one after her first day in first grade!! She thinks it is pretty cool to be in the same grade that I teach. I would love to be a mouse in her classroom. I hope she is not too bossy!

She's A Go-Getter!

2009-09-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

Karli had her first soccer game tonight! She was excited to be doing something that big brother and big sister get to do. They play in Bremen, 3 on 3. So most get a chance to kick the ball.

Rob said she was acting shy at her first practice. So I was anticipating the same thing at her first game, but that was not the case! Look at her go!

She was keeping up with the competition!

Then she made her first goal!!

Giving the Coach five!

She was having fun! Every now and then you would see her do some random jumping around on the field.

I think she was most excited about getting snacks at the end. She had seen her brother and sister receive this at the end of their games. And, this time.......

she didn't have to share any with them!

New Look!

2009-08-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

It's so much fun to change my blog! With school starting I haven't really had much time to add anything lately. I just had to get these awesome pictures that my friend, Traci, took for us this summer on here though. We had a fun time taking them (just of the kids). You can see her link in my friends section. She does a great job! You will appreciate her site if you are a teacher or a parent who enjoys reading with their children. (Even those who don't enjoy reading to your children, this is for you! So, come one and ALL to take a look!) She has started doing a fun "Wednesday - What To Read" blog.

Okay- I need to go to bed! Maybe I will keep up with things a bit more.... and maybe not! We'll see how the year goes. Rob and my mom (didn't you, mom??) remind me that my goal is once a month. Later!

Biking at Potato Creek

2009-08-02T14:51:00.001-07:00

We met our small group at Potato Creek on Sunday for a picnic and some biking. We had a great time together.

It took all 5 to grill the meat!

The little crew!

The big crew!

The too cool crew!

Kelsi and I were going a little slower than the others.

Then we caught up with the rest at the end.

It was a beautiful day!

I bet my friend, Jessi, has more pictures on her site, The Yoder's.

Time with Family!

2009-07-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Our kids have been able to spend quite a bit of time with relatives this summer. First, my mom took Nathan and Kelsi to Ohio on her way to Grandparent's Camp with Kelsi. (I don't have any pictures, may have to post some later.)

She left Nathan in Ohio to stay with my brother and his family. My niece, Erin, and nephew, Ben, are too old, along with Nathan, to go to grandparent's camp. Then after being at camp three days they all (my mom and dad, Nathan, Kelsi, Erin, and Ben) went camping in Kentucky for 4 days. They had a great time!

Now this past weekend Rob's sister's kids came and stayed with us for four days while their parents went on a mission trip with youth kids from church.

I tell you 5 kids is a lot to keep up with! Actually, Monday they spent the whole day outside swimming. It was so quiet in the house!

Working on making a sand castle.

"Rollin', rollin', rollin', keep them doggies rollin'!'"

The sand castle when they were all done. Lot's of hard work and much sand in the swimsuits!

Monday and Tuesday Bethany and Noah had swimming lessons at 9:00. I tell you I had a hard time waking all the kids up! They wore themselves out everyday and wanted to sleep in but couldn't! We had a good time with them here. :)

Soon.... school will be starting (boohoo). It's so true, time flies when you are having fun!

My Sweet Girl!

2009-07-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

As I was getting ready for the day, a sweet voice came from behind me. She said, "Mommy, what do you want on your toast?" My heart melted! Kelsi was working on making me breakfast! What a sweetheart! Too bad I had already eaten. So she went ahead and made her own toast. I just had to get a picture of it. She is becoming so independent. I can't believe she is going to be in first grade!

She loves peanut butter, just like her dad! :)

Florida Vacation

2009-07-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

We just got back from spending two weeks in Florida. It was a fun and restful time for us. We spent the first few days going out to the beach. Some of us got burned! So we needed to be really careful about reapplying our sunscreen after swimming (mainly Rob). :)

Then my parents came to spend a few days with us. This was their first time to Florida and they loved it! Maybe they will retire there! ;) The five days they spent with us were busy! We went to the beach the first day. The weather was very odd! It was red flag, very cloudy, windy, and hazy. Storms were coming. They still had fun playing in the ocean. We ended up going to see "UP!" that night. We loved it!

The next morning we went fishing off the shore in Lido Park. Then ended up going to the Mote Aquarium in the afternoon. Sunday we went to the beach again. The weather was beautiful!

Monday was the big surprise! We did not tell the kids that we were going to Disney World! On our way there we played 20 questions. Nathan guessed right away. The weather was hot and there were lots of people but it was so much fun! Nathan's favorite rides were Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. Kelsi's favorite rides were Splash Mountain and the Tea Cups. Karli loved meeting the Princesses. Grandma enjoyed watching the kids have so much fun!

We took my parents to the airport on Tuesday. The rest of our days were spent going to the beach! We did have two days that it rained so we went shopping! The two weeks were great and we were actually ready to come home. The kids missed Libby and Tiger!

Sunday Night Fishing

2009-06-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

We got home from a surprise birthday party Sunday night and the kids wanted to call Grandma and Grandpa to come over and fish. The kids love it! They caught fish right and left, just little ones, but they still got a kick out of it. The girls put little salmon eggs on all by themselves and Nathan has the professional lures. :)

The girls won't take off the fish but love to hold them once Grandpa gets them off!

Every time Karli wanted to see inside their mouths! She is such a nut!

Nathan did his fishing from the canoe. He didn't have as much luck as the girls but eventually sat at the edge and caught a few.

Small Group Party

2009-06-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with our small group Friday night. I am so thankful for this group. We can get together, be ourselves, have fun, and laugh until we cry. They came over for supper and then the kids swam while the men played corn hole and the women talked.

Later we had a great game of volleyball with young and younger. :) No pictures because we were all playing. It was just hilarious. We laughed and had such a good time. It still makes me chuckle thinking about it. Good times with good friends! :)

A new kitten to cuddle or crush!

2009-06-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

We surprised the girls with a kitty today! They have been talking about this for a while now. I had a friend from school, Kelly, that had kittens to get rid of. So we bit the bullet and took the girls to their house to do some "shopping", that's what I told Kelsi we were doing. (I'm glad they didn't see all their princesses and pollies on their garage sale!)

In the picture below Kelsi realized that we were shopping for a kitten! She was a little stunned. Mya and Johanna, two sweet girls that I had in first grade that are now entering 6th grade (shocking!), are holding the kittens.

The girls loved holding, chasing, and squeezing while we were there. We chose one and brought him home. His name, after many, soon became Tiger. Good choice because when we introduced him to Libby he hissed and scared Libby so much she was shaking! Kelsi couldn't figure out why he was okay around Lucky, Kelly's BIG black lab, but not Libby. :)

The rest of the day was spent learning how to share one kitty between two girls!

First Warm Day!

2009-06-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

The last two days of swimming lessons have been torture (rainy and cold)! Finally, a warm sunny day!

This is Kelsi's 3rd year and Karli's first year in swimming lessons. Nathan thought he knew enough and didn't want to continue. He loved swimming and maybe will continue in high school, like his dad.

Kelsi loves swimming lessons. She will do what she is told and try new things. She has been that way from the get-go! Karli, is another story in swimming lessons. I think she was fine the first day but now that they want her to go under she argues and whines. Not too happy about that. It may take her a little to get used to it.

Her swim instructor trying to get her to blow bubbles. I told Karli I would take her picture blowing bubbles for daddy to see but it didn't work.

After swimming lessons we went to Little Paws for a picnic.

I want to make this a fun summer for my kids! Too many summers gone by that I have been focused on my own agenda after getting out of school. Nathan is going to middle school next year and will soon want to do his own thing or will have other summer activities. We need some good summer memories!

Looks like we have a good start!

Trying Blogger For A Change

2009-06-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

I finally convinced Rob I needed a change! Wordpress just doesn't have the neat layouts that I see everyone else having. So I'm trying Blogger! I know my friend Jessi can help me out. So here we go! Now I'm hoping I get some comments from those who couldn't comment on my other site. :)