why is nobody blogging anymore or is it just me?

Thanks to my friend Nicole who continues her blog to inspire me to write a short post. I can't cover the past year so I will start with the here and now. Kids are enjoying their summer. Although it is passing too fast. We are getting ready to embark on a week without Brady for the first time as he is going to a training for work. Thank goodness my parents are nearby, both sets of gparents for that matter. Decker will be seven soon and starting first grade. Since we celebrated his bday early last year in August he thinks he must have another "summer" bday this year too before his actual bday. Lets just hope this year he doesn't send me to the ER with a fish hook in my face. Because Decker is talking so much about his bday, Kalena rightfully thinks she will also be having a bday soon. She will not. Time slow down. Below however is a pic of her 3rd bday which was in March. And Decker (and the hippo) at the St.Louis Zoo where we took a short trip on spring break. Good Times!!

Likes and Dislikes

We like birthday parties, ugly sweaters, snowball fights, trains at the Eiteljorg, the Sycamores and especially spring but we as in Decker does not like soccer. Indoor soccer to be exact. Don't rule out outdoor yet. We celebrated my moms bday in January by traveling to Indy to take in the museum and Spaghetti Factory. February we enjoyed snow days. Decker is becoming a master snowballer just like his dad. March Kalena turned 2! The "me do it's" are upon us! And now we are enjoying the beauty of spring with the boys going out for their first mushroom hunt of the season today. Also took the kids to their first ISU track meet today. I don't think they were as impressed by the new track complex as we were! But they did enjoy the free cookies and pop!

Mistletoes

I better start blogging cause Decker spilled grape juice on the computer keyboard yesterday and the days of these sticky keys working are limited. We have been fighting sickness like everybody else. Pinkeye, croup, ear infections, colds. Even though Decker missed his preschool Christmas program due to sickness, he and Kalena were still able to participate in the one at church. They were so sweet up on stage. A proud parent moment. Decker also participated in Volleytots for a few weeks before Christmas. It was like agility training for kids. Now he is getting ready to start indoor soccer. I'm scared to start sports but I suppose we've waited longer than most. When asked if he wants to do anything new he usually responds maybe next year. So I guess it's technically next year now!

Guilt of Not Blogging

I feel so terrible that I haven't updated the blog in so many months. Most every night of the week there are so many things I want to do like organize pictures, blog, write in the kids baby books (about all the cute stuff they are saying and doing) but I'm just so darn tired after getting the them to bed that all I want to do is watch another episode of Parenthood on Netflix and then hit the hay myself. I thought about ending the blog but I really want to keep it open even if I haven't hardly blogged in 2014. Summer was good. Decker loves vacation and we were able to go to Michigan for a couple nights for some beach time. Decker had his first camping trip with his cousins, whom he loves to spend time with. Both kids continue to love being outdoors which makes my heart happy. Decker just turned five and is off to a great start in Pre-K 3 days a week. Decker had to get his long locks buzzed this summer because of a hair twirling habit that turned into a knot that couldn't be undone. His hair has never been so short-even when he was a baby.

Milestones

This month we celebrated a significant milestone-Kalena's 1st birthday. The first birthday always seems more like a celebration for the parents than the kid for surviving the first year. I never want to wish my time away but some days lack of sleep makes me. Kalena has a wonderful personality and loves to be around the boys-bro and Dad-and participate in whatever they are doing.  She loves being outside. This winter has been hard on us and we're ready to get out and play. Decker continues to love preschool. Lately he is questioning all things real-super hero's, leprechauns, Easter Bunny, dinosaurs, God, Jesus. Pretend characters, real but extinct, real but can't see, real but is depicted with a beard (he doesn't like beards)...God give me the wisdom to explain these things. Brady claims he is going to be a lot smarter than us because he is asking so many questions.

The Best Christmas Ever

Decker has declared this will be the best Christmas ever! From decorating trees to singing carols this boy is loving Christmas. He loves sitting around the tree and pointing out his favorite ornaments. He likes to "compact" the ornaments as he calls it which otherwise means moving them around from place to place and placing a large number of ornaments on the same branch. Luckily there have only been a few casualties. The Grinch song came on the radio and he said who is Mr. French? I said the Grinch was a pretend character that doesn't like Christmas. He could not wrap his 4 year old mind around why someone would not like Christmas. And later in the day he wanted to know again why  Mr. French did not like Christmas. How do you explain the Grinch to a child? Kalena has no ideas of Christmas yet which is good on our budget! She is however pretty stinkin cute even if she does still get me up every 2-3 hours of the night. She's on the verge of crawling which will probably tick Decker off when it happens. As it is now she is only allowed to play with certain fire trucks-but come to think of it so are Brady and I.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas

Summer Lovin

We have had a great summer. Raising kids ain't for wimps but it's fun-very tiring at times but fun! Kalena had her first experience in the pool at Brown County and Decker had his second try at fishing with guidance from our family expert fisherman Uncle Todd. Decker loves all things boy and is getting ready to start 2 day a week morning preschool at a local church. Brady and I enjoyed a dinner out for our 11th anniversary last Saturday and did not get called home to a crying babe so that was excellent! Deck and Uncle Todd will soon have two big bdays-4 for Deck and the big 30 for Todd.