Wandurrings

Christmas Decorating

2011-12-08T14:10:00.001-08:00

Finding a Christmas Tree

2011-12-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

We will get back to chopping our own tree down, but this year it made sense to pick it up at a lot on our way home from Cannon Beach.

Thanksgiving at Cannon Beach

2011-12-08T13:41:00.001-08:00

Jeremy's parents rented a house right on the ocean in Cannon Beach for the Thanksgiving weekend. We had a fabulous trip. The weather cooperated perfectly - being very stormy when we wanted to be inside and clearing up right when we'd want to be outside. Thanksgiving dinner was, thanks to Lori, amazing. She brought everything to make all of the fixings. After the meal, the storm clouds rolled away and we were able to spend some time on the beach chasing the waves and flying kites. We had a nice morning where we were able to go into town to go through the shops, visit the candy store (a child's dream...well, mine too) and enjoy the delicious pizza in town. The rest of the weekend was filled with games, movies, hanging out and a trip to the Tillimook factory for cheese tasters, lunch and ice cream. IT was so fun to hunker down and just be together.

The Party for the One Year Old

2011-12-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

To celebrate our little man's first birthday, we invited the family over for our "Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails" party. It was a fun celebration, and as I looked around the room, I felt blessed that he is surrounded by such wonderful men who can influence him. We generally plant a tree at the first birthday, but the ground was frozen, so we are going to have to wait to do that until the spring.

Corban's Birthday Decor

2011-12-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Craft Day

2011-12-04T19:55:00.001-08:00

I hosted a Thanksgiving craft day where the kids were able to make a turkey craft and a THANKSgiving tree. We also had snacks and the kids watched Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. A bit of madness but a lot of fun.

Dock Walking

2011-12-04T19:52:00.001-08:00

We wanted a picture to blow up onto a canvas and hang in our dining room. This was the vision and final product chosen.

"Drive Thru Latte Shop"

2011-12-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

So much of the girls' play involves make believe. Playing doctor, giving each other "haircuts", hosting birthday parties are a few of their favorites. Recently, they developed their own drive thru coffee shop at their bunk bed latter. Very clever and definitely mimicking real life.

Sister Sister

2011-12-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

These two have such a great relationship.

Dad's 70th Birthday

2011-12-04T19:38:00.001-08:00

As a family, we celebrated the 70 years of my dad's life. There was a lot of laughter as we all told stories, shared memories and toasted this man who has been an amazing husband, dad, grandpa and man. We went to Pasta Fresca where they just bring you food and wine they think you'll enjoy. It was a fabulous way to celebrate.

Seattle Wind Symphony

2011-12-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

I'm so proud of my dad, who in his retirement has started the Seattle Wind Symphony. http://www.seattlewindsymphony.org/ We went to the first concert, and it was amazing. Way to follow your dreams.

Harvest Carnival

2011-12-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

Halloween Breakfast

2011-11-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin pancakes. I think it has to be a new Halloween tradition. Maybe next year I'll even attempt to make them taste like pumpkin.

Corban is 11 months

2011-11-06T15:36:00.000-08:00

Corban turned 11 months on November 20th. Almost one. It's crazy. He continues to light up my life. He has had bouts of fusiness, and I believe it's been over trying to break the next teeth through, which is going to happen any day now. He only has four teeth at the moment. He is all boy - loving to bang on things, hit things, play roughly, express himself in grunts while smiling right along with it all. He sleeps well, eats well and interacts well. He loves to watch how things work - always looking when he hears something interesting happening. He knows how to get around my makeshift ways of keeping kitchen cabinets locked, and he loves to try to "escape" up the stairs or out the front door if the doors are left open. He is walking everywhere, can go up stairs and is learning to go backward back down them. He is social and loves his sisters. They often greet him when he wakes, but if they are not there, he constantly looks around toward any move to find them. Abby, especially, loves to pick him up and carry him around the house or love tackle him to the ground. He's pretty laid back about it all, but he will let you know if it's annoying him with a sharp scream or cry. He's still got the spikey blonde hair, is short and has quite the baby gut and chunky thighs going on. He went through a small phase of not wanting to be left at the church nursery, but most of all, he will go to anyone. However, he seems to prefer to hang out with the guys, which shows me that he has a good dad. He has his own versions of "all done," "up," "Abby," "mama," "dada," and "uh oh." He seems to be verbal. He loves all electronics and tries to grab at everything - cell phones, remote controls, computers, etc. He loves to dance and has tried to sing along too. What a fun little guy to have aroun.

Jer's Birthday

2011-10-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

My sweet husband turned 33 on October 7th. The day before his birthday I found out he likes yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I was just going to do an ice cream cake since I know how much he loves ice cream. However, with this new discovery, I decided to make him a cake...the day of his birthday...with three kids at my heals. I have never done a cake so fast. This birthday was all about his new IPhone, so I had to do a cake to match. To celebrate we had Thai food and a Wii party with family here. I love this man so much, and I am happy the world was blessed with his presence as he entered the world 33 years ago.

More Cousin Time

2011-10-25T13:54:00.001-07:00

Our nieces are such sweet girls, and in many ways it's easier and more fun to have them here than to not. They are not only playmates for the girls but also huge helpers around the house. The cousins have such a great relationship, and I am excited to see how those relationships continue to develop.

Painting Pumpkins

2011-10-25T13:51:00.001-07:00

After the pumpkin patch, we had fun painting our little pumpkins.

Spooner Farm Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

We were able to watch my nieces while Stacie and Ross were in Germany. One of our activities was to go to Spooner Farms pumpkin patch and corn maze. Pumpkin sling shot is a favorite activity...especially for my husband. We also did the fun corn maze, had some food, and picked out a pumpkin for the kids to go home and paint. It was a fun filled morning.

Movies on the Ceiling

2011-10-18T21:37:00.001-07:00

One of the family activities I really enjoy is movies on the ceiling. Jeremy brings a projector home from work, and we push the couches together to make a bed for us all to lay on to watch the movie. This night it was "Tangled."

Building the Patio

2011-10-17T20:26:00.000-07:00

After

Before

We have wanted a patio ever since we moved in this place. The grass was fine, but to have just a bit extra flat space to have tables and chairs was a dream. Well, now it's a reality thanks to my husband's mad skills and the help of family and friends. We also got a L shaped couch set. It was built on the hottest days of the summer and completed just in time for fall to hit. Next summer? Time to relax.

Puyallup Fair

2011-10-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

Our weekends were super busy, so then the question became, "Do I brave the Puyallup Fair all by myself with the three kids." I decided, "Yes." So, off we went one morning, and I am so glad I decided to go. We had so much fun. Wish the camera hadn't died in the middle, but you get the idea. We bought a all you can ride bracelet for the kids, and they took full advantage. Any ride they were allowed on, they went. Abby wanted to go on the rides she wasn't big enough for yet, and she had a smile plastered on her face the whole time. Kenzie was super daring for her age. She kept right up with her sister. Her only hesitancy were the roller coasters. She looked like she wanted off and was going to burst into tears at the end. However, she'd get off and reluctantly say, "That was fun," and she'd go on the next roller coaster that came along. I was with Corban, so I watched them bravely make their way, by themselves, to the top of the BIG yellow slide - dragging their mats behind. They had their first elephant ear (my favorite treat), and loved visiting all the animals. It was a really fun day filled with so many memories.

Swim Lessons

2011-10-17T10:01:00.001-07:00

In September, Abby and Kenzie started swim lessons at Clover Park Pool. They are doing super well. Kenzie has been a lot more hesitant around the water, so to watch her becoming more comfortable and not doing a death grip on whoever is holding her is super encouraging. She's really having fun with it, and that's what I wanted from her at this stage. Abby is having a lot of fun as well. She blew us away by sailing through her first session and graduating to the next level. She now knows how to float on her back and front for ten seconds. Comfortably put her head under water. Torpedo swim with her head under water sometimes unassisted and doing some other unassisted swimming. Once she moved on to the next level she had some hesitancy putting her head under water, saying water was going in her nose. Overall, I am impressed by her skills. It is fun to watch both the girls have fun and progress.

A Couple Cousin Pics

2011-10-17T08:35:00.001-07:00

Pouring Water

2011-10-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Kenzie had been getting into a little trouble lately - getting into lotions, make-up, markers, vaseline, etc. So, a way to combat that has been to provide a lot of tacticle experiences. One of those was to give the kids a bunch of containers to fill, dump and pour. Kept them entertained for quite a while and is a new favorite activity.

The Goofs

2011-10-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

Running through the Sprinkler

2011-10-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

S' Mores

2011-10-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hanging with our neighbors.

Abby is Four

2011-10-17T07:34:00.001-07:00

Abby, you turned four on June 30th, 2011. You didn't want to take your glasses off for the picture with your tree. You bring so much joy to our lives, Abby. You are full of life and enthusiasm. You are a super smart girl. I'm convinced your memory is already better than your mommy's. You do such a good job at memorizing your scripture for church and AWANA Cubbies. You also go to BSF with grandma on Wednesdays and love that special time. You can read all three letter words and some sight words. By August, you could read books that are geared toward that. You can figure out adding and subtracting with manipulatives also. Writing your letters is developing nicely. This fall, We've often found paper after paper of letter patterns that repeat. You say they're just random. You are also starting to sound out words to write on your own. Coloring is also becoming a favorite pass time. Theatre might be in your future as you love to put on shows, dress up and are quite the dramatic young lady. We have to work on channeling that energy sometimes. Singing also comes readily. You really listen to words of songs and ask questions. You also love to help me cook or bake in the kitchen. This summer, you loved grabbing things from our garden to work on your own meal creations. Most of the time, it was a carrot, lettuce and herb salad. Your curly blond hair and shining blue eyes with long lashes mark your look right now. You are 3 foot 5 inches and 37 pounds. Dresses and skirts still tend to be a priority for you. You like to dress yourself and often come up with very interesting combinations of clothing. Food is fine for you. Often times, it's not as big of a priority because you'd rather be playing. You are not too picky, but have been going through a stage recently where you don't really want to try new things. When you do, you generally seem to like them. You definitely are a sweet girl rather than a savory. I like to call you my little cruise director because you always are full of a plan or ideas and try and orchestrate them around the house. Your imagination is going crazy right now, and you love to demonstrate that by making up scenarios and having Kenzie (mostly) play them out. You do love your sister and brother tremendously. Dressing up, playing with dolls (baby dolls and doll house dolls), coloring, reading books, doing puzzles, playing games, imagining, and playing in your kitchen are a few of your favorite activities. We've been trying to tame the hyper in you a bit because sometimes it turns into not being gentle with your siblings. You can ride your bike pretty well and LOVE to be in the water. You are quite the little fish in your life jacket. This fall has started swim lessons, and you advanced quickly to the next level and are beginning to do a lot on your own. You become frustrated when you can't do something right away because things seem to come fairly natural to you. You love being around family. TV time is a favorite. Your favorite shows right now inclue Word World, Super Why, Berenstein Bears, Bubble Guppies, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Strawberry Shortcake. We limit that time to one hour a day. You have no interest in napping anymore, but you still kind of need it. It's making you a bit crabby in the afternoon, but that is getting better and better also. Generally, you are good at obeying, but we have been working on a sassy attitude that has been appearing sometimes. You are an amazing kid and fun to take out because of your open smiles for others and your sweet nature. You are super helpful, and I love all of the life you bring to this family. You like adventure - wanting to go on every ride at the fair and the highest slide they would let you go on at the water parks. You always want us to drive fast, and your smile lights the world when you are doing something fun. Abby, we love you so much. You can't even imagine...way up to the moon and back; forever and always; no matter what.

Shots of Abby

2011-10-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

Shots of Kenzie

2011-10-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Little Guy

2011-10-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

Corban at Nine Months

2011-10-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

Here's the little guy at nine months. I didn't know we had a picture, so I'm out of order here.

Corban at 10 Months

2011-10-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I did an update on our little guy. He is walking now. He started taking steps 10 days after his 9 month birthday, and he's been cruising ever since. Walking about 75% of the time now, I'm convinced he is trying to keep up with his sisters. He has 4 teeth (middle top and bottom. He has been irritated lately by the other ones pushing at his gums...at least I'm convinced of that being the reason he's been a bit more out of sorts. He is a good natured little guy. He loves to smile. He enjoys trying all sorts of foods, and so he is easy in that sense. He is 28.75 inches long and 22 lb. 11 oz. That puts him between the 25-50% for height and the 50-75% for weight (calculated online). He is starting to make sounds that seem to be associated with things. He says what sounds like "up," "Abs (for Abby)," "mama" and "dada." He's a chatty guy. He gives high fives, sometimes waves and is beginning to nod his head. He is a boy - loving to drum or hammer anything and making all sorts of grunting noises when he wants something. He also loves music and loves to dance. He has been a bit needy lately - wanting to be in my arms a lot but then getting squirmy in my arms. He is a very active little guy - not satisfied just being for long. He still adores his sisters, and we all adore him. He gets a tad upset now when he's dropped off at the church nursery. Mostly, he is content being with others. He is definitely social.

First Hair Cut

2011-09-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

Corban's first haircut was on July 31st. He was squirmy during the cut, so it actually lasted a couple days. Daddy did a good job.

California Trip

2011-09-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

McWay Falls off or Highway 1.

California Happy Cows...can you blame them for being so happy?

Brad & Jennifer tying the not

Brian and Chrissy - our number one travelling companions

Me and my own groom.

A day of wine tasting in Paso Robles.

The couple at their rehearsal dinner.

Gathering in San Luis Obsipo for Mexican food, a street carnival and yummy pizza.

On the beaches of SLO in our Jeep!

The old woody roller coaster in Santa Cruz Driving down the California coast on Highway 1.

The Boardwalk in Santa Cruz.

On the beach.

We had an amazing trip to California to celebrate Brad and Jennifer's wedding. It started off in Santa Cruz where we went to the boardwalk and road the two big roller coasters and got lunch on the boardwalk. Then, we drove down to Monterey in our Jeep Wrangler and then on to Carmel for some shopping and an amazing dinner. Our drive down Highway One was spectacular with Jeremy stopping often with exclamations of awe. As night time hit, we cut inward and landed ourselves at our rental house in Paso Robles where we met up with our friends, Brian and Chrissy. In Paso Robles, we had days filled with wine tasting and shopping. We spent a day in San Luis Obispo (SLO) that consisted of riding our Jeep onto the beach, a street fair and more eating. We also got to meet up with Brad and Jennifer for the first time. We had the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, and then the wedding. Back up the coast we drove with Brian and Chrissy - stopping for lunch and barely making our flight out of town. To be fee of kids for the week and drive around with the top down felt so free, and we were able to really just enjoy one another. Our kids had fun too, phrasing it perfectly when we called, "I miss you, but I'm having a lot of fun here."

Trouble

2011-08-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

I love Kenzie! However, she's been trouble lately. I thought I would jot down some of her shenanigans.

Three days ago Kenzie got into the nail polish. She painted her toe nails - along with her toes and inbetween her toes. She painted her finger nails - along with her fingers and inbetween her fingers. She painted some of her belly, face, arms and legs. She painted some of the bathroom floor. Clean up - urgh!

Shortly after, Kenzie took a pen and colored all over the dining room table.

The next day, she decided to find our travel shampoos, conditioners and lotions and proceeded to dump them out on the bathroom floor until I found her.

Tonight, Kenzie was suppose to be in bed. Nope - not so much. She had found a collection of dry erase markers and other markers and was drawing all over the walls and doors.

Hopefully....there is no to be continued here

Teeth

2011-08-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

Corban broke his first tooth on July 27th after a couple days of high fever and then a rash. I noticed his second tooth had broken on August 9th, but I'm not sure when it first broke because Jeremy and I had been on vacation. Love it when they have the bottom two middle teeth.

A Sister Comparison

2011-07-25T15:42:00.001-07:00

Abigail is all girl. She loves performing, dressing up, singing, playing house, cooking and pretending. She has recently really been into cooking shows. She gets things from our kitchen and garden and talks through her preparation of her salads. If you ask her what she wants to wear, a majority of the time, it will be a dress or skirt. Kenzie likes her dresses just fine, but she'll definitely prefer the pants...especially her elephant pants right now (the jeans with little elephants on the bottom). Kenzie also likes pretending, singing and performing, but she is drawn a bit more to physical activities.

Adventure: Kenzie is, generally, the first one to jump into adventure. When it comes to getting into the water, Abigail is a bit more comfortable right now. However, Abby had to watch Kenzie go on the jet ski before she was willing to get on. Kenzie said, "This fun!" the whole ride and wanted to go fast. Abby wanted it slower and was a lot more hesitant. In the same manner, Kenzie was the one who wanted to go behind the tube while Abby wanted to stay on the boat the first time.

Physical Activities: When I asked Abby if she wanted to play basketball one day after we watched a basketball game, she responded, "I could be a cheerleader." Kenzie has been faster to learn to jump and has never fallen down the stairs...Abby has a quite a bit. We play a game where if you get the answer right, you can throw a bean bag in the bucket. Abby seems more interested in getting the answers correct, while Kenzie will often win the game because she has been able to get the bean bags in the bucket. Kenzie definitely bounces up and says, "I'm OK!" most of the time when she falls. She's a tough kid.

Helping: Abby has been quicker to obey. Kenzie is a more spirited child with her own agenda. However, both have a heart for helping and demonstrate this in different ways at different times. When Kenzie helps, she stays very focused and is very good at organizing and cleaning up. Abby gets a bit distracted by play when she is suppose to be helping. When I ask for help, I often see the competitive nature rise up in both.

Kenzie is goofy. I love her personality. A struggle we have with her right now is her having her own agenda, which often includes trouble. She has learned to open doors, and we have had to be much more diligent about keeping doors locked and alarms on. Jer found her at the mail box at the end of our long driveway the other day. She's the kid who would ignore our teachings and walk out the door to the street or the lake. We have to keep a watchful eye on her at all times or soap would be spread all over the counter, things will be torn apart, she'll disappear to a place she shouldn't, the toilet paper will be unravelled or candy will be devoured. Some of that definitely comes with age, but she does seem sneakier.

On a side note, they say that age 4 is the magic age where kids start getting easier. We are seeing that with Abby, and it is a joy to see. Gives us hope! Abby loves make believe right now - pretending to be a baby, going to Lake Chelan, watching fake movies in the car, putting on shows, pretending like I'm grandma or someone else, pretending like she's someone else and has been more into playing with her doll house and dolls.

Both girls seem smart, articulate, emotionally driven (although Abby seems to be more so), fun, interactive, have a lot of interests and both have so much to offer this world. They both have an opinion and know themselves well. They love each other. Kenzie will often go along with Abby's agenda because Abby is kind of a cruise ship activity coordinator around here. However, Kenzie also has her own opinion and will not go along with the agenda if it's not what she wants to do at the moment.

I love watching their personalities develop. It is a celebration to watch their similarities and a joy to see their differences.

Bird & Tree Wedding Cake

2011-07-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

I did a wedding cake for my sister's babysitter, Allie.

Corban is 8 Months Old

2011-07-25T15:31:00.001-07:00

Here's the little man who has captured my heart. He is eight months old, and the time seems to be flying by. He can crawl easily, pull himself to stand and walk around furniture. He continues to have the neverending smile and sweet nature. He has been exposed to more food and seems to prefer savory/salty over sweet. The girls were all about the fruite, he seems to enjoy the vegis or bread products. He has fallen into more a napping rhythm - 2-3 hours in the morning and a brief to long nap in the evening. Praise the Lord for longer naps and more of a rhythm. He is sleeping, consistently, through the night. We are convinced he seems to be teething at times, but nothing has cut through. He's about 21 lbs. He likes to watch how things work and watch what everyone is doing. He loves his sisters, playing with his toys, books, and just beign a part of whatever is going on with us. He still loves to be with mommy. He is often perfectly content in others arms until he sees me. Then, the panic begins. I can't imagine our lives without this little guy.

Colors Project

2011-07-25T15:28:00.001-07:00

This is a color project I started with Abby and finished with both girls. We go through magazines and cut and paste items of different colors on the color page. Then, Abby helps me spell some of the words. This is not only fun and a good learning experience for the girls, but it also is a way for me to get through my magazines. I'm reading recipes or browsing articles as we go.

Boating on the Willamette

2011-07-25T15:23:00.001-07:00

While in Portland, we spent some time boating with the Andersons on the Willamette River. Kenzie was all about being in the tube behind the boat. Abby tried, but she was much more comfortable in the boat. We all loved being on the water.

The Portland Rose Garden

2011-07-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

Oregon Zoo

2011-07-11T06:47:00.001-07:00

We spent the weekend visiting our friends, the Andersons, in Portland. Angela was my roommate for a few years and remains a good friend, despite her current location, Virginia. She was "home" visiting her parents in Portland. Our first stop on our trip was the Oregon Zoo. We had a picnice, saw the animals and took the train to the rose garden and playground. It was a beautiful zoo, and we all had a lot of fun. Kenzie and Abby both liked the giraffe the best. I liked the bigger cats...and of course the monkeys.

Fourth of July

2011-07-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July was packed this year. Stacie, Ross, Emma and Elena came over to our house for some swimming. We were blessed with gorgeous weather for the day. Then, it was off to the Durrs' current house for a BBQ. After eating, we went over to the Evarts' house because Jeremy was playing drums for a Weezer cover band. It was really fun to watch him play....better to hear him. He's fabulous! We ended the evening on the lawn of Jeremy's parents new house. We had our own little firework experience while also watching the big show.

Fourth of July Photo Shoot

2011-07-10T07:37:00.001-07:00

The Garden

2011-07-02T21:45:00.001-07:00

Our finished garden. I need to update the pictures because the plants are going crazy. We have been eating salad straight from the garden. We have all enjoyed this process.

Abby and dad planting together.

The completed bottom wall. After this step, we had to dig a foot deep and sift all of the rocks out of the soil. Our area is very rocky, so this was quite a back-breaking process.

Jeremy is here prepping the area. He dug out a huge tree trunk, a portion of which you can see behind him.

Let the Four Year Old Princess Party Begin

2011-07-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

The Princesses in Attendance: Evie, Halle, Morgan, Abigail, Kenzie, Elena, Audrey, Josie, Ellie and Elle.

The Set Up for the Princess Party

2011-07-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Castle Cake fit for a princess.

The "Princess Parlor" where the girls got to dress up in costume, get their face painted, hair done and nails painted.

Each of these crepe paper cupcakes had a ring pop in the center that the girls got to unwrap as quickly as they could to unveil their prize.

The Food consisted of crown sandwiches with strawberry cream cheese, watermelon, rasberries, strawberries, strawberry yogurt and strawberry lemonade.

Prize bags consisted of a princess cup, paddle, stickers, pencil sharpener, bubbles, candy necklaces and would be filled later with candy from the pinata.

Each princess received a tiara and wand at their place. Candy decorated the table.

Corban at 7 Months

2011-07-02T20:52:00.001-07:00

"Dorban"...Kenzie used to not be able to pronounce her "C" sound, so we developed this nickname for our favorite little man. He continues to delight. Eating is only semi-interesting to him. I can be feeding him, but if there is someone more interesting around, he is easily distracted. He continues to love people and smile readily. He is getting around quite well. He mostly army crawls, although he has successfully gotten on hands and knees to move around. He prefers the army crawl because he can get around quickly with it. He loves mommy, and he'll be perfectly fine in another's arms, until he sees me. He then begins panicing and wanting me. Sleeping is OK. He is not great at napping during the day. However, morning naps have just begun getting better again. He normally has a short afternoon nap too. He was sleeping nicely through the night for a couple weeks there. Now, he almost makes it through the night. He wakes pretty regularly at 5:00 AM. Sometimes he's up for the day then, and other times he will crash again while nursing. He is so squirmy. He doesn't like to just sit still. Instead, it is a workout to hold him. He often wants to throw himself to the ground. He can play by himself for a bit, but mostly he wants to be interacting with others.

Father's Day 2011

2011-07-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

Father's Day was fabulous. We have a tradition with my family to do beer tasting, bratwurst and ice cream. We each bring two kinds of beer for tasting. Everyone rates, comments and votes. We also enjoy trying unique ice cream flavors. After that, we went over to Jeremy's parents' house for a BBQ.

WSU Cake

2011-07-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

Our friends, the Pritchards, have 8 kids. We have been blessed to get to know them better through our small group. They are an inspiring family who love the Lord and are passionate about marriage and raising children. They wrote the book "Going Public." www.goingpublicthebook.com You can also access their family ministry blog from there. All that said, their son, Tana, will be playing football for Washington State next year. They asked me to make him a cake, and here was the end result.

Our New Small Group

2011-07-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

We have begun a new small group from our church. We are co-leading with two other couples, and we already feel blessed to be a part of this group. With have adults and kids of all ages, which is fun. The goal of the group is to focus on our marriages and families. We are co-leading with the small groups pastor and wife and the family ministry pastor and wife, and we are seeing how each person in the group has been put there for a reason. We enjoy this Wednesday night time to connect and become a church family. I host most of the time, which is fun.

And Yet Another Playdate...

2011-07-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

...and our first experience with the slip and slide. A big hit!!

Park Play Dates

2011-07-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

Gabby (or Lizzy??)

Kenzie

Halle

Corban

Kenzie, Gabby (or Lizzy??), Abigail, Halle, Miles
Zavion

Miles & Owen

Kenzie

Tuesdays often bring a playdate. This one was at a park. The Overstreets, Foits and Wilkenings are often there. There's been a number of other families joining in. It's great to have all the kids playing and making friends. It's not bad for us adults to have some fun together also.

Corban's First Bites

2011-07-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

Corban had his first rice cereal at 6 months of age. He was fine with the whole experience. Since then, food hasn't been overally interesting to him. I, admittedly, haven't jumped in with both feet either, as it is a lot of work. His favorite thing about meal time is spitting at the right moment and letting food fly everywhere.

Our Kids

2011-07-02T20:01:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day

2011-07-02T19:50:00.001-07:00

It was another fabulous Mother's Day. We had a morning brunch with Jeremy's family at Jenn's house. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures there. Then, it was the annual day at the horse races with my family, full of hands dipped in wax, pony rides and a bit of putting our money down for our favorite horses.

Corban at Six Months

2011-06-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Mr. Mr. has begun scooting around quite nicely. He rocks on his knees like he wants to go, but mostly he just army crawls to get where he wants. He continues to light the world up with his smile. He also continues to frustrate his mom by not really believe in napping much at all. Some days, he might just sleep for 45 minutes. Nights continue to get a bit better. He is up once or not at all. He can pull of 10 hours every once in a while too. He eats fine, but we are supplementing more. He began solids right at 6 months, and he responded fine. His first experience was really good - no choking or making faces . He just took rice cereal like a champ. He had another ear infection, which followed a pretty bad cold that seemed to drag around for a bit. He is 26 inches in length (25%...taking after the Kern genes), 17 lb 8 oz (45%) and has a 17.3 inch head (30%). His spikey little hair, striking blue eyes and pale skin are noticeable visual markers. He continues to be a social little dude. It is wonderful that he loves people, but he also is a bit high maintenance, wanting to be in someone's arms often. I love this little guy so much and get imagine our lives without him.

Hollywood Cake

2011-06-20T08:44:00.001-07:00

I made a cake for a high school friend's birthday. Unfortunately (for us), Sara ended up having an audition in LA, so she couldn't make it up to Seattle to celebrate. My kids enjoyed the cake though!

Best Friends

2011-06-20T00:06:00.000-07:00

These two get along so well. It's rare that I have to intervene on disagreements. They play well together and spend a lot of time interacting and laughing. This is such a blessed noise.

Overstreet Playdate

2011-06-19T23:20:00.001-07:00

The Overstreets are close friends who come over often for playdates.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

2011-06-19T23:18:00.000-07:00

I walked in the kitchen the other day to find Abby making herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich - successfully. She's not even four yet. I was pretty impressed by that.

Sunnier Days

2011-06-19T23:14:00.001-07:00

Sunnier days means more attempts to be outside. We still need to bundle up, but I'm one of those fair weather moms. I wait until it's nicer to really get outside a lot, so it's nice to have the hopes of some sun around the corner.

Easter 2011

2011-06-19T22:57:00.000-07:00

Easter began at our house with my family. The Kerns, Andersons, Luncefords and Hillenbrands were there. It was a rainy Easter, and so the hunt happened inside this day. After celebrating at our house, we headed out to the Webers for our extended Durr family celebration there. He is risen! Now that's reason to celebrate.

Dying Easter Eggs

2011-06-19T22:52:00.000-07:00

Corban at Five Months

2011-06-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

Smiles seem to be a consistent mention in Corban's updates. My quote for him (from "Elf") is "I like smiling. Smiling is my favorite." This sweet little guy brings me so much joy and has such a wonderful nature. I am loving his "faux-hawk" that has grown so naturally. Sleeping has improved a bit. He is up once a night, and we are beginning to let him cry it out a bit more. Eating is good, but we have begun supplementing once a day, and he does seem more satisfied. Daily naps are not consistent or good. A morning nap is the best equalling 1-3 hours. Afternoon is rough, and it tends to be his grumpiest time. He seems super social and loves his older sisters. He can roll anywhere and tries to push with his feet. He has much more control of his hands, so he interacts with toys more. We introduced the jump-up, and he seems to twirl more than jump. He loves to be in people's arms.

Siblings

2011-06-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

Kenzie has showed no jealousy toward Corban. She loves him so much. She is helpful with him and wants to hold him, hug him, kiss him and play with him.

Working Outside

2011-06-19T22:39:00.001-07:00

The days were cold, but they were sunny. So, we put Corban in the exersaucer all bundled up so we could get some yardwork done.

Corban's New Room

2011-05-17T08:56:00.001-07:00

The nursery has been officially transformed into Corban's room...plane theme.

Exhausted

2011-05-16T09:08:00.001-07:00

Kenzie's birthday exhausted our oldest. She is trying to drop a nap right now, and this is sometimes the result. She is napping about every other day.

I'm Two Now!!!!

2011-05-15T21:31:00.001-07:00

Kenzie! Kenzie! Kenzie! Your life is always punctuated by an exclamation point. You don't say, "I want it." You say, "I! WANT! IT!" You are assertive, goofy, competitive, smart, beautiful, fun, intense, verbal, and social. You love to laugh, sing, dance, spend time with your sister, and play. Some of the toys that currently occupy your time are dolls, books, Mr. Potato Head, balls, puzzles, bubbles and play doh. However, you'd rather play with things you are not suppose to touch. I am often spending my day grabbing things away that you have decided to try and take. Kenzie, your emotions often drive your attitude. You can be giggling with joy or falling apart in dispair. We have been working hard at having you not fall apart as your first reaction. Instead, you are learning to stop whining and crying and ask with a happy heart and smile. You have sometimes said, "I'm! Happy!" in the middle of tears. Then, we work at it until you get it without whining and crying. You then begin to say it while laughing. You are super smart. You know how to count to 13, say your ABC's, know your days of the week and have a vast vocabulary. You also know (visually) some of your letters. You have been working so hard at trying to master language, and you are doing very well at it. It's a super cute stage of language you are in right now. You adore your sister, and you are good friends. You share and help nicely. However, I see you being a bit competitive with her - always wanting to get the opportunity to race her to the bathroom, help mommy grab a diaper for Corban or run to the car. You also stand up for yourself with her - that is part of your assertive nature. You are an amazing big sister to Corban too. You love him - always wanting to help, give him kisses and hugs and find him toys. Kenzie, we are asking for so much wisdom when raising you. You do want your own way and are pretty assertive at making it happen. We are trying to rear this quality in you so that you can assert that nature to glorify God and lead people in the right way. You do like to wear pants more than skirts. You also are sensitive to physical things - shoes that hurt, diapers that are rubbing the wrong way or sleeves that have become wet when washing your hands. You are also a very picky eater. You don't like things with flavor and won't try new things. We have begun to insist on one "no thank you bite," which has thrown you for quite a loop. You spent over an hour over one bite of spaghetti, another hour over a bite of peanut butter and jelly and 45 minutes over a bite of waffle. After you try your bite, you don't have to eat any more, and you often don't, but you are starting to understand that we are serious when we say you need to take a bite, and you are beginning to obey quicker. The things you do like include anything involving cheese: mac and cheese, toasted cheese, tortilla and cheese, crackers and cheese, string cheese or just plain cheese. There are some other things you like including fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, whole grain toast, nuts, cereal, pizza, pancakes, dutch babies, pretzels, any kind of sweets and did I mention cheese? You also like to eat ice. We're trying to make dinner a more peaceful time, but I must admit it's one of the harder times of day with you. You have been in your big girl bed and are doing very well there. We did take your side rails out a little too early, and you have fallen out of bed a couple times - once resulting in a black eye. You dealt with that like a champ. When you fall at anytime, you often jump right up and say, "I'm OK." You don't have any big attachments and do very well at sleeping through the night. You also are beginning to potty train, which you are just starting to grasp. You love playing in water and enjoy bath time. Your glasses are adorable, and I think they are definitely helping you see better. People see you and melt. "She is so adorable," is heard wherever we go. Your favorite show is "Bubble Guppies." Singing seems to be a big interest to you, and I love to look in my rear view mirror and watch you sing along with your music. You also seem to do well with physical tasks - climbing, playing with balls, running, riding your new tricycle etc. You are definitely independent. "I do it!" is a phrase we hear often. When you can't do it, that initial phrase is followed by "Help, please." When we are out and about you are generally easy but also assert yourself by saying "I'll walk," which simply means, "Don't hold my hand!" You are also independent when it comes to playing. Sometimes you want to do what Abby and the other kids are doing, but you are perfectly content at finding your own way. "Me too" is another phrase that indicates your competitive nature. The morning is one of the only times you'll cuddle withh us, and we love it. When you are out at church or other people's homes, they often coment about how easy you are to be around. You make me laugh, Kenzie, and you melt my heart.

Kenzie's Birthday Party

2011-05-15T21:21:00.001-07:00

Kenzie's birthday was celebrated with our big family...what a blessing. We had brunch and then cupcakes of course.

How About Cupcakes? - Decor

2011-05-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

Forever we had been asking Kenzie what kind of birthday party she wanted, and she would say, "Naked!" She insisted. I insisted not. She loves an youtube video of a little girl saying "How about cupcakes?" So, trying to get a different theme than a naked party, I one day said, "Kenzie, what kind of birthday party do you want? How about...?" Kenzie correctly replied, "Cupcakes." So, we went with it. I made tiramisu, chocolate salted caramel and key lime cupcakes. The kids each got their own party bags full of their own little cooking utensils and an apron. They got to decorate their own cupcakes, and we had a cupcake pinata. Fun times!

Corban's Dedication

2011-05-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

On April 3rd, 2011 Corban was dedicated to the Lord. Mark 7:11 says "Whatever help you might have received from me is Corban (that is a gift devoted to God." That is where Corban's name came from, so to piggy back on that verse we also chose Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Thank you, God, for blessing us with this little man. Help us to raise him in your way. Amen! Thanks to all the family that was there to support us.

Kenzie...

2011-03-28T22:32:00.000-07:00

...just because she is so darn cute.

Double Rainbow

2011-03-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

Oh, If only the stories about the gold at the end of the rainbow were true. I'd had gotten into our little row boat, and I'd be a rich lady by now. This double rainbow was spectacular.

Kenzie is Potty Training

2011-03-28T22:10:00.001-07:00

It started just a few days ago. We three successful tries on the potty. Then, a dry spot. Today, two more successes. I guess we are in potty training mode now with our almost two year old. Up until now, she has asked to go on the potty. She always asks right after she has gone in her diaper. I think we are making progress.

Movie Night

2011-03-28T22:06:00.000-07:00

We had a movie night with our friends, the Evarts. We did milkshakes and popcorn and projected "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" on the ceiling for the kids to watch. Fun times. We kept the blow up mattress on the ground for the kids to watch a movie the next day.

Dad and Son

2011-03-28T22:04:00.001-07:00

Mom and Daughter

2011-03-28T22:02:00.001-07:00

Corban is 4 Months Old

2011-03-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

Corban is the sweetest little guy. He was four months old on the 20th of March. He now rolls over (both directions), coos at us, is in his exersaucer, sits in the Bumbo and smiles whenever smiled at. He also puts his head down and tries to push with his feet. I'm wondering if he'll be an early crawler because of this. I guess we'll see. Sleeping habits have deteriorated a bit. For a while, he was giving us 10 hours a night. Lately, he has been known to be up 1-3 times a night...sometimes it is 12:00, 3:00 and 5:30...rough. We are tired. Naps have been more spotty too - without real consistency. He is relatively a happy, happy baby though. We believe he is teething early because he is drooling and chewing on things non-stop. He has had a consistent chapped lip issue going on. I don't know if I mentioned in my 3 month update that he has a skin reaction to things easily. The doctor said it's quite common and can go away. It often indicates an allergy that can also go away. We all adore him and can't believe how much he adds to our family already.

Sickness

2011-03-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

The first real throw up I can remember hit our home. Kenzie had only one episode of it. Abby was throwing up for a few days. She has never watched so much tv in her life. She got pretty good at making it in the bucket. It's hard watching your kids be sick, and my heart goes out to parents who are dealing with the more devastating sicknesses.

Jumping

2011-03-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

After our photography class, we wanted to play with taking pictures in motion. So, we decided to capture the girls jumping in bed. Then, we began to throw them. It was fun for all of us.

Eating Cake

2011-03-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

My poor girls. I have developed such a sweet tooth for them with my hobby. I had made this cake for a friend's birthday, but plans changed, so we were able to all take part. They were thrilled.

Poor Corban

2011-03-28T21:28:00.001-07:00

Poor kid. To be the brother of older sisters. This crown was on him the other day. I also find dolls in his swing with him and today he had on goggles. I need to guard the kid better.

Exersaucer

2011-03-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

That kid has graduated to an exersaucer now.

Rolling Over

2011-03-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

On March 8th (3 1/2 months), Corban rolled over for the first time.

Playing with Photography

2011-03-28T14:44:00.001-07:00

Here Jeremy was playing around with shutter speed. It was quite random. I was laying in a pitch dark room, and I had no idea why he suddenly was running around the room with a tiny flashlight. That's my husband!

Me and My Boy

2011-03-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

Things I Want to Remember

2011-03-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Kenzie won't try anything. It's kind of about being a picky eater, but a lot of it is not trying things at all. We have decided she now needs to start trying one bite before she can get down. Last week she sat in her chair for an hour before she would have a bite of spaghetti. Didn't like it...probably because it was cold and slimey by then. Today the torture came in the form of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which took an hour and 45 minutes to try a bite of. I think we have more promise that she liked that one.
Abby had a friend, Ben, over last week. He had a sun on his shirt. She said, "Can I call you Mr. Sunshine since you have a sunshine on your shirt?"
In the most teenage voice possible, Abby said, "I got that money from my peeps." "Your peeps?" her cousin, Emma, inquired. "Yes, my peeps are Julie, Lucas, Jenn and Corey."
I confiscated all of Abby's dress-up clothes for a week because of some behavior issues we have been having. The next day she brought me a princess glove and a necklace and said, "Mom, you forgot to take these." I said, "I didn't take the jewelry. You can keep the necklace." She said (in the most dramatic voice), "Oh mom, you are the nicest mommy EVER!"
I was watching American Idol and Abby walked in. She looked at the judges sitting there and said, "She looks like a monkey." Then panned in on Jennifer Lopez. She said, "Not her." Then, there was a close up on Steven Tyler. "Her!"
Abby just wants to be grown up. I tell her to enjoy being a kid, but every day (sometimes multiple times a day), she says, "Look how big I growed," or "Look how strong my muscles are now," or "Look how tall I am."
Kenzie's new thing is "Close eyes...no peeking (then she holds something to my face)...open eyes." The way she says it is too cute.
Kenzie is beginning to sing the ABC's.
Kenzie and Abby get so upset if the other one is getting in trouble. "No discipline Abby" or "No stairs, Abby."

Kenzie is Counting

2011-02-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

Corban is 3 Months

2011-02-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

Corban is three months old. He is such a pleasure to have around. He is the baby you look at, and he greets you with a big smile. He is sleeping fine. He gave us a spoiled time of sleeping about 10 hours a night. He's up to being up once in the night for a feeding. He seems to be long and skinny like his dad. His arms were the first to grow out of his 0-3 month clothes. I have officially changed over most of the clothes in his drawers since he seems to be ready for the next size. He tends to be awake a bit more throughout the day, but is pretty content most of the time - especially if someone is paying him some attention. We still have him sleeping either in the Pack N' Play by our bed, in the swing or in our bed. I'm just not ready to move him to the crib at night because I don't want to have to trek upstairs in the middle of the night. He eats well. He laughs and coos ("talks"). His smile lights me up. Jeremy showed Corban a picture of himself on the computer last night, and Corban smiled. Then, when he moved the computer, Corban got really upset. When he turned the computer back, he smiled and started "talking" to it. So cute!

Our Little Guy

2011-02-21T15:53:00.001-08:00

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-21T15:38:00.001-08:00

We had a fun Valentine's Day. The Friday before, Jeremy's mom put on a Valentine's themed dinner at her house. Delicious. She bought all of the kids a cute outfit. Valentine's Day we made cards for our sweet neighbors, the Harneds and went to visit them. I made a surprise dinner for Jeremy - New York Steaks with Boursin and a Merlot Sauce, Garlic Red Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus with Chocolate Lava Cake for dessert. The girls got toasted cheese, strawberries and apples all in the shape of a heart with a caramel dipping sauce. The first pictures reveals what I found when I came into the kitchen. Apparently, Abigail thought Corban needed a little decorating.

2011-02-21T15:22:00.000-08:00

My niece, Elena, enjoyed her 6th birthday at Discovery Village in Gig Harbor. Elena continues to crack us up with her sweet spirit, goofy ways and loving heart. The girls loved celebrating her life by joining in the party. Discovery Village has a play area, sandbox area with moon sand, pretend pizza restaurant, art center and pretend grocery store. So fun!

Super Mario Cake

2011-02-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

I made this cake for my niece's 6th birthday party

Cake Making

2011-02-21T15:08:00.001-08:00

The girls always want to "help" when I'm making a cake. That's really hard to do when I'm decorating. I try to plan times when they are sleeping to work on things. Another plea to "help" came when I was working on Elena's cake. All the decorating stuff was out, so I said, "Why not?" They normally help with the baking, and they were able to do so as we baked their own "cakes" (giant cupcakes). They then used my fondant to decorate however they wanted. They had a blast.

Winter Bike Riding

2011-02-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

Jer set up the girls with a course to ride around and snapped some pictures while they played.

Toilet Paper

2011-02-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

I went into the bathroom to find a whole roll of toilet paper unrolled and in the toilet. I called Abigail into the bathroom. "What's this?" I asked. She thought about it for a second and then realized the problem. "I forgot to flush?" She then continued, "Well, I didn't flush because there was too much toilet paper in the potty." That was her conclusion as to why my face was so stern. She then got the priveledge of getting on the rubber gloves and cleaning out the toilet. Sometimes I'm afraid that the if the clean-up is too fun, she'll do it again. She loves accessories so much, and I just know the yellow gloves were simply an adornment that would improve any outfit.