Christmas Production

Kuyler had a part in this Christmas' production at the church. I know that there is a gigantic gap on the blog, but what better than to use this time to catch up and let you see Kuy in action. Here he is!

The words are:

Angels came in robes of white singing praises on that night.

Shepherds came to share the joy of finding Jesus, the Baby Boy.

Animals came on quiet feet to see the little Child so sweet.

Wise men came from lands afar safely guided by the star.

We, too, can come to worship Him, just as they did in Bethlehem.

Keshan's Birthday

Well, my blog won't let me post any pictures right now...grr. I will post a short video from Keshan's birthday party instead.

We had a little party in our back yard. Kesh had a great time. She especially loved the cake! I am not sure she was too fond of the frosting sticking to her hands, though. What a little ham!

What do you get for a 1-year-old? Grandma Helen and Grandpa Lance got her a doll. Grandma Mary and Grandpa Robert got her a Birthday Girl Willow Tree Figurine that we will use each and every birthday as her special birthday place holder at the table. Kuyler got her a buffalo...that's right, a buffalo. She saw a buffalo at the airport and loved it. When Kuyler and I were shopping for her gift, I asked him what sister would like. He exclaimed, "A buffalo! Keshan loves buffalo! We need to get her a buffalo! And I need a lion!" Yes, he also got a lion for himself. ;) She also got a soft piggy nursery rhyme book and a wagon!

Kuyler got a David and Goliath figure set which he uses to make all of the Bible stories which he loves so much. They are great toys! I think he will probably collect the others in the set (Jonah and the Whale, Daniel in the Lion's Den, etc.).

We had a great time! Now that Kesh is 1, she is changing so quickly. She had fangs for her birthday. (Her center top teeth didn't come in until recently.) The marks on her nose are courtesy of the nightstand in our bedroom. Yes, she fell the morning of her party. Now, we have it saved in pictures for posterity. More bangs come everyday. Toddlers are so resilient. We are cringing as she is learning to climb onto the couch, recliner, and one time even found a way into the bay window! Eek!!! Yes, Rachel, it does look like I have a little Lauren on my hands! I am calling you for advice on staying sane while she trys to climb everything.

Fall is in the air

So much is happening so quickly. Keshan is now one. She is walking, trying to run, climbing, and beginning to talk. Yesterday she learned the joy of "Uh-oh" and today is trying it out by dropping things from her place at the table repeatedly. We have another little one with us weekdays who is 5 days older than Kesh. These two are teaching each other how to do all of the toddler tricks. Right now, Kesh is trying to assert her dominance. I am trying to keep her from being a bully. Sharing is definitely a learned trait.

Kuyler is trying to Keep his things away from the girls. His greatest joys are drawing scenes from videos (which we must pause repeatedly at different places so he can draw) and building whales out of just about anything. He is 4 going on 24. He knows his mind and doesn't hesitate to argue the point if he thinks he needs something different than that which is offered. He and daddy are enjoying the great outdoors now that it is cool. We have been making crafts. Two of the favorites are a paper bag whale and a lion mask.

Jason and I are now teaching Children's Church on Sundays. We did a unit on Ten Commandments. We made books with the kids. They turned out really cute. We printed the commandments and then had the kids tear around them, crumple them, then we dipped them in tea. The effect was great! We then glued them to paper and made them into booklets, binding them with brown yarn. From there, we had the older kids draw pictures that correlated to each command and had the younger ones color pictures we found, printed, tore around, and glued into their booklets. All-in-all, it was a great success. I would warn anyone who wants to mass produce it that it is a lot of out-of-class work for the adults. (Thank you, Julia!)

Well, fall is here. I am working on winterizing my plants. This is a learning process for me. These plants are different than the ones in Tulsa. I know that I need to dig up my bulbs and somehow cover my roses with mulch or leaves and make them stay. I am working on clearing out my pots and storing them. The fall decorations are currently missing, but Grandma Helen came through by bringing some awesome pumpkins. We put them in the bay window along with some squash and fake sunflowers. The effect is charming.

Jason has been working on a plethora of projects. He has recently fixed our dryer (the fan blade had fallen apart), got help fixing a leak in the water tubing that runs to the refrigerator, got the mower working, and helped me declutter the house. We are by no means finished with that final task, but it is getting better! We need it done before it is so cold that we are all stuck inside all day. Jason is our chef, baby tamer, and house blesser half of the time. Praise God for a husband who jumps in! He is now working on a video for a friend's wedding. His energy and stamina are amazing to me.

Well, the elections are almost here. I would encourage you all to pray for our fellow citizens and for our nation as a whole. God bless America.

Road Trip!!!

We recently returned from a 12 day road trip. Yes, the 4 of us loaded into our Crown Vic and headed east...all the way to Indiana and Michigan. One of the exciting stops was to see our friends the O'Connors. Our kids are 6 months apart (yes, both the big and the little, though you'd never guess it from size). Wow are they the dark and light of it all!

The two big kids had a great time playing house and watching videos. Kuyler was especially infatuated with the Sabrina's Veggie Tale figurines. I think we'll call this next picture, "Their First Date". LOL
Jenni was so sweet to take these amazing pics of our kiddos! She is definately talented at catching the moment in the expressions of kids. This pic will be cherished and given a special place in our home.
Kesh even helped us out by falling asleep so we could get some beautiful pics to commemorate the short phase we call infancy. She is changing so quickly and we are excited to have something to hold onto that will help us remember these swiftly fleeing days. Look at those eyelashes!
Finally, a pic that shows the Keshan that we know and love. Her first two teeth are even visible along with her joyful smile that lights up any room she enters. Thank you, Lord, for sparing her life as she struggled through those first weeks of life. She is a blessing straight from Your Hand!

Painting Keshan's Room

We have finally started the long process of making this house our home! It has begun in Keshan's room. After long deliberation, the green paint has gone up. Mommy started with the roller.
Daddy then joined in with the trim work.
It was a long afternoon of waiting outside the gate for the kids. After Kuy and Kesh went to bed for the night, Mommy and Daddy burned the Midnight Oil to get the second coat on.
Here is our first glimpse of the results this morning. Yea!!!! It is so peaceful and dreamy.
Now, with all of the furniture in and the pictures on the wall, it is the perfect peaceful retreat for our Sensitive Dreamer. Yes, Kesh, the world really is a good place after-all. She had a rough start and is now settling in and enjoying family, fun, and now her new room. (J and I are just excited to cross one major project off of the list!) Next project...? Oh, I forgot to mention that Keshan is becoming mobile...better get as much done as possible now before all spare time is spent baby proofing! Kuyler is already learning to pull his papers FAR away from Sister's reaching arms! (He piles toys in front of her to distract her.) Ah, the life!

Adventures in the Sun

Wow, what a beautifully busy time! Since I have posted, we have had numerous adventures. The National Day of Prayer rally was held in the courthouse lawn. We really enjoyed the opportunity to join with others in our town for such a wonderful purpose. The days leading up to it were warm, but as you can see from the picture, that day was chilly! (Also pictured are Miss Erin and Pastor Steve.) We bundled up. Keshan and I were definitely the warmest as she is a little heater, especially in the wrap. Kuyler cuddled into Daddy and enjoyed the yummy treats that the local churches provided.

Since then, the weather has made a turn for the warmer. Jason and Kuyler surprised Grandma Helen by washing her car when they went out to wash ours. They all gleamed in the sunshine, appearing happy to have shed pounds of mud and dirt from all of the country driving.

For all of you who are wondering, the kidney stone ordeal is OVER! The stint was definitely the worst part. Kuyler is just glad that Mommy is now able to sit on the floor. He joyfully exclaimed, "Mommy, you're free!!!! Now you can sit on the floor. Lets build Lego's." Immediately, the Lego's got dumped out of the bag and the building began. (Pictured below is Jericho before the wall fell down.)

With spring has come Spring Fever and planting! Grandma Helen started plants at her house and then brought them to us to nurse along until time to plant. Here in Montana, planting can't safely happen until June. Our dining table has become a nursery.

Kuyler has helped us with the planting, too. 6 cubic feet of peat moss later, we are starting to add plants that Mom gave us out of her flower beds. It is so fun to see the previously empty flower beds coming to life. We take daily strolls around the yard enjoying all of the changes in plant life.

This past weekend saw the kiddos and I at the ranch while Jason got the fun of cleaning our carpets and working on an extensive honey-do list. We really missed him, but we came home to a beautiful yard. He also umpired softball games. Here is a pic of all of us out watching a softball game at a field near our house. It is fun to watch Daddy in action.

While we were at the ranch, Kuyler threw rocks in the pond for our German Shepherd, Caty. She loves to splash around while attempting to catch every rock (or whale, as Kuy deems them). Keshan had some fun in the sun with her new sunglasses and bucket hat. She isn't too sure about the feel of grass. Sitting on it or standing in it prompts little screams of "Ag, Ag, AG!". We had a wonderful break, but are glad to be settling back in with Daddy!

This pic turned out so cute that I just had to share it.

Hail to the Little Ones

Yesterday we had the joy of our friend Bailey Mae coming for a visit. She is 4 months older than Keshan, but I think Kuyler was more enthralled with her than Keshan was. He immediately lay down on the rug in front of her and just stared. Keshan and Bailey "played" by taking toys away from each other as they seemed to always want the same one. Power of suggestion rules once again. Today, we were sitting having lunch when there was a strange sound from outside. We looked up to see a huge hail storm blow through. That was followed by snow, then rain, then snow, then sleet. Who knows what it will end up doing. This all took less than 15 minutes. Sunday is supposed to be in the 60's. We are going to give up guessing about the weather. Well, grocery day is upon us. Blessings to all.

God's Hidden Blessings

We have been having fun in the snow...therefore fun in the house. Kuyler and Keshan got t-shirts from Grandma and Grandpa Miller. We, of course, had to immediately take pictures. Here are brother and sister posing for the camera. Keshan's little t-shirt is illegible in this pic, so we took another. Besides, the picture is too cute to not share.

Kuyler has a picture that answers the questions, "Where do you live?" and "Why do you not get any television stations at all?". We live in a hole. Yes, that's right, a hole. You can see it directly behind Kuyler. This picture is so funny. We can't help but laugh when we look at it. In the last blog, you saw Keshan with her little monkey. Well, Keshan is our little monkey. We hope you'll agree that our monkey is awfully cute! Lastly, for tonight, an update on Jason and I. This week has had it's definite ups and downs. Jason lost both grandmothers within 23 days of each other. He hoped to get to Ohio for the funerals, but was unable to either time. We are sad and yet rejoice in lives well lived and eternal hope as they both rejoice in the Presence of our Heavenly Father. I have been battling kidney stones for the better part of 3 months. (The above picture is from the hotel while Daddy kept the kids entertained with cartoons while I was in surgery. Note Keshan's grip on Brother - he's not getting away from her.) Two surgeries later, my battle is almost at an end. I received news today that the stones are all out and now I just need to have the stint removed. I and my whole family are ecstatic to be almost done with this ordeal. Kuyler ran around tonight with his arms spread wide calling out to me, "You're free! You're stones are out of your tummy!!" That boy pays attention to everything! God's blessings are abundant toward us! He is taking care of finances, time together, and all that concerns us. I think the Grandmas went to heaven and requested that the Father "give us a break". Thank you, Lord!

Cradle Roll "Sun"day

Today was "Cradle Roll Sunday". It is a special time where all of the babies born in the last year are recognized and given a little gift. Keshan received a little monkey that she immediately chewed the tag off of. Then she christened his head with spikes via slobber.Another fun aspect of our days is a new train set that Grandma Helen found. Kuyler loves to build interesting track designs with whomever he can get to help. Keshan (Hurricane Keshan) likes to take the trains off of the tracks and, you guessed it, eat them. (Kuyler says, "I'm concerned about the slobber." in his most grown-up voice.) Here's a picture that Kuyler drew of Mommy. His drawings are getting so great! We enjoy hours of drawing time each day. It is snowing outside, but 2 days ago we were outside working in the yard. Kuyler, our foreman, was drawing at his craft table which we had to bring out for the event. Mommy worked on the lilacs while Keshan napped. Daddy cut out a bush that has gotten overgrown. Now we will have more room for our garden and flowers! We can't wait until spring is really here.

Spring Fever = Baseball!

The beautiful weather this week has drawn Daddy and Kuyler to a nearby park. The biggest blessing for them was that the baseball field fence was open, so they had to go play, of course.

Kuyler learned to "slide". Of course, he has to go head-first, just like Daddy.


Fielder Kuyler catching a ball off of the wall. Throwing the ball against the wall, aiming at certain pictures is great fun! Kuyler has a great throwing arm already.

Kuyler and Daddy also made up a new game. They call it "balf". As you can see, it is a cross between baseball and golf. It may be a little hard on the bat, but boys love imagination!
What a glorious day! It is too bad it didn't last...but more on that next time! Where are Keshan and Stacie during this time, you might ask. We are at home napping in blissful quiet. Girls and boys need their own special time. We love you all and hope you are enjoying these glimpses into our lives!

Chicks and Chicks

We just had a great adventure. Some friends of ours just got 3 baby chicks. We went and saw them a little bit ago. Kuyler was actually more tentative about playing with them than Keshan was.

Kuyler tentatively touching soft feathers.

Keshan petting ever so gently.
Kuyler giving Ella a ride on the back of the tricycle. (A picture of days to come?)
Kuyler and Ella
Kuyler, Ella, and Selah

We had a really fun time. Kuyler and Ella even had their first swing dance in the middle of the living room floor. She is very assertive and Kuyler was happy to follow all of her directions. At one point she hugged him and planted a kiss on his cheek. His response..."She hugged really hard." Daddy's response..."Get used to it Bud." He just isn't sure how to take her because we are always admonishing him to be gentle and here is a girl who likes to be more rambunctious. It is so cute! We are now getting everyone much needed naps. I think paperwork is calling the loudest to me. Enjoy the beautiful spring weather wherever you are today!!!

Our First Blogging Attempt

Well, we are finally at the point of writing in a format that everyone can catch up with. We are settling into Montana life. Keshan is seeming more settled. The world is a good place now. She had a rough start and just now, 6 months later, has decided that she is in the right place. Her smile and "scrunchy face" are infectious.

Kuy is 3 going on 23. He keeps us on our toes with his ability to pick up information, process it, and send it back our way at the most unexpected times. He never seems to be listening, then comes back with a deep question concerning what has been recently discussed.

Easter was fun. Montana is a little colder than Tulsa that time of year, but this year provided fun outdoors for all. Keshan rode in her wrap while Kuyler ran around with the other kids trying to find numerous candy-filled eggs. Everyone got a good sugar rush between the candy and Grandma Helen's Easter Bunny cake.

Our latest excitement has come in the form of 2 kidney stones that I (Stacie) am being too good of a host to. They don't want to ever come out. The doctors in Great Falls are determined that they will, however, be forced to emerge on the 14th. Our prayers are that they will emerge before that date on their own.

Jason got to referee 4 basketball games (Junior High) Saturday. What a long day for him. He works all afternoon and night at the radio station, too. It's a good thing that he LOVES basketball. He said that he was ready to relax and go to his "sedentary" job after all of the running on the court.

This week looks pretty normal so far, so we'll have to update soon.