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!