Our Life

Snow Day

2012-01-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

this boy was waiting ALL winter for this day

this girl was not as excited

Kaden having fun scooping snow

Keira pulled out her chair and chilled in the garage

We have had an incredibly MILD winter so far and I am loving it! However, the snow loving boys in my house have been missing the fluffy white stuff. They got their wish this last week and we got SNOW! I have to agree there is something beautiful about it but once I have to drive in it I lose my romantic view of it. Kaden is in LOVE though! He would play out in the snow all day every day if I would let him. He can't get enough of shoveling, digging and moving snow. Keira was so funny when we went out the first time. She was definitely not impressed. She hated the wind and that she wasn't able to walk very well. She was VERY happy to go back inside and get unbundled :) I think she takes after her Gramma Terry and misses the sunshine. I am also excited that we are already halfway through January and warmer days are in the horizon in just a few months!! :)

Trimming the tree

2011-12-06T19:35:00.001-08:00

The weekend after Thanksgiving we decided to decorate our tree and Kaden was so excited! Keira had to miss out on the fun this year because it was her bedtime and honestly I don't think she would have been much of a helper :) Jason is always in charge of unwrapping ornaments and putting on the hooks and in the past Kaden was the ornament delivery boy so that I could hang them on the tree. Well I always knew this day was coming when he would actually WANT to hang the ornaments himself and this was the year. However, to my surprise he was a great little decorator (I only moved a few ;)! He was very serious about his work and asked about the ornaments and where they came from. It was such a FUN night with our sweet Kaden. Its amazing he will celebrate his 4th Christmas this year! He is such a joy to us. Thank you Jesus for such a precious Christmas gift that just keeps getting better!

Flashback

2011-11-17T19:35:00.001-08:00

Almost a year ago my sweet kiddos looked like this! How fast the time goes!! We are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in just a few days and I seriously can't believe a year has gone by already. Its been a wonderful year! Kaden is an incredibly sweet and fun 3 year old. He has learned so much in this year and been a great little buddy to me and Jason. Keira is a BIG girl now, at least she thinks so! Its amazing how much they change in a year when they are so young. She is running around now, playing with Kaden, talking to us and always on the GO! We have so much to be thankful for this year and always. God is good.

round and round we go!

2011-11-14T18:53:00.001-08:00

Isn't fun how much kids love carousels?! My kids see one and their eyes light up and when they pick out their "horse" and get buckled in they can hardly contain their excitement! Kaden is getting to be a pro so he is a little more brave while riding up and down, round and round. Keira's eyes just get bigger than usual and she has a cute little smirk on her face and I love it! They are both entranced by the lights and music and the ride is never long enough!

On this special ride Gramma Terry rode along and could hardly get Kaden up on his dragon! It was quite hilarious! Poor little momma :) We had such a fun visit with her for a long weekend and what a great way to cap it off with a carousel ride. We look forward to visiting Texas in a few weeks for Christmas!!

Pillow Fight

2011-10-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

Game ON!

not an even fight now . . .

Goofy girl

" Back off Kaden, I mean it!"

She is out for blood in this one!

The other day I got some great action shots of the kids "playing" aka "fighting"! Keira is a feisty little thing and Kaden loves to rile her up! He thinks its so funny to wrestle with her and pick on her and she gives him a run for his money. Kaden is a gentle giant and Keira is more of a scrapper ;) I love to watch them play together and I am always happy when Kaden tells me how much he loves Keira. They are quite the pair!

Hawkeye Parade

2011-10-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Keira as a troll ;)

We knew we weren't late when we ran into these guys.

Iowa City is a beautiful place.

The boys ready to see a parade.

"Look DAD! A hawkeye boat!"

one of the marching bands

We went down with some friends to Iowa City and watched the homecoming parade for the U of I. Kaden and Remi are just about the same age and they had a great time trying to get candy up at the front :) Keira and Raleigh were held captive in their strollers for as long as they could stand it! The parade had several marching bands which was REALLY fun! They wrapped the whole thing up with Iowa's band and they were amazing. I am glad we stuck around for it, lol. The weather was really great too. Before the parade we went to a really great pizza place, Pagliai's. We loved it and will definitely be going back! It was a really fun night with the family and great friends!!

Snack time

2011-10-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

enjoying a cookie

cute little keira

talking with his mouth full ;)

The other day I realized I hadn't been taking enough pictures of the kids during the day SO I snapped some during what they do best, EATING. Although they are good eaters they are getting really good at a lot things!

Kaden is becoming quite the little man. We have started working on our letters and he just started writing! I have been so proud of how he holds his pencil and right now we are working on the letter A. He does a great job and each day he gets better and more steady with his lines. He is doing so much better at cutting as well. This week we worked on a collage of "A" words and his paper was full of Audi's :) Jason was so proud. At church Kaden is going on Wednesday night to his class called Lil' Lions. He has a workbook we do during the week and memorizes a verse each week. He has been really excited each week to go and wear his Lil' Lions shirt proudly! I love watching him interact with other kids. He does a really great job of playing with other kids and even when we run into a kid at a store he always ask their name and makes a new friend. I say he is a politician in the making ;) He still loves his Daddy most of all but I get a lot of "I love you's" during the day so I am thankful for that. Keira is his buddy for sure. He still calls her "his baby" and dotes on her most of the time. She knows how to start a fight though and she screams pretty loudly so then Kaden usually tells me " I don't like Keira anymore. She is a naughty baby." ;)

Speaking of Keira, she is our crazy little baby! We all love her so much! She is a ball of energy and attitude. She knows how to use her big, beautiful eyes to let you know what she is thinking and it cracks us up. She can bat her eyes to make us think she is sweet and give some mean looks if she doesn't get her way. She is getting better at talking lately and that is SO fun! She asks for "more" when she is eating and says "HI" to anyone she meets along the way. She loves going to nursery at church and its always funny to peak in and see her because she thinks she is the queen of the babies, granted she is one of the older ones, I am just glad she hasn't hurt anybody's baby yet! :) She is so much more coordinated then Kaden was at her age so it baffles me the things she can do only being 17 months! She likes to swing on the "big kid" swing and climbs right up the slide like the big kids. She has no clue she is little and keeps up with all the kids in the neighborhood. I am never worried she will get bullied because she screams and fights whoever gets in her way. We are working on anger management ;) I can hardly believe she almost 18 months in just a few weeks!

Jason and I are loving these days with our little ones. Kaden and Keira both add so much to our life . . . like laundry, messes and most of all LOVE. We feel so blessed to have these sweet little lives in our care. God is good.

this melts my mommy heart <3

someone please update this blog . . .

2011-09-20T14:31:00.001-07:00

So I am sick of seeing the same post on my blog but I have no motivation to post anything! ha!

However, life is great! We are getting excited about the fall season and enjoying the beautiful weather. Hopefully someday soon I can write something worth reading but for today my goal was to get rid of the "big move" on the top of my blog reader. ha!

Mission accomplished.

the big move!

2011-08-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday night Jason, me and the kids loaded up to head to MN! Mom Rabe SOLD her house!! What a journey it has been and we are so thrilled to see how God has opened the doors for her to not only sell her house but also find a new job and purchase a new house in IOWA! We are definitely sad to see her leaving such an amazing church family in Granada and we have so many great memories in her house at 801 S. Main St. However, a new chapter is beginning for her and I think all of her kids, including Jason and I, are excited to see what God has for her. She is such a devoted mother, faithful Christian and wonderful Grandma! I would have to say she is one amazing packer as well! She packed up her entire house ALL by herself and now she gets to UNpack it all ;) yippee. I think we can recruit a few helpers for you this time :) We love you Mom R.! The Mayor of Fairfax gives you a personal welcome to our town!! :)

Lake time

2011-08-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Keira's 1st tube ride!

Swimming with Dad :)

Jumping off the tube

Kaden the fish

Mommy and Kaden tubing!

Keira thinks she can SWIM!

We had another beautiful day last weekend to hit the lake! We had a great family day boating and swimming. Kaden is not a big fan of tubing since Jason almost drowned him a few weeks ago;) but I was so proud of him for trying again with Mom. He did a great job and only freaked out at the very end when we hit a few waves! Keira even tubed and she did GREAT! Jason went really slow and she kept jumping up wanting to go faster! She is our little daredevil.

Two weeks ago I tried water skiing and actually DID it! This week I tried again and could NOT get up. I was so frustrated but I am hoping next time it all comes back to me. I was so shocked the one time I got up I didn't really know what to do with myself so I am hoping it wasn't a fluke ;) Jason is so sweet to be so patient with my million attempts.

Its hard to believe its already August and before I know it summer is going to be over. Good thing I LOVE FALL!! :) However, winter now that is a different emotion . . . :)

my God is so good.

2011-07-26T20:46:00.001-07:00

Great things are happening in my life. I am just overwhelmed by the goodness of God and I had to write it down.

At church several months ago one of our pastors encouraged to choose a word for our life that we wanted to see God bring to fruition. He told us to pray specifically for that "word" and share it with others so they could pray as well. I chose the word "Ministry". My main ministry in this season of life is my husband and my children. I have embraced that ministry and I am so thankful for the opportunity to stay home with my children and serve Jason as his wife. My heart was still burdened. I see so many woman around me who are hurting and in need of a Savior and I just prayed God would open the doors to minister to them and their families and WOW He is answering my prayer.

It began as an idea to reach out to my neighborhood and I called a sweet friend who lived a few streets over and asked if she would like to begin a bible study with me and we could host it in my home. She was so excited and her energy fueled me. God worked in the details and we now have a small group of woman meeting bi-weekly and studying the Bible together. amazing.

Also, through church I have met some amazing woman who are seeking the Lord and challenging me with questions and spurring me on to know my Bible and what I believe. In just a few weeks I will begin leading a class about "becoming a godly woman" on Tuesday mornings. It is humbling to see God use me but I know this is fulfilling my purpose as a Christian. My heart is just overwhelmed with what the Lord is doing and I am so excited to be serving Him. He has done so many amazing things in my life and I am honored to share that with others,"to God be the glory!"

My prayer is that I can empty myself of ME and allow God to fill me and reach out to others so that they might know HIM and experience the true love only He can give.

swim lessons and a sassy sister

2011-07-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

Kaden with his teacher and 1 classmate that day

Cherry Hill is such a nice pool! (notice that cute little pony tail ;)

Posing beauty!!

I want my paci back!!

Kaden took some more swimming lessons this summer. He did really well! His teacher was a young girl named Bri and did a great job with the kiddos. I was proud of how he followed directions and participated in all that she required of the class. He worked on dunking his head under water, floating on his back and jumping in the pool (which he LOVES to do!)

Keira was always my buddy at swimming lessons watching Kaden and eating snacks ;) She would have been right there in there with him if I would have let her! She loves the water but did surprisingly well just being an observer this time around. The older she gets the more she lives up to her spunky personality. She loves attention from ANYONE and being cute :) I can hardly wait for her to start talking, just to hear what she is going to say! She jabbers at us all day long now and says a few words here and there. She will be speaking in sentences before we know it!

the boat

2011-07-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

To say we are enjoying the boat this summer is an understatement! We are loving our lake time SO very much. Jason and I will exchange a glance as we are cruising across the lake and I just know how happy he is to be back in his element. Its so funny to me that we both grew up boating and have such wonderful memories from those times in our life. We are so thrilled to be able to share those memories with our own children now. The kids are loving the lake too and that is so fun! Kaden has become so brave about jumping off the boat and Keira thinks she owns the boat ;) It has been HOT here in July and so we are soaking up the sun as we float around on noodles at the lake :)

weekend getaway

2011-06-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

Jason and I had a chance for a mini vacation last weekend and we had SO much fun! We went down to the Lake of the Ozarks with some other couples for a long weekend. We stayed at a really nice condo hosted by the owner, Steve and his wife, Pat. They let us take over their place and were very gracious hosts. We went boating, jet skied and spent some great time at the pool. The other 4 couples we went with know each from a Bible study group about an hour south of where we live but we went to college with one of the couples, Dan and Hannah, so they invited us to go along. We really enjoyed meeting everyone and had a great time RELAXING. All the couples had children so we were all in the same state of mind - missing our sweet kiddos but living up the down time and sleeping in until we wanted to!! After having children it is amazing how much you miss them even being away for an HOUR for an appointment. They are truly a part of you and life is just not the same without them. That being said its so wonderful to reconnect with your spouse and have time just for the two of you, even for a few days. Jason and I are so thankful for his sweet Mom who came to stay with our kiddos. I know they had a great time here with Grandma and that made our time even more enjoyable at the lake.

I can't wait for the next time we can get down there again as a family. The lake was beautiful this time of year. The water temperature was amazing and the trees were beautiful. Jason has so many great memories there as a child and I hope we can make many more with our children over the years!

farm life

2011-06-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

I am a city girl through and through, of which Jason reminded me as I noticed all the "interesting" smells around the barn ;), however I LOVE being out on the farm. Its such a simple life, a slower life and it feels good. I enjoy watching the kids run and run wherever they want to and not worrying about cars or streets, instead we worry about pitchforks and rusty metal, ha! Jason's grandma, Mary, lives on an acreage in Walnut, IL and has for many, many years. She is now a widow and takes care of the property all by herself, with a little help from friends and family. I am so amazed at all the things she can do and ways she is so handy! She is such a special lady and we had so much fun playing at her house for Memorial weekend. The kids dug out some "vintage" toys and Grandma even played the piano for them. Keira's favorite was the "Princeton Loyalty" and her little dance to accompany it was hilarious. Grandma Mary is also such a godly example to us and we are thankful for her testimony and the way she walks with the Lord each day. She is such a blessing to our family.

I think I will probably choose to live in or near the city if I can but visiting the farm is never a disappointment!!

sister friend

2011-05-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

BFF

Kaden, Keira and Micah

Kaden doting on Micah :)

Along the walk of life you meet many people but once in awhile you meet a friend that becomes like family and as an 18 year old college student I met Jessica Roberts. She was from Wisconsin and I was from Texas. She came from a small town and I came from the big city. She was the youngest child and I was the oldest child. She had a northern accent (which she denied, ha) and I had a southern accent (though not as bad as Emily ;). We were quite an unlikely pair but God brought our paths together that August day on the 1st floor of Mary Gaston dormitory and we haven't lost touch since.

We have so many amazing memories together; like meeting our college advisors together for the very first time ;), living in Dallas the summer after our freshman year, Nu Alpha Phi, traveling to the Cayman Islands together, roadtrips, Graduation Day (HALLELUJAH!), our weddings, our friend reunions every summer . . . I am so thankful for a true friend that she has always been to me. I am thankful for how she pushes me to know God better, to answer hard questions and to truly LOVE with my whole heart and live a purposeful life. She is one amazing girl and God has given her an international ministry just by being her and letting Christ shine through her life.

Now that we are mothers, I pray that we can raise our children to know and experience the faithful God that we know and share with them the ways HE carried us along our path. I hope they will see how kind God is and how He blesses us with amazing friends who are not only friends but become our extended family.

sips and sunglasses

2011-05-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

Oh how we love sunny days! We have been enjoying the outdoors almost every single day. When I sit outside and look at the green grass and stare at the blue sky I am overcome with the stark contrast of winter and how life is so different for about 6 months out of the year. I think being up north definitely makes me appreciate warm days and summer breezes so much more then I ever did in Dallas. I am in awe that we can survive the freezing cold temperatures and dwell within the simple 4 walls of our house ALL day EVERY day without killing each other :) Now that the days are longer and the outdoors so inviting, its as if we all 4 wish we never had to sleep and never ran out of energy! Life is just so good. We have so many FUN things we want to do that I almost feel like we will run out of time even though its only May!

Kaden is growing up so much. He is riding a big boy bike all the time now, still with training wheels, but doing so well. He is having fun with tball and hits the ball like a champ and runs like mad to 1st base, after a few reminders, ha! He has gotten into basketball lately and is quite a shot. I am surprised by his athleticism, I think he got his skills from me, ha ha ha. Kaden has begun carrying on conversations so much more too. His language skills have expanded and I think he enjoys telling stories about his day. He is VERY animated with all his details. I love it.

Keira is growing up so much TOO. She is a fearless little walker. She never hesitates as she crosses different terrain and is a little too brave for her own good. She keeps me on my toes. She climbs like crazy as well! She can climb right up to the top of our playhouse and is quite proud of herself when she gets up there. She loves being outside and goes to get her shoes anytime she wants to head outside. She brings them to me and says, "uh-uh", I tell her to sit down so I can put her shoes on her and she plops right onto her bottom. She understands pretty much everything I tell her and has quite the opinion as well :) She loves to pick on Kaden and doesn't take much from him in response. She is already ALL girl ;) She is getting very social and loves to say HI to people and then wave goodbye when we leave. Its funny because since my last post she has really become quite the Mommy's Girl! :)

daddy's girl

2011-05-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

Keira has become quite attached to her daddy lately. Jason always says his goal is to be the baby's favorite by 9 months :) I think she did make quite a shift around that time and her love for her daddy has just grown and grown. She insists that she gets hugs and kisses from him when he comes home from work. She loves any attention he gives her and when he is busy and can't talk to her or hold her she gets quite upset about it, ha! She takes after her mommy in that way ;) Today Jason was laying on the ground stretching his back and Keira tried to climb on him. When she was rejected you would have thought the world was ending. However, all the tears stopped when Daddy sat up and gave her hugs :) She is a gentle heart and we just love watching her little personality grow.

Julie's Bridal Shower

2011-04-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Bride to be

Pretty and Pink

Group Shot

Keira and Julie

So happy to be in MN

On Saturday, April 16, Calvary Baptist Church in Granada, MN hosted a bridal shower for Julie, Jason's second oldest sister. It is the church where the Rabe kids grew up and the people have loved the Rabe family so well through the years. They have been such a support and source of encouragement during many exciting and hard times of life. I was thankful our family could drive up for the weekend. The ladies at the church hosted a beautiful shower and Julie was surrounded by people who love her dearly and have prayed for her for many years. She received some wonderful gifts!! The food was delicious and the fellowship was wonderful. I am so excited for Julie to be a bride. I know she will be beautiful in her dress and I pray these months leading up to the wedding will be stress free and fast! :) We miss you already, Julie! We love you and hope to see you again soon!!

turning 29

2011-04-14T13:19:00.001-07:00

I am so blessed. I keep thinking that thought over and over. Ten years ago on this day I went out with a lanky, handsome boy from Minnesota. We went to a steakhouse in Greenville, SC. It was our first "date". He gave me Cool Water perfume and helped me celebrate my 19th birthday. He reminded me often how young I was ;) We talked, laughed and stared into each others eyes a lot. How fun young love is. Today, I could never ask for a more amazing husband and a more beautiful life. God has been so gracious to me and I am so incredibly happy! Is life always easy, No. Is every day exactly what I would hope it to be, Nope. However, I am constantly reminded how precious my life is with my 2 sweet children. I am so thankful I can be home with my children and watch them grow and help mold their little minds and hearts. Just today I was chatting with Grandma Rabe about a bible study and Kaden said, "Mom, are you talking about God?" I told him yes indeed I was and it blessed my heart to know he is growing up to know who Jesus is and hopefully by our model see that relying on Him gives us the peace and joy the world cannot offer. I am extremely humbled by my job as a Mother and I pray every day that I will be the kind of Mother my children need and show them love like Christ has shown me.

I am excited to be 29 because so many of my friends are turning 30 ;) I want to live this year completely, heart and soul for Christ. Sharing my faith, making Him known through my life and constantly walking with Him daily. Life is so precious and my heart is overwhelmed with love.

A wonderful birthday visitor! We love you great Gram!

Sun Kissed

2011-04-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

pink cheeks

tasty toes

on the GO!!

An emotional muscle man :)

We had a WARM weekend in Iowa! It was wonderful and we spent A LOT of time outside. The kids loved every second of it. We rode bikes, played in the sandbox and with friends in the neighborhood. We even managed to clean out the entire garage and blow out all the dirt, yipeee!! Jason also washed the van and Jeep and we vacuumed them all out! I love saying goodbye to the winter grit. On Saturday night when we were getting the kids ready for bed I noticed Keira had pink cheeks! I think she got a little sun today and she looks so cute! I didn't even think about sunscreen, oops. I will remember next time!

Kaden got to try his hand at bowling on Saturday night and he had a really good time, we thought ;) He had a rough start when he fell on his back and hit his head on the lane but he bounced back pretty quickly. However, that night he had a rough night sleeping and so we aren't really sure what happened, maybe a concussion?! He seems to be fine though and has no lasting damage ;) I am hoping the next time we go we can avoid the big fall and just have fun!!

speed racer

2011-03-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

Kaden loves his quad. Kaden loves Keira. SO what could be better than pulling Keira with his quad?! :) Jason rigged this up last summer so Kaden could try pulling around a trailer but Keira was WAY too tiny for a ride back then! However, she has grown quite a bit and loves her new ride! Kaden does a great job driving and being really careful with his sister. I am so proud of the responsible little man he has become and impressed that his driving skills are better at 3 yrs old than mine were at 16 yrs old, ha! We have a lot of fun going on drives around the block!

Paint and Crayons

2011-03-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

Kaden with his "water" painting ;)

Keira's 1st time coloring!

Concentrated work

What color next?

This doesn't taste as good as it looks!

We are still keeping ourselves busy INDOORS :) The warm weather just hasn't wanted to visit Iowa this spring but we are still having fun! Kaden isn't a big fan of coloring but if he can PAINT he is all for it. I think playing in the water is his favorite part. I keep thinking I need to get him some finger paint but I am kind of hoping we can just do that at a friend's house sometime ;) ha! Keira got to sit at the table like a big girl as well and try her hand at art. She did really well for a newbie. I taped her picture to the table and she made some marks on there for a few minutes until she decided to taste the crayons and then proceeded to rip her picture into shreds . . .

So I guess with little ones you consider an activity a success if it keeps them occupied for say maybe 10 minutes?!?! Success!

11 months old

2011-03-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

Daddy makes her smile :)

Is this a good pose?

I'm standing up!

Its so amazing to me that it is my baby girl's last MONTH birthday!! :) She is growing like a weed. It has been a rather hard month for her with being sick. She had a double ear infection, cut another tooth and just got over a nasty virus!! So my wish for our Keira is a healthy month and many, many more after that !! Here are some of Keira's tricks:

~ She is a full time walker! She rarely crawls anymore and even when she was sick she would try so hard to walk around but she didn't have the balance or strength :( I am glad she is getting back to her spunky self today.

~ She is slowly letting go of her bottle. I am thinking by the time her birthday is here we will be down to one or maybe NO bottles. She doesn't really have an attachment to it like Kaden did.

~ She says Mama, Dada and HI. I am very proud of her Hi because its more like Hiiiiiiiiii ;)

~ She loves when the daycare kids come in the morning and when its time for the to leave for the bus she plops right into the middle of them and acts like she is going to get on the bus with them.

~ She waves bye-bye and claps when we sing, "If you are happy and you know it"

~ I think Keira will always be Kaden's baby :) He loves his "little, tiny baby" (which is what he calls her:)

here birdie, birdie

2011-03-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

We are excited that spring is on the way!! Kaden has been so interested in the birds lately. He hears them making noise and watches the fly around the backyard so one day I asked him if he wanted to make them a bird feeder. He was so excited! He kept saying we need to go to the store and get some bird seeds! So we did just that and made this cute little homemade buffet for the birds. He was so proud of his work and he checks on it every day!!

Splish Splash

2011-03-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

Some friends from church told me about a free swim at the North Liberty Recreation Center on Friday mornings so a couple of weeks ago we tried it out. The kids had a blast! It was so fun to get them into their swim suits which had been tucked away for MANY months now. Kaden was a pro at the pool and Keira took a little while to warm up to the water. It was a great pool for kids because it had a zero entry side and gradually got deeper. The biggest hit of all is the big basket of TOYS! All the kids go back and forth finding new treasures to play with in the pool and overall the kids just have a great time. It was fun to see Keira just stare at all the kids and take in all the new sights and experiences. We took her to a pool a couple of times last summer but she was pretty little so its ALL new to her again. I love that about this age. We are all going to have so much fun this summer in the water!!

Baby Steps

2011-03-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

Keira is on the GO!! She is so cute when she walks :)

Look at my new trick!

2011-03-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

Keira Nichole

Our sweet baby girl is now 10 months old! This is the new trick she discovered she could do on her 10 mth birthday. We are so proud ;) She is such a ham. She loves to try to make anyone laugh or smile at her and she is not shy about trying to get you to pay attention to her. I love her personality that is emerging more and more every day. She is a precious little thing and she has definitely stole each one of our hearts. She decided she would start giving kisses this week and guess he got the 1st one, Jason of course! He is her prince charming. It melts my heart to see how she looks at him and loves when he picks her up. She puckered up her lips ever so slightly and leaned in for her kiss, gently turning her head. Impressive form I must say! Lately, her and Kaden have gotten more interactive when they play and that is so fun to see. He loves to run around and get her squealing. She so badly wants to take off running with him, which I am sure won't be too far away. She is getting more and more confidant with her "stepping" but not completely committed to walking yet. She has developed a strong love for her pink blankie and remains faithful to her first love . . . her pacifier. It has been amazing to me how quickly she has grown up! We are treasuring all the moments of this first year.

Our two sweeties

the big picture

2011-02-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 1:7-10

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

I have been discouraged a lot lately. There are so many people I know who are hurting and suffering. Friends and family members who are mourning the loss of a loved one, dealing with a terminal illness or struggling spiritually. It is so hard in these low times to not question God and wonder what His purpose is and if at all possible the hurting could go away!

However, I have been encouraged. Encouraged by reading His Word, trusting His heart and seeing the ways He works in my life and the lives of others. We are only seeing a snapshot. This life we live is so short in comparison to eternity. Each person, situation and struggle that comes into our life is there for a purpose. God in his infinite wisdom and knowledge is working all of these things together for good and ultimately to glorify Himself. I have such a peace in knowing He has a plan. The perfect Heavenly Father who loves us all so much cares about me and my friends and family who are suffering. He is shaping them and me and drawing us closer to Himself. What a gracious God! I know it doesn't take away the pain of the current moments but it does take away the desperation and replaces it with HOPE. I have hope that in the big picture of life God has thought of me and He loves me more than I can even comprehend. My prayer is that the precious people in my life who are in these dark times will see the Light of our Saviour who desires to make "known to us the mystery of his will".

Chicago Visitors

2011-02-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

Great friends

Poor Silas :)

3 sweet kiddos

A couple of weekends ago we were blessed to have our friends the Memmel's over from Chicago to visit. Niki and I went to college together and both studied Interior Design. We really became good friends our Junior and Senior year of college. She is such a talented designer, godly girl and great friend. Now that we are both married its been fun to visit each other and it just seems like every year the group keeps growing ;) When we 1st had Kaden, Niki and and Michael came over to Iowa to visit and Michael concluded that once someone has a baby they can't get out of the house before noon ;) I guess you could say it was a big adjusment for ALL of us, ha! Almost exactly a year later Silas was born. Niki and I were both excited to have boys and to think they could be buddies some day :) Every year it has been getting better for the boys and I am thinking next year they are going to have a blast together!! Their only trouble will be Keira interrupting all their fun, ha! It is always a great time and we are so thankful for the Memmel's and how the Lord is working in their lives and how they are such an encouragement to us. We are looking forward to Chicago this summer! :) See u then!!

Bath Time

2011-02-07T17:33:00.000-08:00

My kiddos LOVE when its time for a bath!! Keira gets so excited she kicks her legs and flaps her arms. I can barely get her undressed fast enough! Kaden sometimes acts like he is not sure if he wants to take a bath but Keira makes it look like SO much fun he usually can't resist to join the splashing craziness. When I get both of them in there I usually have to pull the shower curtain closed because water ends up soaking the entire bathroom. I had Kaden pretty "trained" to not make a mess while in the bathtub but now that we have added Keira into the mix it is a free for all, ha! She is such a little crazy girl!! We all love her so much but consider her our "tornado". Whatever is in her way will be destroyed!! Kaden has always been our cautious little guy so typically the 3 of us watch in awe of how Keira can get around now and make amazing messes :)

Nine months old

2011-01-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

Keira Nichole is now 9 months old. I know it is said so often but they truly do grow up fast! She is crawling everywhere and pulling up on everything. If I had one word to describe this stage it would be BUSY! Kaden never crawled so we have been enjoying having a little one scoot around under our feet. She is eating food really well. She loves trying new things and it not too fond of fruit like her big brother but is liking her veggies more than he did. She is still drinking a bottle about 4 times a day and taking 2 naps. She is a very social baby and loves her daddy. She likes to complain to Mom more than others since she knows I will try to make her feel better :) We all have loved her sweet little spirit and her crazy ways. We are cherishing every little, tiny moment.

"Mom, want to take a picture?"

2011-01-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

A new use for some nerf darts :)

Even his trucks joined in on the fun!!

We do this puzzle SEVERAL times a day!!

Cool tower Kaden!

Well how I could say no to this face?! For some reason Kaden got on a picture kick the other day. Any little accomplishment he would do he wanted to document it with a photo op. I just love this little man. Now that he is 3 it really seems like he has grown up so much. He is very loving to all of us and tells me several times daily, "Mommy, I love you too!" I happily reply, "I love you too Kaden" :) He is getting into doing puzzles, building towers with blocks and playing cars and monster trucks. He LOVES his bounce house and asks to jump several times a day. Even Keira gets in on that fun and I really need to get a video of the two of them in there. It thrills my heart to see the two of them love each other.

Christmas Morning

2011-01-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

We had a fun family time at home Christmas morning. The kids were up and going around 7:30 so we got ready to open presents! Kaden wasn't too excited that I wanted him to wear his Christmas Pj's for pictures but he got over it, ha. Keira was a fine until Kaden starting crying and then she shed some tears because it was the thing to do, ha. After a slightly rough beginning we all had a great time!! Keira was so cute trying to open her presents and Kaden was a PRO. He will always get some good practice a few days before Christmas opening his birthday presents ;) Jason got me some great clothes and a beautiful necklace. I got him some nice work clothes and some casual clothes, as well as some Pumas. I think he liked all his gifts :) We decided to stay home all day and pack for Grandma Ann's house. It was a delightful day of being a family of four and we were excited to see family the next day!!

sweet baby and batman

2010-12-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

On Friday night Jason was going to be gone for a work Christmas party so I decided the kids I should try to do something fun. Since Christmas is approaching ever so quickly I decided it would be a great time to shop for Jason! We loaded up in the silver bullet and headed for the Coral ridge Mall around 3 pm. Shopping with 2 kids is always interesting. Its all about patience and not expecting things to go as planned or by all means efficiently! Have you ever tried to get a double stroller including bags, coats, and people into a bathroom stall?! Its not for the faint of heart but that is how desperately we needed to get out of the house, ha. Believe it or not we accomplished our goal! All of Jason's gifts are wrapped and tucked under the Christmas tree. The kids did great shopping for their Daddy. Kaden is good about entertaining Keira and in one store he had her laughing so loud, people would stop and watch them because who can't smile when a baby laughs :)

We grabbed some dinner in the food court before we were going to load up and head home around 6 pm. While we were making our trek to the door we saw some ladies doing FREE face painting. They were amazing. They weren't just doing a smiley face on your cheek, they were all about it! All the kids walking away from their tables looked like they were ready for a costume party! I brought Kaden over to the younger lady and she asked if he was 3. I said "yes" (almost ;) and Kaden said "No, I am TWO!" busted. I explained he was nearly 3 in like 2 weeks and she was fine with that. He decided on batman and she praised him for sitting so still and acting like such a big boy. I am glad he didn't act up or I think she would have yelled at me, ha!

So we left the mall with one happy Batman boy and giggly baby ready for a nap. After we got home the kids were all hyped up and so we played on my bed for awhile and I got some cute pictures of my 2 Christmas helpers! We had such a fun night, even if we were missing Daddy, we made the best of it!!

Christmas Photo Shoot

2010-12-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

Kaden and Keira are getting to be pros at picture taking ;) The day of pictures is always a toss up, hoping no one is sick, super grouchy or makes a dreaded face plant into the pavement. However, this one went wonderfully. I am always so impressed how no matter the mood while getting to the photo shoot they both perk up when the lights and cameras are on them ;) I think my kids have a thing for attention, ha! Sarah Jane did a wonderful job as always and I am just so thankful for 2 beautiful children to call my own. Jason and I have enjoyed becoming parents so much and we are so blessed by these 2 little people its unbelievable. God has given them to us not only to raise to know Him but to also raise us! They show us what we need to change so that Christ is more evident in our life. Our prayer as parents is that we will the light that Christ would have us to be that these 2 beautiful little people will know the true reason for the season, Jesus Christ.

Family of Four

2010-12-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

Life as a family of four is the BEST. Jason and I enjoyed our time as just the two of us so much - about 3 yrs - and then when Kaden came along it definitely turned our world upside down and mostly in a good way ;) We couldn't remember what we did before with all our FREE time!! We loved every minute of watching him grow and turn into the person we could tell he would be from day ONE. Then when little Keira came along, already 7 months ago, I was afraid of how Kaden would react and how I would feel being stretched between 2 kiddos. I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the transition went and now it seems like it has always been this way. We were meant to be a family of four ( or more :) I totally underestimated the joy of watching my children interact and love each other. I thought often of the other dimensions, Jason with a little girl, Kaden being a Momma's boy :) but not so much how Kaden and Keira would interact. She has loved him always and to my surprise Kaden has gladly received her as well. He calls her "his baby" and if I walk out of the room he says "Where are you taking my baby?". He loves to make her laugh and will do just about anything to get a giggle out of her. Keira loves the attention from Kaden. She patiently accepts his sometimes rough hugs and kisses and smiles when he runs circles around her trying to get her attention. There are many times Kaden is shaking her jumper seat too hard or her car seat is almost flipping over and I run to help Keira only to find her laughing and squealing with delight. I guess Mom just isn't as cool as Kaden ;) The other day Keira was sitting on the kitchen floor and for no reason at all Kaden came over to her and knelt down on the floor so he could hug her little neck. He said in his cute little 2 year old voice, "Keiwa, you are my best fwiend." The words took me back since I have never really heard Kaden talk about a best friend and made my heart smile once again at how blessed I am to be the Mommy of these two special little people.

the world of blogging . . .

2010-12-06T18:14:00.000-08:00

It's almost hard to believe I have had this blog for FIVE years. That is more years than I have been a Mommy, lived in Iowa or even went to college! I have had a love/hate relationship with this blog of mine. We started out like many relationships all the fuzzy feelings and endless hours spent just writing and posting :) Now life has gotten busier and like with most things in my life put on a list of priorities and unfortunately the blog hasn't been placed very high on that list. I think it is odd how something inhuman can make me feel GUILTY. I look back at those early years and wonder how I could let our relationship, this blog and I, get so stale. I visit it nearly everyday but rarely take the time to post anything . . . so much shame ;) THEN when I finally do attempt to post something I have the most horrible time uploading pictures or videos and usually give up in frustration. So I was thinking tonight that maybe I would just try to write and heaven forbid not post any pictures. I miss writing and recording our life and as the saying goes I am going to give this blogging thing "a good college try" and see if we can make it another 5 years :)

Swimming Lessons

2010-11-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

Kaden is taking swimming lessons at the YMCA this fall. He has been doing a great job trying new things. He is getting more confidant all the time! Last week he started swimming all by himself with a floatie belt around him. I am thinking in just a few weeks he will venture out on his own. He absolutely loves going to the pool and I am so glad he has been able to do this while weather is getting colder and we can't play outside as much. Jason is such a trooper to swim with him each week. They love their boy bonding time. :)

sweet baby girl

2010-10-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

I was looking through Keira's newborn pictures today I could almost cry! She is already SO big! In just a few weeks she will be our 6 month old sweetie. She has been such a joy to our family. We have enjoyed her and her sweet little smile so much. Kaden adores her and she returns the feeling I think :) She also has a crush on her Daddy which I am sure will last for MANY more years. I think he is pretty great too. We just love watching her grow and change but I can't help but miss that sweet newborn smell and sleepy, cuddly moments. We love you Keira girl. Please don't grow up too fast :)

happy birthday to a GREAT Grandma

2010-09-13T18:28:00.001-07:00

We were blessed with a visit from a wonderful birthday girl today!! Jason's Grandma Mary dropped by for a quick hello on her way to Minnesota. It just happened to be her birthday as well. She is 76 years young today and what a special lady she is to us!! She is such a godly, loving and thoughtful Grandma to us and our kiddos. We are so blessed to be in her family. I hope you had a wonderful day today Grandma Rabe. We Love You!!

Four months old

2010-09-10T06:05:00.001-07:00

What Keira is up to these days:

~ 14 lbs. 15 oz, 26 1/4 inches long, and 90th percentile in both!

~ rolls over from her tummy to her back and is working on rolling back to her belly

~ loves to smile! especially at her Daddy and her brother

~ loves being outside, whenever she is fussy she will usually perk up if she can go outside!

~ not a fan of her carseat :)

~ a pretty good sleeper - takes naps and is doing better at night!

~ a MAJOR drooler!! She makes puddles wherever she goes.

~ just got her ears pierced! she looks soo pretty!

~ is starting to interact more with Kaden and loves when he "plays" with her

Playing Outside

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

We were blessed recently to score a used playground set from a neighbor who was moving away! The kids and I have had SO much fun already playing outside and utilizing the back yard more. Kaden is a huge fan of the sandbox and the "rocket" swing. Keira is quite content in her baby swing as well. We love soaking up the sunshine and warm temps as long as we can!!

just for fun . . .

2010-06-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Smiling Kaden

Not as excited for pictures, but still cute ;)

Cute little baby rumpus

Sleepy girl

Hat model/ Paci face :D

Brother and Sister

2010-06-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

Keira Nichole born April 27, 2010

Kaden Dean born December 22, 2007

We have seen a major resemblance between Kaden and Keira from day ONE and I thought it would be fun to put up some similiar pictures of the two of them. So many funny faces!!

They both have their little personality quirks but are so much alike as well! It will be so fun to watch them grow. I think they will be great friends and enemies :)

watermelon days

2010-06-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

I bought this dress for Keira soon after I found at I was having a girl!! I just love it and love that she can wear it now :) We have sat her up in her Bumbo a couple of times already and its pretty cute to see her try to figure out the sitting thing. She prefers laying stretched out on her blanket most of the time. Kaden usually goes and gets his blanket and lays next to her :) He is such a sweet brother. I am so blessed to have 2 of the cutest kids in the world!! :D

beach baby

2010-06-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day we celebrated at the lake!! Jamie was here and so we all loaded up and went out to Lake MacBride about 15 minutes from our house. They have a nice little beach and we all had a great time. The weather was perfect!! Keira and I hung out in the shade but we had so much fun. She is such a fun little baby girl. Her daddy said this is the last time she can go topless at the beach ;) hee hee. Kaden and Jason played in the water the whole time. Kaden LOVED it and the sand. Hopefully we will make many beach trips this summer!!

Gramma Terry and her babies

2010-05-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

So happy to have TWO grandbabies

Gramma and Keira on her birthday!

Lots of cuddles and kisses

All dressed up!

I was so blessed to have my Mom come up for over a WEEK! We found her a great ticket and I told her my "Mommy instinct" told me Keira would be born very SOON :) Good thing I was right ;) So she said she would come!! It was great to have her here even before baby came. We got our toes done and got some last minute shopping in. We had so much fun together and with Kaden. It was a really sweet time getting ready for Keira's imminent arrival. I was so thankful to have my mom here for Kaden as well. She was able to stay home with him during the labor and delivery and help Jason with him while I was in the hospital. I am so thankful for her loving and serving heart. She is such a helper and I can't imagine what I would have done without her!! God has blessed me with such an amazing mother and I have so much I can and have learned from her. I pray I will be as selfless and giving as she has always been for me and my sister. Happy Mother's Day to you my beautiful Mom! I hope you have a beautiful day and know we wish we could be there to shower you with love and kisses!! Kaden and Keira send all their love!!

Keira Nichole

2010-04-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

We are so happy to have our sweet baby girl with us now! She was born on April 27 at 12:16 pm and weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz and 22 inches long. She is welcomed by big brother Kaden Dean and Mommy and Daddy. We are so excited to watch her grow!! We love you Keira!!

Keira Klothes!!

2010-04-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

What a fun morning! The mailman came to my door today because I got not ONE, but TWO packages. My sweet friends from high school spoiled me with some adorable baby stuff. My friend Sarah sent the sweet blanket at the top with the silver Keira embroidered on it, her Mother-in-law makes them. Its such a sweet lightweight blanket and will be perfect for summer! Two of my other friends, Alethea and Alaina, had been working on their package for quite awhile and I think they out did themselves ;) Such adorable stuff!! Burp rags, onesies, a super soft blanket and Baby Legs! Pretty much everything has Keira's name on it so she doesn't lose it ;) I just LOVE it all. What a way to lift the spirits of this pregnant lady!! Thank you Lord for such sweet and thoughtful friends. I am so blessed.

pillow fight

2010-04-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

Kaden loves to wrestle! He always begs Jason to wrestle him and they laugh and laugh. Its pretty cute. The other night they added pillows to the fight and Kaden was cracking us up. I grabbed the camera to catch his grimace and it was priceless. He is such a cutie boy and loves his Daddy soo much. It will be pretty funny when one day he is big enough to take Jason down ;)

the patio

2010-04-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

We have a new patio! Jason and I had been talking about adding to the "living space" in the back and had gone to Menard's to get mulch and things for the yard. We came upon a pallet of SALE stone that we loved and figured it would be great for the stone patio we were thinking about. We decided to go for it and so the journey began. Jason marked off the patio and we tore out the sod. The first few strips went well and the last part almost killed us, ha! The next weekend Jason tackled the leveling of the dirt and adding sand. He had a little energy left to do a couple of rows of stone but with each one weighing about 35 lbs it got tiring FAST. The next day he finished laying all the stones and "grouted" them with a special sand. Lastly, he finished off the edge with soil and grass seed and in a few weeks it will be all grass again around the edge. It all looks great! We are excited to have the extra space for Kaden's swimming pool this summer and a fire pit. We will slowly be adding to our outdoor furniture and I am looking forward to how cute it will be!

37 weeks pregnant

2010-04-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

Sweet Kisses

Big Brother Kaden

the belly

Thankful Mommy

Tonight Jason obliged me and took some belly shots. I didn't want to miss out on the chance ;) not that I think she will be here any minute but you never know!! Kaden even cooperated for a few pictures and we had a lot of fun. I have been feeling really great even through these last few weeks and I am so thankful for that. We are counting down the days until the due date, only 17 more now!! We are all just so excited to see our little girl. Lots of hugs and kisses await her.

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

We had such a wonderful Easter weekend. We didn't do a whole lot, and missed our families so much, but we enjoyed time together and celebrating what Christ had done for us! We were part of our church's Easter program and it was a tremendous blessing. I didn't do much at all this year but Jason sang, did scripture readings and led the children's choir. I am so blessed by Jason and what a giving man he is. He gives of his talents and time and is such a blessing to so many people. I really am blessed to have such a wonderful husband. Also, our mini Jason, Kaden :), is such a joy to us a both. He loves his Mommy and Daddy and lights up so many people's face with his smile and twinkling eyes. I know the Lord has great plans for our little man and I am excited to see how God will mold and shape his little life to honor and glorify Him. We have such a simple and beautiful life and I thank the Lord for His hand on us. My prayers is that I will live a cross-centered life each day and encourage the people around me to live only for HIM. Happy Easter!!

Ready for Spring!

2010-03-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Cute Cousins

Kaden all dressed up!

So sweet

the happy couple and baby Keira :)

Our family of almost 4 (Kaden was over it :)

We had a great weekend in Des Moines! The whole Rabe family was able to meet up at Jordan and Jen's and it was so much fun! On Sunday morning we dressed up the kids in their Easter outfits and had a fun little photo shoot that afternoon. Kaden wasn't much for smiles but Serena was adorable!! They both looked so cute all dressed up and we had fun watching them "play" together. The next time we are all together there will be another cousin to the mix!! We are so thankful for our little people and the blessing they have been to our family.

Beautiful Baby Room

2010-03-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

I realized I hadn't put any updated pictures of Keira's room on the blog! It is just adorable! I love going in there and sitting in the rocking chair :) We are so excited it won't be long now that we will see her sweet little face! We have a few things to add to the room but thanks to Grandma Rabe the major things are DONE! She did such a beautiful job with the panels and the crib bedding. We are so thankful for all her love and work :) I will hopefully have all the finishing touches done soon and there will be more pictures to come!!

Family Night Out

2010-02-23T11:56:00.000-08:00

Ready, Go!

Kaden giving directions ;)

He is a great shopper!

Now he just has to learn how to organize everything in the cart ;)

I hate those self check outs too! ha!

Kaden and Dad flying the Wright Brothers plane

Construction Man Kaden

Jason working hard on his creation

So for Valentine's weekend we decided to have a family fun night on Saturday night :) We ate at Chili's for dinner and then took Kaden to the Children's Museum at Coralridge mall. I had taken him there a few times last winter so it was fun to see how much more he could do now that he is bigger! He had a blast. Kaden and Dad checked out the airplanes and rode down a super tall slide. Mom was too scared she would get stuck ;) ha! We explored the entire museum and had a wonderful time playing together. I am thankful for my 2 sweet Valentine's!!

Valentine's Box

2010-02-23T11:49:00.001-08:00

So I am a little behind on blogging and I didn't even realize it! Kaden was so excited to get a great big box from Grammie Terry for Valentine's Day! I think the best part for him was going outside to blow bubbles in the freezing cold :) I knew once Dad got home it wouldn't be long before we were all bundled up and ready to go out and test the bubble gun! Kaden loved it!! The giant sucker and cute little doggie were also favorites. Thank you so much Grammie! We love you and miss you!!

Kadenisms ~ 2nd Edition

2010-02-17T07:06:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not I have more ramblings about Kaden! :)

~ One of his favorite toys is "big dog", thanks Aunt Jess. Big dog is very true to his name. I would say he is just about as big as Kaden is right now and Kaden loves him. He sleeps with him, carries him around the house everywhere he goes, prays for him at night and would try to take him where ever we go if we would let him. We always tell him Big Dog likes to stay home and sleep ;) Lately Kaden has been getting his blankie and covering up Big Dog as much as he can and then runs up to us with his chubby little finger in front of his lips and says "Shhhhhh, big dog is sleepin." We have to be quiet or we get in BIG trouble! :)

~ Kaden's favorite food is pizza. When we ask him if he is ready for dinner he says "Pizza? Pizza" Thankfully he still eats other things but I guess it never hurts to ask right?! :)

~ Kaden's favorite words are "NO" and "Ewwww". Not sure where the "ewww" has come from but anything he finds on the floor or something he doesn't like he says "Ewwwwwww" in the most dramatic way. Of course, "no" is a pretty common word at this age but Kaden says it with flair. IF we ask him if he has to go potty its not just No its "NOOOOOOO" with pursed lips and all. I personally think whoever thinks just girls are all drama has not met Kaden ;)

~ Every morning that Landon and Olivia get dropped off there mom Kathy comes in and helps them get all there things in order and then she gives them hugs and kisses and tell them goodbye. For some reason Kaden has decided she should give him a hug and kiss too! :) So whatever he is doing he drops everything and runs over to the door saying "Tathy, Tathy" and gives her a big hug and tells her goodbye. I don't think she minds it one bit. ;)

~ Last Sunday while we were filing out of church we usually stop and shake hands with Pastor and this week Kaden decided he should shake hands as well. It was so cute to see him attempt to get his attention and put his chubby little hand up there not knowing what in the world we were doing. We all got a pretty good laugh at how grown up he was trying to be :)

~ Kaden is a big fan of Curious George. He usually gets to watch one or two episodes of George throughout the day and he is glued. The funniest thing is that now he knows how to speak "Monkey". He will walk up to us and squeak and jabber and even to people he doesn't know. ha ha ha! I was hoping he would pick up on the words the other characters are using but I guess "monkey talk" will be okay for now ;) ha!

the 3rd trimester

2010-02-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

28 weeks pregnant

So today is the beginning of the end, the end of my second pregnancy! I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone. I am sure many mom's experience the same thing with the 2nd baby because you just don't think about it every second like you do with the 1st. Also, Kaden has kept me busy and I have felt really well so that has made things go by quickly. We are all getting so excited to meet Baby Keira. Kaden talks about his "tister" and likes to try and feel her kick. He is excited to be the "big boy" and she can be the baby ;) Jason loves new things. That might sound funny but its SOO true. So he is getting ancy just wanting to see her face and how little she is going to be!! We both keep talking about how small she will seem compared to giant Mr. Kaden :) I am of course very excited. I am not even that anxious about the labor/delivery part. I am praying it will all go well and quickly, ha! but I know I can do it and that the Lord will be my strength. I am so thrilled to be having a little girl. I just can't wait to see her and kiss her!! I of course am dreaming of the bows I want to put on her that will match every outfit just like my mom did to us!! She is going to be one adored little one and we want her to keep on growing inside mommy and get ready for her big arrival, preferably not too much later than expected ;)

Grandma's Sewing Shoppe

2010-01-30T12:43:00.000-08:00

Here a few pictures of the crib skirt and bumpers Jason's sweet Grandma made for Keira! She is a very practiced seamstress and offered to bring my ideas into reality. I just LOVE how it came out!! Grandma did such a beautiful job and I cannot wait to see the crib all put together in its princess-y way. Her final task is to make 2 side panels out of the pink material for the window treatment and then I will cover the window with ivory sheers. I think its going to be so pretty!!

Kadenisms

2010-01-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

I like to call Kaden's current age the Terrific TWOS! I know thats not the usual label but it really is such a great age and I have always loved little people at the age of two. :) They are trying so hard to be grown up and yet they are still just a baby at heart. I thought I would write down a few of Kaden's cutest antics and sayings.

~ Anytime Kaden falls down or hurts himself he comes running to Mom or Dad and shows us his owie, saying "Diss it, Diss it (Kiss it, Kiss it)" If he hurts his bum I just kiss my hand and give him a pat. ha ha ha! The second he gets his kiss he is miraculously healed.

~ For awhile now we have worked with Kaden on being polite, saying "Thank you" and "Please" and asking nicely for things instead of whining. He still has his whiny moments but one thing he has mastered is saying "Thank you". If I give him his lunch or a cup of juice like he asked he will always say in the most sincere way, "Tant Dou Mommy" It melts my heart everytime. :)

~ I love the way he says all the daycare kids names, "Yandon" (Landon), "Bitney" (Brittany) "Bylee" (Brylee) "Oyivia" (Olivia) and "Peyton" said perfectly clear!

~If you ask Kaden if he is a baby he says "NO, I big boy!" and I think he is catching on to being a big brother. If we ask him where Keira is he will run up to me and pat my belly. He even got to feel her kick the other day! He is going to be such a great big brother!!

~ Kaden's biggest accomplishment as of late has been going to the potty! We started about a week ago and at first I was thinking it might be an impossible task right now but we persevered and this weekend we were home all day Saturday and he told us everytime he had to go potty!! I was so proud of him and since then he has been doing great!! We have a few accidents now and then but overall he has really grasped the concept. He is even pooping in the potty! The funny thing is that the times Jason has taken him potty he ends up pooping :) Two of those times have been quite a disaster and Jason comes out looking quite defeated. Lets just say I have to do a lot of bathroom cleaning and laundry after such episodes. Jason still can't figure out how Kaden got poop on his sock, jeans, the rug and all over the little potty and the big potty!! :) Jason is such a good daddy. I just love all his efforts!!

I could go on and on on this post but I guess I will wrap it up for now and maybe do a 2nd edition before long! :)

the chandelier

2010-01-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

I found this super cute light at Target on clearance! Gotta love that!! :) I am hoping we will be able to make it work since its meant to be plugged into an outlet rather then wired to the ceiling but I am thinking it will work!! I called a friend who is an electrician and he is going to come by and check it out for us. Its such a pretty chandelier and I think it will look great in Keira's room. I am going to get some crystals to dress it up a little and I think it will be perfect!!

pink perfection

2010-01-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

before

testing out the color

all cleaned out and ready for color

ALL painted and ready for the crib

pretty in pink

So this Saturday Jason didn't have to work at the bank so he decided to work at home! He got the whole nursery painted and Kaden's stripe done (pictures to come). He vigorously painted all day with only a few Pepsi breaks ;) We ended going with a light pink called Charming Pink and I think it turned out really well. Its a soft color and looks really great with the dark brown furniture. I can't wait to see the bedding with everything. Gt. Grandma Rabe is working hard on those things and they are coming along great!! We will keep posting more pictures as things progress. We can't wait for Keira to come home and see her room!! :D

cool blue stripe

2010-01-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

Kaden's room had a green accent wall but we wanted to add a little pizazz to it. Jason marked off an 11 inch stripe around his whole room and we taped it off and sealed the tape so we didn't have any runs. Thankfully we got a great tinted primer that worked really well. Jason only had to paint the dark blue 2 times and it came out great. Kaden loves his new stripe and I think he is pretty excited to have a special "new room" like Keira is getting. :)

A special visitor!

2010-01-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

We are always so blessed to have Great Grandma Rabe come to visit us! She lives just over 2 hrs away so its a nice quick drive for her and we are so thankful she is able to travel, even in the winter! She arrived around noon on Thursday and headed home on Saturday afternoon. We crammed in a lot of fun while she was here! On Friday we went fabric shopping for the nursery and met Jason for lunch at Culver's. Then that evening Jason and I had a date night! Grandma graciously watched Kaden for us so we could attend a Deacon/Trustee couples dinner at a couples house. It was a great night and we had a lot of fun! Then on Saturday morning Jason worked but for lunch we were able to take Grandma out for Mexican food. It was a great meal and a lot of fun! She was able to bring over an old antique trunk for us that is a family heirloom and we got home we had a great time looking through it and talking about its history. Jason is a big fan of the 1915 newspaper he found inside. Thank you so much for coming to visit Grandma. We treasure the times we have with you and Kaden definitely had fun with his buddy :) If he could he would ask you right now, "what ya doin?" :)

Keira's Nursery Beginnings . . .

2010-01-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

Here is a little sampling of what Grandma and I found today on our shopping trip! The lace and ivory toole will be layered for the crib skirt and then the pink sample will be the fabric on the bumpers with the ivory ribbon used as ties. The walls will be painted a light shade of pink, "Innocence" and we are currently on the search for a perfect chandelier for her ceiling. Things are coming along beautifully!!

Let's Bowl!

2010-01-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

While in MN over New Year's we were hoping to do some sledding or something but the weather was just not very cooperative!! We opted for a warmer activity indoors and found ourselves at the bowling alley! It was a lot of fun and the first time Kaden really was an active participant in the game. He had so much fun watching the bowl roll down the alley and cheered each time it knocked over a pin! He was so proud of himself :) The whole family had a great time until Jason remembered that he could drag his feet on the carpet and produce some painful shocks! ha! I guess he will always be an annoying brother at heart!

Kaden is TWO!!

2009-12-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

The birthday boy and his cake

Blowing out his 2 candles!

Having fun opening presents

Pizza face boy

Family Self-portrait

On Tuesday, December 22, our little boy turned 2 years old! We had a great day at home playing with Landon, Olivia and Peyton. Around 4 pm we had some more friends over to join us for a Mickey Mouse birthday party! He had so much having his friends over, even Jax and Maddex all the way from South Carolina!! :) We had cake and ice cream and colored Mickey Mouse pictures. Then the whole crew went downstairs to play with toys and watch Kaden open his presents! He got so many fun things and had such a great time tearing paper :) Everyone headed home by about 6 pm and then we had some pizza for dinner. We finished out the day by playing with Kaden's new train set and watching old home videos. Its amazing how much he has changed in just one year! He has grown to be such a polite, loving, independent little boy. I am so thankful for the blessing he is to our family and look forward to this next year with him!! We love you Kaden Dean.

Baby Girl Rabe

2009-12-14T11:30:00.001-08:00

Having fun at Gt. Grandma's

2009-12-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

The weekend before Thanksgiving we drove over to IL for Jason's cousin's wedding. Carly and Mike got married on Saturday afternoon so we were able to spend some time with Gt. Grandma on Friday night. She made us a great dinner and even little place cards to honor the new mayor ;) After dinner Grandma got out some of her antique toys for Kaden to play with. :) He had so much fun! Then he got to open his Christmas present from Gt. Grma and so we dressed him up in it. He looked so sporty and comfy. The next morning Kaden even got to see his very sweet cousin, Serena! It won't be long until those 2 are running around playing together :) I know Kaden is looking forward to that day. ha! We were so happy to be able to spend time with family and attend the wedding. It was a great weekend!

decorating the tree

2009-11-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

Landon, Kaden and Peyton

Kaden and his favorite blankie (notice we have 4 stockings this year:)

Kade and I digging through all the Christmas stuff

the boys putting together the tree

We decided this year we would put our tree up a little early since we would be traveling for the last 2 weekends of November. We had a lot of fun dragging out all the stuff and seeing Kaden get so excited about all that was going on. He was very interested in what Jason was doing under the tree :) I thought they looked so cute laying under there together. Even after the tree was put together Kaden kept wanting to climb underneath! ha! In order to get all the ornaments hung Jason usually unwraps them and hands them off to me to hang them. This year we had a little delivery boy running them back and forth between us. He was the slave driver too! He kept saying "More, More" :) We could hardly keep up! We are looking so forward to this Christmas with our 2 year old. He is so full of life and new words! Its so fun to hear what he comes up with and to see the excitement in his sweet little eyes. Thank you Jesus for coming to this Earth and showing us what Love really is! Merry Christmas to our family and friends!!

the new face of Fairfax

2009-11-05T06:05:00.000-08:00

Its been an exciting last few months in the Rabe household. Jason decided just a couple months ago he was going to run for Mayor of Fairfax. He decided he would make informative door hangers to get his name out so we got those all ready to hand out and thankfully had some neighbors help us pass them out to over 600 doors! He then made some yard signs because people had been asking for them to display in their yard. That was really all the campaigning he had to do, other than talk to some different citizens who had questions about his vision for Fairfax. He had a lot of support and encouragement through the past months so that was great.

You never know how the numbers will come out so Tuesday night we decided to watch a movie and just watch online to see if the results were updated. The voting polls closed at 8 pm and at about 8:50 pm the results came in!! Jason WON! He was so excited. It was a 60/40 majority which was great! He made some phone calls to the people who had been helping and supporting him and that was a lot of fun to do. I had people calling me from around here congratulating him so that was really sweet. Needless to say it was a little hard for Mr. Mayor to wind down that night but we were just so thankful for the win. Jason is excited for the opportunity to serve Fairfax and to assist them in their continuing growth and development. He has a great vision for our community and I know he will be a great leader for Fairfax! May the Lord continue to grow Jason and use him in all areas of his life. Keep us all in your prayers for the 2 years to come!

Mr. Bones

2009-10-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our house!

Cool Mr. Bones

Smile!! (He hated the hay! ha!)

A couple of weeks ago I decided to get my fall decorations out and start making the house a little festive :) Kaden found all the stuffed turkeys in the box and took a turn carrying each one around the house! He looked so cute in his skeleton shirt and I just couldn't help taking pictures of him. He was a great helper with all the fall decorations but unfortunately it feels like we have skipped my favorite season :( and headed right into winter! Hopefully we will get some warmer weather and be able to to enjoy some fall weather before winter officially sets in!

a trip to Kinnick

2009-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Jason and I were able to go to the Hawkeye game last Saturday, October 3. We found some tickets on Craigslist and lined up our babysitters, my neighbor and friend Melissa in the morning and then Grandma Rabe for the rest of the day. We got up and adorned ourselveds with black and gold and some things to keep us WARM! I was smart this time and brought a blanket. We took the train, Hawkeye Express, from Coralridge Mall down to Kinnick Stadium. The game started off pretty well but the Hawks didn't really play up to the potential yet somehow pulled out a win. We were so glad they won!! We had a really great time at the game and were excited to come home to Kaden and Grandma! Hopefully we can sneak another game in this season :) I guess we will see!!

Grandma Rabe comes to visit!

2009-10-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed to have Mom Rabe come down for a weekend visit!! She came down as soon as she could on Saturday morning and picked up Kaden from our neighbors house. We had to leave earlier that morning to get to the Hawkeye game! We all had a great day, Grandma and Kaden playing at home and Jason and I watching the football game in Iowa City. We were so grateful that she could take care of Kaden for us and we could have a little day away. When we got back from the game around 3:30 or so we found two napping sweeties :) After everyone woke up and we got going we went out for Mexican food. It was yummy! We then came home and tackled a new beef stew recipe Jason had come across. Mom R. was the master chef and I was her assistant :) We had a lot of fun making it and guessing what would make it come out okay ;) We put our concoction in the crock pot in preparation for Sunday lunch. We got up Sunday and headed out to Tama for church. It was a great morning and then we came on home for beef stew :) It was delicious! We were all happy with how it turned out. We then took naps AGAIN! ha! and relaxed before later in the evening heading to Culver's for ice cream! IT was so yummy and hit the spot. We had a lot of fun sharing fries and cheese curds to even out all that sugar ;) Then on Monday morning we got Mom Rabe loaded up and headed to Des Moines for a visit to a special birthday girl!! We were so glad to have her here for the weekend and we are so blessed that Kaden is loved so much by his sweet Grandma!! :) We miss you already Grandma Rabe and can't wait to see you again!!

Chalk the Walk

2009-10-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

A few Saturday's ago Jason bank hosted a "Chalk the Walk" activity during a sidewalk/ art show right around the bank. The kids that participated chalking the sidewalk were entered in a drawing for a chance in the money machine! The kids were all soo excited about it. There was 200 bucks blowing around there and one kid grabbed a little more than $30! Kaden had a great time walking around and playing the games. His favorite thing was MOE! Most of the kids would run away crying when MOE walked by but Kaden just followed him around and tried to hug him :) It was really cute. Landon and Olivia's parents brought them up for the festivities and they were all decked out in their Iowa gear. I also got a kick out of some of the kids there decorating the sidewalk. All on their own they started putting "Jason Rabe for Mayor"! So cute!

Our mini Stay-cation

2009-09-27T18:19:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago Jason suprised Kaden and I with a night "away". We were all packed and ready to go when Jason got off work at 5. We drove about 10 minutes south to a little town called North Liberty and checked into our hotel, Sleep Inn. We then ventured out to find some dinner. We came across a Culvers and we stopped there. We wanted something quick so we could get back and SWIM! Kaden and Jason had soo much fun in the pool. They are both waterbugs for sure! I had a lot of fun too watching them swim and of course getting in a little pool time of my own. That night we all slept in one room of course and I was very curious how Kaden would do. We ended up turning off all the lights and TV around 9:30 pm because little man would NOT go to sleep and we ALL fell asleep. The next morning we were laughing about how long we had slept but we got up early for their really nice breakfast and some more swim time before we hit the road. It was nice to not have a long drive back home and it was a good thing we didn't venture too far because I forgot to bring even ONE brush. ha! I promise my hair was quite scary! :) I am so thankful for Jason and how much he loves his little family. We had so much fun just being together!

Kaden the Corn Kid

2009-09-22T11:59:00.002-07:00

While my family was visiting we had to get some fresh, Iowa sweet corn and it was SO good! Jamie got some great shots of Kaden enjoying his ear ;) He was hamming it up for her and I just love all these pictures she got! We had a wonderful weekend while they were all here. We fit in the Farmers Market, a baseball game, some exciting CR sight seeing ;) and grilling out! Its always so great to have family visit and we are so thankful for the times we can have together. We look forward always to the next time we can spend time together!!

kaden on vacation

2009-08-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Our Kaden is a major water bug! He loves to swim and enjoys being outside as much as possible. We all had a great time this last weekend at the Ozarks. It was a great family trip! It was quite obvious Kaden was wiped out when he fell asleep just sitting on the couch next to Dad. So cute!!

Jenn's baby shower

2009-07-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

Serena with her AUNTS

Jenn and the cake

The spread

The decor

On July 3rd Kari and I hosted a baby shower for Jennifer and Serena in Cedar Rapids. It was so much FUN! Several family and friends were able to make it for the evening and we had a great time celebrating this new little baby whom we already LOVE! Its so exciting to think of adding a new little girl to the family and I absolutely can't wait to see Kaden and Serena playing together :) The menu for the night was Mexican appetizers and a DQ ice cream cake. It was all delicious! We played a few games and Jenn opened all of her presents. Little girl clothes are SOO cute!! The night turned out to be great and I am so thankful we were able to spend some great girl time all together. We love you Serena Kay!!

Splash Pad

2009-06-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

Playtime with Dad

2009-06-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Meeting Max

2009-06-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

We were sooo thrilled to get the call that Mr. Max Anders had been born on May 24!! Eltza did such an amazing job throughout all of her labor and I was so thankful baby Max had finally come, but I don't think I was as glad as Eltza ;) We gave them a day to rest up and then were able to go up and see them on Monday. We went to get Chipotle for dinner and then brought it up to the hospital to dine with the Olsen's. We all had a great time and rejoiced together with what God had done through this amazing little life. So happy to meet you Max Anders. We are looking forward to watching you grow!! :D

my new hair

2009-05-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

Let me just say I LOVE haircuts. Ever since I have become a mommy, I especially enjoy the pampering :) Its a rare moment when I get to sit still in a chair for a whole hour and have someone make my hair pretty!! :) As most people know i have TONS of hair so my favorite part of the cut is the thinning!! I always tell the stylist to take out as MUCH as you like, it will grow back, trust me :) So now I am sitting at home all dolled up and no where to go . . . ; ) ha!

Kaden's New Ride

2009-05-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

This morning was the Fairfax citywide garage sales so we got up early and hit the streets. We were thrilled to find this great bike trailer for Kaden and a bike for me! We have been shopping for both of these things since last year and today hit the jackpot. The trailer is brand new, had never been out of the box and my bike had about 10 miles on it I think :) Jason got it all put together for us as soon as we got home and we were able to take Kaden on a few rides around the neighborhood. He LOVES it!! I guess as the old saying goes, Good things come to those who wait!!(and shop at garage sales ;)

my Garden table

2009-05-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

Once again this year the Fairfax Vision Committee hosted a Ladies Tea as a fundraiser for projects here in town. So I decorated and set a table this year and had a lot of fun! There were 13 tables and 6 people at a table so there was quite a group of ladies. We had appetizers, scones, dinner and dessert . . . of course tea as well! :) There was a ladies quartet that came and sang for us and they did a great job. Also, there is a big raffle you could buy tickets for and I WON 3 things! :) woo hoo. I got a movie, candy and popcorn from Mr. Movies, a coin set from Fairfax Savings Bank and $50 gas gift card to Casey's!! The best thing about the night was the company, Suzie, Sam and Eltza were able to come and sit at my table with me. Then to top it off, Jason was our waiter! :) He did a great job and we all had a delightful time!!!

the Ladies Tea

2009-05-08T06:12:00.000-07:00

Fun in the Sun

2009-05-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

On Sunday after church we grabbed some lunch and then found a nearby playground to enjoy the weather. Kaden is LOVING playgrounds these days. He has so much fun climbing, running and sliding! He was cracking us up with all of his squeals and smiles. This age has been so much fun. Kaden has really changed a lot becoming his own little person. He understands so much more and tries his best to communicate what he wants to us, he knows what he wants ;) ha! Although he is becoming a little independent person he still likes to cuddle with mom and I am so thankful for that :) He is such a joy in our life and our family wouldn't be complete without him!

Handsome Little Hawkeye

2009-04-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

Grammie Terry found this super cute jogging suit in Texas of all places :) Looks pretty Iowa to me! He was a good little model for me since Grammie wanted a picture right away of course ;) Thanks for the super cute outfit it fits almost perfect!!

the bowler

2009-04-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

2009-04-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

our little easter bunny :)
Kaden in action

the kiddos had a great time

the neighborhood crew

A couple of us moms thought it would be fun to get the kiddos together for an egg hunt. It turned out to be a lot of fun!! The weather turned out to be okay. We prayed for sunshine but forgot to ask for the WARMTH!! :) It was a little windy and cold but the kiddos didn't seem to mind and cleaned up the yard of all the eggs. Jason was home so he was able to hide all the eggs for us. He did a great job! I heard from several moms that their kiddos were looking out the windows so excited to see the eggs all over the ground. SOO cute!! Kaden was a trooper. We did an egg hunt "bootcamp" at home so he would know what to do. I think it helped a little but he was more concerned with what all the other kiddos were doing. I am thinking next year he will be out there in a flash and he won't need much help from mom!!

Pinata Party

2009-04-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

My mom sent Kaden an easter box and included this adorable pinata. Down in San Antonio, aka little Mexico, they have a much bigger selection than in the midwest :) I had my daycare kiddos over and we did it in the garage. The kids had a really good time. Their first attempt was blindfolded and then the blindfolds came off and the action really started! :) Landon was the 2nd to last kid to get his 2nd turn and the candy came pouring out. It was so fun!! Thanks Mom!

Jason's Surgery

2009-04-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday, April 3, Jason had the inevitable hand surgery. He broke his hand in September '08 during a recreational softball game. It didn't grow back quite right and caused him a lot of pain when any pressure was put on it. He met with a hand specialist and they suggest a surgery to attempt to repair the break and if that didn't work they would pad the bones to give him some relief. They ended up doing the latter and were happy with the outcome of the surgery. We have been laying low the last couple of days. Just keeping Jason's pain meds in him and hoping he will get some extra rest. We are thankful for God's provision and grace through this whole ordeal. It will be so great when Jason is back to normal and feeling great again!

lil' g

2009-04-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

In the midst of our cold weather its fun to take a look back to our beach trip! Kaden had so much fun with his Grammie and I am pretty sure she had a good time as well ;) We are so thankful for the times we get to spend with her and also for all the love she shows us. We love you Lil' G!!

St. Patty's Day Parade

2009-03-31T12:56:00.000-07:00

On St. Patrick's Day this year we had wonderful weather!! Sam, Suzi and I decided to take our kiddos downtown CR for their annual parade. All the kids had a great time and us moms enjoyed the sunshine. I was watching Landon and Olivia so they were my adopted kiddos for the day. All the kids did a great job watching the parade and catching candy. Kaden even had a good time since I bribed with food :) I am hoping the warm, summery days will return to us soon!

Drive by Grandma :)

2009-03-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

Grandma with her 2 special boys

This last weekend Gt. Grandma Rabe was in MN visiting Mom R. and Jess. She drives right through Cedar Rapids so it worked out great for her to stop in for an overnight visit. We were so glad to see her and have her join us for dinner. She was able to meet most of my daycare kids and their moms. We always cherish the times we get to spend with Grandma Rabe. She is such a sweet, loving lady and we are so thankful she loves us so much. We love you Gt. Grandma Rabe!!

our beach buddy

2009-03-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time at the beach! My mom has a place in Rockport, Texas which is about 3 hrs from San Antonio. We drove down on Sunday afternoon and stayed through Thursday. We had great weather!! It turned cold and rainy on Thursday morning so we left just in time. :) My mom is an avid beach goer so she had all the necessary essentials - lounge chairs, blanket, umbrella. We picked up a few new things for Kaden this year - some shovels, buckets and a wagon. He had SO much fun in the sand. I was glad he liked the beach so much. He would play on Grammie's lounge chair and sneak drinks of our pop. We also got kites to fly and that was a lot of fun. Mom and I got a little fish that would stay up all by itself, we just tied it to our chair and watched it fly :) We were lazy fliers. Jason's kite was a little more complex but he got it to fly quite well I must say. It was so relaxing to hear the ocean waves and feel the sun warming us up. I am so glad we were able to make the trip south :)

our Sunday best

2009-03-17T08:31:00.001-07:00

I love my family.

A group shot (Jason is the TALL one :)

Grammie and Kaden

Three Generations

We arrived in San Antonio on Saturday afternoon and decided to stay in town until after church on Sunday morning. My Poppy is a Pastor of a small church in Bandera and its always so fun to hear him preach. I am so thankful for him and his godly testimony. I pray the Lord will do great things through there small but faithful group. After church on Sunday we snapped a few pictures before getting on the road to the BEACH!!!

Grandpa Moe

2009-03-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

Dad was able to come and visit us for a long weekend and we had SO much fun! Kaden warmed up to him really fast and that was fun to see. They would get up and have breakfast together and that was nice little guy time. We did a lot of playing at home, went out to eat a few times and even went to the library for Story time ;) Dad was a great sport! I am so glad he could come and see us even though it was SOO cold!! Brrrrr. We love you Grandpa Moe!!