So my camera broke. Cole the future photographer was capturing memories in Sunriver and dropped it. Say goodbye to camera. What I didn't realize was that it was still working enough to get my pictures off of it. Joy! Now I can update the last 2 months of our lives. As I look at these pictures I am trying to remember the stories that accompany them. Work with me...
I forgot that back in late July we took the kids to the Circus! We got free suite tickets (thank you Auntie Karla!) and took the kids. They lasted a little while...long enough for Shawn to spend around $50 for drinks and cotton candy. Here are the kids and I enjoying the show, sorry for the close up!
Next we headed off for our annual trip to Sunriver. Kids ages 5 1/2, 5, 3 1/2, 3, 2 1/2, 2, 1 1/2. Eeek! It was a crazy good time! Highlights included naked hot tubbing for the kids, bikes rides, trips to Goodies for ice cream, long days at the pool, watching Michael John perform and Rock Band performances after the kiddos went to bed while we ate Kristie's amazing popcorn and drank Ryan's yummy drinks!
When we got back it was time for Miss K's first day of "school!" She is enjoying 2 days a week at Risen Savior (where Cole goes 3 days a week). She is having so much fun making new friends and learning at school! Here she is on her first day, getting ready to head out the door. Spilled water on her dress while brushing her teeth, oops!
I was having one of those days in early August. Just a day where I was feeling sad about things. I decided I needed a pick me up and what better to do that than bringing Christmas to August? So that's what we did! We turned on Christmas music...put on our holiday baking aprons and the kids and I made Christmas cookies! It was so fun and just what I needed to lift my spirits.
Goodie Taker #1 and Goodie Taker #2 are pictured below.
I forgot that back in late July we took the kids to the Circus! We got free suite tickets (thank you Auntie Karla!) and took the kids. They lasted a little while...long enough for Shawn to spend around $50 for drinks and cotton candy. Here are the kids and I enjoying the show, sorry for the close up!Next we headed off for our annual trip to Sunriver. Kids ages 5 1/2, 5, 3 1/2, 3, 2 1/2, 2, 1 1/2. Eeek! It was a crazy good time! Highlights included naked hot tubbing for the kids, bikes rides, trips to Goodies for ice cream, long days at the pool, watching Michael John perform and Rock Band performances after the kiddos went to bed while we ate Kristie's amazing popcorn and drank Ryan's yummy drinks! When we got back it was time for Miss K's first day of "school!" She is enjoying 2 days a week at Risen Savior (where Cole goes 3 days a week). She is having so much fun making new friends and learning at school! Here she is on her first day, getting ready to head out the door. Spilled water on her dress while brushing her teeth, oops! 
As the kids get older their sibling love gets stronger! That's not to say we don't have drama moments, but for the most part they are buddies and want to be together. We've started to do combined book reading at night instead of the divide and conquer approach we've used for almost 2 years. It's going okay...when Sis actually sits still and listens to the book. Most nights she just takes whatever book you are reading out of your hands...so we read about 2 pages from multiple books. Here are the kids snuggled up with Dad reading. Our special family friend Clifford also pictured. We are huge Clifford fans! 
It's hard to believe our baby girl Kenleigh is going to be 2 in just a few weeks. She has grown up so fast and the past few weeks make us feel like she is even more of a big girl. I have carried around a secret about her for almost a year now. Kenleigh obsessively loves her pacifier. Cole loved his too...until about 13 months and then he moved on. Not Sis. She turned 1 and I thought, oh we'll get rid of it in the next month or so. Then 15 months and I still thought, ah she's fine! 18 months passed and she still was so attached to it. With her 2nd birthday approaching we knew it was time to get serious. Thank the lord for Miss Emily, the kids nanny. Emily decided one day she was getting K off the binky and almost just like that it was gone. We've had a successful couple of weeks and Sis only asks for it now and then to which we say, "no more binky" and she says, "no more...Grammy took them!" Not sure how Grammy got the bad wrap for the no binky policy, but it's working! Additionally she is working on potty training. She is so cute in her pink princess pull ups...so different than with a boy! She had a great week of doing big girl things in the ladies room so we celebrated with a giant cookie! Cole got one as well when he had success in that area. Here is her "potty" "train" cookie. Picture below shows that I think she loved it!
Speaking of growing up, I almost cannot stand how grown up both Cole and Kenleigh look in this photo. They look equally as unphotogenic. Sheesh!
The other joy of cruises are the fun towel animals they make in your room every night at turndown. The kids would so look forward to getting back to the room to see what was waiting for them. Here they are with a few of their favs! 
It was such a fun trip and a ton of amazing memories were made, all thanks to Grammy & Papa. Thank you so much, we love you guys!
Up at bat...then tried to run to 1st base, holding onto the bat! Then picked his nose while on 1st base. Oh well... 
Later in March we boarded the plane heading to Grandma & Papa John's house in Virginia! What an adventure. The kids did great on the way there. On the way home I considered drinking the whole way home. If I passed out, certainly someone else would have to take over for me, right? :) Here is a happy one on the way there. Check out all the teeth coming in!
Hard to get a good picture of all 5 of us, our best attempt (sorry Cole!). 
