Cason Turns 4!

I am four now!  And I love being four because I am getting bigger.  It makes me happy to be four!

I like to play with toys.  My favorites are puzzles (I can put together 100 piece puzzles by myself) and Legos.  I also like to read books.  I like all books!

Whenever I go into another room in the house, I always say, "I 'wace' you.  I win!".   Sometimes I race my tummy.  I love ties (when we both win).

In school with mommy I am learning to write letters and number.  I am also making my name neater.  We are learning songs and poems too.  My favorite Bible story is Hannah and Samuel.

Due to some struggles of my brother, I am sleeping in Kaylee's room.  She is my best friend.  We are the "Toothest Twins."  I love being with Kaylee and ask her to help me on everything.

I like to repeat things that Cole says but it tends to get me in quite of bit of trouble.  Oops.  

When I grow up, I want to be a deer hunter.  My favorite colors are blue, yellow, and green.  I love to watch Boz the Green Bear.  Fin is my favorite person to play with.  Chick-fil-a is my favorite place to eat.

Each morning after we drop the kiddos off at school, Mommy and I call Grams and Papa on the speaker phone.  As soon as one of them answers I shout, "Hi, Papa" or "Hi, Grams."  They say hi back and I always giggle because I know that they really like it.

Camping was great fun this summer.  I wrote on Daddy's bike but am looking forward to being able to ride my own bike next summer.

12/2/14 Stats

39.4 lbs

42.5"

Kaylee Turns 8!

And she is 8.  Do not know how that happened.

• I want to be a music teacher when I grow up. 
• Pepperoni pizza is my favorite food to eat. 
• Chili's is my favorite place to eat. 
• Soccer is my favorite sport.
• My favorite Bible story is Jesus rising again.
• I like science and math.

• My favorite thing that I did when I was seven was going to VBS and having fun with Grams and Papa.
• I want to do the same thing while I am eight.
• Blue and red are my favorite colors.
• I like to play games with my brothers.
• My favorite thing to wear is a dress with my boots.

• I love to go biking and camping with my family.  I got a new bike for my birthday.  It has gears and is a girl's bike!

• I really like Beanie Boos.  I got two for my birthday.  Papa gave me a jewelry box and a bracelet.  (I really like him too.  We talk on the phone a lot.)

• Grams and Papa came down for my birthday.  I really liked this.  We had an all girls birthday party at the Crumpet Tea room and mommy made pumpkin pie.  

• Dahana and Ava are my closest friends.
• After school I practice the piano, read, practice my spelling words with Grams over Skype, and teach school to my students.  Mommy gives me my piano lessons and Grams practices with me.  I am almost done with the first book in piano.

First Day of School

Ooops...Early morning error!

This the face Kaylee made when I asked her about the first day of school.

 This is how she really feels!  Totally excited.

As we were leaving the school, I introduced Cole to the principal.  She asked how his day was and he told her that "it was the best day of my life."  Yes...he likes Kindergarten.  

Chad's teacher moved up a grade so he has the same teacher as last year.

Cole has the same Kindergarten teacher that Chad did.  She told me that all day he asked, "Did Chad do this in Kindergarten?".  When we moved schools we never dreamed Cole would be able to have her.  What a happy day it was when I learned she moved too!  We have prayed for Mrs. E since Cole was two.

Cason isn't sure what to think with all his siblings gone.  But he is figuring it out really fast!

Camping Petit Jean

The week before school started, we enjoyed a camping trip to Petit Jean State Park.  It was beautiful with a gorgeous waterfall, wonderful lookouts, and fun trails.

While we did one bike trail, most of the trails at this part are for walking.  Chad struggled with this as we are a "biking family" as he calls it.

To get to the waterfall it was over 2 miles of rocky, hilly terrain.  Thankfully the temperature wasn't too bad, especially for August.

Happy Birthday, Chad!

Not sure how this happened but Chad turned double digits this year!  Crazy how time flies.

Height - 4' 10"
Weight - 78 lbs.

My Loves:
Color - Red
Sports Team - Broncos
Game - Football
Book - Big Nate
Subject  - Math
Favorite Free Time Activity - Play Minecraft
Movie - Frozen
Place to Visit - St Louis City Museum
When I grow up, I want to have a lawn business.

Happy Birthday Cole!

Our Little Man turned six!

 This was the first birthday party in three years that Cole didn't get into the cake before the birthday.  We were all very proud of him.

Cole adores Sadie, a little girl and her family that we get to love on.  

My Loves:
Color - Light Green
Sports Team - Broncos
Game - Uno
Book - Boxcar Children
Favorite Free Time Activity - Lego
Place to Visit - Grams and Papa's house
When I grow up, I want to work with electronics.

Cole
4' 6" 90th Percentile
51 lbs

Look Who Graduated from Preschool!

 Our Little Man

 Making sure it is signed!

Cole's teachers for the past three years - Ms. Kerry, Ms. Arwin - Truly saints.

Love..love this picture

 Cole continues to love dressing up.  This is the outfit he came up with for Western Day at Preschool.

And here he is ready to climb Mt. Everest

Three Memories I Don't Want to Forget

Chad:  Since therapy was cancelled for the evening, Chad stayed home with me while everyone else went to TKD.  He was playing in his room and I was making supper when they left.  I went in to get him and he brought out his toys to play on the kitchen floor.  Then we started talking.  It wasn't anything huge but he was pretty lucid and wasn't anxious.  We ended our time by looking up some videos on YouTube.  It was the best time Chad and I have ever had.  He was "Chad."

Kaylee:  While going through the massive amount of stuff that Kaylee had collected in her room, we ran across her prayer journal.  When I asked if she knew how to use it, she explained she didn't.  So that night we sat down and I showed her.  She wrote down prayers for her best friend, good sleep for Mommy, love and self-control.  Then after we departed, she wrote down prayers for Grams to have a good night sleep and Papa to have a good meeting the next day. 

What was so awesome is that she didn't know that Grams hadn't been feeling well and a good night sleep was needed.  She also didn't know that Papa had a meeting the next day.  Praising God for how she heard the Holy Spirit and acted on it. 

Cole:  Little Man had preschool graduation yesterday.  Yes, there was doubt he would make it two years ago when Momma was held in the hallway by his teacher and the director.  He was so proud to receive his diploma.  While walking off the stage, he looked directly at me and blew me a kiss.  Priceless.

At the end of the program, the kids sang and signed a song called, "God Has a Plan for Me."  God does have a plan for our Little Man.  I know He does.     

Cason

36 lbs

46"

5/8/14

Family Update: Finishing Spring

 

Cason:

I talk all of the time desperate to be heard.  Often times I repeat the same thing 3-4 times.  (This drives my Momma crazy!)  When I am trying to stall I say, "I have a question."  I know most of my shapes and colors and am learning to trace my name.  I love to put puzzles together and can do multi-piece ones by myself.  Definitely not to be left out, I think I am just as big as my siblings.  Now that I can ride a bike, I want to  ride bikes with the family but Mommy says I get to ride with her for a little while longer.

I went fishing over Easter Weekend and caught a really big fish.  Papa had to hold it for me because it weighed so much.

   

Cole:  

I am doing a great job reading and am very proud that I finished reading Bob books and can now read from our home library.  I am looking forward to being in Kindergarten this fall.  My family have been praying for my Kindergarten teacher since I was a few months old.  This picture explains why:

 We had our first away-from-home camping experience at the lake this last weekend.  I got in.  All the way.  Not quite a polar bear plunge but April doesn't lend itself to warm lake water.

  

 

I continue to take Tae Kwon Do.  I just received my purple belt which I am super excited about.

 

After watching my siblings for two years, I finally got to have my opportunity to play soccer.  I am on the Longhorn's team and have really enjoyed playing.  Unfortunately the rain and cold weather has cancelled two games.

On a different note, I finally got released to go to 2x a month allergy shots.  After two reactions, this is a huge improvement and it is nice not to sit in the doctor's office 1x or 2x a week.

Chad:  

Third grade is quickly coming to an end.  I still really like my teacher and enjoy the kids in my class.  When I am not at school or therapy, I enjoy riding my bike and playing with Legos.  My biggest news is that I am now mowing the front yard on my own.  I am very proud of this and look forward to when I can mow the whole thing.  Daddy loves having the "extra" time to do other projects.  

While at Grams and Papa's for Easter, I caught this huge fish.  It was so big that I had trouble reeling it in.  

Kaylee:

School is moving quickly.  But I helped move it along by missing a month of school between snow days, family weddings and receptions, strep, and having my tonsils out in February.  I got along very well and no longer snore or have sore throats.

I enjoyed fishing with Papa over Easter.  I am looking forward to having another girl cousin in June, though I wish a sister was coming too.  It is frustrating having three brothers!

I lost my fifth tooth a few days ago and now match Cason.  The dentist said braces are in my future which I ask about quite a bit.

Family:

After several trial runs in the front yard, we took our camper out to the local lake on Friday night.  The weather couldn't have been more beautiful.  We enjoyed a family bike ride around the camp grounds, scoping out which places we want to reserve for the future.  We would have liked to have stayed all weekend but Saturday soccer and the upcoming Sunday storms didn't allow for it.  But we have many more trips planned for the future, some planned with other families.

We spent Easter Weekend at Mom and Dad's celebrating their 40th Anniversary.  We gave them a quilt made up of clothing Heath, Tara, and I wore as kids.  Michael's mom made the quilt.  Everyone raved about the meaning and beauty.  Mom said it was like Tara was with us.  We hosted a reception at the Community Building which Mom and Dad enjoyed.

I am gearing up for the busy time of work.  Thankfully Mom helps me or I would sink quickly!  Trying to be proactive as much as possible.  We are overwhelmed with how God is using our ministry to teach children around the world of His love.

Michael hasn't been able to ride his bike as much as he would like due to weather and other activities.  He is looking forward to the weather stabilizing to get several rides in.  He has begun racing - actual races - and has been in the top on each race.  We enjoyed watching one where he got 2nd place.

We couldn't be more excited about summer coming.  School will finish June 6th (due to the 13 snow days) and our new niece is to be born June 17th!!  The garden is 1/2 planted, pool is getting almost ready to fill, and the trailer is ready for another trip to the lake!  Bring on summer!