Summer at Home

After traveling from Guatemala to North Carolina to Kansas, we finally spent July at home but our calendar has remained full, as always.  The kids celebrated with a new kiddie pool in the backyard and try as we may, we could NOT keep Allegra out. She may swim before she walks with the eagerness she has for water. 

 We hosted our annual 4th of July BBQ for our small group and we all dressed accordingly in red, white and blue.  But to follow tradition, we got rain, as we do every year but luckily it stopped long enough to finish up the last of our fireworks before bedtime.

We went to the playground a handful of times and weathered the heat but the kids didn't mind as long as snacks were involved. 

Carson took swim lessons for the first time and he was lucky enough to have his best buddy, Clark, by his side.  The two made lessons interesting for their instructor but they both learned a lot and passed!!!

And then we had family from Kansas.  The house was stuffed full of cousins, dogs, presents and fun.  We had a great time beating the Tennessee heat with people we love.

 

We have done a few service projects with our small group such as delivering goodies to our local fireman and police officers to say thank you.  The kids got a tour of the fire station during an incredibly strong rain storm.

And we have opened up a new chapter in our lives: soccer.  Both Siena & Carson are beginning competitive sports this fall and have had their first few practice.  It has been quite a change from our small town athletics to an organization that is run like a well-tuned machine to make sure that everyone practices at the right time and that the upcoming team gets the field next.  The kids are adorable and are really enjoying themselves and the hype around going to soccer.

Summer Travels

Remember these two folks?  They are the ones behind the cameras and holding up all the cuteness.  This blog started because two people fell head-over-heels in love and still are 20 years later (15 of those we have been hitched).  So we got away to celebrate and we visited this place...

 The Biltmore Home, just a little home on 8,000 acres in Asheville, NC built in 1894.  It was incredible to get away and spend time doing very little, compared to our typical to-do lists and the demands of a household. 

These two were brave enough to travel from Kansas to keep these crazy kids for a few days.  The good news is everyone survived and the report is they had fun too.  And as if that wasn't enough, they kept the kids entertained while we drove them back to experience Kansas in the summertime - what a treat!  So we made many memories like -

Stealing Papa's hat....

Climbing steps (with supervision of course)...

Crawling the streets of town...

Exploring Osborne in a red wagon on a scavenger hunt...

Riding the Monster (4-wheeler)with Cousin Kirsten at the wheel!  Who gave her a learner's permit?!?

  

Picking cherries...and then getting the pits out...

Fishing with Uncle Will and Papa...

Feeding a bucket calf and then moving the cattle to other pastures...

Jumping off the diving board....

Learning to play the piano...

Indulging in ice cream cones at the burger joint...

Which made our trip to visit family...

PRICELESS!

All About Siena

As a parent of three, I try to spread the attention around but this post is just about Siena.  Siena had a gymnastics fun meet earlier this month and we got a few videos to show off the new talents she has acquired over the year.  She has a great coach that has been impressed with her natural talent. 

Siena completed kindergarten this week with high marks, and she was sent off with a fun week of movies, picnic with the family and water fun day.  She had a dynamic teacher who she will miss very much as well as a great class of kids, 22 in all.  Our little blessing was a gift and "teacher's aide" to her class.  She loves to play school and be the teacher here at home. 

Each one of our kids is a joy and true blessing.  We are excited for a season of togetherness, fun in the sun and the close bonds that will bring.

Berry Sweet Birthday

 Our baby girl is one year old.  Although it doesn't seem possible that a year has passed, quite a few days of juggling has occurred since we brought her home from the hospital.  Allegra had a sweet day with her family on the actual day and then she had a few friends who have been involved in her first year try some strawberry cake in our backyard.  

With the gorgeous weather, outside toys took center stage for our one year old, and Allegra can now be found cruising in her new red car.  (Driver's License not included)

Aren't you glad that she has older siblings to push her around?

Is there anything better than singing the birthday song to a baby for the first time?

This big boy cherishes his sister and still asks to have her sit on his lap daily.  He prays for his big sister as she goes into school and tells her every day she needs to work hard to clip up.  

Be still my heart!

Kurt had a successful trip to Guatemala.  He and the rest of the team of seven stayed healthy and although their focus was prayer and encouraging the mission team on the ground every day in Chichiesntanago and do a few home visits, Kurt was able to see patients in the clinic there one day of his trip.  

And we were so glad to have him home once again!!!

New Possibilities with Spring

Easter was a lot of fun at our house with three.  We were blessed enough to participate in THREE Easter Egg hunts so we are good for the next decade when it comes to plastic eggs.  The Easter Bunny brought the kids superhero capes which explains the costumes.

 

 Allegra didn't get a cape but she was pleased with her bunny ears to celebrate the season.

Our adopted family, the Hamricks, continue to grow and they just adore having a baby to play with.  

Allegra has graduated from army crawling to knee crawling and she has figured out how to crawl down the front and back steps.  No walking yet but she loves being held and cuddled and who would want to walk away from that. 

Siena has been working on her Biblememory verses for a few years and has over 20 locked away in her memory.  Carson is quite the protege and aims to be just like his sister so he has a verse he wants to share as well.

Kurt & Siena have gone to the Daddy Daughter Princess ball the past three years and she looks forward to it more and more each year.  She asked Kurt to wear a bow tie and he complied with his date for the evening.  They went on a carriage ride and were treated to ice cream after dinner.  My hope is that Siena will know what to expect in a man because her Daddy has showed her how special she is on the inside and out.    

The Best Part of My Day

Every day is a gift and while I worry about all that needs to be done, I worry about missing each precious moment with these kids.  I don't want to miss a smile, a laugh, an opportunity to make a memory and then the horror of forgetting these precious memory.  I analyze how to be a better mom and what new thing I should be teaching these information sponges that soak up so much around them.  It's a wonderful time and a time that I know is fleeting which is why I ache to share every moment with you and yet, be present in the moment that is occurring right now!

Siena is advancing in her gymnastics and really has the shape for all that tumbling.  She is ahead of her class in school and has taken quite well to reading and writing is her favorite thing to do.  She is prepared to do well in 1st grade and her teacher predicts that she will be a teacher when she grows up.  Her favorite chore at the moment is to do the dishes by hand.  She isn't very good but practice makes perfect and she enjoys practicing.  I think the step stool makes it fun too.  She insisted on attending a baby shower I was hosting a few weeks ago.  She is stuck between the worlds of little girl and big girl -- still wanting to run and play and wanting to grow up to be somebody important.

Carson wants to help out as well and his favorite line is, "What's my next job?"  He adores both of his sisters and still asks to hold "Baby Awaygrah" Grace and sing her songs in the morning.  He looks forward to Tumbleweeds every Monday and can nearly do a handstand.  He desperately needs a drink as soon as he gets up and the liquid consumption does not cease until he falls asleep.  He is never without a water bottle in his hand.

Everything is new for Allegra and she is FINDING everything too.  She has conquered the step into the sunroom and had her first swing ride.  Oh how I wish you could see that face and hear her giggle.  She stands in her crib so we had to move that down.  She claps her hands all the time and follows each of us around the house on that tummy crawl of hers.  She is adorable in every way, even when she scrunches up her nose.

The best thing about our kids is they understand what it means to be family.  Siena wants to spend all of Daddy's free time playing and he is a pretty good jungle gym.  Just today we asked Siena what the best part of her day was and her sweet answer was, "Coming home to be with my family."  That's funny: that was the best part of my day too.