So much to do!

I haven't been doing very well on blogging! I am sorry about that. There are a couple reasons. The first one you might guess... 4 kids and a full time job = busy life! The other reasons are that the kids have been sick a lot. It is so early in the season for all the illness going around.
The other reason is that I have started a facebook account and have been posting pics there.

Anyway to catch up on things.... the kids got sick mid November. First Hanna and then Kade. I tried to keep them all separated so that everyone would not get sick. That only made things drag on. We had a couple of days that all was well then Haleigh got it followed by Katelyn. They all had high fevers 103! Katelyn ended up with an ear infection over it. So she got to meet our new doctor. This Monday she went for a follow to make sure that her ears were clear and they weren't!

Haleigh ended up sick again this week. So Friday I took them both to the doctors. They think that Haleigh's ear drum ruptured. She was so sick 103.1 temp while we were there. And Katelyn has ear infection back! They said she is awful young for all this and may need tubes already!
YUCK.

While Kade was sick he went backwards on his whole potty training business... so that isn't going as great as it was before. We are still working at it.

Hanna is getting one of her teeth back in. But another front one is loose so it looks like she will still be needing two front teeth for Christmas.

They are growing up!

It feels like th kids are all growing up so fast. Each one is always changing from week to week and I am sure it won't be long and they will be in high school and college.

Just two weeks ago Kade was in diapers and now he is being suck a big guy. He is still doing great on the whole potty training. He has also started putting several words into sentences. The more he does this the more we are getting a sense for his personality. He is going to be alot of fun. But this week, I truley knew he was growing up when he came down stairs in the middle of the night by himself and started to climb into bed with me without waking me up. This now means i have now lost the control to another child who decides they don't want to sleep in their own bed!

Katelyn went for her 4 month check up last week. She is 13lbs and 24 inches. She has dropped from the 6oth percentile to the 40th percentile. I think she make be built more like Haleigh. She is a talker! She is always talking and blowing raspberries. It is cute in the morning she will be laying on the floor talking and Kade will sit next to her repeating back the same sounds. They both get a laugh out of that. Katelyn is now rolling over from both back to front and front to back.

We had parent teacher conference last week for Haleigh. She is doing well. Teacher said that organization was not her strength... dad and I just smiled and said we could have told you that. But it is something we will keep working on. Right now her DS is lost in her own bedroom because of this issue. I really felt like Haleigh was growing up this week when she started to recognize her site words on signs out in the community. Then she would spell out the other words to me and ask what it said. It won't be long and she will be spelling and reading. One more person we can not spell out conversations around. :)

At Hanna's parent teacher conference we were told that she was very organized and she would not be suprised if she became a teacher herself. She scored above average in math and well above in reading. Now that we have the proof, I will keep challenging her to read harder books.

This week I knew Hanna was growing up when she was invited to a sleep over for Friday and her response was "and its ok if I dont get home in time to trick or treat." I don't know how many day she thought she was staying there...but I was suprised she was willing to give up getting all dressed up.

They are all growing up and I guess there is nothing to do to slow it down, so I had better enjoy things while I can.

Great Grandma and Grandpa, dad and the kiddos

Last weekend Spencer, Aunt Lori, Wade and I all went to the Cheif's game. They have been having a terrible season! But to make matters worse it was from sunny and 60 to low 50's a breeze and rain before halftime. We made it to the 3rd quarter before calling it quits. They had finally gotten on the score board before we left, but not by much. I was fun to watch all the people and I colud not believe how loud it got there, especially since they were winning...I couldn't imagine how loud it could get.

Halloween .... Last year we went all out and made the kids outfits that were so cute. (Popcorn, coke can and movie ticket) But this year we didn't do much. The girls already had ideas of what they wanted and I did not have any ideas... so they got their way. Hanna was a flamingo dancer, , Haleigh a pirate, Kade was supposed to be a dragon, but he ended up scared of his outfit. So he settled for a farmer and Katelyn went as a M&M.

What a great week!

So what makes for a great week you wonder??? Well last weekend we started potty training! I did not have very high espectations. I have always heard boys are harder and it is best to wait until they are about 3. But last weekend we started anyway! Kade is doing so well; he has about one accident a day. We even took him to Concordia shopping yesterday and he had no troubles at all. Today he went out with dad farming and no accidents!!!

Spencer and Katelyn watch on while we carve pumpkins.

What else makes for a good week....Katelyn had her first big giggle. We were eating at McDonald's and I stood her on the table. She started giggling, for some reason it was super funny to her. She was giggling so hard everyone around us was watching her. I love little baby laughs! Katelyn is also rolling over now, here at home. But most the times these days she likes to be upright, so she can see what is going on. She is going to be a busy little girl!

Haleigh was the "Star of the week" and we got to make a poster about all her favorite things for her to share with the class. She told them about her favorite food, TACOS and her favorite place to go, GRANDMA'S and about her horse birthday. She also took picures of her riding horses in Georgia and her horse cake from her birthday. Haleigh's class got to go a pumpkin patch this week, good thing it finally warmed up a bit. She had alot of fun in the corn maze and hayrack ride. You also decided that you wanted bangs. I wasn't too sure about this, but ended up looking really cute.

Hanna got Super Speller this week. She has gotten 100% on her last 6 spelling test so she got her Super Speller award and got her face painted. Her class of also supposed to go on a field trip to a pumpkin patch, but it was forecasted to be wet and cold so they changed the plans. Instead she got to have a day of fun. They had games, pizza party and went to the movies. She had so much fun. You too got a hair cut two weeks ago and you decided to cut about 3 inches off, it really curls up now when its wet!

We also celebrated my birthday this week and grandma's this weekend. Then we craved pumpkins! It was alot of fun... take a look.

Here is the crew...we have 3 giant ones left to carve!

So that is what a great week looks like!

They are growing up so fast....3 new teeth and a roll over!

They are growing up so fast! This week we had 3 new teeth... ok so it's not Katelyn, but Kade. I know 2 1/2 and still teething. We like to drag things out. Kade got both eye teeth and one of the front bottom tooth in the last week. Could explain the cranky spells?? Or maybe it is something. We noticed about two weeks ago that Kade was limping. I thought maybe it was his worn out sandals, so we changed shoes. He still was limping...so I took him to the dr and after holding him down for X rays and all they could not see anything. They are thinking it could be a viral infection that landed in his hip. So they are thinking in a week or so it should clear up. I sure hope so! He has not been sleeping so well.

Kade ... you got to go pick corn with dad! You were so excited. It was funny when he came to pick you up, you were both in John Deere hats and gray sweatshirts.

My matching farmers

Miss Katelyn... you too are growing and changing. Now Linda told me that you have rolled over (tummy to back) a couple times this week. I haven't seen it here at home yet. And the rule is all "firsts" happen at home before at Daycare. That way I don't have to worry about missing anything. So while its not "offical" ... I think that you are close to rolling over :)

You are also talking so much and giggling. You get so tickled you almost start laughing. I love the sound of a baby laugh! Lets see... the other things you have started are trying to blow raspberries and you are really working grandma other. It seems like every time you hang out with Grandma you cry unless you are being held. I keep reassuring her that Linda and I don't hold you all day... but I am not sure she is buying it.

Haleigh you are struggling with fall harvest! On Monday, you did not have school so you and Hanna were able to spend time with dad on the combine. You really enjoyed it, but aren't enjoying it so much now. Everyone around us is cutting beans and picking corn, on top of that it has been so windy and everything is stirred up. You were up all night with your asthma. I hope we can get on top of it before school tomorrow. You sound so bad! Otherwise things have been going well. You are doing good at school. Sounds like you are making new friends...mostly the boys, but never the less. You seem to really like taking dance. Hanna and you have been practicing all weekend. I am not sure I can handle both of you dancing around the house! :)

Hanna ... I keep telling you how big of a help you are. You really like to help me...most of the time. Sometimes you get impatient with Katelyn and Kade, but I'm really not sure how I could it all without you. You really seem to enjoy school again this year. You are excited about the up coming field trip. You are still getting used to not having any front teeth! It has been fun watching you trying to figure how to eat certain things. Haleigh and you have been practicing dance all weekend. You really like dance and love to show anyone who will watch you.

I have this cute picture frame that says "Our Crazy Family"

So I asked you to take a funny picture and this is what you guys came up with.

Not much going on this week

Another napping picture. Katelyn will fall asleep anywhere! Hanna was holding her and watching TV.

Not much took place this week. Hanna and Kade went and got their flu shots. They did really well. Now mom and dad are the only ones left to get them. No one here wants to relive 2 years ago!

3 months old

Katelyn is now eating 4 oz each time. She is growing so much! I can't believe that she is 3 months old already. She tries to roll and sit up when you lay her on her back. So far she hasn't gotten it, but she is trying.

Kade is not feeling well this weekend. I think that it is his ears. I think I will make an appointment tomorrow so we stay on top of it.

Hanna and Haleigh have been having alot of fun with dance. Haleigh goes to dance on Tuesday night, while Hanna goes on Wed. night. Those two busy are our busy days, we are stuck in town late both nights.

I have been spending time on Facebook. I was told all summer I should get on Facebook, so I finally got an account and now all I do on there is play games. I have been farming online...its fun and you don't have all the worries and stresses of real farming. :) And it gives me something to do while I am pumping.

Today was a nice fall day so we took the kids to the park for a picnic and to play. They had lots of fun swing and climbing. Everyone was ready to rest when they got home.

Dad with his girls

Just swinging!

KK is watching everyone

Playing in the tunnel

Well its been a couple of weeks since the last entry. Last week I actually wrote up an entry and then it would not save... I know just my luck! So I will try and recall all things that happened.

Hanna lost her other front tooth while at school. She was so excited! She left the tooth out for the tooth fairy, but not in her special pillow that great grandma made. Well the tooth fairy did not come. She was very upset and she was sure it was all because it wasn't in her pillow. But she put it out the next and all was well and the tooth fairy made it. Hanna started dance class this week. School is going well for her, she really likes it.

Haleigh, Haleigh oh Haleigh! I think you will be the one I get all my gray hair from. Last Friday you were talking to one of the moms at the daycare. When I asked what it was about she didn't say. The other mom told me she had gotten a card pulled (behavior card). I asked why and you told me you could not remember because you did not want to tell me. Well you ended up having to tell your dad ... you it a little boy in your class. Your dad asked where you hit him.. "on the cheek of course" you said. Oh My! I was unsure what we were going to do with you. The next day you spent fighting with Hanna over the TV. Hanna came down crying and wiping her leg. When I asked what happened she showed me this large amount of spit running down her leg. When I asked you what happened you said you were trying to spit on the chair. I asked when we started spitting on the chair and you got mad and told me you thought it was better than spitting on Hanna. On Wed I dropped you off at your first CCD class. I could not believed it that you were the only girl and all the boys in your class are the ones getting in trouble in school with you. But I did have alot of time to talk to the dad of the young man you hit and he told me that you had your arm twisted first. I could not believe that you never mentioned it. I asked you about it on the way home and you told me he had twisted your arm at recess. I asked why you did not mention it and told me because I never asked!

Here is Haleigh in one of her "angel" moments. She let Katelyn take a little nap.

Kade loves being a big boy at the daycare. When we drop of the girls at school he tells them goodbye and then claps and cheers when we turn onto the street Linda lives. Kade has nicknamed Katelyn KK. He loves helping her and giving her kisses. I was going to try and start potty training last week since we had a long weekend. But Jeff and his family came to visit so I decided there were too many distractions, but we will get to that soon.

Katelyn you are now 3 months old! I can't believe how fast it is going. You are changing every day. You love to be talked to . Just being in the same room with a person isn't enough, someone needs to be talking to you. Its not an issue here at home, someone is always in your face. But the at the Daycare you are raising hell if no one is talking to you. You have also been sleeping really well. You have always sleep at least 4 hours at night. But recently you have slept from 9-4 and 9-5! I hope that is your new schedule. You and dad have a special bond. He is the only one that seems to be able to get a burps out of you!

We all made it!

Kade had a great doctors appointment this week. We saw the heart specialist, it was a different partner than we usually see. Kade did not enjoy the echo, he did not want any part of laying up on that bed for 20 mins....much less laying still! But we finally got it and they said he is still in the mild category with a slight improvement. She said that with his physical growth, it made some improvement. She explained to me that they will continue to check him yearly. She doesn't see any issues that would stop him from doing any activities or sports that he wants. She said that sometimes they may see things change in his teen years or in later adult years and then again, it may keep where it is at forever!

With Kade's hair cut you can see his goose egg better. Just think it is a week old in this pic!

This was our big week. We started school, daycare and it was back to work for mom. The first day I ended up leaving some things at home. These were very important things that dad had to end up going back for ...of course I did not remember them all at once, so he had to make a couple trips home for me. I had forgotten the "horns" to my pump as well as the days supply of milk for Katelyn. The second day I got up 15 minutes earlier so that I would not feel as rushed and still ended up forgetting a bottle. This was a hug deal, because Linda (our babysitter) was gone for a funeral and Lynne did not have a bottle. So I ended up calling Linda before she left to get hers, saving me a trip back home. I hope next week goes a little better!

First day of school



The girls were so excited about starting school! They have had a lot of fun so far. Friday they had a school wide assembly to get the kids started selling their fundraiser items. Haleigh volunteered to go up on stage and be the magician assistant. So much for my shy little Haleigh! She was so excited and proud of herself for doing it.... it was great to see. Then we went to Family Fun night, to kick off the school year. Grandma took Katelyn home with her so that the big kids could play games. Kade had some troubles with the the waiting in line and giving the items back. He really wanted to keep the putter from the Hole in one game! Maybe next year will be better!
Then we met up with dad and went to the Trappers Celebration. It was fun, but abnormally cool for this time of year so they kids grew cold and tired fast.

It has been a fun week!

My new challenge is to get a photo of all four kids looking the same way

and its a bonus if they are smiling.

We started the week off last Sunday night with a heck of a wind storm that came out of no where. It was bad enough that it took out a sub station and pole...leaving is without power for several hours. The lights went out around 4:30 or so. After all the questions about why we could not watch T.V. or listen to music and why the light inside the refrigerator wasn't working we played outside until close to bedtime. It was about 83 or so outside and 80 inside. With no clue when power would be restored it was time for a long cool bath to help everyone cool down. Then dad brought a small generator up to the house so that we could keep Katelyn's milk supply good. It was also able to run 2 fans. So made a giant sleeping bag with comforters off the girls beds and we all slept in the were the fans kept the air moving. The power came back around midnight and so did the AC! By morning Hanna and Haleigh were telling me how cold the house was at 70!

Here is that big smile that I was telling you about!

Then on Tuesday Hanna and Haleigh went school shopping with mom and dad. We went to Wichita and got most of the needed things. I must say that I don't like the way Wal-mart did there back to school this year. Things are spread all over and I could not find half of the supplies they needed on their list including plain wooden pencils! So I need to stop by Target when we go to the final doctor appointments on Wed and finish things up. I don't understand why the 2 stores in this town don't get the supply list for the local school ahead of time to make sure they have all the items on there either!

Friday evening I took Hanna, Haleigh and Kade to the movies. It was the first movie that Kade had ever been to. We went to see G Force and it was in 3D. It was so cute to watch Kade with those big glasses on. He would get startled and jump back in his set as things were coming toward us and say things like "Oh gosh" or "mom!" He did not keep them on the whole time, but he did pretty well. On Friday, Kade also fell off a broom that he was trying to ride with Hanna and MaKenna and fell off hitting his forehead on the concrete leaving a huge black goose on his forehead!

On Saturday we celebrated Haleigh's 5th birthday. She had a "horse" birthday party. She said it was the best birthday ever, she usually says that every birthday but it still makes ya feel good. She was excited with all the things she got.

A nice loving moment between sister. Haleigh loved the horse jacket Hanna gave her!

Haleigh with horse cake. We made Frog cupcake for Blake, since they share a birthday.

Then we headed to church and had Katelyn baptized following that. She did pretty well through the whole thing even though she was hungry. She has been sleeping pretty well. She is up to 5- 7 hours at night. She is now smiling and cooing all the time. Kade and her have a special relationship. He can always get her to talking. He thinks she is pretty special as well, he has started calling her K K.

One event down and two more to go!

We had our pool party on Sunday this and it turned out great. Okay, it could have been a little warmer! But never the less the kids had a lot of fun, until their lips turned purple!

When Kade wasn't hanging out in the crab float, he enjoyed the

kiddie pool....it was so much warmer

Haleigh's lips were actually purple in this picture. She was so cold she decided to come over to the smaller pool to warm up.

Miss Katelyn is changing everyday! She has a big beautiful smile that is a little hard to caught on with my camera. This may be because I enjoy seeing it so much, by the time I get the camera out she is done. She is also is working on pushing herself up during her tummy time. She prefers tummy time on her boppy pillow.... she can see much more this way. We have also caught her talking a little. Maybe we can record that soon and share with you too.

Here she is holding herself up

a quick grin

And the big smile!

The fair was also in town this week. The kids really enjoyed the rides. We also spent a little longer looking at the animals and projects this year, so Hanna can decide if that is something she wants to do next year. Grandpa would really like to see Hanna in the show ring next year. Although mom would rather her start with something a little smaller like a bucket calf. The only thing that Hanna came out of the cattle show knowing for sure is that she would like to have a belt with "big diamond" on it like of those girls! So only time will tell what she will do!

So this is the last full week before we all go back to our regular schedules. Time has flown by this summer and all of the kids have changed so much. I had to change their pictures on the side of the page because they are looking so much different as well.

We have a few more things to complete before school starts and I go back to work. The girls have found out who their teachers are and what all they need for school, so we are going shopping tomorrow. Haleigh turns five this weekend so we will have a family get together to celebrate. Katelyn is also getting baptized this weekend. And there is all the things that I had hoped to get done while on maternity leave like clean and organized house, meals all fixed up and froze...you know the things that would make my life easier when I have less time! I hope I can get at least a little of that done.

Starting the count down!

This week has flown by. But I guess that it is really no different than the rest of the summer. Looking at the calendar and trying to get prepared for our up coming events I realized that in 3 weeks the girls start school, I go back to work and Katelyn will start day care. Then we will have to figure out how to rebalance things.

Katelyn has had a big week. She is now sharing her beautiful smile with everyone. I haven't yet caught a good one with the camera, but when I do I will make sure to post it! She has been trying to talk to us as well! She has also been building up her neck strength following everyone around the room. She is so alert, just watching everything that goes on. It won't be long and she will be right down there in the middle of it. She is already trying to "stand up" when you hold her.

Kade has had a tough week. Well, maybe I should say he is giving everyone else a hard time. Terrible Two's? Pearson Stubbornness? I don't know who to give all the credit to but I can tell you that he wears me out. But on the other hand he is not always in that mood! Like earlier in the week he was playing with his "track phone"... you know the one that we got for Nana to fly home with from Georgia. When I called to activate it they told me that it would not work in Kansas. So I was a little frustrated with the phone company, since the phone wasn't going to do us any good. I decided to give it to Kade, since he loved cell phone. What could it hurt ... right?
Well, apparently the phone can get service in Kansas and we know this because Kade was playing with his phone when we heard someone talking to him on the other end... he had dialed so random number and it worked! Good thing it only came with 10 mins.

Hanna finished up her swimming lessons this week. She did a great job; she even jumped off the diving board and swam to the side on her own. She also went to a sleep over where they were camping out. But weather got in the way, so they weren't able to spend much time in the tent before moving inside.

Haleigh has been counting down the days until the pool party. She can't wait to show dad and grandma what she learned at her swimming lessons. She has also started talking about school. I think she has heard the bigger kids talking about school and she is trying to figure out what that means for her.

This week I have tried to cut back on my naps... you know so I can get ready to go back to the real world of work. :) Actually I have been spending most of my time trying to get Katelyn switched over to taking in most her meals by bottles and buliding up a back up supply of milk for when I go back to work. So its an endless cycle of feeding, pumping and washing everything up to starting all over again. But she is worth all of it, they all are!

Back to Normal?

Well, we are home now and things are starting to get back to normal...if there is such a thing.

Katelyn is trying to figure out a schedule. It only took a day for her to figure out that she was not going to always be on the move or being held now that we are home. She settled into a start of a schedule and then we took off on Thursday to go see Nana. So now she is trying to figure things out again. Sooner or later she will figure out that this is our life... always on the go!

Hanna started her swimming lessons. She said she is having a good time, but she had a lot more fun with Taylor, before we went to Pratt!

Haleigh went to a Pirate Party this past week. She had a great time. She got to hunt for buried treasure and make her own treasure box. Here's our little Pirate!

The kids and I went to Pratt for a couple days to help Nana out. She is now in a cast. They are going to try that and see how works before deciding if there will be a need for surgery. Nana is getting a little bit better with her crutches, which is a good thing.

On the way home we stopped by Wichita for Spencer's cousin's wedding. We learned something on that trip....not a great idea for mom to take all the kids to Babiesrus on a Saturday, by herself. Katelyn got tired of being in her car seat so I was holding her. Hanna thought she would steer the cart. But the place was filled with pregnant ladies registering! Most of which have not experienced the joy of their child trying to act like an adult and steer the cart, only to run into whatever is in front of them. After surviving Babiesrus, it was off to Wal-Mart. We had gotten much better by then!

We are getting busy for the girl's pool party. It is this weekend and they are getting excited to hang out and swim with their friends. Hanna is also pretty excited about a party that we was invited to...they are going to camp out. She thought that it sounds pretty fun, but then she started to wonder how they would get their food and where they would go to the bathroom! She had a lot of questions she wanted answered before she was ready to RSVP.

Next on the horizon: Haleigh's birthday, Katelyn's baptism, check up with the heart dr, mom goes back to work, the girls start school, and Katelyn starts daycare! Normal !?!......RIGHT?

What a trip!

For those of you who are not aware we just got home from Georgia... well it has been a week now! What a trip it was! We had planned a surprise for my Granny. The kids and I were going to arrive in Georgia where my dad's side of the family was vacationing and surprise them. Well Granny was the one who gave us a surprise. She ended up going in for an unexpected surgery on Monday. So all the plans changed. We needed up leaving Tues evening and arrived in Nashville on Thursday. Granny pulled through things great and we all needed up going to Georgia on Saturday. We got to see some beautiful country, visit with family and do a lot of fun things.

A beautiful waterfall we got to see up close!



The girls did not realize the they had so much family! There were 10 great grand kids ranging in ages 9 to 1 month and they all had a lot of fun. There were times the noise level was a little high, but they are still talking about all the kids and things they go to do so it was well worth it. They went tubing down the river, rode on a train, horse back riding, visit to Cabbage Patch Hospital, visit a local fair, and go on a horse and carriage ride.
Here they are with Kylee visiting the Cabbage Patch Hospital.


Mid way through the week, my mom decided that it had not been adventurous enough and fell down the stairs backwards. So the next morning we got to experience the ER in the local town. We found out it was not a simple sprain, but she had broken her heel. Later we would learned of another pain medication that she is allergic to. We also decided that she wasn't going to be every comfortable riding back in the car so we made arrangements to fly her home. Spencer was able to fly in to Atlanta to help me drive home. He did not get to see much, but we did make him pose for a few pictures!
Here is a photo with Nana and the kids before her "trip" down the stairs! They are standing on the state line. Kade is in one state and the girls in another.

The drive was about 18 hours. That is before figuring in 4 children, one of which is 5 weeks old and eats every three hours. The kids were troopers! Thank God for DVD players! It was a good trip and there were lots of memories made....but we are all glad to be home.