Best Buddies-Ryan and Ryden!

I Am 37 Weeks Old!

My camera is on the fritz and my backup needed to be charged... sorry for the blurry phone shot!

Ryan Won A Bike At The Bike Rodeo!

Ryan with his new bike!

  He will definitely need to wait a couple of years until he is big enough to ride it!

 

We had a great time at the Bike Rodeo in town.  It teaches bike safety and skills.  They each got their name put into a drawing... Ava won a water bottle, and Ryan won a BIKE!!  It was a great day!

Getting Exercise!

Ok...mom is still laying low but the rest of the clan got out for some exercise tonight.  Ava rode her bike and Grace and Ryan got a ride in the Honeybee.  Dad pushed them while jogging!  Hopefully mom will be able to join the fun soon.  Recovery is coming along!

Grace's First Trip In The Pool!

Grace got to try it out today!

  She wasn't in long... but enjoyed it! 

 (As long as she didn't get splashed by her brother and sister!)

 

Hurricane Grace!

Grace is into EVERYTHING!  She is army crawling all over the room and SO close to officially crawling. (She has actually done it a few times but not enough for me to consider it officially crawling.)  This weekend she learned how to go from army crawling to sitting up.  She has even attempted to make it up the first step in the big room!  This is a classic picture of Grace getting into trouble.  We definitely have to keep an eye on this one!!

Day 1

Day 2

The Pool Is OPEN!

Kyle did a great job getting the pool ready this year!  The kids have been begging all week to go in, but Kyle thought it would be too cold.  Turns out... they didn't mind at all.  In fact, Kyle (who just put his legs in) said it actually felt ok after awhile!  Looks like it will be swimming daily the rest of the summer.  (Swimming lessons start on Tuesday)  Poor mom is still in recovery mode and won't be able to join for awhile.  But she wont mind pulling up a chair and relaxing pool side with the kiddos! 

Grace just got her legs wet, but seemed to enjoy it! 

Once it warms up a bit more she will be ready for her first official swim!

We are Blessed!

So this appendectomy has definitely interfered with my summer plans.  I ended up getting a blood clot at the site of the IV (it was not as serious as it sounds..it was in a secondary vein but still pretty painful) and my recovering is keeping me pretty close to the couch.  But thankfully I have the best nursing care right here in my own home.  (Ava even has a name tag she wears on her "shifts")  Kyle has done an amazing job keeping the household going and everyone fed.  (We are tremendously thankful for all the delicious meals and gift cards that have been given to us!)  Also I am so thankful for the get well cards that are coming in daily.  Here is the mail from just today!  (Special shout out to Mrs. T!  Thank you so much for the card!  It made my day hearing from my long distance friend!! :-)

So please accept our thanks to everyone who has helped with the kids or reached out to check on us!  I still can't believe how slow the process is going or that I am "wasting a perfectly wonderful day" on the couch.  I guess this is just God's way of reminding me to slow down (I am going to think fondly of these "couch days" in a week when I am back to doing all the cooking and laundry)  and to be so thankful for all of you and the blessings that you bring to our family!  Thank You!

I Am 36 Weeks Old!!

Sisters Having Fun!!!

Happy Father's Day!!!

Ava, Ryan and Grace are lucky to have such an awesome dad! 

And Kyle and I are pretty lucky too! 

Last Day of 1st Grade!

The year went by so quickly.  Ava loved having Mrs. Tank as a teacher and she has grown in leaps and bounds!  So proud of her!  (and even with a face full of face paint, she looks so mature now!)

 And here she is on the first day of first grade! 

 (Don't mind the blurriness of the above picture.  I was out of commission, so I asked Kyle to take it!  I am just happy he did!) :)

I Am 35 Weeks Old!!

 (Sorry for the delay!  Mom was in the hospital getting her appendix removed!  She's home now!)

Good Bye Appendix!

So this happened... on the last day of school none the less.  After having pain in my side, and a fever, Kyle finally forced me to go to the ER and we found out that I needed to have my appendix removed!  Oh, did I mention that this took place at midnight!?!?  During the surgery we found out that it had ruptured and it would need to be an incision rather then laparoscopicly.  Which means that recovery will be longer and I am sure you can guess how I feel about being told I will need to be here for 4 or 5 days!  YUCK!  Thanks to Ken and Val and Martha and Mike for helping with the kids.  And of course to Kyle who forced me to go in to get it checked out and who now gets to play Mr. Mom for the next couple of days.  Here is our ER selfie before we found out that I would need to miss the last day of school.  You can probably guess my reaction after I found out that news.  It will certainly be a last day of school to remember!!!

Seriously... Adorable!

Grace is 8 months old today. 

I just had to get in a quick photo shoot before she outgrows her pretty wedding dress. 

Laura's Smile Mile 2014

We had a great time again at Laura's Smile Mile at the Lakefront. 

 

I Am 34 Weeks Old!!!

(Yes, she is trying to eat a pretend chicken leg from Ava and Ryan's kitchen.  I have a feeling she will be roped into lots of adventures with those two!)  And this is the best picture I could get... yikes!

Our T-Ball Star!

 Dad gets to help coach!

 

 

Ryan got a "grand slam"!  

(Actually all players get to bat and the last batter of the inning gets to run all the bases!  Ryan was the lead off batter twice tonight, but his last "ups" he got his "grand slam"!!!)