Christmas Program

So the kids christmas program was a while ago but I have been really busy at work. I had a great view on both of my kiddos this year. It isn't obvious from the videos but Kaylen is a donkey. You can pretty much tell that Tripp is an angel. I really thought that Tripp would scream and cry like he did at the Halloween program but he did great... the trick? Smarties!

Here is a sample:

My little donkey... her hat was so big, this was what we saw most of the program.
My sweet angel! How deceptive this picture really is! The teachers say he is really good at school... I think he was still in school mode for this picture because his teacher took the photo.
These two are seriously precious together. They are having their first spend the night party together this week. They are both soooo excited about it!
AFTER THE SHOW:

My kids were in the absolute best mood after the show. Well, Tripp was. Kaylen got a little sad that we decided to get our Taziki's to go instead of going in to eat. I have a funny video and sweet pictures from our car ride. A very impromptu moment.

I have to say, I never thought my kids would get along as well as they do. That may not always be the case but when they disappear, I plan to come back to these days and remember how great it was. Of course, my prayer is that it never changes. :)
This is an interview with Kaylen and just a taste of Tripp in a good mood and all hopped up on sugar! :)

Mrs. Micah St. John!!!

My sister is engaged! She is planning on getting married over Memorial day weekend! I am so happy for the both of them. The wedding planning has begun! We don't have a ton of time and everywhere is booked! So that is making this a bit of a challenge but we can do it! Micah did a great job surprising her with the engagement. It was really fun.

He took her up to Chicago to meet his extended family. They stayed with his grandparents and went into the city and did fun stuff all week. On Saturday they went to the aquarium and then they went to Navy Pier. I will continue my story after a few shots of them! :)



Micah proposed on the top of that ferris wheel. They were overlooking all of Chicago and it started snowing when they got on. They also stopped when they were at the top. That wasn't planned but it happened right after he asked her. So perfect! So here they are in front of Navy Pier to commemorate the goings on there earlier in the day! :)
Here is a picture of the ring. He did such a good job and got a beautiful ring.
Here we all are at dinner. Amber, Micah, his uncle and aunt, his grandmother, his dad, Allen and me. She was so surprised that we were at dinner that she didn't notice us. I had to say something to her for her to recognize me! It was really fun to surprise her like that.
They were bot so excited and they smiled all night!
Allen and I had a good time hiding out in Chicago as well. We went ice skating at Millennium Park. And we saw Handel's Messiah Rocks. It was a show where they put Handel's Messiah to rewritten (rocked-out) music. It was actually really good. I wasn't so sure if it would be but I was amazed!
Here we are ice skating.

This was the weather. A really wet thick snow. It was beautiful! Such a great weekend to visit!

Leaf days of November

We are both blessed and cursed with many trees in our yard. On one hand I like that our yard feels like it has been there for a long time and has shade and character. On the other, I absolutely hate fighting with the leaves every year. Well this particular Sunday after church we decided to have some of the college kids over to "help" us. They played with the kids so that Allen and I could get it done but that works too! Anyway, one of them got my camera and made it her mission to capture the day. I am really glad she did because I feel like these shots are what childhood is all about. Playing outside and enjoying nature.

Kaylen was asleep when we started working. She came outside looking like she does in that picture. She is becoming a real Punky Bruster with her own style.

Tripp was all about the lawnmower. That really makes me nervous but as long as Allen was there, I felt okay with it. He was never happier than when he was pushing along with Allen.


Well, he also liked the leaves. Pretty much this kid is always happy. He has a big temper but he also has tons of fun. I cant imagine life without him. I think we would all take ourselves too seriously without him reminding us to have some fun.
His looks crack me up. If he knows you are taking his picture, this is what you get.
When daddy wouldn't let him push along with him, he got his own lawnmower out.
Kaylen loves this bike. She has a little bit bigger one but I think it scares her. This is just her size.
I really want to print and frame this shot. So stinking cute!
See the look in his eye? He really doesn't put up with much from anybody these days. He is TROUBLE! :)
Sweet darlings trying to help out with the yard work.
I know this shot is very candid but it depicts the essence of childhood to me. Running carefree having a blast on a nice fall day in the front yard. I know I will miss these moments.
I also love moments like these. Playing with my kids. Tripp loves to be tackled. And Kaylen loves to tickle! Fun times.
Tripp rolling on the ground playing with a ball. Such a boy!
I think it is good to enjoy yourself even in the small tasks. Being a family and working/playing together is what it is all about. We need more days like this. I hope you all remember to capture the ordinary days of life.

Actual Halloween and a drawing...

Kaylen has really gotten in to drawing these days and I dont want to forget them. I know the actual drawing will be lost among all the other things I wish I would have saved. That is why I am putting it here. I am hoping I will be able to come back and look at things from over the years here.


Now, Halloween is loooooong past but times have been crazy lately. Here are a few shots from the day. Kaylen's hair was so hard to fix and it really looked great this time. I had to get the kids dressed up 3 times this year. Once for their program at school. A second time for the church event on Saturday and then once again on Sunday night for trick-or-treating. This was actually on Saturday. Here we all are and it is the only shot that we are almost all smiling.
Kaylen was such a poser. I have countless pictures where she is striking some sort of pose. So super cute!
Here she is man-handling Tripp, as always. But they are both smiling and enjoying themselves so it is fine with me!
We had a blast on all three occasions but this was a jam-packed Halloween and I hope the days are more consolidated next year to fewer dress ups!

So many events, so little time to blog about them!

LAST SOCCER GAME!

We had one more soccer game after awards day. This was a great end to the season. Kaylen really wanted to make a goal. That didn't happen but she did awesome. She got in there and played! I have some pretty good shots of her really concentrating and playing her heart out. That is what it is all about!


Bye soccer season! See ya next year! Now we are doing swim lessons and next will be basketball!

And just in case you wondered where Tripp was during these games... EVERYWHERE! I can't contain him. Here he is under the bleachers playing with an extra ball. He is really, really full of life. Sigh.

TATE FARM FIELD TRIP

We went to Tate Farms last week with her school. Of course it was the day of the horrible weather and school closed early. Thankfully we had great weather while we were there. It was just extremely windy! Here we are with the perfect pumpkin. Trust me, we checked out every single one in that field!

Here K is posing again. Notice the clouds above. Bad weather was definitely on it's way.
Of course the corn pits are always the favorite part. Actually they are my favorite part too.

She wouldn't smile for me so Ms. Shelly got her to laugh.

Here is her entire class. Well, Alexis wasn't there and she was greatly missed by Kaylen!
Here is Kaylen and Rylie sporting their cute shirts that Emily and I made together. I love to see the two of them together. Such sweet friends!

SCHOOL HALLOWEEN PROGRAM

Well, this will be a sneak peak to my kids Halloween costumes this year. Kaylen picked this out and it turned out so cute. Tripp is the sheep and Kaylen is Little Bo Peep.

Aren't they so cute together?! At least I think so. A mother is always biased. Well, the program was not a success for Tripp. He was the one kid whaling during the program. I got him and he was fine after that. So the program wasn't totally ruined because of him! :) There is always next year. This is making me wonder how Santa pictures will go this year. Kaylen, on the other hand, sang so well! She finally had a good program. (there was a brief stint of nose picking again.)


Well, I will be back next week with an update from actual Halloween. Have a great weekend everyone!

Soccer Awards

We had our end of the season party for soccer this week. I didn't tell Kaylen anything about it for some reason. I guess it just never came up. Anyway, we had pizza and cake after the game. When the kids were done eating they had them all gather around. They didn't say why and the coach just started talking. He began by describing this first player as someone who was new to soccer this year. They started the year off a little timid but by the end of the season they were in there kicking the ball and playing with the boys. So Kaylen Wilson, this is for you. She was so stunned that he was talking about her and she had no clue what she was supposed to do. She was really surprised that she was getting to keep something and this was the first time she had ever gotten a trophy. It was a priceless moment. She shock and excitement on her face was awesome. And let me tell you, that girl wanted to tell everyone she had a trophy. She had to take it with her in the bathroom for her shower and then wanted to sleep with it. We compromised by putting it by her lamp on her dresser so she could look at it all night. She is dying for show and tell at school so she can take it and show all her friends. That moment was worth every practice and game we have been to. Having kids and watching them get so excited about the smallest things in life is such a reward. I am so glad to be a mom to both of my sweet babies!

This one was her own posing. She was so excited!!!

She didn't like this picture as much because you couldn't see all of the trophy.
So that led to the following:

Then she decided that she really wanted a picture with her brother. That didn't go over too well with him...


But no worries, that is nothing a little man-handling can't eventually fix. Notice she is looking at me and holding her trophy up to be photographed while making sure her brother is in the shot.
These two are really very sweet to each other. He does hit her and she does try to control him but they also love each other and every night she is the only person he will hug and give kisses to no matter what his mood. I love that. Both of my kids are getting so big. I have really noticed changes in Kaylen lately. Something about the way she acts and looks just doesn't seem small anymore. These are good days and I am soaking them in.