-----be mErRy. be BriGhT. love, the Kubik's-----

Dancing Queen

2012-01-31T20:37:00.001-05:00

One of the kids' favorite things to do here at Nana and Grandpa is dance in the family room. They take this very seriously and it is a riot to watch each time.

The music seems to speak to Kylene in paticular and dance moves flow freely. We wonder where she's learned all her moves!

We've also discovered this girl has ups!

I see gymnastics in our future...

Make a Wish!

2012-01-31T09:13:00.000-05:00

Nana got Connor an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen which is always a big treat in this family.

We are so proud of our 6 year old. He is a sweet boy who loves playing with friends, riding his bike outside, playing video games on the computer, playing soccer, basketball and baseball, sweet to his little sister and a hard worker at school. We love you Connor Buddy!

The Big Reveal...

2012-01-31T08:57:00.000-05:00

Connor was so surprised when Byron rolled out his new 20 in bike! That bike seems so big to us we can't believe it fits him!

Since the day was filled with snow, ice and bone chilling wind (good times) my Dad and I took the kids over to the church in the afternoon so Connor could ride around the gym with his new bike!

Connor's Birthday Morning

2012-01-31T08:52:00.000-05:00

Connor was so excited to turn 6! He woke up to a kitchen decorated for the occasion, presents on the table and cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. Great way to start the day right?

Basketball

2012-01-31T07:42:00.000-05:00

We're over half way through the Carmel Dad's Club Basketball season and Connor has really started to come into his own. He has a wonderful coach in Coach Joe and the other boys and parents on the team are really great.

Connor is one of the tallest boys on the floor so his long arms are able to get rebounds!

On his birthday Connor hit a shot right at the buzzer to end the half. He calls it his "buzzer beater" and told his coach, "That's the best thing I'll do in my whole life." :)

Go Connor!

Christmas Morning

2012-01-30T17:15:00.001-05:00

Byron and I were asleep in the basement and heard the pitter-patter of little feet at 5:30. It was fun to come upstairs and see how THRILLED Connor and Kylene were with their gifts from Santa!

Connor got a big surprise in a Nintendo DS!

Kylene got her hearts desire in her new doggy with a bone.

The new horse stable with horsies was a big hit too.

This picture sums up the joy of Christmas for us this year.

Christmas Continued...

2012-01-30T17:11:00.001-05:00

We were all exhausted by the end of everyday after all the hustle and bustle!

I told my sister, Ashley, that the best present Connor and Kylene got this year was getting to play with and be around their cousin April. Connor can get some great belly laughs from this girl!

Cousins!

Our last night all together we celebrated our two most recent BYU grads, Ben and Karin with a Cafe Rio feast put on by Mom! My mouth waters just looking at the pictures...

Christmas Eve

2012-01-30T17:07:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve was so fun with our traditional Pizza Hut pizza feast, games, dancing, and Christmas carols sung around the piano. We missed my Grandma and Grandpa McKen this year though.

Mom and Dad got all the men, girls and grandchildren matching PJs! It was so hot in the house though with all the activity that we were all sweating! :)

Christmas Break

2012-01-30T17:02:00.000-05:00

Our Christmas Break was filled with people, places and things! Our family stayed here in Indiana for Christmas and my sister, Ashley and her family came along with our brother Ben and his wife, Karin. All of us fell head over heels in love with Ashley and Jon's baby, April. What a doll baby!

Mom and Dad took us Duck Pin Bowling and the kids were thrilled! I, Kristi, had a strong beginning but faded out in the end to lose to Ashley AND Ben. Geez.

Connor spent a lot of time outside despite the cold plaing with the new remote controlled crane, dump truck and bulldozer he received from Nana and Grandpa for Christmas!

We woke up one morning to freshly fallen snow, perfect for making a snow man. Here's out Colts snowman in preparation for the SuperBowl. {Disclaimer: We understand the Colts are not playing IN the SuperBowl, but that the SuperBowl is only being played HERE in Indianapolis. We're still feeling Colts/football fever here.}

Happy Birthday 3 Year Old!

2011-11-21T09:08:00.000-05:00

It's hard for us to believe Kylene is 3! She is such a joy! We can't get enough of her smiles and giggles. Connor can get the BEST laughs out of her. :)

Kylene is totally enamored with dogs (doggies), cats (kitties) and horses (horsies).

I was thrilled that she was thrilled with her doggie cupcakes. She clapped her hands and called them "Ollie" cupcakes (one of her favorite doggie friends). Success!

Kylene does not like to be the center of attention and wouldn't blow out her candle until we all "looked away".

She's completely in love with all of her presents. They're all doggies, kitties, and horsies of course.

It's hard to ever get upset with this face!

{All decked out in new birthday duds. She's worn the top 3 days in a row, alternates between the new pink and purple "comfy pants" and loves her new boots because that's what she needs to ride her horsey.}

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

2011 Spooktacular

2011-11-21T08:50:00.001-05:00

A few days after we arrived in Indiana it was time to go trick-or-treating! This was also Connor's first day of school here--it was a big day!

The weather was glorious and we spent the afternoon outside carving our pumpkins.

Trick-or-treaters starting ringing the doorbell at my parent's home at 4:30 so we had to hustle-our-bustle to get some dinner in these kids and get going for some candy!

{a beautiful princess and a fierce dinosaur}

Can't get enough of this face...

Happy Halloween!

Fall Soccer

2011-10-13T11:10:00.000-04:00

It has been so fun for our whole family to have Connor participate in soccer this fall. Our great friends and neighbors Jesica and Jami are the coaches which has made is extra special. Kylene has a ball running around with the other siblings during games and practices and Byron and I love the association with the other parents!

Connor is so enthusiastic about soccer. He seems to love the constant action and even has a ball sitting with his friends on the bench. :)

The night before his first game, as we said goodnight to Connor we told him to get a good night's sleep because he had school and his first soccer game the next day. Connor stood up, punched the air and said, "Yeah! We're going to kill them!"

{He's learning good sportsmanship along the way too.}

Connor also loves getting a snack at the end of every game...who wouldn't?

We think he's super handsome and hope his enjoyment in running around and having fun with his friends never wears out.

First Day of Kindergarten

2011-10-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

Connor was too excited to get going to school to bother with taking pictures. These two are the best I got! Connor is thriving in school and we all love his teacher Ms. Barber. His favorite things are riding the bus, eating breakfast in the cafeteria, gym class, and participating in centers in class. Connor was just named "Terrific Kid" from Ms. Barber's class for the month of November. We are so happy for him that he loves school! Go Connor!

Northeast Park

2011-08-04T11:49:00.001-04:00

About a month ago, a friend introduced us to a wonderful place, Northeast Park in Gibsonville, NC. From what I could tell driving into the park, it seems to be a place with lots of walking trails, playgrounds, ect and an awesome swimming pool!

The kids and I got there a little bit before it opened and waiting in the LONG line with ALL of our stuff for the day. It turned out to be totally worth it.

One end of the pool had a zero-entry with a child size water slide and play area. There was a roped off area with 3-4 feet of water that Connor swam like a fish all day in, a lap pool part and the diving board area. There were great big umbrellas for great shade and it was clean, ahhh.

We started our day there before 11 and left at 4:30. As I looked back to back our van out of the parking lot, I saw two little heads slumped over. It was a beautiful, silent ride home. Glorious.

Now we need to figure out a day we can take our Daddy!

Beautiful pool days of summer.

Blueberries for Sal

2011-08-04T10:31:00.001-04:00

This morning the kids and i went to Hawk Hill Berry Farm here in Mebane to go blueberry picking. After driving on the winding dirt road, past the pond and barn to get to the field, i thought, "We need to read Blueberries for Sal today!" Connor loved picking and at one point i heard him say to himself, "Kurplink, kurplank,kurplunk." {Makes sense if you're familiar with the book.}

Kylene would put some in her bucket and then come to me with a look of distress and say, "Mommy! All gone!" By her face, I thought she had maybe spilled her berries and I asked where they were? She lifted up her shirt and said , "Here, in my tummy". Kylene didn't come home with any of her own picked berries but she came home with a full stomach.
The kids have all kinds of plans for our blueberries: a pie, muffins, scones. However, the rate where going through these babies in the 10 minutes since we've been home, we'll have to make a trip back tomorrow for any blueberry culinary delights.

I'm dreaming of my mom's blueberry muffins...

skills

2011-08-03T15:36:00.000-04:00

learned something new about my husband...

the man's got mad lego building skills.

t-ball

2011-06-20T16:17:00.000-04:00

Connor played T-ball this spring. This was his first time participating in an organized sport and it was a hit! He enjoyed going to the practices, loved putting on his uniform for the game, and really like the snack after the game. Our good friend and neighbor, Philip Bush, was the head coach and I loved hearing Connor refer to him as "Coach Philip".

The best part though was being on the team with two of his best buddies, Jaxton and Talan. I think the picture below shows the closeness between the three.

I knew Connor would receive a trophy at the end of his last game, but kept it to myself so it'd be a surprise (and so I wouldn't have to keep answering the question "Is it time for the trophies?!?" over and over and over again.) All you parents out there, you get me?

When Connor realized what was happening, he was so thrilled! All the way home he kept asking questions such as "Mom, is this the greatest trophy you've ever seen? Mom, is this the shiniest trophy you've ever seen? Mom, is this the biggest trophy you've ever seen? Mom, do you have trophies as cool as this one?" and ect. You get the flavor. That night as I was reading him a story before bed, he jumped up and grabbed his trophy off of his desk. When he sat back down, he looked at me a little sheepishly and said, "I just wanted to hold my trophy."

Can't wait for soccer in the fall! Go Pirates!

Daddy, You Rock

2011-06-20T15:48:00.000-04:00

Byron, you really are the coolest, funniest, most handsome, hard working, magic trick showing, Lego building, play dough shaping, garden building, funny joke telling Dad to our children. We all adore you! Happy Father's Day!

preschool graduation

2011-06-20T15:42:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of June, Connor finished 2 years of preschool and participated in a "preschool graduation". We thought he looked so handsome and we were so proud of him when he stood up with his class to sing (he's was really concerned about it).

Connor has had a wonderful experience in preschool. It's in turn been a wonderful expereince for me and enriching for both of us.

This year his teacher was Ms. Andrews. She loved Connor and Kylene and we loved her back!

The next day, Connor and Kylene and I went over to Z Bowl for a graduation party with the class. Connor got to bowl, eat pizza, drown himself in pop, and play games in the arcade with all his friends. I watched Connor from a distance most of the time while I was keeping Kylene entertained and it was so wonderful to see what a nice, sweet, fun boy he was without me hovering around making sure he was behaving properly. Byron, we might be doing something right!

Next stop, Kindergarten Buddy! You're going to knock 'em dead.

strawberries

2011-05-16T16:22:00.000-04:00

we've tried every year since we moved to North Carolina, but somehow each season just missed our chance to go strawberry picking! I was so excited to take the kids and go with my good friends Jami and Rachael and their kids and pick some of the season's juicy deliciousness.

We've been enjoying strawberries in many different forms over the last week...yum.

easter 2011

2011-05-16T16:13:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Easter this year with a ward Pancake Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday morning. The kids had a great time with their friends and getting those eggs! It was quit the site watching the swarm for children hunt for the eggs. Someone said it was like watching a vacuum suctioning up the eggs.

The Easter bunny was very good to the kids and brought them a few treats. Connor was THRILLED to receive some new Lightning McQueen cars and Kylene was most excited about her new sunglasses and bubbles.

{ Kylene and Jilian ready for the hunt.}

Happy Easter!

T-Ball

2011-05-16T15:55:00.001-04:00

this is Connor's first year playing t-ball and he's having a GREAT time! his team is the Pirates (arrrrr) and two of his best buds, Jaxton and Talan, are on the team with him. Talan's Dad and our friend, Philip, is the coach and we especially love to hear Talan call his dad "coach" at the games. Throw some Big League chew in his mouth and the kid's ready for the big leagues. :)

the Pirates seem to be most interested in having a good time as opposed to say, fielding, but we as parents sure think they are a great group to watch. Go Pirates!

beach 2011

2011-05-13T16:12:00.000-04:00

growing up

2011-03-23T10:11:00.000-04:00

Kylene is growing up fast and has moved on from the bucket swing to the big kid swing. She loves "under doggies" and wants to be pushed higher and higher.

I couldn't believe it when I saw her pumping herself on the swing yesterday!

Apparently, it's exhausting being such a big girl.

LOVE.

2011-03-22T14:35:00.010-04:00

remember this?I would love to do that all over again if I had one of these super cool bikes to ride. Oh, wait I already have done it again...maybe next time.
{new retro inpspired bikes from CB2}

31

2011-03-22T14:24:00.000-04:00

When I was on a mission in Japan, one of my favorite places to go was "saati wanu" (31 or as we call it in the States, Baskin Robbins.). On Sunday I turned saati wanu (31) and felt like death warmed over. I didn't have any sense of taste or smell but I could imagine how delicous the strawberry cupcakes were that my mother-in-law made in my home, with my children, for my birthday--it sure made me feel special.

Below is a picture taken by one of my 5 year old friends, Jaxton, outside a few months ago with a child camera. He shows promise, don't you think? :) Thank you for all the lovely thoughtfullness on my birthday. I felt very loved and special. I have to say, I think being 31...rocks.

sweet sickies

2011-03-18T07:46:00.002-04:00

we had two pajama days at home with two sickies. i heard lots of giggling one morning coming form my room and saw them like this; Connor playing a Curious George game and Kylene laughing in delight. it made my day.

Proud to be a Cougar

2011-03-02T22:10:00.003-05:00

Byron came home today and told me about Brandon Davies' dismissal from the BYU Basketball team and suspension from school because of an Honor Code infraction. Both Byron and I are BYU graduates and I worked full-time for the Honor Code office for two years after graduation. I had a really wonderful experience there and saw first hand how much compassion and support there are for those who have made some bad choices. The Honor Code Office and Dean of Students work so hard with each individual to help them overcome their choices and get back on track. A big part of that is accepting the consequences of the individuals actions. The Honor Code is a major part of being a BYU student. Everyone knows about it, what it is and what's expected of you. Each year, every single student has to meet with their ecclesiastical leader to review the Honor Code and attest that their lives are in harmony with it. No one forces you to sign the Honor Code, no one forces you to be a student at BYU. It's a choice and it's a privilege. I am so proud to know that the University Byron and I love, feels honor and integrity are more important than a possible NCAA title. And this is coming from a MAJOR basketball fan. I wish the best for Brandon Davies. I know there are many people working with him to help him through this difficult time. I still have high hopes for Jimmer and the team going into the end of the season and the tournament. I'm so proud to say...I'm a Cougar!

a visit!

2011-02-28T10:37:00.000-05:00

my sister, Ashley, and her little boy, Zach, flew up from Orlando a few weeks ago for a visit. we had SUCH a great time. it was so fun for me to be able to just hang out with Ashley. two of the kids weren't feeling their best during the week so that really slowed us all down and we got to have lots of fun just haning out around the house. Ashley caught some beautiful pics of Zach and Kylene.

come visit again!

Connor's 5!

2011-02-25T23:03:00.002-05:00

on January 21st, Connor turned 5! that seemed like a big birthday to us and i guess to him too because when he woke up in the morning he asked if he was 5 yet; when i told him he indeed was, he jumped up in the air and asked if i was impressed with how high he could jump now that he was five. i told him to count me impressed!

we had a few neighborhood friends over for play, pizza and cake. Connor had a great time and felt really special, but as the night wore on, i could tell he was starting to not feel very well. we found him in his pj's in bed waiting for a story after we were done cleaning up. he said now that he was 5, he could put his pj's on by himself. that's what i'm talkin' about.

we sure love this little/big boy!

Happy Birthday Connor!

Christmas 2010

2011-02-24T18:43:00.002-05:00

so many have wondered why i've been away from blogging so long. i would tell you now, but it would sound like complaining. you can call me if you'd like and ask, but all you'd hear is a long tale with a lot of complaining. i'd advise against it if i were you. so here we are, good attitude in hand, back and ready to share what we've been up to the past few months.

we had a really magical Christmas this year. this was the first year Connor was really THRILLED about Santa and all the wonder that brings to a child's mind. he woke me up every morning for a week before Christmas thinking that this just might be the morning Santa had come. when that morning finally arrived, i think it was just what he had been waiting for. Santa brought a lot of dinosaur toys, books and a new scooter. when we wouldn't hold Connor off any more from opening up presents under the tree, i went upstairs and woke up our sweetly sleeping Kylene. she was groggy and snuggled up into me as we came downstairs, but as soon as she caught a glimpse of her new baby and stroller she pushed away from me and said, "Down! Down!"

we had a breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate and skyped with Nana and Grandpa. then we loaded up the car and headed to S. Carolina to Mimi and Papa's house! it was so fun to arrive there on Christmas day and be there with Logan, Codi, Staci, Theresa, Bev and Maw Maw and Paw Paw. the kids couldn't believe there were even MORE presents to open and Connor got the thrill of his day when he opened up not one but TWO remote control dinosaurs from Mimi and Papa. he had asked Santa for some but Santa must have known that Mimi and Papa had that in store for him.

we got snowed in the next day (Christmas miracle!) and had a great time hanging out and playing Wii.

the best part to Byron and I was that we were all healthy this Christmas. to us that was the best present of all.

2010-12-04T21:17:00.001-05:00

one of my most favorite families so far...

she's TWO

2010-11-22T15:56:00.003-05:00

On Friday, when I went into Kylene's room in the morning to get her up, she was standing up in her crib with her blanket shoved in her mouth waiting patiently for someone to come rescue her. Wearing purple polar bear footed pj's, tossled hair and bright eyes she smiled and said, "Hi Mommy!" I picked her up and twirled her around tickling her and giving her kisses and said, "Kylene, you're two! I love my two-year old girl!" Throughout the day I couldn't resist sweeping her up and holding her close and giving kisses and remarking on what a beautiful little two year old we have. When I brought her downstairs Connor said, "Happy Birthday Kylene, you're 2!" After talking about why Kylene was two, Connor said, "Mom, I don't want Kylene to be 2!" When asked why not he said, "I want her to stay our little baby." Sigh, true.
Mimi and Papa (Theresa and Bev) came to North Carolina around lunch time and the kids were THRILLED to have them here. They treated us to dinner at Olive Garden and then we came home to have ice cream and cake with a few neighbor friends.
Byron and I got home from the restaraunt before the other four and we were able to set out Kylene's new tricycle so it was the first thing she would see when she walked in the door. When she entered the house and saw it, she squealed, put her hands up in the air and yelled, "Hooray!" Exactly what we were hoping for. Connor took on on a few spins around the kitchen as she giggled with glee.

Mimi came through with a slew of beautiful new clothes. I'm holding a fall dress Theresa made. It's gorgeous!

We finished off the night with our favorite chocolate cake and playing with friends.

Kylene shows a lot of personality and can switch her mood from a scowl to a big cheesy grin in an instant. She says, "Wa" for yes and sometimes we feel like we're on a Charlie Brown special, "Wa, wa wa wa wa wa". {Remember how the teacher used to speak?}

She loves being involved in whatever the big kids are doing and is thrilled to be included in anything and everything. Kylene continues to adore her brother and Connor will sometimes ask, "Why does Kylene do whatever I do?" She loves being tickled and chased around the house and will egg people on to do both. Her favorite food is pizza and she'll come running if the word is ever mentioned. We think she is simply wonderful. Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

haLLoWeEn eXtrAvaGaNza 2010

2010-11-01T15:19:00.003-04:00

a few days before Halloween this year, my neighbor and friend Jesica commented that Halloween was becoming just about as busy as Christmas...agreed!

the weekend before Halloween, my parents came and visited from Indiana for four days. We had SUCH a great time with them. We went to the Museum of Life and Science, to our ward's Fall Festival, to Southpoint where my Mom bought the kids beautiful new Sunday clothes, out to eat at a Mexican restaurant we had heard about, carved pumpkins, make apple pie, cinnamon rolls, hot chocolate and the kids played, played and played some more with Nana and Grandpa. They both wanted to ride in the car with them wherever we went and apparently came up with new games to play while on the road. One game involved the word "boogers" a lot. Guess who came up with that one. :)

{our little family at our old ward's Fall Festival. Byron and I were a couple from the '50's though most people thought i looked like myself and that Byron looked like a missionary.}

we decorated Halloween cookies with our friends Dana, Abby and Sydney.

Connor with his best buddy, Jaxton.

both the kids really enjoyed the pumpkin carving process and loved saying "ooh, gross" when pulling out the innards.

on Saturday we went to a free Halloween event put on by a local church. we think it's a great event with free food, and lots of activities for the kids. there was music pumping the whole time with who we think is the minister as the DJ stopping the music at questionable parts to pose some religious questions. Example: "Has anyone ever heard of me, myself and I?" What does that sound like? That's right the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." continue with thumping music. It felt a little like brain washing. :)

{Kylene dancing to the music. that girl's got rhythm!}

{yep, we've practiced that stance A LOT at our home recently}

our little group ready to trick-or-treat.

our monkey can barely contain herself.

the first door!...no one home, boo.

trick-or-treating in our neighborhood was so fun. the neighborhood was alive with activity with lots of the adults dressed up as well. many neighbors had set up their trick-or-treat candy up outside waiting to great their little guests. we're now working our way through the candy...

take me to mimi and papas

2010-10-18T09:20:00.001-04:00

{read this to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"}

Take me to Mimi and Papa's

Take me there right now please!
I want to scoop some horse's poop,
and feed Reese some doggy bones.

maybe then, i'll play with the race track,

before i go out to play

'cause it's the zoo!

a train ride!

and playing all day,

at Mimi and Papa's house!

{the kids and I took a trip down to SC to visit Mimi and Papa this weekend and had a great time. Both my kids cried on and off all the way home begging to go back. Our house must be LAME. Connor was most excited to help Mimi scoop the horses poop from the barn when we got there. And I quote, "Mimi! It's stopped raining! Now we can go scoop some poop!"

tissue pom poms

2010-10-13T14:03:00.002-04:00

my heart first fluttered at the sight of tissue pom poms when i saw this picture.{image}

i then saw them in person at my friend Rebecca's home for a baby shower.

i knew i wanted some for my workroom and looked up a tutorial here (thanks Martha).

it was super simple and cost 3 dollars. i am very pleased with the result and hope to add more cool things to the tissue pom poms soon.

what a hoot

2010-10-12T22:16:00.001-04:00

one of my favorite customers sent me this picture today. she ordered the original Hoot Owl Family awhile back for her little girl and then ordered a boy Hoot Baby to go with the family when they were expecting this sweet cherub pictured below. Apparently he fell asleep in the nest. This picture makes me happy all over.

Kristi's Favorite Cheeseball

2010-10-12T14:23:00.002-04:00

Tonight is my first night to participate in a new "foody" group I was invited to be a part of. We'll meet one night out of the month and each bring a dish (tonight is appetizers) to share and the recipe as well. I thought I would post the recipes of the things I make since they will be some of my very favorites.
This cheeseball was introduced to me by my co-worker, Linda, at the Honor Code Office at BYU in 2004. She is about 30 years my senior and a kindred spirit. We were like two peas in a pod and everything she made was delicious. She brought the cheeseball into the office after Thanksgiving one year and it was devoured before lunch.
This has become a requested item at various my various church activities. I love it because it is so simple to assemble and can be done ahead of time. It is my all time favorite cheeseball. :)

2 packages cream cheese
2 oz package of corned beef, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3.8 oz can (a heaping 1/2 cup) of black olives, chopped
2 tsp seasoned salt

Mix together all ingredients, varying amounts according to taste. Form into a ball using saran wrap and chill until ready to eat. Serve with crackers. (Side note: This cheeseball would also be very nice with toasted walnuts or almond slivers all around. I just never add nuts to anything because of Connor's allergy.)

couldn't have been better...

2010-10-08T09:15:00.001-04:00

the first Tuesdays of every month, the kids don't get to see Byron before bed because he has church meetings right after work and gets home late that night. i always try to do something a little extra fun on those nights to give us all something to look forward to (it's always sad when Dad's not home in the evening). while dinner was baking in the oven that night, i mixed up some brownies (best. recipe. ever) to have after dinner as a special treat. as it worked out, the kids ran outside to play, got all muddy, and needed a bath before we could do anything else. as they protested a bath, i told them that after bath, we were going to come downstairs and watch a show while we had a brownie! what!?! that kind of stuff never happens in the Kubik household! usually, once we head up for bed, there's no more coming downstairs. Connor was thrilled and Kylene just jumped around because Connor was. when we came back downstairs, I laid out a blanket so they could have a picnic in front of the TV. what?!? they didn't even have to eat at the table!?! they were so delighted, Connor threw his arms around my legs and said, "Mom, I love you sooooooooooooooooo much."

it couldn't have worked out better if i had planned it.

2010-10-07T20:59:00.001-04:00

My most recent Hoot Owl Family for a customer about to have a baby girl. They ship out tomorrow, hope she likes!

kylene

2010-10-05T18:36:00.004-04:00

it's been too long since i've posted an update of our Kylenie Beanie (our friends, MacCade, Jaxton, and Beckam even call her Kylenie now). Kylene is now 22 mths and full of personality! We are so filled up with love for her we think we just might pop! Kylene LOVES to snuggle on some one's lap on the couch with her blankie. I don't think life gets much better than that for her. Her favorite TV show is Jack's Big Music Show on Nick Kids. She loves to dance to children's music and can head bop and hip swing with the best of them! She loves acting out the stories that are read to her now and her current favorite book is Freight Train.
She says, "No" and "Oh" in such a matter-of-fact way it's hard to ever get upset with her. She's becoming a little sassy and wants things when she wants them as illustrated by the picture below. She was trying desperately to get to the camera I was holding.
That girl loves to swing! She could swing the day away and often times says, "Higher!"
Kylene loves to be outside and is right in the mix with all the older kids. She's not one to be left behind! She loves babies, real and imaginary, and takes care of her baby all day. She feeds the baby her bottle, tucks her in her stroller, and wraps her in her blanket. She's fascinated by other babies and loves to be around them.

Kylene loves to be tickled and will often egg her brother on to chase her around the house while she squeals with half delight and half terror. :)

Kylene has concrete opinions about what she wants to wear daily and nightly. It's hard to get her favorite pj's off of her in the morning!

We are so THRILLED with her. She continues to bring JOY into our lives.

who knew a DinOsAuR could edge?

2010-10-04T15:27:00.001-04:00

Bev and Theresa came up for a weekend visit a few weeks ago and brought their edger along with them. Connor was all dressed up in his new dinosaur Halloween costume and was so excited to get to edge with Papa. They did a great job and I was amazed at what a difference it made in our yard--so beautiful! Papa swept our driveway, bought us a Dominos value card from a neighbor kid and Mimi delighted us with candy corn. Now does that sound like a good time or what? :)

5K Run/Walk for Breast Cancer

2010-10-03T21:22:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I got to participate in the 5K Run/Walk for Breast Cancer at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, NC. I went with my friend Jami who was there to support a friend, Deborah. Deborah is currently battling breast cancer and has nine more weeks of chemo to go. I found it very inspiring and humbling to be there with survivors, family and friends honoring those who have passed and those that are still fighting. It was a great event and I'm so glad I got the chance to participate. Go Deborah!

first day of preschool!

2010-10-03T09:48:00.003-04:00

Connor started his first day of preschool on August 30 at Mums here in Mebane. We were really sad to leave Orange Preschool from last year in Chapel Hill, but as soon as we saw the classroom we both got it excited! It looked so awesome! Even better, Connor gets to attend school with his best buddy and neighbor, Jaxton Peterson. We get to carpool together and listening to their conversations is hysterical. One day they tickled each other the whole way to and from preschool. :) A few days ago, Connor came in from school, dropped his backpack on the ground and said very seriously, "It was another BUSY day in preschool!" :) I think we are in for a GREAT year!

the bike

2010-10-01T08:39:00.002-04:00

In early August, I was preparing the kids and I to drive to my parents home in Indiana for a week when my check engine light came on in our car. We were leaving in two days so I needed to get it checked out ASAP. I called my friend and neighbor, Jami, to see if they had a good place they could recommend for the car. At the local BP, I met Everett: a nice warm hearted man in his 60's. He seemed to be the one in charge of the shop and got me going with one of his employees, Jim. The little store was busy with activity and Everett seemed to know everyone that stopped in. It made me feel more confident in the quality of the shop to see so many long time friends and repeat customers coming and going. I sat next to a moving fan in the unairconditioned 100 degree store. I didn't mind though, I was sweating it out the same as the person next to me. Jim came out and gave me a detailed list of the things that needed to be fixed with the car and the expenses. I called Byron and we decided to go ahead with the needed repairs. I had been sitting there for a while, and knew I needed to get back to my friend who was watching my kids, so I asked Everett if he could check to see how much longer the car would be. I explained that I lived very close and it was no problem for my neighbor to come pick me up and that I could come back and get the car later. That's when Everett had his great idea (that's what he said at least, "Come with me, I have a great idea!") I followed Everett to a shed in the back where he pulled out a huge old red bike with a basket attached in the back. He told me happily that I could just ride the bike home and then ride it on back when the car was ready for pick-up. I figured I had riden a bike all over the streets of Tokyo, why not down the street to my home in Mebane, NC? So I hopped on the bike, waved goodbye to everyone and started on my way home.

The road that I needed to turn on out of the gas station was a busy one. As I went to pull the brakes on the handle bar, I realized there were no brakes! I held my breath and turned onto the road and prayed no one would hit me. I rode home with my purse slung over my shoulder, flip flops on my feet, signaling with my arms that I was merging into the next lane and turning. Hilarious. When I got to Jami's house, I brought her outside and showed her the bike. She was shocked and asked why I hadn't called her?!? I laughed and told her because Everett has said he had a great idea! We cracked up and Jami took a spin on the bike around the neighborhood while the kids and I cheered her on.

When Byron got home that night from work, it was time to go pick the car up, but there was no way that big bike was fitting in our car. I said I was happy to ride the bike back up, but there was one problem, a huge, gigantic thunderstorm was rolling in. I said I was going for it and pedaled as fast as I could up the hill back to the BP gas station. I wondered what people thought of me as I rode this big old bike in the blustering wind, on a major road with a thunderstorm at my heels. Pretty crazy I bet. I made it before the storm hit and tried to discreetly wipe the huge drops of persperation off my face as I paid for the car. Everett was so pleased that I had ridden the bike. He said he offers it to custmers all the time but no one ever takes him up on it. Imagine! I think I've made a life long friend in Everett and it's so nice to know I don't need to arrange for a ride when I take our car in to get fixed.

while the parents were away, the children played

2010-09-30T07:03:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned, it was really hard for me to say goodbye to Connor and Kylene when I dropped then off with Theresa before Byron and I left for California. But when I heard what a great time they were having, I rested much easier.

They spent a lot of time outside playing with the new tractor,

feeding Princess,

playing with the Reese,

digging in the sandbox

and playing in the sprinkler!

they also had a fun time at the mall,

learning how to text,

riding the carousel,

and taking a ride on the ice cream truck.

They got to go over to the Parsons a few times to swim with Kylie, Logan, Baylee, and Hunter.

At the Zoo, Aunt Tracey spoiled the kids with rides on the train,

grain to feed the animals,

a comfy stroller and huge, cool zoo cups filled with cherry slushy. Connor still talks about those slushies!

They got to go bowling with their Uncle Jarom, and be loved on by their Uncle Logan and Aunt Codi.

When we were driving back home after picking up the kids, I looked back and noticed that Connor was silently crying in the back and wiping tears away. I thought he was happy to be back together, but it came out that he was really sad to leave Mimi and Papa's. Who wouldn't be?

When we pulled into our driveway, Connor asked if he could put his pajamas on. It was well past their bedtime and I was pleased that Connor was ready to head in the direction. I said, "Sure! That would be great buddy!" He then asked if he could then come down and watch a movie before he went to bed. When I told him no, it was time to go to bed, he began to cry and said, "That's what we do at Mimi and Papa's!" Ah yes, it really is living the high life at Mimi and Papa's. Thanks so much for showing the kids such a wonderful time!

Ben and Karin's Wedding

2010-09-29T18:58:00.004-04:00

At the end of June, Byron and I got to travel out to San Fransisco for Ben and Karin's wedding. We left Connor and Kylene with Byron's parents in South Carolina. This was the first time we had been away from both of our kids over night. It was really sad to see the kids drive away with Theresa, but once we knew that the kids were happy and doing well, we felt foot loose and fancy free! It was so fun being together just the two of us again and we realized how much we have to say to one another when we're not constantly interrupted! :)

The first night in Oakland, we attended a dinner with the family and friends that had come into town for the wedding. We had a great time sitting with some of Ben and Karin's friends, Ben Tingey, his wife, Ben "Blue" and his fiance, Sammy.

The next morning we attended the wedding at the Oakland Temple where Karin's grandfather performed the sealing. It was so wonderful to be in the temple with Byron,my parents, sister, brother and their spouses. Ben and Karin couldn't have been happier or more beautiful!

We got to eat at In-and-Out on our way to Merced for the reception at the Rowan home that evening. The weather was perfect and we had a great time visiting and dancing the night away.
It was especially great to be with my parents and Ashley, Jon and Zach. (By this point though Byron and I were really starting to miss our kids.)

We spent the next few days in San Fransisco in a really cool hotel called the Warwick. We did Pier 39, rode on cable cars, visited Alcatrez (creeepy),

and did one of my favorite things of the trip, biked the Golden Gate Bridge from pier 31 to Salsalito.

When we got to the little town of Salsalito, we had lunch at a cafe and then loaded outselves and our bikes onto the ferry to take up back to San Fran.

Byron and I were the last of the couples to leave the city for home and the night before we left, Byron and I were treated to a showing of Wicked by my parents. It was stunning.

Byron and I had a wonderful time together and enjoyed just walking around the city and exploring new things. We also really enjoyed all the good food. We were dying to be with our kids again though and found it hard to think of anything else until we got to hug and squeeze them.

Itsn't that the picture of happiness? :)

rainy day

2010-07-28T07:40:00.002-04:00

yesterday was such a gloomy, rainy day ALL DAY LONG. Blah. We went from super heat, to super rain, so we were housebound in the afternoon. we did have a fun time though. ABOVE: Kylene entertained herself with her babies and at one point I saw her walking around with necklaces around her neck, playing the harmonica and holding her baby. multitasking is a beautiful thing.

ABOVE: Connor posed himself like this and asked me to take a picture.

Connor and I built the coolest train track and town addition ever. The train track was a joint effort but the rest was all Connor.

i'm so glad when Daddy comes home

2010-07-28T07:37:00.002-04:00

FACT: We are ALL so HAPPY when our Daddy comes home in the evening.

I usually save TV time for the kids so they can snuggle up with Dad when he gets home. It's one of their very favorite things to do. I think that goes for Dad too.

wallpaper

2010-07-28T07:36:00.001-04:00

Byron and I hung wallpaper for the first time in our lives a few weeks ago. Have you ever hung wallpaper? We found it heart pumping, sweat inducing, tongue biting-ly HARD! :) Byron's had experience doing most household projects with his parents while growing up, but as we were hanging the sinister wallpaper, Byron said, "I'm now realizing why I never hung wallpaper with my parents, this is a no child project!" Byron essentially hung the wallpaper and I was his wallpaper cheerleader. He did the grunt work and I took care of any small fix-ups at the end. We made a good team and we're really happy with the result. Now, will we ever wallpaper again...

dog days of summer

2010-07-28T07:35:00.001-04:00

my goodness it's been so HOT here! to beat the heat in the afternoon and get outside, we've been filling up our very small (we need to get a bigger one) pool and eating freeze pops.

Byron usually gets home just in time to take over the wet mayheim while I make dinner. Good set up, no?

cooling off

2010-07-08T16:00:00.000-04:00

we're set to set another heat record today so we were thrilled to accept an invite to meet up with our friends, Jamie and Gabriel, at the Northgate Theater to watch the free movie for the week, Happy Feet. My two kids hadn't seen the movie before and had never seen a movie in a movie theater, talk about exitement! They each got a little popcorn and pop combo which was a thrill and did some dancing in the aisles. When the treats had run out and their feet were tired, we went outside to the fountains and cooled off! run like the wind Kylene!

Jamie and Gabriel

joy.

thank heavens for cool water!

happy fourth

2010-07-06T07:22:00.004-04:00

we had such a great fourth of july weekend! we kicked off the day on Saturday going to Burlington City Park. Byron had been several times when he was a little boy living in Burlington, NC and had great memories being there. There were a rides for the kids and we all got a thrill from it all.

the cars,

the boats,

the airplanes,

(this is the only ride Kylene begged to get off)

the train,

the carosel.

after our thrill on the rides the kids each were treated to a snow cone (Kylene's first!)

that night we went to our ward's fourth of july picnic and had a great time.

the kids (Connor) were THRILLED to participate in the water balloon toss.

the next night we had some friends and Byron's parents over for dinner and the Byron's parents stayed the night and spent Monday with us. we hit up the Museum of Life and Science and our favorite local Chinese establishment, Stir King, for lunch. we sure were sad to see Mimi and Pap go but hope we can get together for another great weekend soon!

Happy Fourth!

faces

2010-07-06T07:19:00.001-04:00

kylene is so expressive and her many faces crack us up. this face comes when she's trying to be funny and get us to laugh (it works). it often also comes as a precurser to a great big "NO!". we hold a laughter for later when that one comes. :)

new doll

2010-07-06T07:11:00.001-04:00

i love this new little doll. a few versions of her will be up in the shop hopefully soon. any ideas on a good name for her?

we have a garden

2010-06-05T23:44:00.002-04:00

i do not appear to have much of a green thumb but...Byron sure does and he finds such satisfaction in working outside and growing things, a garden is right up his alley.

i bought him a book about square foot gardening for Valentine's Day (romantic, no?) and he, with a few little helpers, built two square foot gardens. we bought some delicious veggies and herbs today and all four of us were excited to plant them!

(a future post on why Connor is down a tooth. cute grin though.) :)

ta da!

self portrait to document that i was also a part of this family event.

the mastermind behind it all. way to go Byron it looks awesome!

it's a miralce

2010-06-05T23:28:00.001-04:00

not only that we own a home, but that i'm making a blog post! it's been too long people. :)

here's a few pictures of our new home to wet your appetite for more to come as we continue to put the house together.

below is a picture of our family room from the dining area.

here's our dining area. Byron figured out how to install what we think is a very cool light fixture from Ikea.

nicest appliances in the nicest kitchen i've ever lived in. the oven has a convection setting that i'm in love with.

so much space to store things! i have a whole cupboard that is completely empty and i'm guarding it with my life.

and this ends the tour of our family room, dining room and kitchen. still downstairs is my workroom which probably won't be pictured for a while as it's a work in progress and the half bath. i'll get some pics of the rooms upstairs soon.

we've moved...

2010-05-21T22:16:00.000-04:00

but it's probably going to be a while yet before i get some pictures up and going on the blog. until then, here's a picture of Kylene and I back in January at Chuck E Cheese. I friend just sent it to me and i love it!

dogwood festival

2010-05-05T23:48:00.003-04:00

okay, so i tried to do something different with my layout and it's all crazy, not what i was going for, but hey it works.
a few weekends ago we went to the Dogwood Festival in Mebane. for those Carmel, IN natives it reminded me a lot of Carmelfest. Connor got to pick out a few activities to do and Kylene and I rode the carousel together. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole thing, but i had a good time. :) we got good carnival food (Connor enjoyed every drop of a snow cone and then put down a hot dog and popcorn. great day or what?) we perused the different vendors and listened to a band warm-up. the kids danced around until the band kicked it into full gear and Connor and Kylene froze and put their hands over their ears. :) they had gotten the flavor and we moved on. that morning i ran in a 5K with my great friend Jami as part of the festival. we ran it in 30 min and 20 seconds and were totally proud of ourselves. :) the more our little family gets to know the little town of Mebane, the happier we are that we get to call it home.

a yard

2010-04-27T06:55:00.005-04:00

we're exactly 2 weeks from closing and our house is almost completed!

master bath backyard view from master

downstairs half bath
new dishwasher and sink

new microwave

shrubs

one of two trees

ta da!

connor was so excited about the yard he asked if he could bring is lawn mower and mow. :)

weekend highlights

2010-04-19T14:56:00.003-04:00

even though 3 out of the 4 of us were dealing with various degrees of a cold, we did manage to have some fun moments over the weekend.

Centex was throwing a party at our soon-to-be neighborhood and we got to enjoy the last little bit of the party.

Does that look like a good time or what?

Kylene also got in her share of giggles in the toddler bouncy house.

after the party, we of course had to walk over and see the progress on our home.

the inside is all painted,

the bathroom countertops and sinks are in,

we have logs in our fireplace,

and gutters on the outside.

it also looks like they've graded the land in preparation for sod and a few plants and trees.

the kids got a kick out of sitting in an excavator. :)

a few measley colds can't keep us down!

thank you Aunt Tracey!!!

2010-04-19T14:39:00.002-04:00

last Wednesday, i went over to the office to pick up a package the mailman said we had received. i was so surprised to find TWO packages, one addressed to Connor and the other to Kylene. I came home and told them they had packages to open and an exciting evening ensued.

Connor identifies his package and begins to move it to the floor;

Trying to figure out how to get in...;

"Mom! You're a genius! How did you know to use scissors?!?"

"Hey guys, me too!"

Dumping the loot,

sitting amongst the spoils,testing out the toys,

eating the candy,

and doing the happy dance.

Thanks for the GREAT surprise Aunt Tracey! You made out day! Love you!

inspiration

2010-04-16T14:19:00.002-04:00

i would love to do something like this in our home. it would have to be on a smaller scale b/c of the space we'd have to put it, but isn't that cool and functional? you can read more about it HERE.

all the stockings were hung...

2010-04-13T06:58:00.002-04:00

so, i have my fireplace to hang our Christmas stockings from! in December of course, i'm not as Christmas crazy as Byron would make me out to be. :)cabinets in the kitchen, fridge will go here

more kitchen cabinets where range and microwave will go

view from upstairs looking out from the laundry room onto the loft

Connor buddy by his window. he's always so proud to pose here. :)

all the moldings are in, doors are framed in and doors on on, and they've primed everything to be painted. pinch me.

Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

2010-04-13T06:37:00.002-04:00

we really cannot get enough of this meal!

6 bone-in pork chops cut 3/4 in thick
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 TB EVOO
2 TB butter (real butter vs margarine makes a real difference)
1 large white onion, sliced
2 apples, cored and sliced
1 cup chicken broth

1. Sprinkle chops generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large skillet over high heat and then swirl in the olive oil. Lay in the chops and don't move them for a few minutes, to assure a good golden sear forms. Turn and brown well on the second side for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer chops to a warm plate.

2. swirl the butter into the pan. Add the onion and apples. Saute' until the onion slices are lightly caramelized and the apples have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth. Return chops to pan, covering with the onion/apple mixture.

3. Cook until pork it tender (a min to 15, depending on the size of the chops) turning halfway through and covering the chops again with the mixture. If the apple mixture needs a little thickening, transfer chops to a warm plate again and simmer the mixture on high for a few minutes to reduce. Serve chops over rice with a large spoonful of the apple-onion mixture over top.

Crispy Ginger-Lime Chicken

2010-04-12T07:13:00.002-04:00

{from Martha Stewart Everyday Food}

1 TB finely grated peeled fresh ginger (I used 1 tsp ground ginger)

1 TB fresh lime juice (I used bottled lime juice)

2 tsp curry powder

4 scallions, minced (I used red onion)

coarse salt and ground pepper

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. In a small bowl, combine ginger, lime juice, curry powder, scallions, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.

2. Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet; Gently loosen skin from each piece of chicken. Dividing evenly, rub ginger mixture under skin.

3. Turn thighs, skin side down, on baking sheet. Broil about 5 minutes. Flip thighs, skin side up, and continue to broil until skin is crisp and when cut juices run clear, 6-8 minutes more. Serve chicken drizzled with pan juices.

Note: I followed the recipe's broiling instructions and my chicken wasn't finished cooking by the end but my skin was starting to blacken. Next time I think I'll bake the chicken at a high temp first and then finish it off under the broiler with the chicken skin side up to crisp up the skin. This dinner was soooooo delicious through, yum. :)

first of the season

2010-04-09T21:49:00.003-04:00

our good friends and neighbors, the Costales, invited us out for our first cookout of the spring/summer season. we met over at the our apartment's playground area that has a grill and had the BEST night. the 3 kids just ran around and played while we got the food ready. Jami and Chester brought the BQ'd chicken and other sides which all where so wonderfully satisfying. wish i has some more to eat right now....

ahhh, deliciousness. Kylene actually walked around after dinner with a drumstick in her hand taking big bites out of it every once in a while. Jami and Chester said she looked like Pebbles from the Flinstones.

Connor was so excited about the s'mores but decided he liked to cook them but not eat them. he found other people who liked them though.

Exhibit A: the beginning of a s'more.

Exhibit B: the END of a s'more.

youtube, music, and a pony tail

2010-04-09T21:28:00.002-04:00

we found a video from Ok Go on my friend's blog and my kids have watched it over and over and over...

Connor sings the chorus line, Kylene bobs her head and bounces her knees and we now play "marching band" around the house. the marching band in the video is the Notre Dame marching band which i think is pretty darn cool.

i used this moment of distraction to put Kylene's hair into a pony tail. she looked so darling! when i tried is again, this time in pigtails, yesterday, she screamed like her brain was being sucked out or something. when i finally gave in and took the rubber bands out she rubbed the back of her head and sighed like, "oh that feels better."

easter weekend

2010-04-05T09:18:00.005-04:00

our Easter Weekend began with our Ward's annual Easter Egg Hunt and breakfast. there were 750 eggs to be had and we ended up with very few of them. go figure. :) Connor ran with the big kids and i think they got the eggs before he was able too. when Byron and I saw what was happening, we started gathering any eggs we saw, but by that time things were pretty well picked over. man, those eggs go fast! i asked Connor has he was doing and he showed me his 4 eggs and said, "Not very well." Talk about heartbreaking! I was able to add my three and Byron found 2 more. Byron and I really talked up his eggs saying things like "Wow! Look at all those great eggs!" Connor started coming around and saying things like, "Wow! I got great eggs!" All's well that ends well.

Kylene was about as precious as she could be picking up her first few eggs. what a doll face.

Connor was so excited Easter morning, but I failed to catch any good pictures. I did get this one of Kylene eyeing her present first thing. Both she and Connor were excited with their few gifts and candy.

Happy Easter 2010!

new seat

2010-04-05T09:16:00.001-04:00

kylene has discovered that the yellow plastic step stool in Connor and Kylene's bathroom makes a great little seat at the coffee table. one of her first "chores" of the morning is to go get the stool and put it next to the table. she can be found throughout the day eating a snack or reading at her new favorite spot.

drywall

2010-04-05T08:59:00.001-04:00

we went out to see the house on Friday and were so excited to see our drive way poured, the exterior finished, and drywall up inside.

frolicking in the family room

backyard

view from the kitchen looking into the dining room

one of the best things for Byron and I about this whole process is seeing how excited Connor and Kylene are. They take off running through the house when we get there and Connor always wants to go see his room and his closet. Kylene stands at the windows and yells out to anything and everything. we believe the beginnings of a very happy place for our family.

16 months

2010-03-31T23:25:00.002-04:00

at 16 mths this little beauty feeds herself her morning oatmeal and cereal with a spoon. she seems to be a bit of a carnivore and loves sausage, bacon, pork, chicken and steak.

Kylene has become quite a climber and can pull herself up onto most things. if she can't quite get to where she wants to go, she's discovered various things around the house she can move to get better leverage for her goal. strong and smart. :)

Kylene's hair is getting longer and needs conditioner now to works through the tangles in the back. she does not appreciate this new development. she also will not keep any sort of barrette or clip in her hair so we have wild woman hair most of the time. it seems to be a look that works for her though. :)

Kylene is starting to realize ownership and needs some coaxing sometimes to share. When she shares on her own accord, she is so proud of herself and runs to us for a hug and kiss. she continues to find Connor hilarious and even though they have their struggles from time-to-time, find the most joy in being together.

Kylene is showing more and more interest in her baby doll and babies in general and likes to give hugs to the other little babies (mostly boys) in our church. they don't seem to know what to make of it all. :)

Kylene's new favorite thing is to bring the stool in the kids' bathroom to our coffee table and sit on it to eat a snack or read a book. Byron didn't know about this new development and was frustrated one night when he kept bringing the stool back to the bathroom only to find it back in the living room again. :)

Kylene sure likes to laugh and have fun and we love her to bits and pieces.

2010-03-29T13:12:00.000-04:00

snuggly mornings

2010-03-22T14:24:00.001-04:00

Connor's always so excited when Kylene gets up in the mornings and always wants her to come "snuggle" on the couch with him. Sad for him, most mornings she wants to be snuggled by mom WHILE makes gets her breakfast ready. Gets tricky. However, on this morning, Kylene happily snuggled up next to Connor and he couldn't have been more thrilled and said to me, "Mom, take a picture!"

next, the windows

2010-03-22T14:13:00.001-04:00

we drove out to see our house yesterday and we so excited to get to walk upstairs and check out our bedrooms, ect.

(above: Byron and Kylene standing in our garage door leading into the house)

(above: Connor standing in his bedroom)

It's been really fun to see Connor get so excited about moving into our new home. Byron brought a tape measure and Connor asked if he could measure his room. He and Byron "measured" the floor and Connor said, "Yep, i think it'll be big enough." :)

(below: our master bedroom)

our house with windows!

Flirty Aprons GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-03-17T22:42:00.000-04:00

Flirty Aprons GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

we've got a roof!

2010-03-10T14:40:00.000-05:00

getting closer...

2010-03-07T20:06:00.005-05:00

we drove out to Mebane to see the progress of our home...we're pretty much pumped out of our minds. :)

here's the view from our family room looking at the window,

our fireplace,

our dining area,

our kitchen,

stairs leading up,

yep, that's ours!

Connor's room will be above the garage.

when the framing's all done, we'll meet with the builder and he'll give us our closing date at that time. we've been told sometime in mid-May, so we're hoping!

Allorahandmade Party Sunny Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-02-28T19:10:00.000-05:00

Allorahandmade Party Sunny Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

15 Months

2010-02-27T21:05:00.001-05:00

our little Kylene is so full of happiness and spunk!

at 15 mths she continues to be a petite little thing and weighs 19.73 lbs but is also pretty long at 30.5 inches. people always stop and watch her walk by and are amazed that such a little thing can be walking around so regally. :)

we discovered about 2 mths ago that Kylene loves double cheeseburgers from McDonald's. we order her one of her own now and she stands up in a chair at the table, and holds the burger herself and little by little, puts that hamburger down. we think she might follow in her Aunt Codi's footsteps and be a lover of red meat. :)

Kylene now claps her little hands together and starts "talking" whenever we say it's time for prayer. it's just about the cutest thing the 3 of us have ever seen.

she LOVES to play and be around other children and belly laughs at all the things Connor does to entertain her.

sometime she wakes up at 10 pm and we can't help but bring her out and snuggle with her on the couch while we watch TV. she gets so excited when we do this and likes to snuggle right in next to Byron and I and suck on her blankie.

Kylene has a few "words". she says "Daaa" for "Dad" "Dooo" is "Dog" "Baaa" is balloon, " Mama" is "Mommy" and "Ya" is "Yes". She's also started shaking her head emphatically back and forth to indicate "NO". :)

she loves to twirl and has started showing an opinion in what she wants to wear at times and seems to really enjoy wearing dresses.

we love our Kylenie Beanie.

let's catch up

2010-02-27T20:34:00.003-05:00

so i've been MIA for about a month. what have i been doing? making owls, lots and lots of owls.

so can we still be friends? here are a few pics of Connor and Kylene lately.

Connor brought a book to Kylene and said, "Do you want to read this Kylene?" She followed him into her room and turned around and sat herself down in his lap. He "read" to her and Byron and I tried to watch without breaking the spell.

Connor is so so so sweet with Kylene and he gets the biggest THRILL from making her laugh.

I think Connor must be a lot like my Dad, his Grandpa. Both seem to crack up the women in their lives. :)

awesomeness

2010-02-04T07:45:00.002-05:00

here are more pictures of Byron's amazing igloo.both Connor and Byron can fit inside and Connor can stand up in it.

we were over at our apartment office yesterday and the people there were asking if we were the ones with the igloo. i could tell Byron was trying to contain his pride and keep it cool. apparently, word has spread throughout the community and people have been walking over to check it out. yeah, that's right.

Byron said if it wasn't so cold and raining he would have slept in it, which I wouldn't put it past him. pretty darn awesome.

snow day

2010-02-02T19:44:00.003-05:00

on Friday night snow began and when we woke up Saturday morning we were in the middle of a winter wonderland. Connor AND Byron were thrilled and both began preparing for the day' sactivities out in the snow. Kylene was so happy to be part of the fun and Byron carried her around as they walked and explored. After about 20 minutes she was done, and we watched the boys while we stayed warm and snug.
Connor came in and out to warm up, dry out his gloves, and drink some hot chocolate before heading back out. Byron stayed out for 5 hours straight working on...

THIS.

It's amazing. There are better pictures coming. Both Byron and Connor can climb inside and Connor can stand up in it. Kylene could see them from our bedroom window, so I put the chair up to the window, gave her a sippy cup and a bowl of gold fish and she stood there watching them work while I worked on dinner. Byron said he felt like he was on a TV show with Kylene viewing them like that. :)

our boy is 4!

2010-02-02T19:13:00.003-05:00

on Thursday, January 21, Connor officially turned 4 years old. However, due to yucky, icky sickness, we didn't even tell him it was his big day and postponed celebrating his birthday to the following week when he was his happy self again. Probably the last year we can tweek the circumstances to fit what life brings I bet. His preschool class celebrated his birthday on the 26th and Connor requested that I make cinnamon rolls to bring as his special birthday treat. I made them the night before and when Connor got up the next morning he said, "Mom, I smelled the cinnamon rolls last night. It sure smelled delicous!" I had exactly 12 big, beautiful flully rolls smothered in cream cheese frosting and multi colored sprinkles, and Kylene cried the whole morning begging for one. Two children didn't come to class that day, so Kylene had her happy moment in her carseat after we picked up Connor. It was worth cleaning up all the stickiness to see such happiness and satisfaction on that little face.
A few days latter we had a small birthday party for Connor and 6 little boys came for the fun. They were all so jolly and it cracked me up to hear them playing and all the excitement and laughter coming from Connor's room while pizzas were baking.

I found it so sweet and amusing to welcome each boy as he arrived to our home and see him drop to his knees, unwrap the gift for Connor and show it to him. Connor was totally thrilled with each gift presentation and said, "Oh, thanks!" to each person.

Our family has a very very favorite chocolate cake recipe and chocolate frosting recipe that I made for Connor's cake.

Kylene pretty much had the time of her life too.

There was lots of laughter around this table!

By the time we were done with cake and ice cream, our house was a total and complete disaster which was fine and expected, but we needed space to do the pinata. I went to each boy and asked them if they'd help just throw the toys into Connor's room really fast so we could do the pinata. Those eyes lit up and we were cleared out and boys were waiting on the couch ready to go in no time.

I'd say...the birthday boy ended up having a GREAT birthday. :)

2010-01-26T16:23:00.002-05:00

KDoll Creations' Hoot Owls are up on the ChildStyle Blog and will be in their print magazine Feburary. You can check it out HERE.

christmas in indy

2010-01-24T20:09:00.007-05:00

we had such a fantastic time the week after Christmas at my mom and dad's house. my younger brother Ben, had returned home from a study abroad to China a few weeks earlier and we were so happy to see that handsome face! pretty much first on the agenda was presents, and i don't think there was anyone more excited than Connor!

future construction manager...

i was thrilled to be with my nephew, Zach, again and loved making this happy guy laugh! who couldn't love that face!

Kylene loved being a part of all the action and Zach wanted to be wherever Kylene was.

we just can't quite get enough of her.

it was so fun to be with my sister (isn't she beautiful) and her husband Jon.

we promised Connor snow at Nana and Grandpa's and they delivered! it was really fun for our family to have a white Christmas.

i don't know who's having more fun....

but i think it might be Connor.

ouch.
we got a chance to be with both sets of my Grandparents while visiting. going to my Grandma and Grandpa Myers' home for our Christmas gathering brought back so many memories from my childhood.

below is my Grandma Myers

the joy of children at Christmas is contagious.

my Dad with my Grandma and Grandpa Myers.

Kylene was a happy participant in the activities and really loved her new purse.

my Mom was successful in getting us together for a family picture before Ben left for Provo.

one of Kylene's favorite spots was the piano

our lovely Nana with Kylene. my Mom makes all holidays and gatherings so fun and works so hard to give us young parents a real vacation. at one point Ashley and I looked at each other and said, "Mom looks really tired. Well, she has been fixing all the meals, cleaning up, watching our children, cleaning the house and doing all the the laundry."

One of Connor's favorite activities was bowling. He had a great time and has been talking about going again ever since.

Kylene was convinced this 16 lb ball was the one for her.

my Dad LOVES playing with Connor. the feeling is mutual.

my Mom got the kids matching pj's which are so darling. i don't know why Kylene can't pull it together for group pictures....

we at tons of good food, watched a few movies, my Mom and sister and I went on a "girls day out", we visited our favorite burger joint, Bub's, played volleyball at the church with our cousins, played games, played lots of Wii, at some more food and just overall had a ball being together. thanks for such a fantastic time Mom and Dad, we're planning our next trip back!

christmas morning 2009

2010-01-24T19:28:00.003-05:00

{so sorry it's taken me a month to pull things together post-holidays and get these pictures up. for all the family members that have been waiting, for your viewing pleasure...}

Christmas morning was so fun this year with both Connor and Kylene. Connor received some new Matchbox City Links that he really enjoyed from Santa.

Kylene's gift from Santa was a new baby doll, stroller, and bottle. She was enamored.
Kylene pretty much played with her doll and walked around holding a candy bag from her stocking and eating from it all morning. Connor couldn't be bothered with food since he was so involved in all his new loot!
Byron and I really enjoyed having a laid back day enjoying our kids and each other and getting ready for our trip to Indianapolis the next day.
That night we met up with 4 other families at a tiny take-out Chinese restaurant in Mebane for our Christmas dinner. We pretty much filled up the little seating area and had a ball. The food is delicious and it's so nice to see friends and not have any dishes to do. This is our second year in a row to do this and I think we might just have a tradition on our hands. Big fun at the Stir King. :)

christmas eve

2010-01-10T16:45:00.002-05:00

we got to spend Christmas Eve with good friends having a pot luck dinner and making gingerbread houses. i'm 29 years old and this was this first time in my life to make a gingerbread house with real, homemade gingerbread instead of graham crackers. it was thrilling for me. Connor and Byron were the main masterminds behind our cabin while Kylene and I sampled some of the candy.
our gingerbread cabin. it was delicious also. we discovered Kylene loves the ginger taste. she LOVED eating this cabin and wolfed down the ginger snaps i made also.

since we weren't with our family yet, it was so nice to have such a fun event to look forward to. when we got in the car to head over, Connor said, "Let's go partyyyyyy!"

When we got home it was time to get on our Christmas pj's and set out milk, cookies, and reindeer food for Santa and his reindeer. i think we were ALL excited. :)

we tried

2009-12-20T22:23:00.002-05:00

Kylene and Connor looked so DARLING in their Christmas attire. all we wanted to do was take a few pictures for posterity. i mean, is that too much to ask?
these were our best ones. posterity will see we were a normal family after all. :)

Holly Jolly

2009-12-20T22:14:00.002-05:00

some friends of ours let us borrow their Santa hat for a few days after seeing how much Connor was into wearing it. the next day (Sunday) I came out from getting ready and saw the hat on Byron and each kid taking a turn sitting on his lap. the most hilarous thing though, was that Kylene wanted Byron to wear the hat always and would find it, give it to him when he came home from work, then motion for him to sit on the couch and back up into him to sit on his lap. it cracked us up!

hey, the girl knows what she wants and she knows how to communicate it. i love that about her.

Santa Train Ride

2009-12-20T21:36:00.002-05:00

earlier this month we went on a Santa Train ride at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. Connor was sooooooooooooooo excited and Byron and I were excited too! Our train departed at 6:00 and it was packed with excited children and their parents. The train was decked out in Christmas lights and the whole route was all light up was Christmas decor. the train stopped at the North Pole were an Elf came and gave each child a candy cane and told them to keep their eye out for Rudolph and to tell him to come home! if they saw him. Santa also came and visited with each child and Connor was pretty star struck.

afterwards, we did some crafts and Connor and Byron got their faces painted like Rudolph (Connor thought it was GREAT that Byron got his face painted too).

Kylene loved all the blow-up Christmas decorations and we couldn't pry that sticky mess of a candy cane from her chubby little hands.

hooray for the Santa Train Ride!

book worm

2009-12-11T23:24:00.003-05:00

often, when Kylene is quiet, I'll find her sitting in Connor's rocking chair flipping through a book. as soon as she's done, she'll scoot herself off the chair, go pick out another book from Connor's book shelf, and shimmy herself back up.
she's totally enthralled and doesn't ever notice me watching.

it's about the cutest darn thing I've ever seen. :)

thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-06T20:28:00.002-05:00

this year, with Byron working the Friday after Thanksgiving, we decided to stay home and have a "relaxing" day together as a family. (if you can call any day relaxing with two small children. fun yes, relaxing no.)

i have to say, we had a super delicious feast as evidenced by our succulent bird. :)

since we live in North Carolina and this place is awesome, it was a beautiful day to go to the park. we went for 2 hours and had a great time. we went on a "bear hunt" (hike) through the woods and our rock and stick specialist (Connor) collected many special treasures along the way.

we couldn't be more thrilled with each other and come on, with these two pumpkins can we ask for anything more?

we are so blessed and try to be mindful of our blessings daily. i'm so grateful for this time of year that gives us a chance to reflect on all the wonders in our life and be happy with each other.

happy 1st birthday!

2009-12-01T15:07:00.001-05:00

on Thursday, November 19th, our little Kylene turned 1 year old!

she had a little cold that day, but it didn't seem to keep her down and we had such a wonderful day celebrating our sweetheart.

that afternoon Byron came home early from work (Byron was our photographer for the night and this is the only picture we have to show he was there--sorry Byron!)

and Maw Maw and Paw Paw drove down from Virginia.

Mimi and Papa came up from South Carolina,

and Kylene found a new friend in Paw Paw.

Nana was there as well (she has come for the birthday week) and kept Connor entertained with a sword fight.

Connor has us all laughing as he would voluntarily bend over for a wack. :)

the time came for presents...

and Connor opened his up first! (Nana was nice enough to bring a new pair of Nike's from Grandpa and two cool swords so Connor could have some present excitement too).

Kylene also liked the swords

but seemed most fascinated by two new books.

there's big brother again, helping open

a present from Mom and Dad that both the kids got a kick out of.

Kylene was fascinated by her new baby doll

and loved on her the rest of the night.

after dinner it was time for cake!

the Birthday Girl was dainty at first.

but then decided the plate-in-the-face method worked better.

delicious!

the aftermath. the girl needs a bath!

after her bath, our neighbor and friends stopped by to give Kylene a Little People bus which she loves.

It was so wonderful having so many family members with us to celebrate this wonderful girl. Happy Birthday Kylene!

1 year

2009-11-27T13:38:00.004-05:00

{18.74 lb, 28.5 in}

is it possible Kylene is 1? this past week has brought back a flood of memories about the time surrounding her birth. it was such a sweet and hard time. i was so full of love and adrenaline and pure exhaustion. one thing's for sure, we all loved her instantly and i think we love her even more now.

at 1, Kylene is easily walking and running. now that she can walk so steadily, we loves to go outside and walk along and explore as Connor rides his bike or "mows" with his lawn mower.

Kylene LOVES books and will bring a chosen book and crawl up in your lap to be read to.

Kylene loves dolls and will find one wherever we are. she's pictured here with a baby doll her Mimi gave her for her birthday.

Kylene's very observant and follows what's going on around her. a few weeks ago, when I was getting Connor ready for Preschool, she walked up behind me holding Connor's shoes worn only for Preschool. she's also knows when we're putting on coats and shoes, we're going somewhere and will go stand by the door knocking until she's let loose.

Kylene has recently discovered chicken and mashed potatoes and asks for more, and more, and more...

Kylene also loves to flip through books by herself and can be found on Connor's bed, in his rocking chair or in her crib after a nap flipping through a book. below she is "reading" a flier from a magazine after she crawled up into our bed and snuggled herself in. pretty cozy, eh?

Kylene is fascinated by animals and other babies.

She has started to learn the art of twirling and thinks this is pretty fun.

Kylene has things to say! and babbles and "talks" to us constantly.

Kylene likes to play games, especially chase (when she's the one being chased) and peek-a-book (she likes to be the one peeking).

she LOVES doing what Connor's doing and bless Connor's heart, he doesn't mind...most of the time. :)

Kylene has an ocean full of people who love her. what a great life. :)

Charm Design Bags and Totes $50 gift card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-11-25T14:38:00.000-05:00

Charm Design Bags and Totes $50 gift card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-11T21:31:00.002-05:00

we had such a great Halloween this year. we had pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast which i called "Halloween" pancakes so Connor was totally in to it. we spent the afternoon at a Halloween festival with some good friends and we all had a great time participating in some games, eating some food, and loading up the candy--holy smokes there was a lot of candy to be had!

we thought we had the cutest Tigger on the block and our Moto Cross man thought life couldn't get much better.
together with some friends before gathering our loot.

it was a relaxed happy day that we got to spend together. now THAT is a great day in my book.

11

2009-10-31T21:42:00.003-04:00

i can't believe it. this time last year i was starting to waddle around and here we are approaching Kylene's first birthday.

at eleven months Kylene is walking and has just learned how to push herself up to a standing position from the ground. she LOVES to walk and is very proud of herself. up to this point, Kylene's prefered mode of transportation was walking around on her knees. she wore out quite a few pants and tights that way.

Kylene wants to be doing what Connor's doing and other big kids for that matter.

she is happy happy and such a pleasure to be around.

Kylene LOVES books and kicks her legs and claps when she is put on your lap to be read too. she loves having books in her crib to flip through before falling asleep (like her brother). her favorite story right now is The Very Busy Spider. I think she could listen to that all day long!

Kylene has become more particular about what she likes and has started shaking her head "no". she does this most often when food is presented that she does not prefer.

We feel Kylene communicates with us very well. when she wants her sippy cup, she comes over to the fridge and "asks" for it to be opened and then points to her cup. when she wants a book, she points to the book shelf and then chooses the book she would like and brings it to us to be read. we like her lots.

Kylene has really started "talking" to us and telling us all sorts of things. she seems to have quite a bit on her mind.

Kylene loves dolls and will sniff one out of a pile of toys where ever we are. {as a side note, my Mom called Kylene "dolly" when she was a newborn because we thought she was so perfect and looked like a doll. other people commented likewise so we felt justified in our name. }:)

what a love.

2009-10-25T21:34:00.002-04:00

we attended our ward's Fall Festival last night and had a great time. i'm so proud of us that we dressed up! it all happened in a whirlwind about 5 min before it was time to leave. activities for the evening included a chili cookoff, games for the kids, dancing, and truck-or-treating. as we were leaving, Connor turned to me and said, "Mommy, this was the best day ever." i think that pretty much sums it up for us.

pumpkin patch

2009-10-23T19:16:00.004-04:00

on thursday, Kylene and i got to go with Connor's preschool class to Mr. B's Pumpkin Patch in Graham, NC.

the most fun part for me, was seeing Connor interact with his classmates and teachers. i think his teacher's, Miss Melanie and Miss Kelly, are magical. what they said, the children obeyed. i need to watch more closely and take notes!

Connor seems to have hit it off the best with another little boy names Peter. i overheard a few conversations between the two involving workmen and construction trucks. a bosom friend for Connor, for sure. :)

part of the activities included seeing chickens, a cow, bunnies, a goat and a horse and getting to pet all of them. Kylene was VERY impressed with all the animals and even got brave enough to touch the cow.

all the workers there were very child-friendly and helped the kids have a great time stuffing a scarecrow with straw.

the Penguin class with their teachers.

this picture is at the end of the trip after the hay ride and walk through the "bubble" forest.

one little girl, Selena, seems to have a serious crush on Connor. she was always by him and wanting to show him things. whenever she lost him, she said, "Mom! Mom! where's Connor!" anything she found from a rock, leaf, flower and feather she wanted to give to Connor. he finally got tired of it and didn't want to accept the feather, but after she persisted, he turned to her with a big smile and said, "Oh thanks!" and took it. what a good guy. i was also pleased to see when she wanted to hold him hand he just folded his arms and said, "No thank you." can't believe the pursuit has begun already.

Kylene mainly spent her time eating gold fish and animal crackers.

we came home with two small pumpkins and Connor's very pleased with them both. yesterday he pushed the pumpkin he chose around in our umbrella stroller and told me his pumpkin was 3 like him and was named "Buddy". :)

I would call the outing a success.