me and my boys

Fall Birthday Boys

2011-10-16T22:11:00.000-04:00

I love parties but having several right in a row can add up in many different ways. We go back and forth each year between family parties and friend parties. Honestly, I kind of confused myself and can't remember what was what this year so we just did one big party somewhere in the middle of all of their birthdays.

The Little Gym has a great rewards program that lets you actually put your points towards something you want to use...in this case a party that was paid for with points. FANTASTIC!

If you're in Chattanooga, Brooke, is "IT" when it comes to working with your little ones at the gym. She was so engaging and fun and still managed to keep control over 20 bouncing boys ages 3-8.

My boys had a blast and we decided that it would be a great idea to ask for book donations instead of gifts. These kiddos have so much and sometimes at birthdays and holidays it just feels excessive and wasteful to add one more toy to the mix. They were actually excited about the idea and we get to deliver them this week while they're on fall break to the children's hospital. I'm really praying for them to have a good experience and see how blessed they are to have such healthy bodies and countless other blessings.

They also helped me make some fun party favors. Little gift boxes filled with gum balls that they decorated with foam stars. Easy stuff they got to do and enjoyed at the same time. Here's to a great year of even numbers...the little men are turning or have turned

8,6, & 4!

Love you, boys!

pool pics

2011-10-11T22:56:00.000-04:00

please, no

2011-10-10T17:59:00.000-04:00

He got into my jewelry and was acting all gangsta' on me. Please no. Not now. Not ever.

feelin' good

2011-10-09T17:57:00.000-04:00

We had our niece, Amelia, with us for a while this summer. I loved seeing all of this healthiness going in to her AND she really liked it. I found the recipe inspiration over at Sister's Cafe. I adapted it a little. I do a kale/spinach water mixture then add vanilla protein, frozen strawberries & bananas, a little apple juice, ice cubes & greek yogurt.

It's not Kutter's favorite drink but he'll usually get a few good guips down.

2011-10-08T17:52:00.000-04:00

Hard to see...pic is from the phone again. Didn't want to forget about Karson's D1 Rookie training this summer. It was a really great program for him. It helped him develop better agility, form and body/core strength. He went from not doing any pushups to several really good looking ones. He went from an interesting run (we affectionately called it the giraffe and attribute it to a big growth spurt) to a competitive sprint. The overall atmosphere motivated him and all the little bros...Kooper would have done it too but was in a cast. The littles could often be found doing their own workouts and sprints on the sidelines while waiting for the hour to be over...loved seeing that competitiveness in them and that they love to push their bodies athletically.

go dolphins

2011-10-07T17:46:00.000-04:00

We had so many friends do swim team together this year. It was like one big swim party all summer long. Good times with the Mountain Shadows Dolphins!

casting off

2011-10-06T22:53:00.000-04:00

The big cheese for a cast coming off. I think I was more nervous for him over the next few days with it off though. I just knew he was going to trip or fall and re-break it. Thankfully not. And he also got a haircut the day it came off too. There was no way I was risking him getting itchy hair down in the cast when it was on...he complained about it enough with just the hot weather.

2 more weeks

2011-10-05T17:40:00.000-04:00

Aw! The poor face of a boy who had to have a cast on for 2 more weeks (this was months ago, but I'm still playing catch up). He did get a swim cast at least and was able to survive our crazy heat a little better. We're almost 5 months post break now and he's been going at it full strength for quite a while.

quick trip to grandma's

2011-10-04T05:39:00.000-04:00

My grandma was very sick a few months ago. It was scary to me. Out of all my extended family, she is the one I have always been closest too. We have similar interests, she's always been interested in what I'm doing, she was my confidant in college, and I've always admired her and her love story with my grandpa. So when I heard she was sick, I wanted to get there as quickly as I could in case I did not have another chance to see her. As is usual for me trying to get out of Chattanooga, it did not go easily at all...we'd finally gotten Kooper's elbow diagnosed as broken, there was tons of end of school stuff going on, and my flights to get out kept getting canceled.

BUT, I did get there...eventually.

My boys haven't seen my grandma in years but the one thing they remember is that she made jello with them. Sure enough, she had plenty in stock even though I didn't bring the boys.

It was close to the end of May and it snowed. Crazy Utah weather.

We got to attend church together while I was there. This was so special to me. I got to hear her voice. It's quieter than it used to be but still just as lovely. She was a singer back in the day. It's in the genes and I'm thankful I got to sit beside her and reflect on that. I cried most of the way through the first hymn in gratitude for her being in my life.

I got to spend some time with my mother too. Even though we see each other often it's usually with lots of little boys around. Not that I'm complaining but it's totally different than one on one time with momma. We had fun and might have gone shopping a time or two...or three and maybe even as soon as I landed in Utah.

I got to spend an evening with my gorgeous friend and college roomie Melissa and her cute family. Her hubbie, Curtis cooked us the best meal. Don't you love having those friends who you don't get to see often enough at all but when you do it's like you've never missed a beat? I sure do!

Ok, I think it's weird to put my own picture up here. Honestly, I'm not trying to show off anything other than the light (I mean could I really be bragging here...hey! check it! I have a big nose!). Anyways, I snapped this as I was leaving Melissa's house after an evening of laughs. I was pulling out of her neighborhood and the sun was gorgeous. Just made me think of how blessed I was. I had a husband at home who loved me and knew how important it was to be with my grandma and take care of all the kiddo business, I was thankful for the knowledge I have that families are eternal, I was thankful for friendship and all that brought so much light and happiness into my life.

kindergarten evaluation

2011-10-03T05:18:00.000-04:00

Fuzzy picture from my phone. BUT, I was overcome with a little emotion at Kooper's kindergarten evaluation. He did such a great job. He used his manors and only looked to me once or twice when he was unsure of himself. Waiting for him to start kindergarten was a good decision for us. I've ready studies and reports lately as to the pros and cons of waiting to start. There was one really good article about why it was good to start them early BUT one of their arguments I disagreed with was that by holding them back they actually earn less in their lifetime because they miss out on one year of earning potential. REALLY? That's a reason to start them early? Maybe for some but for me I feel like society is just pushing them to grow up far too fast.

As I sat watching his evaluation, I reflected back over the year. There was probably a handful of days where we went head to head and I second guessed myself about not starting. BUT, then I remembered all the sweet moments we'd spent over that year working on our homeschool projects, playing games, exploring outside and was thankful to have had that time. SO. VERY. THANKFUL.

Grandpa's Staples

2011-10-02T18:04:00.001-04:00

My Grandma was quite sick a while back. My mom headed out to help her for several weeks. So, my Dad was left to his own devices. These items are considered "necessities" to my Dad when he's flying solo.

many more videos to come

2011-10-02T18:02:00.004-04:00

No need to even click on this video if you don't want to hear my crazy voice screaming. Kyle had to miss a few swim meets this season so I HAD to record the races, the boys also enjoy watching themselves and they wanted to be sure all the relatives saw them swim...so you've been warned.

This was Karson's final 25 free. He placed 2nd out of the meet for 7-8 year olds and his time was 19 seconds and change...can't remember but I'm sure Kyle can comment and remind my mushy brain. I'm so proud of all of the boys (yup, even Kutter competed this year). They didn't complain one time about going to practice and we went EVERY DAY.

Karson even told me yesterday that he missed it (it's only been over for 3 days (yes, i began this post over 2 months ago)) and wants to swim in the Olympics. We fully realize he's only 7 but the potential is there for him to do it. Time will tell if the dedication and ambition are as well.

Would that not be awesome?!

2020, baby!

1st day of summer

2011-10-02T17:09:00.000-04:00

We celebrated the first day of summer vacation with birthday cake for breakfast(we were late celebrating Kyle's bday). We made this awesome peanut butter and chocolate cake. Try it. It's awesome and so not healthy.

back in june

2011-10-02T17:03:00.003-04:00

Kutter & me waiting for Karson to get his Cub Scout Tiger award. I take the snuggles any time they are offered from this silly boy.

eb ball park randomness

2011-10-02T17:01:00.001-04:00

Spring ball at the EB ball fields:

Dog the Bounty Hunter was in on the action.

One of our last games it was super chilly. Kutter and I took a break and headed for hot chocolate. I couldn't snap the picture fast enough because he had his legs totally crossed and was sipping away. Made me laugh.

the BIG summer project

2011-09-23T22:32:00.000-04:00

I've had some drafts saved FOREVER that I just haven't gotten around to posting. We're talking all the way back to spring. Our major project for this year has been our back yard. Here's the before:

No grass. Lots of leaves. Rotten retaining wall with snakes. Not so awesome.

So we called in the big guns to tear this baby up. (well, not the new deck kyle built...he's becoming quite the craftsman, by the way. just wait till i post his latest project).

One guy who quoted our new retaining wall said we could build it ourselves. After 3 days of watching them excavate, I'd have to say that man was crazy.

This is what happens when you almost cut the fiber optic line for the neighborhood!

Progress. LOOOOVE it.

Almost...

DONE! It's gorgeous. We love our backyard. I even have useable space up there at the top of the wall. My vision is to fill it with huge hydrangea bushes. Now that it's finally starting to cool off, it's probably time to get planting.

Kyle built a great playground for the boys right where the mulch is. The shade hits the whole backyard in the early afternoon, all the trees give a great breeze and I'm so glad we did this over all

the other inside projects I had in mind.

kooper's last preschool field trip

2011-07-29T22:08:00.000-04:00

kutter's first train ride (with his buddy cannon).

it's only a good field trip if dad comes along.

this is one boy who is excited for kindergarten...can't believe he starts in about 2 weeks.

way back to may

2011-07-27T14:53:00.000-04:00

decided it was about time to clear pics off the phone. i was asked to put together the teacher appreciation gifts. went with a gift a day type of thing for 5 days. most of the ideas came from the girls at eighteen25...love that blog.

Family Home Evening Fun

2011-06-15T10:17:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago we had a great little lesson on temples. We watched this video to help them know what they'll get to see when we go through the Atlanta Temple Open House. We followed our little lesson with edible chocolate peanut butter playdough for them to build their own temples. I think the creativity was a little overshadowed by the m&m's that were supposed to be decorations, since they ended up looking more like cookies than buildings.

They were all in the mood to make silly faces.

This one especially.

Crazy Boys!

Tweak It Tuesday

2011-06-14T09:24:00.009-04:00

My boys LOVE these muffins and since they are so healthy I make them quite often. I found the recipe on my friend Melanie's blog at Sisters Cafe. Her blog has become one that I use as a frequent reference.

Here's the original recipe...and I'll tweak it at the end

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

by Melanie on April 20, 2009

photo: sisters cafe

These muffins are moist, and pleasantly dense. I love the combination of bananas and chocolate, reminds me of a banana split! My children gobbled them up! So good and good for them with all that whole wheat flour! Yum!!

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

submitted by Melanie (from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick or 4 ounces)
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 Cups chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350. Line or grease a 12 cup muffin pan. I used my Demarle mini muffin pan.
Beat together the butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the banana, honey and eggs, beating until smooth. Add the flour and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Divide batter into the muffin cups, they’ll be nearly full. Bake the muffins until a cake tester inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 23-28 minutes. Remove from oven and after a couple of minutes transfer the muffins to a rack to cool.

***Kristi's tweak:

I always double this recipe. ALWAYS or the muffins are gone in 10 minutes.
I use no butter. I straight up substitute non-fat plain greek yogurt for the butter. I think they are even more delicious due to all the extra protein and no saturated fat.
I also grind my wheat in a blendtec cause it doesn't get the flour as fine as a wheat grinder. I think the chunky texture in the muffins is so yum.
I have not cut back the sugar yet but that's my next attempt.

Go get baking!

Thanks Ana & Kyle

2011-06-13T10:29:00.002-04:00

Little fact: Our boys haven't had actual beds since they were out of cribs. We had bunk beds for a short time but it was too big for the room and they would have been decapitated by the ceiling fan. It really just seemed safer for them to have mattresses on the floor with as many crazy jumps and flips as they do anyways.

Once we got settled into our most recent home though, it was definitely time to make things feel permanent since the plan is to actually stay here for a while. In comes Ana-White. Have you been to her site? Pure awesomeness.

Her directions + Kyle's ambition = beds for my boys! YEAH! Now it's my turn to paint them. Ummmm...they've had them for several months and they still look like this. Maybe in the fall when Kutter's in preschool. YOWZERS! Any paint color suggestions? I'm leaning towards a deep barn red color.

Chickamauga Chase

2011-06-11T10:27:00.000-04:00

Completed my second race ~~last week~~ (a few months ago) with some seasoned runners. Stephanie SMOKED us and Whitney has a race lined up just about every month from now through the fall that will lead up to a marathon. I don't think I'm mentally able to tackle THAT much running.

BUT, I think I probably need to either work on really improving my time or increasing my distance.

Either way I go it's just gotta begin with getting the running shoes back on. Didn't happen once this week due to all the sick kiddos in the house.

(June running update since I started this post in April...have hardly gone running since. Niiiiiice.)

Need an afternoon break?

2011-06-09T15:09:00.000-04:00

Kutter was having a rough day (I think he was starting to get sick) and ended up taking a rare occasion nap. That left this little guy and myself to have some time alone. We decided to make frozen hot chocolate from this recipe. Instead of hot chocolate mix, I used my food storage chocolate milk stuff and it worked just fine. (I didn't think he would fully appreciate my Godiva hot chocolate stash so I saved it for my own little afternoon break...whenever that may be.)

Koop's sweet mug feeling all better.
(And yes, that's Easter stuff in the background cause I'm great at starting posts and never finishing them till MONTHS later.)

Testing out the phone's camera capabilities in our "not that much natural light kitchen." This kid and gadgets blows my mind. He can figure anything out. It's on the verge of scary.

Tweak It Tuesday

2011-05-17T21:52:00.000-04:00

I'm not a very good cook. I LOVE food but I just don't have that passion for cooking that some do. Part of my problem is that I can't leave a recipe alone. If I think I can make it more healthy I'll go for it and my success rate isn't that high. BUT...every now and then I score.

This recipe didn't need much tweaking. It's health factor was perfect for me. I just didn't quite have everything the recipe called for on hand (typical) so I used what I had. I also didn't take a picture so please click on the link cause it's gorgeous!

Golden Corn Salad with Fresh Basil

*The first time I made it, I did not have dijon so I used spicy mustard. It worked great but the next time I made it I did use the dijon and liked it better.

*The first time I did not have arugula but my mother in law had given me a huge load of beet greens. I'd never eaten beet greens before and now that I've made it once with beet greens and once with arugula, my choice is the beet greens for sure!

*I've yet to add fresh basil so I can't comment there...just haven't had any on hand.

*Used feta both times just cause I don't buy goat cheese often.

Now the kids weren't willing to jump on board with this one but Kyle & I loaded our plates twice with it along with a small serving of salmon.

New favorite summer dish for sure.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:21:00.000-04:00

-From the cousins-

I love that my boys...mainly Kooper...are so smitten by Baby E. We love her and she'd fit right in to the family, would she not? I'm pretty sure Ryan & Whit won't give her up though.

The thought makes me think of that episode from Modern Family where they think Phil & Clair would be the perfect guaridans for Lily until they spend a morning at their place. Now, I don't think our pad is QUITE this crazy but we certainly have our moments. This epdisode totally made me laugh and wonder if little E's parents feel the same.

what might have been

2011-05-01T22:39:00.000-04:00

http://www.timesfreepress.com/photos/galleries/2011/apr/28/cleanup-begins-after-record-storms/

couldn't get this picture to post well but if you follow the link you'll find one small pocket of the storm damage around here.

i was showing this picture from the paper to kyle tonight and he did more than his usual glance over. take a look at about the second "homestead" in from the right (there is a pond and really long driveway that curves around).

when we were house hunting last year, this place really grabbed kyle's attention. it had a huge rv garage in the back of the property. of which he had dreams of it being an indoor basketball court/pitching facility, along with 7 acres, a pond and all sorts of good boyish activities. the house didn't grab me so we never went and looked at it. i'm sure if we had he could have convinced me that we should go for a more "country style life" with chickens and a huge garden and room for the boys to roam.

i think i'm really thankful i never went to look. i wonder who purchased the property and if they are ok because now there's nothing left. it really makes me think about the little choices i make every day and the effects they have.

the powerful lessons there are to learn from nature. from God. from faith and inspiration.

not much to say really. just very introspective lately about everything that has happened down here.

Spring Baseball 2011

2011-04-26T09:53:00.001-04:00

He's learning and growing this season. It's fun to watch his skills improve from week to week.

2011-04-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

Hoping your Easter was wonderful too.

(The boys decided they needed homemade bow & arrows to shoot all the bunnies who were out delivering candy. Not sure where all that came from but it kept them highly entertained for quite a while.)

Mmmmm...Salad

2011-04-25T09:38:00.002-04:00

My new favorite salad is this
Chicken Poppy Seed Salad found over on Sister's Cafe.

It is so yummy and Karson, my salad lover, gobbled it down.

As with any recipe, I have to tweak it. I cut the sugar for the dressing in half. Tasted great to me.

They'll love this when they're older

2011-04-23T10:22:00.001-04:00

Some cute little helpers were trying to find me an Easter hat a few days ago. I think they tried on more than I did!

Day Trip to the ATL

2011-04-22T22:18:00.000-04:00

Rental Car & Driving Shot...check

Arguing over who got to play with the better sticker book...check

Little boys who raided their dad's ties...check

Freshly baked yummm...check

Beautiful time touring the newly renovated Atlanta Temple...check
("check" is what Kooper said every time he saw a room that matched the pamphlet in his hand)
The boys were actually pretty well behaved inside. Outside they did have to let out some wiggles.

Have you met Laduree?

2011-04-21T21:24:00.000-04:00

(I started this post a looooong time ago...hence the Christmas tree...blogging just hasn't gotten to be a priority lately.)

Let me introduce you to a little box of deliciousness. I had never heard of this little place in Paris before until some friends of ours went (he surprised her with a trip and then asked her to marry him. crazy romantic, i know!) Our friend handed the box to Kyle and told him the bakery it came from was inexplicably busy with customers but he didn't understand what the hype was all about because they weren't that good.

I opened the box (yes, a few were devoured before I realized I needed to take a picture) and thought, "how could this NOT be good? it's the rainbow in a box."

I was NOT disappointed. Parisian macarons are just about the best dessert I have ever had. I had just been trying to decide upon "my thing" for the holidays. You know, that go to recipe that everyone associates with you when they eat it. My mom's is pumpkin bread, a friend of mine is this oatmeal square crunch mix. Mine was nothing until this beautiful box came my way.

I made several batches during the holidays (all without pictures). Strawberry with strawberry jam filling and chocolate with chocolate ganache (kyle's fav) are all I've attempted so far. They are a tiny bit tedious but completely worth all the effort. The recipe I tried that worked was from Martha Stewart's site slightly adapted on The Giverslog (I tried another recipe but it bombed BIG time).

Soooo, now that it's spring I have every intention of making these beauties for some friends and family

Thanks Natalie for the heads up to this great blog!

We'll see if I actually get to them. All of my kiddos have had a flu bug this week. YUCK!

Chickamauga Chase | Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742 | Saturday, April 16, 2011 @ 8:30 AM

2011-03-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

You know you wanna do this with me!!!!!

There's also a walk, kiddie race (signing my boys us for that too) and a 15K for the crazies (next year for me...I think).

C'mon...it'll be fun.

Chickamauga Chase | Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742 | Saturday, April 16, 2011 @ 8:30 AM

Basketball Team: 2011

2011-03-06T20:54:00.000-05:00

Karson was on a really fun basketball team this year with some great little 7 & 8 year old boys. They all improved so much over the season. Their hard work payed off as they ended up winning their end of the season tournament. Good work guys. It was so much fun to watch. Congrats to Dad too for yet again coaching.

If you want to read a cute story about another boy on Karon's team, go over to Coleman's family blog.

missionary fhe

2011-02-13T22:02:00.000-05:00

For a recent FHE, Karson helped me put together a little lesson about being a missionary. He helped me find a scripture about missionary work, we watched this

(thanks to my friend Melanie for telling me about this clip)

and we concluded with a little missionary dress up race. It blows my mind to think that one day those shirts, jackets & ties will fit them. What handsome little fellas I have the privilege to call mine.

i need more of this

2011-01-08T22:16:00.000-05:00

happiness. giggles. being close. no punches. or name calling.

how do you get this to last for more than 6 seconds?

Leather King Size Bed

2011-01-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

Anyone need this bed? It's been my favorite piece of furniture for quite a while. It's a "no kiddie heads getting hurt while wrestling but still looks great" sort of bed. We got some new furniture so I've gotta make room.

Make me an offer and it's probably yours! I promise you'll love it.

we did

2010-12-30T23:57:00.001-05:00

carve pumpkins JUST before Halloween. my boys still refuse to touch the guts. what's up with that?

still trying to figure out "thumbs up"

nope...got it!

Fall Break 5

2010-12-30T23:53:00.000-05:00

Favorite Memories of this adventure: that Kutter's favorite part was that he got to pee outside.

Fall Break 4

2010-12-30T23:44:00.000-05:00

Trip to the zoo with good friends. Kutter decided he was ready to go solo on the Merry-Go-Round.

Boo.

Fall Break 3

2010-12-30T23:37:00.000-05:00

A surprisingly warm day in October just begged for the boys to get wet. We were totally unprepared but they had a blast. I think they thought riding home in their underware was even more fun. Silly guys.

More Fall Break

2010-12-30T23:33:00.000-05:00

This guy just wanted to ride with me. Yes, sir!

corn maze field trip

2010-12-30T23:12:00.000-05:00

we all went along for Karson's field trip to the corn maze. the older boys went on their first scout camp out with dad that night. kooper was CRAZY excited and proudly wore his shirt all day.

smile

2010-12-30T23:11:00.000-05:00

My first scout

2010-12-30T22:59:00.000-05:00

A Lot of Unblogged Pictures

2010-12-30T22:48:00.000-05:00

I have FAR too many pictures of my little crew that have not been blogged. They're quite the handful and yet I love them more each day...fits, fights and all! Gotta get these in before 2010 ends.

merry christmas

2010-12-23T08:45:00.000-05:00

Much Love,
The KG Family

Daily Dose o' Inspiration

2010-12-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

"A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently."

Thank you Julie Beck for such a great reminder.

The Process

2010-12-11T21:03:00.004-05:00

Initial front porch structure.

Bye Bye yucky, old, non-functioning door.

The race home after school to check out the LOVELY double doors.

They think it's super cool!

Converting a federalist colonial to a georgian colonial

2010-12-10T23:38:00.000-05:00

Hopefully I have my terminology correct for the title of this post. If not, I'm sure someone will correct me. Here's a quick recap of our journey in bringing this place up to date.

The updates have been done for weeks. I just get blog lazy. The first set of pics is from when we closed on the place back in June. It was dingy, old and worn out but we could see the potential and I LOVE the progress so far. You can't tell from the pictures that much but there were several places where the siding was rotten and just before the remodel started some woodpeckers decided the chimney was a good place to call home...holes in several places. New windows were installed, garage doors replaced, roof replaced, hv/ac replaced, all exterior doors replaced, siding redone, and the best part of all...the front doors & porch. LOVE! I think the metal roof is pretty much perfection and worth the extra $$ (kyle ~~didn't care~~ totally agrees).

I've been painting the columns...just white...nothing crazy. Haven't started on the doors yet since it's been too cold but they will be black. I know the landscaping is very random but that's a project for next year. I've already hacked all the azaleas back and have been trying to dig them up but they are STUBBORN. The random evergreen in the front cracks me up. It's just strange to me to even have it there. About time to tackle the wallpaper but the little bit I've done isn't not giving me a good feeling. The drywall is peeling right off with it.
Wonderful.

If I could

2010-12-05T22:42:00.001-05:00

I would plan parties for a living. I haven't exactly found a way to make this work and get paid but maybe someday, right? In the mean time, a sweet friend was turning 30 and had NO PLANS to celebrate. That's not really acceptable to me so here's what we put together in one week. I asked her what colors she liked. She said pink & green & red...anything really.

I immediately knew I had the perfect ribbon = instant color scheme jumping point. Are you having heart palpitations like I am over all of those colors together? LOVE IT!

A little adult goodie bag action. Homemade granola bars, water, gum, a few thumbprint cookies in the party colors (tried to keep it semi-healthy due to the kind of party we had). Which was...

A private spin class with the best and most fun instructor in Chattanooga. It was SO FUN and she took it out extra hard on the birthday girl (who didn't know at the time that she was pregnant...thank goodness mom & baby were ok cause Ashley worked her hard).

(The picture was our 3-0 picture...some 3's some 0's...some of both)

Then it was off to the best local pizza joint in town to put all those calories back in us.

We gave it a try

2010-12-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

the little book tradition i'd read about on so many blogs caught my attention and it went over SO well. some traditions take a little too much effort for me. half the time we forget all about our advent calendar by December 14th. but this year we never forgot a book. i went to our local used book store (the fabulous McKay's) to cheaply get us up to 23 Christmas books (day 24 is the scriptures). wrapped them up and then rotated through the kiddos as to who's night it was. they had to be totally ready for bed to open it up. great motivation.

we kept them in a basket by the tree and it was fun to instantly have presents there on December 1st.

Sweet Treats by Sheila: OPEN HOUSE

2010-11-30T12:41:00.000-05:00

My friend Sheila makes THE BEST candy. I love adding them to Christmas presents. If you live in the Chattanooga area, stop by her place and load up. You'll find perfect little extras for teachers, friends at church, co-workers...and on and on and on.

Sweet Treats by Sheila: OPEN HOUSE: "OPEN HOUSE December 4th 201010:00 am - 6:00 pm

The Blessing Bell

2010-11-27T22:00:00.002-05:00

As we went around our Thanksgiving table to express things we were grateful for, I think it was Karson who mentioned ringing the bell for each thing we said (we also use the bell to call everyone to the table for a big meal). The boys, especially Kutter, LOVED doing this and wanted the list to keep going and going so that they could keep ringing the bell. It was really sweet. Especially, Kutter's, "I'm thankful for my Mimi & Bampa."

Happy 7th Birthday, Karson

2010-11-26T21:45:00.001-05:00

Karson knew EXACTLY what he wanted to do for his birthday party and it kind of surprised me...ROLLER SKATE. We went one time in the summer and they had fun but boy did they hit hard over and over and over. I do love the determination though. Kutter even kept skates on the whole time and he was so proud. Karson's primary class from church were his guests and we had so much fun.

7 for 7:

You love ALL things sweet.

Reading isn't your favorite thing to do yet but you're really good.

You're a great leader.

You love traditions (especially family feasts at Mimi's).

The Last Airbender cartoon is your current favorite.

You're working very hard at basketball this year.

You have a tender and sincere heart.

We love you, KG1.

New Tradition?

2010-11-25T21:54:00.001-05:00

A few cans of silly string while Thanksgiving dinner was being put together...so fun! The boys loved it and it was a great way to get out some wiggles before sitting down for a yummy meal. Thanks
Mimi & Grandpa. Let's do that again next year.

Thanksgiving/Birthday

2010-11-25T21:48:00.001-05:00

Thanks, Mommo!

Trip to the Cheese

2010-11-12T10:23:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty sure the kiddos had a blast for Kutter's final birthday hurrah. Their cousin Amelia came along too. Kooper's face when he's on the horse makes me laugh.

Karson's birthday is up next. He went through several different ideas but decided upon rollerskating. It kinda surprised me since we've only been once and he looked like he'd gone through a war when we left the rink. We're set up and ready to go though and ALL the boys are pumped about it. Praying that nothing gets broken at that little shindig.

just the two of us

2010-11-11T10:10:00.000-05:00

A little ice cream for just Mom & Kutter after the party. Kutter decided he liked my pumpkin better than his strawberry. It was fun to be just with you for a few minutes.

At the age of 3 you...

FINALLY love going to your YMCA class

Could watch Cat in The Hat on PBS over and over and over

Are still a blanket loving, thumb sucking fella

Want to do EVERYTHING the big boys do (currently that's grass sledding down the front yard, playing basketball,

and riding your scooter)

2010-11-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

Catch up time. Again.

2010-11-09T21:43:00.000-05:00

We had a fun afternoon with friends at the park for Kutter's 3rd birthday. Dirt. Sticks. A creek. Subway Sandwiches. Cupcakes.

Pretty fantastic for my little guy (and easy on mom too!!).

Ouch!

2010-10-11T21:29:00.000-04:00

Spider, scorpion, strange insect...who knows what bit Kar...but it was NASTY. Antibiotics 3 times a day for 10 days have taken care of it. Thank goodness for modern medicine.

halloween prep

2010-10-09T23:09:00.001-04:00

I never know which super will greet me. It's a daily (sometimes hourly) surprise!

I liked this...

2010-10-06T21:06:00.001-04:00

I put this up while the boys were at school. So fun to see their jubilant expressions over the festiveness.

just cause

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

these two are buds. they don't get to see each other too often since big bro is gone most of the day. when he's home though, little brother is USUALLY very happy! (ususally...he's making sure i remember he's 3 these days by being extremely confrontational & sassy. good thing he's cute.)

very fuzzy picture of the rock star/mad dash race to dad when he comes in the door. love that!

The first of many...

2010-10-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

This will be the first of MANY posts showing how we're updating our 20 year old Federalist Colonial style home. We haven't really gotten to the fun stuff yet. All the big bucks have been spent getting the basics updated: new roof, windows, popcorn ceilings scraped, entire interior painted, carpeted, toilets replaced, garage doors replaced, etc., etc, etc.

I'll show some exterior before and after pics in a few more weeks. I'm waiting for the new front doors & porch addition to go in before I do though because she's in DESPERATE need of a face lift. Ok, that's a bit dramatic but we've still got some missing shutters, soffits falling off, & siding issues that need some help too. I've certainly been spoiled with building our last 2 homes and having everything new.
We decided to move from our last home for several reasons. One of them being the new schools our kids will be zoned for by living here. They'll appreciate all of this one day and I'll make them by documenting every projects!!!! HA!

So, with the long intro...here's my first quick little interior project. Many more will come (but probably won't be as fast to do)!!

Ok...see all the little dowel things (very technical lingo here) above the cabinets? Not my style. So, Kyle left a little hand held flush saw on the counter one day and I put it to use quickly.

I didn't take pictures of the action because
1. it was too easy to really deserve documentation (put it flat against the cabinet & saw...done!
2. the amount of grease above the cabinets (especially by the microwave) was so gross i didn't dare touch my camera. (thanks to our AMAZING neighbors (they probably deserve their own post) for sharing their purple cleaner with me to get rid of the who knows how many years of grease build up there was.

keeping me company by asking every 2 minutes...can i play computer yet??????

he knows i might give in if i get one of these!

MUUUUCH better. So, if you've got that little decorative element up there and don't like it...no fear...take it down.

Next up for the kitchen (besides the obvious 80's wallpaper) is a cabinet overhaul. I'm thinking of a black distressed look but it might make the kitchen too dark. Still debating.

he's 3

2010-10-02T23:02:00.000-04:00

this little fella turned 3 this week. he's a cutie. birthday pictures coming soon. i love him. i'm really loving that he's potty trained too. i think newborn diapers and little bums in their first pair of underwear qualify for the same amount of adorableness.

The Koop

2010-10-02T22:12:00.000-04:00

(this post was written a few weeks ago but i forgot to post it)

Last year's start of the school year pics:

2010's start of the school year pics:

Preschool began around here a few weeks ago. We've decided to wait for him to start kindergarten. Pretty much an easy decision but a little difficult since nearly all of his friends started. We've had to change schools just recently to have the best fit for our family. He liked where he was and now he's excited about where he is. Anywhere he goes, he does so with gusto and a few crack up lines.

A few Kooperisms that have been making us laugh lately:

Scene One: Labor Day on Mimi & Grandpa's back porch...talking to their next door neighboor

Koop: Hey, Mr. Lewis...i've got an army shirt too

Mr Lewis: (holding a hunting gun & wearing camo) great koop...we can play army sometime.

Koop: but how? you're old. i'm young. i'll beat you.

Scene Two: Whitney just fed cousin Emmaline

Koop: Hey, Whitney! Did you just feed Emmaline with your tummy things? (giggles)

niiiiiiiiiiiice!

Scene Three: Kooper on the back porch announces to everyone that he has to poop

Me: Thanks, Koop. Go take care of business. (I've been trying all summer to get him to do the whole process himself).

Koop: Na. Dad you come wipe me. It's labor day so I can't do it.

Awards & Racing

2010-10-02T21:24:00.001-04:00

Karson loaded up with some awards at his pack meeting. That boy is ALL about some recognition...he totally gets that from his father!!! The meeting was followed by our first regatta race and it was FREEZING cold. Kar was all about wanting to win the whole thing but after one race he was done and ready for some hot chocolate.

First Soccer Season

2010-09-28T20:59:00.000-04:00

Kutter's first soccer season was more about the medal and pizza party than the actual games. We might take a break for a little while till he's a bit more interested. He LOVED warm ups but once the game actually started he put himself on the sideline. At least he stuck with it and watched every game!

Amazing

2010-09-07T22:24:00.000-04:00

Kyle and I got to sneak away for a quick trip to Nashville to celebrate our 10th anniversary. I'll get a recap up someday. I wanted to post this link in case anyone is headed up there soon...like this week maybe since the exhibit is only there for a few more days. The Golden Age of Couture was probably about the most fun I've had in a long time. Might not have been the same reaction from Kyle but he was a good sport and didn't act completely bored.

Beautiful beautiful beautiful designs...ahhh Christian Dior!!!

http://fristcenter.org/site/exhibitions/exhibitiondetail.aspx?cid=795

so cool

2010-08-31T22:40:00.000-04:00

i've never seen this before and i totally want it. don't need it. just want it.

click on the link below to win one. of course, if you win and i don't, you have to give it to me!!! kidding. but please let me borrow it.

http://www.nataliessentiments.com/2010/08/sodastream-giveaway.html

summer soccer 2010

2010-08-29T22:00:00.000-04:00

(After game 2)

The orange team took 1st place this year for the D1 soccer league. It was a hot sweaty battle for EVERYONE involved but I think all the boys had a great time playing...even if they had to win back to back games to be named the champs!

(After game 1)

Uncle Adam happened to be in town to watch and the boys could NOT get enough of him. Move closer Uncle Adam & Aunt Alicia. PLEASE??!!

These pictures make me laugh so much. Karson usually scores and it comes pretty easy for him. Kooper's just not such a fan of getting in the mix though and just hangs out at the back of the pack. Close to the end of the season though he started getting into it a bit. During the final tourney he actually scored his first goal of this season. I wish I had the celebration recorded but pictures will have to do. I think the general sense of celebration is conveyed. He was beyond excited and I'm pretty sure he was the only kiddo to do a victory dance like he did. Complete with cartwheels, whoops & hollars, jumping for joy, and a giant tackle of congrats by big brother too...such fun to see him so happy.

Happy 5th

2010-08-22T21:09:00.000-04:00

This little man turned 5 recently. We love him. His energy, enthusiasm, exuberance for things he loves are too cute for words.

A little bouncing celebration was required for our middle KG.

5 things we want to remember about Kooper being this age are:

1. His love of all things super hero (ben 10, batman, superman, etc)

2. His love of animals. Especially the new neighbor's dogs.

3. Being a "chopstick" in your Karate class.

4. How adventurous you are in trying new foods. How much you especially love shoguns!

5. You are one smart little boy who is a computer whiz.

Thanks for always keeping us on our toes & sharing your super cute laugh with us almost every day! We love you Mr. 5 Year Old!

Motherhood:-An-Eternal-Partnership

2010-08-18T18:07:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a little reminder that what you're doing is important is all you need! Hope this brings a smile and maybe a tear to you too.

Motherhood:-An-Eternal-Partnership

Dolphin Fun

2010-08-17T10:20:00.000-04:00

We gave the local swim team a try this summer. It got a two thumbs up from the boys and from mom. We'll see how I feel next year when we have to stay for the whole meet and not just the first hour like this year. Their skill improvement went through the roof...THANKS MISS GRETCHEN!

Karson was sick for the final meet which was a bummer since he'd been so competitive the whole season. Kooper didn't want to miss it though and busted it out minus the kickboard. That boy can hold his breath like nobody's business. So much fun to watch. He looked like a little wind up toy who's arms were just flying as fast as they could go.

Good work boys...can't wait for the next season!

vaca pics

2010-08-16T10:14:00.000-04:00

We kept summer vacation low key this year. A fisherman's cabin at the lake was close enough for my sanity and far enough for the boys to think it was WAY cool. Hiking, fishing, paddle boats, swimming, play grounds, various wild animals, nature, waterfalls, interesting (aka scary) people at the public park grounds...fun memories that I know the boys will remember.

Brothers

2010-08-15T22:07:00.000-04:00

I wish I could bottle the 10 seconds that it took me to take these pictures and have the boys NEVER forget how they felt. Kooper was the one who put his arms around his bros to pose for this picture. There was no pushing, shoving, teasing, or fighting...they just showed that they cared about each other and I'm SO glad I was able to capture the fact that they are capable of doing this (can you tell what I've been dealing with this summer???).

Cooling off

2010-07-21T10:03:00.000-04:00

What makes a cookout at Mimi & Bampa's fantastic? A 3 lane slip & slide of course! Thanks for the Memorial Day fun M & B!!

Memorial Day

2010-07-21T09:57:00.000-04:00

Don't you just LOVE the picture of Karson's hand on his grandfather's headstone? Next time I've got to have all three of my little guys' hands there. SO SWEET! Kyle has taken the older two to where his father was buried a few times before but I think this was the first time I had been. Such a beautiful place. We finished our day with a great cookout at my parents' place...and moving some stuff.

Kindergarten Graduation

2010-07-20T21:47:00.001-04:00

Man, I'm behind. School starts again in just a few weeks and I'm JUST posting end of the year pictures. WOW! Anywho...

I had fun decorating the car to surprise Karson after his little program. Wrote on the outside, balloons & streamers inside. I know I took a few more pictures but they must be on my point & shoot. I also remember Karson having a MAJOR melt down after he dove in to the balloons inside but can't think what it was about. We ended up having to go straight home for timeouts instead of fun at the pizza place. Fantastic way to start off the summer. At least we've had some fun since then (well...there's been plenty of brotherly fights too) and the time outs for him have been minimal. Maturity is such a WONDERFUL thing!!

Mommy Preschool

2010-07-19T09:40:00.000-04:00

Kooper really enjoyed doing "Mommy Preschool" (as he called it) this year. We rotated homes every few weeks and I think it was very successful and fun too. The pictures are from our little graduation day. Kooper received the M&M award for being "Most Macho." So fitting for him, as he is very vocal about being a boy and not liking girls (sometimes it can be a tad bit rude & embarrassing since at this point in his 4 years of life tact has not come in to play). I'm glad he knows who he is though and loves it too!

Kooper's Turn

2010-07-18T09:36:00.001-04:00

Kooper really thrives when he gets to do something that is just HIS thing. No competition with brothers = no fighting = happy mom! A semester at the Little Gym was really good for him. Kutter sweetly cheered him on at almost every class and is SOOO excited to have a turn this fall too.

Kooper improved so much in following directions that made the class worth in alone for me. His physical skills were fun to watch develop too. Good job, Koop!

we'll be back

2010-07-17T21:34:00.000-04:00

Hi! Been a while. In my typical non-commital blogger fashion, I've taken a break but now it's time to catch up. Just noticed that I've had several posts ready to go but never hit the publish button. NICE!! We've moved in the last few weeks and I'll just leave my excuses at that. So, over the next few days I'll try to get caught up with our summer happenings.

Instead of the beach this year, we're going to make a return trip to this little National Park in Tennessee. Fall Creek Falls is on the way to what used to by my Grandparent's farm in Sparta, TN. A few weeks ago we made our last and final trip to the farm...a place I have been going to with my family since I can remember. Due to my Grandparent's declining health they auctioned it off and moved to Indiana where they could be closer to my aunt who is so kindly helping them during this time in their lives. It's a bit strange to think my children won't be going to the farm for all of the holidays I used to, but we'll make our own traditions and they'll love them just the same.

Anyways, on the way to our final farm visit, we stopped at Fall Creek Falls to let the boys burn off a little energy. All of them love a good ol' adventure (Kooper especially...he would have run the entire way if the rocks wouldn't have been so crazy slick). It was a pretty steep hike but everyone did great. Kyle & I got quite the workout hiking back up packing Kutter who was a little more cautious than the older boys. Along with all of the hiking, the park also has a little hotel, cabins, pool, new playground, fishing, boating, etc. For only being 1.5 hours from our place we decided it would be a great little vacation spot for our guys.

***Update: We've been. Pictures to follow!

my littlest

2010-06-14T03:30:00.000-04:00

I love the age Kutter is right now. He can totally communicate. He's REALLY funny. Adorable. Sweet. Will cuddle and give kisses like crazy. Is a SUPER hard worker (which is greatly appreciated due to the endless list of projects at our new house). Can get CRAZY sweaty in no time. Wants to be just like his big bros...which can be a little bit scary.

The boys were playing in a big pile of muddy water the other day after a rainstorm. I was sitting outside watching them. Kutter kept trying to get me wet and I kept telling him, "mommy doesn't want to get wet right now."

To which his response was, "but why, mommy? you'll love it!!!" (wish i could bottle up his voice right now and save it...so sweet)

***HOW DO YOU BREAK THE THUMB SUCKING HABIT? NEVER BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE. SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME!

So I Don't Forget

2010-06-13T03:42:00.001-04:00

their sweet faces on Mother's Day. I'm doing better at lowering my expectations of how this holiday should go (it's not Mother's Day off & pampering day but rather a plea to just get along for ONE day...they did pretty good until about 5pm). I'm blessed to be surrounded by such a handsome, healthy, & happy (most of the time) group of males. I pray I can be the mother they need and deserve.

About a month ago...

2010-06-12T20:49:00.000-04:00

this man had a birthday. We tried this (her pictures look WAY better) cake in our continued search for the PERFECT chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting that we've never been able to duplicate since Kyle's groom's cake. I think I can make it a little more eye appealing next time but I was RUSHING to get it done before he got home and was literally putting the pb frosting on with my hands. How's that for appetizing???

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:40:00.000-04:00

I've been reading this book and really enjoying it. Two little hands enjoyed it for a few minutes too. Sigh! So, glad the title alone reminds me to breathe and be content!

2010-05-09T10:37:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to the beautiful women in my life. My grandmother, who instilled in me a passion for singing. My mother, the perfect example to me of patience & grace & faith. My mother-in-law, a woman of strength and the woman who raised the perfect man for me.

Love,

2010-05-08T11:07:00.000-04:00

I love these faces.

Views From the Top

2010-05-07T11:03:00.001-04:00

Playing Samson. Shooting off your face with a cannon. Gorgeous view of the Tennessee Valley. Major Civil War History.

We love our city.

Exploring Our City

2010-05-05T22:17:00.000-04:00

We did this little day trip WEEKS ago...maybe even months. I'm a little slow. Since this blog is to document all things KG, I had to add it. The Incline Railroad goes STRAIGHT up Lookout Mountain. Kutter is still obsessed with trains and loved every minute of it. We froze up at the top but the views were great and the memories too.

Rock Star for a Day

2010-05-04T21:53:00.000-04:00

Karson was supposed to dress like a rock star for school a few weeks ago. I found out about it 2 hours before bedtime when I opened his backpack. Kyle was out of town. My cool crafting stuff is in storage. Plus ALL the boys wanted to look like rock stars! My night was quickly planned for me.

Karson wanted a guy playing a guitar drawn on his shirt. Sorry buddy. Mommy doesn't have those kind of skills. In the morning he happily settled for a monster playing a guitar drawn on the back of his shirt and "Being Me Rocks" on the front. Spikey colored hair & a rock star tatoo completed his look.

The boys all loved the cool hair. Kooper however had an absolute meltdown over the fact that I spiked his. He likes his hair combed straight forward and straight forward only. We didn't have time to wash it out before taking Karson to school. So we all got to listed to him scream about it for around 30 minutes. Fun times. Personally, his hair looked awesome spiked.

Thanks, Kellen

2010-05-02T22:25:00.000-04:00

Kutter and Kellen had a great time at Day Out With Thomas. Kutter is my first guy I've taken to see Thomas because none of my other ones have been into it. It was so much fun. Great activities. Perfect weather. A nice guy hooked 'em up with free popcorn...of which Kellen liked to leave in the middle of the field because he thought it was safer there!! Thanks for the invite, Star family ;) I've got ticket money for ya whenever I see you next.

It has begun

2010-04-24T08:15:00.001-04:00

I found this taped to the top of the older boys' door. If they wake up too early in the mornings, they get to have drawing time until I'm fully functional (this momma's not quite the early riser the rest of the males in my household seem to be). The creations that come out of that 20-30 minute time frame are quite entertaining.

Our tent

2010-04-23T08:14:00.000-04:00

General Conference (spring 2010) at Mimi & Grandpa's requires building a tent. I can't say a whole lot of listening actually happened but there were a lot of giggles!!

Mission Bike Ride: Accomplished

2010-04-22T08:02:00.001-04:00

He picked it up quick and LOVES it. We got him a motorcycle helmet the day after he learned because he's kinda of a 4 year old daredevil!! He also insisted his first solo ride was shirtless. I have no idea why and thankfully he returned without a bunch on road rash on the ol' body. So far both of the boys have learned how to ride pretty quickly thanks to the little thing you see on the back of his bike called the "Balance Buddy." I find training wheels to be more of a hindrance than a help...kinda teaches bad balance habits. I'm kinda queen of endorsements lately...wish that came with some kickbacks!!!

Best Food Deal in Town

2010-04-21T14:14:00.000-04:00

I still have not figured out how to make the couponing thing work for the items I buy. 90% of my grocery items are not coupon items. If I ever figure out a solution, I'll be sure to share. Until then I'll just pass along deals like this:

Earth Fare...our lovely new grocery addition to Chattanooga, has started a program called "Itty Bitty Bites." We first heard about it on our field trip there a while back but hadn't tried it out until recently. I don't think we'll miss a Thursday from now on. Here's why:

Purchase 1 (ONE) adult meal for $5 and 6 (yes, SIX) children can eat for free. They get to fill out their own little menu and hand it in for a delish dinner. If you are familiar with Earth Fare's company philosophy, you can rest assured that your kiddios are getting a great meal all made from healthy, organic, earth friendly ingredients. Plus, the store was full of great samples too. My children had a blast.

So, mom's...take the night off and get to Earth Fare every Thursday between 4-8pm. Feed the whole family for $5...you can't cook that cheap! (ok...you CAN cook that cheap but this is WAAAY easier & probably more healthy.)

Easter

2010-04-20T22:59:00.000-04:00

A few late Easter pictures. We focused on the true meaning of Easter. The boys really are amazing me with their knowledge of the gospel these days. Makes a momma's heart smile. We had a fun little candy drop too. Little Kutter was sporting a double ear infection. Poor guy. The following week was spring break and the boys got to hang with Daddy for most of it; I got to have a wonderful 5 days in Utah/Cali for my little bro's wedding.

Best Field Trip EVER

2010-03-10T22:24:00.000-05:00

For my final day of teaching preschool, we headed out for a field trip to our new Earth Fare Grocery Store. It was pretty much fantastic. Delicious samples. Our tour guide, Ms. Ashley, spent so much time with us and was really sweet to our little visitors.

Also, starting tomorrow (Thursday) and every Thursday thereafter from 4-8pm at Earth Fare you can purchase an adult meal and get a healthy dinner for your child for free. Yeah! We're so glad to have such a great new store in our community that ONLY sells healthy items.

I highly recommend you schedule your own field trip to Earth Fare today!