Kendall and the Piano...

When you turn 8 years old at our house you get to do something very special....

You get to start taking Piano lessons.

It was Kendall's turn to take his shoes off at Sister's Shaws and go into her big cozy living room lit with a golden light  above the piano and start his journey.

Sister Shaw has such an amazing way with kids and can teach and push them to learn new songs and "everything piano."

When Kendall climbed into the car after lessons, I asked how it went?

He said, "AH. MAZ. ING!" and then told us about his entire lesson.

We all laughed and knew this was the start to a very enjoyable experience thanks to Sister Shaw.

Car Talk

There has been such a different feel since we have switched schools.  It feels more like an "us" sort of school.  It's a  feeling like we will be needed to help build this school.  A feeling of family unity and a feeling of working together with each other, the boys teachers' and other staff.  It's a full and safe feeling.  It's a feeling I have been hoping for and looking for.

We were able to go to a family back-to-school picnic and sit and visit with some good friends who have also made the switch.  We attended an open house where we toured the new school and met the boys' fabulous teachers.

Nathan's teacher is a gift from heaven!  We love her.  Instantly we knew this was the right place for him.

Kendall's teacher we have known since he was a baby!  It was nice to have something familiar in all the "new".  Super excited for his year and for the class to pick out a name for the class turtle.

On back-to-school night Nathan's teacher gave out questions called, "car talk"....  You are supposed to discuss at least two questions per drive home.  On the first day we did all of them!

What did you learn?

Nathan: A little bit more cursive, a couple things we are going to do later in science.  Mrs. Bowers loves plants and is a master gardener.
Kendall: Names in my class.

When were you most productive?
Nathan: In science
Kendall: In 1st grade

What did you work the hardest on?
Nathan: Science because that's when we did the cursive and the note we wrote to Mrs. Bowers.
Kendall:Getting to know each other.

What are you most proud of?
Nathan: My family
Kendall: That we are having a new baby brother.

What new thing did you try?
Nathan: Cursive, not exactly new but a bit more than I usually do.
Kendall: To get new friends.

Who were you a friend to?
Nathan: Bryland Graber
Kendall: Ben and Dennis

Whose day did you make better?
Nathan: My mom- I helped with a bunch of chores.
Kendall: Savannah, because she was shy so I helped her.

What did you create?
Nathan: A name tag and a chemistry design for my science notebook.
Kendall: New friends

What are you looking forward to?
Nathan: A bunch of field trips.
Kendall: Having my baptism and seeing Claire and Hannah.

First day of School... With a TWIST!!

 Boy, how this summer came and went this year!  I nominate these two kids with the BEST boys in the world award!  They sure have been a pure delight to have around.  Maybe that is why I cried for 3 hours straight when they left for their first official day of school.  Oh wait...I'm also pregnant, sick and hormonal.

The beginning of this school year is defiantly one for the books.

I have been feeling a change in the air.  An adventure was in the works, I just didn't know what or the timing...

Someone else with a bigger picture and perfect plan swooped in after the forth quarter during overtime.  And I'm still thanking Him everyday.

Sunday, we had stopped in the halls at church to chat with a friend after my mom had asked him about his kids school.

After much prodding and talking Justin,  I knew we needed to check this "new" school out.  I began researching on the computer, calling friends that I knew went there, and after a summer full of prayer and worry, we got our answer.

The next morning we sent our kids off to "regular" school at Stoney Creek elementary and I headed off to the new school to see if we could even get in.

They had spots open and the minute I enrolled the boys, my worries melted away!  HUGE blessing and I am so grateful for the feeling of peace.  I'm talking the peace that creeps into every nook and cranny and fills up the entire area until nothing but pure joy fills the soul.

We picked up the boys from school that day and told them they got into Addenbrooke and we all cheered!  I think Nathan could feel how right it was and he beamed with excitement.

Justin took Nathan to say bye to his teacher and get his supplies I took Kendall to his.

A major perk???

Two more full, entire weeks of summer because Addenbrooke didn't start until September when construction was completed at the new campus.

 Pictures of the boys on the first day of school for Stoney Creek before we even knew that they would be wearing uniforms and attending Addenbrooke.

A Glorious Day!

The day we got our first egg....

We have been waiting for several months to see a chicken egg in our nesting box.

Kendall was in charge that evening of putting the chickens away and when he came in he was grinning from ear to ear!

He had the egg behind his back.  "Guess What?!"  And then he showed us the cutest brown speckled egg we had ever seen.

Soon after the other chickens started to lay but we couldn't eat any of the eggs for a little while until we had a little stockpile.  The boys wanted to constantly look at the beautiful eggs.

They are delicious!!

 

Back to School Carnival

Right before school started, the boys' dreams came true...

Aunt Martha put on an AMAZING surprise carnival.

The kids were downstairs at Mammy's house while she got it ALL ready. 

When they came upstairs the living room was transformed.  It was set up with tickets and prizes and games.  She and Uncle Todd had even dressed in costumes as carnival workers.

Glow in the dark toss, darts that popped balloons, guess what is in the box, cup stacking, and ladder bean bag toss to name a few.

So much work went into it and the boys were dying.

The next morning after breakfast they had part 2.  All the outdoor games!

The boy keep telling me that this needs to be a new back to school tradition.

Experiencing an Ultrasound

We took Nathan and Kendall to the "big" anatomy ultrasound where they check out the baby thoroughly.

It was the first time for them to see our squirmy little baby.  The first time to see their new brother. And the first time for them to see my belly for that matter.  Haha!

It was a sweet experience.  An instant bond was there and immediately we fell in love with that tiny miracle up on the screen.

Little fingers and toes.  A spine, skull, and wiggly arms and legs.  He even gave us a thumbs up!

This is what they thought about the experience:

Dad: "I felt an overwhelming sense of amazement, excitement, and love.  A lot of anticipation for when I get to see him and hold him."

Nathan: "This baby is the best baby , EVER!  How big is he going to be? This is definitely my brother!"

Kendall: "He is SO cute!  Wait?!  Is he going to be black and white?! He is SO cute! I want to kiss him right now! And hug him!"

Everything looked great and I was measuring a week ahead but they still wanted to keep my due date December 30th.

Clipping Chicken Wings...

We knew it was time to clip the chicken's wings when the girls' would appear in the front yard or end up at the neighbors.

Again, we watched some you tube videos, got a pair of scissors, and went to work.

The kids caught the chicken's and Justin showed us how to do it by pulling out their under layer or flying feathers.

It doesn't hurt them which is what we were all worried about.

Quick and painless and in a matter of minutes they were back roaming the yard.

Our THIRD Musketeer!!!

It's a...

BOY!!!

I am in an interesting age bracket for having a baby.  That means I get to have lots of extra tests and care.

One of the tests I got to take was a blood test called the Harmony screen.  I was 16 weeks when I got my blood draw. It tests for  Down Syndrome and other chromosome abnormalities.  A bonus of the test is that you get to find out the sex of the baby.

I got a call 10 days earlier than the doctors had thought and she told me some great news.

The baby was healthy.

Then she asked if I was ready to know what we were having.

Was I ever ready!

She said, "Three of a kind, it's a BOY!"

I was shaking and had "perma" grin.  I just wanted a healthy baby and didn't care if it was a girl or boy but I knew this little boy was supposed to be in our family at this time.


I quickly left to go get BLUE helium balloons at the party store and get things set up to tell the rest of the family.

I found a box big enough and taped it up.  We gathered at Mammy and Papa's and the boys opened the box...

 BLUE balloons flew out and everyone cheered while jumping up and down.

I can't believe I'm going to have THREE sons.

Brandon's Homecoming...

There has been a tremendous amount of excitement in our home that grew the closer our trip to Texas approached.

We have been looking forward to seeing our nephew Brandon return from his mission to Brazil for months.

I met Brandon when Justin and I were dating and he was just six years old.  I had an instant love for him and his puppy dog brown eyes.  He won me over with his shy, heart of gold, respectful personality.  I have always been grateful for the way he has treated me, Justin, and especially my boys.

I was a proud Aunt as I listened to him give his homecoming talk.  It is always so amazing to see these boys leave for their missions and come back so solid.  His testimony that he bore pierced our hearts with conviction, peace, and love.  It affected Nathan so much that he keeps telling everyone that he wants to go to Brazil on his mission, "So Bad" and I know it is because of his cousin's influence.

We filled up the days and nights with  trips to the pool, In and Out Burger, an amazing homecoming talk, scooter rides, lots of video games with Jonah, Indian food, a bit of shopping, Kendall's new found love of the dog- Pepper, the movie Home, frozen yogurt, Basketball in the front with Logan, relaxing, the taco restaurant, and the grand finale...gut busting laughter at Uncle Gared's booty shaking with his shake-a-teers!

When we got to our house everyone found a couch or bed and napped the rest of the afternoon before even touching the luggage. (The boys just continued their nap from the plane ride.)

That is how you know you had a blast!

Uno games in June

This summer the boys and I have played hundreds of games while I have been on the couch with some pretty good morning sickness.

  Speed Uno and Skip Bo have topped our list.

I'm glad these boys love games as much as I do.  Sometimes after Dad gets home, he would join in on all the fun too!