Merry Christmas

Hi,
Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged. Hope you are well and ready for Christmas. I am almost done but was not before the last couple of days. I took the kids to KC to see my family for Thanksgiving and that was fun. I have had a rough month because I decided to quit babysitting. My life was a little too crazy and I needed to slow down but as most of you know I have been babysitting the same family for five years. It was a really hard decision with lots of tears but feel it was the right decision. I am so excited to be done with my class. I got an A but barely. It was more work than I ever expected and don't think I will be so hard on myself next semester when I take Human Anatomy and Physiology 2. The kids are doing good. Alyssa performed in Gold Star's Holiday Xtravaganza. They dressed up in candy cane costumes and performed for a few nursing homes. It was really cute and she had a lot of fun. Matt continues to play the guitar. We think he is a natural at it but we are a little biased. Blake is continuing to make us smile with new things he says. He makes all of us laugh. We are at the Kalahari right now so I can't post new pics but I will when we get back. We got an awesome deal for two nights so we surprised the kids as part of their Christmas presents. Hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Kendra

Happy Fall

Does anyone ever have days where you feel completely overwhelmed? I have had many of them lately. I am trying to do well at everything I do but it keeps me so busy that I feel I have no time to just stop and relax. I am, though, very thankful to God for everything I have and all the opportunites that are in my life. Many have it far worse than me so I know I shouldn't complain. Everything is going well though. So far I have an A in my Human Anatomy Class. Hopefully, I will keep it after this test on Wednesday on muscles. Jim surprised Alyssa tonight with tickets to a "So You Think You Can Dance" show at the United center. He called her and told her and she was screaming with excitement and had tears in her eyes. I have never seen her that excited. It was really neat! Here are some pictures from the summer that I just now downloaded into my computer. I permed Alyssa's friend, Caroline's hair. The first is the after, the second is after I rolled it(sorry they are turned around). The third picture is Matt's friend Gabe and Matt being goofy.

Hi,
Sorry it has been so long since I blogged. Ok, well the kids started school and love it. Alyssa is in Honors Math and English. She had a horrible time trying to open her locker but has finally got it. Matt likes his teacher and is excited that this year he makes real grades. He is trying very hard to make great grades and is doing very well so far. Blake started preschool last Tuesday. He was very happy to go and didn't cry. He really likes his teacher, Ms. Michelle. The other day he started crying over something and said he wanted Ms. Michelle. I thought that was hilarious. I started my Human Anatomy and Physiology Class. It is a lot of work so if you happen to think of me please pray I make it out of this class alive. JK. I took the kids to the zoo last Saturday. We rode on the train and the kids had a blast. We saw the stingrays, butterflies, dolphins, elephants(Blake's favorite). That was a nice break for all of us. I haven't downloaded new pics lately but will soon.
Kendra

New!

Hello!!

This is Alyssa. I just wanted to let you all know that I got a new background for our blog and added music that my mom picked out. (Although for some reason it isn't working at the moment...) I hope you like it!!

Alyssa

Pictures from this summer

Alyssa and Matt walked in the Yorkville 4th of July parade advertising day camp for our church.

Matt got a facial from Alyssa and her friend Edie. Doesn't he look comfortable!

Matt played for the Royals this year which he was very excited about because my parents live in Kansas City. Sorry, I don't know how to ture it around.

SUMMER IS FLYING BY

Hi,

I can't believe it is already August. It seems like yesterday that I was thinking of all the plans around the house and plans to take the kids on trips to the city. I have not done a thing!! What I have done is spend a lot of time with my kids especially at the new waterpark. They LOVE it there!! There is NO fighting when we go there which is always a bonus. We saw my dear old friend Amy. I don't get to see her as often as I like because of both of our busy lives but when we do we can pick up where we left off. There are not many friends you can say that about. She has a beautiful daughter and cute, cute one year old twin boys. Matt loved carrying Christian around. Amy inspires me by her close walk with Jesus. We also went skating on Thursday. Alyssa and Matt each got to bring a friend and I skated with Blake. Blake does really well for a three year old. He is no where as good as Matt. When he was three, he was riding a bike with no training wheels. Not much has changed, his gross motor skills are still awesome. Hope all of you are well!!

Kendra

Fun in the Sun

Hi everyone,

Hope your summer is going well. Now that we are out of school mode it is pretty nice and relaxing. I passed my nursing entrance test. YEAH! What a relief! We are swimming a lot and I am trying to get some cleaning done. We are going to paint the bathroom and hopefully tile it. Summer always seems to slip by too fast so I try to enjoy every day. My favorite thing about summer is sitting in the backyard watching the kids play. Sounds so simple but it is the best! Tomorrow is Jim's 40th birthday so I am surprising him and taking him skydiving. He is going to freak out! I will have to post pictures. Here are some pictures we took at Starved Rock yesterday. Matt is in Wisconsin staying at a house by a lake with his friend for five days. We miss him a lot. Have a great day!

Kendra

Hi Everyone,

We have had a great few days! We decided to go to Blackberry Farm on Memorial Day. The older kids thought it would be too babyish but landed up having a lot of fun. Of course, Blake loved it. He did this really cute choo, choo, choo when we got on the train. Here he is on the train. Also, I am trying and I emphasize trying to get a artsy kind of picture of the kids to blow up and put on canvas for my living room. I saw it on Oprah and thought it was a great idea. It is really hard but here is a couple I took. I think I am going to keep on trying. Sorry, I still can't figure out how to put the pics where they should go. I want the picture to turn out great because it costs a lot. Blake's 3rd birthday is on Friday so I will post pictures of that. Have a great day!

Hi everyone,

I hope you are doing good. Blake is so funny these days. He says things that make us all laugh. The other night I was trying to pray with the kids before they went to bed and I was trying to be very serious. The kids were playing around and totally irritating me. I guess it showed because Blake said, "Matt need a time out." It was so funny. We think everything he says is cute. I will put pictures up soon, just need to download them on the computer. School is almost done for the kids and meyself. I can't wait to go to the new waterpark opening up by us. We bought season passes and I think the kids will love it. We are also travelling to KC to visit my mom and dad. My mom is going to Spain for 6 weeks to do some missionary work so I want to visit her before she leaves. Anyway, have a great day!

Kendra

Hello,

We have had a lot happen since I blogged last. Sorry, I try to keep up with it but sometimes it just doesn't happen. Easter went great. We had our own Easter egg hunt at our house so even Blake got to join in. Alyssa was very excited to find the golden egg with $5 in it.

Then for Easter we helped out a church. Alyssa helps out with the two year olds every week and loves it and of course I am in the nursery most of the time. Don't they look so cute!
Then last Sunday the kids got baptized. Matt has been wanting to for about a year. He was so sweet. When he came out of the water, he said he felt a big smile come across his face. Alyssa was more nervous about it but felt God wanted her to so I am very excited that she decided to. I kept telling her that when she felt nervous to remember what He did for us and how much harder that must have been. Jim's mom and our old neighbor and friend Liz came out to share their day and then after church they got to pick where we went to lunch(Chinese buffet, their favorite). It was a really exciting day and I was very proud of them. Hope all of you are well!

Kendra

Hi all,

There is not much new going on. The normal crazy schedule of work, school, kids. You know! Jim is getting over a sinus infection which is good because we all know how men are when they are sick. Ha, ha. The kids are doing good in school. We had a little trouble with Matt liking school but with the encouragement of a wonderful teacher and a sticker chart, everything seems to be getting back on track again. Alyssa is reading a lot. She just finished her 15th Rebeccah Caudil(is that how you spell it) book. She gets to go on a special trip with the other kids who have read 14 or more so she is excited about that. Blake is finally coming out of his horrific stage of getting into things(especially toilets and the ice dispenser). Those are his personal favorites. He is a lot of fun and we all enjoy to hear him talk. We are trying not to spoil him too much but it is hard with such older siblings. Hope all is well with all of you.

Kendra

THIS WAS THE COMPETITION TO DIG MARBLES OUT OF ICE WATER
MATT'S KITTY LITTER CAKE
EATING DOG FOOD, GROSS!(FAKE, OF COURSE)
THEY LOVED BLAKE'S POOPY DIAPER(PUDDING WITH YELLOW COLORED WATER)

Here are some of the pictures from Matt's Fear Factor party. It was a lot of fun.

Hi Everyone,

It has been awhile since I posted a blog so I thought I would let you know how we are doing. I am just busy preparing for a Fear Factor Party we are having for Matt tomorrow. We are having about 12 boys(scary thought). We have seven games planned from eating sardines to putting their hands in crickets. Great fun for nine-year old boys! The party wouldn't be complete without a kitty litter cake. It actually looks like real cat litter with tootsie roll poop. I think the boys will think it is hilarious. Anyway, I will post pictures of that tomorrow after the party. I hope all of you are good!