Weekend Whoas & Randoms...

1) We spent the weekend at home getting ready for our vacation!!  I feel like a little kid, I am so excited to see the Van Bakels.  

2)     This morning, Keeler & Tyler went to the farm to complete chores so I got to spend one-on-one time with baby Kal.  After we got ready for church, I spent some time taking pictures of this sweet baby.  Seriously, how is it possible that he just keeps getting cuter!

3) I think we managed to eat corn with every meal this weekend...no complaints :)

3)     It finally feels like summer because Big Brother is back.   Thanks to DVR & sleeping cowboys I was able to catch up on past episodes & I think I have my favorites picked: Shane, Ian and Danielle.  I also love that Brittany is back coaching.  Who are you rooting for?

4)     Keeler had a blast playing with his new bubble machine from his grandparents.  Pardon his goofy clothing but after church he wanted his "comfy pants."

5)     On Tuesday, Tyler & I will celebrate our 8^th anniversary.  I love my cowboy more today than I even thought possible.  I love where life has taken us and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead. 

6)     At work we are hosting a co-worker’s 50^th anniversary party on Wednesday.  Can you imagine working for the same company for 50 years?!  
He's a rock star in my book!

Have a great week!

Party like a 4-year-old!

We celebrated Keeler’s 4^th birthday this past weekend.  I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that my baby is 4-years-old.  My mom, sister, her family and my cousin Ashley with her baby all came up on Thursday to go to the fair.  This schedule has become somewhat of a tradition.  Keeler was born several weeks early but it’s worked out great since his birthday week is such a fun week in our little town...just meant to be :).  On Friday, we ventured to the local water park where we met up with Mimi, aunt Tiffany and cousin Bryon.  Granny also came and brought Shalie, Larissa and Nichelly.  

My sweet friend Anne made Keeler’s cake.  She is so talented and it was so yummy --- check out her treats at The Pink Momma.  All our guests were highly impressed!  

Since the party was at the water-park and since we had several people staying out our house over the weekend I opted to decorate the house.  Keeler wanted a Caillou party.  Once I started telling people the theme I discovered that Caillou is not that well know.  If you have never heard of him, it’s a darling little PBS show about a 4-year-old boy and his family.  Keeler just loves him.

Before we headed to the water-park we all ate at Pizza Hut and had cake.

Keeler always has great parties!  

1 year: John Deere Tractor Theme

2 years:  Curious George Theme

3 years:  Backyardigans Swim Party

Someday I'll have to do a post on each one.  

Oh, how I wish I would have started blogging sooner!

Our party babies with Jarret & Samantha

Grandma got Keeler just what he wanted, a whoopee cushion.  

True Story. :)

 Uncle Troy & Ronda gave Keeler a miniature roping dummy.  Keeler LOVES it!  They always think of the best gifts for my little cowboys.

 I didn't take my camera into the water-park for obvious reasons but my sister got this photo.  These kids had a blast! 

We loved having everyone for the celebrations.  

Kallahan and Brynlee were so darn cute together!  

Even it they both get a little rough at times! :)

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Keeler, "You've got mail!"

Keeler's birthday has spilled over into the week.  He has two play-dates and then last night when we got home a package had arrived.  It was from his Grandma Shirley & Grandpa Kaku.  They sent him a bubble machine and Slip & Slide.  He had to test it out so when daddy got home Keeler & him went out to play.  Kallahan was having fun in the boxes until he spotted what was going on outside so we all ended up wet.  I just love my little cowboys.  Thanks everyone that helped make Keeler's 4th birthday the best yet!

Fair Week!

This time of year our little town hosts a week-long county fair.  I always think it reflects on our great community.  As Keeler gets older he has more and more fun and gets more involved.  This year I think he would have lived at the fairgrounds if we would have let him.  His Granny took him every day, I would meet them for lunch, they went back to her house for a nap and then we returned in the evening.  

Turtle Races - July 17th

Keeler helping his cousins clip for the livestock judging

Keeler showed a pig in the pee-wee judging! 

I missed it but a sweet coworker took some pictures for me. :)

Riding the T-bone Express with cousins!

Kid's Rodeo...yee-haw!

 Tractor Pull

Bit and Spur Rodeo

Another perk of fair week is Keeler’s birthday.  

I am still going through pictures and will do a separate post very soon.  Have a wonderful week!       

Happy 10 Months!

Dear Kallahan,

You are 10 months old!  Just two more months and we will be celebrating your first birthday…how can that be?!  We have had a busy month with celebrating birthdays, parades and other summer fun activities.  You have loved being around family and all the festivities.  Everyone comments on how sweet you are.  You are still such a friendly and happy little baby.  I love you so much!

First Parade - July 14, 2012

You now have eight teeth.  A few of them have not come down all the way but you will be eating steak before we know it, ha!  You are no longer eating baby food because you prefer to sample all of our food.  You love to drink from cups and with a straw.  You scream whenever you see someone drinking or eating, hello don’t they know how to share!

You are still army crawling and every so often you lift your belly off the floor to actually crawl.  But however you do it you get around quickly.  

This coming month you go on your first airplane ride and family vacation.  We are all so excited.  We love you sweet Kallahan.  We look forward to planning your big 1 year celebration.

Love,

Mommy    

Still Cycling at 70!

 This weekend we celebrated my husband’s grandmother’s 70^th birthday! She is known to everyone as Granny.  She sure doesn't look nor act like she is 70!  She has been mentioning for a while that she would like a bicycle - one without gears.  So, when her milestone birthday rolled around the theme just fell in place, “still cycling at 70!”  We all went together & bought her this darling bike and a pull-behind cart for my little cowboys.

 Tiffany did it again, another darling cake!  She is amazing :)

  Tyler's mom found so many cute items for the party.  She had everything so organized!  Ironically, I have decorated my little cowboy's bathroom with boy toys like trucks, planes &  bikes.  So we pulled the bikes out and used them as decorations for the party.

  My boss' wife has added sublimation items to her business...she made this stone for me to give to Granny on Friday...so cool!

 Bryon loves being a cowboy in Kansas!

 Granny came over again this morning and gave Keeler & Bryon a ride.  I think she loves her new bicycle!  All our company went home after a swim and lunch today.  What a fun weekend!  

Where's the baby?

 Please excuse my silly mommy voice but seriously how cute is this?

Baseball Weekend

We had such a fun and busy weekend!  Friday evening the little cowboys & I drove to my sister’s house.  We had fun at the pool with our aunt and cousins from Andrews. 

Kallahan has a new smile, the “squishy face smile.”  I seriously didn’t think this kid could get any cuter, but somehow he did!

The three big boys!

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Then on Saturday we watched my cousin Zane compete in a baseball tournament.  

more pictures
 Zane won both his games on Saturday!  It was so fun to watch.  He had another game last night but I missed it since Kallahan and I headed back to Kansas in the afternoon.  Unfortunately, last night they didn't win. =(  My sister called and said the family is blaming me since I wasn't there.  The tournament isn't over until Tuesday but I think these kids will go all the way! 

Samuel taught Keeler how to entertain yourself at a ballgame since he has two older siblings!

Keeler stayed back in Texas.  Both sets of grandparents & my sister plan on spoiling him for the entire week.  Last night his Mimi said he did great & crashed before she even read one story.  I will miss the little cowboy but it's the perfect week for him to be away because I have two out of town meetings this week.  I hope everyone has a great week.  Tyler & I plan on soaking up the one-on-one time with baby. 

  

Our plans for this coming weekend are the local fair parade and a BIG surprise… I’ll keep you in suspense :)

“Hit a homer Pudge!” – Pa Diddy