Estes Park Trip

Helping daddy put on power bait

We took a camping trip to Estes Park, Colorado for 4 days. The kids didn't catch much but they had fun playing in the water. Kelbre discovered fishing too. She found the power bait in the tackle box and declared "This is mine, it's pink! Now I can fish!"

There wasn't any purpose in trying to keep them dry.

The Woes of Parenting

So here I am trying once again to potty train. You'd think that I would have the hang of this by now. But sometimes I think that Heavenly Father is up there with this big grin and sense of humor, making sure that we really don't know what we are doing. As soon as we think that we have this parenting thing down, WHAM, we get one that defies everything you thought you knew. Kelbre is proving that every day.

I know I shouldn't get too worked up over this. She isn't even 3 yet and Aaron didn't potty train until he was 5. The difference is, I know she can do it. The child will stay dry for weeks and then pee herself 15 times in one day. And as if to comfort me, she will come up and say "It's okay. I have more panties." And what is this obsession with changing her clothes every hour? I never know what needs to be washed. Every time I turn around she is prancing around in a new outfit. Now I know I don't do that. This is certainly a case of nature and not nurture.

I know my mother will be laughing at this. She always tells me that Kelbre is all me. Completely hard-headed and determinded to do things my way. My first words were "me do" and Kelbre's first words were "I do it!" This should make for interesting times during her teenage years. Perhaps that is the real reason I can picture Heavenly Father with a grin. He knows what is yet to come. I better learn to chill.

Beach Time

Swimming in Houghton Lake, Michigan. It is amazing the bond that these two have!

Great Grandpa Time

It was very special to see my boys with their great grandpa Frank. He is my dad's dad and lives up in Northern Michigan. I don't get to see him much so we made a trip up that way in June. Frank spent his life as an artist for NATO in Europe. Aaron was so excited to do a little art with grandpa.

Kings Island Amusement Park

The kids in Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine.

Aaron gets brave enough to meet Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants!

This is Robby and his cousin Gary meeting Patrick.

Kings Island Amusement Park

What more could a girl want? In case you can't tell, she is wearing a Dora jumper and Dora crocs. What a dream come true!

Kelbre: All Girl

I don't know that I have ever seen a 2 year old child so girly and yet such a tomboy at the same time. Kelbre however is teaching us that we didn't know much about anything. She certainly has her own way of doing just about everything. She'll tell you that too.

Her favorite word as of late is "freakin." I wonder now how often I used that word. She comes to me and says, "mom, I am freakin hungry." Then comes her daily demand for "serul" (cereal) which is one of the food groups for toddlers, if you didn't know that already. She tells you what's going to happen, not what she thinks. Last month, we saw her favorite Aunt Jacki at soccer practice for just a minute when I dropped Aaron off. Then we left to run errands. She was convinced that Jacki and Uncle Reed would still be there when we got back. I insisted that they were gone. Well when we got back, guess who was still there. Kelbre announced to everyone that I was a liar. I am sure she will be announcing many more things in the years to come.

Besides telling me off, Kelbre's other passions lay in torturing the puppy and doing everything the boys are doing. She is attached at the hip to Robby. She has him wrapped around her finger. If mom or dad get upset with her for anything, guess where she goes? Her relationship with Aaron usually centers around fighting, but he does take priority at times. Usually when Robby is gone. She has discovered friends. And birthday parties. Everyday she announces that it is her birthday. She is already 10. Time sure goes by fast.