Living with family....Part 1

As many of you know, we sold our home in Newburgh, IN at the end of April and moved May 20th.  Our home here in Carterville wasn't going to be ready until close to July so we basically had no home.  Both sets of parents graciously let us stay with them for 6-7 weeks.  Unfortunately Karsten still had to finish up work in Evansville until the end of June.  SO I got to be a single mom that entire time.  Thankfully our parents were a big help!

I split our time between my parents and Karsten's parents.  The first go-round was with Nana and Papa Slater. 

Kade LOVED the doors.  ANY doors. He would disappear for awhile and sure enough - he was at a door practicing opening and closing it - over and over.

We brought our pool and sand box with us to Springfield.  After the initial cold spell, it finally warmed up enough to bring out the slip n slide and pool.  The boys had a blast. 

How may boys can you fit in a sand box?

 Kobe of course joined in the fun.

This table in the middle of Nana's living room has always been a huge source of entertainment for the little boys.  Kade actually started cruising well while we were there.  He practiced going round and round.

So big!

I would say this cabinet was Kade's FAVORITE thing to sneak off and do.  We would constantly find him in here pulling out the "just my size" travel bottles of lotions, shampoos...etc.  He figured out how to open one of the soaps.....that was a mess.

Hi mom!! Aren't you proud of me?

I can put LOTS in my hands!

I'm sure I'm missing lots of pictures that Nana may have on her camera, but I'll have to bum those off her later!!

Thank you Nana and Papa for ALL your help! We love you!

Keagan at his finest

To say Keagan has an attachment to his "Buddies" is an understatement.  In fact all my kids have had a "buddy, lovey....you name it" since they were infants.  If you know us - you know that my kids are super attached and are a must-have for sleep every night.  Heaven forbid we lose them.  (Don't worry - I do have duplicates). 

Anyway, I wanted to preserve this kind, precious moment he was having one day. He asked me to wrap his buddies up...

So I did.  He cared for them, sung to them, rocked them; it was so sweet to see that.

So sweet.......

AND THEN:

Don't get me wrong - I do LOVE this picture.  BUT he can be the messiest kid alive. 

Disclaimer: This was NANA'S idea.  It was "indoor sand" from corn meal.  Nana Slater told me she used to do this for Karsten too.  I think she may tell you my eyes may have popped out of my head when she said he could do this.  But hey - it was her house :-)

Yep - snow angels - in corn meal - on the kitchen floor. 

I just hope it didn't ruin her vacuum!

Kade's first popsicle

(Back dated to May 12)

Shortly before we moved from Evansville, the boys were enjoying popsicles outside.  We usually went for a walk in the evenings and visited with neighbors (something I dearly miss).  This particular night the kids wanted their treat in their wagon after the walk.  HOWEVER we were not anticipating Kade wanting one.  He went nuts.  He had just turned 10 months and I was thinking - I think the older boys were about the same age as well - so go for it!

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Oh man! That hurts so good!!

OH, I know I wanted more......but this is cold!

Okay, I'm getting used to this coldness.

Two months have passed since his first popsicle.  Let's just say he can down a flavor ice in 1 minute - without all the faces!!

Happy 1st Birthday Kade!!

Kade celebrated his first birthday on July 9th. 

I have decided that my blogging over the next few weeks will be in no particular order...but I think I'll do some of the most important ones first...then I'll have to do some back-tracking.

Kade's birthday was actually on a saturday and unfortunately Daddy had to take an entire day long test......

So we had a quiet little party by ourselves on his actual birthday.

Kade received a fire truck ride-on from us and a few other small things.

I think his favorite thing was the singing dog card from Kellen and Keagan.  (If I would have know that $8 would have been that valuable I would've just got him more cards!!)  It's not like we need more toys!!

I made this little banner for him...it didn't turn out the way I wanted but we needed some sort of decorations!!  I love Kade's cheesy smile.....this is the look he pulls when he sees the camera.

Let's just say he ate the entire cucake.

Last weekend was our birthday party at the zoo with family.  I actually had a cake made for this party.  (Don't look too close.....it had to make a trip to St. Louis in a hot car.) 

More chocolate cake? Are you sure mommy?

We had a great time at the zoo.  It was a little difficult getting everything hauled into and out of the zoo but we had a great time (and I think everyone else did too).  It was very hot but the boys were really good and we stayed all day.

Dear Kade, can you really be a year old already? Man! A lot has happened since you've been born and I think many more changes will be coming over the next year or two.  You are so cuddly and squishy.  I love your fat cheeks.  You are soooo kissable!  You can't walk yet but you are trying.  You will take one giant step and then fall to your hands and knees.  You can climb the boys bunk bed ladder !!  Several times Kellen has come out yelling "mommy! you have to come see this!" and there you are......at the top of the ladder!! That is driving me crazy.  I think I am going to have to remove the temptation.  You are solely on table food and sippy cups!! You LOVE - I mean LOVE to wrestle with Daddy.  You think you're one of the big kids.  You are such a sweet boy.  You are dropping your morning nap and taking one long afternoon nap.  You still sleep great at night! I can't wait to see what happens in this next year.....but if I could keep you one forever I think I would!  We love you Kade!

We're baaaaack!!!

I officially have internet again!! It has been a long two months without blogging - I'm not even sure I can remember how! 

I am now trying to decide on how to catch up from my hiatus!!    

We are all moved into our new home.  So far we really like it - we are just trying to get familiar with the area and make new friends.  Our house that we are renting is still under some construction as are the 2

houses next to us.  SO, I will leave you with at least a picture to start my catch-up blogging.  We have been awakened at 6:00 am by you name it: hammering, nail guns, bobcats, cement trucks, saws..... But the boys have had a blast!!

Keagan trying to stand like one of the workers.  The boys were in the garage watching them pour our driveway and sidewalks. 

Sidewalks finally!! It was hard to keep them out of the wet cement....we only had one accident from Keagan...and that was towards the end of the driveway and the worker fixed it right up. 

A cement truck and a bobcat.....what could be better for little boys?