Love my Family

Have I mentioned lately that I love my family!

Watching Daddy Mow

Leighton and McCabe watched Luke mow the lawn for the first time this year. They were entertained just by watching him push the mower up and down the hill. They are really starting to play together and follow each other around much more. Leighton is a great big helper and usually a pretty good example to McCabe. McCabe loves playing with the big boy toys and learning new things.

I am so thankful for these amazing boys. They are so wonderful and a joy to my heart. I get to experience so many precious moments everyday. I keep trying to picture another little boy or girl around and I am getting so excited.

Being a wife and a mother is incredible. I am so thankful for my kids.

Seasons

We all love being outside!

Luke and I took the little ones to the park last week. McCabe still puts everything in his mouth so ...
... He ends up on my hip most of our outside time!

Leighton is still quite the adventurer. He loves to climb and try new things. He loves the park and being outside.
Luke and I enjoying spending outside time together on our family day! Hopefully soon we can add ice cream trips to our list of fun things to do together as a family.

This morning we went on a walk around the neightborhood. It was wonderful. I am glad Luke was with us because there is a good chance that I would not have made it back up the hill to our house at the end. Our neighborhood has so many hills. That, combined with being pregnant and let's be honest, the fact that I am very out of shape all added to an exhausting but great workout. Luke pushed the stroller up the hill at the end and I was very thankful. It is sad that I cannot go on walks by myself in the neighborhood. We will have to take many trips to Grey's Lake and other flat walking destinations.

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Praise the Lord for the change of seasons. It isn't just the sunshine that brings me to praise him. It is what the sun and change of seasons reveal about his character. He is so orderly, creative and powerful to have set the seasons in place and although winter is a tough one to endure, it sure makes you thankful when the spring comes. Happy spring to everyone!

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Genesis 1:14

"Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them mark off the seasons, days, and years."

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Leviticus 26:4

'I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit."

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Psalm 104:19

"You made the moon to mark the seasons,and the sun knows when to set."

Easter

We spent Easter at Grandpa and Grandma Hukee's house. We enjoyed very nice weather and lots of great company and food. We also had a great morning at church. Dan spoke about the importance of the resurrection and I was greatly encouraged. It reminded me of my confidence in the Lord's death and resurrection and renewed my hope for Heaven. It was a great and refreshing way to start off the day. We also liked seeing all the little kids all dressed up!

Luke consoling McCabe. Our attempt at a family picture. I think I am the only one our of the 4 of us who wanted to take the picture. You can read that on the faces of our two little sons!

Leighton on the slide!

Daddy helping Leighton on the Monkey Bars.

Another Easter egg hunt! Filled with M'nM's and fruit snacks!

Leighton being cute!

Daddy flipping Leighton upside down!

McCabe being cute!

Easter Egg Hunt

I took the boys to Beaverdale Park for a fun Easter Egg Hunt. We went with Meg, Quinn, Rex and Myla, and also with Anna and Dan Judd, Eliza and Adeline. We ended up running into the Roberts and Geikens too! We all had a lot of fun.



Leighton and Quinn played on the playground before it started.



Eliza, Quinn and Leighton getting ready start the Egg hunt!

Below Leighton is picking up Candy. Poor guy didn't have a cute bucket or basket to put his candy into. He only had a bag, which made him a little sad. So he would just pick up candy and put it in other kids baskets or give it to other parents. He was such a kind boy. We did manage to get a couple pieces of candy into the bag! I hate all the vanilla tootsie rolls!

Afterwards, Leighton and Quinn had a blast destroying the boundary markers.

Leighton found Sara's vacant stroller and started to push it. Soon, Quinn joined him. Then a couple minutes later, all the boys were enjoying it, 2 boys sitting and 2 boys pushing. It was so cute.

It was a fun day to be outside. We enjoyed spending the morning outside with friends.

Afterward, Luke got to have a daddy day with the boys and I headed to Ames to watch the boys Aunt Jenna in a fashion show. It was increadible. I am thankful that I don't have to wear 5 1/2 inch heals! Great job Jenna, you looked beautiful!

Sick Week

Last Saturday, McCabe got sick. That was the beginning. Sunday, he got a lot worse, keeping no bottles and having some other not-so-pleasant symptoms. Monday, he only had a couple spoons full of pedialyte. Tuesday, Leighton got sick too. McCabe continue to not eat and grew weak and sleepy. Leighton's only symptom was having extrememly high temperatures up to 103.8 and 104.2 two days in a row. The end of the week started to look brighter but some lingering symptoms and loss of appetite keep the boys tired, lazy and eager to cuddle.

The only enjoyable part of the week long sickness was lots of cuddle time. McCabe took a couple naps on me each day and spent most of the other awake time cuddling too. Leighton had a solid day of cuddling and sitting by us on the couch, which he never does.

An increased amount of nap time from the boys let me get to much needed cleaning, Luke and I watched a movie for the first time in months (if not years!) and even got to nap myself.

I am so glad that they are back to smiling and giggling.

Leighton's 2nd Birthday Party

Leighton had a great 2nd birthday party! Luke and I cannot believe that he is already 2.

Grandparents were here for a Thomas the Train themed party. Cake, balloons and presents made it a fun day.

We are so amazed that he is getting so big and that he is 2 years old. It doesn't feel like we have been parents for 2 years already! Time flies so we are trying to enjoy every moment.

Top 10 AMAZING things we enjoy in our 2 year old:

10. Teachability - He really is learning so much. He picks up on everything we do and copies it. He also is learning right from wrong, quiet quickly .... most days!

9. His Long Hair - I am biased but it is soooooo precious!

8. Brotherly Love - Leighton loves to help take care of McCabe. He gives him his bottle, plays with him, plays with him, shares toys, kisses his head, tries to make him giggle, like to be a part of getting him out of his crib. We hope their relationship continues to grow more and more.

7. Long Naps - Leighton is out for about 3 hours every afternoon! Though most days I start to miss him - it is nice to have a big chunk of time!

6. Desire to Succeeed/Desire For Independence - Leighton loves to try things and accomplish them by himself. He has started to try to cut with a fort and knife, he likes to put his own pants on, and tries to put his shoes on all by himself. He is growing a little more independant but not too much. 2 year olds are the perfect combo of independence and dependance; He still loves and needs us soooo much but there are few areas of independance that actually make my life a little easier.

5. His Joy - He is so full of Joy. His smile, attitude, personality, and the way he plays show that is pretty happy go lucky. You should see at 10 oclock when he gets his second wind.

4. Cuddle Time - I must note that this is very very hard to come by! It requires a pacifier and blanket or an injury.

3. Night Prayer Time - Luke prays with Leighton every night before bed and Leighton asks for it! Sometimes he says, "Mommy pray too!" It is so wonderful to know that he is starting to pick up on the fact that mommy and daddy pray!

2. "Toddler English" Communication- it is so fun to have conversations with him. His sentances are simple, but very easy to understand. Here are some great examples: "Water Ice Please", "Leighton Back Outside", "Leighton eat pizza lunch", "Bye-bye Daddy", "Cabe come too!" There are too many others to include here.

1. Voluntary Love - It is so wonderful to get a voluntary kiss or hug from him. It is so amazing to know that he loves us and wants us with him all the time. If feels great to loved so dearly. "I love you Mommy" is my favorite phrase!