KRIEG KIDDOS

Party Time!

2011-11-19T22:40:00.001-05:00

Last weekend Maddie and Brennan had their 'joint' birthday party with friends. We did the same thing last year, and while they were opposed to the idea before last years party, afterwards they enjoyed it so much they asked if we could do it the same way this time! We happily agreed.

This year's theme was easy to decide on since the fall has been filled with a growing love for cheerleading and football. The perfect combo for their party! And, as an added blessing, some of the cheerleaders and football players from the kids' school agreed to come to the party and teach cheers and throw the football around. It was truly sweet to see the big kids being such amazing role models for the little ones. One of the mom's told me she heard a kindergartner say to one of football players, "Big kids, you are going down!" CUTE! And, the 5 and 6 year old boys really believe that they beat the big guys at football! Ahh...the joys of childhood. (sorry about the quality of some of the pictures - there was something on my camera lens.)

stopping to smell the roses...sort of

2011-11-13T22:10:00.000-05:00

My sweet, sweet Macy! She is at the age where she is interested in everything. She has a huge imagination and keeps us entertained all day. For the last few weeks at the gym she has taken a special interest in the skeleton in one of the trainer's offices. She affectionately named him 'Mr. Bones' and she insists that we pay him a visit each day. One day as we were waving to him, she asked if she could go in and look at him close up. The trainer gave her the ok, so she marched right in, looked at him for a minute, grabbed his hand, looked at me and said, "Oh, Mommy isn't he bootiful (beautiful)?" Then, the very next day, she walked right up to Mr. Bones, grabbed both of his hands and said, "Mr. Bones, you are so bootiful. Would you like to dance with me? "...and they danced. :)

A date with Papa!

2011-11-13T22:01:00.000-05:00

My parents stayed with the kids for two nights last week, and the kids enjoyed a little spoiling! Each of them got to go on a date with grandpa-which is a much loved tradition. One time Brennan told me that Papa loved McDonald's. When I asked him what made him think that he told me that every time Papa comes to town he just has to go there with Brennan! Hehe. Well, on this trip Macy got to take her first date with Papa- to Chick-fil-a. She loved it. Although, my sneaky little one asked Papa to buy her an ice cream cone - even though she knows she can't eat dairy...luckily Papa didn't get tricked into that one!

Halloween

2011-11-13T21:51:00.000-05:00

We had a fun and low key Halloween this year! I have never been in a place like Austin when it comes to Halloween. People go all out- I think as many people here decorate their houses for Halloween as they do for Christmas. Yes, some of it is creepy, but for the most part, it is a really fun place to trick or treat. Tons of families sit out on their driveways to hand out candy and there are so many people out with their kids- it actually gives a real sense of community. This year we went with our friends the Niemann's and their two kids. Brennan went as a football player, Macy was a princess, and Maddie was a cheerleader.

All the kids ready to go...

All tired out after a hard night's work!

OOPS!

2011-10-30T15:51:00.000-04:00

As I was writing about my precious boy's bday, I realized that I never posted about my sweet Macy's birthday in September. Macy turned 3 on September 4th. She is a little one with a huge personality! She has a flair for the dramatic and loves to act out the scene in Cinderella where the step sisters rip her dress and she has a million dramatic/ humorous facial expressions to go along with her dramatic scenes. She still hates to sleep and will stay up late in her room reading and singing! She is the artist of the family, and will literally spend hours coloring and drawing. Since the first time we put a pencil in her hand she has had a knack for art and amazes me with her fine motor skills. She can write her name, and 'mommy' and colors beautiful pictures. She loves to go to the mall and point out 'her' store (Macy's). Here are a few pictures from her birthday...

BIRTHDAY TIME!

2011-10-30T15:37:00.000-04:00

We just celebrated Brennan's 6th birthday yesterday and I am having a hard time believing that he is 6! What a joy he is! The list of wonderful things about Brennan goes on and on...his huge heart, his optimistic attitude, his inquisitive mind, his love for God's creation. We ae truly blessed with Brennan! He makes each day more wonderful!!!
Brennan's birthday started with an early soccer game - (he scored a goal!), brunch with his team after the game (at the playground- which to him seamed like a bday party, even though it was just an end of the season party), and an afternoon of playing football and eating cake. It was a super day!

New Ideas??

2011-10-18T21:52:00.000-04:00

So, I found this really great idea on Pinterest for organizing all of the girls headbands. You take an old oatmeal container and cover it to make it cute and voila, you have the perfect place to store all of your headbands. So, as soon as our oatmeal was gone, the old container became our new headband holder. I did not aspire for mine to be super cute like the one on pinterest, I just aspired for all of the headbands to be off the floor!! I did cover mine with cute paper...but the truth be told, it was just a plain oatmeal container for a while before I got around to putting a little paper on it. I was quite proud of this new little organization piece...but then, Brennan came up with a new way to store all of the headbands. And now...I am just not sure which to use!

First Day of School!

2011-08-24T21:55:00.000-04:00

Brennan with his teacher Mrs. Bunch

Waking up has been the hardest part of the whole deal!!!

Maddie with her teacher Mrs. Anderson.

Well, the summer came and went...went too fast...but it was wonderful! And so, we move to the first week of school. Emotional for me as always. I love to have all of the kids home, but it is also wonderful to see them confident to walk into new situations. Maddie started second grade (so hard for me to believe) and my little man, Brennan, is now a kindergartner! So, so hard to leave those babies, but I love both of their teachers and they have had an excellent first few days. It is fun to have them at one school- they are finding a shared identity in it...and this week is has been cute to see them bond over 'school stuff'. And, Macy is relishing in having all of the attention at home, although she does occasionally ask if we can go get Bren and Maddie.

Sweet Memories

2011-08-15T23:53:00.000-04:00

We just got back to Austin after three weeks on the road. It is great to be back home, but we had such a wonderful time connecting with ministry partners/friends I am sad to see the summer end. We had some really special times with the kids. It is great to expose them to Montana and all the things Mike did as a kid. We hiked, fished, slid down tons of water slides, picked huckleberries, swam in ice cold lakes, picked gallons of cherries, ate gallons of cherries, picked raspberries, made jelly, went to Mike's high school reunions, and spent time with people we dearly love.

Our first stop was in Lubbock with our dear friends the McAdens. The kids had so much fun playing they could have stayed there the entire time!

After a 12 hour day of driving, when the entire family was about to meltdown, we hit traffic about 10 minutes from our hotel. But before everyone fell apart, we looked out the window and saw this amazing double rainbow! It was so fun to talk about God and his promises- it changed the mood in the car and we finished up the day on a great note!

My heart was filled up in Colorado spending lots of time with my dear friend Megan. It was fun to see our kids play together and to have a chance to catch up on life face to face.

This is the amazing cabin we were blessed to stay in while in Montana. Mike's friend Steve built it! No phone, no TV, no Internet...it was heaven! Such a special time as a family. It has become a place where our family has been able to make so many wonderful memories.

Beautiful MacDonald lake in Glacier National Park.

Brennan was in his element. The little boy in him just came alive on this trip. He is like his daddy...he has a love for the outdoors and adventure.

We took the ski lift up Big Mountain in Whitefish and then hiked down. It was so beautiful.

The weather was amazing, and the flowers were absolutely breathtaking. I couldn't get enough of them.

Picking huckleberries.

Thankfully, this is the only bear we ran into this summer.

Mike made us huckleberry pancakes every morning!

Picking (and eating) Flathead Lake cherries.

A chilly swim in Flathead lake after picking cherries.

Spending time with wonderful friends while at Mike's reunion.

Glimpses of summer

2011-07-04T12:18:00.000-04:00

Me and my sweet girl!

Maddie's teacher taught her how to make paper hats and she came home and made tons of them for all of her little stuffed friends! So cute!

Macy enjoying a meal with her daddy and Uncle Jack.

Macy moved into her 'big girl' bed...and I cried- they are just getting big too fast!!!! But...it is fun o see her so excited- and she has actually stayed in bed- truly amazing!!

4th of July

2011-07-04T11:19:00.000-04:00

Here is my best attempt at catching some of the 4th of July fun! We celebrated with our wonderfule French neighbors at the neighborhood parade!

A daily dose of sweetness!

2011-03-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

We've had a bumpy week with Brennan. Lots of behavior problems, lots of discipline. Not fun. BUT, right when you feel at the end of yourself, God interjects a sweet moment that fills your heart and reminds you that it is all worth it (not that you really doubted it, but it is nice to get a little 'hug' from Jesus!)
Brennan: Mom, I just like to spend time with you.
Me: And I love to spend time with you too.
Brennan: Sometimes I wish I could be with you all the time, every day. Just you and me and daddy everyday. Sometimes I get sad to go to school or to church because I am just happy to be with you.
Me: Sometimes I am sad when you go too, because I love it when you are here with me. But, I am also happy because you are learning and making friends. And I know you love your friends and they make you smile.
Brennan: Yeah, I am glad about that too. But you and me...we are like Q and U...we just go together.

Gosh- I love that kid! Thank you Jesus for our precious boy!!

Brennan's FIRST soccer game!!

2011-02-26T23:47:00.000-05:00

It's soccer time! Brennan had his first game today, and he did a great job! His team is called 'Blast' and he's lucky enough to have one of the best coaches in the league...his dad!

The snow day

2011-02-25T23:08:00.000-05:00

So exciting!

Brennan, "Mom, I'm frozen stiff!"

Yummy!

I don't know why Macy added the safety goggles...but hey, why not!

Well, we got our one snow day for the year! The kids got to stay home and play, play, play. There wasn't quite as much snow as last year, not enough for a snow man, but enough for a little snow ball fight. In the morning we got the kids all bundled up and let them play in the snow on the deck while we sat nice and toasty warm...in the hot tub! :) (I think that is only the 3rd time I have been in that thing in the 3 years we have been here!) Ahhh...that was nice. After the fun of the 1/8" of snow wore off (20 minutes) we spent the rest of the day making cookies and Valentines. We had a new cookie making adventure. I got all of the ingredients for Maddie to make regular chocolate chip cookies and also everything we needed for Brennan to make dairy and soy free chocolate chip cookies! It was more of a success than I ever imagined. They worked side by side...doing the same steps, but no fighting over who gets to put the scoop of flour in! It was great- and the dairy/soy cookies were...amazing! So much so that I had to pop them in the freezer asap!
The only bad part of the day...by late afternoon I was out of ideas and I was letting Brennan play with my camera...I think he took about 20 videos of his toes. Then, a few days later when I went to Maddie's school to video the first graders reciting 1 Corinthians 13 to the entire school...I discovered my camera battery was dead. So sad. Maybe I can find someone who videoed it and get a copy- it was so precious, I cried!

Is it possible???

2011-02-25T22:37:00.002-05:00

Is it possible that such a sweet, sweet little girl could:

1- color the wall, MGK wooden initials, lampshade, table, crib, plastic vanity, and herself black during one relatively short stint in time out

2- pour out an entire bottle of dish soap on the counter and floor in the blink of an eye
3- Spackle strawberry shortcake (the doll), wooden blocks and a shelf when dad went in the office to write an email.
4- steal her sisters morning gummy bear vitamin and enjoy every second of it while sitting in time out
5- daily eat a significant amount of toothpaste
6- and claim that we can't find her socks because she ate them!

I now know that it is indeed possible...and she can do all of the above in just a few short days.
My precious Macy...I adore you. Are you more challenging that the big kids, or do I just have less capacity??

Me:Macy, get in your car seat please.
Macy: NO!
Me: Mommy has to discipline you because you didn't obey. How are you expected to obey? Right away, all the way with a happy...(right away, all the way, with a happy heart)
Macy:WITH A HAPPY MEAL!!!!!!(big grin on her face)
Me: (trying not to laugh too hard)Get in your car seat!

A Proud Mama!

2011-02-25T10:36:00.005-05:00

This morning Maddie presented her oral book report at school! We have been reading one of the 'American Girl' books about Rebecca. I have loved them as much as Maddie. It's fun to be reading something that we both really enjoy. Anyhow, this year at school Maddie has had tons of opportunities to get dressed up for different occasions (one day I will get around to posting about all of them!). For her book report she was to dress as her favorite character from the book, and share about her favorite scene. The whole process was a blast, from picking her scene, to figuring out what to say (with dad :)), to sewing her costume, to curling her hair, and then finally getting to share with her class. She was so nervous. She couldn't get to sleep last night b/c she said she had butterflies in her tummy. Mike and I thought she did really well this morning-she remembered almost all of the details she wanted to share without using any notes:)!!. Sorry the video is such bad quality. She was nervous, so it is really hard to hear her, and I was trying to hold a wiggling Macy so the camera is shaking- sorry.

OOPS!

2011-01-08T18:32:00.003-05:00

I missed posting about Mike's Birthday. We celebrated Mike's 38th birthday on Dec. 18th. Mike- you are amazing! We love you so much. Thanks for being such an involved dad, loving us all so well and for always showing me grace! Happy Birthday!

Christmas 2010!

2011-01-08T09:01:00.005-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year with my parents in Houston. It was filled with fun firsts and lots of great memories. Some of my favorites:
1. The big kids got to go to the Nutcracker Ballet for the first time. Maddie loved it, and Brennan loved the first half (when the Nutcracker and the Rat Prince have a sword fight)
2. The kids went ice skating for the first time! And yes, I was very sore the next day!!!
3. My mom converted my old playroom under the stairs into a grand kid room. They spent a lot of time in the new fort! Most meals were enjoyed in the privacy of their new little space!
4. My mom and dad took the kids to buy gifts for and angel tree family and then they all got to go together to meet the family and deliver the gifts to them. It was sweet to see them find some joy in giving.
5. The kids and I discovered how to make dairy and soy free gingerbread men :), and then we ate our weight in cookies!
6. Maddie stayed up for her fist ever New Year's Eve party. (New Year's is so incredible when you are at a Bridges Conference! The party starts with a talent show- pianist from China, dances from India, songs from Africa, comedic acts from China, harpist from America guitar players from Lebanon...and the list goes on. Truly a unique experience! Then, you get to ring in the new year with people from 48 different nations! Amazing!) I was glad Maddie got to experience it with us this year.
7. We were able to have a quick visit with our cousins from Florida who were in TX for the holidays. Bill and Lynsay are amazing, Godly people, and we count it a privilege every time we get a chance to spend time with them.
8. We got to go to six flags in San Antonio as a family! So much fun!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

2010-12-13T21:54:00.004-05:00

Madison just turned 7! I can't believe it. Friday the 10th was her big day and she got to celebrate with friends at school and then with our family later in the day. She is such a treasure!!! I don't even have the words to express how precious she is. She is kind, hard working, loyal, organized, friendly, faithful, and just an all around joy for me to be around. She was actually sick this week and had to stay home from school for 2 days...and do you know I loved every second of it. I just love to spend time with my sweet girl! Here are a few pictures from her big day.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-05T22:10:00.006-05:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving with Mike's family here in Austin this year. We went up to Jack and Suzy's house (Mike's Aunt and Uncle) on Thanksgiving day and enjoyed a low key day with a delicious meal and sweet fellowship with family. Maddie and Brennan brought us back to the first Thanksgiving by attending as a Pilgrim and and Indian!

OUCH!

2010-12-05T22:00:00.003-05:00

Brennan and one little fire ant met each other Saturday night. His poor little hand. He was bit last year too, same finger...but this time his hand seems to have swollen up much more. Those are nasty little fellas.

A Reason to Give Thanks

2010-12-04T23:35:00.004-05:00

Yesterday marked one year since Mike's precious mom Roz went to be with Jesus. As we reflect on her life and death we give thanks to the Lord for the hope we have in Him.
"Death has been swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor. 15:54

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

The Birthday Celebration

2010-11-21T07:37:00.005-05:00

This year we gave the kids two options when it came to celebrating their birthdays. They could have one good friend go to dinner with them, or have a birthday party together. When I first told them the choices (last year after all of the parties) they were not happy. They of course wanted their own parties...so I told them they had a year to think about it, and if they didn't like any of the options then we would be happy to just have our normal family party and nothing more! :). As the fall rolled around they started to talk about it more and more. I reminded them of the options, and they had lots of conversations about it. In the end, they decided on a joint party (Brennan's 5th birthday and Madison's 7th), and I am so glad they did. God really blessed us with a beautiful day, a wonderful park, and a stress free fun day. We didn't plan any games or activities, we just had more of a 'mega play date'. I think the kids really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed not trying to pull off more events during the holiday season. I think I am going to really reap the benefits of having the party in early November now that the holiday season is here and we are not trying to plan another bday for Maddie. (of course we will do a family celebration on her actual birthday). So, here is a little look into our family birthday celebration:

Kids and sand just go together. I think it took a week to get all the sand out of Brennan's hair.

Brennan kept changing his mind about what type of cake he wanted. He decided on Iron Man, but after my attempt at and Iron Man cake for our family celebration failed miserably(it turned out looking more like Arthur the Aardvark), I talked him into Superman! Whew!

I don't know why, but Maddie's cake looks blue in all the pictures, but it was actually purple.

Some odds and ends

2010-11-18T22:00:00.005-05:00

It has been a busy fall with a lot more travel than usual and lots of 'events'. But the sweetest moments are still the everyday ones. Here are some moments I want to remember from the last few weeks...

We have enjoyed wonderful time with sweet friends!

We have spent a lot of time with Superman.

There has been a lot-and I mean a lot- of lipstick

'The Twins' on their way to a dog show.(which was a very fun fist experience!)

A fabulous night with International Students on Lake Travis.

Maddie and I got creative with jewelry making- so fun!

Cuddling with Nana...

Regular visits from a little cowgirl.

And...a car for three? (thanks Jen)

Halloween

2010-11-05T21:29:00.004-04:00

We had a fun filled weekend. Saturday night we had a party with International students. It is always so fun to celebrate with people who are experiencing Halloween for the first time. I thought I would go with an easy costume, but sadly, most people didn't know who I was...please tell me you know! Macy was cute as a button with her Raggedy Anne and Maddie and Brennan were Ariel and Iron Man (they were so busy running around I couldn't get a good picture of them)

Then on Sunday, we did it all over again! God has blessed us with some super fun new French neighbors. They had us over before trick or treating to make some fun crafts and yummy monster eyeballs! Then a big group of us went trick or treating. It was a beautiful evening and we had a big group of about 12 kids to try to keep up with. This time Brennan went with Iron Man again (a birthday gift) and the girls went as ballerinas.

Happy 5th Birthday Brennan!!!!

2010-11-01T07:22:00.004-04:00

Wow! My baby boy is 5!

What a great and crazy weekend it has been. Having a birthday the same weekend as Halloween is no small thing. No one fell into a sugar coma, but this might be a week of detox!

On Friday morning Brennan got to celebrate his birthday at school, and have a Halloween party. So that was a great start to his birthday- seeing as how dressing up is one of his all time favorite things!

Brennan could not be any more wonderful! He makes my heart overflow. His imagination and fun loving spirit are such a blessing to our family. Here is a look at his big day...

MACY GRACE IS 2!

2010-10-11T07:05:00.003-04:00

My sweet baby girl turned two on September 4th (I know that was over a month ago, but better late than never!). I haven't been able to get my pictures loaded back on my computer yet, but I realized that I still had a lot of them on my camera, so here is a little glimpse of what has been going on!

Sweet Macy keeps us laughing all the time. She is strong willed, creative and fun! We are all so thankful the Lord blessed our family with her. She adores Maddie and Brennan and loves to be the center of attention. Here are a few shots from her 2nd birthday. Her favorite things are coloring and reading books. She loves to jump, run and giggle...and her giggle makes me smile every time. Now that she has experienced a birthday party, she sings happy birthday everyday, answers all of my questions (regardless of what I am asking) with, "I am two!", and firmly believes every party is for her. I love you sweet girl!

Don't give up on us!

2010-10-08T21:12:00.002-04:00

AHG! My computer broke and I don't have any pictures. Don't give up on our blog! We are trying to get this silly thing fixed and get the pics loaded back on...hopefully soon!

Maddie's First Day!

2010-08-24T22:54:00.002-04:00

Well, here we are...1st grade. Was it really 12 years ago that I was the 1st grade teacher...and now I find myself here on the other side. What a different experience. It is only now that I understand what a privledge it was to teach those little ones 12 years ago. I loved them all, and I am thankful that I know how much a teacher loves her kids now that I am the one saying goodbye. I guess I will cry every last day of summer, and every first day of school. My mom always used to tell me that she was sad the last day of summer and hated to send us back to school...and now I understand.

I do feel so very proud of Maddie and how well she is embracing new situations. She is growing to be much more confident and she just loves to learn.

But, just the same, I missed her today. I guess that is a good thing! :)

Rock a baby...

2010-07-23T21:40:00.003-04:00

Macy loves to sing. Here is a little sample.

Sweet Dreams

2010-07-23T21:29:00.004-04:00

Brennan is still our little cuddler! He still loves to be rocked at bedtime (I love that!), and this is usually how things end up. It is important to note though, Mike falls asleep first!

Pj's- check
Brennan's socks over PJ's - check
water- check
stuffed animal- check
purse- ummm...check

Family Time

2010-06-15T21:36:00.005-04:00

I LOVE SUMMER! It has been great to have more freedom in the schedule and more time together as a family. Mike and I took the kids to the park the other day. It started to rain, but the kids found a perfect 'set up' under the playscape...perfect for a picnic for a family of 5! :)

Here is a glimpse at family fun night. This week while the big kids munched on pizza and watched a movie, Macy kept herself busy by putting on Brennan's clothes, toddling around the house, and her new favorite past time:coloring. She can't get enough of it! It is the only thing that keeps her busy for more than 15 seconds.

We are in Houston this week so the kiddos can go to Vacation Bible School at my parents Church. My parents have blessed me by taking the kids in the mornings (Mom is working in the nursery and taking Macy with her)and giving me 5 mornings off in a row! WOW! Thank you mom and dad. Dad also has the kids signed up for some swim lessons - more on that to come. So, the car pictures are somewhere east of Brenham on our way to Houston. We were in the homestretch, and the kids had some sun chips to get us through the last part of the drive. I guess I should have gotten more though...I had no idea Elmo was so hungry. And Mike, I didn't turn around to take that picture, I promise. And yes, that is why my car is SO dirty!

When I grow up

2010-06-03T21:47:00.003-04:00

As a part of Madison's graduation ceremony, the kids got up and shared what they want to be when they grow up. I have never heard Madison say this before, and she cracked me up. I wonder if this is a compliment to my great mothering :), or a reflection of the fact that she thinks I just sit around and take it easy all day. ( Jennifer- I found this especially funny after the cartoon you just posted on your blog!).

My Graduates

2010-06-02T22:55:00.007-04:00

Look at the difference. The picture in the blue dress is the second day of Kindergarten and the white tank top was today.

It has been a crazy couple of weeks. Brennan graduated from his first year of preschool and Madison graduated from Kindergarten. Here is a glimpse of Madison's big day. Unfortunately, I don't have Brennan's b/c they are on my phone and I don't have the needed cord to get them off. So, one day we Will get to see them...I will say I did cry at his graduation, which is so silly since he is going back to the same school next year. They just grow up so fast. Here he is singing at the 'mom's tea'. he is sitting in the middle with the white shirt.

And, my Macy update: She is a hoot. Her most recent favorite pastime- go into the kids closets and put on layers of shorts and underwear! These are all Brennan's clothes!
Her favorite words are 'no' and 'gimme', her favorite toy is her baby doll, and her cutest moment is when you can hear her singing, "papa loves me, papa loves me, yes he does, yes he does" from her crib.

Smiles...

2010-04-27T21:47:00.007-04:00

Isn't it great to be a kid! I wonder what treasure Brennan was searching for.

Mike and Maddie's annual date to the Daddy Daughter Dance.

We made cookies one afternoon, and when we were done Madison made this note for Mike. Note the spelling of 'we'.

And, here is some food for thought...

***Brennan: "Mom, where is the throw up when you are not sick?"

***For those of you who have watched me parent all of my kids, you will get a good laugh out of this one. Macy: pointing to her eyes, "eye", pointing to her nose, "nose", pointing to her mouth, "cookie"....my how things have changed from when I just had Madison. Anyone remember the kiwi cake I made Maddie for her first birthday?

***While discussing 'smart cars' Mike told Maddie that they really weren't very smart b/c if you got in a wreck you would get crushed. Maddie argued. "They are smart daddy b/c only one person can fit in there and that means you can think because it's quiet and you will get smart."

***Maddie and I also talked about electric cars. I was telling her how you plug them in to charge the battery and then you don't need gas. She pondered what I said for a while and responded with.."I don't get it mom. I just don't see how that works." I explained it to her again. And she asked, "But Mom, what if you have to drive a long way. What if you are driving across Massachusetts?" I tried to figure out how to answer her- and why she asked about Massachusetts. I think I gave her the same explanation again. And then she say, "BUT MOM...what if you run out of cord?" HAAAAA! I got a good laugh out of that one.

***Brennan has been enamored with the wildflowers. He has Mike's appreciation for nature. We were looking for some bluebonnets by his school when he suddenly exclaims, "Oh look mom, I found some Indian Toothbrushes (Indian Paintbrushes :) )" Later he was asking me what a certain type of flower was and I told him I didn't know. I said maybe they were black eyed susans. But since I was not sure he got very serious and said, "Mom, since we really don't know what they are called, let's just call them black eyed beautifuls!" I agreed whole-heartedly.

Easter

2010-04-10T15:49:00.003-04:00

We had a great Austin Easter. My parents were here and we just had a relaxed weekend. I haven't actually uploaded my pictures yet, but here are two that my mom sent. Thank goodness she is on top of things :)!

Let's go fly a kite...

2010-03-13T22:02:00.004-05:00

We have had so much fun over the last week flying our kites at the park. Honestly, I didn't really think the kids would be able to do it...boy was I wrong. They have done so well and it has been such a blast.

Our Snow Day!! :)

2010-03-13T21:58:00.000-05:00

Really?

2010-03-13T21:52:00.001-05:00

Today in the car on the way home from the store:
Madison: Did you guys know that sometimes we call William in my class William Shakespeare. HAHAHA!
Me: Haha :) Maddie, do you know who the real William Shakespeare was?
Madison: Uh, yeah...he is the one that made the Baby Einstein movies.

Another Happy

2010-03-01T21:50:00.000-05:00

Madison and I were playing a game the other night before bed when I was blessed with another laugh out loud moment :). She was showing me some stuff she had gotten at school, and she pulled some stickers out of a bag. She proudly showed me two American flag stickers and announced, "Mom, I need to say the pledge."(each morning at school, the kids say the pledge to the American flag, and then to the TX flag.) So she started..."I pledge allegience to thee...TEXAS." I started to giggle and I said, "Maddie, that is not the Texas flag, that's the American flag." Completely shocked, Madison looked at me and said, "WHAT. That's not the Texas flag. OH NO, MOM. I have been saying the pledge to the wrong flag ALL YEAR LONG!!!" We had a good laugh together :).

My Happy Moment

2010-02-28T22:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I was blessed with one of those 'laugh out loud' moments, right as I was feeling at the end. It was around 4 or 4:30...you know the time of day when you think you just can't make it until Dad gets home from work. The kids and I were in Brennan's room plaing dollhouse. Brennan and my doll were going to bed (we were the mom and dad and he wanted them to go to bed...which just made it harder for me to want to stay awake in real life!) Maddie was playing the big sister and she asked the parents if she could bathe the baby and put her to bed by herself (another moment that made me daydream about what it would be like if our game was reality). So, on we played...it really was a sweet moment, but just at a hard time of the day. And then, Macy, who had just been toddling around playing with different dollhouse things, turned it into an even sweeter moment that made me laugh out loud. She was pretty much in her own world, organizing, trying to fit the horse in the stable, etc. when I turned my attention to her (although she didn't realize I was watching her). She walked across the room, picked up one of the chairs from the dollhouse kitchen, cleared a space in the center of the room, put the chair down, turned herself around, and slowly and strategically tried to sit down in it. I laughed so hard!! When she hit the ground she was confused, but not deterred. She searched around for the little chair, found it (under her :) ) and went through the same process 3 or 4 more times. My heart just lit up as I saw her little mind working, and her curiousity drive her to keep trying. I don't know that she ever noticed me, but I cherished each moment. After a while she gave up on that and went to answer the dollhouse phone. And yes, I laughed out loud again as she tried to position the 1/2 inch phone receiver to her ear. Thank you Jesus for these precious blessings!!!

January...and February! :)

2010-02-20T23:13:00.000-05:00

Ok, I have some catching up to do. I realized that not only have I not updated my blog, but I haven't really taken many pictures lately. But, here is a glimpse at what I do have. My parents stayed with the kids while Mike and I went to the Bridges conference in San Diego. It was a great week. One free afternoon we went to the San Diego Zoo and enjoyed the city a little.

Macy is in a super cute, although somewhat challenging stage. She is entertains herself well for short times, and she LOVES to play with the big kids, but she also never ever stops. She is into everything and enjoys the attention she gets when we try to catch her before she.....eats the toothpaste, throws away the remote, or walks away with your wallet to name a few. Her personality is really coming out, and it is a joy to watch. When I try to read to her at night, she often refuses. She instead prefers to sit next to me and pretend to read her own book, while I read a different book. I will try to remember to upload the video of her 'reading'...it's cute. So, here she is all dressed up in Maddie's stuff, cuddling with Daddy, and just being cute.

A night of bowling with students.

The kids and I went to Houston to see my parents last weekend...always fun! They didn't want to leave.

My birthday! 37! Enjoying leftover cake from Madison's birthday! :)

A Glimpse of Christmas

2010-01-14T23:38:00.000-05:00

After Church on Christmas Eve I was determined to take a few family pictures. The kids did great. (OK, so I bribed them...I told them they could open one gift before bed if they cooperated.) They were so excited about that setup, they really started to ham it up.

I don't think we actually got any pictures where all 5 of us were looking the same way and smiling, but at least we didn't have any meltdowns.

Brennan and Uncle Michael playing with his new toy.

Macy got Maddie up and then we had to pull Brennan out of bed.

It only took a few minutes before he was awake and ready to go!

On the 27th Mike and I left for our Bridges conference in San Diego, while my parents stayed with the kids. We were so thankful for their willingness to allow us to go together (it was really MUCH harder than I anticipated for me to leave for so long. I have never been away for 6 days, and I had never left Macy before.). But, on Christmas morning, everytime the kids received a new movie as a gift mom and dad cheered!!!!

Mom and Dad got the kids the most adorable marionettes. They have enjoyed putting on little shows. Mom's next goal is to build a stage with them! So fun...if I had just half her energy.

The biggest hit of the day was the selection of puppies from the "Santa Buddies" Movie from my brother. You know it is a hit when weeks later the kids are still taking them everywhere. The other night we were over at the Culwell's house, and Brennan's favorite dog, Butterball, got stuck in their entryway chandelier. How? Well, the kids were tossing them from the second story...why did we let them do that? I don't know. But Butterball is stuck, and we can't get him out. I am so sorry Warren and Barbara. They were very gracious :). Brennan cried a river. We are still working on a plan to rescue Butterball...or should I say to rescue the Culwells entryway.

So, by the afternoon the kids had gathered up lots of Christmas yummies, gotten a table and a cash register and set up shop in the driveway. Maddie was trying hard to make some money, and Brennan was eating cookie after cookie yelling, "Free cookies for sale!" Grandpa offered to buy her out for $4 and take her out to get a smoothie, but she declined the offer since that would put her out of business. I will tell you, she made a few dollars (from us and a few sweet neighbors) and we went out and she bought herself a smoothie!!

And then there were the Christmas Programs

2010-01-14T22:49:00.000-05:00

Bear with me as I play catch up :). I am going on the Orthadox calendar this year. The kids both had really cute Christmas programs this year. Brennan actually sang, which was an improvement from Thanksgiving when he just hugged the kid next to him the whole time!

coming soon...Christmas Day! :)

Happy Birthday Mike!

2010-01-08T23:01:00.001-05:00

December was full indeed! On the 18th we celebrated Mike's birthday. The kids and I got all dressed up in our Montana Grizzly gear (The University of Montana was playing for some title that night) and took him out to lunch.

(my fleece was a grizzly one :) )

Then, the kids made Mike cupcakes for our celebration that night...

I don't think Mike actually ate any of those, but the kids loved them and they worked very hard on them...as you can see.

In the evening, Mike and I actually got to go out and watch part of the Grizzly game. It was fun that the game fell on his birthday...and they almost won...hehe!

Happy Birthday Mike. We are all so thankful for you. You are such a gracious husband and a loving, fun and hands on dad. You bring laughter and and joy to our home everyday. We love you!!!

Surgery Day

2010-01-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

Her is a glimpse into Macy's surgery day...

Here we are passing the time while waiting for the doctor. We were at a great children's surgery center. I was very impressed by the staff and the center in general.

Macy came out of surgery all smiles and full of spunk! The nurse said she woke up smiling and giggling and ready to play. We tried to keep her busy until they took the IV out. I was a little disappointed she was so wound up, because I was sure I would get lots of good cuddle time as she was coming out of anesthesia. But I am so thankful that, even though the doctor ended up having to do more than she anticipated, everything went well.

Recovery! Macy Grace looked pretty rough for a few days, but she bounced back so quickly. By day 4 or 5 she just had a black eye. She never even missed a beat. I was looking at her eye today and there is still a bump (maybe there always will be?) and a small scar, but when it fades it will be hardly noticable. I hope we are done with this little cyst for good!

Happy Birthday Madison

2010-01-04T23:00:00.001-05:00

Well, this is almost a month late, but here is a little glimpse into Madison's 6th birthday!

Maddie's birthday was on a Thursday. It was a busy day with Mike still in Mexico and Macy having her surgery while Madison was at school. It actually worked out fine. I was able to bring Madison and her cupcakes to school :), and then take Macy to the surgery center (with my mom) while my dad took Brennan to school. I am so thankful that my parents were able to be here to help...I could not have done it without them. We were released from the hospital and home about the time that Madison got home. My main goal for the day was to balance the stressors and still make Madison feel special. From my perspective, I wish I could have done so much more to make her day special...but I don't think all of the craziness made her feel any less loved. I thought she would be sad that her cake was a plate of cookies that someone from Church had brought over, but you know...she didn't mind one bit. She was thrilled that there were candles...and actually, she asked if she could just have a candy cane to celebrate!!! On Sunday, after Mike was back, we did have a little party for her and a few of her friends. Praise the Lord, we had a break in the cold weather, and Sunday was amazingly beautiful and so the kids played outside! We had a butterfly theme, with crafts, a pinata and a butterfly cake. All in all it was a great celebration. Madison's prized gift was a watch from my parents. She wanted a watch so badly that she actually made a prize for the person that gave her a watch - isn't that cute :).

After 6 wonderful years Maddie continues to amaze me. She is such a delightful child. I just love to be with her. I does not matter what we are doing, she is just a joy to spend time with. She loves to be creative, loves order, is incredibly loyal and very competitive! She makes Macy light up like no one else, and Brennan adores her. So much so that he sobs when she goes to school. I think she may be a teacher when she grows up, because she is always teaching the little ones. Often, when we go to the grocery store, she brings her notebook and sits in the cart with Brennan and has him work on his lettrs! It is very sweet.

Madison, I adore you. I thank the Lord every day for the gift of you to our family. He has made you in an amazing way. As you grow, I pray that you would love the Lord with all your heart and continue to love your friends and family deeply. I cherish your loving heart, your giggles, your beautiful spirit and of course, all of the wonderful pictures you create daily for the people you love. You make my day...EVERY DAY I love you sweet girl!!!

In Loving Memory

2009-12-21T23:41:00.001-05:00

As most of you know, we lost Mike's mom on the 3rd of December. The last few weeks have been difficult in so many ways, but we have also enjoyed great times remembering Roz. Today, December 21st, would have been Roz's 65th birthday. We are going through all of the emotions of sudden loss, feeling angry that she was taken in such a seemingly unjust way, but feeling comfort in God's sovereignty. We know her joy is complete now, and for that we rejoice. We are thankful for our wonderful memories. Our greatest sadness is that our kids will not have a chance to know her better, and feel the depth of the love she had for them.

We are so thankful that Roz was able to spend 10 days with us last February. We had such an amazing time together!! Her are some pictures from our visit. We love you Roz! Happy Birthday!

A glimpse at November

2009-12-01T22:41:00.001-05:00

Madison's Thanksgiving program.

Brennan's School programMacy swinging at Pine Cove.

November seemed to fly by. We had a great month. We were at our regional conference near Tyler,Tx for a few days and it was really great. Mike and I both felt very encouraged, and the kids had the time of their lives. They just loved it! They were all so exhausted each of them fell asleep at the dinner table at one time or another!

Both the big kids did really cute programs at school. Brennan sang one song, and then spent the rest of the show hugging his classmates. Madison was gone for the few days before her program (b/c of Pine Cove), so she tried on a few of the songs, but the rest she just giggled through.

On Thanksgiving, Macy and I joined Mike's Aunt Susie, cousin Virginia, brother Charlie and one of their friends for the 'Turkey Trot'. It is a 5 mile run/walk in the heart of Austin. It was really a great way to start the day- with about 13,000 other Austinites!

FUN!

2009-12-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

Mike has been taking the kids in the hot tub in the evenings, and they have been SO happy! Macy and I keep hoping to join them...but it always seems to happen at a time when Macy needs something inside. I love hearing them laugh and play. One night Madison came in (for a bathroom break) and was so excited....she was telling me all about how they were star gazing and how daddy had found a planet. Sweet moments.

My CRAZY Husband

2009-11-13T23:11:00.001-05:00

Check out Mike's latest post http://mikekrieg.blogspot.com/ to seee what he has been up to lately.

Halloween and more...

2009-11-13T08:09:00.001-05:00

We had such a fun Halloween here in Austin. Really, everyday is Halloween as Brennan almost always chooses a superhero costume over regular clothes. And why not! I wish I could do that!

We had a fun party with International students and then we headed out for trick or treating and then home to hand out candy. Last year it was all so new to the kids, but this year they didn't miss a beat. They were trick or treat pros :). I was suprised, but happy, at the end of the night to hear Madison say that she like handing out candy from our house better than going out and getting candy.

So, what did we do with the mountains of junk that made it's way into our house...well first off, after the kids went to bed a lot of the candy made it's way into the birthday pinata (I know, isn't that mean...don't tell them), and then the kids made an offering to the 'Sugar Fairy' the next night. (don't worry, they still had plenty). So, they gathered candy, put it by the fireplace and the next morning, it was gone and the sugar fairy had left a little toy in it's place. Good deal don't you think! Well, Madison thought it was such a great deal that she gathered up a second pile of candy the next night for another 'exchange'. On night three, she was disappointed that she didn't have any more candy to give. Oh, and by the way, along with her candy offering she left a great note telling the sugar fairy that this was all stuff that she really, really liked...not the gross stuff...in hopes that she would get an even better toy. I LOVE kids.

Speaking of loving kids, here are a couple of fun things they have had to say:
Brennan: I was trying to explain to him what a gift card is (not easy). As I went through my explaination of how you have to put money on it and then you can buy things, he listened intently. Very much wanting to use the card that he had just gotten (just an empty one from a lady at the checkout counter at Target) , he says, "So, you have to put money on it? (thinks some more). Like, you mean, we can just tape money all over it?" HA! I love it!

Madison: Yesterday on PBS, there was a Sesame Street commercial that had Michelle Obama talking with one of the puppets. I looked at Madison and asked, "Maddie, do you know who that is?" She said, "No." I said, " That is Michelle Obama. She is the first lady." To which Madison replied, "No she is not, Eve was." :) So sweet...and true ;).

Brennan's 4th Birthday

2009-11-02T23:55:00.001-05:00

Our sweet little guy turned 4 on Thursday! I can't believe it! He was so excited about school on his birthday because not only were they celebrating his birthday, they also got to wear their Halloween costumes and have a party! Unfortunately, about an hour and a half into school I got a call from his director saying he had a high fever and I needed to come and get him. I was so sad. He was laying on some pillows in the office, sound asleep with a 104 degree fever. The rest of the day was spent sleeping and cuddling (which I didn't mind at all), but by the end of the day it didn't really feel like a birthday since he was feeling so poorly. He did perk up enough to open a couple of presents and eat a cupcake :). Then, on Sunday we had some friends over and celebrated him!! It is hard for me to believe that he is 4. There are days when he seems so grown up and then there are days when he is just my baby. He is growing into a very fun loving, tender, and kind little guy. He is endlessly optamistic - you can always catch him saying, "but it will be ok though!". He cherishes his friendship with Madison, and has a very hard time when she is away at school. He tends to overwhelm her when she gets home because he just wants to be near her. He enjoys the 'power' her has over Macy...a little push or a shove when he walks by...but it is clear to see how he adores her. He is reduced to tears if he feels he or someone else has hurt her. He is obsessed with his daddy...and dominates Mike's time when he is home. He is a different super hero each day and wants to be wrestled, tackled, chased and tickled all day long. He is blessed with an endless imagination ( just like his dad :)). He is generous with his hugs and kisses and would never let a tear drop from my face without running to get me a kleenex and gently rubbing my back and telling me that it is all going to be ok. He is 100% boy and 100% tender and loving.

Brennan, I pray you never lose your passion to love people deeply. I pray you will always be a boy inside who embraces adventure and revels in the little things. I pray your determination and tenacity would be chanelled into service for the Lord. And I pray that you never forget that you are wonderfully made and fully loved. Happy Birthday sweet boy. I love you.

A few recent pictures

2009-10-20T22:50:00.000-04:00

My parents were here this weekend, and my sweet mom took some photos of the kids (even more sweet than normal since this time she had a sinus infection and the kids were all sick!). These are the few she has sent me. I will post more as she sends them. I just can't believe how big they all look.

Macy Grace is 1!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-10-02T23:19:00.002-04:00

I am a bit slow getting this posted, but on the 4th we celebrated Macy's 1st birthday. I honestly can't believe she is one. I always get emotional around my kid's birthdays. I love each stage, but I do wish I could freeze time and keep them little. Macy is an absolute delight. She had a very mellow first year. She just took life in...watched Madison and Brennan a lot, took a lot of car rides and stroller rides...but recently she has found her voice and turned into a little fireball!! She keeps us laughing all day. She is opinionated and silly and into everything! Her favorite thing to do is to crawl slowly towards some 'no touch zone' and when she knows she has your attention she turns on her turbo boost and high tails it where she knows you don't want her to go and cracks herself up laughing while you are chasing her down.

She is still a finiky eater...she prefers yogurt at every meal. She doesn't care what kind...cow milk, goat milk, coconut milk...and it really doesn't matter what you add to it - plain, spinach, applesauce, avacado...it just has to be some variation of yogurt. I don't know, maybe it is the texture. She has discovered her sweet tooth. I think she got that from me and maybe from having access to much more junk that the others did.

She communicates with ut ohhhh, mama, dada, a bit of sign language and lots of pointing and grunting (and I mean lots - until you get it right!!)

She is still pretty easy going around new people.She does not tend to be very clingy to me most of the time, which is nice.

So, there is a little glimpse in to the personality of our precious blessing.

Happy Birthday Macy Grace!

One day while the big kids were out, Macy ruled the house and LOVED every minute of it.

Macy has discovered that she loved to swing in the back yard. There are lots of grunts and points to the backdoor. Too bad for her it has been a hot and rainy month.

Here is my birthday girl on her birthday morning...she was over the moon to see a ballon (which I must confess was just one of the free ones that they give out a the grocery store...but it is still fun :) )

Mom and dad and the birthday girl.

I am one and I have a cupcake!

And a few gifts which Madison wrapped and helped her open.

It's time for School!

2009-09-04T08:37:00.003-04:00

Our sweet Brennan started preschool this week!!! He was nervous about going - which was a huge surprise to us because he is so social- but it only took a couple of minutes and he got into it. He loves his teacher Ms. Brenda and he has already made a little friend!

My Big Girl

2009-08-26T21:36:00.005-04:00

I can't imagine that 5 years have flown by and my baby has started Kindergarten. It is Wednesday and I am still crying! Although I am thankful that I am the one crying and not Madison. She is really enjoying school. She really likes her teacher and has already made some little friends! Here are a couple of pictures of the week.

Macy- 11 months!

2009-08-18T21:46:00.003-04:00

Here is our little Macy Grace in her 11th month!

A Busy Summer

2009-08-16T17:06:00.008-04:00

The summer is coming to a close and it has gone by much too fast. I am finding that I am SO sad for school to start. I really enjoy slow mornings with the kids and us all being together. We have had a couple of slow weeks here to recover from a busy July and I am very thankful! July started off with a drive to Houston after our AC died :) and then we packed up and headed to Albuquerque for a few days to visit my Aunts and Uncle. It was such a fun visit for me and for the kids. So fun in fact, that I forgot to take a single picture while were were there. After that we headed up to Ft. Collins for staff training. We got to stay with Greg and Danica on our way to New Mexico. To say that the kids had fun there would be an understatement! Max and Madison and Brennan must have run 50 laps around the house in these outfits! It was so fun and refreshing to reconnect, even if it was just for a night! In Ft. Collins we lived with Dave and Megan and their three kids! It was a blast! Our kids were so happy to have 24 hour a day playmates and living life with friends for 10 days did my heart good! Brennan found the true boy inside on a little hike we took one day! One of the other MAJOR! highlights from the summer was getting to see Cheryl and Lena who have been here in the states this summer. on our way home we took a quick little tour of The Garden of the Gods. And on our way to and from training, we stayed on Co. Springs with the Josts and thanks to their planning we got to see all sorts of fun friend like the Vincents and Thad. And, with Tom, Trisha and Thad as our witnesses, Macy started to crawl!! Thanks for rejoicing with us that night guys!!! SO, while July was rich with fellowship, it was in some ways bittersweet. We are thankful for where the Lord has us, but we deeply miss our friends. We are choosing to be full of gratitude for the times we are able to be together, and praying that there will be more times together soon

2009-07-10T09:01:00.004-04:00

Macy gets a bath in the sink at Nana and Papa's.
Nana and Macy taking a little walk.

On the way to Houston we stopped in Brenham at the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory for a tour. I have never seen so much ice cream in my life...and at the end of the tour they give you a BIG scoop of ice cream :)

The girls are in a little window where the stores have matching clothes in both sizes, so we are having fun with it.

4th of July Fun!

2009-07-10T08:46:00.003-04:00

We had a great July 4th in Houston with my family. We enjoyed the neighborhood parade and the fireworks at the Church. On Sunday, Madison asked if I could leave her and Brennan there and let Nana and Papa bring them back to Austin in a week.

10 Months

2009-07-09T16:29:00.003-04:00

My mom took these pictures of Macy when we were in Houston this last week. I really can't believe she is 10 months old. She is still not crawling, and of course I am worried, but she does scoot along in a sitting position - maybe that is her way of crawling. She is a hoot...she loves attention. She likes to be dramatic and lay face down on her high chair tray, she loves to feed me, but won't eat what I have made until she has smelled it and taken the tiniest little taste, and she makes the funniest face scrunching up her nose (one day I will capture it on film). And, the faster I can push her in a stroller or cart, the harder she laughs!

Macy is 9 months

2009-06-23T17:20:00.003-04:00

Here are a few recent pictures of Miss Macy. She is getting more opinionated and loud- so cute. This is such a fun age. She is not crawling - which has me half thrilled and half worried! The doctor is not concerned - yet - since her fine motor skills and social skills are fine. But we are working on getting her to move.

LIP SMACKIN' GOOD!!!!

2009-06-03T16:50:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned before Macy is a picky eater, but when she likes something she really likes it!!! I am not a great cook, and quite honestly I really don't enjoy preparing food...so this latest little stage with Macy really delights me!!!
On another food note...I think that Brennan is able to digest goat's milk (he can't eat cow's...and sadly, neither can I after three pregnancies- strange what the body does)so I started him on goat yogurt, but it is way too expensive...so I bought a yogurt maker (after killing 4 batches of yogurt without it) and we have been making our own yogurt(cow and goat). Yesterday morning I felt so satisfied as I watched all three of the kids eat their homemade yogurt-and they all liked it -a small miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swim Lessons, Soccer and Just Silly

2009-05-27T11:15:00.002-04:00

2009-05-22T17:37:00.001-04:00

It hasn't even been a year and I have already slacked off with monthly pictures of Macy. I did get 7 month pictures, but I can't seem to find them. So, I have just added some cute ones from the last couple of months. We have finally, after 8 months gotten in a relatively good routine. Macy sleeps well at night, but her naps are still a bit touch and go, although most days she is getting two pretty good ones, but usually with a little bit of a fight. She is enjoying her solid foods, but it makes me laugh b/c she is already quite finicky. She often turns her nose up to my homemade baby food and opts for the organic jar food...a bit of a baby food snob! Other than that, she is all smiles and delights us every day!

Bye Bye training wheels

2009-05-22T16:48:00.003-04:00

Maddie learned to ride her bike without training wheels!!

Time for an Update

2009-04-14T17:43:00.007-04:00

It has been a busy couple of months. Here are just a few of the highlights. And, just overlook the repeated pictures that are under the wrong headings...I am out of time so this will have to do!
Madison lost her first...TEETH. That's right. Not one tooth, but two within a couple of days. And one of her adult teeth is on it's way in. I may be silly, but the loss of those baby teeth was very emotional for me!

We had a wonderful ten days with Grandma Rozzie when she came up from Mexico for a visit.>

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Macy turned 6 months (and now 7 - but I am catching up :) )

Mike and Madison went to a father/daughter dance! And, yes, Brennan did get dressed up for the occasion! :)

5 Months Old

2009-02-22T08:04:00.003-05:00

Macy is enjoying her 5th month and we are enjoying her!! She is such an easy going baby...almost to a fault sometimes. She is so content to go along with the flow, I've realized I often neglect to meet her needs for good naps...so the only time she is not easy going is on nights when she is over tired. I am trying to find some balance with meeting the 'big kid's' needs and being sensitive to hers - even when she does not demand it. She is rolling over now -and soon to be all over the place (it is bittersweet to say goodbye to the immobile days :) ). She loves her feet, sucking on her lips and tongue (so cute), and she still tries to suck her thumb, but on the rare occasion that she gets it in her mouth she just chews on it. She loves to watch Madison and Brennan and enjoys a good walk in the stroller. She hasn't entered into the world of solid food yet - partly because I don't want to introduce the prep and clean up of that into MY life (gotta be honest), and partly because I am suspicious that she may have dairy issues like Brennan. So, I want to wait as long as possible to introduce foods. Prayerfully, I am wrong about the dairy, but it seems that when I have a lot of dairy in my diet she is more fussy. Here are some of her 5 month shots and a few that mom took of the kids.

This is a little Russian bonnet that I bought for Madison when we lived in Samara. I think it is so cute.
5 months and bright eyed. Some sweet shots my mom took of the kids.

Madison Scores Her First Goal

2009-02-16T15:36:00.003-05:00

The Tripin' Daisies

2009-02-15T22:08:00.005-05:00

Madison just started soccer! After a vote, the team decided to call themselves the Tripin' Daisies (there is a set of triplets on her team :) ) and this weekend the Daisies had their first game...against the Sparklez!! It was a big one, and for all of you who could not make it I've got pictures and video(which wouldn't upload - I will try again later)! Madison had the time of her life. It was very entertaining. I think by the end of the game every girl on the team had cried at least once, many had run the wrong way, and one had taken a break from scoring a goal to run over and hug her daddy- classic!

Unfortunately, I forgot to check the weather the morning of the game and a cold front had come in. Needless to say, all the die hard daisy fans were FREEZING.

TRUE STORY

2009-02-15T14:24:00.002-05:00

This story is...true, and it proves that boys are boy...and even though I laughed hard, it is not something I am proud of! :) Last night, my sweet brother in law came over to stay with Madison and Brennan while Mike and I went out for the evening (with Macy). We were all eating dinner together before we left. Madison was having a bit of an attitude problem, so we were focused on her. As we finished getting her to sit up in her chair and act like a lady at the table, we looked over to see Brennan standing up on his chair mooning us! I am not kidding! Oh my goodness, I was shocked. Where did he get that idea? He has never seen that, or been exposed (no pun intended) to that type of behavior. Oh...we have a long way to go in training these little ones. Fortunately, I don't have any pictures to add to this post :).

JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS

2009-02-08T19:41:00.008-05:00

Our cuties!

Mrs. Jennifer, I told mommy that this was feeling a little tight and that I thought it was supossed to be pants not capris, but she didn't care...she said it was cute and I would wear it -no fussing! Guess what, I just got a checkup and I am in the 90th percentile for length!!
Enjoying some amazing Persian music.

Madison and Brennan had such a wonderful time with this. It reminds me of the scene in ET when he is hiding in the closet.

My girls favorite pose.

FOUR months already!

2009-01-09T20:50:00.004-05:00

I know I just posted 3 months days ago...and now, we've just passed 4 months...time flies :)
Macy seems to be growing so fast. She rolled over for the first time the other day. I missed it...I just heard her fussing and found her face down and frustrated!

I love that as Macy's hair is growing it is sticking straight up, just like Madison's did!! I love it! She delights us more everyday. Thank you Jesus for this little one!

Playing Catch Up!

2009-01-02T20:50:00.011-05:00

It has been such a full month...here is what has been going on in the Krieg house:
Macy turned three months. She gets more delightful every day!

My Baby turned 5!!! I can't believe Madison is 5. I always get a little sad around birthdays...they are growing up so fast. We had a fun family party and then Maddie had a party with some of her friends.

Mike had a birthday!!

And, of course, there was Christmas!

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME...

2008-11-28T18:06:00.003-05:00

Yippee! The holidays are here and it is so much fun. We had a nice relaxing Thanksgiving with Mike's family, and now we are all in the Holiday spirit. Mike is going nuts and I love it! He has already put all the lights on the house, we've got the tree on the car, sugar cookies in the oven and hot chocolate in our bellies. :) (can we keep this up for the next month?) But it is just so much fun...and the kids love it. We went to the Christmas tree farm with some friends today, and we cut down our tree. It is nice to be in one place and imagine how it will be to carry on some of the same traditions year after year. Here are some pictures from the farm. The TREE!!
Madison and Caroline.
The Hay Maze.
Ready to GO!

Macy Grace is 2 months old!

2008-11-18T21:29:00.003-05:00

Here is Macy at 2 months! She continues to be a delight and I thank God all the time for blessing us with this little one! She is sleeping through the night most of the time, and just goes with the flow during the day. She is starting to need a bit more structure, which is hard while trying to meet the older kids needs...but I am trying to find the balance.

My baby boy is 3!!!

2008-11-18T21:16:00.003-05:00

Well, I am a little slow getting this one out, but Brennan had his third birthday on October 29th. Where does the time go. I can't believe how fast he is growing up. I cherish each stage, but wish I could slow it down a little bit. We had a little family party on his birthday and then he had a couple of friends over on the weekend. I had the most fun making his soccer ball cake, and he loved eating it!!!

All dressed up!

2008-11-04T21:45:00.005-05:00

A few days before Halloween we went with a nearby MOPS group to hand out goodies at an assisted living center. The kids were pretty shy, but I am so glad we did it. Our world here can get so sheltered, and it was good to have them a little out of their comfort zone.
The people in our neighborhood really got into the spirit...almost all the houses we went to people were dressed up to hand out candy. It was really fun!

We trick or treated with our neighbors up the street.

Here is my pumpkin, my fire breathing dragon and my daisy....they had a great time and they have already forgotten about the candy - even better!

Fall Fun

2008-10-29T21:34:00.007-04:00

Grandpa and I took the kids up to the Fall Festival at Church this past weekend. The kids loved it and we loved watching them have so much fun.

Madison all dressed up for 'Cowboy Day' at school. (I forgot the flash, so it is not a great pic). I got to volunteer with her class and it was so much fun. The 'roped cattle', panned for gold, rode ponies, and so much more.

It can be hard to be #3

Tender Moments

2008-10-11T15:17:00.003-04:00

This is so sweet...until...well, you'll see!

NOTHING!

2008-10-08T21:14:00.002-04:00

Family Time

2008-10-07T21:47:00.002-04:00

It is not hard to get the three kids together -since Madison and Brennan are usually crawling on top of Macy to hug and kiss her, but to get them all to look at me for a picture is another story.

A little time with Daddy.

Whose the baby?

Macy is 1 month old

2008-10-07T21:32:00.003-04:00

It is hard to believe that Macy is already one month. Time is just going too, too fast. She (for the most part) has been a really easy baby, and we are trying to enjoy every minute. Angela, I thought your monthly picture was such a great idea, I stole it! :) So here is Macy at a month old.

Week 3 with 3!

2008-09-26T22:31:00.004-04:00

Some quality puzzle time with daddy - thank you Megan for sending us to Target!!
A little time with Nana...

Madison wore these 'ears' all day when she was out running errands with Mike. Note the sound waves coming from the ears. :)

Macy is more alert every day. She is such a joy

My three babies!

Our family!

2008-09-12T16:34:00.010-04:00

Here is our first family photo!! :) Macy is one week old in this picture. The only complaint I have about this last week is...it went WAY TOO FAST. We are having so much fun, I wish I could just freeze time. I know it will get harder, but for now I am so thankful for the fun days and the way the kids have embraced little Macy Grace.

Here are Brennan and Madison on their way to meet Macy for the first time. I don't think I have ever seen Brennan so excited. That smile did not leave his face the whole time he was in the room. Once they took Macy to the nursery, he kept running back and forth from the recovery room to the nursery to look at her. When they took her, he looked at me and said, "Mommy, I miss Macy." All week, the first thing he asks when he walks in the room is, 'Where's Macy?' And Madison is 100% into being a big sister. She was very timid at first, but once she had a chance to hold Macy, she felt more confident and now she is 100% into being big sister. She adores Macy and wants to be with her all day. She always asks me to bring Macy down to her so she can look at her. She tells me, "Mommy, I just love to look at her face."

The king and the queen of the Krieg house.

Maddie went to school with curls - so sweet!

Time to grow up and be a big boy - hehe

A little time with Grandpa - in coordinating shirts!

Brennan dressed up as Darth Vader - Mike has been telling the kids the Star Wars story, and they are all into acting it out.

MADISON'S FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL!

2008-09-04T09:09:00.002-04:00

I can't believe my baby girl started preschool. She jumped up in the morning and asked if today was the day. When I told her it was she ran back to her room to get dressed and ready for the day. She ran right into her class, which was such a praise, and now she can't wait to go again tomorrow! She loves her teacher Ms. Julie and loves that her class has a lot of girls in it! :)

Enjoying August

2008-08-26T22:00:00.005-04:00

This was the scene when I left for my doctor's appointment last week. The kids LOVE to play doctor!

Nana taught the kids this move...it is supposed to send blood to your brain so that you don't need a nap...thanks a lot Nana!! :)

Madison is a blooming photographer...she snapped this shot of Brennan and me.

After 'slaying' Goliath hundreds of times, we decided it was time to have Brennan transform into King David...maybe now he will just walk around the house singing songs of praise to God rather than getting all of us with his slingshot. Likely??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANA!

2008-08-05T22:11:00.002-04:00

Odds and Ends

2008-07-29T20:58:00.011-04:00

The kids were in heaven playing with Clara and Millie this week..but I didn't get any pictures with all four kids :(

We finally moved Brennan into a big boy bed...and

Brennan fell out of his big boy bed.(and rolled all the way across the floor.)

We took the kids to a sibling class at the hospital. They got to see the babies and the rooms where moms stay. They also learned how to hold babies, swaddle them and change diapers. It was a really fun class. The best part was when Mike was helping Brennan change his baby's diaper...they were struggling a bit, and the teacher walked over and announced to the class that the reason they couldn't get the diaper on was because they had it backwards. Just for the record...Mike has probably changed more diapers than I have...maybe he is just a little rusty:).

Attention all grandparents: Brennan needs some boy dress up clothes!

Belly shot at 7 months

"MAN TIME"

I was helping Madison pick up her room the other day and found this picture she had drawn on her mega-sketcher (Danica - do you remember picking up the mega-sketcher for me in Samara - one of the best toys EVER!!!). I asked her what it was and she told me it was a picture of Paul and Silas in jail!!

Which one of these things doesn't belong....

2008-07-13T22:43:00.004-04:00

When my mom was here she and Brennan had several 'photo shoots'. I was amazed that he really got into it and actually followed her directions and let her photograph him...can you tell which poses were mom's idea and which were Brennan's??? hehe... The other day he was looking in the mirror while we were brushing his teeth and he asked me, "Mommy, am I looking at the mirror or is the mirror looking at me?" :) My little philosopher.

Happy Birthday, America

2008-07-10T10:25:00.005-04:00

My mom and dad were here for the 4th and we enjoyed the parade in our neighborhood. The kids loved marching around with their flags, but by mid-day the flags had to disappear because they had turned into weapons...sigh...

A GREAT WEEKEND

2008-06-23T15:51:00.005-04:00

We had a great family weekend here in Austin. It was filled with yard work, soccer and family fun. The kids got new soccer balls while out with dad, so on Saturday morning we went to the park and played soccer. Afterwards everyone pitched in to work in the yard. Mike and the kids mowed and I trimmed all the hedges!! It was a good feeling - but by the end of the day my body hated met and reminded me that I was 29 weeks prego!! After naps we went swimming over at Uncle Jack's house and then Jack treated us to an amazing dinner of Seafood Fettuccini Alfredo(he is a GREAT cook)

Happy Father's Day, Mike!

2008-06-16T21:41:00.003-04:00

Some highlights from the last month...

2008-06-12T09:50:00.011-04:00

We have had a busy month, house hunting, and finally moving and getting settled into our new place in Austin. Here are a few highlights:

A little friendly sword fight...and a soldier who insisted on sleeping with his armor.

just some cute shots...

swimming in Nana and Grandpa's backyard.

Breakfast at our new house...and some silliness.

Madison was thrilled when Clara came over one morning.

We spent Saturday afternoon at Lake Travis with a group of International Students...fun, but very hot!

Our little balerina twirled around our new house while spiderman (Brennan) 'threw webs on her'. I hope to upload the video soon...I love to see the difference between boys and girls.

We had the joy of seeing Angela and Petya and their new little baby Kostya this weekend. He is SO cute, and the kids are crazy about him. The first thing both of them wanted to know when they woke up this morning was, "Where is Kostya? I need to go in his room and check on him!". In the first picture Brennan is demonstrating how he is going to hold the baby.

Belly pics!

2008-05-14T09:21:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple of belly pictures with the kiddos. Brennan is more excited about the baby than he looks in this picture :)

Keeping your eye on the ball...

2008-04-28T17:25:00.007-04:00

Brennan is very determined to make contact with this golf ball!

Moving 'em to the front yard

2008-04-28T17:16:00.002-04:00

The kids are still loving gardening. They moved to the front yard this week...is this child labor? Nana and Papa also bought Brennan a new bike, so now he and Maddie race around the back patio all day.

Hello to Texas

2008-04-20T15:22:00.004-04:00

We have enjoyed the warm spring sun in Texas. The kids spend most of the time in Nana's garden...and she puts them to work. They love it. Madison told me she would like our new house to have a backyard like Nana's...I can maybe promise her the grass, but I am not sure my yard will be a thing of beauty. :) Brennan has been working on his golf swing and Madison has been enjoying some story time with Dad. (and -for those of your who are concerned - Brennan's spray bottle is water, not Clorox :) )

Saying goodbye to Oregon

2008-04-20T15:07:00.002-04:00

It was hard to say goodbye to our friends and our Church in Oregon. The kids ask about our small group, friends and Church all the time.