A rocky start to a 6th birthday!

Boy, what a crazy few days before the girls' birthday!!! I had plans to be out of town with some friends on Monday and part of Tuesday but it was rescheduled last minute - and good thing it was because I wouldn't have been able to go as it was! Ana came down with a fever at bedtime Saturday night and continued to run her fever all the way through Tuesday (THEIR BIRTHDAY!). Poor Ana didn't even get to go to school to help her sister pass out their treats! Ever since she started having seizures and we've found out what to do to help eliminate the possibility of having them occur again, I get SO nervous when she gets a fever or a cold, for fear they will start again. I got very scared when I took her temp and it was 104 degrees. She was so off balance, but stood in the shower for 30 minutes to cool down until the medicine kicked in. She's definitely a trooper. And, thank God, no seizures!! We were finally able to get together with Grandma and Grandpa Kerber, and Grandma Fank. Grandpa Fank was still busy in the field and Grandma and Grandpa Luedtke are gone to Hawaii enjoying their anniversary. The girls asked to go to the chinese restaurant here in town for their meal, so that's what we did (last night because they had dance on their birthday). Our babies are SIX!!! Such beautiful and wonderful little girls - we are truly blessed.

The countdown is on...

For the last few weeks the girls have been asking "how many days until our birthday?" Well, once we hit 15 days, they have been counting down the days ever since. We are now down to 3!!! My babies are going to be 6! Where did the time go?? It's amazing how much they have grown in the time since Kale was born - I think I've noticed it mostly because I have been here to see them grow. I feel so sad when I think that I missed out on 3 years of watching them grow, so I think I notice even the smallest of things now! I find great joy in the smallest of things now too. Before I know it, Kale will be leaving me for school too - so I have to take advantage of all of the minutes I have remaining!

With the cruddy weather we had this past week, I have found really quickly that it's going to be a LONG winter with Kale. He's such an "outside" kid so being limited to the inside has been hard. We've enjoyed our fair share of snow, rain, cold, and wind this past week and I hope that it's not a sign of what's to come.

Now we look forward to the girls' birthday and Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for!!

Gotta love Fall!!!

You know you're in Iowa when...it can be almost 80 degrees on Monday and then have a chance for snow by Thursday!!! This is the one thing I dislike most about Fall - I wish it would just stay 60 degrees in the winter and then be about 80-85 degrees in the summer. I'm not asking too much!!

The best thing about Fall though is all the fun things there are to do with the kids. I've added some pictures from some of the things we've been doing this fall.

Carving pumpkins was fun this year because Kale loved digging his hands in to pull everything out. Ana, our kid that will try anything, was all about getting in and getting dirty to clean out her pumpkin as well. Mia, on the other hand, didn't want to even get near the gunk inside. It's so amazing how she can be such a tough kid, but can be so apprehensive when it comes to trying anything!! Swimming lessons concluded as well and both of the girls passed and can now move on to the next level. They are begging me to get them signed up again and I have to constantly tell them that I can't sign them up until they tell us that they will be offering them again!! Ana, once again, was the brave one and jumped off the diving board like 6 times while Mia was too scared to try. I remember being nervous doing it the first time to so I had the talk with her about "you will never know if you enjoy it unless you try it - you have to try it at least once". So maybe next time, she'll give it a shot! Both girls have become very comfortable with swimming under water, floating, etc. I hope to get them in level two when they offer them again so they don't lose interest!!!

Halloween was a fun night. Aunt Nikki and Cousin Hailey came and trick or treated with us. If you remember, Hailey was here when Kale ended up in a dress, so it was bound to be a fun night for all of them! Kale took everything in stride - although was very unsure about all of the other kids being dressed up. He quickly got though it though and acted like an 'ol pro as he walked up to people's doors and got candy. The funniest things though were the fact that starting off he insisted on EATING all of his candy instead of putting it in his bag, and the other being that once he couldn't keep up with eating it - he thought he should carry all of it. I began to wonder why we even brought a bag. He finally started putting it in his bag and ended up with a lot!!! This was the first year that we have actually walked the streets. In the past we have just gone to people's homes that we know because it has always been so chilly. It was a perfect night this year - no coats needed!

Kale has been completely content this fall spending time with Grandpa or Daddy in the combine. Next year, they're in trouble. I'm sure he's taking mental notes and will be expecting to steer the steering wheel!! The girls have put in a little time as well, but no where near as much as their brother. Thankfully, harvest has gone fairly smoothly as far as time, but the wind did a real number on it a little over a week ago. Lots of farmers with corn down. I guess if it's not one thing, it's another!!

Have a wonderful fall everyone, and hopefully we aren't talking about snow any time soon!!!