Only in Iowa

(outline of the girls' bodies drawn in chalk)

Well, the title says it all...only in Iowa can you enjoy 63 degree weather one day and be getting ready for 8-14 inches of snow the next!!! HA! For all of you who don't live in Northwest Iowa...you stink!!

With the weather being so nice, that has also meant that field work has begun. Kale spent about 5 hours with Grandpa Fank in the tractor on Friday and a couple hours the night before. He is in complete heaven. I can't even describe how he gets when you talk about farming, but it's so dang cute. His face lights up, he suddenly becomes all grown up in how he talks (example: "we're going to go spread the fertilizer" all while shrugging his shoulders, using hand gestures, and with such a serious look on his face - as if he's the one actually spreading the fertilizer!!!), and he can't get his coat on fast enough. The cutest was on Thursday night - I needed to run to the field to pick up Grandpa, Mike (works with Nick during spring and harvest), and Kale to run them back to the farm. When I got there, the field cultivator (or ripper, I didn't pay attention close enough) was broke down but it was still sitting down in the dirt so Kale was convinced it was stuck. As I was walking up to him he says "hey mom" with a little farmer wave and then tells me, "it's stuck mom, really stuck". Grandpa tried to tell him it was broke, but Kale wouldn't have it. As we turned to walk towards the car Kale again says to me "it's stuck mom, I'll push it" and he dug his feet in to the ground and began to grunt as he tried to push it. Such the helper!!! It was darn cute though.

My master bathroom is finally functional again. The shower is in and the painting is now done (I got that done while Kale was in the tractor yesterday!!) - so now all that's left is the storage unit going in next to the shower, trim boards, and the refacing of our current vanity to match our new storage unit!!! I'm hoping to get the room all cleaned up today so I can actually move back in to my bathroom to shower again!

With all the snow that may be moving in, I think the girls' first night of soccer practice will be pushed back a few days. First practice was going to be Monday, but we won't practice in SNOW!! They're super excited and ready to get back out there. Piano lessons have gotten a lot better. They didn't really want to see me as their teacher when we first started so whined or got mad (like they would with their MOM) if I wouldn't give them a sticker on their song because it needed to be better. We've now had long conversations about their practice habits and what I expect from them when they sit down at the piano!!! They're doing really well though and in the next few weeks we will really be concentrating on their hand placement on the piano and getting them comfortable with that. It seem so easy for me to show them, but their tiny hands don't quite cover the piano keys like mine do!!

This picture is of Daddy and Kale doing their favorite thing...looking at tractors!!! Note the concentration on BOTH of their faces!!!

Busy weekend, but so much fun!!!

We have had such a wonderful weekend here at home, but seemed to have been busy enough that it, once again, is almost over!! The beautiful weather gives me such major Spring Fever isn't not even funny. We spent SO much time outside enjoying every wonderful moment of weather that we could. I was excited to get my camera out again - I can finally get some good pictures now that we aren't stuck with "home" scenery!!

The kids and I spent most of Saturday outside while we could. The girls and I had a date planned to go and watch Grandpa Kerber at his barbershop show in Algona later in the day. What a wonderful concert it was!!! The feature quartet was unbelievable!! I grew up with my dad singing barbershop music and completely appreciate the harmony and music. It was so fun to share that with my girls - not only because they love music as well, but because it was special time with my girls!! When the concert was done, Mia looked over at me and said "that was the best concert ever" and Ana said to Grandpa, "I loved your singing!"... I think they enjoyed themselves.

While today was a little windy, we once again spent some time outside. We have spent the whole weekend trying to master hitting a ball with a pitch rather than the tee and working on our throwing. I was completely amazed at how they knew to step in to their swing and when to swing - let alone that they swung the whole way through!! We always feel like we've accomplished something if we just make it through a learning experience like that and we don't have a temper thrown because of frustrations!!! And we did it without ONE fit!!!

The new addition

Welcome baby Addisson!!! Chad's sister Nikki had her baby girl March 10th and we were all finally healthy enough to go and visit her for a quick bit. She's beautiful and both her and Mom are doing wonderfully. Kale was ecstatic, to say the least, to go and see her. He's got a soft spot for little babies - it's the one moment you will see him be gentle!!! Congrats again, Nikki and Ryan.

The sweetness...could it stay this way forever??

Every day that I am home with Kale I find more reasons to appreciate why I am here. While he is so different from the girls in many ways, I truly appreciate the way he shows his affection. He was such a cuddly little boy for SO long and then it became less as he became more active. So now, I truly appreciate all of the special moments and his, very few and far between, displays of affection!! His latest thing he says to me is "Mommy, you my best friend". It completely melts my heart. I wish I could keep him this age and this sweet and innocent FOREVER!!

I had to take this picture of Kale while he was napping because it shows EXACTLY what he is like at every moment of every day. Not only are the tractors in a straight row (which is exactly how things have to be), but the fact that tractors are the only thing you ever see him with is what was SO funny to me. I remember the girls lining things up when they were little but Kale is so anal about it that it makes me laugh. Even when he gets on his battery powered gator, he will stop and get off to straighten the wheels by hand if the wheels ever turn!!! Such a funny kid.

Fun at home

The sickness just won't go away!!

I don't like to blog and complain the whole time - but I am EXHAUSTED!! It has been such a long few weeks. It all started with Chad dealing with some pain in his abdomen and literally being confined to the bed for a couple of days because he couldn't hardly move. I finally MADE him go to the doctor and after a whole afternoon of testing he found out he has diverticulitis. We're finally getting over the hump, but during that time of healing he had to finish out things for AgriGold and then start his new job!! Then a few days later Ana got sick with a high fever and nasty cough, then a few days later Kale got sick with a high fever an nasty cough, and now Mia is home sick with me today with yes, a high fever and nasty cough - but her's seems to be a very deep and loose cough and she's lost her voice!! If I get sick after all of this, I will be SOOOO mad!! I'll probably be the one to get sick right before St. Pat's because we have company planning to come!!! Knock on wood that I don't. One thing I DO know - the boys in this house are the worst patients when they're sick.

I have been terrible about taking pictures lately - I think it's mostly because of the winter blues. You don't have all of the fun places to take pictures when you're stuck in the house!! I've added a few new pictures of the kids, and even a picture of sick Mia!!

The girls have finished up swimming lessons once again so that's nice to have finished. You don't realize how much you enjoy having your evenings until you don't have them! During Kale's time being sick, he would take wonderful naps but one day I happened to have a tough time getting him to bed. Normally he will lay in his bed for about 15 minutes playing with his tractors before he would finally fall asleep - but this day it took me almost an hour to even get him to lay down. After getting him to settle down, I walked up stairs and sat down at the computer to check my email. About 15 minutes later, I hear Kale's little footsteps (in shoes, of course, because he HAS to nap with his shoes on for some reason!!) and he says to me "whew, Mom - I had a GOOOOOOOOD nap". I laughed so hard at his serious little man face and said "oh no you didn't - back to bed for you" to which he said "AWWWW, Mom....okay". He cracks me up!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day weekend and a happy, happy spring!!!!

I'm back!!

Sad to say that it's taken me this long to post but I'm finally getting it done and there's LOTS to tell. The first being that we returned last Sunday from Maui - our very last trip with AgriGold as Chad has accepted a Managerial position with Kerber Milling here in Emmetsburg. It was such a tough decision for him to make, but he is excited for the new adventure and opportunities. We are excited for him as well. Chad's final day with AgriGold will be February 27th. To all of our AgriGold family - we will miss you all so much and we will hold all of the memories very close to our hearts. It is with a very saddened heart that we will be leaving you all, not only for Chad, but for me as well as I have made very wonderful friends through the years as well. Please keep in touch with us!!

We had a wonderful trip to Maui and enjoyed plenty of time on the beach. They said that it had actually been a cool start to the week but it was still in the high 70's/low 80's on those cool days (cool, right?? HA HA)...not enough to keep US off the beach!!! We only had one day of rain so we ventured around to the surfing beaches and watched them and did a little shopping. It was nice to return home to 33 degrees compared to the -3 it was when we left though!!

The children were very excited to see us return. I believe that I heard Kale say to me "I missed you mommy" or "I lub you mommy" at least 10 times in the first 5 minutes we were home!!! I enjoyed almost a full week of wonderful behavior from the kids and an unbelievable amount of hugs and kisses. It truly does the heart some good to be gone now and then for us all to appreciate each other the way we should. But, we're slowly getting back in to the swing of fighting and screaming, etc. I should have known it wouldn't last too long!!! HA!! The girls are gearing up for level two in swimming lessons next week and soon soccer will be starting as well. The busyness will be in full swing again before we know it!!

I had to add these pictures of Kale - too funny. He has been obsessed with this little play ice cream cone for about a year now. One day after it had snowed, he insisted he had to take it with him outside to play. After coming in from playing, he realized he left his ice cream cone outside. I wasn't about to run back out in the cold after we had taken everything off, so I told him he'd have to wait until the next day. WELL, it snowed about 9 inches that night and the ice cream cone was nowhere to be found!!! That is, until now!!! It was absolutely gorgeous on Sunday, so Kale and I went outside to play. Immediately he said to "mommy, I try to find my ice cream cone!" And wouldn't you know it, there it was - exactly where he KNEW that he had left it!!! Now it's attached to him once again.