The Big Green Egg and The Easy Bake Oven

Rob just got a Big Green Egg. It is the World's Best Smoker and Grill. The best thing about it so far has been that Rob is all motivated to do the cooking! Tonight we made pizza. It was awesome! I don't think I could go back to the oven baked pizza now. We'll see what Rob comes up with next!

In the meantime, Kelsi has been doing her own cooking with her new Easy Bake Oven. She was so excited to make brownies today. They were good, the little itty bitty piece that I was able to have. :)

Rob Turned 40!!

Rob's 40th birthday was Sunday! I surprised him with a party at our house the weekend before. He knew something was going on but did not know the extent of it all. With a little help from my friends :) we had fun, food, and football! (ND lost and that pretty much ended Weis' career. We'll remember that one!)

I'm so thankful for my hubby! He is a humble man that wants to grow closer to God. What a blessing that I get to share my life with him! I love you, Rob!

Count Your Blessings!

We are so very thankful this year! Family, friends, church, jobs......

We have enjoyed an uneventful Thanksgiving, no traveling this year. Thursday we enjoyed a meal with Mom & Dad Blucker and Rick & Jen's family. The adults had fun playing Shanghai together while the kids played.

No shopping for me this year on Black Friday! We did head over to Mishawaka later in the day to get a few things. The rush was gone and did notice empty shelves. After shopping we ate at Palito's and then off to the ND/Bowling Green hockey game with friends. We did all think that hockey is much more exciting than basketball. :) ND won in OT and just by a goal in the last 2 seconds of OT. It was thrilling! (Kelsi's new word) I should have taken my camera!

Today has been lazy, except for Nathan - he got to go para-gliding!! He thought it was awesome! It freaked me out! It took them three times to take-off. They bit the dust twice! I didn't know if they would make it! The corn field was causing some funky wind swirls and made it much harder than normal. The guy told Nathan to run once they took off and keep running until he told him to stop! :) He did! They slowly rose into the clear blue sky (little hazy). I was extremely uneasy!

Like the amish in the background watching? They usually show up. :)

Up, up, and away!

But when he was done he was all smiles! What an experience! Nathan said it has been the best Thanksgiving ever!

Last Birthday of September!

Kelsi turned 7 on the 27th. She was so patient! It is difficult being the last child to have a birthday in the month of September around here.

She was very specific on how she wanted her cake decorated this year. It had to have a pony with a flower in it's hair. That is what she got! We love Denise! She is a great cake maker!

Kelsi got lots of American Girl stuff, soccer stuff, and clothes. Her brother even wanted to get her something this year. She was pretty impressed. He gave her a watch that she just had to have and I told her no! She has also been busy making potholders, with my help (it's rather relaxing for me!).

That is it for birthdays for now. At least no more planning for the kids! :) Soon I will be 38 and Rob will be the big 40!!

Then - Karli's Birthday!

Karli turned 4 on the 9th! She was so excited! She wanted all princess and ballerina stuff. That is what she got, and more!

September - The Month of Birthdays!

Nathan's birthday was the 5th. He turned 12!!!!

We had a great time spending the day in Chicago. Nathan took his friend, Asa. First we went to the Skydeck. That was great! The sky was a little hazy but sunny. Then we walked around town for a little and ate lunch at Giordano's. So yummy! Then we headed out to Schaumburg. We had reservations at Medieval Times. The show was fun and the food was good. Although, Rob didn't enjoy eating like a barbarian! The boys loved it!

First Days!

I forgot I was going to post these pictures of the kids' first day of school. I didn't get very good pictures. It was a frazzled morning! Nathan is now in 6th grade at NorthWood Middle School. He will soon be 12!! More pictures to come of birthday celebrations! You know September is the busy month of birthdays! :) It's a fun time though and just makes me smile.

Nathan was very anxious about his first day. The bus was suppose to come at 6:37 a.m., so of course he was out there at 6:30. Well....... it didn't come until 7:00 because of a break down. He was sure the bus driver forgot him!

So I missed getting Kelsi's picture taken before school. We just took one after her first day in first grade!! She thinks it is pretty cool to be in the same grade that I teach. I would love to be a mouse in her classroom. I hope she is not too bossy!

She's A Go-Getter!

Karli had her first soccer game tonight! She was excited to be doing something that big brother and big sister get to do. They play in Bremen, 3 on 3. So most get a chance to kick the ball.

Rob said she was acting shy at her first practice. So I was anticipating the same thing at her first game, but that was not the case! Look at her go!

She was keeping up with the competition!

Then she made her first goal!!

Giving the Coach five!

She was having fun! Every now and then you would see her do some random jumping around on the field.

I think she was most excited about getting snacks at the end. She had seen her brother and sister receive this at the end of their games. And, this time.......

she didn't have to share any with them!

New Look!

It's so much fun to change my blog! With school starting I haven't really had much time to add anything lately. I just had to get these awesome pictures that my friend, Traci, took for us this summer on here though. We had a fun time taking them (just of the kids). You can see her link in my friends section. She does a great job! You will appreciate her site if you are a teacher or a parent who enjoys reading with their children. (Even those who don't enjoy reading to your children, this is for you! So, come one and ALL to take a look!) She has started doing a fun "Wednesday - What To Read" blog.

Okay- I need to go to bed! Maybe I will keep up with things a bit more.... and maybe not! We'll see how the year goes. Rob and my mom (didn't you, mom??) remind me that my goal is once a month. Later!

Biking at Potato Creek

We met our small group at Potato Creek on Sunday for a picnic and some biking. We had a great time together.

It took all 5 to grill the meat!

The little crew!

The big crew!

The too cool crew!

Kelsi and I were going a little slower than the others.

Then we caught up with the rest at the end.

It was a beautiful day!

I bet my friend, Jessi, has more pictures on her site, The Yoder's.

Time with Family!

Our kids have been able to spend quite a bit of time with relatives this summer. First, my mom took Nathan and Kelsi to Ohio on her way to Grandparent's Camp with Kelsi. (I don't have any pictures, may have to post some later.)

She left Nathan in Ohio to stay with my brother and his family. My niece, Erin, and nephew, Ben, are too old, along with Nathan, to go to grandparent's camp. Then after being at camp three days they all (my mom and dad, Nathan, Kelsi, Erin, and Ben) went camping in Kentucky for 4 days. They had a great time!

Now this past weekend Rob's sister's kids came and stayed with us for four days while their parents went on a mission trip with youth kids from church.

I tell you 5 kids is a lot to keep up with! Actually, Monday they spent the whole day outside swimming. It was so quiet in the house!

Working on making a sand castle.

"Rollin', rollin', rollin', keep them doggies rollin'!'"

The sand castle when they were all done. Lot's of hard work and much sand in the swimsuits!

Monday and Tuesday Bethany and Noah had swimming lessons at 9:00. I tell you I had a hard time waking all the kids up! They wore themselves out everyday and wanted to sleep in but couldn't! We had a good time with them here. :)

Soon.... school will be starting (boohoo). It's so true, time flies when you are having fun!