Caleb Come to Visit

I had the honor of keeping and loving on my nephew Tuesday. Please pray for my sweet sis-in-law, Shelly, he is giving her a time! He is agrumpy little man who does not like to sleep AT ALL! He is up at least once a night still (he is almost 8 months) and he only take 2 very short naps a day! I have no idea how she does it.

But, he was actually pretty good for me. He only cried a little and when he hit that poin to of no return mommy showed up!!

Here is a couple of pictures of the kids. Shell had bought the two little guys shirts (Thing 1 and Thing 2) I tried my best to get a good shot! Not an easy task at all! Also, you will see a pattern of Caden trying to help Caleb with his paci!

From The Pit To The Palace

This weekend was Tate's big weekend. She has been practicing since January at church for the musical "Joseph: From The Pit To The Palace". She even auditioned for a special part and was picked to be in the STOMP portion (which was her banging on a trash can lid and she did it will great joy). Her teachers have been awesome and she has truly enjoyed being apart of the choir and getting ready for the show. She has practiced every Sunday from 3-6. Lots of committment. She did awesome and the show was too cute!

I have a few pictures and you can see the rest in the flickr slide on the right. I also have some video but my camera was not behaving so be patient with the blur that comes and goes she looks so cute. My video camer went on the fritz right when the show started UGH! There was one part where she really boogied down and my camera didn't cooperate either. I think it was the lighting and the fact this one kid kept getting in the frame and his movement caused it to blurr. How dare him:)

Anyway~ great weekend and lots of fun family time. Friday night we had dinner to celebrate Michael's parents 40th anniversary and his sister, Christy's, birthday. Then Saturday Tate had practice and then we went on a long "GPT" walk. Girl Power Time. We really needed the time together and she told me the other day she wants to start going on walks just us NO BOYS! Sounded good to me. Plus, she had Muffins With Mom at school this week (4:30 in the afternoon mind you) and we could not make that. So, this took its place. We walked a long way and eneded up at our park with a huge duck pond. We found a shaded bench and sat and talked for a long time. She was hilarious. I wish I could remember the whole conversation. It started with her declaringit was an amazingly beaustiful day and that we must do this every weekend. I was cracking up so grown up! It will def. become a "radition" (our word for tradition in the Bench house). **Plus we cut her hair for summer!

Enjoy the video and have a blessed week!

Caden

Well~

Surgery on Tuesday went well and he has a new tube in the left ear! YEAH! Problem (because with me there is always an added problem) he started running a very high fever Tuesday afternoon. Called ENT and they told me while it is a little normal to run a low fever that was a little high and to watch him over night. Did and fever broke and he was better yesterday until lunch. Fever spiked again and he was out for 3 1/2 hours WOOHOO! (I am bad I realize that). So, I saw the ENT yesterday with Tate to have her swimming ear molds done and they said he should not be running a fever like that and he probably has a virus. Keep an eye on him.

Did that and today he is much better. he is actually eating a bit now as well. Bad part...he now has little blood spots on his arms and face (what is that from). So called doctor and they want to see him tomorrow (already have apt for 15 month check up). So, we will see what funky little virus he has tomorrow!

Good news: Caden turned 15 months on Tuesday! He is growing so fast!

Field Trip Week

Last week was SUPER crazy. Tate had her field trip to the Oil Ranch on Thursday and Jake had his to Bear Creek Park on Friday! I asked my mom Thursday morning if she enjoyed going on all those field trips back in the day. I remember being so excited and even more excited because my mom was with me. I never even thought how she felt about them and assumed she was as excited as me. Now...being the home room mommy and getting to ride the bus to and fro I had a TOTALLY different perspective. Tate was so excited I was going with her...I on the other hand felt no excitement becuase I was going to be missing "Kristi-time" during Caden's nap. Ok~ I am selfish what can I say!

When I asked my mom this is what she had to say "tale three advil before you leave and three immediatley apon your return". I was cracking up becuase she LOATHED these things and here all this time I thought she loved them. Who knew. So, I faked it like my mom and prayed Tate would look back and think how much mommy loved going on her field trips with her (of course until she has her own kids and gets a real dose of reality).

Anyway it was a fun time. The weather held out but was breezy and overcast. The kids milked cows, went on a train ride and tractor ride where they fed the cows and then ran and played and ate snow cones!

Jake and I had an awesome time on his field trip as well. We ran and caught caterpillars (he loves bugs). He had made a kite we ran around and swang and had a picnic! It was such a sweet time for him!

Other than that uneventful weeked. Micahel was gone from Thrusday to Sunday on his yearly guy-golfing weekend. Tate had a b-day party saturday and a fun slepover with Brooke Bear at Aunt Cyn's house. She had a blast and Aunt Cyn is super cool b/c they stayed up until 10PM. Then they had PJ day at their church and a fun picnic! So...thanks Aunt Cyn and Uncle Jason!!

So...daddy is back and we are a happy house!

Praise Dolly

If you did not get to see Idol tonight I am so sad for you! Dolly parton sang "Jesus/Gravity" it was so amazing to see her praising Jesus on national TV. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. The choir came out and it was just so awesome to see it all. I was so excited to see her use her platform and sing about Jesus. She could have played it safe and sang an old favorite but she got up there and praised Jesus's name for all the world to here AMEN!!!!!

~After she sang I loved how she told Ryan you all have Simon and I have my Jesus. Then Brooke was choked up and again brought focus to the song. I LOVED it!

"Which Crap"

OK~

Two days ago Jake had built a mini-fort in the living room. He LOVES to get blankets and all the pillows and box himself in. So...I was tired and not in the mood to turn the corner and find one of his make shift homes and looked at hims and said "Jacob, pick up this crap!" To which he replies (after he stands there thoughtfully) "This crap mommy or that crap." There were two piles and he was so serious when he asked I buste out laughing. I told him ALL of the crap! He then cleaned it up without an issue. Tate and I got the biggest laugh out of this!

Anyway~ pictures of the kids Sunday in there Easter duds since we missed Easter Services. Had a good weekend (kind of). Tate had her school carnival with rides and everything. Super fun except my camera was dead when we go there. So...pull out imagination. Kids on mini-roller coaster Tate's hands up and head back with the wind whipping in her face. Jacob next to her with a death grip on the front rail. That basically sums up there personalities for ya! He did ride everyhting liek a brave boy though sp props to him!