New Years in Kansas.

happy 2014!
we went into the new year not overly healthy,
in fact, the morning we were scheduled to head down to kansas to celebrate christmas & new years I woke up pretty sick.
BUT, we are back home & on the mend!
so much so, that i went through two closets today & organized them.

while we were there, sick or not, we had fun.
good food,
fun games,
cute babies,
late nights.

at home, playing with new christmas toys

after a long road trip, some chocolate soup was delish.

the guys testing out some guns

in town, shopping with grandpa. both have their coats in the cart.

andelyn (ryan & heathers) is the cutest!

there were 4 other cousins there too, but this one couldn't run around as fast.

trying out the new years cookies!

so excited to welcome in the new year!

the 3rd & 4th of July (& 6th)

celebrating america is so fun! family, food, fun, fireworks.
what more do we need?!
we love this holiday so much we have to drag it out as long as possible!
the town of springfield agrees.
there have been booms going off all week!
shawn & bentley walked down to the firework stand quite a few nights.
a favorite this year were smoke bombs & snaps.
bentley ran in the house one night, "MOM, i need a lighter! dad is going to do a BOMB!"

i love red white & blue jello

he loved snaps

sunshine & donuts. best summer combo ever!

new little "beach" area

red white & blue sisters!

joe & cousin westley

he played in the pool for so long!

the 4th at the Thompsons

Ashland firework show. B took a nap, but woke up for the show!

visiting the Green's. driving the '62 pickup

memorial day camping.

we had another successful memorial day camping trip!
we had sun, rain, & everything in between.
bentley loved playing with all the other kids,
learning to fish, & tubing with dad.
we all enjoyed s'mores around the campfire, lots of good food,
& time to just relax with no schedule!

bentley story of the trip:
(back story: last year all the kids thought it was so funny to hear bentley say his name "bentley bon kleeber!") so this year they kept asking. and him, being the mature almost three year old that he is, came up with a different answer.
B: mom, the kids keep asking me my name, do you know what i say?
me: what do you say?
B: poopy. i just tell them my name is poopy.

oh my. 

over the weekend.

friday. good friday service with my sisters.

saturday. caroline & i drove out to wahoo for my best friend from childhood, annette's baby shower! we also drove past the house i grew up in.
AND we completed March of my zoo challenge.
an absolutely gorgeous day!
it is always special when shawn is the friend we bring along.
saturday night we went & grilled out at my dads. B was outside with grandpa tim, letting the dog sniff around. B says "what is he doing?" "oh dogs just sniff around, maybe he can smell a bunny" B, nose in the air & taking a big whiff exclaims "i don't smell any bunnys!"

another quote from saturday night: after a busy weekend, the house was a bit cluttery. i really wanted to go into the holiday/sunday with things picked up. i asked shawn if he would do a quick vacuum while i tidied up. i was checking on B in the living room. "who is vacuuming?" "dad is! he is helping me clean!" "WHAT?! dad is not the cleaner! YOU are the cleaner!" he could not believe it. (haha. sorry future daughter-in-law.)

this little monkey made chattering sounds our whole zoo trip.

oh so that's where the flamingos go during the winter!

he mastered this climbing wall!

always fun when dad comes! riding the carousal!

getting some chairs out to enjoy the nice weather!

sunday.
easter! church & then lunch with family.
a quick story goes along with this easter basket: (we didn't grow up doing easter baskets) one night during the week, we had been reading our easter book & were talking about how easter is a holiday where we remember what jesus did for us & how exciting it is. B chimes in "YES! and i am so excited to wear my new tie AND get an easter basket FILLED with candy! i went easy on the candy, but he still got his easter basket.

he says "WOW! are these eggs andreas?" (yes, they are. i had borrowed them)

brought a few goodies along for the ride.

i can't blame him. it was sunny.

missing sisters 2 & 3

we went with the jean jacket theme this year.

a big smile to appease us.