Kaden is 8!

Happy Birthday to the sweetest boy I know! Kaden...you have all of my heart. I love you so much.

In case you are wondering, the song in the slideshow is the song Kaden and I sing when I tuck him in at night, or at lease a version of it:)

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on the day you turned one...

on the day you turned one
I gave you your first balloon
I let you play with the real remote
rip up the newspaper
push buttons on the telephone
eat on my lap
bite my nose
mush up a whole cupcake
I treasured every giggle
gave you extra kisses
played with you a little more
held you a little tighter
rocked you a little longer
put you to bed a little later
prayed for you a little harder

and when you were asleep

I went into your room to check on you

I looked at you a little closer

and I remembered

how tiny you once were

how much we had gone through

and I realized

how far you've come

how tall you've grown

how much you've learned

and how proud I am of you

then I envisioned

all the years to come

and what each one would bring

dollies, wagons, picking flowers

pony tails, beaches, and bugs

baking, shopping, painting nails

and lots of kisses and hugs

and then as my heart overflowed
and as the tears fell

I had never felt so lucky

then right there in your room as you slept

one year made one word real

miracle

the party

the decorations have been taken down, the cake has been eaten, Mommy's tears have fallen...but here is the memory of one day we will always remember

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one amazing year

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this and that

A few things that we have been up to in the last few weeks...

• Kaden had a field trip to the YMCA to go swimming yesterday. I overheard him telling Brendyn about a concern he discussed with his friend, Paul, in the locker room while they were getting ready. Kaden apparently said to Paul, "I can't believe the girls are going to see my nipples!" Oh boy!
• We have been working hard outside on our landscaping. We replaced or moved most of our bushes and are putting in stone instead of the mulch we had. I planted 6 rose bushes and I am thrilled that they all appear to be thriving! I was never promised a rose garden, but I am enjoying mine nonetheless.
• Jordan has started playing flag football again! He is becoming more and more social every day, and we don't see much of him lately. Right now he is playing flashlight tag with a group of guys in the neighborhood. To be 12 again!
• Josie has taken her first steps...and she has learned how to SCREEEAM very loudly, hmmm, around here, who'da thunk it?
• Taylor has been playing the piano and tennis. We went and watched her tennis match today, and although her team didn't win the match, they won more of their games than last time...
• Brett started a new job! He decided to go with an inside sales position here in Appleton, something more stable than the real estate market has been. We are both thankful for the consistent paycheck as well as the routine and regular hours the job provides. And so far he is enjoying it quite a bit.
• Brendyn turned 9 years old today...happy birthday, kiddo! We celebrated with a small family party and a homemade ice cream cake! YUM! I was very impressed with how the other kids gave him some of their own toys or games (that they no longer play with) that they knew he would like. I could just feel the love!
• Oh yeah, Josie and I bought a couple of fishies the other day! She loves to watch them swimming around in their little tank, and so far, they are still alive...whew! We are still trying to come up with names for them.

Well, that's about it for now...thanks for stopping by!

Woo hoo! Tax money...

...and just in time for a new dishwasher! Ours conked out on us slowly over the last month or so and I'm so tired of washing all the dishes by hand...honestly, I've been spending forever in the kitchen!

...there are just some things about the good old days that are not so good, and washing dishes is one of those things.