A Year Ago Today...

We welcomed into this world, an amazing, amazing gift.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY

to our precious Nora.

You are truly a joy.
We are thankful for everyday with you.

{Party pictures coming soon...}

Happy, Happy Birthday

To my baby bro!

Happy Birthday Uncle Jon.

We love you.

Coming Soon...

Hard to believe...

{Thank you to Ms. Steph for the shirt!}

Going to, Kansas City...

Kansas City, here I come....

This week-end we had a nice little mini-vacation to KC.
We stayed at the Crown Center, which had a number of things within walking distance.
{"We stayed in a hotel and everything" said Sam}

The fam, outside Union Station

Walking through the historic train station

Beautiful architecture

In Union Station, they had a museum called "Science City"
{The cowboy called it "Germ city"}

Buttons, love us some buttons
{I love this picture because it shows Sol, as usual, trying to get into the mix}

Sliding down a mine shaft.

{Yikes}

Hopefully this is as close as they ever get to one.

Time to do a little archeology

All ready to dig

Finding the fossils

Digging away

Not sure what she thinks of it all

Climbing up, Climbing down

In a side area, they had a wonderful exhibit with {tables and tables} of model trains.

{The boys said they wished papa Don could have seen it}

By far the coolest thing we saw there

A mini city

Enthralled


{We could have spent all day here}

Time to eat.

We headed back to the Crown Center and ate at 'Fritz's Railroad Restaurant.' There, they bring your food to you on a little train. The kids were so tired {and hungry} to really get into it, but they did so well.
{Except when the trains kept giving other people their food, Shep kept saying "When is it our turn!?" Total psych-out.}

We love us some hats

So.fun.

The next day {although no pictures were taken} we walked to the WWI museum. We thought the museum itself might be a bit thematic for the kids. {The cowboy and I hope to come back and tour it...like on a date...because this is the kind of date history dorks, like us, take.} We then decided to walk around the beautiful grounds.

Then, we headed to see our good friends who live in KC. Had a little lunch. Watched the kids play and chatted the afternoon away. A great time.
{Thank you Isaacson family!}

Then it was back to the homestead.

Thankful.

A fun visit....

from Steph and her boys
{and the little lady in her tummy}

It was wonderful to have Hohlen boys and their mama down to the homestead yesterday.
We had a great time playing.

Breaking out the 4 Wheeler

Seeing the sights

Nora and Steph, chatting...

Good teamwork fellas

Carter leading the way

Those boys....Making the girls laugh...

{Regretfully, I didn't get a belly shot of the precious baby girl being knitting in Steph's tummy. So adorable. One beautiful mama.}

Thank you Hohlen family for making the trek from the big city to visit the homestead.
We loved it. Love to you all.

"Boys remind us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine."

Wordless Wednesday

{A little bathroom reading}

Finally.

A family day.
{Cue CeCe Peniston}

The cowboy took a day off {from two jobs and finishing up the house} to come with us to the Children's Museum in the big city last week. It had been a long time since we'd been able to spend a whole day together.

We had a great day.


First stop, making a little pizza.

Pretending to be an animal doctor like papa Tom

Cheering the boys on

This boy? Ready to ride.
{Seriously, just look at that face}
We love us some cows

{Cannot get away from them}

Men at work
Sam...showing us how it's done

The cowboy luuuuves the museum.

On a safari

Sol's rolling
...while the older boys are loading..

Finding some creatures along the way

A little face painting

Time to play in the water

Time to build in the water

Time to put on a show

{Admittedly I am not observant...at all. {So} The fact that there is a camera on the stage to project your image on a tv screen could have been there the other 12,321 times we've been there. Much like their mother, the kids just discovered this screen was there too...and it was funny...really funny.}

Costumes first

Warming up

The big screen

{Watch out Tinseltown}

Shep liked making the hats talk

Sam enjoyed breaking it down

{And watching himself do it}

Sol enjoyed roaring

{And watching himself do it}

Always time for a dance party

"Silly Brothers"

{She loves it}

Then off we went to lunch....a little pizza....downtown...

So fun. So thankful. A great day.