Friday, September 28, 2012

New Kicks

When the weather turned cooler and jeans started to become part of the boys wardrobe again, we quickly noticed our fat-footed boy Kaden had no shoes!  We had plenty of hand-me-downs from Karter and hoped they would fit, but his feet haven't slimmed down at all and no matter how hard we tried they were not going to work.  So I finally bit the bullet and took him to our favorite children's shoe store.  Indeed, he is still our fat-footed boy....10 extra wide!!

Kaden picked out a cool pair of brown shoes and another pair of tennis shoes.  Karterman could still fit into his brown shoes from last year, so he just picked out an "awesome" pair of tennis shoes (size 12).  He picked out bright yellow because the runners on the Olympics and Uncle Zach have yellow shoes!

I have learned since purchasing these shoes, that new tennis shoes make you run "super fast".  Unfortunately, this is not true in my case, so it must just be something in the cuteness of little boy shoes!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Games on the TV

I'm pretty sure I've told you all before, but our boys have the best daddy!  For the past few months, after dinner has been "daddy time"...and the boys love it (and so does mommy!).  Daddy does fun stuff that mommy doesn't during the day...like wrestle, throw them in the air, and play games on the TV!  Lately we have been alternating between board games and games on the TV (the Wii).

While Karter will sit and play a full game of Battleship or Sorry!, Kaden's attention span is much better suited for the pace of games on the TV...and he takes his games pretty seriously.  

They usually play fruit slice, surfing (wake boarding), 100 pin bowling, sword fighting and lately they are really into all the characters on Mario Cart.

A few weeks ago Kristoffer had something to do at bedtime (fantasy football draft), so we gave them an early bath and then played games until bedtime...



Karter has mad boxing skills....

I love watching all my boys playing games on the TV!!

Friday, September 14, 2012

The Countdown Is On....26 DAYS!!

In just under 4 weeks our precious girls will be here!  We are down to weekly ultrasounds and appointments, and thankfully everything seems to be progressing and developing beautifully.  Last week, both girls were measuring right around 5lbs...that is a whole lot of baby in there!!!  This past week, my back (that has been hurting terribly for the past 2 months) miraculously healed!!  I credit daily prayer and some exercises recommended by our Physical Therapist brother in-law.  However, with my back healed, I have picked up some hip pain...but that is to be expected when I try to make a lunging catch of a little boy who was flying off a swing...who is fine by the way and thought the whole incident was funny!  

The boys ask daily when their sisters will be here, so the other day Karter made a paper chain to countdown the days!  I love seeing how excited they are for the girls (even though they don't quite understand how their lives are going to change....but do any of us?!), they are going to be fantastic big brothers in 26 days!!!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

AWANA


For obvious reasons, this fall we have not committed ourselves to a lot of extracurricular activities.  Besides taking Karter to school twice a week, we don't have to leave the house that often!  One thing we sadly had to give up was BSF.  I really loved going last year, but thought the study would be too difficult for me to keep up with this year.  Unfortunately, that means that the boys don't get to participate in the children's program either.  Last year was so enriching in all of our lives, and I loved watching their love for God grow each week.  I was glad when we heard about the AWANA program offered at a look church in Middletown 1 night a week that the boys could both participate in.  It is an added bonus that it is in the evening and Kristoffer can help get the boys to and from each week!

The first night the boys were super excited, but I was very nervous to leave them with people that I did not know at all!  Of course, living in a small town, they know all about me and our family (and proceed to tell Karter how they know all his aunts and uncles)....but I hadn't met them a day in my life!!  Anyway...it all turned out fine and the boys had a fantastic time and couldn't wait to come home and share what was in their bags!  Kaden's program is a bit more relaxed, but Karter's requires encourages that he memorize 3 Bible verses each week and do daily activities.  

Here is one of the Bible verses Karter had to memorize the first week.....


As soon as I stopped recording Karter, Kaden started saying it too!  All of the time we had spent helping Karter, I didn't realize Kaden had even paid any attention....what a blessing from God that Kaden has that desire to learn it too (and copy Bubby!)!

This was taken a couple weeks ago, and Kado has gotten very good at it and proudly says....
"This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.  1 John 4:10"
...and waits for his cheers!


It is so fun to hear them recount what they have learned and to see their excitement to go back each week!!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Colts Extravaganza (Part II)

Just one week after attending Colts Training Camp at Anderson University with Zach, I was offered four free tickets to the Colts' first preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium against the St. Louis Rams.  It was a Sunday afternoon game, and a beautiful day...



So...the roof and the windows were open!  Look at the banners signifying the winning legacy of the organization - flying in the breeze!


My last time at Lucas Oil Stadium was for the Super Bowl in February.  Dana and I were able to go to the Super Bowl - which was an incredible experience!  But...I must say that the atmosphere just before the Colts offense took the field for this first preseason game was almost as electric as that Super Bowl.  The anticipation surrounding this new team was palatable from the time we entered the stadium.

It was neat seeing the players and coaches that I had just seen at practice seven days ago - in full regalia and uniform, playing their first game together (albeit a preseason game)!  New coach Chuck Pagano was in mid-season form...


As was Andrew Luck!  His very first pass as a professional was a LONG touchdown to running back Donald Brown!  The crowd went nuts...as if it was a winning touchdown of a playoff game...  People were high-fiving, hugging, and yelling at the top of their lungs.  It was as if the entire Colts Nation took a huge, collective sigh of relief.  "It's all okay...last season is over...we now have Luck on our side!"




As for the boys, their highlight as either picking up the confetti on the ground that was released after each touchdown.  Or...more importantly...having their own drink from the concession stand!


Kaden chose Coke - and the boy chugged down the entire bottle in about ten short minutes!



Karter loves Sprite...and getting his own seat was a treat, too!


After a few minutes into the second half, the scrubs were on the field, and we spent a half hour or so walking around the beautiful stadium.  The highlight for the boys were the cars in the north entrance.  We had to stop for a photo at one of their favorites - the dragster!



What a fun afternoon as a family!  While the boys will not remember it, their daddy will be able to tell them that they were there when Andrew Luck threw his first professional pass...a touchdown (just like Peyton did in 1998)

Little did I know that my COLTS EXTRAVAGANZA would have a Part III...stay tuned for that post shortly...

Colts Extravaganza (Part I)

A GUEST POST SERIES BY:  Kristoffer Gray

Football season is upon us.  And while Dana prepares to be a football widow for the next four-plus months, I prepared by taking in all I could regarding the Colts.  This is Part I of a three part series - of three big Colts events that I have been to over the past three weeks.

 I have been a Colts fan for as long as I can remember:  think Jeff George, Eric Dickerson, and Ken Dilger.  After over a decade of incredible years of winning and Super Bowls and consistency, this is a year of change.  My brother-in-law Zach and I went to Colts Training Camp in Anderson on August 5th - to check out the new team.


There were some familiar faces - like Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis (teaser for Part III)...and Austin Collie and Reggie Wayne pictured below.



But there were even more new faces and names and jersey numbers to learn.  Like...Andrew Luck - our new quarterback.  And almost an entirely new offensive line to protect our expensive investment...



And Coby Fleener - one of our two tight ends that we drafted this year.  In my opinion, he is the second most-talented of the two...but we will see how the season plays out.


Watching Andrew Luck practice brought me back to my early fan years of 1998 - Peyton's first year.  Peyton was (and still is) my football idol, and I really looked up to him as a player learning how to play quarterback myself.  But...after watching Andrew practice (and play - teaser for Part II), he will have a fantastic career.  I mean...look at that form!


I am excited for a new season to KICK-OFF!!!  



Check back soon for Part II of my COLTS EXTRAVAGANZA!!