Thank you Jon!

By now I am guessing that your Christmas card has arrived! We are so thankful for our dear friend Jon's artistic ability behind the camera! He truly captured the beauty of our children in these pictures! I won't show them all as there will likely be a few in your stocking. Here are a few that were included in the card!

The hot air balloon was amazing. We were walking to another spot in the part and noticed the balloon. I was as if they saw us taking pictures and lowered the balloon just far enough that it would show up in the picture and then lifted right back up into the air. Whomever was in control, thank you; you helped capture some amazing pictures!

http://picasaweb.google.com/whitneymardis/110110Through113010?authkey=Gv1sRgCMyXmMWuxN6yCQ#

http://picasaweb.google.com/whitneymardis/2010FallFamilyPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCOasnPu-zOfNxgE#

We are ready for Christmas!

I have decided there is nothing better than matching PJ's. I found these several weeks ago and had to buy them in preparation for Christmas morning. Fleece, fuzzy, and warm...that is how we should wake up every morning :)

Things are coming along well for Christmas. It is hard to believe that our first family celebration is next Saturday! If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times since I started this blog, time goes by TOO FAST! The shopping is progressing well. We have taken a minute each day to tell "Steve" what we want Santa to make for us. For those of you that are not familiar with "Steve", you need to read "Elf of a Shelf". This is the greatest concept EVER! I will take a picture of Steve this week with a little more story behind the excitement he brings daily!

We love the YMCA!

Speaking of wave of emotion, the YMCA Holiday Program was Friday at 4:30. Luckily I was able to leave Chicago early that morning, providing me plenty of time to get to the program on time this year! Kate's class sang 4 songs and the other classes each sang 2-3 songs. The Small World, Jake's class, made their entrance last, providing a ton of laughs. All you have to do is look at those precious little ones in the big red buggy and a smile comes to your face! God Bless the holiday season!

Watching Kate up on the stage brought me to tears. She had 2 solo lines that she proudly said with enough volume for all to hear. Knowing how incredibly shy she can be at times, we were so proud of her to perform as well as she did! Yep, that's right...there were 2 proud parents in the back of the room!

The YMCA has been so great to us! We LOVE the amount of love and attention they provide Jake! They challenge him daily with new foods and new exercises and take him out and about in the buggy whenever possible! As for Kate, they have been instrumental in enforcing the manners that we have tried so hard to instill at home. The 4 year old class was definitely an adjustment with the amount of structure but I am confident that she will be more than prepared for Kindergarden (which we apply for in less than 3 months...wow). She has been exposed to all different types of people and learnings, which is all we could ask for at this point in her education. A big thank you goes out to all the wonderful teachers and leaders at the Y! Thank you for helping shape the lives of our children!

The newest addition to the buggy is Jake's best buddy, Jones. April and Jon found out a few weeks ago that Jones had a spot in Jake's classroom! Yea! Isn't he precious?

This is what happens when your husband and 4 year old get the camera

I think you would agree that these pictures need no further explaination!

The 1st picture is one of the sweetest pictures I have seen of Ryan and Kate together. I can only imagine the conversation they were having at this point in time. If I had to guess, it probably started with Kate saying, "Daddy, will you chase me?" Then, "Daddy, lets put on these hats..." It never ends with the two of them.

When I first looked at the top picture I pictured them dancing at her wedding, which resulted in an overwhelming wave of emotion. The picture represents their relationship so well. Ryan is so dependable, loving, funny, and willing to do just about everything that everyone else in the family wants! I am so thankful for my partner in crime!

Happy "Belated" Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our loved ones!

The list of what we are thankful this year is way too long to write here! Family, friends, and health can pretty much sum it up. We were blessed to see most of our family over the long Thanksgiving weekend. The time with most was short but at least we had the opportunity to stop our hectic lives for a minute and just say "thanks".

Before most meals together as a family, Kate stops to say the prayer. She actually says, "wait guys, don't eat one bite, we have to say prayer." She then proceeds to say, "Dear God, thank you for this food and for all the wonderful things." Some nights the prayer ends there and some nights, she adds 2, 3, or 5-6 more things that she is thankful for. I hope when I read this post many years from now, I will be able to hear her sweet voice start our nightly dinner prayer.

Besides eating way too much, our long weekend was filled with a lot of activity. We watched Sawyer and Cam for 2 nights, which allowed Ryan and I to get a few things done around the house. We did most of our holiday decorating, which is pretty easy since our decorations are limited. Here are a few pictures of our tree!

We hope everyone had a restful long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving, 2010!

Family photos

Thanks to our dear friend Jon we have a few updated family photos. The one in the header of the blog is just a teaser for all our family. If you are good...there may be a few in your stocking :) That being the case, this is the only one you get to see until Christmas!

The croup has struck again

Poor Jake...the croup has struck again. He woke up late Friday night with the barking cough and tons (I really mean tons) of snot! We didn't get much sleep but at least it was never severe enough to warrant a trip to the ER. After a dose of steroid at the doctor's office on Saturday morning, he was back in action. Other than being a little irritable and not eating as much as usual, he has been a trooper!

Between the snot and the drool (I think his top teeth are making their way to the surface) his t-shirts have been soaked all weekend! Poor little buddy. No worries though, he is still laughing!

GO CATS!

Last weekend was a big weekend for Kate! Last week we got an email from Aunt Granny inviting us to UK's 1st basketball game. We thought about the logistics and decided that it would be best if just Ryan and Kate made the trip to Lexington on Friday after work to attend the game with Aunt Granny. Jake and I would make the most of a night together her in Louisville (Christmas shopping anyone?). We told Kate on Monday and she talked about this event every waking minute for 4 days. On Thursday night she got her cheerleader outfit together and wore it with great pride to school on Friday.

Since Ryan and Kate were making the trip by themselves, he picked her up and I picked Jake up. We arrived at the same time and as I walked into her classroom, I saw her crying. Her teacher said that she had tried so hard all day to keep her outfit clean. As they were walking in from the playground late Friday afternoon, she tripped and got grass stain on her outfit. The flood gates opened as she was so disappointed to dirty her dress. Sad but cute all at the same time!

As Janet can attest, the 3 of them had a blast at the game. Kate was a trooper and lasted almost the whole game. I am not sure if she liked the basketball game or the "daddy's kind of dinner" better. I am sure they did not share all the junk food they ate with me but this is what I was told: peanuts, M&M's, and a Sprite. Ah...pure heaven for a little girl and her daddy.

Thank you so much for the tickets Janet. Ryan and Kate really enjoyed their time together and with you!

The Jolly Fat Man Returns...again

Ahhh...the joy of a child's laugh. I tried to post this video several times (hence the reference in one of my last posts) but since I am ignorant when it comes to computers, I had little luck getting it to actually post. Thank goodness for our friend Jon who always helps us with this kind of stuff.

The video is from a few Friday's ago when we were getting the kids ready for bed. Kate started throwing her PJ's up in the air and as what usually happens when Kate starts throwing things...Jake's laughter was uncontrollable; as was ours! Many of you questioned what Jake was laughing at during the 1st "Jolly Fat Man" video and it was Kate throwing a roll of tape into the air. Who knew...

It has been so much easier this time around to stop and enjoy the moment. As I listen to this laugh I wonder if I will always remember this one moment in time. A moment where the 4 of us were together in the smallest room of our house, laughing like we have never laughed before...and all over a nightgown. I pray that I will always be able to hear this laugh. I pray that I will always be able to remember this night and think of the happiness that we all felt. I pray that even when times get tough, I am able to think of all the positive evergy I have around me. I am so thankful that I have a family that likes to laugh as much as I. This Thanksgiving, I am definitely thankful for the ability to laugh and for the 3 people and 2 dogs that always find a way to make me laugh.

We hope this makes Nana laugh on her birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Nana! We love you!

Halloween 2010

Happy Halloween from our pretty Little Red Riding Hood and our handsome Big Bad Wolf!

As we now know, our neighborhood sure knows how to celebrate Halloween. Having just moved in to our new house last summer and being new to the whole "trick-or-treat" thing, last year we did what we thought was the right; however, it turns out, we missed a whole bunch of fun. The Halloween celebration is one of the 3-4 big celebrations we have as a neighborhood so we decided to give it a try this year. Our neighbors attend every year and they said it was great.

So off we went, venturing out to see the neighbors that we know and meet a few that we don't. The small gathering of neighbors was great and very similar to the Annual picnic! There was plenty of pizza to eat and beer to drink. Ah...what a great start to Halloween night. After a little coercing, our dear neighbors Cassie and Grace talked Kate into hanging out with them and their friends, all of which were between the ages of 8 and 12. Wow, what a sight to see, Kate standing in a circle of girls twice her age and twice her height. Kate has a thing for older girls, often mesmerized just at the sight of a teenage girl! I often wonder what she is thinking when she watches their every move.

As the clock struck 6:00, all the kids (25+) went flying to the neighbors house. They ran through each yard as if it was their own, jumped off the front porch as if there were no steps down to the yard, and smiled as if it was their 1st time to eat chocolate. To Kate, this was truly her 1st big Halloween. I know she probably won't remember the night but it will always be one of my most favorite memories. I hope I never forget what her sweet face looked like as she ran through the yard with Cassie at her side trying to catch a glimpse of Daddy and Mommy watching her every move. This was one of our 1st experiences of letting her out of our sight and in the hands of a (very responsible) 11 year old. Cassie, Grace, and all their friends were so gracious to Kate, waiting for her to jump off the porch before running over to the next house. As you can see in all our pictures, Cassie was always at her side! Our only hope is that Kate will want to return the favor to her neighbor one day.

Our estimate is that she likely ran 2 miles, holding a full bucket of candy that weighted at least 10 pounds. As you can imagine she cried when we told her that she had finally had enough. The next morning she could hardly stand on her own 2 feet as they were sore! What a life...so sore the next day that you can hardly walk. That is how I often feel from my weight lifting program...if only my weights were as much fun as trick-or-treating.

One of the other perks of joining the neighborhood party was the golf cart full of beer that rode along side all the adults walking in the street. Yep - we were in heaven and I am pretty sure we won't ever miss this party in the future!

http://picasaweb.google.com/whitneymardis/10110Through103110#

A picture is worth a thousand words

I don't believe these pictures need any explanation...and neither will the video I am about to post. This is a typical weekend morning for us. There is nothing better than lounging on the couch, in front of the fire, with our 2 precious little ones in their jammies!

And yes, he really is this happy, even with his 1st 2 teeth popping through. Another milestone down for the little man. Halloween weekend, Jake's bottom right tooth broke through the skin and last night I noticed the left one pop through. Hopefully his teeth will give him a little break, at least a couple of weeks!


































































































The laughter we experience as a family is not just from Jake, just take a look at these 2 crazy kids. I mean, really?

Hit with a few illnesses

I have decided that my new goal for frequency of blogging is 2x/month. Not because of desire but because of reality. I really wish I had the time to put my thoughts down on paper every day, or even every week, but that is just not reality for my life at this time. It doesn't mean that we are not enjoying ourselves. We enjoy life to the fullest, trying to soak up every minute, even the bad minutes filled with tantrums or teeth popping through ("this too shall pass")!! I am enjoying this part of my life more than I ever dreamed. I take a minute each morning give thanks for all the joy that I am surrounded by.

Our friends/family may state otherwise but in all actualilty, I don't really feel life has changed that much with the addition of Jake. Yes, it definitely takes the 2 of us to divide and conquor; I guess it is just more managable than ever expected. That is, of course, until 2 illnesses strike us in 1 week. At the time of my last post, Kate had just overcome strep throat and then Jake gave us a little scare with croup. He woke up at 1130 pm one night, gasping for air and letting out a sound that sounded more like a seal bark than anything human. This sound was all too familiar as Kate had croup around 1; however, her breathing was never severe enough to make a visit to the ER. After monitoring him for 15 minutes or so, we realized that a visit to the ER was the inevitable. So off he and Ryan headed. Lucky for us, Kosairs Children Hospital just built a brand new, state of the art facility right by our house. In place of an 8 hour wait time, which is typical for the hospital downtown, Jake was seen by the doctor and had received his 1st breathing treatment within 10 minutes of walking in the door. A few doses of steroid, a little suctioning, a little oxygen, and lots of love by the staff, they arrived back at home around 330 a.m. Whew. Their experience was so good that I wrote a letter to the staff, thanking them for all they provided Jake that night! As nice as it was, lets hope there isn't another visit anytime soon!

Here are a few pictures of Jake with his at home breathing treatment. He handled it like a champ.

Funny pictures of Jake

Thought these pictures were deserving of their own post. Kate and Jake have started taking their baths together and it seems to be a blast for the both of them!

Friendship and sleepovers

In the past 6 months, Kate has advanced to a whole new level of maturity and with that maturity has come many new adventures. Our newest and most proud adventure this month has been the accomplishment of a sleepover. A real sleepover, not with her cousins or grandparents or with her mommy there too, but a real sleepover with a friend from school.
Last Saturday, we picked up Adie so she and Kate could get in some good playtime at the pumpkin patch and playground. Adie's parents then invited Kate over to play with Adie since they are in the midst of moving to a new house. We set it up that she could spend the night but that we would also be happy to pick her up when it was time to sleep. We did not expect her to stay; afterall, she is only 4. Much to our surprise, she called at 8:00 and told her daddy that she wanted to stay and that she would see us in the morning. Wow...our baby has grown up. The funniest comment of the event was Kate talking about how Adie sleeps; she said, "mommy, she took up the whole bed and I only had this one little spot." For those of you that have ever slept in the same bed with your child, you know the hypocrisy in this statement. Kate plays soccer while sleeping.

As new and exciting as this stage is, it also makes you reflect on how you have done as a parent to date. Up to this point, we have always been right there with her, ensuring that she uses her manners, shares her toys, listens to other, etc. Without that control, you can only rely on what you have taught her and that is a very new concept to us. For the 1st time, I truly realized how important it is to start educating your children early. She made me proud for having the courage to stay somewhere new and I can only hope that she used all her proper manners.

We enjoyed another sleepover this weekend with Sawyer and Cameron that was topped off with a few Krispy Kreme donuts this morning. With the 3 girls playing downstairs and Jake asleep in the swing...Ryan and I are actually enjoying a little NFL pre-game!

Here are the kids enjoying their donuts. Happy Sunday!

I also added some additional pictures of our nature walk! Please come back soon and play Sawyer and Cam!