Merry -Almost- Christmas!

We had our first Christmas of 2012 today, and it was awesome!

I got to put my new skills to practice after my Thanksgiving lesson from Grandma, and I think the results were pretty positive!  

The Turkey turned out nice and juicy, stuffing from scratch, appetizers, gravy, corn and homemade dinner rolls.  I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out and I had a lot of fun getting it all together!  

While everything was quite tasty, Jon did provide the quote of the day, "I don't think I've ever seen something that looks so much like dog food but tastes so good."  He was referencing my homemade stuffing lol.  It really wasn't the most appetizing by looks, but it did have some great flavor!  He said it's a keeper :)

My favorite part was baking biscotti last night with Jon! It turned out delicious and we had fun!

Special Thank You to Kathy for her hard working doing ALL of the dishes after lunch! 

Here are a few snapshots of our day! 

Afternoon snack with Great Grandma!

"I love you Uncle Tyson"

"Aunt Kathy is so fun, and don't I look so cute in my new Christmas clothes from Great Gma?!?"

"You're close!  Keep guessing!" - Gma's first time playing Catch Phrase

"You know it's by the door....."

"and it's a flat rectangle."

"I'm so sleepy, but this game is awesome."

 POSER 

 Looking good in Wildcat gear!  EMAW

"I know that it's 4pm and I haven't slept since 9am, but I really am not tired!"

We had a great time today, and are so blessed by these amazing people!  So grateful for the time we have with our loved ones, and for our Lord and Savior!  Merry Christmas! 

Baptism

I am quite behind on this post!  I thought I'd finished this one a few weeks months ago, but I guess now is as good a time as any!  

We are so blessed!  So, SO blessed!  Kincaid was baptized on Sunday, October 28!  We had some very special people here to celebrate with us, and know that many others were thinking of him from afar!

P.S. - I am missing a number of pics that are on that silly computer!  BUT, I just need to get this posted! So it's brief, and the pics aren't in order, and I'll post the other pics as soon as we get that computer back, because they are awesome!

Six Months!

I can't even believe it, but Kincaid is now 6 months!  I'll try to get his picture uploaded, but remember, the computer with all of his sweet photos crashed!  We'll see what I can scrounge up! 

He had his well baby exam on Friday, and the reports are in!  Happy & Healthy!  He weighed in at 18 lbs 2 oz and measured 26 3/4" long!  His height and weight are beginning to plateau a bit, which the doctor says is normal heading into these next few months.  

Kincaid is as active as ever, and really is starting to cover some ground while playing on the floor!  He can twist, turn, roll, etc to make his way from one place to the next, and he is a very determined little fella!  His BFF is Grace, though I'm pretty sure she doesn't return the sentiment....yet!  When Grace comes in sight, Kincaid gets the biggest grin, and automatically tries to get near her!  He's so fascinated by her, it's too cute!

He also is a rockstar sitter, though again, he cannot sit himself up - it's us plopping him on his bottom!  He is also starting to pull his knees up into the crawling position, but hasn't gained enough strength to stay there long enough to move forward on hands/knees!  He IS however starting to pull himself up to a standing position.  He has done this for a number of weeks of you hold out our hands to him, but he's now started to do so on his own using this wooden toy box and also in his crib.  Needless to say, the crib experience led to papa dropping the mattress this weekend!  

Let's see, what else....Food!  Kincaid is eating solids 2x a day, and is finally agreeing to take a bottle!  It's been really fun to introduce new foods to him and to see his response to the different flavors/textures!  We're going slow with the intro, and it's been great!  He digs his rice cereal & bananas, and is less sure about apples, pears and avocado!  I got a great book from Cait on homemade baby food, and we're having fun exploring! Some of it, if Kincaid hates, I'll eat - they're good!  For example - he hasn't liked the cinn/pear/apple sauce so far (see evidence below), but it is really good and we'll eat it if he doesn't!  

This is such a fun age, and a tiring one!  We're so tuckered out each night, but neither of us would trade it!  What an awesome experience to see the world through a kiddo's eyes and to watch them take on adventure and exploration!  So very cool!  

Up next for our fam:  
Christmas #1 TODAY!  - wish me luck - we're hosting!
Work party!  Traveling to the Mitten for Christmas #2!  Christmas #3 & New Year's Eve!

All Good Things Must Come to an End...

I asked Kincaid if it HAD to happen, and he said yes, it really did.  

What had to happen?  What had to end?  You remember that one of the cool perks of my job is the Infant to Work Program, right?  This was one of the benefits that sealed the deal for me, and led me to turning down another position even though it paid a bit more!  How could I not choose a job that would allow me to bring my baby with me?!?  

As you can recall from other posts, the time we had with Kincaid in the office turned out awesome!  He is a rockstar, and brightened everybody's day with his smile and giggles :)  My coworkers have loved getting to know him, seeing him grow, and hanging out with him!  Even customers enjoyed coming in to the office to see him!  

All of this has now come to an end :( Friday, November 30, Kincaid had to say his goodbyes ;( It really was a great last day, and though the office has been much quieter without him, I am so very grateful for the four months he was there with me! I believe he really benefited from that experience, and I know he is very missed by the people at work.  And, I've had customers come in asking where he's at as well & reminding me how cute he is and what a good baby he is (like I need reminding!).

I've really missed Caid while at work these last two weeks, but you know what?  The very first day he wasn't there, we were SWAMPED!!  I mean, busier than we've been the whole time he was with me, and my coworker (we work up front together) was gone for several days!  So, I was reminded of the Lord's perfect plan and was in awe of His timing!  

While I've been missing Kincaid, he's been happily playing, learning, laughing and snuggling!  He's had some time with Gma B, Ms. Wynn, and will hang with Gpa C this coming week!  So far, they've reported how he awesome he continues to be, how great he is at eating his milk and solids, and how much fun he is!  

Jon reminded me that we'll need to work hard to keep him humble after weeks like these!  We're so blessed and Kincaid certainly is LOVED!

Whew - Turkey Day Part II

So, I'm a little behind!  I guess posting everyday up to Thanksgiving wore me out!  

Let's start by filling you in on the rest of our Thanksgiving weekend.  Part 1 was with dad's side, and Part two took place Friday night - Sunday with mom's side.  We had another fun few days with extended family and lots of delicious, though untraditional Thanksgiving day, food!  We're happy to have gotten in our fill of turkey and stuff the day before, but didn't hesitate to eat up the oysters, mac & cheese and other delicious fixin's mom made up!  We also had a really great game of football, though Jon's team won :( lol.  It was a great time and we were SORE for the next few days!  

Kincaid had a blast with Zayley, and it was so cute to watch them play together.  Most of the time Caid seemed in awe of her, and she would just babble and play while he watched.  Other times, they would both be just having fun together!  I wish I had pics, but they are temp unavailable as the computer they are on crashed!  Yikes - hope they get recovered!!

Up Next - All Good Things Must Come to an End....

Day 22 - Turkey Day

Thanksgiving 2012 was great!! We started the day with some delicious breakfast bread made by Aunt Brenda (thank you!!), before Kincaid and I headed out to Grandma C's to start cooking!  While growing up, I spent many hours baking with my grandma, so I was pumpted to be able to help her out again!  We had a great time cooking and talking as we prepared the Thanksgiving meal!  I learned so much from her, and am so grateful for that time together! 

We had a delicious meal with Grandma, Dad and Aunt Dianne and Uncle Shane, and Kincaid had fun hanging out with them for the first time!  We had a great afternoon full of conversation and football (tough loss for the Lions, but great game!!), and we wrapped it up by hanging out with Tyson in the evening!  It was a fun, relaxing day for all of us, and so happy to be home with family!

(I'll add some pictures to this post later this weekend!)

Day 21 - "adopted" family

A year or so after moving to Michigan, I began working with a family, helping out with their new babies and a spunky 5 year old.  Little did I know that 7 1/2 years later, they would be some of the most important people in my life!  I have been incredibly blessed to know this family, to spend hours reading, playing, comforting, feeding, diaper changing, spit-up cleaning, laughing, listening, talking, and more with these kiddos and their parents!  I've grown so much because of Rob, Karen and the kids!  Rob and Karen have provided encouragement, a listening ear, and advice to both me and Jon.  They've spoken honestly and with genuine care.  I could go on and on about how much I've benefited from them, and hope that they have from me in some way!  I am forever grateful for each of them!

Day 20 - Extended Family

Our extended family is awesome!  I'm so thankful for all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, great aunts/uncles, etc.!  We are blessed with a diverse group of extended family in terms of their interests, personalities, and work!  They have all contributed to our lives in different ways and to different degrees, and I am thankful for all of it!  Hope they know how much they are loved and appreciated!

Day 19 - Friendship

Very grateful for some amazing, trustworthy, beautiful friends!  I'm thankful for friendships that began in childhood and have endured time, distance and life changes. I'm thankful for friendships that were discovered through expected circumstances and through stepping out in faith.  Thankful for new friendships and being welcomed into our new town!

Day 18 - R&R

So thankful for a day to just rest and relax with my guys!! We had a great discussion this morning in Sunday school about observing the Sabbath, and it's something that we really want to strive to do better at in our family!  So, this afternoon, Jon, Caid and I spent a lot of time just being with each other, listening to hymns and praise music, and just relaxing!  Right now, Jon is getting rejuvenated by taking in God's creation at a local lake, Kincaid is napping, and I'm getting ready to bake some bread and pick up my knitting!  So thankful for these restful moments!

Day 17 - Delicious

These are delicious, fluffy, chocolate-chip pancakes made by Jon!  They were so good!  So fortunate and grateful to have yummy food at our disposal, and to have a hubby to whip up breakfast for me every now and then!

Day 16 - Sleep

Kincaid has slept the last 2 nights without waking up!! So happy and thankful for two full nights of uninterrupted sleep!!!

Day 15 - coworkers

I'm thankful to have a great group of people that I work with each day!  I am blessed to get to carpool because I not only save on gas money, but also have gotten to know some great women!  The whole crew at our office makes it fun to go to work each day, and I'm blessed to know them!  Kincaid has been exposed to such different and amazing people, and will be influenced by that forever!

Day 14 - Brothers & Sister - in -laws

I'm grateful that I have smart, funny, hard working brothers in law (James, Jason & Joel) and sister in law (Kathy)!  Each of them are so unique and are so loved by three of my favorite people (Jon, Tyson & Caitlin) and therefore by me.  Kincaid is blessed to have each of them in his life, and I love that he'll learn so much from them.  He'll get some mad soccer and fishing skills from the VK uncles, his KState football knowledge & crazy math skills from Aunt Kathy, and a great example of what it means to take care of others and yourself form Uncle James!

Day 13 - Date nights

I'm so thankful for date nights!! Jon and I have had a date night nearly each week for our entire relationship!  Sometimes our dates involve extensively thought out endeavors, and sometimes our dates are easy meals watching a show on hulu or a movie from netflix!  No matter what we do, I'm thankful for these nights we have devoted to each other each week!  I love my man, and love the time we get to invest in each other!

Day 12 - Time

We had such a great day today!  I'm so thankful for the day I got to spend at home with Kincaid!  We had a blast and got in a lot of quality time!  It felt so good to be home, playing with him, and also tackling some housework while he napped!  I also got to talk with two amazing ladies and friends that I've missed connecting with so much!  What a great day!

Thanks to all the Veterans and those currently serving in the military!  No words or actions can express enough gratitude for the freedom and rights you fought or are fighting for!  Thank you for the risks taken and the sacrifices made by you and your families so that we can live freely in the U.S.A.!

Day 11 - First time evers

I'm so thankful for first-time-ever things!  Today, Kincaid got to have another first time ever - eating something besides breast milk!! I had decided that I wasn't going to give him any rice cereal until 6 months because he's been doing great with nursing, and he's continued to sleep pretty well through the night.  And THEN the time change happened!  He's been going to sleep early and waking up at crazy hours at night!  Cait told me Zayley was doing the same thing, so she introduced rice.  I was still hesitant to add anything into Kincaid's diet - what is one more month of interrupted sleep???

Well, on a whim, I decided to grab some rice cereal tonight while at the grocery store, and we gave it a try!  Check it out the first bites....

He did really great - so fingers crossed he sleeps great :) Either way, our little guy is quickly moving towards solids, and we are in for lots of fun and messy meal times!

Day 10 - Caitlin

Today, I'm thankful for Cait!  I wouldn't say that we were particularly close for the first several years our parents were married.  In fact, because all of us kids were out of school, and I was living in Michigan when they got married, I hardly even saw her let alone talked to her.  For me, the turning point was when she and I met mom and John in NY for Thanksgiving in 2005 I think.  They dropped us off at the airport for our return home flights, and we had a few hours to kill.  At least from my perspective, it turned out to be a great gift.  I think it was the first time it'd been just the two of us, and I felt like I actually got to know her a bit!

Anyways, fast forward to 2011, we both turn up preggo within a few weeks of each other, and I feel like that was an even greater gift!  I'm so thankful that we both got to go through pregnancy together, and I'll be forever grateful for the support, advice and encouragement she gave me over the 9 months!

Caitlin is creative, smart, and funny.  She has the best laugh, and knows how to have a good time!  She is hard working, outgoing, and adventurous.  She enjoys life in big and small ways.  She is a beautiful lady with a great heart, and she is an awesome mom to the most beautiful little girl!  I admire her for all of these reasons, and know there are others that I could add!  So glad to have her as a sister, and thankful for all of the fun memories our little ones will share in the future!

Day 9 - Tyson

Today, I'm thankful for Tyson!

I'm so thankful for Tyson!  I admire him for so many reasons!!  He is one of the funniest people I know, and I laugh nearly every time I talk to him or exchange texts!  He really is hilarious if you ask me!  I'm jealous of his ability to tell a good story, and I respect his work ethic.  He can fix just about anything, and is incredibly skilled at home repairs even though he hates anything related to remodeling!  I admire that he is committed to the people in his life, that he is a good friend, and that he will stand up for his family through thick and thin.  I think it's awesome that he helps out Grandma Wilma by taking out her trash, taking care of the lawn, or moving items from one space to another in her house.  He is also incredibly knowledgeable (and surprisingly passionate) about politics - which I have no interest in at all!  He is stubborn, and smart.  He's a self-described shy guy, but is really quite outgoing and personable.  He's sensitive and kind.

It's so funny because Tys and I used to fight like cats and dogs, and I'm sure our parents wondered if we'd ever get along for more than an hour!  We used to drive each other crazy and do whatever we could to push each others buttons and get each other into trouble!  I used to think he was spoiled rotten and always got his way, and he would say the same about me :)  We've had quite the journey together, and I'm glad he was along for the ride!

I'm so thankful he is not only my brother but also my friend, and I could go on and on - but hopefully you get the gist of it!  He is awesome and one of a kind.  I wouldn't trade him for any other brother, and I'm so glad that Kincaid has him as an uncle!  I'm super proud of him and love him!!

Day 8 - Parents

I'm so grateful that Jon and I have amazing parents!  All of our parents have demonstrated love, understanding, and support year after year as we moved from one stage of life to the next!  They showed us what it means to work hard and to sacrifice in order to achieve our goals!  They taught us the importance of family and faith.  We are so grateful for these lessons and so many others!

Day 7 - The Best Part of Waking Up

....the coffee in my cup
....seeing Kincaid's smile & snuggling him
....enjoying the cup of joe with Jon
....morning devotions with Jon

The best part of waking up each day is that I have a new day to try again!  I will try to do this day better than the last, and in some ways will succeed and in some ways will fail.  I love so many things about the morning - it's my favorite part of the day.  A quite house, delicious coffee, and often some QT with by boys!  Today in particular I am thankful for all of these things, and am thankful that 2 years 6 months ago today, I married the best guy!

Day 6 - Life and Liberty

Today, I'm very thankful for Life and Liberty!  

This little Life is what I'm particularly grateful for today!! 

Our sweet boy is 5 months old!  How this is possible, I really don't know!  It has been the best 5 months, and is going too quickly!  We'll go Monday to check out his measurements at the Health Department, but he is certainly healthy and happy! 

Highlights from his 5th month:

Movement:  Kincaid can now roll both ways!! He mastered rolling from his back to his tummy at the end of September (typically, infants roll from tummy to back first), and the last weekend in October, he started rolling from his tummy to his back.  He still has to work quite a lot for this second roll, but is getting the hang of it!  He also is a great sitter these days!  It seems like his strength really developed quickly in a week's time!  He can sit without toppling over for 5+ minutes!! It is so fun to see him learn how to stay balanced! 

Laughter:  He laughs so much these days, continues to love to see all the people at work, and brings so much joy to everybody!  He is such a great baby, and continues to spoil us!!  He really enjoys peek-a-boo, funny faces, silly noises and happy chatter!  Jon can make him laugh like nobody else, and it is awesome!

Eating & Sleeping:  He is sleeping well, though he has started to fall asleep earlier and wake up at night.  I really am not ready to start feeding him baby food yet, so as of right now, plan to just keep waking up to feed him and put him back to bed until he hits 6 months.  

Adventure:  Took his first flight on October 19 when we went to Michigan for the weekend to celebrate Grandpa and Grandma VK's 65th wedding anniversary.  He was a rockstar as I mentioned in an earlier post.  

Baptism:  Kincaid was baptized on October 28 and we were so blessed to have all of his grandparents there along with Great Grandma Wilma and Uncle Tyson/Aunt Kathy. 

Other:  Kincaid loves to be in his exersaucer/jumper, on the floor to roll & play, and sitting up!  He loves to see and "talk" to people, and is so curious!  I LOVE to watch him when he notices something new or different!  He kind of cocks his little head, or leans in to get a closer look, or gets this real determined look on his face/furrows his brow.  It is so darn cute!  He continues to be fascinated by Grace, and you can certainly tell who he recognizes by his big grin!  Caid no longer "growls" but is more into this sort of frustrated sounding noise even though he makes it when he is happily playing.  He has also been biting/sucking on his lower lip the past week and it's real cute!  He has also been making this really cute face where he sort of bunches his lips and scrunches his nose at the same time!  I hope i get a picture of it, because these little quirks are fleeting!!


Today I'm also thankful for Liberty.  We have the right and freedom to go cast a vote today.  I'm not really into politics, and I am certainly not about to go on a rant about either candidate.  Simply grateful for the option to vote, and hope that all will take advantage of this opportunity to make an informed decision and prayerfully cast a vote today at the polls!

Day 5 - night night, sleep tight

Today, I am grateful I got to drink 3 (or was it 4) glasses of cold, purified water from my faucet between dinner and bedtime!  I am thankful that I have a warm, safe, home in a small, supportive community!  I'm grateful to have a cozy bed to crawl into at 9pm :) after having a good dinner from a kitchen full of food at our fingertips! I'm thankful that, tonight, as we sleep, I don't have to worry about the safety of my family.  So many conveniences and luxuries that many people in our nation and world do not have and that I take for granted most days!

Thankful to God for all He has provided!

Day 4 - This is the day

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!  So So So thankful for this day!  To have time to rest, laugh, and enjoy family!  So thankful that we have a Lord and Savior who loves us so dearly; our Lord is so mind-blowingly creative and we get to enjoy his creativity daily!

Here are just a handful of ways that have struck me lately regarding the Lord's incredible gifts:

Dawn/Dusk:
Something I really enjoy about being back in Kansas is the wide open space.  The lack of trees allows us the honor of seeing a sunrise or sunet almost daily!  I am blown away by the beauty of the horizon, and so thankful that I have eyes to see!

Children:
One of the most incredible miracles of life!  I look at Kincaid daily and am in awe of this tiny creation that is growing so rapidly!  How he is unique and wonderfully made!  Kiddos are a great blessing and teach us so much about life!

Relationships:
We are created for relationships.  First and foremost, a relationship with God.  We are also created for community and relationships with family and friends.  The Lord works in mysterious and wonderful ways through the relationships we have in our lives, even in the midst of struggles with others.

So many things I take for granted, and am trying to slow down and just appreciate!

Day 3 - Mr. Incredible

My Mr. Incredible

This guy does it all!  From errands like grocery shopping, yard work, laundry folding, and toilet cleaning, to just being there when he is needed most to support and encourage!  Doing household chores and errands does not even come close to his top "50 things I'd love to do with my free time."  However, he chips in (and has even begun to do so willingly) in order to give me a break and help us to both have balanced lives!  Jon is the best father, and some of the best moments of my days are when I see Kincaid's eyes light up when he spots his papa, or when I hear the two of them laughing and playing together!! I love that he is the one I get to raise Kincaid with; to laugh and cry with; to be silly and real with!  So very thankful for my Mr. Incredible!  I've been known to fuss about this or that from time to time, but really, I am so very blessed to have this guy as my partner and BFF!  

Day 2 - my daily lunch date & halloween

I am so SO thankful that my lunch date for the last few months has been this fella!  I will miss him so much after Dec 6!!!

This is our little slugger on his first Halloween!  No trick-or-treating for him this year, but we had plenty of fun at the office party! 

Thanksgiving

What a great month!  November is the month for thanksgiving!  Today I am so very very very thankful for these guys!

It's fuzzy because Caid was too busy playing to bother with a picture :) I LOVE and am so BLESSED by the giggles and joy I can hear right now coming from Jon and Kincaid!  A girl couldn't ask for two better boys to have in her life!!

Faith, Hope and Love

1 Corinthians 13:13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

This post is a tribute to Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma VK, two amazing, Godly, kind, loving people whose family legacy is one of faith, hope and love (and a few others)!

- Faith - 

One thing is clear if you know Roger & Wilma VK!  They LOVE our Lord, and they desire for each person to know how much our God loves us!  When called on to give a speech at dinner this weekend, Grandpa VK immediately grabbed his Bible, and read excerpts from the following Psalm.

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

¹ Lord, you have been our dwelling place
    throughout all generations.
² Before the mountains were born
    or you brought forth the whole world,
    from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³ You turn people back to dust,
    saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
⁴ A thousand years in your sight
    are like a day that has just gone by,
    or like a watch in the night.
⁵ Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
    they are like the new grass of the morning:
⁶ In the morning it springs up new,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.

⁷ We are consumed by your anger
    and terrified by your indignation.
⁸ You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins in the light of your presence.
⁹ All our days pass away under your wrath;
    we finish our years with a moan.
¹⁰ Our days may come to seventy years,
    or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
¹¹ If only we knew the power of your anger!
    Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
¹² Teach us to number our days,
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

¹³ Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
    Have compassion on your servants.
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
    that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.
¹⁶ May your deeds be shown to your servants,
    your splendor to their children.

¹⁷ May the favor^[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
    establish the work of our hands for us—
    yes, establish the work of our hands.

- Commitment -

Roger & Wilma VK - 

Celebrating 65 years of Marriage & Life together!

4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren later and they still look great!! 

- Family -

- Love -

 

- Laughter - 

- Fun & Adventure-

 

 

The VKs really know how to have fun together!  At family gatherings, there is always laughter, learning, and adventure.  There is a lot of figurative leg pulling, jokes galore, energy, and games, games and more games!  Mostly though, there is a solid foundation of Faith in our Lord, Hope in what tomorrow will bring, and an incredible Love for one another.  

I get overwhelmed by the love that this family has for their grandparents and for each other!  It's really awesome, and my hope for Graham and Kincaid is that they will have this same experience for years to come!  If you ask me, these two little guys are incredibly blessed to be a part of the next generation of VK's!  We sure are blessed by them!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Grandpa and Grandma VK!