Last Day of Winter

I am enjoying the last day of winter by sitting on my deck, watching the kids play in the backyard, all the while I am wearing my capris and my new sandals to show of my pedicure.  Meanwhile, my friends and family back in Chicago woke up to 2 inches of snow.  (Sorry don't mean to rub it in).  Ah, glad Old Man Winter has left Indiana!!!!!  If you see me skipping instead of walking, you know why!!!

Random thoughts here....

 Just some random thoughts I'd like to share.

These past few weeks have been a little nerve racking with my Mom being in the hospital.  She has colitis and had a severe inflmation/flare up that put her in the hospital for 20 days!  On top of that, an old bladder problem was giving her issues, but luckily she got that fixed.  Her health conditon was never critical, but stll scary.  Luckily I had a weekend off from school, so the kids and I went up there to see her.  I think seeing the kids really lifted her spirits.  And while visiting her in the hospital, the kids drew her numerous pictures to hand on the wall of her hospital room.

Which leads me to Ms. Kate.  Every day since we have been back, she has made something for Nana (usually a rainbow or fireworks) out of construction paper.  She then goes gets an envelope, has me address it, and SHE puts the stamp on along with some stickers.  Kate has now moved on to making things for her best friend Gracie who is moving.  Yesterday she made a picture for the sitter Nikki and put in the envelope some perfume.  Today she made a picture for "Baby" Jake who goes to Nikki's and put a little pet figurine (Nikki: If you are reading this, I won't be mailing it!  I'll bring it next week!).  It is so wonderful to see what a good heart Kate has.  She is always thinking of other people and the little things that will make them happy.

Then tonight, we were all watching the movie "The Princess and the Frog".  Kate fell asleep early on since she did not have a nap today (luckily she had already seen it).  So Luke and I were watching it.  At the end of the movie, he said that if he ever had to go see someone get married, he would bring his DSi so he did have to watch the kissing.  Then he said that he hoped I would catch the flowers from the bride so I could get married next. (Note: As far as I know, NO plans to go to a wedding any time soon that the kids would be going with, but I do have a few I may go to....)  Anyway, I asked why he wanted me to catch the flowers, and  he said "So you can get married again and we can get a new Daddy."   What a punch to the gut that was while trying to explain that he already has a Daddy.....

Larry the Leprachaun came for a visit

A new tradition started in our household this St. Patty's day.  Larry the Leprachaun came for a visit.  The idea was inspired by Kate's preschool and when she got home from school on St. Patty's Day, all she could talk about was Larry's visit to her school. 

NOTE: In case you don't know who Larry is, he is a sneaky little guy.  He pops up out of the ground when you are not looking.  He steals your Lucky Charms that you left as bait.  He leaves you footprints with tape on them.  He also leaves you some clovers.  And best of all he leaves you some goodies.  He is so sneaky and fast, that you will never see him......I have heard he has been known to leave some green milk or green pancakes or green eggs for the kiddos and some green beer for Mommy and Daddy.  He also has been known to knock over some chairs and make a mess while he visits.  He is different from Santa and the Easter Bunny who have already been to your house when you wake up....as Larry can 'pop' up at any time during the day.....

So I improvised....We placed some Lucky Charms outside as bait.  So "Larry" snuck outside when the kids were watching TV.  The kids made their way outside as it was a BEAUTIFUL March day to find some Mardi Gras beads and V-day candy (hey, it is all I could find on short notice in the house....but it should work year from year!)  They were excited and spent the next hour looking for 'clues' where Larry went to next by looking for 4 leaf clovers.....

The Mardi Gras beads and Vday Candy on the swing in our backyard.

The kids with our neighbor Mady and their bags.  Check out Kate's bag.  She made it at school.

Movies...

        Okay, in my household most of the movies I watch involve some kind of animation. It is a rare pleasure I get to watch an adult movie (not THAT kind, so get your mind out the gutter!). WE have a Netflick account that actually gets a lot of use. I have used it to catch up on TV shows I have missed….I am now hopelessly addicted to “Mad Men” thanks to Netflick. In the past week I have seen two movies that were certainly not Oscar contenders, but really got me to thinking and confronting some uneasy emotions.


        The first movie is “The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood”. I originally saw this movie when it came out, which was BK (before kids). I must say I really enjoyed it back then and even more now. However the first time, I really did not understand why the character played by Ashley Judd had a breakdown and left her family briefly. It was after an incident in which her three young children were throwing up and pooping in the bed as they had the flu. I did not understand, the kids couldn’t help it….Now that I am a Mom….I GET IT!!! Mom’s try so hard to nurture everyone else yet neglect themselves and their needs. This makes me think about something I recently read: “Women are usually calm in the middle of a storm, yet it is the little things that bring us down.” SO TRUE!!! We hold strong in the hard times, yet then the littlest bump in the road will cause us to crash. I am a testament to this!

       The other movie was “We Are Marshall.” I shamefully admit I had NO idea about the tragedy at Marshall until the movie came out a few years ago. Oddly, in 1999 Mark and I had driven through Huntington, WV on our way to go whitewater rafting on the Gauley River and spent the night there. This was when he was working out in NYC and his baggage got ‘lost’ on its way to Indy, so the airline re-routed it the airport there so we could pick it up on our way. I remember driving to the airport and both of us commented unknowingly, “Wow, I would never want to LAND in an airplane here!” It was such a small airport practically on top of hill surrounded by trees. I thought it was a wonderful movie though very emotional to watch. I am not sure why, but it really has gotten me to thinking….maybe I can relate to the sudden and unexpected loss?

      Anyway, the next movie in my Netflick queue is “The Hangover.” I have been on the waiting list for several months….I am hoping it will be a funny movie that doesn’t make me think!!! And I am not going anywhere near “Marley and Me” anytime soon….

Spring...oh please be here!

Signs of Spring are here everywhere.....temps in the 40's....lots of sunlight...saw a couple of sparrrows this morning....just waiting on a tulip to push through the mulch.

And oh, how my weary soul needs you Spring. Yesterday, when I woke up I had a touch of the stomach flu....by the end of the day, I felt revived after spending some time outside with the kids in the sun and the fresh air! Though my stomach is still queasy and I have to watch what I eat, being outside felt wonderful!!!

Oh, what a long three months it has been....no more hibernating!!!! All the blinds are open in this house! I think my plants need the sunshine as much as I do!!!

Almost forgot....

In my mood of 'funkiness' (as I'll call it), the Saints won the Super Bowl (as most of you already know).

Now, I live in Indy and of course I love the Colts. However, I went to Purdue. I was there the same time as Drew Brees. I saw all of his college games that were played at Purdue. While I never met him personally, nor did Mark (though Mark did meet Mike Alstott once at a sorioity dance, that is another story...), we always loved Drew Brees. He was the kind of guy that played his heart out and never got the credit he deserved. We were even at the Purdue-Notre Dame game in Sept 2007 in which Drew and his wife Britanny came back to donate money to the school. Needless to say, we live for anything Gold and Black in this household.

When the Conference Championships were on, we watched the Saints-Vikings game. Luke shared in my enthusism for the "other" black and gold team and made up this cheer: "Go Gold and Black, Go Quaterback!" So I bet you can figure out who I wanted to win.

Yes, I let Luke stay up for the whole game (thankfully it was over by 10PM!). And what a game it was. It was such an awesome game!!! After Luke fell asleep, I stayed up to make sure Drew was named MVP. And I saw this:

Well, I lost it and I mean LOST it.....crying so hard snot bubbles came out of my nose (sorry if this is TMI!). So sad that Mark was not physically here to share this moment with Luke. I know Mark would have been beyond excited for Drew. And to see such a touching moment like that....a pure, picture perfect moment between a father and a son.....and my heart breaks that Luke may not have any moments like that in the future.....and I am not mad at Mark for that, I was just completely sad and broken hearted for Luke....and grateful that he was sound asleep so I did not have to explain the bubbles coming out of my nose.

And while some schools were off on the Monday after the Super Bowl here in Indy, Luke went to school PROUDLY wearing his Purdue Football jersey......

Hopefully I am back...

Sorry for the depature from my blog the past few months....the holidays were brutal this time around....I have been in a funk....winters are hard on me to begin with....though I love to play in the snow....I feel like a bear and all I want to do is sleep and hide. But luckily I am finally feeling like I am getting out of it.....there is a light at the end of the tunnel....Spring is just around the corner!

I certainly have many things and blessings to be grateful for. My schooling is going very well. The class I am working with (a first grade class) I LOVE!! I am learing so much from them and look forward to going there.

I cherish all the time I am now able to spend with the kids. And I am constanly reminded that I am doing a good job with them. Being a parent, let alone a single parent, is hard and challenging. A parent is always thinking and wanting to make sure that they are guiding their children down the right path.

Mark and I always said we wanted to raise thoughtful, caring children. Mark was the type of guy that would give a complete stranger the shirt off his back. Right before he died, I remember him telling me of how he stopped at a serious accident scene on his way to work to try to help even though he ended be late for work. And I see Mark's endless, giving spirit in Luke and Kate all the time. It melts my heart as I know he lives on in them.

For example, the other day, Kate and I were waiting outside for her preschool to open up. Her friend Graicie was crying because her hands were cold. Kate instinctly took off her gloves and gave them to Graicie. Today while at Big Splash Adventure, we were in the arcade. A boy about 4 years old was watching Luke play a game. He said that he wanted to play but did not have any tokens. Luke instinctly reached into his pocket and gave him a token to him...and then got up to let the boy play.

And these past two days with the kiddos at Big Splash Adventure have been absolutely wonderful. Again I am reminded how grateful I am to be able to spend this quality time with the kiddos. We have had such a great time and have laughed so much. Laughter really does wonder for the soul.

Holidays 2009

Well, we made it…or more like I made it....somehow... The kids of course loved the Christmas season. Me on the other hand, realizing it is the second one without Mark….wow….it was very hard. Since it has been a long time since I posted, I am resorting to bullet points to what we have been up to over the past couple of months.

* Thanksgiving: we went up to A’town (Antioch) for several days to spend it with my family. While there we went to TWO Christmas parades. I am telling you, they just do not have parades in Indiana like they do up there!
* Polar Express: Meet up with my SIL Cathy, her husband Mike, and their kids Makenna, Alex, and Sami (L and K’s cousins) in Connersville, IN to go on the Polar Express train ride. It was AWESOME!!! Better then any breakfast with Santa you could go to and just like the book. The kids are already asking if we are doing this again next year!
* Got through my third class for school….~~whew~~. The toughest one by far as it was a class to help was a class to help students with reading disabilities. I thoroughly enjoyed working with my student who taught me more then I think I taught her!
* Had a “Mommy and Kate” afternoon…went to McD’s for lunch and then went to see “The Princess and the Frog”. Got together with my “Purdue” girls for a GNO and to celebrate Christmas. We all dared each other, and some how we are all signed up to run/walk the Indy Mini-Marathon in May!?!?
* Kate had a Christmas program for her school and she actually let me put a bow in her hair!
* Poor Luke had to have some dental work done under GA at the local hospital on an out-patient basis. He was such a trooper and such a brave boy. It took him several days to get back to normal though L
* Made our annual ‘trek’ to Danville for the lights in Ellis Park, though we did not get to go to the Indy Zoo for the Christmas lights like we normally do because it was too cold when we planned to go.
* Made TWO round trips to A’town and back from Dec 23 to Dec 28 so my Mom could spend Christmas with us here in Plainfield. The kids had an absolutely, wonderful Christmas and loved having Nana here Christmas morning. L got his Wii and K got nailpolish- just like they asked for from Santa. While up in A’town to see my family after Christmas, took the kids to Lego Land in Schaumburg, which of course L thought was the coolest place on earth, next to the one in Orlando!
* Got to see my dear friend Amy, who had us over for dinner, and her handsome boys, Dane, Chase and of course Shelby.
* Went to Columbus, OH to see Cathy, Mike and their kids for NYE. The kids had a wonderful time playing with their cousins. Luke and Alex loved playing the Wii and talking about Transformers, while Kate relished in playing with her only girl cousins! We also got to see the “Chipmunk” movie at a dinner/restaurant (had all you can eat pancakes)…very cool!
* School started back up for all of us….ROUGH WEEK... it has been tough for all of us to get back into the routine!
* Finally got a decent snow here in Indy. The kids have been outside playing in it everyday though it is very chilly!

Funk...Funky Funk...

I just realized that I have not posted anything in the past month. Jeeze! Mainly because I have been super swamped with the class I just finished for school and I have been in a funk. It is the winter blues for sure, and given all that is going on in my life, it is to be expected.

But my class is now done! Yippie! No more class till Jan 8th!!!

There have been some bright spots over the past month. We went up to A'town for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful visit.

We went on the Polar Express ride in Connersville, IN (just like the movie) and it was the most amazing time! Better then any breakfest with Santa you could ever go to!!!

The kids of course are super excited about Christmas and are counting down the days. Me..ah...Christmas. It is certainly harder the second time around. But thankfully I have taken full advantage of on-line shopping and websites that provide free shipping. So I can say I am done shopping....now onto the wrapping.

Kate has her school Christmas party today, and Christmas program tonight. Luke's last day is tomorrow and though he loves school is ready for the break.

So if my good mood continues, I'll try to post some pics of our recent adventures soon.

Reflective Mood....

This past week, 3 different people’s death have hit close to home.

First, a guy named Matt “Doc” Keim that I went to Illinois College with, died at the age of 36 of an apparent heart attack. I did not know him extremely well, but we were friends. We hung out with some of the same people, and partied together a few times. I remember going to STL while still in college with some friends to see him at this bar he worked at. I haven’t seen him over 10 years, but I will remember that he always had a smile on his face and never had bad word to say about anyone. As far as I know, he never married, and did not have kids, however he was an only child and both of his parents are still alive.

Second, is a friend that I went to junior high and high school with, named Erik McCormick. Erik was traveling with his wife Erin and their two young kids from IL through IN on their way to Walt Disney World on Friday, Nov 6th when they were in a horrendous car crash. Erik’s 4 yr old daughter, Gwenna, was seriously injured and was taken to Riley Hospital in Indy. Turns out I was just minutes ahead of this crash as it happened in Indy. Gwenna succumbed to her injuries on the 11th. Erik and Erin donated Gwenna’s organs, which I think is the most selfless act anyone can do. There are so many ironies here with their situation; it makes me ill to think about. My heart breaks for them and their loss.

Lastly, a 15 year old boy from Plainfield (Ben Kempf) was killed last night in a freak accident….he was riding a moped when a truck pulled out in front of him. The accident happened right by where the kid’s sitter lives. I do not know the Kempf family well, however I do know of them as they also go to St. Susanna Catholic Church. Another family looses a child….

As I go through my own grief journey, it is moments like this that remind me that life is too short to hold grudges but one must life their own life with their held up high. Though I am sad for the families, I am reminded that though they lost a loved one, it should be celebrated that 3 people have met Jesus.

No Training Wheels!!!

After spending most of the summer trying to convince Luke he could ride his bike without training wheels (when he rode his bike the training wheels were not even touching the ground!!), on this cold, November day, he finally let me take them off....and he was off like he has been riding a bike his whole life! He only fell once but got up and kept going. I am sooooo stinkin' proud of him!!!

I must say this was a rather emotional moment....cheesy, I know....but it is moments like this that I wish Mark was here....I know he is here, but I mean physically here. This is a moment that makes a Daddy (and Mommy) proud. I know my childhood, and Mark's too, was filled with great memories riding our bikes ALL the time and all over our neighborhood's.. It is just one of those rites of passages of childhood.....

Luke riding his bike....Check it out, he is STANDING while he is riding?!?!

Halloween 2009

Luke being silly at the Indy "Zoo Boo"

Luke and Kate at the "Zoo Boo"

Kate being silly with some candy 'eye balls'


Kate and her friend, Chelsy, (a neighbor) before Trick or Treating.

Luke and Kate already to go Trick or Treating.

Luke on his bike.

Bippty, Boppity, BOOP!!

Luke with his bud, "Blue School" Jake, Trick or Treating in our neighborhood.

Luke, Kate and Jake Trick or Treating.

Our neighbor's, Gracie and Sam. Kate and Gracie are best buds and go to preschool together.

The Month of November....

Sorry I haven’t posted much on here lately. Partly due to being EXTEREMLY busy, especially now that I have started the ‘field experience’ portion of my schooling. So on top of the time I normally volunteer in Luke’s classroom, I am going into a separate classroom several times a week to do one-on-one work with a student. I LOVE being in the classroom and the student I have is a 'diamond in the rough'. While this class is very challenging and time consuming, I am learning so much.

Then on top of that, I have been in a funk. Maybe it is due to the fact winter is coming. Maybe it is due to the fact I have made it through the first year and I was on auto pilot. Maybe it is due to the fact the holidays are coming and my auto pilot has stopped working. Maybe it is due to all the family drama that is going on (I’ll spare you the details) that has opened up one on the few wounds I finally had healed from Mark’s death. Maybe it is due to the fact I am trying my best daily to keep things normal for Luke and Kate while trying to find our ‘new’ normal?

Luckily the kids are doing great. They both love going to school and are doing well in school. They love being able to play with the neighbor kids when at home. At this point they have adjusted well, and of course I worry that further down the road, that is when it will be hard for them. And as any mother, I want to prevent any pain and hurt, so I worry about that.

Oh, and on top of that, I had Gilbert (the cat) declawed last week because he has been scratching the kids. Oh, it has not turned out like I imagined at all! Within a couple hours of coming home, he ripped open three of the stitches (surgical glue). I won’t even describe the horrible mess it left all over the house. Of course it was AFTER the Vet was closed, so we made a trip to the East side of Indy to the 24 hour vet….so the declaw bill now doubled after both paws were stitched up. He is actually BACK at the Vet because his paws are still bleeding. At least this overnight visit is ‘free’ of charge…

Best of the Best (WDW Pics)

All of our Mickey Ears from previous trips....

Luke in front of Lego Land in Downtown Disney...He LOVED it here!

Kate in front of Magic Kingdom before it opened.

Princess Kate at "Cinderella's Royal Table" for breakfest inside Cinderella's Castle. All the princesses signed a birthday card for her. (Check out the plate...cool huh?)

Kate having fun on the "Tea Cups" (I love this picture of her!!)

Luke on the bus back from Magic Kingdom.

Kate having fun at the 'gituar' pool at our resort. Luke made a friend with a boy named James from England that he played with every day!


Princess Kate after a long day at the parks...so lady-like huh?

Mickey, Minnie, me and Kate (Luke was being camera shy most of the trip)

My sister Shelly falling in the Muppet's fountain at Hollywood Studio!

Aunt Sha-Sha with Luke and Kate.

Kate's princess dresses and her dolls.

Cinderella's Castle at night...I finally got a night picture to work on my camera!!

Kate just before we left WDW....

Our last meal at our resort....YUMMY Mickey Waffels!!

And yes, I do not have a picture the four of us....the only one we got was taken by a Disney photographer "Disney Photo Pass". I haven't decided if it is worth the $15 yet!

Walt Disney World 2009

It is true…there is something truly magical about WDW….and it is the happiest place on earth. And I love the Mouse so much, I have a tattoo of him on my right ankle.

My sister Shelly, who is also a widow, came with us….having also lost her husband, she has provided me with a lot of wisdom as I go through my grief journey, as she is still going through her own. She said I needed something to look forward to through this first year….Thus I came up with the idea of WDW over Luke’s Fall Break.

Now my love of all things Disney can be traced directly back to my BFF Amy and the trip after our HS graduation. It was my first time to Disney…and who better to go with then Amy and her mom Bonnie (who are the ultimate WDW fanatics). Since then I have been back 4 more times, three of which were with Mark. So Disney holds a lot of memories for me with Mark. We last went together as a family in Feb 2007 (Luke’s second trip to WDW and Kate’s first).

It felt like every corner I turned on this trip, a flood of memories came back to me of Mark. But being in the ‘happiest place on earth’ I was able to embrace those memories with a smile on my face, though I did loose it a few times, but I am allowed to!

Out of the blue as we were just about to enter the Magic Kingdom on the last night of our stay, Kate says to Aunt Sha-Sha (aka my sister Shelly), “Aunt Sha-Sha, did you know that my Daddy died? And that he is up in the sky? And that he cannot come back down? I really miss him”. Definetly one of those moements when we both did our best to hold back the tears….

But it was a wonderful trip. All of us had a great time. The kids did great, though there were a few meltdowns. They loved the pool at the hotel. And if you ask Luke, the best part of WDW: LEGO LAND!! (Seriously). And the one splurge on the trip was breakfast at Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom to celebrate Kate’s 3rd Birthday….OMG. It was truly magical and the food was delicious (It better be for the price!)

Anyway, we are back in the Land of Hooisers and already trying to figure out our next trip to WDW. I am going to post pics in a seperate post....I have so many great ones, I need to try put up the "Best of the Best"

Not to rub it in....

However, at 7 AM on Wed, Oct 21st, the kids, myself and my sister Shelly (aka Aunt Sha Sha) will be getting on a plane to Walt Disney World!!! To say that we are excited is a complete understatment. I promise to post lots and lots of pictures....I also promise to give Mickey a hug for you. And I cannot wait to show Mickey my tattoo of him (again!)

The Month of October so far...

Well, I guess I can say I ‘officially’ survived this week….though it still does not make me feel better or feel like a victory. One year…..it still sucks and it is still very hard….and I still wonder, will the pain in my heart ever go away?? Or at least lessen?? Because it hasn’t yet. I still believe we are married and I still wear my ring, though as I was reminded by a legal document I had to sign, that my marriage to Mark legally ended on October 13th, 2008.

And how do you appropriately act on this day when the following day is Kate’s birthday? Oh, how I struggled with that one for the weeks prior….I am very much a tradition person, and strongly believe in them. One of the traditions that I wanted to start, was a Mass intention for Mark on the 13th. Though I will never truly understand ‘why’, it is still the day Mark was greeted with arms wide open by Jesus.

Many months ago I had arranged for the Mass on Tuesday evening to be for Mark. Well, unfortunately Father Kevin broke his leg a few weeks ago, and isn’t able to perform Mass right now. The church is relying on retired priest and can only get priests to cover the weekend masses….so the Mass for Mark did not happen as planned, yet is rescheduled for a Sunday in a few weeks. Sure deep down I am disappointed, yet I am reminded that it was beyond my control, and in HIS hands, as many things are.

My Mom was here to make sure I was not alone, and that was a blessing. The kids are still too young to grasp what the day means, and then to add in the mix Kate’s birthday….way too many emotions for me yet for the kids to understand at this point….and when they do understand, we’ll discuss it. I tried to keep the day as normal as possible, and we spent it together as a family. Though, I wonder if deep down the kids knew…..as by chance both of the kids decided that afternoon to let go the remaining balloons from Kate’s birthday party (which was held a few days early) up in the sky so Daddy could have them.

While my Dad was here for Kate’s birthday party, which was held on Sunday the 11th, he helped me plant the “Sunset Maple” tree that I bought for Mark in the side yard. I got it at a local tree farm, Cox’s, that Mark really respected (long story, that I'll save for another time). My Dad also got this beautiful marker with a touching poem on it in honor of Mark (see pic) below.

And on top of Kate’s party and then actually celebrating her birthday, I had a HUGE final paper for my second class. To say a stressful week is an understatement…however Kate did have a wonderful birthday and is very proud to tell you she is three.

As much as this week was a trial for me on so many levels, I am comforted when I reflect on the many blessings in my life and by the grace of God, I am able to embrace these blessings.

The marker below the tree reads:

"Your Memory is Our Keepsake,

With Which We Will Never Part.

God has You in His Keeping,

We Have You in Our Hearts."

Kate getting ready to release one of the balloons left over from her birthday up in the sky for Daddy on the 13th.

Kate all dressed up in her Minnie Mouse costume before her birthday party on the 11th.

Kids at Kate's party after decorating their party hats.

Kate with her birthday cake at her party. Of course it was from Marsh!

Miss Kate fell fast asleep the night after her party. She said she loved her Minnie Mouse dress so much she was going to sleep in it...and that she did!

Kate and Luke at the Pumpkin Patch (Anderson Orchards) with Nana's dog, Roo.

Kate with her friend Mady after decorating the pumpkins.

Miss Kate on the morning of her birthday! The tradition in our house is: chocolate pancakes, a sign and a homemade birthday hat!

Kate at preschool...she got to bring cupcake for snack time with her classmates.

Celebrating Kate's birthday that night at Chuck E Cheese with MORE cupcakes with Amy B., Amy H. and Katie...along with their kids: Dane, Chase, Alex and Abby.

Photos Essay

We have been busy here the past few weeks despite a flu bug and a cold bug hitting our house. Both of the kids have had their 'fall' field trip to the Apple orchard (luckily different ones). We also finally got out to Columbus, OH to visit with their cousins Makenna, Alex and Sami- to see their new house. I figured a picture essay would be best!

While visiting with cousins in OH, they surprised her with a cake to celebrate her b-day early! This picture shows her true personality....a HAM!!

Kate with her cousin Sami in their matching chairs!

With their cousins: Sami, Makenna, Alex, then Kate and Luke at Graeter's Ice Cream. (Notice the ice cream mustache Luke has??)

Luke and his cousin Alex having fun at the Graeter's 'playplace'.

Kate's visit to the Apple Orchard was basically a washout due to the rain. So very little good pics, however it stopped just long enough for me to get this one in front of the pumpkins.

Luke with his Kindergarten class. Mrs. Rogers (AM), Brentwood Elementary, Plainfield IN.

It was a little chilly in the morning....so Luke dug out his hat and gloves.

Luke being silly! We went to "Apple Works" in Trafalgar, IN. A long drive but a really cool place!

Luke and Mommy self-portrait on the wagon ride.