Christmas Tree Photos

1. I finally got Kinley to stand in front of our little tree.
2. Kinley on our family shopping day snuggled up with the soft blankie I bought him.
3. Our little Christmas tree that just fits in our little living room. :)

Back to June

I had my sonogram today, and by the measurements it showed that I am at 13 weeks, so I guess the due date is back to June 22nd. We'll see what the doctor says in January. It was so cool to see our little one moving around in there and weird at the same time because I can't feel it yet. He/She was very active and we could see the tiny arms and legs moving all around. What an awesome miracle! It definitely is more real to me now!

Family Shopping Day

Chris, Kinley, and I went to Peoria Saturday with Chris' Mom and Dad, and his two sisters and their families. It was quite an adventure. I voted NOT to go back to Peoria next year since I will have a nursing baby and the mall's bathroom there didn't even have a changing station let alone anywhere to nurse. Kinley and I had a little fiasco to get him changed without anywhere to lay him down. We are starting to work on potty training, but we're not ready for public bathrooms yet! Other than that the day was pretty good, although unless you're looking for clothes the mall didn't have very many neat shops. We ate supper at Chili's which I always enjoy, but Chris got a migraine and sat in the van the whole time waiting, throwing up randomly. I ended up driving home as well as there and was exhausted by the time we got home. I had a hard time staying awake listening to Chris snore and Kinley make his little sleeping noises. We did get to see the festival of lights which was neat and Kinley loved it. I tried to take pictures but they didn't turn out. I guess it was a pretty hectic day, but fun to spend it with family.

Dr. Time

Well, I had my first doctor's appointment today. It really wasn't too eventful. I do have a tentative due date of July 11th, but I am going to have a sonogram done to see for sure since my cycles are just craziness. I have to say I shaved my legs for this and then didn't even have to get examined . . . I'm not complaining! Sometimes I wonder if I'm really pregnant I have felt so good with this one but then I remember getting up to pee at 3am every morning and how tired I am in the afternoons. It actually reassures me.
A sweet after thought . . . on the way to the doctor today Kinley was singing to himself and what I caught of it was "baby Jesus" la la la. It was a really cute moment, and I'm pretty sure he was making it up himself because I've never sang him a song about baby Jesus.
Hope everyone is having fun preparing for Christmas!

A kiss in the pit of ick

Yes, I stole Laura's "pit of ick". We have experienced that here at the VanHoveln household as well the last couple of days. Kinley got sick with the flu Tuesday afternoon. He threw up four or five times and then just layed around watching cartoons the rest of the day. I got it in the night Tuesday night. I can't say having the flu while being pregnant was very fun. By the end of the day I couldn't tell if I was naseuas because I needed to eat or because of the flu. The best part of the whole experience was that I put Kinley in bed with us Tuesday night because I couldn't even sit up to rock him or I had to go to the bathroom. He just snuggled up and after a few minutes he sat up, leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. What a precious gift in the middle of yuckiness. He hasn't done that for a really long time. Anyway, we are both feeling better this Thanksgiving morning, and I am very thankful for that. We are currently waiting for Chris to get home from morning chores so we can go to U. Joda and A. Janie's for Thanksgiving. Yummy! I thought it was a good sign when I got up to pee at 3:30am and couldn't go back to sleep for awhile just thinking about all the yummy food! Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Check-Up

I took Kinley to see our Nurse Practitioner today to talk to her about possibly putting Kinley on Singulair, which is a medicine that helps prevent asthma and allergy attacks. We have been in the emergency room four times this year with him because of wheezy breathing due to asthma attacks we think. Nurse Debbie thinks it is a good idea to try it with him since she hasn't ever had anyone have bad side effects from it, and it would probably prevent us from having to go to the E.R. I go back and forth because I hate the idea of having him on medicine all of the time, but I also hate watching my baby suffer when he has a hard time breathing. What do all you Mamas think?
As a side note: Kinley is 27 inches long and 30.4 lbs. He is so tall! I feel like I've got a monkey hanging on me when I'm carrying him around. That's ok though-he's a cute monkey! :)

Sleepytime

All in all I have been feeling pretty good so far with this pregnancy. However, the last week or so I have gotten really really tired in the afternoons. I'm so glad Kinley takes great afternoon naps so I can lay down too!
Sally, Marci, Mom, and I got to go Christmas shopping yesterday with no kids! We helped mom get a lot of her shopping done which was great! We also ate lunch at Cheddars which was delicious! They have a great lunch special where you can choose two or three things for a good price. I got a loaded baked potato, ceasar salad, and half of a ham and turkey sandwich. It was so good that I was tempted to drive to Champaign today just to get it again. :) Just kidding. How is everyone comping on Christmas shopping? I'm actually about half done and it feels great!
Well, I'm off to take a nap! Have a great Wednesday!

Baby Bump

Well, Chris and I aren't very good about keeping secrets around here, so I thought I would go ahead and blog this since I've told everyone I've seen. :) Chris and I are expecting our second baby! Hurray! We've been trying for awhile now and are so thankful for this baby on the way. I'm not even for sure how far along I am--I'm not going to the doctor until December. I've been feeling great so far and don't really have a baby bump yet I was just trying to think of something clever for the title. Praise God for His faithfulness in all things!

Birthday Party

We had Kinley's birthday party Sunday night at Mom's house. Unfortunately I didn't get too many pictures, but mom did, so she is printing some off for me. Kinley loved it! I made him a "farm" cake with a barn and animals on it. He ended up eating his cake and ice-cream off of a plastic pig instead of a spoon. :) He loves animals right now. He really enjoyed opening all of his presents and has been busy playing with his new animals from G'pa and G'ma Johnson and feeding them plastic food my mom got him for his kitchen. He is a riot right now coming up with his own little games and things to do. He definetely has a better imagination than me. I still can't believe he is two! What a precious gift he is.

"To Me"

Kinley Paul,

You turned two today and I really can't believe you are that old already. When I ask you how old you are you smile your great smile and say "two". I was singing happy birthday to you this morning and you decided to add "to me" at the end. :) You make me smile all of the time, and I love you so much! Your favorite things to do right now are: puzzles "pupples", wrestle with Daddy, and watch you doggy movie (Lady and the Tramp II). You can say a lot of the farm animals names and what sounds they make and you are starting to put words together to form sentences, even though a lot of times I can only make out one or two words. :) You still love crackers, but have broadened your taste buds and like pretty much anything especially fruits. I love you my little man and pray that you will continue to grow into a mighty man of God!

Love,

Your Mommy

Puzzled?

Kinley has been doing three puzzles that A. Sally gave us awhile ago for hours the last few days-literally. It's so funny to watch him do them over and over and not get tired of them. Of course they all have animals on them which he loves right now too. This morning he has been sitting in his highchair for an hour already content to do one puzzle over and over. (note pictures) I am enjoying this stage in his life a lot. Not really because of the puzzles, but because he is starting to talk a lot more and it is cute to hear him say so many things. Not so cute that he learned "mine" I think from his older girl cousins at Leah's birthday party. Thursday he started saying it a lot. Oh well . . . he is also playing a lot more by himself and entertains himself more which is nice for me-even though I do enjoy playing with him too. :) Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend! We have two weiny roasts to enjoy! Yummy!

Favorite Five

I would have to say my top five things are:

1. "Bear-bear"-Kinley's very soft bear/blankie that he loves to snuggle with and has to have for naps and bedtime. It is always great too when he gets hurt. We have 2 to rotate when one is being washed.
2. divided bowls by tupperware--I use them for every meal at home except breakfast and they are great to take to restaraunts too. They come with lids so you can stick a spoon in and some fruit or whatever when you know you are going to be eating out.
3. Children't Ibuprofin-I agree with you Lindsey. I prefer this to tylenol. I always make sure I have some in the house.
4. I know I'm copying Sally, but I'd have to say my super comfy rocking chair Chris got me when I was expecting Kinley. It is great to rock in for both of us!
5. My footstool that Marci gave me to use with my rocking chair. We didn't have room for the big one that came with the chair. But this little wooden one is just the right height for my feet to be comfy.

Garage Sale Finds

The last picture is for Laura. :) These are my boots I found.
And Kinley loves his new little kitchen I got for $10! He likes to play while I do dishes or cook. Its a lot better then having him grabbing my legs trying to pull me away to play. :)

Garage Sales

I'm very excited to be going to Crescent City's town wide garage sales tomorrow with Sally! We hit the Cissna Park townwide ones last Friday and I did pretty well. I found 3 like new pairs of Carhart jeans for Chris, a pair of cowgirl boots for me, and some clothes for Kinley. :) I'm hoping to do as well this weekend. I now this is not a very exciting blog. Life has been fairly laid back lately and I'm not complaining.

The Race

I got scolded last night at Bible study-I love you ladies!-about not blogging very often later, so here goes. First of all, I would like to say that our Bible study on Wednesday nights is awesome! We are going through Mark, simply reading the word and seeing what God is saying through it. Every time we dig into the word, the Holy Spirit teaches us and opens our eyes to see what is really being said. It has been a rich time with all of you ladies! Thanks for seeking Jesus!

As for the title of my blog, Chris finally let me go to a race with him in Joliet. The last couple of years he has bought tickets for four races. There was an extra ticket for the one on Saturday so I got to go. It was really a lot of fun. We went pretty early and tailgated the whole day. I got to sit and read a book almost whole day! The race was at 5:00pm and it was pretty cool when they started their engines and went flying by. I'm glad I went, although I might be a little more deaf now. :) Maybe if they have another extra ticket next year I'll get to go again. :)

Growing Up

Well, I think it is official. Kinley is really going to be turning two in October. The last few weeks it seems that he has really "grown up" too fast. New things he has learned include but are not limited to:
* Learning to turn his light on and off in his room since he can reach his lightswitch now. (I have to pull his crib away from the wall at night otherwise he thinks he needs his light on.)
* Every morning when I go in to get him he makes sure the "cock-a-doos" are still outside his window (our neighbors have about 30).
* Daddy works with "pigs" (we went to visit Daddy at work this week and he asks at lest 5 times a day "Daddy-bye-bye-pigs?" One day he even thought he was going to walk to see Daddy and the pigs. When I caught up to him before he made it to the road I asked him where he was going since he never heads for the road and he says "Daddy-Pigs" so matter of factly I had to smile. It wasn't very easy to convince him that he couldn't walk to see daddy and the pigs.)
*How to pull a 12 pack of pop out from under the microwave stand to stand on it to reach the buttons on the microwave.
He is so precious to us and we are so thankful for the sweet boy God has given us. I just can't believe he is growing up so fast!

Kinley's First Camping Extravaganza

So, Kinley and I got to go camping at Turkey Run Sunday night and Monday night with Grandma Susie, The Parmenter clan, and Jess and Drew. Kinley did very well for his first camping experience. He didn't get much time to run since he would head straight for all of the tress with poisen ivy all over or the road. So, he spent a lot of time in his stroller at the camp sight. Hopefully Sally will post some pics, as I did not get my camera out. Silly me. I have to admit the first night was pretty miserable for Mommy. We got to bed late to start with, Kinley finally falling asleep in the pack-n-play. We didn't zip the camper up, so it was freezing in the middle of the night, so Kinley ended up on the bunk with Anna and I. I didn't sleep at all since I couldn't hardly move to get comfortable and I had to make sure Anna didn't roll on or kick kinley since she moves a lot in her sleep. The next morning we went for a hike. For any of you who have been to Turkey Run, we made the smart decision to take the ladder trail with Kinley on my back in a back pack and David on Erik's back in a packpack. My legs were jell-o by the time we got to the ladders and my heart was beating wildly as I took Kinley down those ladders. We should have chosen an easier trail! Anyway, the rest of the day went pretty smoothly. That night Kinley and I had a bunk to ourselves, so once he got to sleep we both slept pretty good until 2:30am when I HAD to go to the bathroom. No choice. So, I found my flashlight, put pillows on the edge of the bed, prayed that Kinley would not wake up and roll off of the bunk, and took the hike up the hill and to the bathroom. All went well until the way back to the camper when my flashlight started to go out. I proceeded to run the rest of the way back to the camper to beat the fading flashlight. I finally made it back and into my warm bad to find Kinley still asleep. Thanks God! The next day I took Jess and Drew horseback riding, which was fun! I always love to do that even if they do walk nose to butt the whole time. All in all I'm glad we went, but I think I could wait another year to go again. :)

Zoo Time

Chris, Kinley, and I went to Brookfield Zoo yesterday with Chris' Mom and Dad, his two sisters and their families. It was a lot of fun, but a very long day for all of us. Kinley did really well considering we got there right when he normally takes his nap. He loved the animals and getting carried around on everyone's shoulders. I was a little disappointed that some of the animals were hiding, but I think my favorite was the lion. I will try to post the picture I got sometime soon. Such a symbol of strength.

We also all went to my 10 year high-school reunion Saturday night. It was interesting and a bit sad to see everyone there. I did enjoy talking to my friend Ginger that I never see anymore. It was fun to let our kids play together and chat. Time goes by so quickly and I wonder if they even know what it is truely all about.

Fun at the Fair

I have to say that the goats were pretty cute! Leah and Kinley loved getting to feed them.
They both had fun seeing all of the animals and they liked the merry go round too. That picture didn't turn out. I love the bottom picture of the goats. It was so cute to see them all cuddled up together. :)

The Cross, His Blood, His Resurrection

Well . . . all I can say about the camp meetings is that I feel like a "new creation". Most of the teachings were on the cross, which Ben has been teaching/preaching on for the last few months. At times I have thought-are we going to learn about anything else? But it hit me this weekend as Ben and another pastor taught--What else it there? I need to stay at the cross at all times because that is where His grace, mercy, healing, strength, forgiveness flows. I have been a Christian since I was 12, really surrendering at age 20ish, but God revealed Jesus, His Cross, and His blood to me this past week in a way I have never known. I am dead. The old Mandy is gone and a new creation now lives--Jesus. I don't have to strive because I have nothing to bring anyway. I just have to come and fall into His grace and be united with Christ. This may sound simple, but it has hit my heart in such a new way. Praise Jesus for He is so good to me! I pray that my heart would stay at the cross at all times! That is where real life is!

Tent Meeting Time

We're really excited for all that God is going to do at the Tent Meetings! Yesterday was fun setting up everything. The big tent is really cool!

Happy July!

Our July has been pretty fun so far. Kinley and I traveled to Litchfield on the 2nd with Sally, Anna, David, Mom, and Drew. Grandpa and Grandma Johnson and A. Janie, Kara, Kenzie, and Jessica came down Thursday morning. We had a fun day watching all of the little ones-nine under five. They all had fun playing on the closed in deck. It was great to see everyone again. Kinley especially enjoyed finishing everyone's lasagna that was left on the little table. :)
Yesterday on the fourth we went to the parade in Onarga, which I have to admit wasn't real impressive. We ate lunch at Chris' mom and dads and then had David and Anna's birthday party at Sally and Erik's last night. Kinley enjoyed watching his first fireworks show from their back yard. He was still up and happy at 9:30pm. Hope everyone had a fun 4th of July!

Summer Colds are the Worst!

Chris, Kinley, and I have all had summer colds this week. Yuck! I think we are finally all feeling better although Kinley and I still have runny noses a little. Kinley was up four or five times in the night . . . I think he is getting his bottom eye teeth. Ouch! Hope they don't take too long.
Continue to pray for Mom and Erik. They get back Friday from Guatemala. I can't wait to hear all that God has done!
Chris started his second "hobby" job again for the summer. I'm not looking forward to the next four or five weeks since we probably won't see him much. Kinley won't see him at all a lot of days since he will go straight from the piggies to the roof. :( Pray for us . . . that we would be loving towards eachother. It is always hard for me when we don't get much time to talk or be together.
Sorry this is such a random blog. :)

First Hair Cut

Well . . . Our internet has been down the last three days, so I have enjoyed catching up on all or your blogs. :) I've been wanting to put pictures of Kinley's first hair cut on for awhile now. Thanks Lindsey for cutting Kinley's hair! I love it and so does Chris. They really look alike now. :) It was hard to say good bye to the curls, but it is so much cooler for him this summer and since we don't have air conditioning . . .

Now I'm It!

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
1. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
2. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
3. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

Q. What were you doing 5 years ago today?
1. Planning my wedding to Chris (even though we weren't officially engaged until August).
2. Living at home with Mom and Dad.
3. Planning my college graduation party! :)
4. Looking for a job.
5. Enjoying family and friends!

Q. 5 things on your to do list today
1- Rest
2-Rest
3-Rest
4-Rest
5-Rest at home with my guys!

Q. 5 snacks you enjoy
1- Chocolate chip cookie dough ice-cream
2-Cheddar/sour cream potato chips
3-anything chocolate and caramel
4-Tomatos
5-honey mustard pretzels

Q. 5 things you would do if you were a billionare
1- Build Rod and Laura K. a house in India and a mission house/orphanage
2-pay off our debt and families debts
3-build a new house on a farm
4-adopt girls from India
5-buy two or three horses

Q. 5 jobs you have had
1- receptionist at Heartland Spa
2-before and after school person at YWCA
3-Worked with the handicapped at the ARC
4-Teacher's Aide
5-Administrative Assistant at Youth for Christ

Q. 5 people you want to tag
1- Kristin
2-Kim
3-Chad/Alison
4-Jennifer
5-Lindsey

Who needs toys?

Kinley has had fun playing in the big box that our new desk chair came in. It still amazes me what really entertains him and other kids that I have seen. They really don't play with "toys" a whole lot. They wonder around playing with whatever they can around the house. Kinley's favorites are clothes, shoes, kitchen utensils, and now this big box. Good thing we don't go buy him new toys all the time, because they would just go to waste. I'm sitting in our new desk chair. . . it is so comfy! A lot better than the folding chair we were using. I put it together yesterday and was very impressed with myself. :) Happy Friday everyone!

MP3

I finally opened my MP3 player that Chris got me for my birthday. I didn't think I would be able to figure out how to download songs onto it, but after playing with it awhile yesterday I figured it out! Hurray! I know have some dance songs on it so I can walk or jog with it. Hopefully it will motivate me to get moving! :)

Campfire DooDaa

Last night we had our Wednesday night ladies Bible study around a campfire at Olivia's. It was great fun! We also had smores, which I'm not supposed to eat (because it's a sweet), but I did anyway. Yummy! I just thought I would share with you some of the deep conversation:
1. Fire is hot, stay away from hell!
2. Bugs run from fire, so should we.
It was a very deep night. :)
Seriously though, we did spend some time in prayer and decided to study Jesus' words in the next few weeks. We're going to work through the gospels just reading His words and context around them if needed. I'm very excited about doing this. I'm expectant of new revelation of who Jesus is.

Dinner & A Movie

Chris and I got to go with a big group of ADULTS from our church to see Prince Caspian yesterday afternoon. First we ate at O'Charlies which was really yummy and then we all headed to the movie. We followed Ben to one of the front rows, which made me a little dizzy during some scenes, but it was fun. The movie was good although I didn't care for the ending (I won't ruin it). It was a great day out. Thanks to Aunt Sally and Uncle Erik who took care of Kinley for the day. He slept long and hard last night so he must of had fun.

Side Note: Kinley is doing fine now. We did take him this morning for a follow up chest x-ray that we should hear about later this week, but I'm sure it will be fine. Thank you Jesus!

Emergency Room Again!

Well . . . my Mother's Day morning was spent in the ER with Kinley. As you know, I wrote a couple of days ago about Kinley having a bad cold. Well, Sunday morning he was wheezing again and couldn't breathe very well. So, we took him to the ER. They gave him a breathing treatment, took a chest x-ray, checked for RSV, etc. The breathing treatment helped plus a little steriod to open up his lungs. He tested negative for RSV. His x-ray looked like the beginning of viral pneumonia. So . . . he is now getting 4 breathing treatments a day at home and is on an antibiotic. We also bought a humidifier for his bedroom. He is doing much better but tires very easily. One interesting thing is that both times this has happened it has been a week after his shots. Any connection? I don't know. It could be some type of allergy or asthma. We are just praying for a complete healing for him!

Doggy Bye Bye

Just one more thought. Tonight I went for a walk after putting Kinley down for bed. I was almost back home when one of our neighbors' dogs (which they never keep track of) started growling at me and running at me. He got right on my heals and followed me for awhile growling the whole time. I seriously thought he was going to take a chunk out of my tushie. Chris has also experienced this same dog in our yard growling at him when he has stepped outside to "get fresh air". Do you think it would be ok for me to mention this to our neighbors? I don't appreciate being growled at, and I really don't want Kinley around that dog. Chris told me he was going to get me a paint ball gun so I can shoot it when it comes in our yard and then call animal control. I thought I should just get a bee bee (spelling?) gun and let it know we don't appreciate it in our yard. Seriously though? Any thoughts?

Sniffles and Sneezes

Kinley has a really bad cold today. He is sleeping peacefully though, thankfully. He sneezed so many times today we almost went through a whole box a puffs! Poor guy! His eyes are red and puffy and he just wanted to lay around. This is not normal behavior! I hope he wakes up feeling a lot better since we are supposed to be taking my mom shopping tomorrow for Mother's Day. I hope all of you mothers have a wonderful mother's day! Hopefully I won't have a sick little boy.

What was that?

Yesterday I took Kinley for his 18 month check up and shots. We didn't have our usual nurse who we love, so we were a little disappointed (at least I was). Anyway, after seeing the Nurse Practioner, who we also love, we proceeded to wait 25 minutes for a nurse to come to give Kinley his shots!!! Give me a break. Sitting in a small room with things all around he CAN'T touch with a little boy who wants DOWN! Needless to say it was not very fun. Thankfully Grandma Van went with us so at least we had two people to try and entertain him. The nurse finally came in then went back out because she had forgot papers for us. When she actually did give Kinley his shots he just looked at her for the first one like "What did you just do?" He didn't cry or move. The second one he looked at her, gave one cry then was done. He's so brave! :) What I thought would be a fairly quick trip turned into an hour and a half. Glad that's over!

Soaking Wet

So . . . as I was doing the dishes yesterday afternoon I heard a thump from the living room. I didn't think too much about it until Kinley started screaming. I ran in to see what was wrong and found him soaking wet trying to wipe himself off. At first I panicked thinking: What did he get into? But then I saw my glass on the floor empty. I had forgotten my glass of water on the dresser. I'm not sure how he reached it, but it sure gave him a shock and me too.

Happy May Day Everyone!

Can't say that we did anything today for May Day, but I did think about it. I had to go to the doctor this morning for some blood tests and then we went to meet Chris' mom and grandma for lunch. By the time we were done eating, Kinley was too tired to do anything else. He fell asleep really fast in the van. So, I got some cleaning done which was good. Nothing too exciting to report. Thank you Sally for keeping Kinley this morning! :)

Bathing Pooper

Yes, you guessed correctly. Kinley pooped in the bathtub AGAIN! Yuck! At least this time it was time for him to get out instead of at the beginning. I tried to get him on the potty, but I was too late. I bleached all his bath toys this morning. I hope this doesn't become a regular thing.
Kinley and I went to Fiesta with my mom. It is really nice if you haven't been in it since the flood. I highly recommend going. Afterwards we went for a walk. It is so nice to be able to be in the fresh air, and Kinley absolutely loves being outside. We got to visit with Great Grandpa and Grandma Johnson too which was fun!

Ode to the Swiffer

I just have to say that I am in love with my swiffer! I bought a Swiffer wet jet two weeks ago, and I love it! I was not good at getting mopping done, so this is a big help. I still have to scrub tough spots with a rag, but other than that I love it. The wet jet came with a duster stick and pad, so I thought I would try that too and low and behold I love it as well! I dusted everything in my house, pictures, baseboards, plus the normal stuff all in like fifteen minutes! Yee-ha! Cleaning is not so bad anymore. Just thought I would share!

Back to Reality

Well, it is back to reality today. Chris and I had a great time getting away. We stayed at the Baymont Inn in Lafayette. It was nice, and I sat in the hot tub which was wonderful! My husband took a nap during this--party pooper. Anyway, we walked around the mall and Chris got me some new clothes for my birthday. :) We ate supper at Texas Roadhouse which was awesome! We both had steak. YUMMY! Kinley stayed with my mom and didn't seem too excited to see us when we got home. I guess that means we can stay away longer next time! :)

Getaway Time

I'm anxiously awaiting this weekend. Chris and I are going to go away for a night. I know it is only one night, but I am really looking forward to just getting away from the every day things. I think we are going to go to Lafayette. We haven't stayed there before. Kinley is going to stay with my mom so I hope he sleeps ok for her. I think he might be getting his eye teeth. Ouch! Poor thing. Well, I hope you all have a great weekend!

Weekend Fun

Hope you all had a great weekend! We did. We had a friend over Friday night that we haven't seen in awhile. It was good to catch up. Saturday Kinley and I ate at Monicals with Sally, Anna, David, Mom, and Drew. Yummy! We also watched Alvin and the Chipmunks at Mom's which was really cute. Then Saturday night we went to Jason and Laura's house for supper. We had yummy lasagna. Thanks Laura! Today we had a good service at church. The message was on the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues. I only caught part of it because I was in the nursery, but what I heard was good. Ben just went scripture by scripture. We ate lunch at Chris' mom and dads and Kinley and I just got back from my mom's where we ate supper. It was a busy weekend but fun. In case you are wondering, the picture is of Kinley's pile of clothes after he has unloaded his bottom two drawers, which he does at least once a day. Just thought I would catch it on camera. He has also been putting any clothes he can get his hands on of Chris and mine on the floor and rolling on them. Not sure what that is about but it is cute. :)
I also wanted to say a little bit about my sister, Sally since it is her birthday today.
So, these are the top 5 reasons why I love my sister. (in no special order)
1. She is always there to listen to me, even if I'm just rambling
2. She loves me enough to tell me the truth when I need to hear it
3. Her heart for worship and to see others enter in to worship
4. The way she loves her kids and husband
5. Her love for Christ and others
Love you sister! Happy Birthday!

Exciting Times

Well, it was an eventful night last night. Kinley decided to climb to a standing position on a kitchen chair to get to Daddy's cigarettes last night. Side note: Chris is still struggling with this so please pray for him. Anyway, he had put them up on a shelf we have in the kitchen. We were in the other room watching American Idol when I heard Kinley start to gag. I ran into the kitchen and found him spitting pieces of cigarette onto the floor. He had only put one in his mouth and thankfully we found most of it on the floor. Needless to say we had a tense couple of minutes. I have to admit I lost it for a few moments. The event didn't seem to effect Kinley a whole lot besides crying when we told him no. He acted fine and went to bed fine 20 minutes later and slept all night. I on the other hand checked to make sure he was still breathing before I went to bed and didn't sleep real well the rest of the night.
On a brighter side, Sally, Anna, and David and Marci, Emma, Leah, Abby, Kinley and I went to a petting zoo today put on by the FFA kids in Crescent City. They enjoyed the animals. Kinley especially liked the turkeys. His cousin Cory let him in the pen with some goats and little pigs. Then we went to the playland at McDonalds in Kentland, which was fun. Kinley is sound asleep now and I am hoping he takes a really long nap today. Well, have a great weekend!

What is that?

Well, I had my first experience with Kinley pooping in the bathtub Sunday morning. Yuck! At first I just looked at it floating there thinking what is that? Then it struck me as I grabbed Kinley right before he touched it. With Kinley screaming because he loves his bath, I got it out, let the water drain, wiped the tub out with clorox wipes, then refilled the tub with water for him. He of course quit crying as soon as I put him back in the tub. I just hope that is the last experience with poop in the bathtub! :)

God is Good.

I have to admit that the last few months I have not been spending time in the word or much in prayer. I'm just so thankful that God gently draws us near again and again even when we have been unfaithful to Him. He really spoke to my heart this Wednesday and I just need to share. On the way to Olivia's house for Bible study I was praying for forgiveness for being lazy in my relationship with Him. Then, when I get there, Marci shares that God gave her a verse out of Isaiah. It was about women at ease and complacent with God and of course how we should NOT BE. It was such a conviction to my heart! We spent some time in prayer listening to what God would have to say to us and God spoke to me: Col. 3:2, which I had no idea what that verse was. When I went there it was: "Set your mind on heavenly things not on the things on the earth." As many of you know I have been wanting to add on or move for quite some time now. In and of itself is probably not a bad thing, but it had been consuming me. It was also taking a toll on my relationship with Chris. I know I need to submit to Chris in this decision and ultimately to Christ. This verse brought me back to the realization that the things of this earth don't really matter, and I need to keep my eyes and heart on Him!

What's in here?

My son loves to load and unload laundry baskets and hampers. It doesn't matter if the clothes are clean or dirty. I try my best to keep him from the dirty clothes, but it doesn't always work. I find his dirty clothes back in his drawers and clean clothes in his hamper. Oh well. . . he enjoys his "job" of helping with the laundry. :) Thought I would share this picture with you all. Makes me smile.

Spoiled

I think I am getting spoiled because I have had two nights in a row adult interaction without having to take care of Kinley at the same time. Last night we went to our friends house for supper with the India mission team. It was a lot of fun-lots of laughter. The best part was that Laura K. made chocolate mint brownies-my favorite! I think I ate four! Bad girl! Oh well. They were worth it. I never knew I would be so thankful for "adult" nights.
Kinley has discovered the world of cartoons. He is watching Tom and Jerry right now. It is cute to see him crawl up in the big chair and point to the tv although I really don't know that I want him watching too much.
Have a great weekend everyone!

Ladies Night

Last night Mom, Sally, and I went to Kankakee with no children! It was a lot of fun. The trip included Target, one of my favorite stores, eating at Steak and Shake (yummy!), and Aldis. I of course spent more money that I brought which was very embarrasing, but my sister came through for me. :) I think we're stocked up again for awhile. It wasn't a real fun time driving home because there was sleet for half of the way, but it was nice getting away without any of the kiddies. The sense of freedom is nice once in awhile!

Happy Easter!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! We had a great worship service and then went to my Grandpa and Grandma Johnson's house for lunch. It was fun seeing all of the kids hunt candy. They all had their own baskets. Kinley didn't really catch on. He grabbed a few pieces of candy and put them in his mouth wrapper and all. Oh well . . . he had fun. It was a great time with family!

Frustrating Night

Have any of you moms felt frustrated after going to a church service and ending up downstairs or in a nursery and missing the whole service because your child is being too loud? That's what happened to me last night. We went to Shcwer (the church that Chris grew up in) for Connor's (our nephew) first communion. It is a Lutheran church, so there is not much activity during the service so you are sitting most of the time. Kinley was exhausted from playing outside yesterday and getting a short nap, so he was being very disruptive to the very quiet service. I ended up down in the basement since the church doesn't really have a nursery for the hour and a half service and missed the communion service. In the van and when we got home I felt very frustrated for a long time and I don't think I was very nice to my husband. When I got into bed at 9:30, after Kinley finally fell asleep which took awhile because he was overtired, Chris informed me that I was grumpy. I know it really isn't very logical to feel that way, but I have to admit so very firery feelings!

Kinley Paul

Just thought I would tell how we came to name our son. (Yes stealing from Sally and Jody) Kinley is named after his great Grandpa Hynd whose name was Harold McKinley Hynd, but everyone called him Kinley. Chris' middle name is also Kinley. Paul is Chris' Dad's name. So thankful for the heritage God has given us in family. The girl's name we had decided on was Christina Grace. Hopefully we will still be able to use that one, but only the Lord knows. We're just so thankful for Kinley!

Careful Climber

Kinley has started to climb this week. It started when I pulled out some tubs to sort through his clothes to see what we needed to get for the summer. He decided it would be fun to pull himself up onto the tub, which at first was very cute. He would get on top sit there and clap for himself. (Daddy and Mommy clapped also.) However, he then started to stand on top of the tub. That was really fine too as long as I was right there to hand onto him. Later that evening I was in the middle of watching American Idol-which I have become addicted to thanks to Olivia-when I looked in the living room and saw Kinley standing on top of the tub clapping. Well . . . the tubs got put away very quickly. He is started to pull up on furniture and things too though. I am thankful that he seems to be careful when he wants to get down. He doesn't just walk off of things or jump. He actually waits for me to come and get him down. I'll try and catch him in action sometime soon. Hope everyone is having a great Saturday!

Great Man

I love this picture of my dad. Just thought I would share it. I've thought a lot about him this week and how much I miss him. My heart hurts knowing that Kinley will never know him this side of heaven. He was such a great grandpa and father!

Ten Reasons Why I Love My Dad

1. His gentle strength.
2. His bear hugs.
3. His loving support.
4. The way he only had to look at me a certain way and I knew I needed to shape up.
5. His commitment to Christ and his willingness to follow no matter what.
6. He took time to teach me things: basketball, softball, how to pound a nail, etc.
7. The way he loved my mom.
8. The way he loved to buy us presents that he knew we would love.
9. The way he loved everyone around him with Christ's love.
10. His sense of humor.

These of course can not fully express my love for my Dad. I've never met anyone that I admire so much. I miss him so much and can't wait to see him again in heaven!

Next Year

Well . . . the guys (at least Chris and Sean) are already talking about next year's mission trip to India. Jennifer and I informed them on the way home from the airport that they needed to give us a month or two to forget what it was like to have them gone for two weeks before they started talking about leaving again. I think Chris may have to pack a little boy next year if he tries to leave again! Kinley has been keeping a close eye on Daddy and has enjoyed playing with his empty suitcase.

Emergency Room

Well, Kinley and I just returned from a trip to the emergency room. He woke up this morning with wheezy breathing. He has had a cough, but it definetely had turned into something worse in the night. So now we have a nebulizer machine to give him breathing treatments. He does sound a lot better after the two treatments at the hospital. They said that he has "stuff" in his right lung that could have turned into pneumonia. So . . . I'm glad I took him in. He is sleeping soundly now. I had a little bit of a hard time with the E.R. doctor. He kept telling me the same things over and over like I didn't understand. Do I look that dull? I didn't think so. Anyway, glad to have some medicine to help the little guy get better. I hate when he is sick! Kinley of course had the nurses wrapped around his finger as he was blowing them all kisses! :) What a cutie!
Chris had to go back to work today. It was so nice having him home the last two days!

Hurray for Daddy!

Just wanted to say how good it is to have Daddy home again! Kinley walked across Erik and Sally's living room with very wide eyes and smile when he say Daddy again for the first time. I don't think I held him for more than a few seconds for the rest of the night and he hasn't wanted Chris too far from his sight today. God new what he was doing when he created "family". It is so nice to be under the protection and love of a wonderful, Godly man.

My Mommy

Tonight Kinley and I went to Marci and Ben's house for pizza. It was just Marci and the girls and Kinley and I which was nice. Although both Marci and I are ready for our husbands to be home! After pizza we were sitting on the floor playing with the kids. Kinley likes to "tackle" me when I sit on the floor, which of course he started to do. I fall backwards when he runs at me, and he thinks this is great fun. Well, Abby thought it looked like fun as well, so she grabbed onto my legs to tackle me too. Kinley, however, did not find this fun. He started crying. I tried to play with both of them, but eventually Marci had to grab Abby because Kinley did NOT want to share his mommy tonight! Being honest moms, doesn't it make you feel good when your kids want you all to themselves? I know I probably am in the need of feeling "needed" even more right now when Chris is gone. I'm sure it won't be as cute if he is still doing it when (no we are not pregnant) he has a little brother or sister around. Ah well. . . it made my heart smile tonight.
Good night everyone . . . it is only 8pm and I'm thinking about hitting the hay!

Blow Me a Kiss

Kinley has started blowing kisses the last week. I of course think this is adorable, so I thought I would share it with all of you.
We now have only six more nights and seven days without daddy left! It is count down time! So . . . pucker up!

Long Days without Daddy

Well, we finally have our computer working again after a week and a half. I was surprised at how much I missed it once it was gone! Today is our eighth day without Chris. He is in India having an amazing time! God is moving "like a river" there right now. I can't wait to have my husband back, but I know his life is being changed forever while he is away. They finished a three day crusade on Sunday night and had 4-5,000 people there! Hundreds were healed and many were saved. Chris and Sean (another guy from our church) were almost crushed be people wanting prayer. What an awesome time!
On the home front, our furnace broke the first night Chris was gone and our house got down to 45 degrees. I put Kinley in bed with me so we would stay warm and of course neither of us slept well. We did get it fixed the next night though. I now have a window open to let in some cool air because it is so warm in here, but I'm afraid to turn it off because I don't know how to light it again! Oh well, we'll survive. I also had to pick out a new dryer by myself today! Hope it is a good pick because it is being delivered this afternoon!

Anything Wrong With This?

One of Kinley's favorite things to do right now is empty Chris and my sock/underwear drawer. I don't seem to have a problem when he pulls Chris' boxers out (clean of course), but when I find him like this . . . I'm not so sure. :) Last night I finally sorted all our socks again so we can find matches when we need them and turned the drawers around so he can't get in them. He has gone there several times today and tried to get into the socks. I hear frustrated little sounds and then he comes back out and goes to play with something else. Ahhh. . . I will finally be able to grab a pair of socks again without taking 20 minutes to find ones that match!

The Last Day of January

I can't believe today is the last day of January. It went by way to fast. I am trying to find quiet things to do right now because both Kinley and Chris are sleeping. Chris is home from work sick and it is Kinley's usual nap time. I am praying that I don't catch the flu bug since Kinley was throwing up Saturday night and Sunday and now Chris' stomach is upset. I really don't want to get sick! Time to get out the Clorox bleach wipes again!
I am finding that Kinley defenitely has a mind of his own since he is starting to throw little "fits" when I have to say no or take something away. They don't last long thankfully, but I'm not sure I'm ready for this stage yet. I guess he isn't going to ask my permission to throw "fits". For some reason he really wants to get under the computer desk and play with the cords and stuff. That is our biggest struggle most days. I try to barricade it, but he continues to squeeze himself in until he is stuck and then mom needs to rescue him.
Well, I think I might actually lay down for awhile before anyone else wakes up!

Stranger Anxiety?

This morning I attended a women's Bible study at Trinity church in Watseka. It was a new experience for me, since we do not attend that church. Anyway, they have three very nice older ladies who stay in the nursery with the little ones. I was expecting Kinley to be a little clingy when I dropped him off considering it was a new place and new people, but he went right to one of the ladies and didn't even look back. I have to admit that my heart hurt a little at first, but it was really nice being able to sit through a Bible study and not have to think about where Kinley was or what he was putting into his mouth (you would be surprised at what he can fit in his mouth). They even have pagers that they can call you on if they need you for some reason. I will definetely be back next week!

Sickness

Well, Kinley is on Antibiotics for the first time. He has a really bad cough, sore throat, and red ears. I really don't like giving him medicine, and I need to keep giving him motrin as well as the antibiotics. At least he is sleeping well at night. I'm just praying that Chris and I don't get it too, but I don't think we will. I feel so helpless to help him when he feels sick.

A little tangent, but how do you keep kids from throwing their bath toys out of the bathtub and soaking the whole bathroom? I say no and put them back in, but he thinks that is a game.

The Power of Water

Watseka, which is about 15 minutes from where we live, is flooded by water that is still rising. I'm going to try to get some pictures soon. My mom's house was a refugee house last night as family and friends escaped the water and being trapped in their homes. Everyone keeps saying this is the worst it has ever been because such a big area received the 31/2 inches of rain and it all flows to Watseka, whereas usually only a smaller area gets that amount of rain at a time. It also came down REALLY fast. So, please keep Watseka in your prayers since they are calling for even more rain this afternoon and evening.

India

Chris is going on a mission trip to Ongole, India in February with a group from our church. We are both excited, although Kinley and I will miss him greatly the two weeks he is gone. They will be doing a crusade and a pastor's conference while there. We are praying for many to come to know Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.

Sweat

Just a thought, but I don't think I should have to sweat in the winter while sitting in my house. Yet, that is what I am doing. We purchased a corn furnace a couple years ago, which is wonderful when it is really cold outside but on days like today when it is 50 degrees outside it boils us. So, I have just turned off our furnace for the day. I hope it stays warm enough in here for the next twelve hours since my husband informed me that he will not be coming home early to get it lighted again! I'm thankful that it is not so bitter cold outside, but I wish I wasn't sweating! The up side is that Kinley doesn't have to wear pants or socks, so he is loving it.

History

Chris and I (Mandy) have been married for five years. We have one son, Kinley Paul, who is 14 months old. He is the light of our lives these days, and we're not sure what we did before he arrived. Chris works on a pig farm called Perfume Acres (Ha!). He started there four months ago and so far has enjoyed working there. I get the priveledge of staying home with Kinley. I'm so thankful I don't have to miss anything in his life. I do work one afternoon a week at our church, Living Hope, keeping the books. Kinley stays with Grandma or A.Marci. We are thankful for every blessing God has given us in our family, friends, and marriage.