Really Proud of this Girl

Kaylee still goes on a regular basis to Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy and we work really hard every day to do our "homework" for each. Lately she has really been letting us push her and we have seen her trying really hard, especially with her speech therapy...we love Miss Gina!!!

She and the boys had some fun playing after ST today :). So thankful that these sweet brothers come along with us...we really missed them at OT yesterday; it's just not the same without them! 

We're really proud of how hard Kaylee is trying...she is persevering even when it is tough! We know you can do it, Kaylee! Keep up all the hard work!!!

While we were at speech therapy Sis was at tennis...she is LOVING every minute of it :)

We are looking forward to a LONG weekend!!!

TryingTo Make Summer Last....

We really could use a few more weeks of summer...especially when the weather is so beautiful!

Breakfast...pancakes ;)  Our favorite! 

The Barsotti's came up for the day...probably one of our last boating & tubing days for the season.
Kols, Keeg, Haley and Sis on the tube

Derek, Peyton and Kaylee stayed in the boat

Kaylee got a turn sitting on the tube

Another GREAT step with eating...she loved my Grape Nuts with almond milk ;) I don't think she really got any of the cereal in her mouth for more than a minute...but now that I know she likes almond milk I added some to her bottle!

Good job, Kaylee!

Praying she will really start eating and growing in her speech so that she can communicate (over and over in a day she hears us say, "no screaming...use your words" :)
She will get there before we know it! She really is trying to say a lot!

First Week of School

All 3 of our big kids love their teachers! They are having fun being back at school with their friends :)

Kaylee Grace, on the other hand, is really starting to miss her brothers and sister...

Poor girl!

This has been her reaction the last couple of days when she and I drop off the boys...she does ok when we drop Sis off but once the boys get out she gets really sad :(

She calms down as soon as we get home and start playing! It's actually REALLY good for her to have a QUIET house to play in and focus on a certain activity for more than a few minutes---with such a full house it made it easy to bounce from one activity to another all day. Now she has time to actually play with one thing for a while and really focus in on what she's doing. 

We have some GREAT news... Kaylee has started drinking water!!!

And the other day she put a corner of a goldfish in her mouth and chewed it!!! She hasn't done it since but we're hoping she will try it again soon :)

She is chewing...

And she even kind of liked it!

Yay! Thank You, Jesus!!! We know that He alone is who has brought her so far in these last 5 months!!!

First Day of School!

Kennady ~ 7th Grade!!! 

I seriously can't believe that she is starting Jr. High...seems like just yesterday she was in Kindergarten ;)  She was SO excited, which made the transition easy! Had a great day meeting up with old friends and making new ones ;) She LOVED every single one of her teachers and classes - School Service (Leadership Class) was the highlight of her day ;) She had tennis after school - she is really enjoying playing tennis!

Keegan ~ 5th Grade

Keegan was ready to get back to school and see his friends! He likes his teacher and class - it's going to be a great year for him :)  His highlight was lunch ;)  He played football both recesses and football after school starts tomorrow!

Kolson ~ 3rd Grade

(Someone snuck into his picture ;)... Kolson had a great day as well...he was a little nervous this morning but ended up having the BEST day :)  His highlight of today was his teacher...Ms. Hoffman! All 3 of our big kids just love her so he was excited to be in her class and he loved every minute of it. We got a detailed rundown of what his school day looked like and it sounds like it was a lot of fun. At recess he played soccer with his friends :)

We love you, Big Kids! So thankful you had an awesome day!!!

Little Sister had a GREAT day as well! I'm so thankful ~ I was worried because she LOVES playing all day with her fun siblings, but she and I had fun :)

We used our pretend microphones and sang most of the morning ;) This is her new thing...she has us sing a song and then she "sings" along with her microphone (hers was a hairbrush, mine was a baseball bat - Keegan started this and now she brings us to her singing spot and we sing away ;)

After playing at home for a while, we ran a few errands, came home for lunch and she took a nap ;)

Kennady at Haley's house for pictures before school

Emma, Haley, Mia, Kennady and Jackie...on our way to the first day of Jr. high!

Our annual picture with Mrs. Ribera...not the same without Sis, but fun to have Kaylee join in! Such a blessing to have Jami shining Jesus' light at Garfield!

Keeg in his classroom

Kols with his friend, Toby

Kennady had a photo shoot with Kaylee a few days ago

Keeg starts football tomorrow! Go Cubs ;)

Thank You, Jesus, for a great first day back! We give You all the praise :)  Please cover students and teachers everywhere as school starts and may Your Love be shared on campuses everywhere!

15 Years :)

Fifteen years ago today Brodie and I joined our lives as one forever. SO much life has happened in those fifteen years!!! By God's grace, we both got saved and began following Jesus shortly before we got married ~ our lives have never been the same since! Tonight as we reflected on these last fifteen years, we were once again so grateful for the gift of salvation - we can't even imagine where we'd be without His continual work in our lives! His love is truly our greatest blessing :)

We enjoyed a nice dinner out

My sweet man...always gives me the best cards ;)

There's no greater gift than raising our awesome kids and doing life and ministry with my best friend and greatest man I know! I love you, Babe! Thank you for leading our family toward Jesus and for always making us your top earthly priority :) You lead us and so many others well! 

The rest of the day was pretty normal around here...

The boys and I took Kaylee to Occupational Therapy while Sis was at tennis

We always have so much fun...Kaylee gets excited when we pull into the parking lot ;)

Sis and I made cinnamon rolls (she has been asking me for weeks and we finally got around to it)... YUM!

Our house smelled like a bakery ;)

Last Few Days of Summer....

We are soaking in our last few days of summer! Wishing we had a few more weeks ;)

We had Auntie Julie's shower here...Kennady with Rachel and Anna...great big cousins

Auntie Julie and Claire...Julie is having TWINS in November ~ a boy and a girl! 

Keeg and Kaylee ~ being rappers

She copies everything he does ;)

We loved having cousin Jordan visit us...she came in town for a meeting for the Haiti trip that she, Kennady and Brodie are going on in the Fall ~ they can't wait!!!

7th Grade Orientation today....Sis went to Tennis try-outs instead but had some friends over after

I love how sweet these girls are to Kaylee...she felt like one of the big girls ~ they included her the whole time!

They came up with some fun and crazy ideas for a "slip and slide" into the pool

Kaylee joined right in ~ no fear at all!

Then Keeg came up with an even crazier water slide and put dish soap and water onto our big slide and onto the tables...pretty fun to watch them!

Sportin' the Piggies

Kaylee's hair is just now getting long enough for pig tails!

She gets excited when I put her hair in "Piggies" :)

Tonight after bath we tried it and noticed her hair has grown! 

Fun girl!