End of the first year

After February was over, it seems like the rest of the school year went super fast. It's bittersweet that my little boy is already done with kindergarten. He has truly learned and grown in so many ways. I can't believe he knows how to read, write, count and so many more things!

He had such a great teacher, Mrs Lehman...such a good teacher. Mitch had her as his kindergarten teacher..and she still remembered him quite well. In high school, I was her student aide...and I really enjoyed her then too.

She was very kind to Christian this year, very encouraging and always had such positive feedback. 

For the end of the year field trip, she takes her class to her farm. I got to come along as a helper. What a great time! We had a pizza picnic, hay loft jumping, pasture exploring, four wheeler rides, horse rides, and basketball. Christian REALLY enjoyed the horse ride.

 

Mrs. Lehman's class (she is in red in the middle back). Christian is in the middle front.

 At the end of the year, the elementary school has field day, which I also got to help with in the afternoon. It makes it all the more sweet to help when Christian is very expressive with how glad he is that I'm there.

During the last week of school, I brought Noah and Jonah into Ben's Spanish class. He had asked me to come sometime this year, and we just never arranged when...so we HAD to fit it in before the year was over! Part of his class stayed later to hang out with us :)

Ben has had a good first year, he enjoys Hesston...both other staff and students. It is so nice to have him close and glad Christian can spend a little bit of time with him after school as they come home together.

 Last day of Kindergarten/

Last day of 1st year at HHS

Jonah has loved watching the bus come and go in the morning when Christian gets on it. 

"Bye-bye busssss!"

I'm proud of both Ben and Christian as they finish the year. Ben keeps a positive attitude about work, and right now in the fantastic state of KS with the way education is...that isn't maybe the easiest thing to do. I respect his choice to be a teacher, not only to teach, but to be a role model and a positive influence.

Mitch #30

Oh little Mitch...turned 30 years old!

He wanted to celebrate with friends and family by going to a Royals game.

We had shirts made for the special occasion....and it was a special day indeed.

We met up with everyone before the game. There was games, and plenty of food for all! Noah and Christian took full advantage of the sweets available.

Despite the score (Royals lost), its safe to say all had a good time. Christian and Noah were very entertained with the friends...and especially the fact that they bought them COTTON CANDY! Christian had seen it at the beginning of the game...and it wasn't until the final innings that the cotton candy man came around to us...Bret was the kind, generous soul that bought it for them. Such a nice bedtime snack :)

 Jonah hung in there until the very end! The game ended around 9 or so...he was out on the way back to the hotel.

Happiest of birthday's Mitch!

Welcome to the 30's...I hope they treat you well :)

Mother's Day [2016]

Mother's Day..

a very special day to feel totally blessed I get to be a mama to three little boys, and to be thankful for my own mom and all that she does!

We went to church at Whitestone with Mom and Dad, and Mitchell too.

Then, Mitch offered to host us all at his house for lunch. He made ribs and salmon on the smoker...very good. He also made a baked macaroni and cheese and rolls, Ben brought a salad, and Mom brought dessert.

It was a rainy day..very rainy. But for a little bit it was nice enough to go outside and take a couple pictures.

This little guy...he came with us right after church, and the other two had gone with Mom and Dad. 

So he got his picture taken in his fancy duds.

 Oh my boys. I love them so.

I love my mama.

They were both wearing orange checkered shirts..it was necessary to take their picture :)

In the afternoon, Ben's parents came over. They were in town to celebrate with the Hershbergers..but we didn't make it to that one this year. We had a nice visit with them.

I had been treated very special all week, by Ben especially...he bought me several of my favorite kind of drink from Lincoln Perk, he got me a new jacket, and a new shrub plant, and some wireless headphones that sync to my phone. I also got some VERY special cards made by the boys..hearing them make them, was equally as special as the cards themselves. They had told me I had to stay in my room while they made them, and Christian was writing out Noah's for him. So he would say, "What do you like that mama does with you?? Do you like when she hugs you? Reads to you?" 

Christian had brought home a flower from school for me, and Noah gave me one from Sunday School...

so I'd say on ALL kinds of levels, I feel very blessed, loved, and spoiled.

Mama and Boys day out

Christian didn't have school today, and Ben had an inservice day. So I took the boys to Wichita for a fun day out. We stopped to get Freddy's and took it to a park. It was windy and warm. We played a little bit, before heading to the Exploration Place.

Christian and Noah both insist on pushing the stroller.

Exploration Place

Ahhh....the tornado....it was WINDY!!!!

We ended our outing by going to the park near the Exploration Place. 

 Noah was saying "I'm so brave!"

Christian....is just growing SO so much! He looks super long hanging from this bar!

 It was a full day of playing...a small taste of summer.

Jonah [18.5 months]

Jonah, my boy...you are sweet, sassy, playful, and oh so BUSY.

We love you to pieces.

You are a climber. You climb, you push the limit to the edge. You have minimal fear regarding any of this. Therefore, you are really in need of CONSTANT supervision. Occasionally, if I know the area of the house you are in, I can rely on your very informative brothers to shout out what you are getting into...but really Daddy and I have to keep tabs on you! The names stinker and mess are often linked to describe you....of course meant in the most endearing way :)

You have your own personality. You can be SO sweet, and show love to your brothers, mama and daddy often. You give kisses (very occasionally), hugs, and most often you show it by laying your head on someone. You can also be very feisty. If you feel like someone is getting an attitude with you..you do not hold back. You mimic whatever behavior they are giving you...and if its Noah, you add in an attack mode on biting him. Its NOT okay that you do that, as you bite very hard and it hurts him. Thankfully, that doesn't happen often. You have been known to chase both brothers around, acting like you're going to tackle them...and they honestly are scared. Now, that is funny, because you are still much smaller than them.

In this picture of you sitting on Noah. You were just playing. Noah had just woke up, and then he said, "Ok Buddy, I'm going to roll. I'm going to roll buddy. You're not going to liiike it."

You have such pretty hair. I have cut it more than a handful of times already, once taking the curls off completely. I just have a hard time keeping those away with your baby soft hair. I'm okay with the baby curly hair. Your eyes are definitely more of a hazel color now then blue, I wonder if they will still turn brown?

Your skin has started acting up again recently...it has always been a little wonky. At four months old you developed the worst case of cradle cap/eczema on your head...even the doctor said it was "pretty bad" (said in the most thank-goodness-it-got-better-kind-of-way). So you have random bouts of eczema on your hand, elbows, face. I thought this latest bit of it was related to dairy...but after eliminating, trial/error type things..I don't really think it is. It seems to be helping to just use the ointment/cream on it a couple of times a day and keeping it really moisturized. Poor guy. At least it doesn't appear to be uncomfortable to you.

You know where all your body parts are. I love especially when I ask if you can blink or wink. Your long blinks are so funny with your eyes looking up. You know your animals noises very well, and how to say some of the animals by name; duck, puppy, ki-eee (kitty), cow, chi-keee (chick/chicken).
Our chickens tolerate you very well. You like to follow them around, pet them, and laugh at them.

You have a chatter box within you. More and more you are learning how to mimic sounds, words, and actions. This is funny and occasionally frustrating to your brothers (when its just loud sounds or ROARING). You especially get on a role repeating if Christian is saying the words (he is like your puppeteer).

This was the before and after of playing peek a boo, using his blanket on his head.

You weigh around 22 pounds, I have no idea how tall...but you are wearing mostly 18 month clothes. Some shirts are 12 mo if they are not onesies...but the overalls and that way are 18-24 month. Tricky huh. You have 10 teeth as of May 1 when one of the front bottom FINALLY came in (that little guy had been in the works for months!!). You sleep well at night (this is a new thing consistently since you've turned 18 months and I'm a fan!!), going to bed around 8-8:15 with your bottle (we still give you milk, but I don't always rock you anymore) and waking up around 7. You love your blue blankie (but can survive with the yellow one, if the blue one is in the wash).

You are a fairly good eater. You like most meats or casseroles, cheese, french fries with ketchup (or sometimes just the ketchup as a side!), cuties (those really small oranges), many of the pouches (the fruits/veggies that come in a pouch and you squeeze into your mouth), spaghetti, yogurt, baked oatmeal. As with your brothers, we often put applesauce on top of your meal and you use it as a condiment. It works well at cooling your food off..and holding it together better, so you can feed yourself with a spoon.

Some of the MANY words you say:

Mama
 No-ah (you say this ALOT! I think you sometimes think this is your name.)
bankie (blankie)
niiiice (nice, followed by petting someones hair or arm)
Daddy (drawn out really long in the morning especially, Daaaaaaad-eeeeee)
side (outside)
dink (drink)
 chi-kee (chickie aka the chickens)
uh-oh (when you drop something especially)
Papa (Grandpa is definitely among your favorite people)
yeah (the way you say it, it is so pleasant...like you are so excited you got asked a question you can say yes to)
ouch-ie (sometimes that ending ie part is a little delayed..but the ouch part is very clear.)
cheese (you LOVE cheese)
stuck (you get yourself in some predicaments)
noooo (no, but its almost in a question like way, drawn out)
tank-tu (thank you)
peeese (please)
shut

chalk (sidewalk chalk)
 I go (when you want to follow your big brothers outside usually)
poo-poo (you even started going into the bathroom after I asked if you went, knowing that's where the poop should go...maybe you can beat Noah at being fully potty trained!)
shoes (you go running to get those when you think there's a chance you get to go outside)
he--yo (hello, pretending to talk on the phone)
bye-bye
Brent, Mitch (you love your uncles)
Nama (or some version of this for Grandma...you're a fan of her..just not saying her name very often), Ch-chin (Christian)
 me, mine, Jo-Jo
down (also said in a question like way)

You bring us so much joy, Jonah Timothy!