Bryan and Kate Plus 3

The McKellars Visit Myrtle Beach

2010-04-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Spring Break 2010 was a GREAT time for the McKellar family. We took our first real family vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC. We drove for 8 hours and stayed in a hotel in Charleston, WV. Then the next day we drove another 8 hours to MB! We met Bryan's parents and sister there and camped together at Myrtle Beach State Park. The weather was gorgeous, and we had an amazing time there. We went to Alligator Adventure, spent a few days at the beach, went shopping, and went to an awesome mini golf place. We all got a long so well and I just felt like it was a totally positive, fun, family bonding experience. The kids actually did really well in the car. Special thanks to the DS's and the portable DVD player and MP3 players!!!

Besides that, nothing too major is going on in our lives. The kids are growing like crazy and we are just enjoying them. Rylee is preparing for her First Communion in a few weeks. She is going to look like a bride! I am so excited for her and this special day in her life. Auntie Ann is making her dress of course. And Mrs. Burch is making her veil! The same people made these things for me on my First Communion!

Travis is looking cute with his 2 front teeth missing, but the new ones are already popping through. He didn't want to play t-ball this year, but now that it has started I think he is regretting that choice. He is anxious for our pool to be opened. He loves to swim! Grandma Jean bought him a new bigger bike, and he thinks he is pretty cool riding that around. He is doing very well in school, and I am pretty sure he is his teacher's favorite!

My baby, Tyson, is for sure no longer a baby anymore. He is growing so fast. This summer it is Grandma Kathy's mission to get him riding a 2-wheeler bike. He has now pretty much outgrown naps. If he takes a nap in the afternoon, he will be up until 10 pm. If he misses his nap, he is not really crabby or grouchy. I cannot believe I am to the point where none of my kids need naps anymore. I am really enjoying them at these ages. And luckily, my brother and sister keep reproducing, so I still get to cuddle babies! :) Baby Marissa is due in May and Baby Hessler in October!

As for me, I am really starting to buckle down on dealing with my weight. In 2007, I lost over 40 pounds. I was so happy with myself and I really looked great. Now I have gained 20 of those pounds back. I am so sick of dealing with my weight, but I have realized that this is going to be a lifelong battle for me. I have really been trying to look deep inside myself and try and figure out why I struggle so much with this! It must be the Biggest Loser's influence on me. All those contestants really have to find themselves and figure out how and why they let themselves get to that point. Somewhere inside of me, I know I have the strength to overcome this. I have been struggling so much with finding that motivation. All my life I have been such a pushover, and I think I do not even have control over my own self. Does that make sense? I don't understand why it feels so good to be skinny and in shape, yet I cannot find the motivation to get there. If it feels good to workout, be skinny, and look and feel good.... then why is this so hard?? When I eat junk and do not work out, I feel terrible. Man, I need Jillian to come and figure me out!! Summer is coming up, and all my clothes are too tight. So on Monday I started a journal and I am recording my weight every Monday and each day I record what kind of workout I do. I am hoping this visual aid and sort of accountibility will help me achieve my goals. I was thinking about doing a before and after pic, but we'll see. ;)

Trick-or-Treating 2009

2009-11-06T14:18:00.000-08:00

We went to Aunt Mimi's house for Halloween this year... it's been our tradition for many years. She lives in a nice neighborhood right in Rockford. Rylee had a last minute costume change, just like she did last year! I was digging through my box of costumes and convinced her to be a black cat like Aunt Maria and I! She was a spider witch at school, but for some reason didn't want to be one any more for trick or treating! Travis and Tyson were both skeletons. We only went around one block and we stayed on one side of the street. It was quick because it was cold and because the kids do not need a million pieces of candy! This is the first year that the kids were faster than the parents! They were RUNNING! One house was very scary... it had black plastic wrapped around the entire front porch. A hand was sticking out of a hole and a man's face was also peeking out and he was saying, "Heeeeelp me!!" I thought it was hilarious, but Tyson was scared to death! Once we got back to Mimi's house, the kids had a blast passing out candy to the other trick-or-treaters.

Blue Hat, Green Hat

2009-10-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is Tyson's favorite book. He can read it all by himself... as long as he concentrates on all those colors! He is my little cutie pie! :)

Fall Family Pics

2009-10-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

Need an update?

2009-10-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

I set up a "store" for the daycare kids. The kids had so much fun with construction paper money, a cash register, and some shopping carts.
This is Travis and Tyson in their Halloween costumes! I think they are adorable skeletons!
"Best Buddies" Ty and Tyson. 2 boys in a pink Barbie Jeep! Love it!!
Travis building a castle!
Rylee is getting so grown up!!
Why is it so hard for me to keep this blog updated? I think I spend way too much time on Facebook! Life at the McKellar household is great! The kids are doing really well in school. Rylee LOVES her two teachers who job-share. In her words, "I am so lucky because I have TWO awesome teachers!" I emailed her teachers to see how she is doing, and they had only wonderful things to say about her. She is reading chapter books like crazy, and she truly loves to learn. She is best friends with Chloe, and they are so cute together (Chloe's mom actually went to school with me!). Travis is doing well in kindergarten too. He will be turning 6 on the 30th of this month. We are planning a Pirate Party on Halloween to celebrate his birthday. Trav goes to school on 2 or 3 days a week. He gets bored on the days he is home, but it has also been a good chance for us to hang out... just the 2 of us. After I put the daycare kids down for nap, we usually play a game together or do something fun. I do foresee many playdates in his future though. It's nice to have a friend here to entertain him. Tyson is doing really well too. It's funny to think he used to struggle in the area of speech, because now he talks our ears off. And he says the FUNNIEST things! One of my favorite words of his right now is "Kaboni" which is Bologna! Tyson is Bryan's little shadow. The second Bryan gets home from work, there is Tyson hanging on him and following him every where. This weekend we are doing our family photo shoot up at the Campground, so look for some cute family pics soon to come!! :) Happy Fall to everyone!

Slacker Blogger

2009-08-06T05:59:00.000-07:00

It seems like most people on blogspot are slacking lately, including myself. I love when people update, yet I haven't been updating myself! A friend told me that I should change the title of my blog, but I have decided to keep it. Just cause Jon and Kate are splitting up, doesn't mean Kate and Bryan are! :) Poor Jon and Kate.

As for the McKellars, what is new? We have been enjoying the summer, even though it is the coldest summer I can ever remember. NOT a good summer to get a pool! I have only been in it a handful of times, but the kids go in every day! We are planning a big pool party at the end of August with family and friends, so I am crossing my fingers for a hot, sunny day! Now I am working on Bryan to get a hot tub.... then our deck will be 100% perfect! And you would understand why I want one when you feel how cold our pool is! :)

The kids are all growing and are all at a fun age. Rylee will be turning SEVEN in a few weeks. She has pretty much been my daycare assistant all summer. Anytime the baby cries, Rylee is right there to help. I can't believe she will be entering 2nd grade this fall! I have been doing "summer school" with the kids during nap time this summer. Rylee loves to learn, and she excels in all areas. She just sent out the invites for her first sleepover birthday party. She invited about 10 cousins and friends for a pool party. That should be interesting! Rylee is very smart, very mature, very funny, and boy will we have our hands full as she gets older!

Travis is also growing like a week and becoming such a sweet little boy. There are now less tantrums... not ZERO, but less! He is very competitive. He loves games and he loves to win. We are still working on not being a sore loser with him. He is seriously turning into a little poker star. Anytime there are cards or games around, Travis is there. He loves riding his bike and playing in the sand. He and Aaron are always out in the woods exploring or building a fort out of tree branches. Trav is also doing great with his summer school work. He is beginning to read already (he will be in Kindergarten in the fall) and it just amazes me how quickly he is picking up on it. He can read the whole book that we have been working on this summer. He has also become quite the swimmer this summer in our pool!

Tyson is talking our ears off. Everything is "WHY?" and "HOW COME?" His speech is quite amazing. He has a funny way of talking... kind of an accent. He says the funniest things too. "Peas don't do dat" is a favorite line of his. He is obsessed with matchbox cars. He will play all on his own for long periods of time with his cars and trucks. As for swimming with Tyson, he refuses to go in the pool. We will have to work on that fear of water with him!

What's new with Kate? Nothing too exciting! I have been busy with daycare. Most days I have six or even 7 kids here. Somehow it worked out that I have Fridays off (well, just Aaron. But he doesn't count). I will have 1 or 2 openings in the fall once school starts, so the calls are coming in and I even had an interview last night (which went really well! cross your fingers that they choose me!). I have decided to really attack the diet thing. I have gained 20 pounds back from my 40 pound weight loss a few years ago. I realize this is a lifelong battle for me. I am having a hard time turning 30 this December, so I have decided it will be easier if I am skinny and looking good at 30! So now I am suffering with being hungry all the time and I have sore muscles. But beauty is pain, right?

Bryan is doing well too. Last week we took a long weekend camping trip in Interlochen. My gf Dana went with her 2 boys, and Bryan took care of our family as well as hers. He had to set up and take down 2 pop-ups. He is such a great guy! He just got a side job doing trim and installing some doors for our neighbors, so he will be off making some extra money! He is also our pool boy! He's always skimming it, vacuuming it, and making sure the chemicals are right. Believe it or not, we will be celebrating our NINE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on the 18th of August. We will also be attending Bryan's 10 year high school reunion this Saturday!

So, that's our summer update. Have a great rest of your summer all!!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Witt!!

2009-06-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite couples ever (Bryan's cousin), Mike and Nikki, got married on Saturday. Travis was their ring bearer, and he looked totally handsome! His cousin, Payton, was the flower girl. What an adorable pair they made!! The wedding turned out to be gorgeous, the weather was perfect, and the reception was a blast. We were so happy to be a part of this couple's special day. I can't wait to watch them grow in their marriage and grow as a family!

I think Summer is finally here!!

2009-06-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

Babies and haircuts

2009-06-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

Auntie Ann and Daniel
Kate and Cameron
Travis' new cool haircut!
All the boys with their new style!
How cute is he?!?!?! SOOOO cute!
Aunt "Ria" gave all the boys new "spikey" haircuts! Daniel is getting bigger and bigger and cuter and cuter! Although he is not in the spikey hair club yet! I also got to see Cameron again when Megan came by my mom's garage sale! He is still super tiny and super adorable!!

Let the Camping Begin!

2009-05-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

I was just thrilled to be opening up this camping season at Pentwater's Mears State Park last weekend. The weather was gorgeous and we had a really great time. We went with our friends, The Pells. My niece Payton came along too, which was PERFECT for keeping Rylee happy. For some reason, all my friends have a bunch of BOYS and Rylee never has any girls to play with! We climbed Old Baldy a few times, the kids rode their bikes, we made pizza hobo pies, we sat around the campfire, we ate too much food, and we enjoyed the beautiful weather! The kids even took a dip in FREEZING cold Lake Michigan. Our camper is just a bit too big for us though, so this was our last camping trip with it. We are looking for something a bit smaller, like a pop-up!

Welcome to the World, Cameron Kyle!

2009-05-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Megan and Pat are now the proud parents of Cameron Kyle Ellison. He is so precious, and he really does fit right into the family. It is so weird for me to see Megan with 4 kids though! I am so happy that Cameron's jaundice is all gone now and he is completely healthy. Congrats to the entire Ellison Family!

Mother's Day

2009-05-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

Grandma Kathy is so much fun!!!
Bailey, Travis, and Noah
My mom and my Grandma Hessler ("Donny")
I didn't take many pictures on Mother's Day, but here are the few I did take. We had a great day. First we ate dinner at my mom's with the Hessler side of the family. Then we went up to Bryan's mom's house for more food! We had banana splits, and Grandma squirted whipped cream in the kids' mouths! I got a new fan for Mother's Day, and I LOOOVE it! We must sleep with a fan on at night, and this one is wonderful! It may sound like a funny gift, but it's perfect for me!!

Tyson's field trip to the Zoo!

2009-05-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

So much fun standing under the waterfall!
The bears were so active and fun! My FAVORITE part of the zoo!
Aaron smiling at lunch time!
Travis cheesing it up too!
I love this one of Tyson! We stopped and had a picnic lunch!
Tyson with his teachers.... Miss Annette and Miss Pam
Travis, Aaron, and Tyson on the train
Posing with the penguins!
Posing in front of the fish, even though you can't see the fish!

Tyson's entire Special Ed Section at Meadow Ridge had a field trip to the zoo last Friday. I took Travis and Aaron along too! It was a gorgeous day... we could not have asked for better weather. I am so happy that Tyson was able to be a part of that program. I don't think he will qualify next year though!

T-Ball Time!

2009-05-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Travis
Aaron
Aiden
This is Travis' first season of t-ball. It is just hilarious to see him play. He has no attention span whatsoever! He kicks the dirt, dances around in the field, and doesn't pay attention to the game! But regardless, he is very cute. Aaron is on the team, as well as my friend Dana's son, Aiden, and my friend Colleen's son, Braden. They love spending time together every Monday and Wednesday night! Go Merl's Towing!!! Go Orange!!!

Daniel's Baptism

2009-05-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Tyson and Jaden
Rylee and Auntie Ann in their coordinating black and white dresses!
Great-Grandma Donny and Great-Grandpa Wes Hessler, Grandpa Dan and Grandma Pat with Daniel. Matt and Maria, and Grandma Jean and Grandpa Jim.
Granda Jim, Parents, and Godparents
Uncle Bryan and Maria (make sure he is full before the baptism starts!)

On April 25, Daniel was baptized. My dad baptized him, and my brother, Carl, and I were chosen as the Godparents. Daniel looked sooo adorable in his gown made by Auntie Ann. It was very exciting to have Daniel officially welcomed into the Catholic Church! Big brother Jaden was there too, and he looked so handsome in his new dressy outfit and tie!

A rainy day with my babies

2009-04-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

Today has been a nice, calm, cozy, rainy day. My sister brought Daniel over this afternoon so she could go dress shopping for his baptism on Saturday! So I had 2 babies and 5 "big kids" here for the afternoon. Most of the kids were napping, so it's not as bad as it sounds! :) I put Lauren (my precious little daycare baby) and Daniel (my sweet, handsome nephew) on a blanket together. It is so fun to watch their little legs kick and their little arms waving around. Lauren is one month older than Daniel. Look how cute they are!

Publish Post

Ahhhh, vacation!!!

2009-04-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

We spent tons of time doing this-- standing in the hall outside our rooms trying to decide what to do, where to go, etc.
Bryan and Amy's bf Doug.
A gorgeous view of the sunset from our balcony.
Tom and Ken.
Tom and Ken looking hot on dress-up night.
SOME of our drinks during our "power hour." Because we booked so many rooms on the ship, NCL gave us an hour of all the drinks we could drink!
Aunt Sharon and Kate supporting pink.
Mike and Nikki Witt... well almost!
Amy and Doug looking so gorgeous on black and white night.
Uncle Bud enjoying the yummy food from the grill-out on the poolside.
Amy and Doug on dress-up night.
Amy and Doug on one of our excursions.
We are going to submit this for a poster ad for Bud Light.
Amy's great hat.
Wow, I took a lot of pictures of Amy and Doug!
Our new friend Kristi, Amy, and I at the rich guy's party.
Bryan and Kate
NikWitt.
This is at the top of a huge mountain in St. Lucia. Awesome view!
Sitting in the Stardust Theater waiting for a show!
The most beautifully landscaped airport ever in Antigua.
The youngest couples on dress up night.
Yup, he's drinking a Coors Light in the Shower!
bryan and the Jewel
Having fun on another excursion.
Here we are in a cave in the Dominican Republic. It was freaky!
Enjoying the view from our balcony.
On the balcony right outside our room.
Black and White night.
Looking down on the pool deck.
Eating dinner on B&W night at Cagney's Steakhouse. MY FAVORITE!
Just about to board the ship!
A view from our balcony suite in Miami.
A view of our hotel pool and the ocean in Miami.
The beginning of the trip at the GRR airport. (I don't know how to get these pics in order!!!)

Well, the vacation that I have been counting down for for the past 8 months or so has come and gone! It was beyond wonderful! Here are some highlights:
1. When we got to Miami, our hotel had no more rooms available. So we got sent to a 5 star ocean front hotel where we got three giant suites. We found out later they cost about $479 a night! It was awesome! Not to mention we stayed there completely free!
2. The cruise was so much fun! The shows were great, the food was the BEST, and the company was a blast.
3. The weather was gorgeous. It did rain when we were in Barbados, but we actually needed a break from the sun. At times it was TOO hot... even for me to lay out!!
4. One night on the ship we got invited up to a rich guy's HUGE suite. He had a big party with appetizers and an OPEN bar! It was crazy! I met a teenager girl who was staying there, and she gave us a tour of the entire place. We stayed there the whole night and drank the rich guy's alcohol for free. It was probably the high light of my trip! I thought I was so cool with my balcony room. Ha! I didn't even know rooms that fancy existed on the trip! Even the dancers from the shows and some of the singers were partying there too. I felt like a superstar!
5. Bryan and I got to spend quality time together. it was nice to get dressed up together and go out for nice dinners and not have to worry about babysitters!
6. I did get a bit homesick. But that's okay because it helps me realize how much I love my kids and it makes the time with them now more enjoyable. i don't think they even realized we were gone!
7. Special thanks to my sister, my mom, and my mother in law. I am so blessed to have so much family around to love and take care of my kids. What would I do without you!

So, I'm glad to be home, but I am sad that it's over. SO many good times and great memories were shared!! Now the plans begin for our next vacation! :)

Toothless!

2009-04-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

Travis and Aaron both lost their first tooth last week! Now they look super cute when they smile-- they love showing off their missing tooth!

In 9 short days....

2009-03-23T18:08:00.001-07:00

Look..... we're all in love!!!!
Bryan's other love, besides me!!!
A very tan Kate with Amy, Heather (not going this year!), and Nikki
Oh yeah, this is what I do on the cruise!!!!
These are the people I love!! Tom, Sharon, Ken, Amy, Bud, and Nikki
Here it is.... the Norwegian Jewel!!!! (This is the same ship we were on 2 years ago!)

....... I will be getting on an airplane and flying to MIAMI!!!! Then the next day after that, I will be stepping onto the Norwegian Jewel and I will begin my cruise to the SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN!!! I get butterflies just THINKING about it! Yesterday I went on a HUGE shopping spree and bought 3 adorable pairs of flip-flops (with sparkles and bling of course), 3 super-cute bathing suits, an insane amount of tank tops in every color, as well as a black and white dress, shorts, and toiletries. It was a blast, and many, many thanks to my sister for tagging along with me and helping me make decisions. I am SOOO excited for this trip for the following reasons:
1. I need time with my husband. I need romance, and laughs, and relaxation, and love, and TIME with him. UN-Interrupted time. After our last cruise I said, "Bryan and I fell back in love." After 3 kids and a house and jobs and 8.5 years of marriage and LIFE, it is so hard to keep those flames burning. I love this guy like you wouldn't even believe, and I cannot wait to feel the flame again and fall back in love!!
2. No more cleaning. I am SOOOO sick of laundry, and stickiness, and pee all over my toilet and dishes, and sweeping and vacuuming. I cannot wait to not make my bed, not fold and put away laundry and not clean all those smudges off the bathroom mirrors. I will GLADLY pay 12 bucks a day to have SOMEONE else do all that stuff.
3. No daycare kids. Last week I cleaned up a puddle of pee on my floor, poop smeared all over the toilet and the kid's butt, and puke on my couch all within 10 minutes. I need a freaking BREAK. I won't even mention all the poopy diapers, snotty noses, and spit-up stains on my shirt. Oh wait, I guess I just did.
4. No email, no phones, nothing!!!!!!! I am so bored lately. This no Facebook thing has been really rough for me. I am so bored!!!! I can't wait to kayak and go on a catamaran and get dressed up every night. I can't wait to see the GORGEOUS scenery and enjoy this beautiful world God created. I can't wait to leave ROCKFORD, which is a rare treat for me.
5. I do need a break from my own kids too. They are so whiny lately. They are so much work. They exhaust me. The BEST feeling is when I start to miss them on the last day and I am excited to get back to my every day life and routines. Absence DOES make the heart grow fonder.
6. I think I am the only one in my group that likes the days at sea the best. I will be in my lounge chair, sipping on a $12 strawberry daquiri, reading "Twilight" (yes, I am going to give it a try), and SOAKING up the sun... and I am going to LOVE it!!! I am addicted to the sun. I am going to be SOOOO tan on this trip. And wait til you see the ADORABLE swim suit I found at TJ Maxx. Let me tell you, it's not every day that I try on a bathing suit and say, "OMG!!! I LOOOOVE IT!?" It's a one-piece, but it's black, it's a tummy sucker-inner, and it has SILVER SEQUENCE that swivel thru the mid section. My boobs fit in it, and it looks pretty darn hot on me. Bryan said, after I modelled all three for him, "Why don't you just wear that one the whole time?" I replied, "I cannot wear the same bathing suit every day for a 9 day cruise!!!!" DUH!!! But OMG, I cannot wait to get in my chair and LOUNGE. It's going to be HEAVEN ON EARTH!
7. Do I really need 7 reasons to explain why I am excited for this cruise? Yes!! And I have one more... I am going with the GREATEST group of people. Bryan's aunts and uncles are SOOOO much fun. They make me laugh, I can just be myself, and they are just great people. His cousins, Amy and Nikki, are going too. They are close to our age, and we just click well with them. Amy's boyfriend, Doug, is going too, and I love him tons! He has the softest hair ever and he is a blast. Nikki's fiance, Mike, is going. This guy is GREAT. I cannot say enough fabulous things about him. I am actually planning on marrying Mike if Nikki dies and Bryan dies. I love him!!! ;) This is just the best group of people. They like to party, they know how to have a good time, and there is NO ONE I would rather go on a cruise with! And it's perfect because we have this fun group of people to hang out with, but we are still free to go off alone and spend some time with just the 2 of us. It's going to be the trip of a lifetime. I can't wait!!!!!!!!! PLEASE GOD, let these next 9 days FLY BY!!!!!!!!!!!

Lions and Tigers and Camels!

2009-03-18T05:38:00.000-07:00

I just loved Tyson's tiger face! It didn't even look like him!

Here are all 4 kids with their faces painted!

Travis got a black dragon!

Here is Tyson getting his face painted!

Rylee was SO excited to see Bailey and Payton! And they all had matching butterflies on their faces just by chance!

Here I am with the kids at intermission. You can see the elephant rides in the background!

Jaden got a green dragon! It had glitter on it too-- it looked aweseome!

Rylee loved her sparkly butterfly!

Rylee getting painted....

Rylee on the horse saddle!

Rylee and Travis got to pet a baby goat at the petting zoo.

On Saturday night, Maria and I took the kids to the Shrine Circus! Thanks to my fabulous brother-in-law, Tim, we were hooked up with 4 free tickets! The show was AWESOME! I was very impressed and entertained the entire time. And it was so cute to watch the expressions on the kids' faces. All of the kids got their faces painted by a clown, and they all turned out so neat! We loved the animals, the motorcycles, the clowns, and the human canonball! What a fun night!

What a gorgeous day!

2009-03-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

Tyson, Rylee, Travis, and Aaron all enjoying the day!

Ty fell asleep in the wagon on the way home! Too funny!

Look at that Rockford Mom pushing her baby stroller!

An another Rockford Mom with a wagon o' boys!

Bug juice and Pringles kept them happy! :)

Maria and the boys by the dam

Tyson and Ty

Daniel all bundled up in his stroller

Friday was such a beautiful day, wasn't it? Maria and I took the kids on a LONG walk from her place all the way downtown Rockford. Daniel enjoyed getting some fresh air on his first walk, and Ty and Tyson had fun being pulled in their wagon by me! It wasn't so bad on the way there, but the way back UP was tough! We cut through the middle school parking lot, and I made Tyson get out and walk because it was just way too heavy. We stopped at a gas station and the boys picked out bug juice and pringles! Then we went down by the Rockford Dam and took some pictures. It sure was nice to be outside enjoying the weather. When we got home, both boys and I took a nice relaxing nap! Soon the other kids got home from school and we enjoyed more outdoor playtime!

Tyson's First Day of School!

2009-03-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

Looking a little nervous on the bus....

Waiting on the driveway for the bus!

SOOO excited for school!

Today Tyson started his new program at school. He got on the bus this morning like a big boy. He was really excited, but after the bus driver got him buckled in, he got a very nervous look on his face! But he did very well for being such a little guy. I stopped in to his school this morning to check on him, and he was playing and having lots of fun. They have an observation window that parents can look through and watch the kids (and the kids can't see them). He fell asleep on the bus ride home! It was an exhausting day, but a successful day!

Tyson's Little Birthday Celebration

2009-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Tyson's birthday, I had some friends over (Maria did their hair!). We ended up with quite the assortment of boys! Tyson opened his presents and we ate Jet's Pizza and had sugar cookies. Tyson got a wheelbarrow and a t-ball stand from Mommy and Daddy.

Travis and Tyson Playing the Wii

2009-02-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

How can my baby be THREE?

2009-02-23T07:07:00.001-08:00

(Uncle Bryan holding Daniel!)

Yesterday was the family celebration for Tyson's birthday! I cannot even believe that he is three already. Thank goodness my sister had Daniel so I have a baby in my life, because Tyson is NOT a baby anymore. Lately, every time I pick him up he reminds me, "I not Baby.... I Tyson!" He sure is a big boy now. I will have to video record him playing Boxing on the Wii. It is hilarious! He is just the cutest kid ever, and he is such a joy. I KNEW I needed that last kid when I begged and cried for baby #3. I cannot imagine my life without Tyson. And as much as it drives me crazy when the baby of the family get babied... I just cannot help but baby Tyson. He is my baby!!!!!! But I look forward to seeing him grow and change. He's such a great kid, and I am so lucky to have him as my own! We went to Meijer and flipped through each page of the cake book, and he chose the Hulk cake (the ugliest one they have!). But he loved it and it tasted yummy! He got a new movie, some books, some play food (his FAVORITE), some new clothes, cars, candy, puzzles, cards, and a hula hoop. His real birthday is on Friday the 27th. I'm pretty sure he starts his new school on Monday! Pictures and details will be here soon! Happy Birthday, Tyson!!!!! We love you!!!!

Cruise Party (T-39 days!)

2009-02-23T06:43:00.000-08:00

Nikki and Mike (yes we can still see the John Deere)

Bryan and Kate (the FIRST time Bryan has ever worn pink)

Tom and Ken (sense some excitement?)

Bud and Sharon (thanks Bud, for wearing real cruise attire)

Amy and Soft Hair (I think Amy is a hula dancer)

Crystal, Hailey, and Bill (He's leading that hula girl on!)

Amy and Hailey are imitating the tiki guy's face on the cup!

Mike and Ken.... not sure what Ken is doing!

Kathy even stopped in to the party to say hi

Matt and Daniel (not real cruise participants, but still invited to the party!)

Me with my babies!!!

Here is Bill playing Santa and passing out fun cruise stuff... luggage tags!!

Soft Hair and Amy are fighting....

Is this family adorable or WHAT?!?!

I LOVED Bryan's cruise attire! It's so nice to see his softer side! haha

Best Friends! Travis and Uncle Ken

That's right.... only 39 more days until it's cruise time!!!! Saturday night we hosted the February Cruise party. It is always so much fun to get together with everyone to discuss the details of our trip. It sure gets me VERY excited! We had tropical decorations, delicious frozen drinks, and lots of great food. SOME of us even wore our cruise attire! I'm so glad everyone made it out, despite the terrible weather conditions. It's getting VERY close everyone!!!! I remember when it was like 80 days away! Now we're in the 30s!!!

Future Daddies....

2009-02-23T06:40:00.000-08:00

More Daniel... :)

2009-02-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some new pictures of Daniel. I don't think I will take any more pictures of my own kids, just pictures of my new nephew! He is a really good baby, and Maria is doing fabulously as a new mom. She's a natural!

A February Visit to the Zoo!

2009-02-17T06:31:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago on that really WARM Saturday, Toni, Kathy, and I took the kids to the zoo. I have never been to the zoo in the winter before, but it was a really great experience. The animals were very active and cool to see. In the summer they are so hot and hardley move, but they were very entertaining this time! My favorite was the bears. One bear even hopped in the pool and went for a swim! Brrrr!!! I didn't take many pictures, but here a the few I did take....

Welcome to the World, Daniel James!

2009-02-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

He has a really long torso!

Big Brother Jaden and "Not the Baby anymore" Tyson

Dana was so excited to go see the baby!

Rylee is a pro at holding babies!

Can you tell I was excited???

Jaden LOVES his new brother!

My parents with grandbaby number 6! My Dad gave him the St. Blaise blessing because he was born on the Feast of St. Blaise.

He was content as can be under the light warmer thing!

Happy Family!!!

Proud Daddy!

Maria could not wipe that smile off her face!

Me either! I love this baby!!!!

My new nephew, Daniel James, has arrived! Maria gave birth to him yesterday (February 3, 2009) at 1:21 p.m. He weighed in at 7 lbs 6 oz and was 20 inches long. Maria was a CHAMP! Women and my family do not push out babies, but Maria put us all to shame! She labored for about 15 hours or so, and pushed for 25 minutes! She did awesome! Daniel is healthy as can be and soooo beautiful! He looks a lot like Jaden did, but only smaller and less chubby! He is nursing well, and basically loves being attached to the breast! Matt is a very proud Daddy too, and was awake about 40 hours before he could go home to get a good night's sleep. My Mom, Matt's mom, and I were all outside the door when he was born. We heard her pushing for a few minutes, and then we heard the sound of his cry! It was amazing! I knew I was very excited about his birth, but I didn't know I would LOVE him THIS MUCH!!! It's still weird for me to see my little sister with a baby. She has wanted this for soooo long, and she has really been down a long road to get him. Now that he is here, we are so grateful and so happy. She is going to be a GREAT mom! Congrats, Matt and Maria! Welcome to the World, Baby Daniel... we love you soooo much already!!

Happy Birthday, Todd!

2009-01-26T11:40:00.001-08:00

Saturday night we went out with our friends Todd and Colleen for Todd's birthday. We had dinner and drinks at B-dubs. It was a very fun night! Thanks for inviting us guys!

Do 5 year olds play poker?

2009-01-26T11:37:00.001-08:00

Travis' new thing lately is playing Poker. He is OBSESSED! He is constantly playing poker... either with Bryan, online, with Aaron, or even with himself. He even knows the lingo. It's crazy! He calls 2's "deuces" and says things like, "Oh cool! Pocket Jacks!" I am just hoping and praying that he will be a professional poker player someday and he will make us rich!

My new daycare baby!

2009-01-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

Rylee is a natural with babies! I think she gets it from me! :)

I am so excited for Baby Lauren to start coming to my daycare. She was born on January 7, 2009. She is the little sister of Ty, whom I have been watching for 2 years now. I love this family to death, and I am so excited about their new addition! Let's just pray she is a good, easy baby for me! ;) She is ADORABLE, that's for sure!

A mouse in my house!!!

2009-01-26T11:13:00.000-08:00

We had MANY children here! It's a Daycare play date!

Here are some more kids eating lunch at the counter.

This is the barricade we made to try and get the mouse out!

Is this a good friend or what? Here's Abby setting up the wall.

It looks like it would work, right? Or maybe not!!!

Last week we saw a mouse run from my kitchen into my living room. Bryan searched around for it, but couldn't figure out where it went. A few hours later (after Bryan went to work), I found it behind the tv. Now if you know me at all, you know I am SEVERELY afraid of mice. In a crazy way afraid!!! I ran into my room and locked my door (with all the kids too!). Thank goodness my dear friend Abby was coming over for a play date, so I had some moral support! Abby actually chased it with a broom back and forth from under the couch to back behind the tv! Finally I came up with this great plan to build a barrier that goes from the tv to the slider door. So we tried to shoo it out with a broom, but it of course found one tiny crack in our barricade and got away! How is it possible that a mouse is smarter than us?? Smarter an QUICKER! So I left the whole concoction up for Bryan that night. He chased it around some more, and again lost the dumb thing! So we haven't seen it since. But the pictures are quite entertaining, so I thought I should share them!

Hulk Hands

2009-01-26T11:09:00.000-08:00

The boys all got these huge Hulk Hands for Christmas. They love taking off their shirts and fighting each other with them. In fact, it seems like the boys have their shirts off quite a bit in this col weather! Good thing we have a wood burner and it's always toasty warm in our house. The boys like to take the cushions off the couch and jump onto them (they pretend it's a pool). They also like to wrestle each other and act like they are really tough!

Tyson's ABCs

2009-01-20T06:59:00.000-08:00

Tyson has been singing the ABCs all day long lately. Check out how well he can sing it!!

I talked to Tyson's teacher last week, and she has some great news! She said that when Tyson turns three (on February 27th), he will qualify for the 5 day a week program at Meadowridge. The bus will pick him up each morning and bring him home! She said she has seen a great improvement in his speech since Christmas, but this program will really help him even more. I'm very excited about this opportunity for Tyson. He will just love it!!! He will get many more hours of practice each week, as well as much more one-on-one work. I really cannot believe he is almost 3! I remember the short list of words he could say that I gave his teacher when he started the program, and now he is speaking in sentences all day long. Sometimes his sentences require my translation, but he is really growing and developing in a significant way! I'll keep you posted on his school promotion! :)

Kid Swap

2009-01-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

Here is Sadie crawling around with a plastic doll in her mouth!

I let the kids take a bath in my jacuzzi tub (a rare occurance).

Haha... how funny is this one??

Today my sister-in-law, Toni, and I did a kid swap. I gave her Travis, and I got Payton and Sadie. Rylee and Payton are just over a year apart, and they are just the best of friends. The girls played so well today. We ended the day with dinner, bath, and then a movie (Barbie and the Diamond Castle, of course). I never had cousins my age, so I just love to see the relationships and friendships among the my kids and their cousins. I also just adore my nieces, and they are so perfect and well-behaved at my house. Travis got to go to a monster truck show with Noah and Bailey, and he was just super excited!

Kiddie Cocktails

2009-01-10T20:58:00.000-08:00

Last night I asked Bryan to make me a strawberry daquiri, because he just makes them sooooo well! The kids always beg me for sips, so this time Bryan made them their own virgin strawberry daquiris. They were just so cute sipping on their cocktails, soI snapped a shot of it. My friend Dana thinks this is hysterical, and she wonders what will happen when the kids go to school next week and tell them, "I had a strawberry Daquiri this weekend!" Also, check out Tyson's pajamas. He has been KING of getting himself dressed lately. And he changes his clothes atleast 4 times a day. His other crazy fashion habit is wearing shorts. He wears shorts every single day, and he INSISTS on it. Whenever we leave the house I tell him, "Tyson, you have to put on some pants." He replies, "Shorts-pants." This means he will wear his pants OVER his shorts. And then the minute we return home, the pants will come off! Kind of strange, I know. But it's his thing, so I go with it! :)

Boys will be Boys

2009-01-10T20:51:00.000-08:00

Here is Travis' latest injury! He went sledding with his cousin Aaron and ended up crashing into a tree. He was fine, just a few scrapes and cuts! Aaron's grandpa even gave the boys a training session on how to roll off the sled if you are headed toward a tree! Oops, I guess his instincts are not so great yet. I have been very lucky that this boy has not had to visit the ER yet. *Knocking on wood* What's the deal with boys? Rylee never did things like this! But oh how I love him so, even with a beat up face!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T16:47:00.001-08:00

It has been almost a year now since we finished our basement, and it is finally ready for a PARTY!!! We had a really fabulous time at our party this New Year's Eve. About 30 people showed up, and it was so nice to be able to use our basement! Lots of people helped us to stock the bar, and I must say that we now have a very nicely stocked bar! Thanks so much to everyone who made it out. It was definitely a night to remember! I am looking forward to 2009 and the many more fun times with friends and family. Hopefully another party in our basement too!

It's an Allen Christmas!

2008-12-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

Taboo is always a fun game!!

Taboo, Beer, and Snickey Snacks = a FUN time!!

Aunt Sharon was a pro at this game!

This game did not last long-- I knocked it down!!

Amy looking festive in her green shirt!

I love these two!!! Witt and the future Mrs. Witt

Here are all the kids listening to Nikki read the letter from "Santa"

The kids always seem to gather around our air hockey table!

Dinner time!

This is probably my favorite family Christmas party every year. The Allen family is pretty much a guaranteed fun time! We had the whole Clan over to our house on Saturday night. We had good food, opened our RED presents (Red was our theme this year... I got a new RED crockpot!!), played the oven mitt game, and played some other fun games. Thanks, everyone, for a very fun Christmas festivity!

Christmas

2008-12-26T20:25:00.000-08:00

Travis got this race car track! He loves it!

Here are the kids eating Christmas breakfast!

Tyson LOVED his new chainsaw!

Rylee got a new bike!

Tyson on his new scooter!

Rylee left a Little Debbie Christmas tree for Santa!

Here are the boys putting out Santa's cookie!

Travis in his new Dark Knight PJs!

Rylee and Tyson in their SpongeBob jammies!

Tyson always does this trick with Uncle Paul! He thinks he is SUPER cool!

Travis and Jaden opening presents on Christmas Eve.

Jaden!

Rylee and Travis on Christmas Eve!

This isn't a Christmas picture, but I love it! Maria is growing bigger and bigger! Only 6 more weeks or so until we get to meet Baby Daniel!!

We had a fabulous Christmas! Our kids are just too cute and they are so easily amused! They loved all their gifts. We stayed home most of Christmas Day and played with the kids and all the new toys. Later in the afternoon we went to my Mom and Dad's and did presents and dinner there. It was a very Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Party #1 - Check!

2008-12-23T07:16:00.000-08:00

We had our first Christmas party this Sunday with Bryan's parents and siblings. We were supposed to go up to Grant, but the weather changed our plans, and we had the party at our house. We had our traditional primbe rib dinner and opened gifts. Our main gift was the trip to GWL, but we got some more gifts to open. Thanks, John and Kathy, for the great Christmas! You are always way too generous! So now one Christmas celebration is done, only 4 to go!

Playing with my new camera!

2008-12-23T07:04:00.001-08:00

This one is Travis at his school party. He made this "Christmas tree" out of an ice cream cone, green frosting, and marshmallows.

Bryan bought me a new camera for my birthday, and it has finally arrived in the mail! I still cannot believe he got me the PINK one that I wanted! What a good husband. These are just some shots of my kids as I tried to figure it out!

GWL 2008

2008-12-19T08:54:00.001-08:00

Grandma Kathy with the kiddos

Always drama trying to get all the kids to pose!

Sadie was wiped out from the water park!

Still not sure how much fun Uncle Nick had.... he did enjoy the impromtu visit to the casino though!

Best buddies Payton and Rylee enjoyed the lazy river!

Bryan, Travis, and Bailey too!!

Noah was awesome at crossing the lilly pads.... Ask Nick how that worked out for him!!!

Grandma Kathy helped Tyson jump across!!

My 3 kids

Here are the kids attacking Aunt Stacey!

Grandpa John, Rylee, and Trav knocking at the Thorpe's door

Grandpa John tucking Tyson into bed!

Bryan is checking out what's on TV!

Goodnight Trav!

Goodnight Rylee and Tyson!

Did they make this wall for jumping? That's what my kids think it's for!

Tyson and Grandpa eating some dinner!

Travis and Noah

Sadie enjoyed crawling all over the hotel room and eating leftover crumbs from dinner!

The girls eating dinner

Taking a picture with the wolf!

Another wolf....

And everyone has the picture with this big bear!

Grandma Kathy and Tyson

Another classic picture!

Well you all have Aunt Sharon to thank for nagging me all the time to add new posts! Last Sunday we went to The Great Wolf Lodge! Bryan's mom and dad took the entire family there this year for our Christmas present. We had a really, really fun time! All 15 of us went! We piled into 2 vehicles and drove up to T.C. Once we got there, we all had lunch at the McDonald's right across the street from the Lodge. Then we found our rooms (Kathy and John and Stacey and Nick all stayed in the "Majestic Bear Suite." It was very nice!) and immediately went to the water park. After a few hours, we all had a delicious sloppy joe dinner in Kathy's room. Everyone brought snack food and treats, so it turned out to be a yummy meal. Then after dinner we headed down to the game room. Next we went to the lobby for story time. They even made it snow in the lobby, which was just beautiful! I have never been to GWL at Christmas time before, and WOW, I just loved it. It was so cozy and the Christmas decorations were amazing. After the kids were tucked into bed, the adults played some card games. After I drank almost a half of a gallon of Strawberry Margarita, some of us decided to head out to the casino. It was a Sunday night, so it was dead there, but still a lot of fun! I won nothing, Nick won nothing, Stacey won nothing, but of course John and Kathy each won over a hundred bucks! They were kind enough to share some of their winnings with us, including treating us ALL to the breakfast brunch buffet the next morning! I cannot say enough about how much fun we had. It is rare for the entire family to be together! Nothing is better than seeing my kids have fun, and they just LOVE it there! It was definitely a Christmas gift to remember! And thank God we made it home safely.... I never remember being in white-out conditions like that! Thanks again to Kathy and John for such a wonderful Christmas gift!

The Grandkids

2008-12-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

My sister took some pictures of the kids for some possible gift ideas for my dad for Christmas. Here are some of her shots!

Advent by Candlelight

2008-12-08T08:56:00.001-08:00

This was our table, decorated by my mom.

Megan (my best friend) and me

My sister-in-law Jessica, me, my sister Maria, and Maria's MIL Pat

On Friay night my church had their first "Advent by Candlelight." This was such a WONDERFUL evening. It is for ladies only! Each table was decorated by the table sponsor, and then each table provided an appetizer, dessert, salad, and fruit/vegetable for the buffet. We walked around and looked at all the tables, and they were just amazing. People used their finest china, and the centerpieces were all so interesting and gorgeous! We enjoyed wine, great food, beautiful music, and the company of some very special women. If anyone has any tie to OLC in any way, I highly recommend coming to this event next year. It is so worth it to take some time, slow down in this crazy month, and really appreciate the true meaning of Christmas!!

Sorry for the lack of blogger updates....

2008-12-05T05:52:00.000-08:00

but once again, I lost my stupid (as Tyson says, "no say poo-pid") camera. Every time I lose it, it always comes back to me though. And sure enough, it has been found. I took it up to Kathy's last weekend for Thanksgiving, and it got lost somewhere in her house. So I got no pictures of Thanksgiving, and the camera is still up in Grant, so I cannot take new pictures! Sorry! It is my pet peeve when people do not update their blog regularly, and now I am guilty! I hate my piece of junk camera too. None of the buttons work on it, so you can't zoom, delete, or look at any of the pictures from the camera. Junk! We will have to get a new one before we go on our CRUISE in 4 short months! CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!

Nothing new and exciting around here. I am still looking to fill one daycare spot. It is very stressful to be short on money right before the holidays. I've had a few interviews, but everyone seems to live on the opposite side of Rockford as me and no one wants to drive so far! I don't blame them! I am sure it will all work out, as it always does.

We got the world's ugliest Christmas tree last weekend! I saw a sign for Christmas trees for only 30 bucks, so we went there. It turns out this was not a real Christmas tree farm though! It was a guy who has a big field of huge pine trees. He will cut off the tops of these huge trees. I just couldn't bare to tell the guy the trees were ugly, so we just picked one out. I didn't realize exactly how ugly it was until we got it home. It looks TERRIBLE! I wish I could take it down now! But it's a memory I guess! The kids think it's great, and that's all that matters. :)

I am looking forward to the next few weekends and all the Christmas parties! Today my sister is coming over to bake Christmas cookies! :) I love all this snow (for now) and the Christmas spirit is in the air! Happy Holidays to all!!!! Hopefully new pictures will be posted soon!

Hot Chocolate Season Begins!

2008-11-14T07:59:00.000-08:00

The other day the kids played outside for a bit in the cold weather! When they came in, they all wanted hot chocolate. It immediately reminded me of last winter. EVERY TIME they played outside, they wanted hot chocolate to warm back up!

What else is new with the McKellars? Bryan and I went to conferences for Rylee and Travis on Wednesday night. Miss VanderVeen said that she and Mrs. Cole just love Travis to pieces. He has already shown tremendous growth since school started. He is well-behaved, smart, cute, and just doing great overall! Rylee is also doing very well in first grade with Mrs. Pitsch. Her reading is FABULOUS and her writing is also great. Apparently Rylee has made a close friendship with one girl in the class, so she just needs to work on making more friendships and not being so "cliquey." Here I go with the drama of having a girl!!! But Bryan and I are both very proud of our kids. Tyson even got a mini-report card from his teacher! He is also doing very well in school. He participates appropriately in circle time and other class activities, he enjoys playing with his friends, and he is speaking in full sentences now. Most of his words still don't have beginning sounds though! But he is really talking so much more now. The other day he said, "Never mind!" when Bryan and I could not understand what he was saying. It is so cute to see all those little expressions that he picks up on.

And the last exciting news to share is that our basement is now complete! Last week we had the refrigerator delivered, and it added the last touch to our basement bar. Our grand opening party for our basement bar is scheduled for NYE 08.

Trick-or-Treat!!

2008-11-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

Tyson had to try on Brandon's Michigan helmet!

Bryan tried it on too!

Here is Bryan pulling the boys in the wagon.

Tyson has got to the the cutest Winnie the Pooh ever!

Rylee was so excited to find her friend Alexia from school! They ended up trick-or-treating together the whole night!

We stopped by to say "hi" to Auntie Ann and Uncle Ernie!

Here is Travis enjoying apples and caramel dip at his school party!

Rylee is decorating a sugar cookie at her school party!

We also stopped by Grandpa Jim's and Grandma Jean's to get some candy! Aunt Maria was there too, along with Uncle Carl, Aunt Jess, and Aaron. Notice Aunt Maria as the preggo zebra! haha!!

This is Rylee in the school costume parade.

And there's Travis as Batman!!

Rylee and her friend Megan.

Travis and his friend Gabriel.

What a gorgeous Halloween we had! It was just perfect! We started the fun with Rylee and Travis' school parties. Then we came home and got ready for trick-or-treating. Rylee decided at the last minute that she didn't want to be a koala anymore (it was too "boring"), so we dug through our dress-up box and she ended up being a bride! Travis was Batman, and Tyson was Winnie the Pooh. We went with a big group of friends to trick-or-treat in the Cannon Farms neighborhood. This was the best year we have ever had with our kids and trick-or-treating! They are finally old enough now to enjoy it! The past few years, we went to about 4 houses and the kids were done. But this year they ran from house to house and just loved it! Bryan and I could even wait on the sidewalk and the kids went to the doors by themselves! I brought the wagon along, so they rode some and walked some. After over an hour of trick-or-treating, we went back to Abby's for a party. She had yummy food, GREAT cookies, and a delcious spiked apple cider labeled "NOT FOR KIDS!" It was a wonderful day and just loaded with fun!!

Carving Pumpkins

2008-10-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight we carved our pumpkins! It is so much fun to see the kids' excitement! I just love doing things that bring back the joys of childhood! Tyson, however, had no interest. He cried the whole time and was "scared" (he tends to be our wimpy child!). So that he why he is no where to be found in these pictures! The kids are getting so excited for Halloween!

Spiderman Jaden

2008-10-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Jaden and Maria hung out with us today and Jaden was running around wearing this outfit. He is so stinking cute!!

Fun times at Daycare!

2008-10-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today the at daycare the kids seemed to be hanging and moping around me acting super bored! So I wanted to come up with a new an exciting activity! I made some edible playdough (mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and honey), and the kids had a riot! We used cookie cutters and made fun shapes, rolled the dough into balls, and ate it! It tasted really good! The kids thought it was cool that they could eat the playdough! Never a dull moment at Kate's Family Daycare! ;)

Off to the Pumpkin Patch we go!

2008-10-27T17:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we made a really quick trip to Post Farms to get our pumpkins. The weather was doing crazy things like going from sun, to wind, to rain, to sleet, to hail! So we grabbed three pumpkins quickly as it sprinkled on us! Rylee had a playdate with her best buddy Kaylee, so Kaylee went along with us!

I really like this one!

2008-10-25T19:27:00.001-07:00

Up to nothin' much!

2008-10-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone has been telling me I need to post something new, but I have nothing to post! We haven't really been up to much lately! No new news to share (unlike EVERYONE else in Blogger world who is PREGNANT!!!)! I have been busy with daycare kids during the day, and it seems like I have a different activity each weeknight! I am a tutor, I teach dance, and I teach Rylee's 1st grade faith formation class. I will be starting some part-time/here-and-there work for my friend's mom's catering business! I'm always looking for ways to get some extra CASH! :) Here are a few pics of the daycare kids. Oh, and speaking of daycare.... one of my daycare moms just got laid-off, so I have 2 openings beginning November 10! If you know of anyone who needs daycare, send them my way!!

Happy 5th Birthday, Payton and Travis!

2008-10-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

We had a little celebration for Payton and Travis' 5th birthday. They are 2 weeks apart! Travis is so lucky to have 2 cousins the same age as him (even born in the same month!). I cannot believe these 2 are five years old! This baby picture is from the say Payton was brought home from the hospital (she was in the hospital about a month due to a complication she had). We were so excited to put them next to each other! Happy Birthday Travis and Payton!!

A few more family pics....

2008-10-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

Just act surprised when you get your Christmas card this year!! ;)

Isn't she adorable???

2008-10-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

Travis' New HULK Room!

2008-10-13T15:22:00.001-07:00

Today Travis finally got his room painted! I can't even count how many times we have moved Travis around in this house, but now he finally has a room of his own that he will STAY in! Rylee is doing really well in the basement bedroom, and Travis has been sleeping in her old purple room! Today Travis went out with Grandma Kathy and they picked out new paint and new bedding! He chose The Incredible Hulk bedding and a blueish-greenish-turquiose paint! It looks really nice... I am quite happy with it! Thanks so much to Grandma Kathy for such a NICE NEW ROOM FOR TRAV! When she was done painting, we brought Travis in to see if he liked it. He walks in, looks around, and goes, "Love it." It was so cute!

My cute little pregnant sister!

2008-10-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

Look how adorable my sister Maria is looking these days! She found out last month that she is having a BOY! We are so excited to meet him. His name will be Daniel James, named after each of their dads! 16 more weeks!!!!!!

October Birthdays

2008-10-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

Last night we celebrated all the October birthdays in our family-- Grandma Jean, Aaron, Travis, Charlie, and Uncle Paul. The boys (who are pretty much like twins!) got some really cool gifts! They got scooters, walkie talkies, nerf guns, cool jammies, and REAL cordless drills. The kids had a blast jumping outside on Aaron's trampoline. Happy Birthday to everyone!!!!! This is party 1 out of 3 for Travis (his birthday is not until the 30th), so stay tuned for more birthday blogs!

This is what happens when Bryan babysits 4 boys...

2008-10-13T14:59:00.001-07:00

Parade with Dancing Plus

2008-10-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

Kate and Rylee
Kassi (another dance teacher) and Kate

Rylee and I were in the Red Flannel Parade in Cedar Springs! We rode on the Dancing Plus float (the dance school I teach for and Rylee attends!). It was so cool to see the MANY people there, and they were ALL in red! We sure have been blessed with some gorgeous weekends this fall! We had a really fun time being in the parade!

Fall Family Pictures

2008-10-06T15:55:00.001-07:00

Here is a sampling of some family pictures we had done this weekend. Kinda blury, I know! But still kinda cute!! :)

Tyson's a BIG BOY NOW!!!

2008-10-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

Today is the day we start potty training! I bought him his first package of underwear, and he sure looks adorable in big boy underwear! Just as I am typing this, he peed on the potty for the first time ever! I am SOOOO ready to be done with diapers! Wish us luck as we begin this joyous adventure!!! :P (I HATE potty-training!!)

All about Travis

2008-10-04T09:41:00.001-07:00

He LOVES to ride his bike!
He LOVES to play with his best friend and cousin Aaron
He LOVES to ride on the scooter!
And he loves playing football!!

Travis is going to be the VIP in his Kindergarten class in a few weeks. He has to bring pictures of him doing things he enjoys. So we had a little photo shoot of Travis doing the things he loves to do.

October = Costume Fun

2008-10-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

I went down in the basement and got out all my Halloween decorations the other day. I also brought up the big box of Halloween costumes. The kids were SO excited... they have been asking for the costumes all summer long... but I never feel like getting them out! So we dressed up all the kids in different costumes. What fun!!

I can't believe it has been 10 years...

2008-09-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Clara and I (and her husband Aaron on the right!)
Todd and Colleen Pell
Bryan and I

Colleen and I
Kelly Bennett and Drew Keith
My long lost friend Kelly!!! Love her!!
Andrew Cormier and I (friends since 2nd grade!)
Katie Chicklon Throop and I (friends since HS)

Myself, Clara, Lisa Voltz, and Laura Fischer (friends since HS)
Emily Young, Kelly Bennett, Kate, and Lauren Ballema
The husbands trying their best to have fun!
Kyle Mallory with his wife Alex and Lee Weeks with his wife Amanda

Kate and Dave Burch (friends for 28 years!!!!!!)

Last night was my 10 year class reunion! It was at the Wave Room in Celebration Cinema! I had a really great time. It was so nice to run into old friends and see what everyone has been up to. For the most part, I think we all look the same! :) We ended the evening over at B-dubs. I ran into my old best friend, Kelly Bennett, last night, and she was the one person I was REALLY hoping to see! Yay! A special thanks to my sister for babysitting the kids last night!

My Little Guitar-Playing Son!

2008-09-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

On Thursdays, I only have one kid-- Tyson! It's such a special day for us, because very rarely does Tyson get one-on-one attention from Mommy! The other day he was playing this toy guitar and dancing all over with it. It was so cute! Maybe someday Grandpa Jim will teach him how to play a real guitar!!

A Day in Rockford

2008-09-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Last week my mom and I took the kids downtown Rockford to play at the park. Then we got some take-out Corner Bar hotdogs and had a little picnic lunch right at the Rockford Dam. It was a GORGEOUS day, and I just love spending time downtown. It is so beautiful, cozy, and it just feels like home to me!! I could never call another city home! We even met a fireman and he gave the boys firefighter sticker badges!!! Thanks, Grandma Jean, for the fun day!!!!

A Night on the Town with the GIRLS!

2008-09-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday night was GIRLS NIGHT! We had a really fun time! We started out at my sister-in-law Toni's house, and later went to various bars in Grand Rapids. It's nice to get a break from the kids and go out and enjoy time with my friends! Thanks, Toni, for inviting us and for such a great night!!!

Tyson's First Day of School!

2008-09-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Tyson had his first day of school! Grandma Jean picked him up and took him shoe shopping before school. He was SO excited to put on his backpack and go to school just like his big brother and sister. He was such a big boy and was totally fine with being dropped off and staying there! I can't wait to see all his improvements in his speech this year!!

Party #2

2008-09-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

I didn't get a chance to take many pictures from today's party, but here's what I got!!

Party, Party for Rylee!

2008-09-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here is what our family looked like 6 years ago!

Preggo Maria and Matt!
Bryan and Tyson (this is Tyson's usual spot)
Rylee opening gifts with Aaron watching closely!
Here's Rylee with Auntie Ann and "Samantha" in their new dresses! So cute!!!
Maria's usual self-snap with Tyson!

All the kids ate together out on the screen porch!
Here she is-- the birthday girl!!!
Rylee LOVED her Hannah Montana cake!
Grandma Jean helped Tyson eat his cake!
Uncle Ernie with grouchy Travis and Happy Aaron!

This weekend we had 2 big birthday parties for Rylee's SIXTH birthday. She turned six on September 3rd, the second day of school. On Friday night, we had my side of the family over for a pizza party. Hannah Montana was the theme! She got a new scooter, some cute clothes and shoes, an American Girl dress to match her own (both made by Auntie Ann!), money, and the Hannah Montana movie. And today, Bryan's side of the family came over to celebrate! She got more shoes from Grandma Kathy, her own alarm clock, a Hannah Montana bag, and more money! It seems crazy that Rylee is 6 years old already. But she sure is turning into an amazing young lady! Happy Birthday to my precious little girl!! We love you THIIIIIIS much!!!

And the 2008-2009 School Year Begins!

2008-09-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here are Aaron, Rylee, and Travis all waiting at the bus stop!
Travis is so excited for DK!!!
Rylee is a big first grader now! And she even looks just like a first grader now with her front tooth missing! It just fell out this past weekend!!
Off they go on the bus!!!
This is Tyson's reaction after the kids got on the bus. He was VERY sad that he didn't get to go on the bus too. And I don't think he realized Travis and Aaron get to ride the bus this year. It's very rough being the youngest kid!!

Today my kids had their first day of school! Rylee will be in First Grade with Mrs. Pitsch! Travis is starting DK with Miss VanderVeen. The kids were very excited for their first day of school! I can't wait for them to get home so I can hear all about it! Aaron also looked so cute and grown up in his uniform (he is going to kindergarten at OLC). And, you will be so proud of me, I had NO tears this year (but I can't say the same for Tyson)! I hope this is a great, exciting school year for my kids! I look forward to all of the new learning adventures they will experience!

The Last Camping Trip of the Summer!

2008-08-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

We wrapped up our camping adventures this week with a fantastic trip to Cadillac! We went on Monday and arrived home today (Thursday). Bryan has the week off of work, and I took a much needed break from the daycare kids. We went with Abby and Brian Petersen (and their kids Brandon and Ava) and Josh and Kelly Henry (and their son Jake). We did a lot of relaxing (well, as much as possible with all the children), eating, beach playing, bike riding, talking, and laughing. Abby and Kelly (and their families) stayed in a cute little cabin, which was right on the lake. They even had their own private dock and little row boat. We camped in our trailor directly across the street from them. It was a gorgeous view of the lake! Travis fell of his bike 5 minutes after arrival and scraped up his elbow pretty badly. But other than that, it was a really nice trip. I am offically done with camping for the summer though! I am very ready for school to start next Tuesday! Rylee will be in first grade, and she actually has Mrs. Pitsch again! Her Kindergarten teacher moved up to first grade, and Rylee is in her class! Rylee and I are both very excited... we loved Mrs. Pitsch (and Mrs. Pitsch LOVES Rylee!!). Travis will be in DK with Miss VanderVeen. We went to school today so Travis could meet her and see his classroom (we missed the open house this week while camping). Tyson will also be starting a new speech class this fall too! I talked to his teacher today and she thought this will be a good place for him. So he will be going to Meadowridge 2 days a week for an hour class. And this time, Mom will not be staying! I'm very excited for all my kids, and I hope it's a GREAT year for us all!!

New Family Pic

2008-08-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

I needed a new, updated family picture for my class reunion this fall, and this is the best we could do! Not too bad for 3 squirmy kids and a husband who HATES getting his picture taken!

8 years of love and happiness!!

2008-08-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

August, 2008
August 18, 2000

Tomorrow Bryan and I celebrate our 8 year anniversary! I really cannot believe it has been 8 years! Being married to Bryan is such a blessing. Ever since I was a young girl, my only dream in life was to get married and have a family. Bryan has made all of my dreams since I was a little girl come true. I have a fabulous husband who loves me through it all. He is the BEST dad in the world, and I couldn't ask for a better man to be a father to my children. I love him more and more each day! I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him! Love you, Bryan!!

Cruise Party, Baby!!!!

2008-08-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Bryan always makes this face (the annoyed look) when I take his picture!!
Amy is enjoying her cheesecake! It was sooooo good!
Travis liked it too!
I thought I should take a picture of Nikki and Mike since none exist! hahaha!

Rylee made signs for everyone's chairs. Aunt Sharon was Queen La-Something!
Here's Nikki doing the salsa???
Tom enjoyed playing a game of pool in the basement!
Here's Uncle Ken posing with the pool stick. What a stud!!

Last night we hosted the monthly (well, we try to do it monthly) Cruise Party! There are less than 8 months until we go on our cruise, and we are sooooo very excited. Bryan's family is seriously the most fun group of people to hang out with! We grilled out last night, had some strawberry shortcake drinks (my FAVORITE!!), sat around the fire, and even watched some Phelps win his 8th gold medal! We also booked our hotel for when we arrive in Miami, so it was a successful night!! Thanks for coming everyone, we had a really fun time!!!

Camping with the Pells

2008-08-10T11:37:00.001-07:00

Our first camping trip together!!
Rylee, Tyson, and Payton are enjoying some delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast!
Travis too!

Here are all the kids eating dinner Saturday night. They had hot dogs, but the grown-ups had yummy steaks!!
Tyson was FILTHY dirty, so Bryan and I gave him a little shower on Todd and Colleen's outdoor shower!!
How many kids can fit on the golf cart? Apparently 2 grandparents, 2 dogs, and 6 kids can fit!!

Here is a cute one of Todd and Colleen.

This weekend we went camping at good ol' Chinook Campground with our friends, the Pells! We took the kids on a 4 hour tubing trip on Saturday afternoon. We experienced sun, rain, cold, warm, and hot all on one trip! But we made it, and it was a fun time regardless of the weather! Thanks so much to Kathy and John for such a fun weekend of camping!

Happy August Birthdays!!

2008-08-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

After the Anniversary party, we celebrated all of the August birthdays in our family. Hollis, Mimi, Uncle Ernie, Uncle Les, and Jaden are all another year older this month!

60 Years of Marriage!!

2008-08-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we had a big party to celebrate my Grandma and Grandpa's 60th Wedding Anniversary! Not many couples make it to 50, let alone 60! Congratulations, Grandma and Grandpa, and may God continue to bless you in your marriage!

Back to Yogi Bear!

2008-08-03T17:48:00.000-07:00

We just had a great time camping at Jellystone Park in Grand Haven! This is our second time there (you may remember my post from last summer!), and the kids loved it just as much! They talked about camping at Yogi for months and months after our last visit! Maria, Matt, and Jaden came with us and stayed right in our camper (it is sooo expensive there-- $45 a night!! So we shared our camper and split the cost!). My nephew Aaron came along too! We participated in so many of their activities! We decorated bikes and had a bike parade, hung out by the pool, went miniature golfing and had ice cream, went on the hayride, and of course spent hours on the playground (they have a really fun one!!) The characters even come out for some of the festivities and the kids love to hug them and give them a high five! We are so happy the weather was so perfect (and HOT!!) and we really enjoyed our stay there! I think it's totally worth the $45 a night, but Bryan doesn't agree so much. So we'll see if I can talk him into going back next year!!! ;)

Emily and Brandon's Party

2008-07-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

Last night we had a big celebration for Emily (Young) and Brandon Dilworth! They got married one year ago today WAAAY up in the U.P. So they decided to have a big wedding celebration with all their friends and family down state on their anniversary! It was a really nice celebration! I forgot my camera for the reception part, but the after-party was at our house! It was so nice to see some old high school friends (I must say we all look pretty dang hot for being 10 years out of high school!) ! Many congrats to Brandon and Emily. We had a great time with you guys last night.... I wish you didn't live 8 hours away!!!!! :(

Kate and Megan!

2008-07-27T16:08:00.001-07:00

Here is a rare shot! Megan and I were both at our husband's softball games (their teams played eachother!) and we snapped a shot! I didn't get any good pictures of the game though!

New Daycare Baby!

2008-07-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

Last week a brand new baby (5 weeks!) started at my daycare. Her name is Hollie Marie and she is just precious! The other kids love her too! The little girls are natural little mommies... and they are great helpers!

Fun at the Fair!

2008-07-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Every summer my parents take the kids to the Ionia Free Fair. We stopped at BK for dinner on the way there, went on some cool rides, got cotton candy, saw lots of animals, and sat on the tractors. We even stopped at McDonald's for ice cream on the way home! We all had a really fun time, and the weather was just perfect! Thanks, Mom and Dad, for the great tradition and the great night!

No more CRIB!!!

2008-07-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

For the first time in 6 years, the crib has been converted into a toddler bed! We have never been able to do this before, because I always had another baby that needed the crib. But now that Tyson can climb in and out like a pro, we finally took down the rail. It was kind of sad, but not really! He's still my baby, even in his big boy bed!!

The Best Weekend of the Summer!

2008-07-21T10:10:00.001-07:00

We just had our 2nd Annual Friends and Family Camping and Tubing Trip, and it was another success! We and our friends have been looking forward to this weekend all year long (and planning it as well!). We camped at Henning Park in Newaygo and tubed down the Muskegon River on Saturday. The weather somewhat cooperated with us! It wasn't super hot and sunny (which you may not believe after seeing Bryan and Brad's sunburn! I guess you CAN burn through the clouds!), but it didn't rain. We were chilly at times, but the sun peeked out a bit and warmed us up. With this group of people, it doesn't matter what kind of weather we had... it is just guaranteed fun!! Great food, lots of great drinks, great friends, and GREAT TIMES!!!

We love Payton!!

2008-07-17T12:32:00.001-07:00

Last week my precious little niece Payton came to visit. She is so cute and such a sweetheart! I wish she didn't live so far and we could have her stay over more often! It is so nice to see the friendship between Payton and Rylee too! I never had any girl cousins close to my age, so I am so happy Rylee has a girl cousin and good friend all in one!! We all went next door to Aaron's house and jumped on his trampoline with every ball we could find! Then we came back and rode bikes on the driveway and even took a little dip in the pool! We enjoyed Payton so much!! :)

3 Sun-Bathing Beauties!!

2008-07-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

Rylee is only 5 1/2, but sometimes she acts more like 16. She always wants to lay out in the sun! Here she is with her cousins Ali and Gabby. A few weeks ago we spent a wonderful afternoon over at Bryan's Aunt Sharon's house. We enjoyed the pool, yummy food, and HOT weather! And Rylee really enjoys hanging out with her girl cousins!!

McKellar vs. McKellar

2008-07-07T06:26:00.001-07:00

Bryan has recently started "training" Travis in boxing. He is teaching him the right way to punch and how to block and duck. Travis LOVES it! The boys put on their boxing gloves last night and started the match! Rylee even made a sign (it said "Go Travis! Go Travis!) and cheered on the side lines. Many of you may remember years ago when Bryan fought in the ToughMan Contest. It looks like Travis may be a future ToughMan competitor!

The Joys of Potty-Training

2008-07-07T06:16:00.000-07:00

Tyson is not at all potty-trained yet, but at least he is excited about sitting on the potty. Everytime he poops in his diaper I say, "Oh no! You pooped in your diaper again! Where do we poop?" He smiles and says, "Potty!" So I know he gets the concept! So now at each diaper change he has to run to the potty and climb on-- all by himself! I hate potty-training... but I have 2 down and 1 to go! I predict 6 more months!!!! My baby is not much of a baby anymore, is he???