Picture Time!

We finally had the kids' pictures done. Poor Cody is only 7 months old!! Everyone was great; I couldn't have asked for a better day! No tears, it's a miracle! Thankfully, mom went out the night before and got outfits. She did an amazing job picking them out, plus she went to wrangle all three, too. I think the pictures turned out great! Emily

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Things that start with a "K"

Well, today I'm sharing things that start with a "K". This evening after filling out a MOUNTAIN of paperwork I will be taking Ryan to her school's Kindergarten Round-Up to get her registered for school! I can't believe my baby will be going to school!!! She was so excited to go that she woke up before 7am and ran into our room asking us to get ready - she needed to go to her new school! Tonight she will get to see the Kindergarten classrooms and take a ride in a bus! And yes, I'll be the super silly Mom who takes pictures!!

I also wanted to share a layout I just finished which features the second "K" word. Take a look (you can click on the layout to make it large enough to read the journaling if you so desire)!

Yes, that's Chase, squeezing a sippy cup, OF MILK - I promise - into a beer koozie! NICE!!!!! Enjoy! Jen

Don't rock the boat!

The weather was really warming up so we decided to take the boat out - unfortunately yesterday was a little chilly, a little cloudy, and worst of all no fishies!!! It was fun to joyride and both kids were SO excited!! I think Chase would live in the boat if he could - it's all he talks about!!! jen

We felt the earth move under our feet . . .

Strangest thing early this morning. We felt the aftershocks of a 5.2 earthquake that was centered in southern Illnois. Darren and I heard a loud noise (sounding similar to Chase throwing objects at a door) and we could not figure out what it was. We noticed that the remotes that we keep on top our TV were on the ground and just figured they had fallen and hit the armoir doors on the way down. It was weird though that they would fall? My neighbor greeted us this morning with the news of a midwest earthquake and I thought he was totally joking. Seems like there was just a lot of shaking, not much, if any, damage around here so that's excellent news. Here's a link to the article in the local paper if you'd like to read more :)

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/NEWS/80418002

Jen

This week

It's finally warming up here and we've had fun playing outside! Ryan has been dying to climb some trees and Chase doesn't care who, what, when, where, or why - as long as he is outside. Here are a few fun pics I took of the kids this week. I know we're going to have to break Chase of his pacifier one of these days - but today is not the day :) As you can see, he is proud to be able to fit not one, but 3 in his mouth at the same time! Enjoy! Jen

Lilah's Baptism Montage

Here are more pictures from Lilah's Baptism. Remember to pause the music player at the bottom or turn its volume all the way down. Enjoy! Jen

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

"Cinderelle" by Brookie

Brooke is very passionate about Cinderella. Last weekend, she wore her Cinderella dress up outfit for 48 solid hours!! She loves to read to Cody and this is her version!
Note: Pay no attention to the FANCY, EXPENSIVE baby gate in the background. What can I say, we are simple folk?!? :) Love, Emily

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Mommy does NOT mean privacy!

My friend Mary emailed this story to me today and I thought I would share since I got a really GOOD laugh out of it!!! Enjoy! Jen

A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's restroom stall.
By Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate and does it quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we're in the library, the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. There've been several embarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words would have been masked by a not-so-audible voice, but never have I wished this more than last week at Costco. Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade with me into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroom that evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the second to the last stall:????? 'Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on da toiwet paper now? Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?' At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in the bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full ... 4? 5? Maybe we could wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of this stall and reveal my identity. Cade continued, 'Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you? Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy! You gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty?Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh ... Mommy! I'm trying to see in dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna get some candy!' I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me. Where is a screaming new born when you need her? Good grief. This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before exiting. Trying to divert him, I said, 'Why don't you look in Mommy's purse and see if you can find some candy. We'll both have some!' 'No, I'm trying to see doze more stinkies. Oh! Mommy!' He started to gag at this point. 'Uh oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!! Dat is so gross!!' As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall. I quickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the subject. I began to reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheard this embarrassing monologue will be long gone. 'Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done going stinkies! Get up! Get up!' He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blown laughter. I bent down to count the feet outside my door. 'Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under da door? What were you wooking at, Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?' More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess the situation. 'Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now, Mommy.' He started pounding on the door. 'Mommy, don't you want to wash your hands? I want to go out!!' I saw that my 'wait 'em out' plan was unraveling. I sheepishly opened the door, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladies crowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud. My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, 'Where's the fine print on the 'motherhood contract' where I signed away every bit of my dignity and privacy?' But as my little boy gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this little fellow.

(Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and mother of three. She lives with her family in Grand Rapids, Michigan , where she no longer uses public restrooms )...

The Biter

Just like that crazy Charlie (wasn't that oddly hilarious?), Lilah is now officially a Biter. Though I pretended otherwise, I think I was previously one of those parents that silently judged the parents of biters. Surely they were doing something wrong for their kid to act so viciously....did they try teethers or time-outs? Yes and yes. Once again, God has sent me an adorable, drooling reminder of the importance of humility.

Any advice appreciated. Al

Lilah's Baptism

Here are a few pics from Lilah's Baptism yesterday. The service was beautiful and everyone was so well behaved - even Jeremy :)




Lilah and her Godparents Bill & Lynn


My favorite pic of the day!


Kirby, Lilah, Max, Ryan & Vince

Enjoy! Jen

Easter 2008

We had a wonderful Easter. The Kiger tradition carries on: Taylor had a black eye and it took me ALL morning to get Brooke in her Easter dress. She wanted to wear her pink Cheetah Girls dress instead. She also wanted no part of her Easter bonnet but it only took a few compliments to Taylor on hers when Brooke wanted to put hers on!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

April Calendar

Just thought I'd post the April calendar, if you find you are in need of any references throughout the month. I made it as large as I could, but the events are still small so you can click on the calendar and a larger version will pop up! If you requested it, I have emailed you a copy to print out, but if you didn't get one and want one - please let me know! Also, if you have any dates for May, get them to me for next month's calendar! Thanks! Jen