Growing Up with Kaylee

Kaylee Goes to Disney

2010-11-02T21:02:00.001-04:00

Disney 2010

We had a great time at Disney last week. The weather was beautiful, hot and sunny. Kaylee ate breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table, was transformed into Princess Belle at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, rode lots of fun rides, watched shows, and received autographs from characters. What a great time!

Aunt Carol and Uncle Gary visited us while we were at Disney. Aunt Carol met us at the Magic Kingdom on Monday. We rode rides and visited. On Tuesday Aunt Carol and Uncle Gary joined us at Downtown Disney while Kaylee had her makeover at the boutique. She makes a beautiful Belle. While at Downtown Disney we enjoyed lunch together at the Earl of Sandwich. Aunt Carol treated Mom to tea at the Grand Floridian on Wednesday after meeting us at Epcot.

Grandpa Lewie and Grandma Genny were kind enough to let us use their condo near Disney during our stay. It was a beautiful resort and we are truly grateful for their generosity.

It was definitely a week that was all about Kaylee. So glad that Mom could join us on our adventure!

Fall is FUN!

2010-10-20T19:20:00.002-04:00

Yum…

2010-09-27T19:41:00.001-04:00

What’s better than fresh baked cookies?

COOKIE DOUGH!!!!

After Cory, Kaylee and I went to church on Sunday, it was cookie baking time. Kaylee enjoyed the cookie dough…and so did Joe!

Busy Weekend

2010-09-15T17:59:00.002-04:00

Fall weather brings fun activities, including Stone's Trace. We took Kaylee this past weekend. Her favorite things were 1) pony rides 2) ice cream 3) bus ride. Who knew - the best part of a pioneer festival would be the school bus ride from the parking lot!

We also spent a little time at Chuck E Cheese's over the weekend too. Kaylee had a great time playing the games. (I think maybe her daddy did too.)

I Love Lucy

2010-09-07T22:04:00.001-04:00

Kaylee discovered “I Love Lucy” over the weekend on the Hallmark Channel. Definitely an oldie but a goodie!

Grandma Kay will be so proud…and probably Aunt Karen too!

Family Update

2010-08-30T20:30:00.002-04:00

So, the summer has blazed past us and I haven't posted in a couple months. Here is the status of the fam:

Cory
Left the field of law enforcement to work at West Noble Middle School as a program assistant - functional skills. We are loving having Daddy home each night and every weekend.

Kaylee
She is going to Ligonier Elementary now so that she and Daddy are in the same school system. Kaylee is really doing great and adjusting very well. Her first day of school was big fun. I heard lots of stories - none of them about actual learning.

Angie
Not too much has changed for me. Still love quilting and reading when I have free time (which is basically non-existent). Having lots of fun with Kaylee and Cory. Planning our vacation to Disney this October. We are all really excited.

I'll try to post some cute Kaylee pics soon. I know they won't be hard to find. :)

All Dressed Up

2010-06-13T16:10:00.002-04:00

Cory was in his friend Troy's wedding on Saturday. Kaylee had tons of fun dancing at the reception. She wore both of us out!

I Pledge Allegiance...

2010-05-22T18:37:00.002-04:00

Pretty Girl

2010-04-11T14:29:00.001-04:00

Isn’t our girl cute?! She loves her dress Aunt Carol bought her for her birthday.

My New Helmet

2010-04-11T14:26:00.001-04:00

Look out summer, here we come!

Sorry – Not for Hire

2010-04-07T18:53:00.001-04:00

Oh yeah, she cleans windows!

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T20:11:00.003-04:00

Daddy worked all weekend, so he was going to miss seeing Kaylee in her Easter dress. We visited him at the police station on Saturday night. We really enjoyed our time together and Kaylee especially liked hearing all the compliments Daddy was sending her way.

During the Easter service Kaylee sang 'For God so Loved the World' with the kids. They sounded great - as usual. Thanks to Mendy for all the time and effort she puts into the children's specials.

Easter is such an awesome reminder of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We always have hope in Him.

Chuck E Cheese's

2010-03-28T14:35:00.002-04:00

On Saturday we took Kaylee to Chuck E. Cheese's for a day of games and pizza. Even though the pizza was terrible, the games were fun. Kaylee had a great time and even gave Chuck E. Cheese a high five.

Syracuse Elementary Carnival

2010-03-28T14:29:00.003-04:00

Friday evening we went to the carnival at Syracuse Elementary. Kaylee had fun playing all the little games. Here she is bowling...even though she didn't knock any pins down.

She then got a tattoo on her face. It looked very cool!

Finally, her favorite, fingernail painting. She picked blue because it is daddy's favorite color.

At the Mall

2010-03-28T14:23:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday Kaylee went to the mall with the McLallin girls. We enjoyed a lunch at Red Robin and them some shopping. Kaylee didn't do much shopping, but she did have fun playing in the kids area and riding the carousel.

This was Kaylee's first time riding "all by herself" and she had so much fun. Grandma Kay was standing next to her, but not touching her...too funny.

Bath Time for Joe

2010-03-18T16:46:00.001-04:00

Kaylee is Daddy’s little helper for Joe’s bath time. I think Kaylee enjoys this more than Joe!

Stats

2010-03-12T10:23:00.002-05:00

Kaylee recently visited the pediatrician for her annual check-up. Here are the stats:

Height: 42"
Weight: 38 lbs

She only gained two pounds for the year. (I can gain that in a day!) Dr. Rusk strongly encouraged we fatten her up.

Overall, a good report. We are blessed!

Wii Bowling

2010-03-10T18:59:00.000-05:00

Here she is in action. Kaylee is lovin' the Wii.

Primpin’

2010-03-06T12:42:00.001-05:00

It is a lot of work to be that beautiful!

Back To School

2010-02-26T08:22:00.002-05:00

After three days of staying home with Mom or Dad, Kaylee is finally back to school.

Monday night Kaylee woke up with a fever and it persisted through Wednesday afternoon. The school wanted us to keep her home until she had been fever-free for 24 hours. We finally hit that mark yesterday afternoon and Kaylee went to school today. Yay!

Unfortunately, Kaylee shared her bug with Cory. Hopefully we'll have a nice, healthy house by next week!

A Birthday Fit for a Princess

2010-02-20T20:44:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday we had a little celebration in honor of Kaylee’s sixth birthday.

I had no idea Wal-Mart could make such a cute cake. They did a great job making a little castle for our little princess.

Kaylee’s first gift of the day was a Wii. She has played it everyday since her party. She absolutely loves the Disney Princess game. She also likes to challenge her daddy to games of tennis and bowling.

After the gifts, it was on to the lighting and subsequent blowing out of the birthday candles. She did a great job and had a fantastic party.

Kaylee says a great big thanks to everyone for all the gifts. She is having so much fun playing with her new toys and wearing her new clothes.

Happy 6th Birthday!

2010-02-11T09:16:00.002-05:00

Kaylee is 6 today...and making silly faces at the camera.

Valentine’s Day Preparations

2010-02-08T20:07:00.001-05:00

Kaylee prepared her Valentine’s Day cards after dinner tonight. A little marker, a little stamping, a few stickers…and she is ready for the big party at school on Friday.

She is also on the birthday countdown. Only three days until our baby girl turns six!

The Payne's are in Town

2010-02-07T14:56:00.006-05:00

Leah and the kids came to visit us this weekend. Everyone met at Aunt Karen's house for a little pizza and games. Kaylee and Aunt Karen were the domino champions of the evening.

Aunt Karen brought the box of toys up from the basement, and Kaylee had fun sorting through everything.

the kids had so much fun playing together. The red horse was a very popular item.

And my favorite pic of all...

Uncle Gary, Aunt Carol, Leah, Samuel and Joel joined us for church this morning. It was so much fun having them all at church. Those boys are so darn cute!

Ready for School

2010-02-01T18:45:00.001-05:00

Kaylee was bright-eyed and ready for school today. She received new clothes and a Minnie Mouse backpack for her birthday/Christmas from Aunt Carol and Uncle Gary. She is loving them and insisted on wearing them to school today. Since they are spring clothes, we paired them with a pair of leggings and a white jacket. As always, she looks very cute!

Thank you Aunt Carol & Uncle Gary!

Game Time with Daddy

2010-02-01T18:40:00.001-05:00

Kaylee is becoming quite an expert at video games. Here they are playing a race car game. What fun!

Wow! Purple Glasses!

2010-01-29T18:26:00.001-05:00

Mommy, Take My Picture

2010-01-17T16:50:00.001-05:00

For whatever reason, Kaylee asked me to take her picture before school the other day. I, of course, couldn’t resist. So, here she is – in all her glory.

Yes, that is a furry red shirt…and she loves it!

Audiology Follow-Up

2010-01-13T19:04:00.001-05:00

Kaylee had a follow-up appointment with her audiologist today in Fort Wayne. Her new ear mold arrived, and it is a beauty.

Pink and purple swirled plastic – what’s not to love!

The audiologist also conducted a hearing test while we were there. Kaylee did a really great job! She actually let them put the headphones on her so that they could get an accurate reading of her hearing.

As expected, hearing loss in her right ear is severe and loss in the left ear is mild. So, Kaylee will be wearing a hearing aid in the left ear and nothing in the right ear.

The right ear may not even have a nerve running from the ear to the brain, so a hearing aid wouldn’t actually help. It would just be in the way.

This is probably the best hearing test Kaylee has done to date. Never before has she allowed them to get a localized test of her ears.

We go back in three weeks so they can check to make sure the hearing aid is set at the proper level for Kaylee.

Warrior of Character

2010-01-10T17:49:00.001-05:00

Last November Kaylee earned the Warrior of Character Award at school. Here she is receiving her award from Mr. Garner, Principal.

Here are all the Kindergartners lined up that received awards. Aren’t they just adorable!

After the awards presentation Kaylee posed for a quick photo with her award.

We are very proud of our little Warrior!

Snow Much Fun

2010-01-05T21:38:00.001-05:00

Winter is here and Kaylee is enjoying her new coat, snow pants, and boots that Grandpa Steve and Grandma Kay bought her for Christmas.

While Mommy was at work last week Kaylee and Daddy plowed the driveway, made snow angels and threw snowballs at each other. It was very fun and very cold!

Very Stylish

2010-01-03T16:47:00.001-05:00

After we returned home from vacation, I unpacked our suitcases and Kaylee unloaded my jewelry box. As you can see, she is sporting a snowman pin, koala bear necklace and earrings.

As always, what a cutie!

So McLallin girls, any guesses where the earrings came from? Look closely, you’ve seen them before.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T17:22:00.003-05:00

It is totally unbelievable that 2009 has come and gone. Looking back on the year reminds me of just how blessed our family is. We have a beautiful, healthy daughter. Every report from every doctor brought positive news this year. Kaylee has such a sweet personality. She makes me smile each and every day.

I am also blessed with a husband who loves me very much. I still can't believe we've been married 10 years. It has gone so quickly!

Have a blessed new year!

Vacation Pics

2009-12-31T20:12:00.001-05:00

Here are some shots of the beach. These pictures don’t do it justice. It really is lovely with the white sand beaches.

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These are pictures of our resort. It was gorgeous. If you ever go to the Dominican Republic, I would definitely recommend the Iberostar Bavaro Grand Hotel. Total luxury!

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We did three excursions during our stay. They were the Outback Safari, Marinarium and Zip Line Adventure. The Outback Safari allowed us to see a lot of the Dominican countryside and villages. We were able to tour a Dominican home, see how cocoa and coffee are produced, eat a typical Dominican meal and went boogie boarding on a public beach. Here are some photos we captured.

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The Marinarium excursion included snorkeling and lounging on the boat. I found out that I cannot snorkel. To me, it kind of felt like drowning and then suddenly remembering that I could breathe out of my mouth. I’m glad I tried it, but I probably won’t go again. Cory did really well and caught on fast. I guess you could say I was a really slow learner!

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Finally, we went up into the mountains and rode on the zip lines. We had a lot of fun on this excursion. The scenery was beautiful on the way up to the mountains (even though the roads were a bit rough at times).

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It was a fabulous trip. I guess turning 30 isn’t so bad after all!

A Little Bit of Paradise

2009-12-26T13:06:00.001-05:00

Cory and I recently traveled to the Dominican Republic for a week of rest and relaxation. Our resort was beautiful, the excursions were fun and our flights were safe. All in all, a great vacation!

Once I get the photos organized I’ll post more.

It was more windy the week were there than it usually is, but it was still very nice. I think the wind bothered the staff at the hotel more then the guests. The gal at the frond desk, Loly, said she thought it was cold. I think it was 85 degrees that day. I guess it is all a matter of perspective!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T12:44:00.001-05:00

Kaylee has been having a very good Christmas this year. Lots of fun, family and gifts.

She really wanted her picture taken after each gift. Most of the time they turned out like the one above. Her face seemed to always get covered by the gift. Here are her iCarly underpants. She loves them. Who wouldn’t?

Cory had a lap full of dogs while we opened presents. Shadow and Joe were loving the attention.

Here she is at our Christmas with the Morris family. You’ll notice the VERY glittery shirt. This was a gift from Shannon. When Kaylee opened it she said, “ohhhhh, glitter is good!”

It leaves glitter everywhere she goes. Thanks Shannon! :)

On Christmas Eve we had Christmas with the Edsall’s. Kaylee wore her new Christmas dress and was the center of attention…just the way she likes it!

We ate great food, enjoyed our family, and opened presents.

On Christmas Day we to Argos for Christmas with Daddy. He had to work, so we brought Christmas to him. Santa even delivered Kaylee’s presents to Argos.

Here are Kaylee and Daddy checking out her new computer. Lovingly referred to as Pink Puter at our house. Kaylee has already drained the battery twice. It is getting lots of attention the last two days.

After spending Christmas morning with Daddy in Argos, we went to Aunt Peggy’s house for the McLallin Christmas. It was fun spending time with everyone and Kaylee had tons of fun playing the Wii.

Leah mailed Kaylee the above Christmas present. Her very own playhouse that fits over a card table. Kaylee is really enjoying it. I’m pretty sure she thinks it is a dog house because she barks while she plays in it!

One more Christmas to go with Grandpa Steve, Grandma Kay and Uncle Mike on Sunday afternoon.

What a reminder of how truly blessed we are. So much family who loves us. Praise the Lord!

We’re Back!

2009-12-25T20:52:00.001-05:00

Well, after a month without any blog posts it is time to get back in the saddle.

I have really missed posting about our lives. Here is a quick update on everyone:

Kaylee: She is doing great! School has been going really well, and she continues to love it. She was fitted for new hearing aids on Wednesday and should be back to wearing her hearing aids in a few weeks. Please be praying for her as she transitions back into wearing them. It did not go well last time.

Cory: He is doing good. Continues to work for the Argos Police Department. I can’t believe he has been there almost five years. I guess time flies when you are having fun! He was off for most of the month of December. It was great having him home. He got to spend tons of time hanging out with Kaylee. They are best buds…along with Joe of course.

Angie: Also doing good. Just returned home from vacation with Cory to the Dominican Republic. It was a wonderful vacation filled with sunshine and relaxation. Definitely not fun coming home to snow and cold weather, but worth it to see Kaylee’s beautiful face.

Stay tuned. There will be vacation, Christmas and various other posts forthcoming. Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas. We love you!

Hot Nails!

2009-11-23T13:32:00.002-05:00

Aunt Heather was so kind to paint Kaylee's nails on Sunday. Kaylee was very excited. Not only did Kaylee select five different colors, but she also had flowers put on each nail. Very cute!

Thanks Aunt Heather!!!

For God So Loved The World

2009-11-17T20:21:00.002-05:00

Scary Witch

2009-11-12T18:31:00.002-05:00

Here she is in all her glory. Sparkly broom and purple fingernails. Very cute! (She said she wanted to be a scary witch - I don't think she quite pulled off the scary part.)

As soon as Daddy got off work he went Trick-or-Treating with us. Nothing like have your own candy security! We had a great time even though it was very cold.

School Pictures Have Arrived!

2009-11-05T08:29:00.001-05:00

Halloween at the Office

2009-10-30T09:23:00.002-04:00

Tiger 'Shannon' Girl, Carol 'Sue' Bernett and Laura 'Chris' Ingalls.

I was the only CSR that didn't dress up. The girls look really cute!

Sorry for the Blogging Vacation

2009-10-28T09:15:00.002-04:00

So, I've been doing a terrible job keeping up the blog.

Here are pics of Science Central visiting the Syracuse Elementary. Kaylee went to various different stations learning different things about wind energy, nuclear energy, how to make slime, etc. You know, everything a 5 year old would ever want to know about science!

Strike A Pose

2009-10-09T08:22:00.000-04:00

Field Trips Are Fun

2009-10-06T11:47:00.002-04:00

Kaylee went to an apple orchard for her kindergarten field trip yesterday. Her daddy was kind enough to offer to be a chaperon.

I don't really know what is going on this picture, but Kaylee really seems to be into it.

Here is Kaylee picking her very own apple. I made fried apples for dessert last night to sample her hand-picked apple. Very yummy!

Kaylee's favorite part of the day was the hayride.

Here is Kaylee's class. What a good looking bunch of kids!

Too Cute...

2009-09-29T21:55:00.002-04:00

I found this pic on my camera. It is too sweet not to post. I love these two!

Edsall Reunion

2009-09-28T21:09:00.002-04:00

Kaylee and I went to the Edsall reunion. We had a great time. Grandpa Rodger took Kaylee on about 14 rides in the Gator.

Kaylee and Grandma Kay had a great day together too.

Kaylee literally took 101 pictures of Tara. She was texting in most of them...ah, the future!

Box Tops for Education

2009-09-17T17:36:00.005-04:00

Kaylee's school is collecting Box Tops for Education.

Instead of asking the people we love to buy overpriced candy and cookies to raise money for her school, we are going to ask that you do something that is completely free. If you are so inclined, please cut out your Box Tops for Education and save them for Kaylee. You will find them on many Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Ziploc, Green Giant and Yoplait packages (just to name a few).

The first turn in date at the school is October 16.

The Campout

2009-09-05T14:45:00.002-04:00

The campout for Labor Day weekend is officially underway at Carson Hollow. Leah is here visiting from Chicago, so we thought we'd stop by the campout to say hello. Kaylee had fun playing with her cousins, Samuel and Joel. Samuel especially loved throwing hay on Kaylee's head. Here is Kaylee hanging out with Grandpa Lewie
And Samuel was having a little fun the Kaylee's walker. For some reason kids love it!

I just love that smile. I can't believe how long his hair is right now. What a cutie! Leah said that Samuel told her that he is nervous about her cutting his hair. Too funny.

Kindergarten Update

2009-08-26T13:09:00.002-04:00

Since we are freaked out, I mean 'concerned' parents, I sent a little e-mail to Kaylee's teacher to check up on her. As you will see, there was no reason to be freaked out/concerned. This is her response:

Kaylee is doing great! She has many friends. The kids want to help her with everything. Sometimes too much, so we've been working on when to help Kaylee. She pretty much does everything on her own though.

I am trying very hard to understand everything she says. Yes, I know it's difficult for her when she has to repeat herself a few times for me to understand and I feel terrible when I can't understand what she needs. But the more I am around her, the more I understand.

She has been very happy at school, especially at recess. Sometimes after recess she is very tired and puts her head down while sitting on the floor, which is fine with me. She goes nonstop at recess. I'm willing to bet she'll get stronger this year! We have worked out a system for recess. She has a group of girls that play with her regularly and they put her walker at the bottom of the slide so she can get up right away then, Kaylee can walk back to the stairs and do it all over again. It works out nicely and they all play very well together. We have a double slide next to each other so she can go down right next to another student which is her favorite.

Junior Trooper

2009-08-23T16:46:00.003-04:00

Kaylee got to sit on a real life police bike this weekend at the Harley shop. In addition to sitting on the bike, she also got a junior trooper sticker to wear for the day. She had a great time!

The Fussy Cut

2009-08-19T21:55:00.002-04:00

Everyone comes to this blog to get updates on Kaylee and our family. So, some of you probably feel a little tortured with my quilting and sewing posts. I have a new blog to document my quilting journey. Check out my latest quilt at The Fussy Cut.

You'll no longer have to endure updates on hooded baby towels, fabric selections, or quilt patterns...unless you want to!

First Day of School

2009-08-19T15:17:00.004-04:00

Daddy followed Kaylee to school so that he could capture some pictures of her first day of kindergarten.

Getting on the bus at daycare.

Getting ready to go inside.

Isn't she just cute!

On the way to the classroom.

In the classroom.

Kaylee reported that she had a good day at school. (Mrs. Eltzroth gave the same report, so I guess we're on track for a great school year.)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2009-08-16T18:44:00.003-04:00

Kaylee made this pink cake for Daddy for his birthday. She did all the decorating and candle placement herself. It looks beautiful!

Kaylee needed to help Daddy blow out the candles. 30 candles makes a lot flames!

Kaylee did a taste-test. Strawberry cake eaten with a spork is VERY good.

Happy birthday Daddy. We love you!

Motorcycle Mama

2009-08-04T17:45:00.003-04:00

Daddy is test-driving Uncle Mike's motorcycle. Here is Kaylee checking it out.

**Note the extremely short hair on one side of Kaylee's forehead. That is from the haircut she gave herself on Saturday evening.

At the Lake

2009-07-29T19:06:00.003-04:00

Kaylee and Daddy took a dip in the lake earlier this week. The water was pretty cold, but Kaylee didn't care one bit. She loved being in the water, especially since it was with her Daddy.

My Latest Project

2009-07-28T21:23:00.002-04:00

So, I've been doing a little sewing lately. This one here was for baby Olivia. It has been a lot of fun working on these. (See Kari, told you I would get this posted!)

Possible Career Paths

2009-07-27T23:07:00.002-04:00

Chauffer

Photographer

Heavy Equipment Operator

Mommy

Motorcycle Mechanic

The possibilities are endless...

Ta Da!

2009-07-27T23:03:00.002-04:00

A Week To Remember

2009-06-22T21:26:00.004-04:00

This past week I traveled to Florida while Kaylee and Daddy had a vacation at home. Sadly, there were no pictures of their excursions. They did do some fun stuff including:

Syracuse Elementary Playground
Black Pine Animal Park
Potowatomi Zoo
Mermaid Festival Rides
Water Park

From what I've heard, they had a very good time. Thank you so much to Cory for making such a great week with Kaylee. It was nice to have a break to relax. What a great husband and daddy!

My week was fun also. I stayed in a cond0 with my aunts and cousins (on the McLallin side). Two floors below us were the party girls from Wolf Lake (including my Grandma Genny). I would share the details of vacation, but I don't want to break the code of the road. 'What happens in Daytona, stays in Daytona.'

I can say we had a great time and nobody was arrested. Here is a group picture of the crew at the pool.

...and another very unflattering picture of myself. Awesome hat, huh?

Pre-School Graduation

2009-06-07T20:25:00.002-04:00

It is official. Kaylee has graduated from pre-school. She will be going to Kindergarten in the fall. She is very excited. Here are a few pics from the graduation program and reception following.
Kaylee took a picture of her daddy. Too bad she didn't get all his face in the picture.

Here are Kaylee and Daddy following the graduation program.

Kaylee with a little cake on her face.

Finally, Kaylee with her award for being best at computers. She was very proud of her award.

Splish! Splash!

2009-06-02T13:33:00.002-04:00

What is more fun than playing in the rain?!?! Kaylee and Daddy had a good time playing yesterday afternoon.

That Cannot Be Comfortable

2009-06-02T13:30:00.001-04:00

After a big day of shopping on Sunday, Kaylee was all tuckered out.

Relay for Life

2009-05-30T20:24:00.002-04:00

A couple of our favorite survivors!

The Survivors' Walk

Kaylee making a lap with Grandma Kay, Grandpa Lewie and Grandma Genny.

And, just hangin' out!

Enough Lotion to Share

2009-05-30T20:20:00.003-04:00

I was upstairs getting ready for our trip to the playground. When I came back downstairs this was what I found. Kaylee was applying enough lotion to last until next year. Needless to say, she has VERY soft skin today!

You Might be a Redneck if...

2009-05-29T08:07:00.002-04:00

Yes. That is two bales of straw in my backseat
No. Kaylee is not under it.

Finally...I Finished One

2009-05-24T21:16:00.003-04:00

Disclaimer: This is a quilting post. If you only read this blog for updates on Kaylee, feel free to close your browser now. Otherwise, here are a couple pics of the finished project.

This isn't the first quilt I started, but it is the first quilt I finished.

It was a lot of fun to make. Thank you to Marilyn and the other Church Mice for all your help and advice.

Grandma the Graduate

2009-05-24T21:04:00.002-04:00

Grandma Kay graduated from Indiana Tech last weekend. The ladies at work decorated her office for the occasion.
Doesn't she look scholarly...

And finally here is Grandpa Steve entertaining Kaylee prior to commencement. Or maybe Kaylee was entertaining Grandpa Steve, either way, they both had a pretty good time.

Congrats on your accomplishment. We are proud of you!

Party Time!

2009-05-21T14:04:00.002-04:00

Mother's Day was filled with fun for Kaylee. Our Mother Daughter Banquet for church was held at Tiffany's in Topeka. We had a really nice time. Here is Aunt Karen trying to get Kaylee to look at the camera...unsuccessfully I might add.

This was our attempt for a four generations picture. As you can see, Kaylee was less than cooperative.

On Mother's Day we had family over to our house to celebrate all the moms we love. Kaylee thought that since there was cake we should all sing Happy Birthday and let her blow out candles...and when there are four grandmas present Kaylee generally gets her way!

It was a great Mother's Day. Kaylee/Cory bought me a beautiful potted geranium in Kaylee's favorite color - PINK. Our family is very blessed to have so many grandmas that each love us so much.

DIY - Landscaping

2009-05-04T13:15:00.003-04:00

So, I never really thought of Cory and I as 'do it yourself' - ers. Anyway, we decided to attempt the revamp of our landscaping around the house. I arrived home from church last Sunday to see the following:

Cory was pulling the bushes with his truck. Truth be told, I think he was kinda enjoying the whole thing. (He later broke out with poison ivy, so that might squash some of the fun.)

Here is a pic of Kaylee hanging out while we worked.

And finally...

We still have three sides of the house to go, but at least we are making progress.

A Day at the Carnival

2009-04-30T14:21:00.002-04:00

Aunt Karen took Kaylee to the PTO Carnival at West Noble a while ago. (Yes, I am way behind in my blogging - it was Marchish.) Here she is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Aunt Karen.

The carnival was tons of fun. Kaylee arrived home with a whole bag of loot and a wet sleeve. Something about a duck that tried to get away in the duck pond. You'll have to ask Aunt Karen if you want details.

Kaylee had so much fun that day. We were laying on the couch later that evening and Kaylee asked me where Aunt Karen was. I told her Aunt Karen was in her big girl bed sleeping and Kaylee should go sleep in her big girl bed too. It worked, so please back me up if she asks Aunt Karen.

I am a SLACKER...but Kaylee is not!

2009-04-22T15:18:00.003-04:00

I have been a total slacker on making posts to Kaylee's blog. Blame it on being busy, too much quilting, whatever. Anyway, just wanted to update everyone on Kaylee's latest.

Kaylee walked 15 steps by herself yesterday with the encouragement of cousin Chad. No help, no walker, just 15 steps on her own. She continues to amaze me.

God is good. All the time.

Quilts for Christmas

2009-03-11T14:08:00.003-04:00

Grandma Genny surprised the grandkids with quilts at Christmas. The girls received quilts that are six generations old. Here is a pic of us with our new 'old' quilts. They are absolutely beautiful.

Thank you so much to Grandma Genny for such a thoughtful gift. I thought it was especially cool since I have recently taken up quilting. What a neat heirloom that I can one day pass on to Kaylee.

Echo Update

2009-03-06T13:41:00.002-05:00

Kaylee had an echo cardiogram last week. We received the results earlier this week. She continues to have a small hole in her heart (VSD). It is not causing her any problems, so there is no action that needs taken at this time.

They would like her to have a follow-up echo in two years.

Another great report for our little fighter!

Just Call Her Picasso

2009-02-24T07:44:00.004-05:00

Kaylee has found a new creative outlet...painting! The front of the frig is getting pretty full of her masterpieces.

Birthday Party!

2009-02-19T16:02:00.002-05:00

Kaylee had a birthday party on Sunday in celebration of her 5th birthday. Of course, it was a princess party. I took on the task of baking her a Barbie cake. It didn't turn out too bad. It only took two trips to the grocery store and breaking Barbie's legs off.

After the cake was made, I asked Kaylee what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday. Yes, I know, this is something I should have never asked. It could have blown up in my face. Lucky for me she said she wanted a pink cake.

Here she is in all her glory with five candles blazing.

Kaylee was very excited about each present she opened. She wanted to hold everything up and get her picture taken.

Some of the pictures turned out better than others. I just love how she managed to cover almost her entire face.

Here she is all made up with the make-up kit from Shannon. By the way Shannon, have I thanked you yet? Wow! She is loving the glam look.

WanaWaves

2009-02-19T15:52:00.002-05:00

Kaylee's present from Mommy and Daddy was a trip to the water park in Shipshewana. As you can see from the pics below, she had a great time.

Did Kaylee Get in Trouble at School?

2009-02-04T15:20:00.003-05:00

Kaylee was very sad when she got off the school bus on Monday afternoon. Cory asked her why she was feeling down. She told him that she got in trouble at school and had to stand in the corner. He asked her why. She said she was singing when she was supposed to be quiet. They had a talk about how it was important to listen to the teacher and do what she says. They ate donuts. Everyone was happy when Mommy arrived.

I was very intrigued by her story. Kaylee is a very good student and has never had any behavior problems at school. I was a little bit surprised. So, I asked Grandma Jerri to do some checking when she dropped Kaylee off at preschool the following day. I thought maybe this would give us the real scoop.

Turns out Kaylee did not get in trouble by the teacher. She did play 'school' with the other children during their free playing time. (Seriously, not very creative to play school while at school - whatever!) Anyhow, the teacher thinks that maybe one of the students proclaimed himself/herself the 'teacher' and told Kaylee she had to stand in the corner for singing.

I guess Kaylee's not a troublemaker afterall.

Quilting Update

2009-01-23T08:06:00.002-05:00

Finally, after much sewing and hair pulling - the layout for the quilt is complete. Now it is time to sew it all together.

I'll keep you posted with progress!

Snow Day

2009-01-15T18:11:00.002-05:00

Tuesday was a snow day. Kaylee and Daddy stayed home for a fun day of games and movies. Mommy braved the elements and went to work - since I'm such a dedicated employee. OK, maybe more like - since I like to get a paycheck.

Kaylee really, really wants to go back to the waterpark in Shipshewana. She bugged Cory all day about going. When I arrived home she was sitting on the living room floor holding her bathing suit. She wanted to put it on, so I helped her out.

Here is the look of snow day attire. Quite fashionable if you ask me. Dora bathing suit on top of princess pajamas. Love it!

Photo Tag

2009-01-14T08:44:00.003-05:00

I've been tagged by my cousin Leah in a post called "Photo Tag".

Here are the rules:

Go to the 4th folder in your computer where you store your pictures.
Pick the 4th picture in that folder.
Explain the picture.
Tag 4 people to do the same.

This is a pic of Kaylee's first haircut. She suffered through a mohawk for the first 18 months of her life. Finally, after this haircut, the mohawk was gone. What a cutie!

I am tagging Deb, Chris and Shannon. I don't have number four, sorry!

I'm So Excited

2009-01-12T21:49:00.002-05:00

5:58 a.m.

Kaylee: Mommy...Mommy

Mommy: What

Kaylee: I'm awake!

Mommy: I know, but it is too early to get up.

Kaylee: I'm going to pre-school today.

Mommy: I know. Let's sleep a little longer.

Kaylee: I'M SO EXCITED!!!!

Well, she finally settled back down and slept for another half hour.

I have never seen a kid so excited about going to school. Christmas break was almost more than she could take. I think she asked everyday if she going to school. When we would tell her no, she would ask, "why not?"

Jingle Bells

2008-12-29T21:10:00.002-05:00

Just when you thought Christmas had passed you by...

A Girl Named Pete

2008-12-28T22:04:00.003-05:00

If you are a true Country & Western music fan, you have heard the song "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash. Well, we have a princess baby doll named Pete. Hey, if a boy can have a girl name, then a girl can have a boy name!

This evening I was laying on the couch with Kaylee and her baby doll. I asked her what the baby's name was and she told me that her name was Pete. I'm not real sure where that name comes from, but I think it is going to stick.

Here is a pic of Kaylee & Pete. Aren't they cute!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-28T14:15:00.005-05:00

Kaylee was very blessed once again this Christmas. She received lots of wonderful presents, spent time with family and even performed in her school Christmas pageant.

Another Prayer Answered

2008-12-10T18:20:00.002-05:00

Family Picture

2008-12-09T13:52:00.000-05:00

On Thanksgiving we had our family picture taken. What a crew...

Tis the Season

2008-12-04T08:40:00.003-05:00

Much to Kaylee's delight, the Christmas tree was decorated Tuesday evening. After the lights were put on, I could hear Kaylee chirping 'I help, I help'.

So, with Daddy as photographer and Mommy as her assistant, she set out to decorate the Christmas tree. It looks pretty good. There is a large concentration of ornaments in one area, but that just gives the tree extra character. (It is also a little crooked - thanks to me - but we weren't really going for perfect this year!)

Kaylee is very serious about her work. Very cute.

Here she is with the completed tree. Looks pretty good, except for the whole being crooked thing.

Buddies

2008-11-26T10:07:00.002-05:00

Aren't they cute...

The Quilting Project Continues

2008-11-24T12:49:00.004-05:00

I have caught the quilting bug. I even took a day off work so that I could work on making my quilt blocks. I'm pretty sure everyone thinks I'm crazy at this point. (Well, even more crazy than before.)

Here is a sampling of the blocks I sewed on Friday. FUN FUN

The ABC Song...Kinda

2008-11-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

The McLallin Girls Party

2008-11-11T09:12:00.004-05:00

Saturday afternoon was awesome. All the McLallin girls (yes Mary, you are a McLallin girl) got together for a little luncheon. It was so much fun!

Here is the downer...I am the lackey blogger. All the cool things to be said about the gathering have already been blogged about in Leah's and Aunt Carol's blogs.

Look out girls, in an effort to not be the last to report on juicy family news I will probably be posting to my blog in real time when we get together for Christmas on January 3. Do you suppose Grandma Genny has WiFi?!?!

Princess Dress - Day Five

2008-11-03T18:57:00.002-05:00

Kaylee is inseparable from the princess dress. She has worn it everyday since last Thursday.

While she is cute as a button in the little number, it is also getting a bit gross. She now has a yogurt spot on the front and a chocolate stain on the sleeve. I asked her if she wanted it washed, she of course said no.

I'm going to attempt a covert laundry maneuver tonight in the hopes of getting the dress washed without being detected. Wish me luck!!!

Surviving Halloween

2008-11-01T16:27:00.003-04:00

So, the plan was to have a low-key Halloween this year. Pass out treats. Period.

You know we just can't keep it simple. That would be so unlike us.

When I arrived at daycare on Thursday morning I was informed of the upcoming Harvest Party to take place on Friday. Oh, and the kids are dressing up. Of course, I have no costume for Kaylee.

Thursday night I was off to Pimada to see what treasures still remained the day before Halloween. I was pleasantly surprised to find a princess dress in Kaylee's size. Wow! The best part, 60% off. Scored a cute little Cinderella number for $9.99. I'm feeling pretty good about my purchase. Bring the dress home. Kaylee wants to wear it right now. She is so excited. I'm totally feeling like I am getting the Mommy of the Year Award this year.

I was wrong. I was going to hold out and make Kaylee wait until Halloween to wear the dress, but her and her dad wore me down. OK, OK. You can wear the dress after your bath. She took a bath in record time. That was awesome.

After the bath we put the dress on as promised. I'm feeling good. Everybody seems happy...until Kaylee realizes that I did not buy any matching princess shoes. It was a bit of a tragedy. We convinced her that her church shoes would probably suffice.

Needless to say, I spent my lunch break at Wal-Mart on Friday looking for the shoes. Everything was pretty much picked over, but I did manage to find a pair that kinda match and are a little too big. Neither of which matter to Kaylee. She loves them.

Here is a cute picture of Kaylee getting ready to hand out candy for Trick or Treat. She looks so cute.

She did a little sampling prior to Trick or Treat hours. I think she chose a sucker for this particular sample.

The aforementioned shoes. Don't they look gorgeous!

All in all it was a great night for Trick or Treat. The weather was beautiful and Kaylee helped me pass out treats for about an hour. She was getting cold and bored, so I let her watch Casper while I finished.

She wouldn't take the dress off for bed, so she slept in it. We have been through all kinds of weird phases about sleeping in weird things. Not sure why I thought this would be any different. I did manage to get her to change clothes this morning, but only with the promise she could carry the costume in a bag.

Kaylee was happy as a lark carrying her costume bag into the grocery store this afternoon. Whatever. She behaved. I'm happy.

Mr. and Mrs. Morris...

2008-10-30T09:50:00.002-04:00

Kaylee needed reminders to use her inside voice. She tends to squeal frequently. Kaylee is doing well with toileting at school. :) She participated in show and tell. Kaylee circled the H's in Hannah. At the table Kaylee was helped to locate all the H's. She realized she had someone else's box, and kept looking to make sure she had the right one! Kaylee enjoyed working with he pom poms. She was eager to play with something else, but time ran out.

Kay

So, she squeals a little bit. Excitement overcomes her.

We'll just add that to the list of things work on...you know the one with SHARING on it.

By the way, returned from Louisville last night. When I walked in the door Kaylee was holding the basket of Halloween candy that she will be giving away on Trick or Treat night. I said hello to her. She held the basket tight and said "mine".

I asked her if she missed me. Her reply, oh you guessed it, "no".

Apparently, she views me as the candy taker awayer who is not missed. I love this kid! So honest.

This also made me realize that Halloween may not be very fun for her this year. I thought she would really enjoy giving the candy to the kids. Then I am reminded, she doesn't share! DUH

Mother-Daughter Bonding

2008-10-25T13:08:00.002-04:00

Kaylee and I had a little mother-daughter bonding time this morning. We went to Shipshewana fabric shopping. It was a lot of fun. Kaylee was the center of attention at Yoder's. All the ladies were telling her how cute she is. Of course, Kaylee suddenly became shy.

Here is a pic of the fabric we scored for the new quilt. I can't wait to get started.

A Report from Mrs. Shelton

2008-10-24T11:18:00.003-04:00

Mrs. Shelton from North Webster Elementary School visits Kaylee about once a week. Here is the letter that was in Kaylee's backpack on Wednesday evening. I love hearing about her day, and I thought you might too.

Mr. and Mrs. Morris:

Kaylee was busy with the paper dolls. She had finished her book report when I arrived. Kaylee didn't want to share the dolls initially. She dressed her doll in several different outfits. Kaylee liked collecting the pieces. She was "exercising" while she was thinking of what to play with next, standing on one foot and then the other while she held on to the table. We played with Mr. Potato Heads. She liked the accessories! Kaylee helped clean up before music.

Kay

A Fussy What?

2008-10-23T21:58:00.003-04:00

A fussy cut. Oh yes, there is such a thing. Along with other weird things like fat quarters, selvage, LOF, and WOF (yeah, that makes me think of a dog too). These things exist in a parallel universe called quilting. If you haven't been there, you should try it sometime.

I went to my first quilting class tonight. Wow! I think my college statistics class was less intimidating. I show up knowing nothing more about quilting than what I had managed to gather from a google search earlier in the day. Oh, the other ladies ARRIVE with their 'show and tell'. Past quilting conquests are laying over every surface of the room.

I'm like the guy who showed up bragging about bagging a 'Bambi' only to have everyone else in the room have an 8-point buck strapped to the roof of the car.

The things that the ladies made were beautiful. It will be an absolute miracle if I can actually pull this off. Amongst the excitement of discussing our project I hear rumblings about our next project. What? Are you kidding me? I don't even know how to use a rotary cutter yet!

I am totally excited about getting my fabric and my tools. This should be a fun ride. I'll keep you posted as to my progress (or lack thereof) throughout the course of the quilt. Next class is November 20. Must have fabric selected, cut and sorted. Gee, that sounds easy!?!? (Marilyn, expect calls, lots of calls...)

Here is a pic of what we are making. Marilyn did a beautiful job.

Sidebar: While I was having mini panic attacks at the quilting class, Kaylee was celebrating Great Grandma Genny's birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma!! Thought I should throw that little tidbit in since this is supposed to be a blog about Kaylee. I'll try to keep my ramblings to a minimum on other non-Kaylee related topics.

Therapy is Fun!

2008-10-20T20:13:00.005-04:00

Kaylee is making some great progress at therapy. Here she is having some fun with Deb. I know this is therapy, but it looks like a lot of fun to me.

Kaylee is also doing a great job walking with the crutches. (Remember, the crutches she threw back at them when they were first introduced.)

As a little reward for her efforts, Jolene lets Kaylee check out her own blog. I love to watch her facial expressions while she watches herself on the computer.

Below is a great video of Kaylee doing some more walking. You might need a chiropractor after you watch it.

Harvest

2008-10-13T13:45:00.004-04:00

Harvest is now in full swing. Uncle Mike and Grandpa Lewie have been busy running the combine and hauling beans. Kaylee rode in the combine with Uncle Mike on Sunday afternoon. She had a great time.

Uncle Mike let Kaylee drive the combine. She even got to push the button to swing the auger out to unload.