Papa Bear's helper

Kelly is Papa Bear's BIGGEST helper! This past week, my Dad has been working on getting all of the electrical over to our new addition. We had Alliant Energy come out to get us new service and Dad changed out our panel in the basement. When it was time to move upstairs to each outlet box, Papa's helper was right beside him!

Kelly and Dad wiring a new outlet box in front of the bay window
What a BIG helper!

Papa Bear showing Kelly what to do!

Molly sleeping on her tummy!

Molly has been rolling over from her back to her tummy for a few weeks now. In the last few days, she started to be able to roll from her tummy, back to her back. Since she has been able to do that....we find her in her crib always sleeping on her tummy!

Playdate # 1

Today was the first....of hopefully many....playdates! Jen, Tara, and I got our kids together (minus Madison, since she was in school) today. We went to Happy Joe's for lunch and then went to Tara's house to talk and let the kids play some more. All three of the older kids got along great! Myles and Molly played together a little bit too! It was a fun afternoon!

Logan (4 yrs.), Ana (5 yrs.), Myles (8 mo.), Kelly (almost 3 yrs.), Molly 5 mo.)

Myles and Molly playing together on the floor at Tara's house

Logan, Ana, and Kelly watching the guys making our pizza at Happy Joe's!

The three older kids saying "sausage"!

Planting flowers

On Monday, Memorial Day, Grandma Peggy and Papa Michael took Kelly to the store to pick out some flowers for her flower pot in the clubhouse of her swingset. They also picked out some flowers for Mommy too! Kelly and Grandma Peggy had fun planting the flowers.....and Kelly got REALLY DIRTY during the process!

Kelly putting dirt around all the pretty flowers SHE picked out!

Kelly and Grandma Peggy planted "Mommy's flowers" in front of our house.

Kelly and Grandma Peggy up in Kelly's "clubhouse" with her own special flowers!

Molly's 1st time eating rice cereal

Last night I fed Molly rice cereal for the first time. Since she is 5 1/2 months old.....I thought it was time. Her doctor said we could start at 4 months.......but since Molly was sleeping through the night, I really didn't think she needed the cereal. (We started Kelly a little after 4 months....but you have that first child "I want to start everything as soon as possible" syndrome!) Molly has been randomly been waking up in the middle of the night again, so I thought maybe it was because she was hungry. She did REALLY well with the cereal.....maybe waiting a little longer was the best thing! She didn't "waste" much at all.....and got MOST of it in her mouth!!!! YEAH MOLLY!!!

This is Molly's CONFUSED face......she didn't quite know what to think when I put a spoon in her mouth!
Molly really liked the cereal.....

....and the fact that her big sister was entertaining her the entire time!

Kelly was making LOTS of silly faces to Molly!!!

3 Generations

My present to my mom for Mother's Day was a professional 3 Generations picture. It turned out great.....both kids are even smiling! :)

"Big girl and Mommy day!"

Yesterday we had a "Big girl and Mommy Day!" Kelly and I spent the day in Bettendorf with two of my best friends from college and there two big girls! It is the central location for all three of us. All of our oldest girls birthdays are in May and June, so we decided to make a get together to celebrate, since they are getting older.....and they all have had baby sibblings in the past year too! It was a day for the BIG GIRLS....and the MOMMIES got to talk too! Molly Ann, Sam, and Eli were with Grandma and Grandpa....or there Daddies! We spent the day at the Children's Museum. The weather was perfect and it was a lot of fun! We already have our calendars booked for next year at this time to do it again!

Myka (will be 4 yrs. old June 21)

Kelly (will be 3 yrs. old June 17)

Michaela (just turned 3 yrs. old May 18)

We sang to the girls and they got to blow out the candles in there Dora cupcakes!

Myka and Kelly cooking us stew in the kitchen.

Kelly playing in the water outside......this area was the highlight of the day!

All three girls.....playing "IN" the water!

Mommy and Kelly....at the end of the day.....in the frozen food section of the grocery store!

Sarah and Michaela (with Riley - 2 months) hanging out in the cornfield!

Molly and Myka in the barn!

Sleepover with Helena

On Thursday, Helena spent the day and had a sleepover with Kelly! They both had a great time! The two cousins are only 6 weeks apart, and it's crazy how much they act alike.

Kelly and Helena eating breakfast outside!
Playing Play-Doh in the morning.

A ladybug and a frog after bathtime!

Minnesota Children's Museum

On Saturday of our Minnesota trip, we spent the day at the MN Children's Museum. The three older kids all had a WONDERFUL time. (Molly slept, ate, and watched her cousins!)

Kelly was SO EXCITED to meet CLIFFORD!!!!
Hugs for Clifford!

Kelly giving T-Bone a kiss!

All 3 kids playing in Clifford's dog dish!

The 3 older cousins! (Kelly, Ben, and Daniel)

Kelly showing off her painted face that Grandma Peggy did!

Daniel and Kelly playing in the water tubes.

Kelly and Ben LOVE McDonald's!

Daniel "peeking" in on Molly while she is sleeping!

MN trip - 5/15 - 5/17

The kids and I went to MN with Grandma and Papa Murray over the weekend to visit Brian, Katie, Ben, and Daniel. It had been over a year since we made the trip to MN so it was time to head up north. It was also going to be a BUSY weekend at our house, with the re-modeling project, so the kids and I got out of the way for the weekend. My husband, Dad, and three other guys got our bay window, sliding doors, etc. accomplished over the weekend. (Those pictures will come soon!) We had a great time! The time always seems to go by SO FAST! We spent all day Saturday at the MN Children's Muesum, so we only had Friday and Saturday night and Sunday morning at their house. Here are some pictures.

The BEST picture I have of all four kids Saturday morning.
Daniel wanted OUT of the picture.....so here are the three remaining cousins.

Molly is the chair she loved....I might have to break down and buy one of these infant to toddler rockers....since she already outgrew the bouncy chair and is close to outgrowing the swing too!

Molly chillin' in the exersaucer! (I didn't get many pictures of her at the Children's Muesum so I had to get some at my brother's hosue!)

Kelly and Ben had fun taking a bath together.

All 3 kids swinging....with Papa pushing.

Daniel and Kelly in Kelly's Dora bed.

Mother's Day

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day!

3 Generations
"Let's go fly a kite!"
Kelly got to fly her Dora kite with Daddy on Mother's Day too!!!

3 year old birthday parties!

In the last couple weeks we have had TWO - 3 year old birthday parties.....neither of which have been Kelly's! She is patiently (as patient as a alomst 3 year old can be) waiting for her 3rd birthday party!!! We had cousin Helena's birthday party on Sunday, May 3 and Kelly's best friend Sophia's birthday party on Friday, May 8 at McDonald's playland.

Claire, Kelly, and Sophia playing at McDonald's for Sophia's birthday! It's hard getting these three to stop for a picture!!!
Helena's 3rd birthday cupcakes at the park!

My godson -- Jessen Dane Henry

My godson was born last night! He looks so precious...I can't wait to hold him!

Jessen Dane Henry

5/5/09 - CINCO DE MAYO

6 pounds, 10 ounces

18 inches long

8:07 pm

Molly - 5 months

Molly is 5 months old today!

Kids Expo

Yesterday, I took the girls to the Kids Expo in Epworth for the day. The guys were working on our re-modeling project and it was nice to get the girls out of the re-modeling for a few hours. We met my sister Tami, and her girls at the Kids Expo. Kelly and Helena had a great time playing on the inflatables, making crafts, etc. Molly was awake and REALLY alert the entire time....I think she liked all the kids running around!

Helena and Kelly climbing up the inflatable slide.
Kelly sliding down.....