Hiawatha Fun

Another installment of our "Crazy Kansas Adventures." We traveled to Hiawatha, KS on Saturday with The S's & The E's to visit our friend, Mark's, childhood home and to witness the oldest Halloween parade in the nation. The town comes together for an afternoon kiddie parade filled with costumes and candy, and then an evening parade filled with costumes, lights, and more candy. We ate tons of great food, the kids played with all the other kids, we visited with friends and really just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. It was a great day! Thanks Mark.


Harry Potter and a Spartan


Cooper, Mommy, & Campbell


The kids ready for the parade.


Campbell getting in some piano playing time.


Our friend Tigger.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! Our friends, Brad & Michelle, are hosting their annual Halloween party tonight. So we made some yummy Nutter Butter ghost cookies to share with everyone. We put on our costumes and had a great time.


Nutter Butter Ghost Cookies.


Dionysus (The God of Wine) & Venus (The Goddess of Love).


Campbell being too cute! I love it!


Annie with her puppy.


Pink Rock Girl!

So Proud of Cooper

So we took Cooper in for her yearly checkup at the doctor. She is now offically 48" tall! She is healthy, strong, and within all the normal range on things.

We also had her first Parent/Teacher conference for First Grade. She is doing spectacular. She is excelling in Reading and Math. Her penmanship is really neat. And she is doing great at her new Spelling tests. We are so very proud of her. She loves school and the only issue the teacher is having with Cooper is that she calls out the answers before others have a chance to figure it out. Go figure! Just like her dad.

Love ya Coop!

Sesame Street Live

In November 2005, Chad, his brother Jeremy, and I took Cooper to see Sesame Street Live. (Pictures below) Since we did that, I of course like to be fair, and wanted to do the same for Campbell.


Chad, Cooper, and Jeremy


Mommy & Cooper (with a cheese face).

So on October 28th, Chad and I took Campbell to see Sesame Street Live. It was a great show with lots of singing, dancing, lights, and of course all the characters. My favorite is, The Count. Campbell likes Elmo of course. It was a blast watching her face as she watched so intently to everything going on. It was all about what you want to be when you grow up. It was a great treat for Campbell and a fun morning out for Chad and I.


Chad and Campbell.


The cast singing about being a Meteorologist.


The cast singing about being a train conductor.


Mommy & Campbell.

Dream Come True

October 24th, 2009

10:00am Kansas time Garth Brooks tickets went on sale for his concerts in Las Vegas. It was thought by my loving husband that he had the secret hotline phone number to call and get us tickets. Well to both of our disgust, the people on the other end of that number didn't want to help us out. So we were forced to call the same 800 number that everyone else was calling. I was very upset and started really thinking we weren't going to get through. Everytime we called it was busy. We tried for a good hour from 3 cell phones and the house phone and being logged online to their waiting room. (Yes, people I REALLY am that big of a Garth fan!) The main issue at hand was that Chad needed to leave to go to the K-State football game, well really did he NEED to leave or just WANT to??? Anyhow, he left and I text my sister (who also wanted to get tickets to the show with us) the phone number to call. She clicked on that text link number and got through and was put on hold. Now I didn't know that she was on hold until about 20 minutes into her holding pattern. I was frantically calling on my cell phone, house phone, and now logged on with both computers to the waiting room. Doing all of this in despair, when suddenly my sister text me from her work phone and tells me she is on hold. I was ELATED! I asked how she got on hold and told her not to mess anything up, just to hang on for however long it took. She laughed because she thought everyone was on hold. I quickly told her no, we had only been getting a busy signal. So then suddenly within about 2 minutes, she text me and said SHE GOT TICKETS!! I was so excited I was crying. I didn't stop calling just yet, I wanted to make sure she got all 6 tickets she could get and that yes indeed this was true and real. She called me when she was done talking to the ticket agent and told me the story.

Lady-"Hello, how can I help you."
Kelly-"I would like my alloted number of Garth Brooks tickets please."
Lady-"Ok, that would be 6."
Kelly-"Great!"
Lady-"What date do you want tickets for?"
Kelly-"Um, (mind went blank) yes, Feb. 26."
Lady-"Where are you calling from and are you a Garth Brooks fan."
Kelly-"I'm calling from KS and yes I am a Garth Brooks fan, but I'm really calling for my sister who is going to be celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary there in February and she loves Garth Brooks and we are all coming there to celebrate with her."
Lady-"Well in that case, let me check on better seating arrangements."
Kelly-"Thanks."
Lady-"How does the 8th row work for you all?"
Kelly-"(crying)Yes, that would be perfect."
Lady-"Ok, well enjoy your show."
Kelly-"(crying)Thank you very much."

So a HUGE thank you to my sister for making a dream come true. Now I get to spend my 10th wedding anniversary in Las Vegas with Chad and Garth Brooks, and of course all of our peeps who will make the trek out there to celebrate with us. We are so looking forward to it!

Let Sleeping Girls Sleep

October 17th, 2009

Chad came home from the football game that Saturday night I was away in Arkansas and both girls were asleep in our bed. I told him he should have just left them there to sleep. But instead he carried them to their own beds. How cute are they? Again, not great cell phone camera quality.

Pics from Bell's ECCO

October 5th, 2009

Here are the pics Chad took on his cell phone of Bell having her ECCO done. Not great quality, but still memories the same. We are so thankful everything turned out normal and she is a healthy little girl.


Bell and I watching the lady take pictures.


Bell really not to happy about what is going on.


Bell ready to take away the magic wand and get out of there.

Cooper's New Bedroom

As Cooper's 7th birthday gift this year we told her we would repaint and decorate her bedroom. Her room is the only room in the house we had not painted in the 4 years we have lived here. She chose "tropical splash" a aqua blue color. Chad and I set Tuesday as our painting day since Campbell would be at CDO from 9:15-1:00. Chad does the trim work and I do the rolling. Together we make a pretty good team. We had it all painted in time for Cooper's arrival home from school. She was super excited!

We also took her to Nebraska Furniture Mart so she could pick out a new bedroom set. She was moving up to a full size bed and her twin size bed and furniture was moving on to Campbell.


Before and After.


The wall is complete.


Cooper showing her excitement when she saw the color.


Cooper's new bed and nightstand. The quilt from great grandma Niemann.


Cooper's new dresser.


Cooper in her almost finished room. Curtains, posters, and all her stuff.


Campbell enjoying her new "big girl" bed in her new room too!

It's decided

For the past 8 months, Chad and I have been debating on where to go and what to do for our 10 year wedding anniversary. About 5 months ago the secret was out that Chad had been for some time now planning a "surprise" 10 year wedding anniversary trip/celebration in Las Vegas, NV for us and any of our friends/family that wanted to join in. Those of you that know me know that I don't like surprises. Now to give myself some credit, I had an inkling that Chad had something up his sleeve with relation to Las Vegas and the Bellagio, since that is where he proposed to me at. I didn't know all the other details he had told everyone already.

I didn't want to ruin his plans or surprise, but I just didn't feel like that was the trip I wanted to make. So since then we have thought we would go to Turks & Caicos to celebrate. My perfect getaway destination; a beach, somewhat private, sun, sand, drinks, relaxing, lots of rest, and did I mention sun??!! Well not really Chad's cup of tea. So then we threw in the idea of New York City. Cold, winter, snow, ice skating in Rockefeller Center, seeing a Broadway show, going to Serendipity, standing outside the Today show, cold, winter, and did I mention snow??!! Not really my cup of tea. Do you see our dilemma here??

Well a week ago I got a message from a friend who said she heard a rumor about Garth Brooks playing in Las Vegas. Hello!! Garth Brooks!! Las Vegas!! For those of you that don't know, I L-O-V-E Garth Brooks. To put it mildly. Funny, yes. Silly, yes. Not for everyone, yes. Ok, but still I was super excited. So this past Thursday there was a press conference at the Wynn Casino and YES indeed Garth Brooks will be playing at the Encore in Las Vegas for 16 weekends a year for the next 5 years! And yes, our anniversary weekend in February is one of those weekends. Yippee!!!!!!

Decision made!

We have booked our room at the Wynn/Encore Casino for a weeks stay in February. We have our airline tickets purchased. Now we just have to cross our fingers that on Saturday when we call in we can buy tickets to one of the Garth Brooks shows playing the weekend we are there. Just 1 minor thing. At this point I am crossing my fingers, praying, begging, and just about pleading this happens.

We have invited all our friends and family. There will be some renewel of vows ceremony and party/celebration somewhere, but at this point that all depends on the GB show we get tickets to.

Wish us luck on Saturday. I'll keep you updated!

I was missed

So this weekend was a Girls Trip (minus 2 of the girls) down to Arkansas for the big War Eagle Craft Fair. Michelle and I hit the road on Friday morning. Funny running into our doctor at a gas station on the way down there. We arrived in Rogers, Ar about 5pm and were able to stay at Alissa's house, a friend of Michelle's. The house was amazing, almost like a castle from a story book. We enjoyed dinner out at Table Mesa with some great food and yummy Pomegranate Sangria. Saturday we got up and were ready to shop. The weather was cold and windy, so we opted for all the indoor craft fairs, instead of braving the outside War Eagle show. We found some great unique finds for birthday and Christmas gifts. After lunch we drove over to Eureka Springs. It's a quaint little town on the side of the mountain filled with eclectic shops of all sorts. We strolled through the streets and shopped through the items. We had dinner reservations there at a place called Local Flavor. A small place filled with a lot of atmosphere. We met Chuck, the brother a mutual friend of Michelle & Alissa's there. It was delicious. We laughed and had a great conversation. Michelle was disappointed as they had run out of Creme Brulee. Sunday we headed back to Kansas. We stopped in Joplin to have lunch with an old friend, Danny, who I hadn't seen in 20 years! Then made our way into KC to hit Nordstroms at the mall. We arrived home about 7pm. It was a great weekend. Always nice to get away from things and have a little quiet time with out the kiddos. Girl time is always fun because you never know where the conversation is going to lead and you know your sides will hurt from laughing so much when it's done.

I arrived home to a nicely decorated Welcome Home sign. Thanks girls!

My Crazy Sister!

So I go away on a Girls Trip weekend, of which my sister was supposed to attend, and instead get some pics on my phone of her crazy weekend plans. She has been wanting some new tattoos since she turned 30 in July, well she finally got them. She put both kids footprints on her feet, one on each foot. All I could say was OUCH!! Sometimes I wish I was that brave. Way to go Kelly!

CDM Inc.

Our friends Doug and Mark are stay-at-home dads, so during the week we try to get together and help each other get some things done around the house. So this week I had them at my house to recaulk our shower. It was in bad shape and a very dirty job, but thank goodness they came through and got it done. Thanks guys!

Cooper's New Bedroom Set

For Cooper's 7th birthday we told her we would redecorate her bedroom. We have lived in this house for 4 years and her room is the only room we have not painted. She has requested a bluish/aqua color, with polka dots.

So we had Oma babysit Campbell and we took Cooper to KC to go to Nebraska Furniture Mart to pick out her new bedroom set. She will get a full size bed this time. We will move the twin bedroom set into Campbell's room and pass the toddler bed on to cousin Ryland. Cooper found a great set and is super excited to get it here. It arrives on Oct. 21, so before then we have to paint her bedroom and get things ready.

After shopping we took her to the Plaza and had lunch at PF Chang's. It was a great day trip.

Campbell's ECCO

At the end of August at Campbell's check up for preschool the doctor heard a heart murmur. He suggested we get an ECCO done on her, just to make sure all was ok.

So finally today we got in and did the ECCO on her heart. She didn't like laying there in the dark room, without her shirt on, with the electrodes attached to her and that cold gel with the "magic" wand taking pictures of her heart. But we managed and got through it. The images were sent off to KC to get read.

**Update**The results from Campbell's ECCO came back normal. So we have a healthy and happy little girl!

Pumpkin Patch 2009

A nice Fall weekend was given to us, so we took the girls over to a Pumpkin Patch in Topeka. We all had a great time. It was so much fun watching the girls play around and frolic in the fall foliage.


Mommy & Daddy on the giant chair.


Campbell & Cooper by the hay bales.


Cooper getting ready to come down the long tube slide. Campbell wasn't too sure she wanted to join in.


Mommy & the girls by the cornstalk teepee.


Daddy and the girls entering the corn maze. Mommy sat that one out!


The pig races.


Family photo on the hay rack ride.


Cooper and her pumpkin.


Campbell and her pumpkins.


So many cute cut outs. The girls had a blast.


Daddy and his girls panning for gems.


The girls on the giant chair.

Campbell - Random Stuff

Had some pics on my phone of Campbell. Getting those added on here. She is such a silly girl, but one with a temper. She is growing up so fast!



Campbell with the Hannah Montana wig on.


Campbell as "Annie" her costume this Halloween.


Campbell being "cool" in mommy's car. Somehow she has Cooper's AG doll??


Campbell pushing her cart at the new Hyvee store.