The First of MANY busy years to come!!

Well Todd and I want our boys to do anything and everything that they can. We are enrolling Kale in just about everything and he can then pick what he really likes to do.
The first picture is him at preschool. He is in the 3's room this year and his teachers are Mrs. McHie and Miss Deb. He loves school and the friends that he has made over the past 3 years.
The second picture is Kale at gymnastics. Yes, I have enrolled him in gymnastics, not dancing. I want him to be flexible and Todd said this will help with sports.
The third pictures is Kale at AWANAS or awandas as he would call it. This is at East White Oak. It is a program for kids to learn their bible verses. He loves it and I am a line leader this year so Wednesday nights are Kale and mommy night.
I will try to post more soon!

I'm a big kid now!

Last week Kale finally decided that he would like to pedal on a real bike instead of a tricycle. We were at Mimi Jan's and he saw the older kids riding and he wanted to also.

So, when we got home and told daddy, he was so excited. We couldn't just go to Walmart and get a bike, no we had to go to Bloomington Cycle. I am really glad that we got him a nice sturdy bike that can grow with him. He was so excited about picking it out and he also got to pick out the cool Pirate helmet.

Now we will just wait and see how long it takes him to break something. Let's hope not!!!

1st Annual Owens Pool Party

2 Saturday's ago, our neighbors Bryon and Corey had their first annual pool party. We (Kacy especially) had a great time. The kids were invited until dark and then the fun began. We felt like were in college again. It was great fun swimming, drinking, eating and bouncing in the bounce house. We also got to meet new friends in LeRoy and well as spend time with people we already know. Here are just a few shots from the night.

4th of July Update......Finally

Have been such a bad blogger lately. I hate when I look at everyone else's blog and they don't update, but yet I don't myself.

Well, here is how our 4th of July went.

The morning started out with the Bloomington/Normal Association of Realtors Parade. We ended up winning Best in Parade. The boys got a blue ribbon and big American Flag (mommy was the most excited). After that we went to breakfast with Mimi Vicki and Papa Steve. It was a gorgeous morning.

After breakfast we went and met Mimi Jan and Jack, my nephew, at the new Embassy Suites in East Peoria. We stayed all night there and had a great time. The fireworks were phenomenal and the boys had a great time playing and swimming.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th and I will try to be better about blogging.

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!

As many of you know, 4th of July is my favorite holiday. I am not sure why, I just love it! It was also the very first holiday that Todd and I spent together.
I have made a 4th of July card every year since having Kale and the outfit that Augie is wearing in the card is the same exact one that Kale wore his first 4th. I think Augie fills it out a little better though.
Hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th and we hope to hear from you soon!

No pool today:(

Since today is such a crappy day, I thought I would post about last Friday. Last Friday we met Cally and Adyson at Anderson Pool and spent the afternoon. Kale had a blast going down the waterslide. It is so nice to go to that pool because Kale can touch in all places and he has a good time just splashing around.
This was Augie's first time at the pool and he loved it. He doesn't mind one bit being in the water or even if it splashes him in the face.
Adyson is one little girl who likes to take it all in. She was just walking around looking and everything and checking everything out. She was walking around in her Diva sunglasses as you can see. Thanks Cally and Adyson for a great afternoon and we hope to do it again soon!

Grady's Anyone???

Last weekend we took our first trip of the season to Grady's with our neighbors. Kale had SO much fun riding the rides and Augie had SO much fun eating ice cream. It has become one of his favorite things to eat!
Kale got to ride the bumper boats with dad, a train and his first roller coaster with mom. Augie just watched, but he loves watching Kale and EVERYTHING he does. I hope he doesn't turn out as ornery as Kale, but they both are just sweet little things and as you can tell in the last picture they love each other very much and that is exactly what we wanted from our kids.

Photographer Kale

Since before Kale was born, he has had a camera in his face. I think for 3 1/2 years he has been a pretty good sport and now he is turning the camera on everyone else.

He knows how to turn it on, take a picture and then show someone. Pretty good for his age.

Sorry Mimi Jan and Kiki, you guys were the lucky subjects. We love you!

Happy (LATE) Mother's Day

Each year Todd has thought of unique gifts to give me for Mother's Day. My first Mother's Day he got me a charm with Kale's name and birthday on it, last year the three of us went and picked out a tree for our backyard. This year he and the boys got me a new bike.

I have been complaining about how my bike hurts my butt, so he found me the coolest bike and this is how the boys and I are getting our exercise this summer.

I hope to keep more updated.

Open House

I am having an open house this weekend and anyone is invited to attend, You can pass this on or bring a friend. If you have any questions please e-mail me at kacyrader@yahoo.com

Hope to see you there!!!

One Nice Day

Last Sunday was a beautiful day and we finally got to get outside and we had some Mommy, Daddy and Kale time. After church we went to breakfast and then to the park. Kale had a great time going down the slide, climbing and just being out.

After the park, we had tickets to the Children's Discovery Museum in Normal. It was an event sponsored by the Children's Hospital. They had a lot of different science experiments for the kids to do. Kale really enjoyed digging for dinosaur bones and making foam.

Once we left the museum, we went next door for ice cream at Emak & Bolio's. It is a very cute ice cream shop uptown Normal. Outside the ice cream shop there is this cute bench and we were able to take a picture of our "angel".

Hope I will have more outdoor pictures to post soon.

Nashville!!!!!

Over the past weekend we went to Nashville with our friends Cally and Aaron. Cally's brother lives down there so we a got a great tour. While we were there we got to see the quaint boutiques of Nashville, eat some REALLY good food you can't get around here, see a famous printing shop (Hatch Show Prints, thanks to Aaron) and go to the Grand Ole Opry. Cally's brother got us tickets. We got to sit ON the stage behind the drummer which was really awesome. In the picture that I posted it is hard to tell, but it is Jewel that we got to see perform.

We had a really great time and would love to go back!

Augie all decorated and nowhere to go

Well, I always knew it would happen. Last week Kale came and told me that he decorated Augie. I wasn't quite sure what that meant until I saw what he did. We got some free stickers in the mail that day and Kale found them and "decorated" Augie. He didn't seem to mind since he didn't cry and he tried to eat one.

I guess it is better than magic marker!

I will post about our trip to Nashville soon..........

Happy Easter

Just wanted to wish everyone a Great Easter. We are going to try to dye eggs tonight at our house, but you just never know what Kale will be into.

I have decided to have Easter here at our house and then the women are going to play Bingo. I can't wait. I have never played, but it sounds like fun.

Have a safe and blessed Easter and hope the Easter Bunny hops over to your house.

(I am getting better at posting!!)

Small Group & the Bloomington Prairie Thunder

We had the exciting experience to go to a Bloomington Prairie Thunder Hockey game this past weekend. I thought Kale would really like it, but I think the only thing he stood still for was the National Anthem. We went with a few of our small group members. We were supporting one of their children's organizations. The organization got money for each ticket they sold and they sold the most and they both got to drop the puck on the ice before the game. Very Cool!

I will start at the top and explain the pictures. The first picture is Kale next to his tile. Before the Coliseum was built, 2 Pals Pottery had a deal that you could paint your own tile and it would be displayed in the Coliseum. Well, we found Kale's. It is the red, white and blue one with the hand print.

The second picture is Todd and Kale just before the game started. As you can see in most of the pictures, Kale is starting that FUN cheesy smile stage. I try to catch him off guard, but it is hard.

The third picture is Kale and his buddy with slap sticks. That was more fun for them than the game, but they are only 3.

The last picture is me with 3 of my small group gals. From the left: Heather (she owns New Creation Fitness, which you can find a link on my blog), me, Jenny and Julie (also Todd's cousins).

We started this small group at the beginning of January and we just love it. All of the people are awesome and we don't know what we would do without them. We always know they are there for us if we need them.

Thanks guys!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

I know I know, some of my friends think I am crazy, but I just love doing holiday cards and that means EVERY holiday.
I did holiday cards for Kale's first year and so I only thought it was fair to do Augie's first year. I will have to say that I think I am getting much better. I will post the Easter card this Saturday and then no more cards until 4th of July. I know that is very sad for me, but 4th of July is my favorite holiday so I try to get all decked out!
Hope everyone has a fun and safe St. Patrick's Day.