Cousin Love

(I stole all of these pics right off Kawli's FB page. I have no shame. Love you, Kawli!)

Wordless Wednesday: Cuties

"New" Stroller

Lolo surprised us with a "new to us" double stroller! I guess she decided it was time to let go of it now that her baby is taller than most of our family members and graduating grade school in a just a few short months. The stroller is perfect for trips around the farm and anywhere else we need to go. We tried it out the very night they delivered it. Austin is on the verge of being too big, but I won't tell him if you don't. 

We strolled to what we call the "old garage" to soak in the awesome spring weather. Austin practiced writing his name while Aubrey snoozed in her new ride.

 Before we knew it, it was time to point the stroller back towards the house. But in true Kiefer fashion...

 Austin had to clean up first!

 I'm soaking up these simple and slow, yet memory-making afternoons while I can!

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day was busy with Spring Pictures and our School Dinner Auction. We didn't actually "celebrate" until Sunday. Pictures weren't until 3:45 but I felt like I spent the entire day getting clothes, kids and myself ready to go.

I'm so glad we were able to go to the dinner auction this year. It meant to much more now that Austin is in school. The auction includes dinner, a silent auction and a live auction. There are many different donations but my favorites were the ones made by each class. I was so nervous that we'd never be able to afford Austin's class project (some years they go over $1,200!). His project was the neatest game box made by Mrs. S and his fellow classmates. Mrs. S made the box and most of the game pieces by hand. The kids drew self-portraits for the memory game and painted wooden tic-tac-toe pieces. Well, as you can see below... we got the game box!!

Mrs. S really goes all out for her projects. This game box is something we'll play with for a very long time. All of the games are so neat, but the memory game is definitely my favorite.... 

The next day my kids were surprised by a visit from those sneaky Leprechauns!

They left Austin a Thomas Movie (that we've watched 489754876 times since), an Thomas oil tank car and a pair of St. Patty's Day PJs. Aubrey scored with her own pair of PJs, a shamrock teether and farm wrist rattles.

We did a little photo shoot later that night in their new PJs!

We hope everyone went pinch-free this St. Patrick's day!

BIG seat...

...for our BIG cat!

I have a daughter!

Just shy of a year ago, we finally got the news we had been waiting so long for. It's amazing how shocked we were even though we had been trying and planning for so long. I didn't have a whole lot of time to think about the sex of our little one...life was just so busy with morning sickness, work, building a house and Austin starting school. The ultrasound tech was finally able to get a peek in August. We were getting a baby girl! 

I never really let myself believe I was getting a daughter. I secretly worried we'd be returning clothes, repainting the bedroom and scrambling for a name once our baby was born. It wasn't until the nurse said "yep, it's a girl" that I finally let out a sigh of relief. My baby GIRL was here!

To this day I still can't believe we were blessed with both a son AND a daughter. I find myself pausing during bath time because I'm still in shock that I'm using a PINK washcloth. I often send a quick thank you to God for the sweet blessings he's given us.

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future. 

-- Author Unknown 

Breakfast Date!

Breakfast date and grocery shopping with my favorite boy! (grocery shopping because he's started telling people that "we have drinks, but no food!")

Wordless Wednesday: Art Time w/ Stencils

First Talent Release

You'll remember that Pa bought Austin a new toy earlier this year. Well, the President of the local First Bank asked Pa if he and Austin would want to be part of a photo shoot to showcase First Bank's agricultural division on their 2011 Annual Report. We though someone would snap a few pictures and that would be the end...but it was like a real deal photo shoot. The photographers walked around the farm until the found the perfect spot. We drove the tractor out into the wheat field while the photographers drove the ranger.

They put Pa and Austin into place once the right shot was lined up. I can only imagine what people were thinking when they drove by. I'm sure we were the talk of Prairie that afternoon.

The next few shots included the banker. They had Austin shaking his hand to represent "generational banking."

A makeshift viewing room was constructed on the back of the ranger to make sure they got the shots they wanted. We all drove back to the farm, signed a talent releases and put our little model down for a nap.

What a fun afternoon that we won't soon forget!