Some more fall photos

We're moving. It's been busy! But I know you all want to see the boys. So please click here.

Moving Day Approaches

For those who haven't heard yet, Ryan is finishing up his MDiv here at Andrews in a few weeks, and we are officially joining the Brewster and Chelan churches in January. We are very excited. We are also still in the process of discovering how exactly that move is going to take place, so prayers are appreciated.

October photos

Here are some updates! Click Here.

More photos of the boys

Including Jude eating cake!

Check them out here. 

The leaves are turning, and falling.

Hi again from Autumn in Michigan. This is most certainly my favorite time of year. The sun still shines most days, but it's not hot. The leaves are brilliant colors, and the air has an unmistakable crisp to it.

Jude has a new tooth, that makes five, and is about the celebrate his first birthday along with Sean's 27th on Wednesday. We're planning a small gathering on Saturday afternoon for Jude, lunch and cupcakes (pumpkin) after church.

For those who have inquired, I've updated the boy's "wish lists" on Amazon for upcoming Christmas and birthdays. Of course, you don't need to buy anything for them, but if you want to here are some ideas.

Click here for Liam. Here for Jude. 

And, of course, here are some photos to enjoy. Click HERE. 

September in Michigan

Jude laughing at Mommy

The leaves are already starting to turn, the temperatures are in the 70s during the day, and that means it's my favorite time of year again! Ah, Autumn. Love it! It also means that we only have a few short months left in Michigan before we head west again. And before you ask, let me just say "no, I don't know where we are moving yet."

Ryan has started running as a hobby, he ran his first 5K last week, and the boys and I came to cheer for him. I took a couple pictures (link below).

The boys are growing at an alarming rate. Liam is wearing a size 9 shoe now. I think that's a normal size, for a four-year-old. Jude is about to turn 1 and I can hardly believe it. He took his first steps this last week from me to Liam. It was darling. Liam was cheering for him. I wished I'd had it on video to share.

I've uploaded some more photos for everyone, because I know you love to see the little men. Click HERE.

Here in Michigan

Liam at the Children's Museum

We are still having fun. It's a little hectic this week as Ryan is back to school and work. I am working five hours a week from home. Well, I'm supposed to be working five hours a week from home. But it seems to be closer to ten at the moment. My replacement starts next Monday so I'm sure we'll get there! And we are thankful for the income. :)

Here are some photos. CLICK HERE. To check out.

Liam is learning so fast now. He can read early reader books with some help (For example, The Cat in the Hat, Are you My Mother?)  Shelley also found some old books on tape and a cassette player for Liam, which he adores. Today we went to the library and I was excited to see that they have books with companion tapes. We checked out two (the limit) and brought them home. He's been enjoying a book called Mud Pies this evening while going to sleep. Liam is also quite the cook. While Jude naps in the mornings, Liam and I prep all the food for lunch and dinner. He is so focused and such a joy while cooking with me. It's also great for his math skills!

Jude is about ready to take his first steps. He's let go of support a few times recently and tried taking a step this week. He seems undeterred by falling--no fear. A few weeks ago he climbed our flight of stairs (with me behind him) by himself. He is also starting to really understand language. Yesterday Ryan told him to put a block into a wooden box, and he followed directions. Today, I asked him to point to the baby in his book, and he did. He just loves Liam and follows him everywhere, often trying to copy him. He's started eating regular table food if it's soft. Tonight he had some falafel and loved it! I've also started giving him a cup with lid to drink water. His eyes are also still changing color. They were gray-blue, then blue, and now they are starting to look more green. I wonder what color they will settle on! Hard to believe he's almost a year old already.

That's about it for now. Be sure to check out the new photos!

Some more pictures

Of your favorite subjects and mine...the Kilgore boys.  Click Here. 

Things are going well here. Today was my last official day working in the office. I'm sure I'll be popping in from time-to-time and I'll be training a new person when he or she starts. But for now I'm just working five hours per week from home.

Ryan will start his new position on Monday as a Graduate Assistant for the PhD director, Tom Shepherd. He will work about 10 hours a week and I'll stay home with our boys.

And of course in a not too long we will be moving back to the Northwest. Just one more semester for Ryan! He starts classes a week from Tuesday.

I'm doing some preschool-like themes with the boys at home. If you're curious about the kinds of things we've been up to, check out my activity blog. Last week we did a theme on rainbows and rainbow colors and the week before we centered our activities around hats. You'll see these in the photos.

Happy Half-Bithday Liam!

As you all know, the plague hit our family this last winter--and that meant canceling Liam's birthday party in February. I figured we'd do it in March, but then we were all still sick. I thought, OK, we'll do it in April. Nope. Sickness again. Then it was finals and traveling, and.....

 SO. We decided to have a "half birthday" party for him. And I'm glad we did it. It was a blast. Summer parties are more fun anyway.

Liam and Jude poolside at the Birthday Bash

Check out photos of the party and other excitement, including some from our trip to California. There are a lot of photos to see! CLICK HERE.

Happy Father's Day!

To all the Dads, we hope your day was fabulous. Here are some pictures to make it sweeter.

Click Here.

Pictures of our boys

Hello from Michigan summer. Click HERE. 

What's new with us

I spent a good chunk of Liam's birthday money on art supplies, and let me just say MONEY WELL SPENT! He now spends 1-2hrs a day (30-45 minutes at a time) doing art projects. His choices include stamping with alphabet stamps, watercolor paints, finger paints, painting on his easel, drawing on the chalk board with chalk, or on paper on the easel with crayons or markers, making things with clay, and beading. Our house looks like a preschool as he churns out 2-5 masterpieces a day and I have them all over the walls and fridge. :D

Jude started crawling this week! He crawled three "steps" yesterday and is trying very hard again today. Liam is so cute and cheers him on. I just love watching them interact. He's also eating more solid foods now and pulled himself to standing (from sitting) in his crib today.

Ryan's in school, of course, but watching the boys in the afternoons while I work as well. It's been an adjustment, but I think it's getting easier for everyone.

More photos to come soon.

More May pictures

Click Here.

April showers...May flowers

Here are some new photos. Click Here.

Spring Pictures

Enjoy!

Click Here.

Hello out there

What's going on with us.....

Jenn has gone back to work part-time, leaving Ryan at home with the two boys to manage. We're still getting back in the swing of things, but expect that things will get easier as we get back in the rhythm of it all.

Ryan had this week away from classes, but will be going back for summer term on Monday.

Liam is.....READING. Yep, that's right. He can read short words on his own now, and is starting to "sound out" words that he doesn't know. He can sing his alphabet and identify his letters. He knows most of the sounds that the letters make. He can count to 15 now and can do basic addition and subtraction with numbers 1-10.

Jude is eating solid foods now! He eats just as much as Liam did, nursing 5X a day (4-6oz) and then eating 4 more oz of purees. He has loved everything so far. Avocados, peas, sweet potatoes, apples, bananas and pears, alone or mixed with oatmeal make up most of his diet. He can eat things with a texture now, so we just mash the bananas and avocados with a fork. He still has NO teeth though. :P

What's happening

First of all, here are some photos of the boys to enjoy. CLICK HERE.

February and March were tough. We spent 6 out of 8 weeks with one or both of the boys sick, and much of that with one or the other of us sick as well. It was hard to have fun no matter what when the "what" was sick babies.

First came the flu, which was terrible. Really, really terrible and lasted forEVER--or so it seemed. Then a week of wellness, which was much celebrated! Followed closely by RSV, which is dangerous for babies so we had to keep a close eye on Jude. Jude also had a double ear infection with the RSV. Poor little man! In Liam and me (Jenn) the symptoms were like a really hideous cold and lasted two weeks. Jude was sick for three, and even more miserable.  (Ryan never got all the way sick.)

All of this means that we skipped Liam's birthday party so he turned two without cake or any friends to sing. Good thing he doesn't quite grasp the idea of birthdays yet. I plan to do a party in the summer instead, when the small children will be less disease-prone.

We just enjoyed having Bob and Shelley out to visit for a week. It was amazing to have them here with us. Liam especially loved having his grandparents here for a while. He's missing them now that they are home.

Ryan is finishing spring semester soon, which means that he only has summer and fall semesters left (Hooray!). It also means I'll be returning to work part time the first week of May. I have mixed feelings about this. I've loved spending these months with the little ones, but will likely enjoy some adult time. I also think it's great that Ryan will have some time to bond with Jude and Liam during the summer.

New photos for February and March

Dear family and friends,

If you are far away, we miss you! Please enjoy these photos of the boys; I hope they help you to feel closer to us and give you an idea about what day-to-day life is like (a little crazy, a lot of fun!).

Click HERE.

Liam helping Jude bathe.

It's February, already

Here are some pictures!

Liam and Ryan at the Curious Kids Museum

I heart cookies

And so does Liam. We made some sugar cookies and decorated them with butter cream and raisins. Here are some adorable pictures of Liam at work.

Some pictures of the boys

Enjoy! Click Here.

Liam's birthday

Liam is turning two next month! (Let's all focus on that instead of the fact that Ryan and I are turning 31 shall we?) I am planning an animal/jungle themed party for him, but it won't be until my birthday for scheduling reasons. Good thing he's not old enough to realize his birthday party will be two weeks after his actual birthday!

For those who are wishing to purchase birthday presents, I've updated his amazon list to give you ideas.

Also, potty-training update. LIAM IS DOING AWESOME! He's had only 1-2 accidents per day for the last three days and is doing all of his "business" in there, not just the liquid form. Ew, I know, but it's very exciting for me. I am so over having two in diapers!

More photos of the boys soon!

Liam went potty!

Today is Liam's first day of potty training. He used his little potty all by himself for the first time this morning. He did it on the fifth try (having four accidents beforehand, which he had to clean up). Yay Liam! I am so excited for him to be moving out of diapers!!

Happy New Year!

Exciting news to start the new year! Chelsey and Troy are getting married, hooray! In other news, Jude rolled over for the first time this week. He's growing up already.

Here are some photos to keep the family happy. Enjoy!

click here