Fun in the Sun

As usual, we have been busy! This past week consisted of picnics, a visit with Kelly Bullard, boating, play dates, and Touch-A-Truck. The picnic that we went to was at a friend of the Krupp’s. It was outside and a lot of fun. There was ATV’s, music, basketball, and FOOD! The kiddos just love the outdoors.

We went to the Bullard’s house to see Kelly who was home for the weekend to see her family and little niece McKenzie. It was so good to see her—and Kevin always loves to see Rowdy. He even makes us pretend that he is Rowdy and that I am Kelly. It’s pretty entertaining…especially when we play fetch.

On Sunday, Paul and I went boating with Jessica, Amy Sekelsky, Mike Schommer, and Phil Wolf on Mike and Amy’s boat. It was a TON of fun. We went tubing, which left Paul extremely sore the next day. I wasn’t too sore, but since I am retarded and didn’t wear any sunscreen, I was super sunburned. I still have awesome raccoon eyes.

On Monday, Cortney, her aunt Sandra, Clarissa, and McKenzie all came over to the house to play with the boys. Clarissa is great with Kevin and the two of them had a blast. They ran around all over the backyard. Little Lucas wanted to keep up and play with them, but eventually joined Thomas who pretty much just dug holes and went down the slide. Little McKenzie swung in the swing the whole time. She was so happy because it gave her a perfect view of all of the other kids. She watches them so intently!

Finally, today the boys and I went to an event that Woodland Park has called “Touch-A-Truck.” They have a bunch of different trucks—fire truck, police vehicles, school buses, dump trucks, tractors, street sweepers, and other enormous trucks—and the kids get to climb in them, mess with the buttons, honk the horn, etc. Kevin LOVED it. He was in and out of every vehicle. Thomas enjoyed it a lot too. He played in quite a few trucks as well. Lucas, on the other hand, was a little too timid to go into any of the trucks. He was perfectly happy touching the outside of the vehicles.

We have a lot of fun ahead that we are looking forward to: tomorrow we are going to see my grandparents who have been in Michigan the past month, Saturday is my mom’s 50th birthday which we are going camping for, and Sunday is my grandma’s 80th birthday. Fun, fun, fun!

Papa Krupp, Jessica, and the three boys

The Whole Krupp Family

Bathing Beauty Jessica

Paul on the tube

Thomas and Kenzie

Kevin and Clarissa

Kenz & Cort

Giddy-Up Lucas!

Group pic at Touch-A-Truck

Truck Driver Thomas and ride along buddy Kevin

Lucas, this is fun enough for me!

Fireman Kev!

Visit from a Good Friend, Phases, and Marriage

One of my dearest friends--Jessica (Mallik) Friesma--came to visit us on Monday. Even though it was brief, it is always so wonderful to see her. Jessica and I have been friends for…wow…14 years! We have obviously gone our separate ways since our inseparable days of high school, and it just amazes me how each time we see one another, we are able to pick up right where we left off. I guess that is just the meaning of a true friendship.

The kids are all doing well. Kevin is going through a “pirate” phase—he IS Pirate Kevin. He has been wearing his batman cape with his pirate gear for a good couple of days now. And the twins are still loving Spongebob. They now have some Spongebob clothing, which they squeal with excitement and pride when they put it on. The funniest part is that they don't even actually like the show!

Paul and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary on August 3. How exciting! And I must say, the time has flown. But I am more happy with and in love with that man than ever! Paul is such a wonderful man, husband, and father. I think I am the luckiest woman in the entire world!

Look at our AWESOME Spongebob shirts!

Pirate Batman (AKA Kevin)

Pirate Batman and Pirate Robin

Ahhhhh, How I Love My Life!

And the good times keep on coming! Last week, I met Cortney and McKenzie out at Historic Triple B Ranch to take pictures of the 4 kids together dressed in their Triple B gear. It was actually really disasterous since we attempted this right before their naps, but we did get one good picture. My crazy little twins somehow thought that Kevin's toy slide (meant for matchbox cars) was built for them to go down. Lucas initially had the good idea, but Thomas followed right after him (unfortunately, I was too slow with the camera to get Lucas). And they are just so dang cute reading with their Aunt Brittani.

Today, Linda and I took the boys up to Denver to visit Isaac on his home turf. It was so much fun! Isaac has so many toys that I think my boys thought they were at a toy store. Then we all went to Chuckie Cheese's. Thomas LOVED the Barney ride--even if it wasn't moving. Lucas thinks he is hot stuff--he swings one of his little arms all quickly like he is Mr. Important (which duh....he is!) Isaac loves "Cheese" as he calls it. And he loved rough-housing with the Krupp boys. Kevin is enjoying Cheese more and more the older he gets. He can do many more of the games and rides than he used to be able to do.

More Zoo and Fort Collins

Last week, we got to go to the zoo again with Isaac! It was so much fun. Those boys are as busy as can be. It was really funny because a 12 year old boy tripped over Thomas and fell. Isaac got protective over Thomas and yelled at the kid and threw his little French fry at the poor kid. It was hilarious! They enjoyed the zoo just as much as ever--soon all of the boys will know that zoo as well as Kevin does.

On Saturday, we went up to Fort Collins with my mom to see Ryan and Jordane. We had a BUSY day. We went to a wonderful park--one of the best parks I have ever been to--and then we took the kids swimming. Lucas and Thomas are quite afraid of the big swimming pool. They are fine dangling their feet in the water, but they cry and cry as soon as we try to submerse them in the water. On the other hand, Kevin is a water boy. He has absolutely no fear of the water--he jumps off the edge into the pool, could care less when he goes under the water, and loves trying to swim. All and all, it was a great time. And we just love hanging out with Uncle Ryan. He is such a wonderful uncle to the boys. They just love him with all their little hearts. Thomas even started saying his name, "Ry-ry."

As for other things going on in our lives: Kevin is attending Vacation Bible School this week and having a blast. He loves to learn. Lucas and Thomas are starting to increase their little vocabularies. They are both saying "Spongebob" which seems like a pretty weird word (especially since they don't watch the show or anything). Thomas is mocking me now each time I say "no" to him (which is frequently) by repeating back to me: "No, no, no, no, no." Thomas has perfected the word "Snack" since that is one of his favorite things in the world. He is also perfecting his manners by saying "please" and "thank you." Lucas still signs the sign language for "please." But he is starting to jabber more, so I think he is starting to come out of that quiet shell of his.

Here's another mini-photo album--I just have such a hard time picking only a couple of pictures!

Aren't they precious?

These are the four cutest backsides I've ever seen!

Hello Isaac!

We've got a full load!

Zoo fun, here we come!


Sun, pool, kids--perfect!

Fish-boy Kevin and Daddy

Little Thomas, checking out his Buddha Belly

Splish splash--Lucas is having a blast!

Uncle Ryan and Kevin, playing in the sand

Teeter-Tottering with the twins

Grandma Traci and little Thomas

Mom and twins, swinging away

WEEEEEEEEEEE!

Gotta Love Summer!

Kids + Summer = the True Meaning of FUN!!!!!!

We have had such a great summer so far--full of water fun, trips to the zoo, playing at the park, and much more! On Sunday, we got to go to the zoo and out to lunch with Mema and Papa Krupp, and on Monday we got to go to the park and McDonald's with the lovely, little McKenzie. The kids loved the zoo again. Lucas is so big and brave at that place! And Thomas really enjoyed it, except when the giant hippo opened his mouth right in front of Thomas and a huge Monkey swung at the glass directly in front of him--those things scared him terribly. Kevin knows that zoo like the back of his hand! He could be a tour guide!

And the park was awesome...those kids kept me and Cortney on our toes! It took both of us to keep up with them all. Of course, all of the boys have to go off in opposite directions. And McKenzie--what a character! It was time for her nap, but that little girl refused to sleep. She had more important stuff, like watching the crazy boys run all over the place!

What great times! Oh, and you have to check out Marianne's fish that she caught on her trip to Canada! And some excellent news for me--Paul is taking me to the new Harry Potter movie tomorrow night! I am pumped!

Krupp boys and McKenzie

Hold on tight Kevin!

Papa Krupp and Thomas

Bran and Thomas--feeding the bird--and that thing wouldn't get off me!

Lucas at lunch after the zoo--he really likes his ranch dressing!

Mema, Lucas, and Kevin

Paul and Lucas

Little Thomas--look at that cute smile!

Tour guide Kevin

All Aboard! Don't they look so big on the train all by themselves?

Kevin had to ride up front...even if it meant sharing the seat with a little girl!

Peek-A-Boo little Lucas!

Little Kevin, peeking out from under the giraffe tongue!

Krupp family zoo pic!

Summer time! Yippee!

Check Thomas out!

Marianne and her 125lb halibut! She even reeled that sucker in all by herself!

Health Update

I had my oncologist appointment on July 1st. Everything looks good at this point, but I do have to have some more testing done. It is going to be about a week's worth of getting pricked by needles, receiving a small dosage of the radioactive iodine, and another full body scan. If all things turn out well here (which there is no reason to believe they won't), then I shouldn't have to endure anymore extensive testing for another 3 years or so. They will continue to monitor it all by doing chest xrays and bloodwork, but that should be it.

So overall, it was a good appointment.

Amazing Motherhood

I have decided that I am truly the luckiest person on earth. I have the most wonderful three little boys! Thomas is the happiest, little ball of fun—even though he is ornery as all heck. His new thing is to give me a big hug in which he clinches me with all his might, and he has perfected this move to get himself out of trouble. Today I put him in time-out and every time I would try to talk to him about what he did wrong, he would reach at me and give me a giant hug. He also is still climbing everything and has figured out that if he stacks his step stool on top of his little picnic table, then he can easily get on top of our counters! What a dare devil!

Lucas is becoming less timid and more outgoing. He has this little alphabet bear that his Great Grandma Jan gave to Kevin a couple of years ago that he just loves. It has become his new routine to wake up each morning, grab his little bear out of the toy box and then push the bear’s hand to play the alphabet. He does his little dance and smiles from ear to ear. Lucas is so proud of his little accomplishments in life! He has even started picking on his two brothers! But he still retains his sweet and innocent disposition.

Kevin, of course, keeps me giggling daily. He is unpredictable and his little brain absorbs every little thing around him. He has really become fond of teasing people. He is going fishing with Cortney and Aaron Smith this Friday and he cracks me up because he keeps saying, “Mom, Aaron is going to catch a pink fishy.” Then he giggles and giggles, thinking he is just so funny. He also is so sweet. Each morning we go into his brother’s room and get them up for the day. Kevin sweetly tells them good morning and that he loves them. Then as I am changing one, he entertains and plays with the remaining twin in the crib.

Kevin and his Mema--blowing bubbles

Messy, little Lucas--eating lunch...yum, yum!

Happy Thomas, he looks like he's about to go to sleep right? This is about an hour after his bedtime too!