Sunday Pics

Fall Cookout

Marc's bank tries to have a fall cook-out each year for the employees. This year it was at his bosses new house in Ottawa. We had great weather, lots of good food, and many fun activities to keep our kids entertained! The weather was perfect for a fall boat ride. Our kids loved it (and so did we since we didn't get to boat at all this summer!)

The kids each got to decorate their own little pumpkin with paint and an assortment of craft supplies. Kinnick really wanted his pumpkin to have a "mohawk" so I did my best!
Little miss independent had a blast doing her own.
Miss. Mary helped Macey make a pumpkin with pigtails.

The kids got to do lots of little games and one some M&M's for prizes.
They also participated in a hula-hoop contest. (They did not win.)

And the favorite... a bouncy house! They did plenty of jumping throughout the afternoon and evening.

Henry Family Reunion

Back in September we had a family reunion with my dad's family. With 16 grandkids (most grown now) there are so many little great-grandkids who have such a great time playing together... we don't get to see them often enough!

Some more pics of my kids with their cousins...Always trying for a "GREAT" picutre!

Macey--18 Months

Can't believe how BIG my little girl is getting... She turned 18 months in August (when most of these pics were taken!)She LOVES communicating and is trying more and more new words every day. She repeats most anything. She loves saying "Kinnick" and "Sadie". She also loves pointing out things that she recognizes (Dora, McDonalds, kitties and puppies, Nemo). She is also putting together lots of 3 and 4 word phrases (Mommy help me, Macey hold puppy, I eat cheese).
She is still sweet and smiley most of the time but she definitely voices her opinion when she's not happy. We affectionately refer to these times as "princess fits".
Some of her recent accomplishments include: dressing herself (she can do pants, socks, and shoes... trying to work on shirts!), she knows about 20 body parts, she is great at picking up toys, and she loves doing her shape sorter.
I love watching Macey interact with her big brother and sister. They both have such sweet relationships. This little girl adds much cuteness to our family!

What We've Been Up To...

Some bits and pieces of our first 6 weeks in our temporary house...First Bath

Loving the Swing!

Girl's Shopping Trip... while the boys watched the IA game at Buffalo Wild Wings!

Back to Streator for a "Rockstar" Birthday Party...

Megan came for a sleepover.

Sadie's flowers from her Daddy...

Eating at a local place--we got to leave our "mark".

Mickey & Minnie Pancakes

The kids love "Exploring" in the yard!

Checking out a bug they found on the steps.

"Movie Day" in mom & dad's bed!

Checking out a local park...

A Trip to the ER

During our second week at our temporary house Macey took a fall down the stairs (about 12 stairs total!) She ended up with a pretty decent sized cut on her forehead. Sadie & Kinnick have both had cuts on their heads and for me the ER is a last resort (I'm a big fan of butterfly band aids!) But after looking at Macey's cut I knew we were going to be making a trip to the ER. We were on our way to Joliet to meet Marc at McDonalds play place for lunch. Instead, we met him at the Hospital. I was nervous about keeping track of all three kids in the waiting room and keeping the older two entertained if I needed to help with Macey. (At this point I hadn't met anyone who I could ask for help with the kids.) I was expecting to wait for awhile in the waiting room and more waiting before we could see a doctor. I was pleasantly surprised!

In my opinion our whole experience could not have been better. We were in and out in just over an hour. The hospital we went to (Provena St. Joseph in Joliet) had a pediatric ER unit. We were in a room within minutes of walking in the front door and were immediately seen by an ER tech who cleaned the cut and told us what to expect. The doctor was in the room within 15 minutes to look at her head. The only waiting we had was time for the local anesthetic to take affect. Marc took Sadie and Kinnick out of the room during the actual stitches (the only time Macey cried) and I helped hold her. This part took just a few minutes. After that the kids came back and we were discharged by another nurse.
Macey still has a noticeable scar but she handled the whole ordeal like a champ. I hope we never have to experience this again, but I am thankful for the positive experience we had during a not so fun time!

Welcome to our Country Home...

Through the generosity of a contact Marc has through work, we are able to stay in this furnished 3-bedroom house until we move into our new house. This house is located right off of Interstate 55--it takes Marc about 20 minutes to get to work. It's out in the country--the closest house to us is Mr. John's (the owner), but we're pretty secluded. We've had an awesome experience being here.
This is our front porch area. I love sitting out here in the mornings for my devotion time--it almost feels like I'm outside. I also have lots of the kids toys stored out here.
Our living room... we've enjoyed many family movie nights (especially with no cable) and are looking forward to enjoying a fire soon!
Our dining room--I loved this big window seat the first time I saw it.
This little breakfast room is off the kitchen. The kids love playing with their kitchen while I cook. They also enjoy eating breakfast in here most days.
Our office space--it's nice to have a room for this again!

All of these pictures are from the main level of the house. Upstairs there are three bedrooms (the girls are sharing) and a bathroom. There is also a large open finished basement with a big table for the kids to do art projects. We enjoy spending time in the basement doing crafts, play-doh, games, and dress-up.
We've enjoyed grilling out plenty and also eating meals outside. (There are even two separate table sets in case Marc and I want to eat alone!)
This is a small view of our front yard. It is filled with HUGE pine trees (Sadie & Kinnick call them pineapple trees.) TONS of room to run and play--and the best part, we don't have to mow it!
This is our back yard... there is water that winds all around the property. It's covered pretty well with trees/brush to keep the kids away. I love the awesome views from rooms all around our house.
The kids love this sand box... they have spent many hours playing here!

So far, I have loved living in the country. There are some things I miss--like taking walks and seeing neighbors. I've also concluded that fall is the perfect time to do this. We get to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the ideal temperature for lots of outside time. I'm not sure it would be quite as fun in the heat of summer or the frigid winter (we're hoping that we don't find out!). All in all we can't believe that God has blessed us with this amazing house during the transition time of our lives and we are taking full advantage!

PS--still no Internet. After waiting 4 weeks for our installation date, we were told that we were too far away from the service lines... at this point we will likely wait until we are moved. I'm currently updating from my parents' house... not sure when I will add more.