Domestic Kate

I've fallen in love again...with taking pictures! Maybe it's the fact that I have a newborn and a newborn remains relatively still. Maybe it's the fact that our big move is over and we're finally settled into our new home. I don't know what it is, but I've gotten the bug again and I like it! I found a cute idea of using chalkboard as a background and put up some chalk-stars for the background. I wanted to use Christmas lights as well but they are all currently in use and it required waaay too much effort to take them down just to use for a photo op. I have a toddler and a newborn, nuff said! ;) Tom was home for a awhile this afternoon, so before Hans' nap, I begged him to stay awhile and help get the kids dressed so I could take some photos of them. I like how they turned out! We already have our Christmas cards made up but it'll be nice to get these framed for the Christmas season next year!

Caroline Marie born on October 29th 8lbs. 15oz. 21.5 inches She has been such an amazing addition to our family! She is such a sweet baby and we love her to pieces! I have written, and re-written this post. I've found myself coming back to it several times and editing it only because so much time has past since I've last updated everyone. As I come on here and edit this post, I'm deleting the phrases like, "Caroline is now 2 weeks old" and "Caroline is now 3 1/2 weeks old" and "Caroline is now 4 weeks old", etc....you get the point. I've decided to post already so...here goes...for the last time..."Caroline is now 6 weeks old!". We've really adjusted to a life of four in our family and couldn't be happier. Caroline has more and more awake moments and we relish her little smiles she throws our way and her sweet "coo's". Hans has really taken to his little sister. From the moment he saw her in the hos...

For those of you that have noticed, I have had a lack in posts lately. We're going through some changes over here. Things like moving and having baby number 2 have gotten our priorities all out of whack. ;) I'll be posting pictures soon, most likely after our precious little girl arrives. She is due this weekend and we're eagerly anticipating her arrival! We have been reading "Big Brother" books to Hans and have been smothering him with snuggles and kisses. We'll be back and posting soon!!

It's funny that Hans has picked up on the fake "cheese" smile. I really don't think we've said it to him that often, but alas, whenever he sees the camera pointed his way, a "cheese" smile quickly follows. I remember my mom having me sit down before picture day (the days we actually remembered it was picture day...)and practice my smile. She didn't want me to give my uber big and uber fake smile, so we would practice a small, simple, non-scrunchy-face, smile. Now, I can understand why. Although, these pictures really crack us up, the "Cheese" smile isn't the real "Hans" Smile. Check out the progression... What a cheese ball, huh?! I love it!

We went to the apple orchard this weekend and took a picture of Hans behind the cardboard tractor "photo op" they have there. When I uploaded the picture, I immediately pulled up the same picture from last year and couldn't believe the comparison. I'm sure you've heard every parent say this at some point or another, but it truly is amazing how fast children grow. And, it was just a year ago... Apple orchard, 2010 (hans, 8 months) Apple orchard, 2011 (hans, 20 months) Our church is starting a MOPS group this year and I have had so much fun being involved in the developing of our group. In September, Hans and I headed over to church for our first steering team meeting. It was the same time last year that Hans and I went to our first ever MOPS meeting. Of course, pictures were taken both mornings. Another comparison shot... 1st day of MOPS, 2010 (hans 7 months) 1st day of MOPS, 2011 (hans 19 months) {*please note, the growth of Hans in the last two pictures...

Last week we went to the state fair together. Believe it or not, it was Tom and my first time going to the fair together...crazy, huh? It had been 5 plus years since either of us had gone + one little boy who loves animals and tractors + one pregnant lady who was dying for the fair food...well, you can do the math ;). We thought it was high time we hit the great minnesota get together this year. Of course, we had some fair food! We started the day off with a delicious cinnamon roll in the food building. It was one of the best! We must have been starving and unable to resist dipping into our amazing roll because we didn't even take a picture. But, it was shortly followed by cheese curds which we were able to document. Notice the little ketchup fingers to the right of the above photo... We people watched. And we walked and walked.... We visited farm animals... And even milked a cow! We got a ribbon and free milk after milking the cow. Awesome! We had lunch... Mmmmm Mmmm...P...

We took a quick video of Hans before Tom left for work yesterday. Hans likes to tell me all day long that "Daddy golf." and "Daddy mow." Yes, Hans, Daddy plays golf. Yes, Hans, Daddy mows the lawn. And on and on it goes. It is usually followed with Hans grabbing his golf clubs and playing golf around the house or taking his little mower and mowing it all around our yard. It's so cute to see how he wants to be just like his Daddy. This morning, Tom was getting ready for work and turned on his electric razor in the bathroom, as soon as Hans heard that thing going, he was out of my arms in a flash. He ran to the bathroom and just stood in awe watching his Daddy shave. I really don't know what is up with our video thing. It's actually clear on our computer but when I upload it, it's so tiny and fuzzy. Regardless, you get the point...Hans is cute and adorable, etc, etc. =)

This past weekend we flew out to visit my sister, brother in law, and family out in Ohio. At the airport with Papa We stayed with my sister in my nieces adorable room (I'm going to do a post soon with pictures of their room, it is that adorable). Hans decided that he wasn't going to sleep the greatest the first couple nights and that made for an exhausted and overly emotional mom, but I had good help from my sister and mom (and nieces!), so it was all okay! We were able to fly out and be there for my niece, Emily's, baptism. It was a really great experience. She gave her life to the Lord last year and has been waiting and waiting to be baptized. They wanted to her to wait awhile so she fully understood the meaning and reason for being baptized. She gave her testimony to the church and was baptized in Lake Erie. I took this picture of my mom and Hans on the beach and liked it so much I had her switch with me and hopefully recreate the picture of Hans kissing...