Weekend Wrap- Up Part IV

And now for the outtakes and a few random stories.

First off, we tried to snap a quick family pictures while everyone was together for the baptism.  For anyone who has tried to take a family picture that involves five kids (three of them under the age of two) you know there's nothing quick about it.  We may not have gotten everyone with a perfect smile or pose, but that's not what really matters.  What really mattered was that we were all together, and we captured the moment!!

Someone learned how to do "so big".

Kase and Tyson are about four and a half months apart.

The Patterson side: first a normal picture, then a crazy one to send to Uncle Kyle at basic.  I cannot stop laughing at Keith in the second picture!

I was a little excited we made it through the baptism with no tears. 

Wonder what Kent's looking for?

The kids kept not looking at the camera so finally I said, "Look up higher!!!" Kylee took that very literally. 

Kase helped drive down through The Ledges.

Garage soccer is another perfect ending to the weekend.

Here's a couple pictures of me scolding Kent for encouraging Kase to blow spit bubbles during church. 

Oh, we're a crazy bunch.  But we sure have a lot of fun together. :)

Weekend Wrap-Up, Part III

On Monday the kids didn't have school and Kent took a much deserved day off.  Kent never takes a day off, and I know he did it as much for me and my fun-bullying ways as he did for himself.

Sunday night I started in with ideas: What do you want to do? Where should we go? Do you just want to hang here? Let's go out to eat or should I pack a picnic? The barrage of questions was almost enough to make Kent consider not taking the day off. :) We finally settled on starting at the apple orchard then just seeing where the rest of the day took us.  I am so thankful for a husband who is on the same page as me when it comes to getting up and around early.  I'm pretty sure we were the first ones at the orchard which was awesome- none of the kids' favorite things to do there were crowded at all.

Kase loved the corn pool.  Or not so much. 

In this picture you'll notice Kent coming up fast on Kael.

Here you'll notice Kent celebrating his victory.  Heaven forbid we let the kids win. ;)

I had, in fact, packed a picnic lunch since I wasn't totally sure where we were going to end up for the day.  So after the orchard we ate our picnic lunch then headed to Hickory Park for ice cream sundaes.  While we were in Ames, we stopped in and visited my mother-in-law at work.

Everyone was still happy and the day was still (fairly) young so we headed to The Ledges!!! Oh my word it is just beautiful there.  If you haven't been yet this fall- get there! The kids had a blast hiking and it was the perfect afternoon to be there.  We finished our afternoon sitting at a picnic table down in the Ledges, eating Cheetos, talking about our favorite parts of the day.  My sweet Kylee summed it up pretty well, "You know it's been a good day if it ends with a Cheeto picnic."

It was one of those days that I hope I remember forever. *Sigh.* I love fall.

Weekend Wrap- Up Part II

The next big event of the weekend was Kase's baptism.  It's easy to get wrapped up in the fun of the weekend (see previous post on Color Run) or in the details of planning the post-church get together at our house, but Kase's baptism was really something special.

Before the service, I was running around all crazy, worried about what everyone would wear, wondering if the food would be ready by the time we got home from church, anxious about whether Kase would be happy/awake long enough to get baptized (although I know from experience they do, in fact, baptize screaming babies.  Ahem, Kylee. ;) but when the time finally came, God made it so clear to me what the day was really about.  I stood up there at the front of our church, with my husband by my side and my baby in my arms and I looked out into the congregation, I couldn't help but notice how very many rows "my" people took up.  How very many people were there to support Kase.  To support us.  What an amazing feeling.

Kase did awesome for baptism.  He took a short nap before being up on stage and then woke up just in time.  He was so happy up there, blowing so many spit bubbles our pastor joked that Kase was practically baptizing himself. :)

What a blessing this baby boy of ours is.

Weekend Wrap- Up, Part I

I had full intentions of writing this days ago but mostly I'm just happy I can write about this last weekend before another one is here.  LOTS to write about and loads of pictures to share.  So, without further ado, here goes nothin'.  Due to time constraints it appears I'm going to have to write this in separate installments.  So, Part 1: Color Run!!!

Many months ago, Tammy sent me a message about the Color Run coming to DM.  She had seen/heard of it in KC and convinced me that we needed to get a group together to run it.  I'm so so glad we did.  I absolutely love when people get super-into something like this.  The music was awesome, the colors were crazy fun, and the costumes were hilarious.  Rumor on the street is that this was the biggest Color Run to date.  Way to rock it, Des Moines!!! I'm so happy Tam got the ball rolling and got us signed up for it- we had such a fun time! It truly was the Happiest 5K on the Planet. :)

Kylee got colorful to join the fun. 

Pre-race: so clean! And a little chilly. :)

A little mid-race fun. 

Post-race colorful!

A few of us accidentally forgot our color packets in the car for the Finish Party which turned out to be just fine. When we got back home, the kids helped us use them.  Kael had so much fun shooting color all over us and himself!

Did you have a colorful weekend?

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for the pumpkins my grandma and grandpa grew in their garden and gave to us.  We have nine big 'ol pumpkins on our front porch and they look so nice!

I'm thankful it's October.

I'm really thankful for the show Parenthood.  Best show on TV right now, hands down.

I'm thankful for the five e-mails I have waiting for me when I wake up in the mornings that consist of photos of Kent and Kase, who routinely get up at 4:00.  I'm thankful for a husband who is willing to help out with a sleepless babe and doubly thankful that he can keep a good sense of humor about it all.

I'm thankful Kent synced our iPhone calendars. Seriously has changed my life.

I'm thankful a friend figured out that iMessages are free to send/receive. Why didn't I think of that??

I'm thankful for fun plans this weekend. Color Run, here we come! Also, Kase is getting baptized so it's going to be a special weekend.

I'm thankful that I get to go along to Kylee's field trip to the apple orchard tomorrow.  I'm so ready for some girl time and a cider donut.

I'm thankful that it's been a really fun football and soccer season. I feared it was going to be too much to do two sports at once but Kael is having such a great time and goes to every practice and game with a smile on his face. He's turning into quite the athlete.

I'm thankful Kase learned how to sit! Still working on perfecting it, but he's getting the hang of it!

I'm thankful Kase can't yet tell me with words that he dislikes the hats I put on him, but the face says it all. ;)

Another week in the books, folks.  Make the most of it! Happy Thursday!

Happy Anniversary!

It's lucky number seven for us.

What a ride it's been.  There have been ups and downs, but there is no one, no one, I'd rather be doing this with. Because this clan we've created is something awfully special.

I have found the one whom my soul loves. Song of Solomon 3:4

And he loves me back.

Now that's lucky.