Our "new" couch and rug....

the kids love the new couch


Blake and I love it too!

The old couch....... buuuh bye......

We just bought one of our friends couches from them. We had been looking for a sectional for a while and just didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for a couch that might get ruined by the kiddos so when this came up we jumped on it!

I went out and bought a new rug at Home Depot on clearance. Love Home Depots clearance rugs. We needed a large 8x10 rug and they don't come cheap but on clearance i was able to get one for 80 bucks originally 250.oo. Not too shabby huh? We are all really enjoying the couch and rug. Clark and Molly too!

Brooks on his surgery day....

Brooks' name band on his ankle

sissy didn't want to leave his side

boys are happy campers with a DS to play

getting vitals taken, got weighed... he is 55lbs now!

Dr. Jiang marking Brooks' hands for surgery while chatting it up about Skylanders

Bailey got a doll to color! Poor baby has a fever

Content

Brooks got to take his wolf into surgery with him

hangin out together

home and resting

in recovery, Sissy taking care of her Bubba

heading back to surgery

looking at pics of the OR before surgery

all marked up and ready to go........

Just have to say that i haven't quit figured out how to upload these pics in the right order, sorry.
Brooks was so brave. We went in to the hospital this morning for Brooks' surgery. It was a very early morning. We had a few roadblocks too. Bailey went to bed last night with a high fever, so we had to take her with us. Blake forgot he had Jury Duty this morning.... Thank God they let him miss it. Brooks met with Dr. Dr. circled all his warts and the one high risk mole on his hand. Then we found another wart on his foot. The Dr. also told Brooks he would take out the splinter that Brooks got playing at a friends house yesterday. What a great Dr. We like Dr. Jiang, especially Brooks cause they were just chatting it up about Skylanders video games and all it's characters. Brooks went into surgery and had to breathe in some gas to put him to sleep. He chose Bubble Gum flavor for his gas. He said he counted to 47 then went to sleep!!!He is home and well. It is funny cause Brooks and Bailey are sitting on floor watching a movie and Blake is laying on the couch sound asleep. Go figure!!!

When the power goes out.....

Roasting Marshmellows over a good ol candle flame!!

Easy and Cheap Entertainment

This is how we entertain ourselves when the power goes out.....

Out with Friends....

Blake got ahold of the camera

Robl and I

Me after my 4th strike in a ROW, yep i said 4th!!! Whoop,Whoop!

Kim and Steve

Was the last and best game of the night! Girlz rule!!!!

Kim rolling one of her many strikes.

Steve

Blake

Blake after his first strike

Kim after her strike

It was really nice to get out just the two of us for a night. Each of the kids went to their friends houses for sleep overs. Bailey had her very first sleep over. It was at her friends Audrey's house. They were both really, really excited about it. They play so well together that Bailey didn't come home till about 5:30 the next evening. I was starting to miss my baby girl. Brooks went to his friend Cole's house. Cole and Brooks played baseball together!

Blake and I were invited to go bowling with some friends of our up in their neck of the woods, Missouri. They are lucky we are friends with them cause you all know how Blake feels about Missouri!!!

The girls kicked the boys butts!!! The only bad thing about the evening is that the bowling alley's fryer was broken. So, we all got hamburgers but NO fries. We were all looking forward to good, greasy, bad for you bowling alley food. What is bowling alley food without fries!

Later we met up with our friend J.R. Robl at a bar down the street from our house called Jerry's Bait Shop. Had a great time there listening to a band and just hangin and havin a few drinks.

We both got to sleep in the morning after. That was nice, cause it NEVER happens!

Daddy turns 36!!!

Daddy and his special camping cake!

Bailey trying to steal Daddy's gift already!

Gift from his Momma and Bill

" Seriously?!?!?!"

His "new" car smell fresheners

Daddy loves his blanket! He finally got one of his own!

We had a good time celebrating Daddy's birthday. The kids colored a banner for Blake and put it up outside so that was the first thing he saw when he came home from work. ( haven't got a pic of it yet, but i will ) Then we opened gifts, ate dinner then surprised him with a cake that fit him to a T. We got him his favorite ice cream, Birthday Bash!! Blake got a new mountain bike, "new car" air fresheners for his "new" truck (inside joke), an ice and snow scraper for his truck, and his very own fleece blanket ( KU of course )!!! Blake and I went out with the kids to dinner at one of Blake's favorite places, Mi Ranchito. Then Saturday night we went out with friends, did some bowling and then out to a local bar. Had a great time!!!! Happy Birthday Daddy, and Hubby! We love you!!

Winter? What Winter!!!!

Oh my goodness. I can't believe this weather we are having. It was very very windy yesterday but Blake took the kids and the dog to the park to run and play and had a blast. I watched to forecast for this week and there is no chance of snow and the lowest high this week is 30. Today is supposed to be close to 60 again. This Saturday and Sunday are supposed to be in the 60's. Craziest thing, BUT i am not complaining! The only thing i am not liking is that our big oak tree in our front yard has buds on it. And I went out to clean out my old mum pots and broke off the old ones and found new ones already coming up. No, No, No.... stop it, it isn't Spring yet!!!

Surgery Is Scheduled....

Brooks went to the plastic surgeon today and was told that he can have the mole removed off of the palm of his hand. We are ready to get this thing removed! Brooks is high risk for Cancer if he keeps this mole on his hand. So, we decided the winter time was the best time to get it taken off since he isn't doing any winter sports. The Dr. said that he will be put under for the surgery and it shouldn't take long at all. They will then send it off to be looked at. The Dr. offered to remove Brooks' warts that he has on his hands/fingers while he is under. Hope that will be the end of those as well. Brooks was pretty nervous going to the Dr.'s today but after him and the Dr. started talking about Skylanders they were best buds and Brooks' nerves went away! Surgery is in a couple of weeks.

Baby,Baby,Baby...

Brooks with baby Nolan

Bailey girl with Nolan

Bailey and her baby cousin

Bailey and William just chillin....

We have a lot of babies around us these days. We are loving everyone of them too! Cousin William likes to come over and hang out with us and the kids love their new cousin. He is already 6 months old. William came over to play for a while the other day and Bailey girl really enjoyed taking care of him! She would have been such a great big sister, :(

We also had some good friends of ours get the best Christmas present ever this year. A new baby boy, Nolan Dean Burkhart. He is adorable and looks just like his Daddy! We took him a new blanket the other night and the kids got to hold him!

p.s. Congrats to Doug and Heather for their special arrival, lil miss Mason. She is a beauty!

I have to Brag alittle.....

I have to brag a little bit about the man i married. I am one lucky girl that i married such a handyman!!! He not only fixes everything around the house but he can also fix out cars. You know how much money he has saved us by doing all the work himself?!!!

I needed new shocks and struts and Blake went out and took the wheels off the van, completely changed it all out with new struts and shocks. It was a little harder than he anticipated but he did an amazing job. I am so proud of him. And so grateful for such a handyman!!! Thanks honey for all you do!!!!

Imagination time....

Shylee, Brooks and Bailey, Shylee made a Pegasus

A space ship

Brooks with his new teeth~!

Bailey made herself a hat!

Blake took the kids to Hobby Lobby one day and picked up a lot of fun different things to play with. One of the things was these things called, magic noodles. You use a small wet sponge and dip each piece onto the wet sponge and then press the noodles together to make something. The kids get a kick out of these. They are actually made out of corn starch. They make some really interesting things with these.