Wow.....3 years since my last post.

Hello to all of you still following the life of the H family.   I didn't realize that it has been so long since I last posted.   I have been following other people's blogs and realized that I wanted to start blogging again.  

So much has happened since 2010.  I will catch you all up slowly as the days pass.   This blog will not just be about our family but about other issues and thoughts that I have.  I wanted to have an outlet for things/events/issues that are happening either around the world or just simply in my or my family's life.

Enjoy!

Finally! A New Post

Life is good at the H household. It has been a long time coming with this new post. I will try to be more faithful but no promises. I plan to catch you up on what has been happening since I last wrote.

Let's start with E. She has been growing tremendously since the last post. She is now 3 1/2. About a year ago we were definitely concerned about her speech and it being really delayed. We enrolled her in an early on program that is supposed to help us identify the problem and then help us to work on it. After a few frustrating months, we decided that we would take matters into our own hands and find our own speech therapist. We found an awesome facility that actually gave us reasons why E was like she was the first 15 minutes of our meeting. It was amazing to hear what they had to say and what we would have to work on. We also decided to take her wheat, gluten, dairy, yellow #5, red #40 and now egg by itself. We have seen tremendous strides in her ability to talk since then. She has been going to a special school that is helping her with speech and other developmental delays. E is also doing ballet and will be having her first little performance in a week! So proud of her.

Hmmm...K...what can I say....She is a kindergartner now!!!! I can't believe it. K attends school all day Mon., Wed and every other Friday. She just LOVES it. K has had a few field trips and some special programs. Violin is a thing of the past but ballet has stuck. She is loving her dance class and is having her recital in a week with her sister. It has been neat to see her grow in ballet. She is now at the ballet bar and really seems to be catching on. She still loves to hang out with her aunts, uncles and cousins. She has a few friends that she enjoys doing stuff with and has made lots of new friends at school.

D...what a great husband! He is still teaching middle school algebra as well as coaching middle school track. It has been nice to have him home during breaks to hang out with us and go exploring.

Me...I haven't been up to too much except that I went back to work part time. I didn't think that I would be going back to work so soon but felt that this position that was open was right up my alley. I have really been enjoying it despite some frustrations that are going on in the office. The joys of office dynamics. The kids and D have been great about me going back to work but I think that the kids are missing me during the day.

As a family, we have done lots of things this past year. We went to Disney, had a couple of family reunions, played with friends and explored our area. I think we have done more things in the local area than we have done in the past. There are so many things to do with the kids.

I hope that I have caught you up to some extent. I hope to post new pictures soon.

I'm back!

Ok..so life has been a little busy in the H family household. I have been quite delinquent in the updating of our blog. I blame it on Facebook. I tend to get involved in facebooking and leave everything to the way side. So here is our life in a nutshell since I last wrote.

D has been teaching and running on his own.  He injured his back while running just before Christmas break.  He tore about 4 inches in his lower back.  Let's just say that it was very painful and he got frustrated because he couldn't do anything!  He is now enjoying being able to move about more freely and be able to play with the girls.  He isn't allowed to run outside when there is snow and ice on the ground, so he has definitely taken advantage of out YMCA membership.  

K is growing like a weed and I can't believe that she is going to turn 5 tomorrow.  Wow has time passed by quickly.  She is definitely enjoying preschool, ballet and violin.  She just recently went to a ballet show with her dad as one of her birthday presents and LOVED it.  D had a student that he taught in the ballet....K is definitely a smart girl.  D has her doing algebra problems!  She loves to write things and is constantly doing a craft (thanks Grandma for the craft box) and writing notes to anyone!  K is just having fun with her sister as well.  K is going to start Kindergarten in the fall!  

E is growing fast as well.  She still isn't really talking and we had her evaluated to see if she needed some extra help.  She is a little behind in the speech and she will have two therapy sessions a week to help her improve on that.  We have also taken out Wheat/gluten/dairy out of her diet and that has helped tremendously.  It is AMAZING how just taking wheat/gluten/dairy out her diet has improved her talking, balance, and interacting with others. We are going to get the girls tested for some allergies especially to see if they are allergic to nuts since D is.  E has been fun to play with while K is in school.  I just love that time to have with her one on one.

I have been busy driving K around to school, violin, ballet and play dates.  I don't even want to think about what it's going to be like with 2 kids going every which way.  I have been able to help with K's field trips with her class and that has been fun especially getting to know some of the kids in her class.  I am still helping out at church and going to play group every other week.  Sometimes I can't believe how busy I end up being.  I do like the days that I am at home with nowhere to go!  

Well...that is our lives in a nut shell...I will try to be more faithful in writing...Thanks to all those that have continued to check out our family blog!  

Happy Holiday's

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

So frustrating!!!

Ok...I haven't written much on my blog recently and I think it's because I am having a problem posting pictures....so I just don't do it. I don't really know what I am doing wrong but I hope to figure it out soon....

Too much time has passed.

Here is K and her friends B and B making Christmas cookies...thanks J for letting us mess up your kitchen!







My mom and Dad came to visit at Thanksgiving and here is a picture of the girls just being silly!

Congrats Dad!

I am so proud of my dad and all he has accomplished. I just wanted to share with you all his latest recognition.

Check this out! Congrats on being ranked Number 2!!!!

Blogging

This whole blog thing has me stumped. I have been trying to add new things to my blog as I visit other people's and find some cool stuff. I am in the process of trying to add slideshow of pictures to my site so that you can scroll through them at your leisure. The interesting part about blogging is that you get to share your thoughts and pictures. A friend had told me at one point that you can get your blog put into a book so that you can look back and see what you have been up to. An interesting thought...I think I might try it...if I find the website I will post it for others to see. My favorite part about blogs is reading all my friends blogs and seeing what they are up to. Well...have a great day!

ok...I found a web site that seems pretty straight forward....don't know how it will turn out but here you go.

scrapbook blogger

Music

Well....I have added a new feature for those of you that can hear it....But I have a friend that added this feature and I thought it was cool...if you don't like it, scroll to the bottom and just push pause....It will start playing every time you come to the blog, I hope it won't deter you....it's just a few songs that our family likes...K likes all of them...I know...some of them are a little strange but she is into all the music that dad likes...Enjoy!

So time has flown by....

Here are some of the things that we have done in the last few weeks....


K likes to watch tv and this is where she decided she was going to watch her cartoon before heading off to bed...and yes...D is taking a little nap...











.....here's D's favorite girls....















ok....so we still do the farm veggies each week and we share it with another family...our kids LOVE kholrobi...I know a little strange but they gobble it up and much to our surprise...we didn't realize that they even grew this big....K took one look at it and her eyes got big and she said, "Do I get to eat all that?" I told her she did and she did a happy dance....guess you could say that she loves her veggies..especially kholrobi....







...this is the amount of veggies that we get in ONE week!








....and once again the size of zuchini from the co-op versus the local grocery store...amazing...




K wants to wear make up really badly and she asks me about 2-3 times a day if she can put it on....so Dad made a deal with her that if she wanted to wear makeup then he gets to put it on...so here was the results.....needless to say, she still asks but not nearly as often...






Here we are with Uncle T just helping out....he had a chair so K needed her chair.....

Long Time...no Update!

Ok...I have been a little busy and slacking off in updating you. Let me update date you in a nutshell of what we have been up to.

August....we had some fun times hanging out with our friends...going to the beach, hanging out at the pool, playing with our friends before the summer is up.  D went up north to his XC camp he does every year.  K was busy with going to day camp at a local gymnastic place...she loved it.  

She did ballet camp with one of her friends.  She  went every morning for a week.  they did crafts and danced and just had a lot of fun.  K also went to VBS with her friend B. They had a fun time together and at  the end, there was a carnival.   We have tried to fit in lots of stuff outside before Summer was up.  It seemed like we were on the go a lot. 

D started his XC practice.  He had several meets before school started.  D and his assistant coach had a day XC camp for the kids on labor day weekend.  They went to Camp R to have their team bonding exercises and just have fun.  I ended up cooking for about 25 people that day.  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.  I was interesting and I actually had fun doing it, although it was a long day.  

September.......K started preschool again..  She is going 3 days a week and loving it.  It has been a little bit of an adjustment but I think that we are getting in the groove again.  She is also started ballet again. K seems more busy than me.  D is back to school again and is doing well..E is just a little ball of fun. She is growing and trying to say words.  It isn't always clear but you can tell she is trying.   Here are some pictures of the girls...

Here is E doing one of her favorite things....if you ever come over, you can read to her but you have to keep on reading!

It was a little quiet, so I went to check on her and this is what I found....yes...that is a phone in her hand....she crawled up on the chair and was having a "conversation"...how cute...not looking forward to when she is a teenager.

Beach here we come!!!

She is such a ham...she loved being in the water and playing in the sand...she had a blast hanging out with her cousins and their friends...although the one down side was that she got 23 mosquito bites that evening at the camp fire...but the upside....she LOVED marshmellow and chocolate....

E just loved playing in the sand...she just had a blast...as you can see she is laying on the sand with her fingers in it.....

.....and then proceeded to lick it...yes...she licked the sand...she ate a lot of sand that day much to my dismay...not matter what I said, she still licked the sand....oh well....

...not only did she like the sand but she liked being in the water....she had a great time with her cousin D in the raft in the water.....

Day at the Park with our Play Group

How cute is she?   We had a great time at the park with our play group...we played on the jungle gym, swings, sand area and just running around....It was so hot out and they had a sprinkler that was watering the grass....yep, you guessed it...the kids had a blast getting themselves wet...it was refreshing for them to say the

 least....thanks EB for the idea!

She loves to feel the air and the breeze in her face.......

Motorcycle Man!

D got a motorcycle to help with the rising cost of gas....so he says...I think he wanted one and this was a good way to convince me to buy one.....he took K for a little ride around the church parking lot next to us....as you can see (for those of you who might be freaking out that she is on a motorcycle) that she is tied to Dave and is wearing her bike helmet...they also only went about 5 miles an hour....

....and they are off!.......

E is 2 years old!!!

Here she is stuffing cake in her mouth...can't eat it fast enough...want more....YUMMY!  She has been such a joy for us.  She isn't saying much yet but when she does talk she says sentences...E has a great laugh...she loves to play with her sister and likes to hang out with mom a lot...E will tend to play by herself and then magically reappear with a smile...

her favorite thing to do is read a book...there are lots of times

 when you hear quiet and wonder what she is up to and upon checking on her you find her sitting with a book and "reading" it.  She is very sweet natured and laid back...what an awesome 2 year old we have.....It seems like just yesterday, I was holding her in the hospital....

to miss P.B.

Our friend is in spain this month and we hope that she is having a good time.  You will have to have some girl time when you get back....Hi to Miss R as well...See you soon...We miss you....Love, DDKE

Update!

I am slacking off...I haven't taken any pictures recently and I haven't updated my blog.  I get on everyone else's and see if they updated theirs.  I am sure people get on mine and say...."I wish D wasn't a slacker and get on the ball with keeping us updated"...  

The 4th of July was a busy weekend.  We had a great time with family friends...Grandma B and Grandpa B and their family.  K was in a small parade with her bike.  She went and decorated her bike at Grandma B's house.  She was so excited to be in a parade.  D walked with her (along with Grandpa B) and E was in the backpack.  We had brunch with their neighborhood and then that evening had dinner with the B family.  K wanted to see fireworks, so we were able to see the fireworks downtown in a building from the 12th floor...it was really nice..no bugs...of course I forgot my camera and so no pictures of K in her bike....if you are reading this and have pictures, can you send them to me?

That same week we met some new people....a young lady from Spain...Miss R.....and a young gentleman who just moved back to GR...Mr. J....  They are such great people, E just loved playing with Miss R...we were sad to see her head back home.  Miss R if you are reading this...we miss you!  Mr. J comes over for dinner every once in while since then and it has been fun getting to know him....

I haven't cooked Korean food in awhile and so I made some for a the B family, Miss R, Mr. J and Mr. P....it turned out really good and Miss R made a spanish dish as well.  It was fun...we had a great time...once again...I slacked off with no pictures.

K has been taking gymnastics and has had one class so far...she has enjoyed it alot.  She has this once a week for 4 weeks.  She also wants to see how many times she can run around the outside of our house a day....if nothing else...it wears her out....she is up to 3 and then she says she is tired.  

E is fun to play with...she is much more interactive...she still won't talk much but every once in a while she'll say a word...the other day she said...Hi G'am (for hi grandma)....hopefully she'll say it when my parents are here....She loves to ride on the bike with me....we were going down a hill and I heard behind me...."WEEEEEEEEE".  it is hilarious to hear....she loves to have wind blowing in her face.  When we ride in the car and we have the windows down...her little arms and legs are straight out and her face has a perma grin on it.  I am going to try and get a video of it.

D bought a motorcycle and has ridden it a few times but with the weather being so rainy, it hasn't been much.  K got a ride in the parking loot the other day.  She LOVED it...I did take pictures of that but I haven't gotten them loaded on my computer yet.  

Hope you all are caught up on our life...talk to you all soon!

What's been going on with us Lately?

How cute are they?!  K and E love to hug each other.....E wants to do what K is doing all the time..it is so cute to see them

 together....It has been a while since I last blogged and so much has happened...

......K graduated from 3 year old preschool this past May...She had a blast with her teachers...Mrs. S and Mrs. V....She loved going and  learning a lot.  She also participated in a bike-a-thon with her school...I forgot my camera that day so sorry no pictures of it. It was fun to see her ride her bike around the parking lot...she went around 17 times!!!! there was a boy there that went around 29 times!  She will be going again in the fall 3 days a week...then the next year it's off to Kindergarten.....

.....K also was in a ballet recital. She absolutely had a blast dancing around. It was so cute to see her little performance. The program was very cute and the ballet teacher choreographed it all.  I was impressed with her teaching and how she relates to the students.  K LOVES to do ballet...she even does it at home.  She just went to ballet camp this past week and had a blast!  Miss H and Miss B do a great job.  K had a friend from preschool join her in her class and then another girl join her for ballet camp. K wants to do this again in the fall........

.....K got her hair cut again.  She told me that her hair was making her neck sweat and she needed to get it cut.  So off to the hair dresser we went.  She loves her haircut short.  She keeps saying that she wants to grow her hair out so that she can have a bun for ballet but I don't think that will last too long.....

...E....she had grown a lot, walking and sort of talking...she'll just come right out and say words that you don't expect her to say or even phrases....her favorite phrase is "yes sir..dada sir"  and then.."here you go"...she talks and says what she wants to on her time.  It has been fun to hear what she has to say.  E loves to ride in the car with the windows down and the wind blowing in her face.  It is quiet fun to see...I will try to get a video of it to show you what she does...the arms are out the legs are straight and she is laughing and has a perma smile on.....She loves to follow her sister around, loves to watch Dora, plays by herself a lot and loves to laugh and smile at you.  Her latest is to come up to you and hug your leg and not let go...she thinks it is hilarious to hold on to your leg and not let go even though you are trying to walk...what a nut....

.... a few things that D and I have been up to...D finished the school year and is at home all summer.  YAY!!!  It has been great to have him around. The girls love it.  We also took over the basement since Uncle T moved out to his own apartment.  It has been nice to have the space but we definitely miss having him live with us.  He still comes to do his laundry and play with the girls.  They are always excited to have him come visit.  We bought some bedroom furniture from IKEA..here's what it looks like.  D and I also went on a date together.  We are members of FMG and went to a concert there.  The Big Bad Voodoo Daddy....such fun...great music and the people there watching the concert were hilarious.  The bad was big band music with swing, jazz mix...it was very fun for us.  D has been doing a lot of yard work around the house with putting in trees, to adding more stuff to K's swing set to having a garage sale.....I was able to get rid of a lot of stuff and we made a little bit of money....it is definitely good to have the house a little more organized. 

Well...that's the last month in a nutshell...hoepfully I won't wait as long to add more stuff...Happy 4th of July! 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

To the #1 Dad! He is the greatest...playing with the kids, mr. fix-it around the house, sweet, very caring, even cooks!, great at coaching running...he can do it all! we are so proud of him!

Preschool

Here is K's preschool classmates....


more video...