June 29, 2010....

Yesterday (Tuesday, June 29), Marc and I became aunt and uncle for the third time, and Luke was given the gift of a third cousin.

Amber (my sister-in-law) delivered a healthy baby girl -- Joel and Amber's THIRD girl -- Nope, no boys so far in this family.

Here are the stats....

Madeline Noelle Koehn
June 29, 2010
9:08 A.M.
6 lb. 6 oz.
18" Long

I KNOW Amber will blog about this birth eventually and I know she'll have many great photos....

And, this birth involved some extra pain and agony than the already painful normal birthing process. Amber told me yesterday that it will be documented on her blog. So, I will leave you all in suspense for Amber's story....But, I will LINK her blog once it is posted.

In the meantime, meet Baby Maddie....



Looking at her, I completely see that she belongs to the Koehn family....To me, she looks A LOT like her older sisters did at birth -- especially the mouth. But, when I said that to Marc, he said, "I don't necessarily see it. She looks like a baby to me."

Aunt Sarah and Baby Maddie....



Uncle Marc and Baby Maddie....





You'll notice we don't have any photos of Luke with his new cousin....That would be because he's 23 months old and couldn't have cared less about a baby. So, he didn't even go and look at her. Luke was much too busy exploring the hospital room. Then, my dad arrived ("Ah-Pah" to Luke), and then, we knew we wouldn't get Luke to look at the baby. Luke was much more interested in going on a walk up the hall with Ah-Pah.

Luke, however, will now have to get used to not being the "baby of the family" on the Koehn side now.

23 Months....

Today, Luke is 23 months old...That means he is only one month away from being two years old (Sniff Sniff)....

Here's his usual pic on the chair....



And, just for fun -- here's his pic from one year ago today -- at 11 months old.



This morning, Luke and I met my brother and our two nieces (or Luke's cousins) at the local sprinkler park.

I really didn't take too many photos, but I will say that Luke was more interested in "lounging" and drinking water (not a bad thing there) than he was playing in the water.



Lately, Luke's really enjoyed playing the piano. He's enjoyed the piano for quite some time, but I think that now, it's the enjoyment of climbing on the piano bench by himself that really intrigues him.

This photo is actually part of Marc's Father's Day gift -- which I'll make a separate post on another day.



And, here Luke is the other night at my parents'. His cousin, Natalie, was originally playing piano with him, but of course, she hopped down by the time I got over there with the camera.

The Zoo....

This post is slightly late, but better late than never, right?

Way back on June 1, our Tuesday morning Bible Study group (from the past two years) went to the Sedgwick County Zoo....Total, we had 5 Mamas, 7 Toddlers, one baby, and a 5 year-old....Sounds like a real interesting group, doesn't it?

And, before I forget, Amanda already posted HERE about the trip, and Debby already posted HERE about the trip....

Anyways, it was a rather warm and humid day to be out....We were glad when a few clouds popped in the sky to cool us off....

First, the elephants....Here's a pic of Luke watching the elephants.



Then, we saw the hippos...I already posted this photo a couple of weeks ago (with regards to food), but I still like it. Amanda is the one who squirted water at them to get them to open their mouths :)



We kept trudging (if that's a word) along in the heat....

But first, STOP -- group photo....

As you can see, it was interesting getting this group to ALL pose for a photo. And, there are 3 Mamas to help with "kid control" in this photo as well (and, I'm one of the Mamas to make sure Luke stayed put)...



Finally, we stopped at the tiger exhibit which had -- air-conditioning! Yes, I remember we stayed here for a bit to cool off....





Whenever we were moving from one exhibit to the other, Luke did a GREAT job at staying put in the stroller -- here's a "dark" pic inside the herpetarium.



But, I will also say that Luke did an EXCELLENT job whenever I let him out of the stroller...like when he was looking at the turtles in the water.



Or, even when playing near a rock....



But, I also remember that Luke is indeed almost 22 months old. He doesn't quite understand the word "still." So, if you've looked at both Debby's and Amanda's blogs, you'll notice a very cute photo of the kiddos with the penguin picture. One kiddo is NOT in the photo. Yep, that kiddo would be Luke.

He was much more interested in this....



After a couple of hours, the kiddos were done, and I'm pretty sure that adults and kids alike were rather warm and needed a break.

So, we all trekked over to McDonald's (with a playland) for lunch....

On the way to McDonald's, Luke did this in the carseat....Poor guy -- he was pooped out.



But, I didn't complain...That little 10-minute powernap of Luke's recharged him just enough for lunch at McDonald's AND the trip home. Therefore, when we did get home, he took a good nap for me :) This Mama is EXTREMELY protective of Luke's naps. After all, I love my quiet time with God in the afternoon, and Marc and I both really enjoy a Happy Luke in the evening.

The zoo trip was a lot of fun! The kids really all did wonderful, and I'll look forward to another time!

Randomness....

I haven't blogged in a week again...It's just been busy, and sometimes, being outside with Luke is much more important than blogging.

But, here's some random things....

On Saturday, June 5 (about 1 1/2 weeks ago), Marc and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. We had a stellar sitter lined up for Luke (Thanks, Hope), and we went out. We started out eating at Jose Pepper's...we then, went bowling where, and write this one down, I actually beat Marc.

Yep, I even snapped a photo of the score...



Then, we did our usual and hung out at Barnes and Noble....

So, while we didn't do anything special, our anniversary is always very special. And, I'm very happy to be married to Marc....I truly don't think I could've found anybody better for me. And, Marc has said that he doesn't think he could've found anybody better for him (yes, he's sweet like that). We also know that God ultimately is the one who fixed us up, and we're thankful for that.

But, earlier that day, before going out, we spent some time outside. It was a very HOT day. Luke and I climbed in his little pool in our backyard. But, despite it being hot, the water hadn't quite warmed up yet. So, Luke did not want to be in the pool.

So instead, he mowed....one of his all-time favorite activities right now.



I love this photo above because, and not to offend anybody, Luke looks like an old man -- mowing with his shirt off and his belly sticking out :)

After mowing, he spent some time in his "new" sandbox.



Finally, Luke was starting to look hot; therefore, I made him spend some time on the shady deck with a shirt on.



Then, this past Saturday, we were at my brother and sister-in-law's house to celebrate our niece's third birthday -- this would be the niece named Natalie.

Shame on me! I didn't take a single photo. But, Natalie and her sister, Grace, received a new sandbox from my parents. So, while the girls were playing in the new sandbox, Luke did his own thing -- of course, mowed.



That's all for now....I hope all of you followers are enjoying your summer as much as we are here in this household!

A Very Important Fundraiser....

Whoa -- I once again have been slacking on my blog posting. I thought summer was supposed to be relaxing. While it's been wonderful to not be on our regular routine, I will admit we have been slightly busier than I'd like for the summer; therefore, blogging has been somewhat ignored.

Two posts ago, I had posted our weekly meal plan. I mentioned I had a pasta dish I had invented. Several of you have requested the recipe. Nope -- I have NOT forgotten. I just haven't gotten around to it. I promise that one of these days, I'll get around to sending it out.

But, in the meantime, last night (Tuesday, June 8), our family went to a very important fundraiser....

To get ready for it, Luke had to have a bath (he was starting to smell not so nice)....



Then, I told him to take a really good nap. And, Luke obeyed that simple command -- at least for this day :) In fact, I even had to wake him up from this wonderful nap. I really do NOT like to do that, but sometimes, it's part of life.



After that, Luke and I headed to the west side of Wichita and met Marc at one of our favorite restaurants -- On the Border.

Why did we go there -- besides for the yummy food?

Meet Marc's friend, Tony (along with Luke -- who was having an almost two year-old meltdown for no apparent reason, despite the good nap)....



Tony is a former Marine who has served the great USA in Afghanistan....Now, he's an accomplished ultra-runner -- which would be how Marc knows him.

Tony is currently working to raise $25,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project.

The Wounded Warrior Project's purpose is this....

**To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women,

**To help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and

**To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.

In return for donations to this project, Tony will be running across the state of Kansas (from north to south). His goal is to run straight across in 60 hours or less. He will be starting this run on Thursday evening, September 9, 2010.

To follow Tony's journey of running and fundraising, click HERE. (I've also added his blog to the side of this blog).

Here's the coolest thing about this -- Tony, on his run across this state, will be taking Highway 15 WHICH, for those of you local peeps, goes straight through our town of Newton, KS!

And, though I don't like to give too much information about where our house is located, that means he will be running a whopping ONE block from our house. Now, I have NO idea what time he will be running through our town, but it is possible to see Tony run during the course of that weekend.

Now, back to On the Border last night....

On the Border agreed to donate 10% of gross sales to Tony's project....

So, we decided to go and eat yummy food for a great cause....

Our most favorite appetizer at On the Border is the Guacamole Live -- you know, where they make the guacamole fresh right in front of you. If you can tell at the front of this photo (Luke's blond hair), Luke was very intrigued by the whole thing.

Admittedly, I was a little nervous when our server told us that this was only the 4th time she's made this and the FIRST time by herself (she was fairly new), but she did a WONDERFUL job....It was as good as always :)



After the appetizer and then, supper, we presented Tony's letter so that the management knew that 10% of our meal was to be donated to Tony's cause....(Tony was at the front door, handing this letter out to folks as they entered)....



We exited the restaurant so that somebody else could have our table (they were getting busy at this point)....

Soon, the American Legion Riders showed up. It was kind of a stormy night; therefore, there weren't too many riders. But, I will admit that it was cool to see them show up with their very large American flags on their motorcycles.

Sorry this photo isn't the greatest. It was starting to rain. Luke was getting somewhat whiny, and I was really working to keep him out of the parking lot.

But, you get the point....



If you look at Tony's blog, you'll notice another fundraising event coming up very soon....

Tony's doing a 9-hour training run at a local high school. He's asking interested people to also come and run or walk around the track. Here's the caveat -- he's asking for a $1 donation for each lap you do.

Marc will be there -- who knows how many laps he will do....Luke and I will most likely be there (we'll see what the weather does). I wouldn't mind doing my daily 4-mile walk for a great cause -- with Luke in the stroller, of course.

A Visit to a Cemetery....

I know the title of this post doesn't exactly sound exciting, but it is what Luke and I did this past Thursday evening -- right before Memorial Day weekend.

This particular cemetery is east of the little town of Moundridge, KS. It's not too far from where we live. Three of my grandparents are buried there -- as well as quite a few other distant relatives. My only living grandparent will be buried there someday, next to my grandfather.

My parents were heading out to Colorado for this week; therefore, they were visiting the cemetery early. So, Luke and I did with them.

However, Luke and I got there before they did....

Luke carried around an American flag at the cemetery....I think that's great. Luke now recognizes our country's flag anywhere. Marc and I definitely want him to understand the importance of our flag and to appreciate our great country! We do NOT want Luke to take the flag for granted.



I certainly don't want to come across as being tacky, but I had a beach ball in our vehicle. Since we ended up waiting on my parents a little longer than planned, the beach ball definitely kept Luke entertained....



But, snacks also entertain a 22 month-old while waiting on his grandparents....





And, so does "picking" at a tree (and no, Luke did NOT ruin this tree)....And yes, that is Luke's blanket on the ground. He thought he just had to have it with him -- even at the cemetery.



Finally, my parents arrived with a bunch of flowers to put around some graves.

These flowers behind this tombstone were actually planted by my mom in 2001 -- the year my grandmother passed away....They look this PRETTY each and every spring.



Since the main purpose of this past weekend was to honor those who gave their lives for our country, I am always proud and thankful for my grandfather who served in World War II (even though he didn't lose his life in the war).

I'm glad the American Legion places these around those who served.



Also, American flags are generally placed next to the tombstones of those who served. However, because we were there before Memorial Day weekend, they weren't out there just yet.

**SOOOOO, definitely, my overall message in this post is to personally thank those who have served in the armed forces for our country. Honestly, I grew up not fully appreciating that. But, I do now, and boy, am I ever thankful!

And, just for fun...Here's one last photo!

Luke and my dad (whom Luke calls "Ah-Bah") have pretty much become best buddies. Luke LOVES to be around my dad.

So, needless to say, he was closely following my dad around the cemetery. It was really quite cute.

It amazes me how obedient Luke is with my dad. My dad was heading over to some water to "give the flowers a drink" before they were placed next to tombstones.

My dad didn't want Luke in the water. So, he told Luke to "Stand back and wait" while he watered the flowers.

Luke obeyed and did just that :) It was cute to watch!

Brief Glimpse of Our Weekend and Weekly Meal Plan....

Memorial Day Weekend for us was spent at home....But, nonetheless, we stayed VERY BUSY -- especially now that we look back at it.

Even though we were busy, Marc and I did still talk about how much we enjoyed our time as a family....

A new sprinkler park opened here in the great metropolis of Newton, KS....Luke and I went and checked it out. It was nice and hot outside. Luke really enjoyed himself.





And, this photo was taken right as we were leaving the sprinkler park....I just thought it was cute :) But, I know I'm probably a bit biased.



This past Sunday evening, we had supper at our friends' house -- this would be Seth and Sarah's house....Their son, Collin (who is 5 1/2 years old) has a really run car that he likes to drive around.

Collin was gracious enough to drive Luke around for a bit -- at a slower speed than he wanted. Marc and I weren't sure how Luke would react (in fact, we thought he'd probably cry and/or scream). Boy, we were W.R.O.N.G...Luke LOVED it! Can you see the smile?

Thanks Collin for driving at a "slower speed" and giving Luke a ride!



*****

This morning, our Tuesday morning Bible Study group from this past school year took all of our kids to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita.

I'll post more on this adventure later; however, I will post this photo of a hippo we saw this morning....



I thought the photo was appropriate for the meal plan -- the hippo seems to want food :)

Monday, May 31, 2010
Lunch: Applebee's with Joel and Amber (and their two girls) -- My brother and sister-in-law

Supper: Rummage

Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Fish Sticks
Mac and Cheese
Vegetable

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Homemade Pizza

Thursday, June 3, 2010
Lemon Chicken Piccata (from Macaroni Grill)
Salad

Friday, June 4, 2010
Egg Casserole
Cinnamon Rolls

Saturday, June 5, 2010 (Our 6th Wedding Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Lunch: Rummage
Supper: Jose Pepper's

Sunday, June 6, 2010
Lunch: ???? Possibly a breakfast pancake fundraiser at church
(Marc has somewhere to be after church; we may not have time for the fundraiser; Marc will then eat "on the road." Sarah and Luke will rummage for lunch).

Supper: Sarah's Spectacular Pasta
**I have posted this recipe at some point on my blog; however, I couldn't tell you when. If you want the recipe, leave me a comment with an e-mail address. I'll send you the recipe).