Where did the Summer Go?

I would have thought that with the beginning of school I would have a lot to post. I've been a bit surprised how "dull" our life has been this week. Don't get me wrong. We have been up at 6:45 and have not stopped until 8:30. However, our routine schedule of school, nap, dance, gymnsatics, church (etc) is rather uneventful. I'm realizing that we're not one week into school and I already miss summer. All the opportunities for pictures and fun stories seem to stop once the hum drum of daily life takes over.
Life lesson learned...don't take any day for granted. Cherish each and every one. You never know how boring the next might be :)

Credit Due to Lille

I forgot to give my friend, Lillie Stollings, credit for that great poem. I found it on her blog. I meant to do a whole intro about her and the poem, but I guess I was too tired. That's what I get for blogging so late at night!

Monkey Munch = YUM!

For those of you who watch Jon and Kate plus 8 on TLC, you will be familiar with this recipe. Kate makes it all the time for her kids. I found the recipe and thought I would give it a try. Let's just say it will be a staple around the Krull house from now on.

Monkey Munch

9 c. rice or corn Chex

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

In a saucepan over low heat, melt chips and butter. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in Chex until well coated. Pour into a big ziplock bag, add powdered sugar and shake until coated. Spread onto wax paper and let cool.

The Way I Choose To Live My Life

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth

empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

hang out the washing and butter the bread,

sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue

(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew

and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?

(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

One More...

Christmas card, maybe?

Happy 40th Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!!

I can only hope that Erik and I will happily celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary with the same enthusiam that his parents recently did. I have never seen them so happy. Erik's family lives in Maryville, TN, just right outside the the Smoky Mountains. In fact, until recently you could see the mountains from his parent's back deck. However, the super nice back yard neighbor has planted a row of tress that have basically blocked all that view. But, I digress.....

His sister Cheri, from South Carolina, and her family and his sister Holly, from the DC area, and her daughter all made the trip to help celebrate their anniversary. On top of that, Judy (grandma) and Merl (grandpa) have both retired as of this year so that was a big milestone to celebrate as well. We all rented a phenomenal cabin in the mountains and then had a nice reception for them at their church on Sunday.

The cabin was amazing. We had such a great time. I only wish we could have spent a few more days there. The kids enjoyed the hot tub, or "hot pool" as my children call it, the most. Take a look at Lucy with her floaties in the hot tub. How funny!

Happy Anniversary and Retirement Merl and Judy!

From left to right: Cheri, Erik, Judy, Merl and Holly

First Day of Preschool (sort of)

Ella's first day of preschool was today. Actually, this is her third year of preschool. Having a September birthday, she could have gone on to Kindergarten with no problem. However, as the youngest in my class growing up Erik and I made the decision to keep her back one more year. I'd rather her be the oldest than the youngest. She was thrilled to go back to school. Her friends Gracen and John Owen are in her class and she is thrilled! Isn't she just a doll?

This one is for Aunt Jill

My Aunt Jill, who lives in Oklahoma, asked for a picture of me, but I don't have one of those. How about a pic of me and Erik? We spent the past 5 days in the Smoky Mountains (more on that to come tonight) and this was a pic his Dad took. I am pretty proud of it!

Children's Museum of Memphis

We recently made a trip to the Children's Museum of Memphis. My friend, Amanda, and I were trying to get a head start on birthday party planning. With her going back to work this week, we knew that we would be rushed come party day. So....we had this bright idea to take her two kids and my two kids with us shopping. As the kids reward we would go to CMOM. Yeah right! We made it to the museum and that was about it. By the time we spent 3 hours there, we were lucky to work in lunch and a quick trip to Wild Oats Market (had to get Lucy her special milk). The kids had a blast, and as you can tell from the pictures Lucy did not want to leave!

All About Lucy!

For those of you who have more than one child, it is a weird thing. From the time you become pregnant with your second (or third or forth I would assume) you wonder. You wonder how they will be different, how you will love more than one, how this next child will fit in with the family. It's a bit of a scary venture.

Even for myself, having my second child was a real adventure. For the longest I tried to compare Lucy with Ella, my oldest child. She was 100% different than Ella. She did not walk at the same time, talk at the same time, and their personalities are as different as night and day.

Erik and I have decided that Ella looks like his mini-me (really, she does) but is me wrapped up into one high-strung, talkative, loud and impatient bundle like me. Lucy looks like my younger sister, Rebecca, but is Erik all over again. She has the most care free personality in the world.

I just love that little girl~! (and by the way I love my Ella despite the fact that she is a little Kate. He He!)

Here are some pictures of Lucy recently.

It's My Birthday!

I turned 31 today. Birthdays are just not what they used to be. There was no eager anticipation, no studying the calendar...Just another birthday. But what I expected to be just another birthday turned into a fun filled weekend. I had a blast. I celebrated with friends, family and Erik. It was the just the weekend I wanted.

The funniest part....I never opened one present. My girls did and I took so much pleasure in watching them. Oh, how time changes us all. It's now the little things in life that mean so much. No present could take the place of watching Ella and Lucy's excitement as they anticipated my happiness in my gifts. If only they could understand that they are my gifts. My two precious gifts from God.