The Kelly Kronicles: January 2008

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Rumble at church

Marcus ready to go!

Carson doing some last minute cleaning

Cole eating Daddy's breakfast

Levi and the boys

Daddy helping Cole get ready

We had kind of a funny mishap this morning at church. When we got out of the service we went to get the twins out of the nursery. As soon as we stepped in the door one of the ladies told us that she was so sorry but one of the children in there kind of attacked Cole's glasses today...unfortunately they were still on his face! She said he acted like it was no big deal and was not upset or anything, but she was worried they might be stretched or crooked now. We just laughed and said no big deal, he's used to that sort of thing with two brothers at home...it's not the first time one of our kids has been knocked around, and I'm certain it won't be the last. Cole can pretty much hold his own anyway! Not much gets that kid down. As far as the glasses go, these days his brothers are more of "helpers" to him than attackers. Often if they are rough housing, and the glasses come off his face for some reason, we will see either Marcus or Carson trying to help him put them back on. It's very sweet actually. We pray that they would continue to have a deep love for one another as they grow to become men. As for the little guy in the nursery, he probably just hadn't seen another little guy with glasses before...

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Staying Warm

I've decided either I'm getting old or I live a very boring life...it seems all I can talk about is the weather! Please forgive me... It absolutely blows my mind though how it can be -9 degrees right now at 10:15 in the morning when the sun is shining brightly. This morning when we woke up it was -16 degrees. So far, for the Kelly family stay here in SD this is a record low for daytime temps. It definitely gets colder than that here at nighttime, but you certainly don't expect it in the daylight hours. I'm sure I sound like a repetitive weenie when it comes to the weather here, but for some reason I just can't get over it! Marcus is always the first to get up in the mornings now as the twins actually are sleeping in longer than they used to. He gets up, plays in his room until it's 7 a.m., then comes out and goes to the bathroom and gets dressed for the day by himself. This morning when I came downstairs he was playing with his cars as usual on the living room floor...but this time he was sitting on the heater vent! Ha! I laughed and said, "Are you a little cold buddy?" He said yes, and showed me the ice on the inside of our windows in the family room. Oh, how I feel for the people who live north of here! I can't imagine.

This week has been kind of different as Levi's schedule is different than it usually is. The school is doing interviews for next years class, so they've rearranged class times for the week. Today he's taking a big pharmacology test, so we are praying it goes well. The only good thing about that being today is that he has tomorrow off! Not sure if we'll do anything too exciting but a 3 day weekend is always welcomed! It's supposed to warm up here this weekend to 20's possibly even 30, so I thought about taking the boys tubing at the little ski resort /tubing place they have here, however they are having a big media thing there this weekend so it's probably not the best time to go. I'm looking forward to trying that sometime though because I think all the boys (and this girl) would love it!

It's been a crazy but fun morning here. Cole is a little dancing maniac, it's so funny to watch! While I type the twins are in the kitchen rearranging my canned goods. Marcus is listening to music in his room.

One last thing before I go! Please keep my father in law Jim in your prayers. He is going through a hard time right now as he has lost 100% of his hearing in his left ear. The right ear is borderline/normal. They are waiting to hear if steroid shots directly into the ear will help at all. This all started as a virus when they were here the first week in January. It has caused dizziness and nausea, which has gotten a little better, but has continued. Please join us in keeping Jim and Terri in your prayers during this time.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Playtime and Snow plows

Having races down the stairs

Backwards races

Marcus watching the snow plow in our driveway

Daddy helping Carson get all the animals out

Marcus doing some time...

Cole enjoying his day

Cole playing with the lights

Carson playing with the lights...also.

Cole before bed

Sharing

Marcus hanging out

Sharing again

I was just thinking this morning while I sat in the rocking chair rocking all three of my boys at the same time, that it won't be much longer before they are too big to do that. The twins are getting some back teeth in now so they are not feeling well and are much more clingy and wanting to be held. I CERTAINLY don't mind, in fact I love it, I just wish they felt better. I posted some pictures of the boys playing last week. Carson and Cole are loving their zoo animals and starting to try and make sounds like the animals do. So far they think ALL animals say "ROAR"...so there is a lot of "roaring" going on around here. Marcus has been busy playing with his doctor's set he got for Christmas. He loves it when I will be his patient. He loves to give me shots and check my ears. It's really funny how he uses a lot of the same phrases as he hears at his doctor's appointments. For example when he listens to my heart with the stethoscope he always says, "that's nice and loud". He has this little kids spiderman laptop too, which he uses at the end of my appt to make the next appt. I just love the imagination he has!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Playing with Hats...and Brrrr it's cold!

I was able to get some cute shots of the boys this morning when they were playing with some hats from the closet they had gotten into. It's only 10:30 and it's been a very "active" day around here to say the least! As I was getting the boys dressed this morning I decided to weigh them. Carson just looked so little and frail to me so I wanted to make sure he wasn't losing weight. He had lost a little bit, and weighed 21 lbs. He has not been sick or anything, and in fact most of the time eats pretty well. Cole weighed 26 lbs, and has really had a growth spurt here lately, most all of his pants are too short for him. It seems like Carson is usually about 2 months behind Cole developmentally in some ways, so hopefully Carson will hit a growth spurt too and start to gain some weight. They have an 18 month appt in about 3 weeks so we'll see what the doctor thinks then. He commented on Carson's small size at the last appt, so who knows...

On another note...it's stinkin' COLD here! This week we're in some low single digits in the day and negative single digits at night. It's starting to remind me of last year about this time when Levi and I came up here for his interview. It was a -14 degree's that day!

We are so thankful for a warm home, a garage for both vehicles, and all that God provides. I can't imagine being homeless, especially in a place like this...however, unfortunately we still see it, even here in these crazy temps. I saw on the news one night that there are more than enough shelters here that are available to those in need. One thing I've noticed about Sioux Falls is that it is a very giving and caring town. Even though it's cold here, it's a neat community to be a part of.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Playtime and Make Believe...

Marcus James Kelly

Making a surprise cake

Sweet Carson

Happy Cole

Daddy and Marcus playing the cd player

Marcus excited to show me his elevator

View from inside the elevator

Tonight, as with most nights, Marcus asked Levi to come up to sit in his room while he plays for a while. I decided I'd take the camera in there and see just exactly what goes on. Marcus has quite an imagination, so he comes up with all sorts of scenarios and things to play or pretend. At first he was delighted that I was there and wanted to show me his elevator (which I already knew about, but I might as well get the tour again). He found these stickers I had and started sticking them on things around the house, sometimes his brothers foreheads, or sometimes just various things he finds to stick them on. Back to the elevator...He has made his closet into an elevator (which you can see pictured above) that has an up and a down button on the outside. When you step in the elevator there are 4 buttons on the inside. Everytime you open his closet door now to get some clothes out for him, he yells, "Did you push the button?" He also wants you to make a beep noise and open the door "swolly" (or slowly). :)

I took another picture of him playing with his cd player and then another while he was "cooking" for Daddy. Daddy was laying on his bed, and Marcus came over to him and asked if he wanted a surprise cake! I snapped a picture, and was promptly asked by Marcus if I could leave the room, shut the door, and go downstairs...I see where I fit into the mix!! Ha ha! It was fun to see his imagination at work, and especially fun to see him enjoying time with his Daddy so much!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Good Times

Ok, so I still haven't gone through all the toys yet to sort of "cleanup" the playroom...Ok, I haven't even started...but it's still on my to-do list this week. It's been a pretty good week so far, as it's been Levi's first week back for the 2nd semester. I've managed to get some much needed things done, and have had some much prayed for patience for the boys this week. I don't know exactly what it is, hopefully a phase, but I'm fearful it's not... the boys (mainly the twins) are in really rare form since the holidays. It seems like they are much more of a handful to take care of, and are into things way more than before. Also the noise level has gone up considerably, lots of screams, whining, and some crying. So far there are no complaints from the neighbors so that is a good thing, but seriously, it is a whole lot more work than a month or two ago. We think there are a few things that could be contributing to it, one being that they are frustrated because they cannot communicate with us as easily as they would like (Carson's expressive faces are a big hint as to this, however Cole still doesn't seem to care that he can't talk). Two, maybe they are teething...Three, THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE BOYS. Levi and I decided that when we tell Marcus to get out of something, or stop doing this or that...we might as well say it three times because the twins are right there to test it too, to see if they get the same reaction. I love them dearly. As I sit here and type this now I hear them awake from their naps...funny thing, we thought in August we would donate a crib to someone, and pass one on to my brother and sister in law for their new baby. I hope and pray that the beds are still in one piece by then, they are sure getting a beating with the boys kicking the ends and jumping constantly in their cribs. Carson can really catch some air when he jumps! We warn visitors when they come that they will be awakened early in the morning by the screaming banshee's jumping in their beds. Believe me it's a rude awakening when you are not used to it.

Ok, I sound like I'm venting so I'll stop. Just giving a little run down of a day in the life.

Happy 37th Anniversary to Mom and Dad (yesterday), what an amazing example you are to us! We love you both and wish you MANY more happy years.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Last Saturday of complete leisure for a while

This week we've enjoyed having time at home in SD before Levi heads back to class on Monday. It's been such a nice break, a true two weeks of rest for Levi where he didn't need to think about studying or clinicals. Grandma and Grandpa Kelly came here on Monday to spend time with us and catch the bowl games. It was a great week and we loved having them here! Unfortunately Jim got sick in the middle of the week, so he probably didn't have quite as much fun as the rest of us, but he seemed to be feeling a little better this morning. I guess we were a little "pictured out"...we didn't take any pictures all week, so I have nothing to post. (I guess my last post of pictures probably makes up for the lack of them in this post) One night we all went out for mexican food at our favorite restaurant here, and another night Levi and I went out on a date. It is nice to be able to sit and have conversation without having to multitask by feeding little ones, or taking care of messes, or talk above their squeals and chatter...don't get me wrong, I LOVE all of those things about our kids and wouldn't trade those responsibilities for anything in the world. I just thoroughly enjoy sitting and visiting with my husband and spending time together.

After Jim and Terri left this morning we took down our Christmas tree and decorations, while the boys "helped". Actually we did it pretty quick and got our family room rearranged as well. I'm feeling a little overrun by toys around here, so this week I'm going to try and get some older toys, that they don't play with as much, packed up and in storage. I can't believe that next month will be the half way point of our life here in South Dakota. The first week in August we'll be moving again. Not sure if I mentioned this in previous posts, but right after Thanksgiving we were able to secure a duplex in Kirksville starting next August. It came online and looked pretty spacious, we had Levi's mom go view it, and we signed the lease that week. God has been so good to us, in keeping our minds at ease through this whole journey. I love the various ways that He always reminds us that He is in control.

Ok, all for now! One more thing...HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA TERRI!!! WE LOVE YOU! (I'm sure you could feel the love as those three little faces were plastered against the front window this morning as you drove away)