Happy Birthday, Barry!

Here he is...the most important man in my life. And he is turning 34 today!

Happy Birthday Barry! I don't know what we would do without you!

So You Want To Meet Sarah and Torben, eh?

Here they are...our Canadian friends, Sarah and Torben (pronounced Taubin, for those of you who don't know!).

These are the two that we miss A LOT since they left the States 2 or so years ago.

These are the two that we just had to go visit to see just what was so great about Canada. (And let me say for the record that Canada is really nice, but the only thing they have that we really can't do without is these two friendly Canadian chiropractors pictured right here. )

Did we have a lot of fun? YES, without a doubt!

Did we get a lot of R&R? NO, absolutely not!

But that is totally cool. We talked so much that I was still hoarse until Wednesday. We shopped. We hiked. We ate. We drank. We "kind of" watched hockey. We made fun of each other. And probably most importantly....we LAUGHED, GIGGLED, and were generally just silly. Silly like I haven't been in such a long time.... And by the way, what's with the "Canadian" Geese? I didn't see even one in Canada, but I see flocks of them around here!! They never leave!

And so, Sarah and Torben...although we can see why you left us (dramatic sigh here) , we now see why you love it in Canmore. You have a truly beautiful place to call home, a promising practice, and a relationship most people will never experience.

What more can you ask for, EH?

Canada, Here We Come!

So, tomorrow is the big day! Sheri and I are off to visit our friend Sarah in Calgary. We have been planning this trip for quite a while now, and tomorrow is the day! I am putting the kids to bed tonight and then heading in to Sheri's to spend the night. That will save me lots of time in the morning! Then off to the airport and a day of traveling...

Sarah is VERY excited that we are coming. She has had our itinerary planned for at least 2 months...to the very last detail! Yes, you could say that she's a planner... or maybe just a little anal? No, no, no...Sarah is very much together, there is just a lot she wants us to see and do in that country up north. My only stipulation has been that no one is to wake me in the morning until my body decides it wants to wake up. That being said, I may still be the first one up every morning! I'm not used to sleeping that late :-)

Barry and the kids will have lots of fun, even without me. His Dad and Luanne are coming Thursday night and staying over to watch the kids on Friday while Barry is at work, and Kendall is counting the minutes until they get here. Gary & Luanne, you'd better rest up! I think she has lots of plans for you! I don't know what Barry has planned for the weekend, but I know it will be fun, and if they can, they'll be outside as much as possible.

Well, folks, this will be my last post until I return, so stay tuned for the big lowdown after I get back. Hopefully I'll have some good pictures and stories to share.... CIAO!

Check Out Those Chompers!

Would you look at that?

THAT, folks, is what can happen in just one short weekend around here.

Noah's top two teeth just popped through and dropped down right before our very eyes. I can't believe how much older it makes him look! He took every opportunity this weekend to show everyone his new chompers, even taking the chance to bite on a few fingers. Fortunately for all of us, these new teeth didn't seem to cause him any problem. Other than the continuous drool, we didn't even have a clue that they were popping through!

That aside, isn't he just the happiest, cutest little guy? Don't ya just want to grab him and give him a big smooch?

Thank You Easter Bunny!

Well, yet another candy-filled holiday has passed! This Easter was fun, but hectic as all get-out! Aunt Jessie called Friday night and said she thought she might go ahead and take off, and asked if we would like her to take the kids with us. WHAT??!!?? WOULD WE??? SURE! Of course, that meant running around like a madwoman trying to get the kids packed up and in to Jessie's before they fell asleep. But we managed, and off they went. This would be Noah's first overnight away from us...and guess what? He did fine...didn't even miss us. NOT A BIT. I'm sure the spoiling was going in full swing at grandma's house!

I had forgotten that I had to work on Saturday, so that pushed us back to leaving at 3:30 on Saturday. That being said, we didn't make it around to as many people as we would have liked, so if we didn't get to your house, you now know why! In fact, between us getting home later than planned and Noah's nap schedule, we only made it two places! At least both families had egg hunts for the kids. Noah thoroughly enjoyed his first foray into that green stuff known as grass. He loved it! He couldn't stop picking at all of the little blades...and we were thankful that he didn't try to eat it - he eats everything else!

Kendall had a ball with her cousins! She never wants to leave, and it gets harder every year to tell her we have to leave one house to go to another. This year she told me it wasn't fair, and that she NEVER gets to play with her cousins, so we should let her stay as long as she wants. I agree to some extent, it just isn't that simple sometimes.

So let me end this post with saying that the candy content is OUT OF CONTROL in this house. Kendall is asking for candy constantly, as we are trying to wean her down from the weekend. She'll be lucky if half of it doesn't get thrown away....or eaten by Daddy!

OK, OK, I might have a piece or two...

What We're Seeing A Lot More Of...

Yes, that's right. We are seeing more sleeping in the Kuck household. I have been keeping my mouth shut about it (ok, not TOTALLY shut - I'm excited!), because I didn't want to jinx it, but Noah has been sleeping through the night for almost 2 weeks now. We've only had one night that was less than 10 hours, and most nights it's more like 12 hours! We're thrilled! In fact, "thrilled" doesn't even cover it. "Relieved" is probably a little more accurate. I'm not even sure there is a word that can totally encompass the things Barry and I are feeling right now. All I know is this... I may be back on the road to mental clarity! Sleep is my new BEST FRIEND!

THE WEEKEND
We had a productive weekend! Hope you all did as well! The weather was great, and we spent as much time as possible outside. We were able to get our flower beds cleaned up, some things transplanted, and I managed to get the house cleaned as well! I was feeling GREAT by the end of the weekend. Mom and Joe and my Grandma & Grandpa Kogge stopped by on Saturday to "drop off my birthday card", which is code for "come and see the kids". Kendall was wired for sound, let me tell ya! Anyone that comes to our house better be ready to play! We ordered chicken from Der Dutchman for dinner....YUM YUM! I had to stop myself at 2 pieces, and it was hard!

MORE BITHDAY STUFF
For Barry's and my birthdays, our friends Chad and Beth sent us a box of totally AWESOME brownies from a company called Fairytale Brownies....I highly suggest you try them or send them to someone you love....they are DE-LISH! I am saving the chocolate peanut butter one for the perfect moment....YUMMMMMMM! Thanks, Beth and Chad, for opening my eyes to yet another food that I don't need to be addicted to!

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Can you believe it? It's already my birthday... AGAIN! WHOOO HOOOOO! It doesn't seem possible that I can really be 35 years old. I can remember when my parents were 35, and that really seemed old then. Doesn't seem so old now, though!

In all honesty, though, birthdays don't really bother me. Not even 30 did! Celebrating yet another birthday just means I get to celebrate another year of opportunities, another year of vacations, another year of seeing the kids change, another year of laughing with Barry, and another year to spend with my family and friends. Who in their right mind would ever lament their birthday? Another birthday means a whole list of reasons why you are still here!

Sheri and I firmly believe that your birthday should be celebrated for an entire month, heck...even the entire year! Our birthdays are something we look forward to every single year....it's another occasion to get together for dinner with friends...and a reason to do anything we want through the month of April. In fact, we often plan our next birthday before we are even finished celebrating! This year, we are going to Calgary to visit our ultra-cool friends Sarah and Torben. Of course, we justified this trip with..."Obviously, we should go in April, it's our birthday!" And so, we are going! I can't wait...even more celebrating!

So, my dear friends and family...I'll leave you with this: No more boo-hooing about getting old! Get out there and celebrate! There's still so much to do...and a birthday is the perfect means to justify it!

It's all clear to me now...

So you ever have one of those crystal-clear moments when you realize EXACTLY why you are friends with someone? Not just because you like them, of course you LIKE them, they're your friends! But you see very clearly WHY you like them???

Today I had one of those moments. My friend Heather is a neat freak. No, really...her favorite thing to do is clean. Yes, I said CLEAN! She is never more happy than when she is talking about cleaning products, and she is the only friend I know that actually gets excited if her husband buys her a new sweeper. So today, the kids and I went to Heather's house for a visit with her and her kids. Now, Heather and her husband just built a new house, and they've been in it all of one month. Not that I was suprised, mind you, but when I walked in, it was like they've lived there for years. Everything was in its place. She already had new furniture. All the pictures were hung perfectly. Not a box anywhere. Not a thing unfinished...no tools sitting out. It was BEAUTIFUL!

And I must admit, I was jealous.

Jealous with a capital "J".

Because I've been in my house for coming up on 2 years, and I still have boxes in the basement that need unpacked, pictures that need hung, tools that need put away, and just general clutter everywhere. Does it drive me crazy? Of course....I'm not a slob. I just can't ever seem to get enough time to get to it! So, what I want to know is, where does she find the time???? Are there ever going to be enough hours in the day? I'm starting to think the answer is a resounding NO. Not unless I want to make some drastic changes. Changes like:

*Not sleeping until the kids wake me up in the morning.

*Putting the kids in front of the TV all day on my days off so I can clean, clean, clean!

*Really making Barry mad by moving all his piles of papers... and truly disrupting his system of "organization".

*No more scrapbooking, cross-stitching, gardening, etc.

*Totally giving up on this blog thing....there would definitely be no time for that!

*No more trips to visit family on the weekends...holidays included!

* Oh yeah, and I'd probably have to give up my practice!

Now don't get me wrong! I'm not making fun of Heather, and of course, I'm being sarcastic. BUT, I am being totally honest when I say I don't know how she manages to get it all done and still be one of the best moms that I know. She is involved with everything her kids do, she has a great relationship with her husband, a clean and organized home, and still manages to come and see us in London every other month. She has a style all her own, and I'm proud to call her my friend. I guess maybe it's true when they say that we pick friends that have qualitites we wish we ourselves had! I'd love to have a little Heather in me! And just the same, I know she'd like to have a little Jen in her. She actually had a brilliant idea today...maybe we could work out a little co-op. She would come here once a month to clean my house, and I would go there once a month and fill her freezer with meals. Done Deal, I say! Especially if she cleans up the kitchen when I'm done!

Deal ...or No Deal?

Ok, so we're hooked on that new game show DEAL OR NO DEAL here in the Kuck house. Have you seen it? It reels you in and you are hooked! And Howie Mandel is a genius at drawing every decision out until the last possible second. (Although I can see that this particular trait will inevitably get on my nerves at some point in time....) Anyway, we've been watching it when we can catch it. Kendall is really hooked as well. I didn't actually think she would be into it, or even really understand it, BUT SHE DOES. Of particular fun to her is yelling, "NO DEAL!" and "Don't do it!" It's pretty funny!

So the other night we were watching DEAL OR NO DEAL. After it was over, Barry took Kendall up to bed to read her the nighttime story and do her whole routine. He comes downstairs 15 minutes later shaking his head and laughing....and I know that a good Kendall story is about to ensue. Here is what happened:

After the brushing of the teeth and emptying of the bladder, Barry read her a book. If you know Kendall well, you know that she is ALWAYS hungry. She needs a snack every 45 minutes, or she just may fall over and die from starvation. Oh, yeah. It's THAT serious. So anyway, he gives her a kiss and tells her goodnight, etc. and as he turns to walk out the door she says:

"Hey Dad... how about if I lay here and try to sleep and you come back in 10 minutes to check on me. If I'm still awake, you can bring me a little snack. If I'm asleep, you don't have to. DEAL... OR NO DEAL?????"

Barry, always on top of things, quickly responds..." NO DEAL!" and walks out of the room laughing.

AHHHH, the fun NEVER ends!

Happy Birthday Sheri!

Today is a VERY important day.

It is Sheri's birthday.

Ok, it is after midnight, so actually, her birthday was yesterday, but let's just skip the technicality and work with me here, OK???

For those of you who do not know Sheri, she is my partner in crime...my best friend... and the only person besides Barry who truly understands me! In fact, sometimes I think she understands me a tiny bit better, simply because we are GIRLS, after all...and because maybe even more importantly, we are both Aries! We are like peas and carrots, as Forrest Gump would say!

Every year we celebrate our birthdays together since they are only 5 days apart. And every year, that involves some kind of dinner, since we LOVE food. This year we made it to RJ Snappers in the Short North. A small group, but it was still fun. My first glass of wine since I weaned the baby...YUM! Then we moved on to Cup O'Joe for some coffee and conversation...and some interesting entertainment from the belly dancers on the sidewalk. I'm still not sure if that really happened, or if I had too much wine....

Ah, I digress. This post is about Sheri, and the fact that there is no one else I would rather celebrate my birthday with every year. She is kind, generous, gregarious, energetic, beautiful, creative, fun, childlike, conscientious, and down to earth. It is a mystery to everyone who meets her why she is still single and why we haven't "set her up" with anyone. Well, world, the reason is this:

We haven't met anyone good enough for her. 'Nuff said.

Anyway, this is my happy birthday post to Sheri...everyone should have a friend like her. But find your own, because I'm NOT sharing!

Love Ya, Sheri! Happy Birthday!

Little Mr. Fix-It

Just like his Daddy, Noah seems to have an affinity for tools and anything mechanical. Isn't this picture precious? It's Barry's favorite, and I can see why. Noah got this little tool bench for Christmas, and he loves it. I just happened to have my trusty camera ready when he was hammering away... and Voila! A great picture was taken! Never mind the fact that he wasn't wearing any clothes - we are in that stage where he won't hold still to get dressed or undressed...and I was feeling pretty fortunate to just get him diapered him that day!

Noah's other love is anything with WHEELS. Kendall's baby stroller, any of his cars or trucks, Kendall's ER crash cart...he immediately goes for the wheels. Index finger pointed, he starts touching them, then trying to spin them. If they won't spin, he flips the item over and starts spinning them. He will do this for half an hour....NO LIE. Who knew that wheels were so much fun? In this house, we are WELL aware that tools are fun (and necessary...right, Barry?), but I missed the boat on the wheels!

Our Little Princess

Here she is... our little princess! I took this picture a few weeks ago while Kendall was playing dress-up and when I saw it, could not believe how grown up and beautiful my baby girl has turned out to be! It's just one of those things...she's with me every single day, but I don't notice the changes in her until I see her in a picture. She is my joy, my frustration, my comedienne, my little helper, a real source of unconditional love....She is everything I have ever done right in my life, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

Some things you might not know about Miss Kendall:

1.) She still sleeps 12 hours a night....and sometimes a 2 hour nap during the day!

2.) She is closely connected with God. She is willing to let you know what God would say about anything you are doing, at any time.

3.) She can read...really well!

4.) She never makes fun of anyone.

5.) She's NOT a girly-girl (yeah, grandma!), although she likes bugs and lip gloss just the same!

6.) She cannot WAIT to start Kindergarten!

7.) She can count to well over 100.

8.) Her favorite words (that always elicit a giggle), are butt, toilet, toot, underpants, poop, and tushy. These words are used at any opportunity. They are followed by repeating the word over and over again while laughing and rolling around on the floor. Any mother's proudest moment....

Well, that's it on Miss Kendall, although that doesn't even scratch the surface. Look for more on Kendall and her adventures in the future!

Bye now!

I had to giggle

So last Saturday on my way to work, I heard this joke on the radio. Now, I am not usually into jokes all that much, and I can rarely even think of one to tell, but this one tickled my funny bone! Here it is....they call it The Punchline You Can See Coming A Mile Away!

So 3 men and their significant others are on a cruise ship. One couple is gay, the others are straight. The ship goes down and all passengers perish. As the 3 couples are standing in front of the pearly gates, the first heterosexual man walks up to St. Peter and says, "Well, what about it St. Peter? Do I get in?"

And St. Peter says, "Seriously?! You are filled with greed! You love money so much that you married a woman named Penny! I don't think so!" The man shrugs his shoulders and walks away. The next heterosexual man walks up and says, "Well, what about me?"

And St. Peter says, " Yeah, right. Have you ever heard the word gluttony? You love food so much that you married a woman named Candy! Take a walk!" The poor fool lowers his head and walks away.

After witnessing all that had occurred, the one gay man looks at his partner and says, "Well, it doesn't look good, Dick...."

TEEHEEE! TEEHEEHEEHEE! I LOVE IT!

Tired of being tired...

I am tired. Tired of being tired. My darling son, who is now 9 months old, has yet to sleep through a single night. And SO....I AM TIRED.
My brain is fuzzy about 3 days a week, I am crazy hyper 2 days a week and just feel crabby the other 2 days. But more than anything, I am tired of saying, "It's ok, I'm just tired". Although it is a valid excuse, I am tired of it...and I'll bet I'm not the only one! So thank you to Barry and the kids, my family and friends, my clients, and everyone else who patiently puts up with me and my tired self....you are all saints in my book!

It's Been A While....

So, it's been a while since I've been on to post. I don't know why, I just couldn't find the time! And of course, the pictures from Kendall's birthday are burning a hole in my pocket, so I need to get on it! My life has been crazy busy, and it seems I never have a free moment for myself. And to add to it, the dial-up at home is DRIVING ME RIGHT OVER THE EDGE! It makes me never want to be on the computer anymore. But alas, it is the only option right now, so on to bigger and better things!

Kendall's birthday party was a success! The party for the kids was at Galaxy Games and Golf...and did they have a great time! The jungle gym was the highlight of the party, althought I must say that my cupcakes got rave reviews from the kids....Kendall's friend Sophie ate 3! I guess I haven't lost my touch! Then, after the party, Kendall's cousins came to our house for a sleepover...BIG FUN! The high-pitched screaming was constant until 8:00 when I had to put a stop to it since Noah had to go to bed. The next day was busy from the start. All of the grandparents and Aunts & Uncles came for cake and ice cream. Kendall made out like a bandit...I swear, it seems like the presents are constant from Christmas through January. Her favorite birthday gift was her Doctors set from Grandma Luanne and Grandpa Gary. It is actually an emergency room crash cart, complete with shock paddles and x-rays. Let's just say we've all been doctored lately, and she definitely has a "passion for medicine"....however scary it may be!

By Sunday night, I was dead on my feet and anxious to sit and listen to the silence. I think Barry and I were in bed by 9:00. When did we become so OLD and TIRED???

Well, I must sign off...I need to start my taxes...UGH. I'll post some pictures from the big weekend for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy...

Preparations have begun!

Well, the day is finally here. Kendall turns 5 tomorrow, and I can't believe it. So preparations are underway for a weekend of celebration. She had her preschool celebration yesterday, for which we made special cookies and fun goody bags. AND, from what I understand, she even got to wear a crown and be the leader all day! What fun to be little again...

So tomorrow is the party for her friends. We are having it at Galaxy Games and Golf, which will be great for the kids since they have a 3 story play gym. Yep, 3-story play gym + 10 kids = BIG TIME FUN. Cupcakes and presents afterward, and then her three cousins come to our house for a sleepover. I have no doubt they will be WILD! Then all of the grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc. are coming for lunch, cake and ice cream on Sunday. We should all be partied out by 6:00 pm on Sunday night. I should have some good pictures to post on Monday!

But for now, I must get to picking up the house and getting ready for company. Tonight Barry and I are going to pick up the new bike we are getting Kendall for her birthday and then off to pick up the groceries for the Sunday lunch. I know, it sounds like a rockin' good Friday night! Tee Hee! But we will have fun, as always. Until then....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KENDALL! WE LOVE YOU!

AAACHOOO!

So we all have colds.
Not just one of us, but all four of us.
Yep, watery eyes, sore throats, froggy voices, and snotty noses. It's just one big party here at the Kuck house. And to top it all off, Noah is getting another tooth, so of course he is miserable. The poor boy is just coming off getting his first tooth last week, and to be honest I just think he's done with the whole thing. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING will make him happy right now. He didn't even really enjoy his bath tonight, which is ALWAYS the highlight of his evening. Let's hope that he can sleep decently tonight...or maybe I should say what I really want to say....Let's hope we ALL get some decent sleep tonight! So far the kiddos are in dreamland, and I am soon to follow. After I have a cup of tea to soothe my yucky throat....

"You can deprive the body,
but the soul needs chocolate."

I Love Chocolate.

I mean, I LOVE CHOCOLATE!

It is an unconditional love, not unlike the love I feel for Barry and the kids, and ice cream. Sad, but true nonetheless. I have become a chocolate snob, too. Hersheys just doesn't get it anymore (My current favorite is Dove dark Promises). Since that is the case, I am always on the lookout for the best chocolates, and of course the healthiest options as well. I get an email newsletter from Dr. Mercola at www.mercola.com that contains updates about healthy alternatives and warnings about things that are not acutally as healthy as advertised. Anyway, not long ago, he featured an article on this specific brand of chocolate and how healthy dark chocolate can actually be, especially if you can get it as unprocessed as possible. It is loaded with antioxidants...and that was enough to get me to try it. So, I found it at Whole Foods Market. It is called Dagoba Organic Chocolate (for $2.49 a bar), and I tried the chai flavor. Wow! I must say I was impressed! Healthy chocolate that tastes good too...what more can a girl ask for?

Maybe a lower price...but you can't have everything, can you?

SHE DID IT!!!

So, two weeks ago my daughter had a dentist appointment. Just a regular cleaning and check-up, mind you, but there is always the issue of the thumbsucking. You see, Kendall loves her thumb. The love affair began when she was only a week or so old, and has only gotten more intense over the years. She took to sucking her thumb while holding her "two-one" (her beloved yellow chenille blanket) up by her face. The "two-one" eventually became the "three-one" when it fell apart and had to be replaced. I was bound and determined not to see a "four-one", as she is getting ready to turn five and really should be kicking the habit.

So, on to the dentist appointment. Dr. JoJo told Kendall that she really MUST stop sucking her thumb because she doesn't want her big teeth to come in crooked. (Neither do Mama and Daddy!) But then she said the thing that made all the differnce in the world....

"Kendall, when you quit sucking your thumb, you have Mommy bring you in and we have a special suprise for you up in the very top cupboard. Do you know what it is?"
"No......?"
"It's a TROPHY!"

And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, was all it took. I am proud to say that she never picked up the "three-one" or sucked her thumb again. The remains of the "two-one" and the "three-one" are going into a pretty little box never to be seen again until her high school graduation. And of course, she now has her trophy that proudly proclaims " I DID IT!" on it.

The Virgin Post

Here it is world! My virgin foray into the blogging community! I have realized that it is virtually impossible to keep up with all of the people that I would like to, and it has even started to become a challenge to remember who I need to keep up with! My "so-called crazy life" is in full swing and I am on a quest to SIMPLIFY. How exactly does one accomplish that? Here is how it started....

My wonderful hubby Barry and I had a dream when we started talking of building a life together. That dream included getting out of the city, buying the perfect piece of property and building the home that we would live in for the rest of our lives. A home that would be the only home our kids knew growing up. A home that would be a safe and comfortable place for our friends and family, our kids and their friends, and our grandkids (0f course!). A place where everyone would want to visit...a place we could feel comfortable raising our kids.

Of course, that was an awfully tall order, especially when we weren't even married yet! So we kept that dream in the back of our minds until the time was right and everything fell into place. We ended up building a home in a development outside of Columbus as our first home. It was a cute little house, and we finished all of the home improvements that needed to be done. Barry and my dad built our deck, Barry finished the basement, and I painted all the rooms. We replaced cabinets and flooring in the kitchen. We became inseparable with the neighbors, Jon & Missy. But probably most importantly, that is the house that we brought our first-born daughter, Kendall, home to. Finally, it was time to get on with the dream. After all, we weren't getting any younger! ;-)

So we started hunting for property...and one day, out of the blue, Barry found and ad in the Sunday paper. We decided to go look at it, and lo and behold, we knew the minute we saw it that we were home. It was 18 acres of slightly rolling land with a treeline along the back a 1.5 acre pond to be put in. The good news was that it was only 15 minutes away from our other house, even though that also meant 15 minutes farther from work and the rest of life as we knew it. We didn't care. After much deliberation, we decided on a log home and got to work.

Now Barry is about the handiest guy to have around, because he can do just about anything... and if he doesn't know how, he'll figure it out. So he decided to be his own general contractor and do as much work as he could himself. The other important fact to know about him is that he likes to get a deal ... therefore saving money. Barry loves to work with money. He loves to find ways to save, ways to make money work for him, and most of all, he loves a deal. THAT, my friends, is a definite KUCK trait. It runs in the family, really and truly. Ask anyone who knows Gary, Bryon or Amy. My father-in-law Gary is the real deal. I don't think he ever pays full price for anything. Always looking to make a deal, and he always has a hook-up. Gotta love that....he's one of a kind! Ah, I digress....

So anyway, we decided on a log home and got rolling on it. We moved in on Memorial Day weekend 2004. We've planted trees and grass, done some landscaping, built a shed, and finished a room in the basement. It is our little piece of calm in a hectic world. Don't get me wrong, we have more than enough work to keep us busy here! We're planning on building the garage, and maybe the deck this spring/summer. There is never a dull moment, that's for sure! But we already have quite a few great memories here, probably the best being the birth of our new son, Noah, this past May. That has definitely been the highlight of our year!

So we're off to making our dream come true... A quieter, simpler, more grounded life. Do I know what I'm doing? Not all of the time. But I have some ideas. And this year starts off with planning my garden. A nice organic garden filled with my most favorite of veggies. Kendall loves to be outside and is really excited about the garden, and Noah will be running around by then as well, so we should have fun. Let me know if you have some ideas about my garden or ways to simplify...I'd love to hear them!