Grandpa George

I found these pictures for Grandpa's funeral so wanted to keep them all in once place!

This picture was just a couple days after Jace was born!

Jed found this oldie, we think it is George and Jerry.

Our first Harvest picture! Jace was about 6 months old.

This was when Jace was born--I remember Grandpa saying he had gone to John Deere that morning when he found out to get him his first tractor.

Fast forward a couple years...I think this was 2013.  Pretty sure I left Connor sleeping in the truck while we took this picture.

I'm guessing this is 2014...and the snow started flying as we were getting this photo in!

And then Brook was born!  So this was 2015.  Gang's all here!  One of my favorite pictures.

Feb-brr-ary

February flew by.  It always does because we have our ski trip at the end of the month, but this February was even faster than usual...

The kids had fun making these pictures for a Valentine's card!

Connor got to make a box for her Valentine's at school!  Pink paper, horse stickers and VOILA!

Her enthusiasm dwindled a little when she had to write her name on 15 Valentine's...

This year they did a photo booth at the Valentine's parties!

Dabbing Valentine's shirts?  Thanks, Aunt Jennifer!

Every day in February up until Valentine's day, I put a heart on their door before they woke up in the mornings.

Connor's were:

I love when you and Jace are nice to each other

I love your smooches

I love hearing you sing

I love your hairbows

I love how you write your name

I love it when you dress yourself

I love your squeezes

I love hearing you cheer for Jace

I love it when you don't whine!

I love it when you DAB!

I love hearing you snore

I love it when you ask me to play with You!

I love it when you sneak up on me with nerf guns

You are my Favorite Girl!

Roses are red, Violets are blue, your feet really stink, but WE LOVE YOU!

Jace's were:

I love when you share blue blankie with me

I love hearing you sing

I love your red hair

I love listening to you read

I love that you feed the dogs every day without complaining!

I love it when you kiss me goodnight

I love when you are Connor are nice to each other

I love watching you play sports

I love when you make orange julius

I love it when you help dad with cows!

I love watching you dab!

I love it when you sneak up on me with Nerf Guns!

I love it when you ask me to play with you!

You are my favorite Boy!

Roses are red, Violets are blue, your feet really stink, but We Love You!

I wasn't happy about it, but we spent one Sunday afternoon hauling cows...at least the kids got a good nap out of the job...

We spent some time at the Grables' house...

Connor took a nap in my bed...I will never get over how hot blooded she is, because it is SO unlike me...rosy cheeks and sleeping without clothes on most of the time, but that makes her happy!

The second half of February was an even different whirlwind.  On Valentine's day, Grandpa George started going downhill.  Jed and I spent time up there on Friday night, the 16th, and that day several at Two Timbers, including Erma had just tested positive for Influenza.  Saturday, Connor started running a low fever.  Sunday, Connor and I both didn't feel good and I even called in sick to school.

This was us Monday morning at the doctor's office.  And yep, you guessed it, we were positive for influenza.  Tamiflu for everyone!  Connor wasn't slowed down much, but it absolutely wiped me out.  LUCKY for me, I only had to take one sick day.  We got some rain/ice, and the rest of the week of school was canceled due to that.

The medicine was a story in itself.  The doctor advised us to get the pills for the kids and put the powder in chocolate milk.  We did that...but Connor eventually started tasting it.  However, we found out that raspberry tea works better than milk!  BUT...the whole family was on tamiflu, and Jace was able to swallow his pills...woooohooo!

Meanwhile, I was living on the couch, Jace and Connor were taking care of themselves, and Jed was going back and forth between home and Two Timbers.  Grandpa George passed on Tuesday, February 20th.  His funeral was set for Friday, February 23.

This picture is from Thursday night, when the kids and I went with Jed to check cows at Blanton's around 10 p.m.  They weren't going to school the next day, so why not?  Connor never asks to go with Jed, and she wanted to go, AND traipsed all over the pasture with him looking at cows.

This picture was the afternoon after the funeral.  This whole time frame flew by but everyone was exhausted.  We came home and everyone took a nice, long, nap.  

Exciting January...

MORE Hootie Owl game...

We called off school because of the record low temperatures...on this day the temperature was actually warmer in Alaska than it was in Kansas!

We took advantage of the super cold day and did some science experiments!

At one point one of them was eating the experiment and another one was doing the experiment...

When pink is the color of the day...

Still sneaking Pepper inside...

We stopped to visit Great Grandma and Great Grandpa after church...and I had to document how tall Jace is getting.  Granted, it doesn't take much to get taller than Grandma Erma, but still...wowsers!

Making a little monkey bread!

And then, January 23, we finally had a new nephew!!!  Logan Lee was born January 23.  Jace was SUPER excited...Connor wanted nothing to do with him, for multiple reasons.  1) He was a "he", not a "she."  But she quickly followed that up with "Maybe Morgan will have a girl baby for me."  :) 

2) He was NAKED under that blanket!

SO much love for this fella...

What a crew!

Jace was so excited to share the news at school the next day, he wore my sticker from the hospital!

Meanwhile, Connor is just over here, impressing me with her writing!  I wrote apple, and she copied it!

Pink is the color of the day...again!

And then...a long January makes for some tired kids...

But February is coming!

Music and Basketball....

Connor got to have her music program in January!

Some kids were more excited than others...while Connor danced and sang the entire time, Cassidy didn't move.  At all.  Oh, and one kid cried enough the parents had to come get him....

Afterwards they were all smiles!

January is basketball month.  This is Jace's first year playing basketball.  We got to watch one of Kyler's games...she is pretty aggressive on the court, and has some coordination too!

Lane's mom Amy is the coach, and Ripken's dad Heath helps too.  It's a riot.  

The first game was rough...lots to improve on!

The first game Jace played against Dwest and his buddy Ketcher!

Jace had a big cheering crowd...I think all of his cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents made it to a game or two...but this was the only picture we got!