Kids: Get the Giggles

Tegegne, 5
Hensley, almost 2.5

Tegegne and Hensley, 
You two were having so much fun with a spray bottle tonight. Hens, we don't hear that good belly laugh often and it was awesome! Of course, as most things caught on video...this went on for at least 10 minutes before we decided we should video it. I love it when you kids get the giggles. Laughter makes the world go round.  

Love you so much,

Mom

Featured Friend: Friday

1. Tell us about yourself and your family. 

Our little family started just 3 years ago in 2010 when Nick and I got married.  Then a year ago, Judah was born and has added the most incredible dynamic to who we are.  Nick works at Premier Marketing and is a photo wizard.  Seriously incredible.  He also has a photo company called SCOUT visual, so he stays busy with that as well.  I am an art teacher at an urban school that is grades K-5.  Judah stays with family and good friends while we work and saves lots of energy for fun with us at night and on the weekends!

2. You are the coolest art teacher, but what else do you do? 

Along with teaching art, I stay busy with a few little "hobbies".  I sell vintage clothing and other little treasures at a place called 600 Central here in Kansas City.  It's such a cool store with 4 floors of incredible vintage furniture and goodies.  Judah has gotten really great at helping me explore the city for great vintage finds.

I also do hair for weddings and other special events on the weekends (mostly in the Summer when I'm on Summer break.  (www.loveyourbobbypins.wordpress.com).  I enjoy getting to know all the sweet brides and being a part of such a special day in their lives.  I love having several artistic outlets to keep me busy!

3. Will you share some stories from the classroom? (Katie does THE best impressions.)

I love getting to be a part of my students lives on a daily basis.  It's so amazing to be a part of encouraging them and growing them into the incredible people they will be.  They already possess so many qualities that I am constantly envious of.  They are alive, free and unbelievably creative.  They are amazing.

 

I absolutely love hearing my kids talk about life and such.... They say hilarious things.  A few of my favorites off the top of my head:

"Mrs. Welch, all deez people be coffin (copying) offa me cuz minez be lookin crispy." (crispy means good)

"Welch, I straight up saw yo double ganger dis mornin.  Seriously. Same face. Same body." (doppleganger)

"Mrs. Welch, I wish I was deaf or Austin was mute because I am SO sick of hearing him talk.  Like...I seriously feel ill!"

"I done dug deep in ma heart for dis drawin, Ms. Welch.  I be rockin too thick here on dis drawin like da dude on Twilight.  Ya know?  He a'int got no shirt on cuz he a star.  Den down here I drew a buncha top hearts with top hats on"

I mean... they're brilliant, right?  Seriously.  They are hilarious and their creative minds constantly give me ideas and challenge me, and they're hearts do as well.  I am so blessed to get to do life with them everyday.

I do however, keep a stash of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Dr. Pepper for rough days. Most days are prefaced with prayer and asking God to make me like Him in His grace and love, because lets be honest... after about 145 questions about....nothing... I start to lose my mind. :)

4. Why is being a wife to Nick and a mom to Judah so awesome?

 Being a wife to Nick is the best.  He is the most laid back, patient man I've ever met. He loves well and is constantly serving me and teaching me how to be a better person.  He loves God with his whole heart and just lives it so humbly.  Watching him be a dad to Jude has been one of my favorite things about our marriage... it's such an amazing connection.  Judah has both of our hearts entirely.  He is just the epitome of life and joy.  I am constantly thanking God for who Judah is and that I get to be his mommy.... I can't even believe it. I have wanted to be a mom since I was about 5 years old.  I seriously carried around a life size doll until I was 12... ha!  Judah is everything I've ever dreamed of in a son.  I couldn't be more in love with him.  

5. Thinking of adding on to your family?

When we got pregnant with Judah we were sort of in the process of finding out about adoption.  We felt doors closing in a lot of different directions with adoption and when we found out we had a little nugget growing in my belly, we decided to put adoption on hold.  One of our first conversations when Nick and I met was about adoption and how it was a make or break deal with whoever we married because adoption was so heavy on both of our hearts.  We are thinking one more biological babe then adoption after that.  My heart beats a little faster even thinking about it.

6. Describe your dream house? 

Oh dream house, when will we ever find you?  We like a good mix of old and modern.  Nick loves clean lines and white everything and my heart falls for the history of a place and the stories that happened there.  I think the dream home would be an old fire house or building turned into a modern mix.  High ceilings, lots of brick, wood floors and white walls.  It would have to have a big back yard for our 120 lb. Weimaraner, Moses.  Maybe someday the dream home will come along, but our tiny bungalow is the place for now. :)

7. Judah Bear is just over one. What are some of your best moments with him so far?

I have life changing moments with Judah everyday, it seems. He teaches me so much about life and my own heart.  I would say some of my best moments with him have actually just been normal times at home, talking.  When he said, "MaMa" for the first time, I melted straight onto the floor and cried.  It was the best.  Also, bedtime every night is so sweet.  I love reading to him and when Nick and I surround him and kiss his head a million times before he goes to sleep, it's just one of those life moments where you feel like everything is right with the world.  I'm so grateful that I get to have that moment every night.  He's  a blessing.

 

Baby Fields: With Uncle Eric

Sweet Fields,

You had a great Christmas, especially with Uncle Eric. He spent lots of time playing with you and laughing. You two had a good line of communication going. I caught some of your time together on video. 

Another amazing gift from your dad was a set of plates from Aunt Erica. I was so surprised and absolutely love them.  Her work is available here and here. Coffee never tastes so good than when it is drank out of one of her mugs. Also helps when it's coffee from here!

Love,

Mom

P.S. Hensley is "helping" me write this blog post, and saying "Eric" over and over. She is also holding the candle from my bedside and swaying while singing her version of this song..."Light one candle for love, one bright candle for love. He brings love to every heart, He Comes, He Comes!"

Preschool: And Politics

Yesterday I pick Tegegne up from school and he enthusiastically shares some news:

Tegegne: Mom! Obama is the new president!
Mom: (I'm thinking, wait, it's only Monday, right? Did I forget to vote?) Really? How do you know that?
T: Because we voted today and Obama won.
M: Oh yeah, did you vote for him?
T: No, I voted for the other president...what is his name?
M: Mitt Romney? Why did you vote for Mitt Romney?
T: I just felt like it. He likes horses and granola and skiing. Skiing! Obama likes his dog and chili and basketball!
M: Cool. Do you know who your friends voted for?
T: No, it's a private secret. Can I go with you when you vote?

(Thank you, Scholastic, for giving our kids a chance to vote in a friendly way!)

(photo.)

Trick: Or Treat

Hey Sweet Little Dino and Super Hero Spiderman (and Sleeping Lumberjack Baby Fields)! We had a good Halloween, huh? Our neighborhood goes all out and we love it. The big pretty houses are decorated, the homeowners dress up, there are bounce houses, and a train ride! Isn't that dog dressed as a cheetah awesome? We had lots of fun with our pink owl buddies, Jay and Liv, trick or treating. As for all of that candy, you get to pick a piece a day at 3:00 snack, but I don't know where all those suckers and not-nice-to-your-teeth candy went. 

Love, 

Mom

Dear Hensley: Thanks!

Hey Cutie! Thanks! (Thanks and Jesus are two words that you say adorably well.) Thanks for our breakfast date this morning. One large banana granola pancake, one egg, and one cup of coffee at a booth in Fairway's First Watch made for a good time with you. Fields sat in his car seat in the booth with us and didn't make a peep!)


I love this video of you at 19 months (2 days ago) which represents a bit of our days together when Tegegne is at school. 

P.S. Sorry people keep mistaking you as a boy lately. If you're not in pink clothing, people just assume. And you are a green dino for Halloween (but maybe a fairy with wings as well because your dad got a costume from a school parent too!), and your winter coat is brown, etc, etc. 

The Joneses: And Keeping Up

Today I got a feeling similar to the one I had a night before a final design project deadline in college. Like, Oh Man...how am I going to get all of this done? Back then I was an "Iman" and now I'm a "Jones," so it's like I am trying to keep up with myself. Here's my sort of to-do list...


We are hosting Easter this Sunday and I cannot wait to enjoy a nice meal with the family! Cooking a ham, lamb, potatoes, deviled eggs, sautéed green beans, a fruit salad, and Michael's rolls...yum! Had two interior design meetings today...and now I must get to work on those projects! Must make the kids Easter baskets, a new tradition for us. Plus put the bunny ears on our stone lions out front! Hosting a dear friends baby shower and planning with friends to make it super sweet! Finally unpacked our bags from spring break, but haven't even started that laundry...yikes...plus the dryer isn't getting fixed until Monday! Purging wardrobe to keep summer pregnancy items that will actually fit...plus planning for my clothing swap April 26th (coming ladies?) Thinking ahead for the neighborhood Holiday Homes Tour that I agreed to even though we will have a newborn baby! Ha! Michael said tonight that'd he'd have the first floor projects done...how kick butt is that? That means a bathroom, smoothing and painting walls, lighting in kitchen, etc...plus we like have to decorate our house for Christmas. Should be fun and a lot of work. It's around Thanksgiving, so if you'll be in town stay tuned! Getting quotes for a back yard fence. Need one asap to keep my children corralled outside. Much be outside as much as possible during these nice days! (Note: If my children are crying or having afternoon fits, I try to go outside where all of there troubles blow away with the wind!) Friday night: Good Friday Service at church, 3 year old birthday party Saturday, date Saturday night with Michael, and Easter on Sunday! 


In the midst of our springtime lots-of-things-a-goin'-on may we remember that there is only one real "to do" list. Breathe, eat, sleep. And for us mothers, make sure the rest of the family is breathing too!


Good night and happy breathing!


- Kristyn


(cartoon.)

Kid Stuff: Fun with Food

Yogurt bites. Drop a dollop of yogurt onto a tray with waxed paper, freeze, and enjoy. 

Frozen grapes on a stick!

Ideas via pinterest kid food and jill dubien. 

Books: For Kids

Some of Tegegne's and Mommy's Recent Reads:

How I Learned Geography. by Uri Shulevitz. Seriously good book for all. You've got to read it. 

George and Martha. Great stories of two friends. Love it!

How to Hug. "Used for preschoolers to learn the personal space of others." Ha! Tegegne, you're good at the lingering-hug-until-you-and-your-hugging-friend-fall-over, so this book was quite a necessary read!

Barack Obama Son of Promise, Child of Hope. A good book about your president's childhood, and vision of hope. Tegegne, you liked when he talks about getting an education because we often remind you that Birthmom wants you to get a good education. 

Another on our list:

The Lion and The Mouse. By Jerry Pinkney.

I Can Read! is a great resource for finding age appropriate books and tips for getting our kids to read. I need to look for more from this list!

We'd recommend becoming familiar with your cities library, where books are endless and free! Or, if you're into buying books, local bookstores are good too. Our favorite is Reading Reptile in Brookside!

Conversations: Nicknames & Meetings

Yesterday, while sitting at lunch, Mike thought Hensley needed a nickname. Not just any nickname...


Mike: I think Hensley need a black nickname. Can I give her one?
Me: Sure!
Mike: Okay...Fhat, Fhat! Gotta have a black spellin' too...F-H-A-T, F-H-A-T! 
(Hensley, in case this nickname sticks...now you know where it came from...the biggest friend you have, Mike! You like him so much! He is pretty fond of you too! And Tegegne. Phew! You two fight and play like brothers. You and Mike. It's hilarious!)


Needless to say, we are getting some good laughs over here on Wabash Avenue. We love having Mike here. I had a meeting tonight and the boys laughed the place up (Hens was sleeping.) I was out with a new interior design client. My second new client this week! I'm quickly becoming way busy, as I'm working with two couples who own Brookside homes...one wants kitchen and bath designs and the other wants furniture layouts and selections. I do love the work and am giddy about helping people make their homes super cool. Kind of nice to make a little money too! It's going to be a full week. 


We hope you enjoy your week! 


Love,


Kristyn

The Kids: Crawling & Grawling

Hensley Hoot, Hoot. Cute Scoot. 

Hey baby, where's your boot? 

Brother bear, nice growl.


Love you and Papa Bear too.


-Mom

Need One?: Pocket Man Friend

If you're lost without a manly man by your side, here's your solution.

This pocket manfriend is called Eric. Graphic designer, bike enthusiast, vegetarian. Combs his beard. Collects vintage armchairs. 

Take him anywhere with you for moral support. Lend him to a friend in need of a bearded companion. All the best bits about a manfriend in a pocket-sized format for portability.

Don't be shy, introduce yourself to Eric's friends... Craig, Dominic, Nicholas, Ray and Kenneth are very sociable chaps who also hang about in my shop.


Purchase here! 


P.S. Also love this Boyfriend Girlfriend Pillow Set!


(I know...this is totally random. I just thought it was so funny. )