Thomas The Train

Well, I am typing to you on another rainy day in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  I so need to change the background of my blog to rain if I can find one.  I hope this finds everyone well.

Our fun news is we went to see Thomas the Train and friends live on stage last night.  I didn't really know what to expect, but I am so happy that we went.  Our first surprise was walking up the stairs to go into the Mcleod center (our UNI basketball area) our friend Katy yelled down at us.  Katy and her son Dylan were there and they live in Marion and one more crazy thing they are coming to our house on Saturday.  What are the odds?  Anyway...we got our tickets and we went into see the show.  The boys were just excited to see the sign.  Well, we settled in and the show started....It was so loud, so I kinda think Kai was freaked out.  He ended up sitting on my lap for the 1st part.  Yeah I love how you have to pay for 4 seats because you really only use 2 oh well.  So, we all loved the show.  It was about 1.5 hours long and they took an intermission 1/2 way through (with little kids you really don't need an intermission).  Finally Kai started to understand the whole thing and get used to it and really loved the show.  Oh Kade had a couple of moments where he wanted down, but he was so very tired.  All in all we are so happy we went.  What a fun experience.

Any plans for the weekend?  Well, we are hosting a Cinco De Mayo party for 2 other couples and there will be 2 other boys here.  We are very excited!  We are so lucky to have good friends and now be able to have more of them over at once.  Now if it were just nice out this Saturday.....that would be even better.  Our next goal is to get our garden started.  I need to buy the plants and I think my in-laws are going to come and help us with that, but I am growing a lot of weeds out there, so I at least know that something will grow.  I also need to plant some flowers and plants this year...lord have mercy....I have never done this before, so any advice would be helpful.  Well, PK needs to get up and off to work (long hours lately) and I need to get my boys up and moving.

more pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/ekuempel/ThomasTheTrainShow#

Much love to you all!

EK

Slacker

Yep! I own up to it.  I am a slacker.  But I am here to give you updates...even if there aren't that many.  But the best part will be the pictures of the boys and the house.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and has been enjoying some of our nice weather days.  The sun is finally coming out, but my god what is up with the wind?  My little guys are going to get blown away!  Our Easter was fabulous.  We had great family and great food.  The Easter egg hunt was a blast.  Very happy the boys received more toys and snacks then candy.  

Well, since we have moved in we got 2 rooms painted and have held Easter, and a small gathering last Saturday and then another one this Saturday.  I love this because I love to entertain, but haven't had the room to do.  I have had so much fun trying new recipes. It is even better that the boys are in their own house and play with their own things and go to bed if it gets too late.  

The good news is business is great for both Paul and I.  Paul is putting in a lot of hours and my business is still picking up, so we are very grateful to have jobs.

I hope this is finding everyone well and hopefully we will be enjoying better weather soon that will stay.  Here are some pictures of all of us.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ekuempel/Easter09#

Much love....The Kuempel Clan

Park and March Snow

I hope this is finding everyone well.  Once again we are fighting with colds and poor Kade...would these teeth just POP through!!!  Other then that everyone is doing good.  How about snow in March?  I guess we should be used to it and now I hope it is done.  We are so ready for spring it isn't even funny.  

We are so loving our house.  We have been to the park and hope to go more when the weather warms up.  The backyard isn't good enough we have to get in the stroller and run down to the park.  We will get a lot of use out of it.  Kade has been wanting to be more like Kai in terms of sleeping.  So, when they lay down for naps it is has to be on mom's bed (poor PK....he doesn't have a bed)and they watch a movie.  99% of the time Kade is out right away and Kai just rests which is great.  Then bedtime is a whole different story.  We have been putting them down at the same time....which is great, but we are in and out of that room 100 times.  You can only threaten so much and it just cracks me up to listen to them through the door...laughing and giggling and talking.  BUT MY GOODNESS....GO TO SLEEP :)

I am very excited we are holding our very 1st Holiday in our new house.  It will be small but it will be great to have family together.  We are having my Grandparents (we haven't seen them since Thanksgiving), my aunt, Dad and PK's parents.  We hope the weather is good to hunt eggs in the backyard.  

We have been making HUGE progress in our house.  We didn't have to do anything to the house except paint rooms and bathrooms.  I HATE white.  The previous owners of the house had 2 little girls, so we just got done painting a purple room and the boys room is getting done I hope today.  They are living in a scary Easter egg room.  I will have to take a before and after picture.  We just got our bathroom sink area painted and I hope in the next couple of weeks we will have our bedroom painted.  Oh and another HUGE thing is we just ordered a sectional for the basement, but bummed it won't get in until the end of April.  But we are also ordering a bunch of stuff for the house.  Man, I am not sure you all really wanted to hear all of this...oh well.  I think you can tell that we are all so happy.

I have posted some pictures but of course I will add a couple more links to view more picture.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ekuempel/1stTripToPark#

http://picasaweb.google.com/ekuempel/MarchSnowPaint#

Fun times

Hi Everyone!  Well, I am slow to posting again.  We are trying to get settled in the new house and deal with colds and good weather.  The bright side is there are less and less boxes.  YEAH!!!!  The boys are loving all the room they have to run play and also get into trouble.  We love that the park is just down the bike trail.  

We are so happy the weather is nice, so we can enjoy our fenced in backyard.  Koda loves to lay and soak up the rays.  I will be venturing out to plant a veggie garden this year.  I am just going to a smaller one, but I think the boys will love to pull weeds and get the fresh veggies.  I will take any advice I can get about my 1st garden.  We are in the process of cleaning our hot tub for the 1st time.  So, that is a learning all in itself.  It is a very nice perk to have.  I will so love it after long days at work.  

Here are some pictures of the boys having fun.  Much love to you all and Happy St. Pats Day!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/ekuempel/SpongebobJammies#

EK

On the Wagon Again....

I think the title says it all.  I promise to start blogging more and also posting more pictures of our family and our new home.  We are settling in pretty nicely, but I am hoping to unpack more boxes this weekend.  We need to get organized so everyone can come and see us.  

We have had some downfalls.  Kade has RSV and is on breathing treatments, but the good news is he is getting better.  We were at the doctors today and he was very happy about his breathing is almost normal.  Kai has a little cold, but is doing good...crazy as always.  He loves running around all our new space.  

I can't get over this nice weather.  The boys and I hope to make good use out the trail and park tomorrow.  I also can't wait to get them out in the fenced in backyard.  Koda and Paul are loving the nice weather.  They have been running, so that is good for the both of them.

I hope to get pictures of the house this weekend.  I posted some pictures of the boys and one picture of a section of the living room.

More soon...Much Love! Erica

http://picasaweb.google.com/ekuempel/Mar52009#

In Limbo

I apologize to you all about not updating my blog in such a long time.  I couldn't find our camera charger, so I couldn't download pictures.  But bear with me it might be another day or 2 to get pics of the new house and the boys up.

We have been living in limbo for awhile now.  We have finally moved in to our new home and we are so excited.  

We would like to thank all the people who helped carry, clean and organize or just help with the boys.  I am so very thankful for everyone who has stopped by to take a look at the new house.

So far we are settling in, but the boys are a little confused.  The one I was really worried about was Koda, but she is settled in nicely.  I can't wait for warm weather.  We are going stir crazy.  Well, I will get this up and promise to post pics soon.

Much love!

EK

Boxes and More Boxes

There isn't anything new to report from the Kuempels in CF.  We are packing up box after box and the boys love to play in the empty boxes.  It is so funny to watch.  All those expensive toys that we buy and they just want to play in an empty box.  

Our closing date for the house is set for the end of this month, so let's hope it all goes smoothly and we will have a new home.  We are so very excited to get a bigger space the boys can run all they want.  Now I wish it were spring.  We will put the bike path and the park to some good use.

On a rather sad note...we lost a family friend this morning.  Hanna Lee passed away from her long battle with cancer.  Our thoughts and prayer go out to the Lee family and Hanna's family. She will be missed.

I hope everyone is keeping warm.  More soon.....EK

more pictures of the boys: http://picasaweb.google.com/ekuempel/MovingBoxes#