A new revolution

So, I decided that Tuesday night is going to be my new night to blog. On Tuesday, I don't lock myself in the basement filling etsy orders. Instead I use my literate abilities to update the world on what my little pumpkins are up to. Here is week 1:

Well, a lot has happened since I made a serious blog entry. First, and most regretfully, Chris' Grandfather passed away late last month. With his passing came the end of a generation and the loss of the patriarch of the Kruel family. We were all thankful to have Grandpa Paul for 95 years yet we battled to get him better because everyday with his bright ray of sunshine was a day a little brighter in all of our lives. I guess God won that battle, and now we have a new guardian angel, but more on that later.

"Grandparents hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever."

I had the great pleasure of writing his obituary and it was incredible healing to honor a man who was a colorful as the family that he created. Actually I did less than write it since he had it already written, I like to say that I 'fluffed it' a bit. In preparing for his memorial, we found a stash of old milk crates from when he owned Kruel's Dairy and I took one and had his "Grandfather" arrangement placed inside. It was beautiful and suited him well....

Maudie found her own way of celebrating Grandpa Paul's life, including doing a little bartending and dancing behind the bar. She's always glad to be at a party despite the occasion. Grandpa would be proud.

On a lighter note:

Why? You might ask is my cell phone buried in a jar of rice? Well, a week ago Sunday Chris & I took Maudie & her friend Mya swimming for the afternoon at the high school. They had a tremendously good time. I good enough time that Maudie was not ready to leave after and hour and a half in the pool. I had put the girls in a warm shower while I got dressed, then went into the shower room (which opens to the pool), turned off the shower and wrapped Mya in a towel. When I turned to get Maudie towel off the hook she bolted from the locker room and ran butt-naked into the pool and took a diving leap into the shallow end. It was only a moment until I realized that she wasn't coming back and I ran to find here. When I turned the corner, I saw her Head bobbing below the surface. I have amnesia of the next moments and the next think I remember is jumping in, fully clothed with my phone in my pocket, to pull her from the water. And that's why my cell phone was drying in rice (a trick that did not work). It's also how I know she has a guarding angel watching over her, because she was fine. In fact she was completely unfazed by the incident. Here is the life lesson to all of you, especially the mother who let a naked, 2-year old run past her a dive into the pool and did not bother to stop her: 2-year olds who think that they can swim sink like a lead brick with out the swimming instructor or the floaty suit.


Cole, Chris' nephew turned two this weekend and Maudie had a BLAST at his party. With the exception on crying thru the birthday song (not sure why) she was a very good girl. She loved breaking out the drum set we got him. Ben promises to get Maudie a fog horn for Christmas as payback. At least he had fun pretending to be in a marching band with Ben on the drum, Maudie on the maracas, Nathan on the tambourine, and Cole playing the electric guitar over his head. On the way home the next afternoon she muttered from the back seat, "I miss my friend Cole." Here is a picture I took of the birthday cake. I guess you don't need to pass Kindergarten curriculum to frost cakes at Walmart.
Charlie had his four month check up last week, which included a whole slew of vaccinations. Never fun for my kids since they inevitable get cranky and run fevers for a few days. His growth has slowed a bit, but he's still a whopping 15.5 lbs which puts him at 67% on the growth chart. He's happy and healthy and the pediatrician says he's ready for rice cereal. I'm not ready so we'll wait a while yet. What's the rush? They already grow up too fast.

Oh, and we finally have a family photo...