Andrew Comes to Virginia

Well, it looks like my brother will be nearby on business Thursday evening and Friday. He has been here a few times before, but usually has such a quick trip and busy meeting schedule that we aren't able to get together. Right now, we're planning on dinner on Thursday night after his plane arrives. That's not set in stone yet, but hopefully it will work out. We definitely don't mind driving the two hours to get to see Uncle Drew!

Plane Crashes Into Local Neighborhood

Okay, there has been some serious craziness here lately. Of course, the tornadoes were on Monday, but on Sunday a plane crashed into a local neighborhood! The two men inside the plane were killed, and luckily there was only one person in the home and she is in serious condition at the hospital. We have a small local airport that is about a mile from our house. Apparently, the small jet had taken off from there. We've lived here almost ten years and we've never heard of this happening before. Our prayers go out for the families.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore, Todo!

Don't worry! I didn't take this picture myself! Monday afternoon, we had six confirmed tornadoes in the area. Needless to say, it was a very yucky afternoon weather-wise. We actually didn't get too much weather action where we are located, just a ton of rain, thunder, and lightning. For all of you who were worried, I just wanted to let you know that we are perfectly fine. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who kept us safe during the tornadoes!

Rainy Soccer Season

Hope everyone is having an excellent Monday! It is raining here, and we are just hanging out at home today, and doing housework. In fact, right now John and Kylie are running and jumping into my piles of laundry that I sorted. The funniest things keep them entertained. It looks like we have almost nothing planned this week, besides the usual soccer practice, soccer game, and church activities. It should give us some time to recoup from the last few very busy weeks we have had.

Here are the two pictures I took at the soccer game this Saturday before my camera battery went dead. The weather was very nice, and the kids played probably the best they have yet. At this age, they don't keep score of course, but we lost 3-2. In fact, we have lost every game this season so far! This has been a difficult season with half of the practices rained out, and a few of the games as well. Even when we have had practices, the weather has not been very good. It's very hard for these first time soccer players to get a good grip on the game, when they have not been able to have consistent practices. Add in the age factor (Kylie is the oldest having just turned five in February, and John is the youngest at 3 1/2), and their attention span and endurance in a game has also been an issue. John David is doing better, but he still stops after every kick to flash me the thumbs-up sign, completely oblivious to the fact that the other kids are still playing! They are having fun though, and John is really starting to enjoy it. We have three more games till the end of the season, so hopefully the weather will hold up for us. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

22 Weeks and Counting

Jeremy and I realized last night that we only have a little over three months till the baby is here! Things are going pretty smoothly, and besides being a little more tired as I get farther along, I feel pretty good. My diabetes is under control, and I am now on three insulin injections a day. I am still only on half as much insulin as I was with the girls at this point though. I am very thankful that my body is responding to all my medications. I am now on four blood pressure pills a day, but I can take twice that many if needed. So, we have room to increase over the next few months if we have to. The last couple months are usually the worst with my blood pressure, but I really think I will do fine. I see the ob/gyn again in two weeks along with my endocrinologist. Jeremy and the kids went to the ultrasound this week with me again. Jeremy was running a little late, so when they called us back into the ultrasound room it was just me and the kids. The ultrasound tech (who can be quite grouchy sometimes) was in a good mood, and the kids behaved well till Jeremy got there. John David stood beside the table, patting my arm, and whispering (I had told them to be very quiet) "You're doing a very good job, Mommy." The ultrasound tech got to giggling at him, because then he kept telling me how beautiful I was. He really is so sweet! As usual, Luke was pretty squirmy for the ultrasound, but as I said yesterday they were able to finally get the pictures they needed. He seems to like to put his hands in front of his face, almost as if he's playing peek-a-boo. Hope you enjoy the new pictures! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

"Didabetes"

The last few days, Kylie has mispronounced a couple words that have given us all some great laughs. On Monday, I went to the endocrinologist's office for a checkup for my diabetes. As we're waiting for Dr. Castelucci to come in the exam room (John David calls him Dr. "Castewoochi"), Kylie said that we were at the "didabetes"doctor. Caitlyn and I started laughing, but Kylie couldn't figure out what was so funny. I tried to get her to say it correctly, but for some reason she has trouble pronouncing "diabetes".

Then at dinner, Kylie was telling us how the female caterpillar lays the eggs, and they hatch......etc, etc. Caitlyn just recently taught her that a boy is a male, and a girl is a female. Except everytime she meant to say female, she would say "email". So she's going on and on about the "email" caterpillars! Jeremy and I were laughing so hard. Kylie has a little trouble starting words with the "f" sound. So, "fingers" becomes "thingers" and so on. Apparently it was just easier for her to say "email"! I love how God always fills our home with laughter!

The ultrasound went very well yesterday. I'm hoping to get a couple of the new pictures scanned in tonight, so I'll post them tomorrow along with an update on my health, and what the doctors are saying. Luke still wasn't really cooperating with the ultrasound technician, but she managed to get the pictures she needed....but barely. Apparently, he likes to face toward my back, and even though he moves during most of the ultrasound, he never turns around so they can get a good picture of his face, or the pictures they needed of his heart. After some coaxing yesterday, and me changing positions, we finally got the pictures they needed really quick before he moved back. Anyway, I'll post the pics tomorrow. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with another little miracle!

Puddle Fun

It has rained almost nonstop here since early Sunday morning, thundering and lightening at times too. Although we haven't exactly enjoyed the yucky weather, during a break from the rain yesterday evening, Jeremy and the kids found a silver lining in all the downpour. We have a spot in our driveway that always fills with water when it rains. We are always telling the kids (as we get in and out of the van going places)to "Stop walking in the water", or "Don't play in the puddle". You can imagine their surprise when Jeremy cut them loose to play in the puddle! They were so excited, and couldn't believe that we were actually telling them to get wet and dirty. They did of course end up in the bathtub after they were through! Here's some video and pictures of their puddle fun. Enjoy! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has blessed us with lots of rain!

Spring Recital 2008

Caitlyn had her spring violin recital yesterday afternoon. She has really improved over the last six months! Here's the video from her recital piece yesterday. We didn't have great seats for getting a good video, but you can hear her well. What's funny is that she didn't even need the music book. She memorized this piece easily, but I think the music book was her security blanket. I'm so thankful that Jeremy takes the time every week and moves around his work schedule to take her to her lesson. Caitlyn looks forward to her "Daddy time"! Well, it definitely looks like the violin will be a permanent fixture for Caitlyn. Her teacher has really done a great job, and Caitlyn is very comfortable with her. Caitlyn loves her violin, and her passion for it has grown immensely this past year.

We have been extremely busy over the past few weeks. We're looking forward to some time to rest and relax, hopefully soon! I have another ultrasound tomorrow, so I'll post pictures as soon as I get them scanned in. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who for now has blessed us with these.

Thursday Night Bike Ride

**This post includes video and pictures.**

Their First Ride

When my sister was here visiting, Jeremy got the motorcycle out for the kids' first ride. My sister had her camera and took some great pictures, but then was unable to get them off her camera onto our computer. I was waiting till I got her great pictures, but decided to post what I had taken with our camera anyway. So, here they are! I think you can tell by the kids' faces that they had a blast. My favorite part? When Jeremy tried to let Caitlyn try it out by herself! Even though he was walking along beside her and holding onto the handlebars, she panicked and tightened down on the gas. Away she went, straight for the fence! Jeremy managed to turn the bike on its side and get control of it seconds before it went plowing through! Needless to say, that was enough for Caitlyn, and she has refused to try it by herself since. The last picture in the slide show is of the wreck. You can't see much, but I shot that picture on accident when I was busy panicking!

Kylie Flying High

Tonight we ate a picnic dinner at church, and Jeremy spent the next hour riding around the field at church on the motorcycle with the kids. We finally got a night we didn't have something planned and good weather at the same time! I am loading pics and video as I type, but I thought I would post this picture tonight. Jeremy took this as Kylie was swinging. I love the angle of this picture! She really was having a great time, and was so proud of herself for swinging so high. Tomorrow, I'll try and get the bike pictures posted before I leave for the women's conference. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has blessed us with a daily reminder of the joy of innocence.

Tennessee Trip Pictures

Here's the pictures from our trip. Enjoy! Like I said, we had a great time, and the kids made some great memories with my mom and dad. There was the big bubble baths in my mom's garden tub, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows in the fireplace, making and frosting cupcakes, and of course their trip to the Dollar Tree and Dippin Dots!

John David has a checkup today at the pediatrician, and shots are involved so pray for us! :) Tomorrow, I leave for a women's conference and will return Saturday evening. Sunday, Caitlyn has her spring violin recital, so I will post video and pics as soon as I get them loaded. Have a great day! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Andrew and Lanning

I am putting together a slide show to post tomorrow, but I wanted to post this picture of my brother and his son, Lanning. I actually didn't take as many pictures as I had planned during the trip, but I shot this one the night before we left. Lanning is taking a few steps at a time, and I'm sure he'll be walking like a pro in no time! He really likes Jeremy, and they were buddies while we were there. We really had a great time with everyone, and are very grateful for the time we got to spend there. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who for now has blessed us with these.

Lost Pic From Washington, D.C. Trip

I was getting the pictures from our Tennessee trip off the camera last night, and realized there were a few more pictures on there from our Washington, D.C. trip last week. I saw this picture that Jeremy took and thought it was worth posting. Since it was sold out the day we were there, we didn't get to go up in the Washington Monument, but when you are standing on The Mall you can get great pictures of the monument.

We're Baaack!

Just a quick note to let everyone know we are back on Virginia soil. We are tired from the quick trip and all the driving (doing it pregnant is not fun!), and so we are getting some R&R today. Jeremy took today off work, and we are getting upacked and relaxing. I will post some pics from the trip tomorrow. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Ultrasound Pics From 4/8/08

Here are the latest pictures of Luke! I'll have a few more in two weeks when I have another ultrasound, but these are the best of the ones we got on Tuesday. Isn't it amazing?! The kids were so amazed that they could see him moving and everything. What a miracle!

We are leaving early in the morning for Tennessee, and will be returning on Monday. We are all looking forward to getting to spend some time with Uncle Drew and his crew, and of course Grandma and Poppy. At the same time though, I am saddened that this means that my visit with my sister is over. It always flies by so fast! I'll post as soon as we get back. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty from whom all blessings flow!

Baby Names

Well, we have decided on a name for the new baby............Luke James. John David had already decided that we would name the baby "Luke", and after Caitlyn took a vote at the dinner table, it was decided. There were a few other names that we had been tossing around, but "Luke" seems to be the one that stuck. So, here's to the newest member of the Knutson Klan! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with Luke James Knutson!

Washington, DC - Part 2

Here's the other half of the pictures from our trip to D.C. The Natural History Museum is the kids' favorite spot in the city. We were very excited to discover that the Insect Zoo Exhibit was open again, after being closed for renovations for the past year. We spent quite awhile there, looking at dinosaur bones, the Hall of Mammals, shopping at the gift shop, and squealing at the humongous spiders! We had a great time as usual, and were so grateful to be able to spend the day with Aunt Rea!

Washington, DC - Part 1

Here's the first half of the pictures from our trip on Monday to Washington, D.C. We always try to take a trip there when my sister is here visiting. The kids have a great time, and my sister enjoys dinner at Johnny Rockets. John David was really excited about this trip. I think he is finally old enough to appreciate the museums a bit more. The space shuttles and dinosaur bones are much more exciting to him now. He even took a try at standing up on the subway. We made him sit down though after he licked the pole! Yuck! The weather was a little yucky, and not very warm, but we still enjoyed ourselves. By the end of the day, we were all exhausted from walking and ready to head home. After our traditional dinner at Johnny Rockets (Jeremy always gets his favorite... a malt), we hopped back on the subway to ride out of town to where we parked the car. We made some great new memories, and look forward to heading back to our nation's capital soon.

It's A Boy!

So it is now official, although everyone pretty much already had a feeling, but it's a boy! Jeremy, the kids, and my sister were all there for the news and got front row seats to the show. The baby was moving a ton, and everything looks great so far. I have to go back in two weeks for another ultrasound, because the baby was moving too much to get decent pictures of the heart. John David is of course ecstatic, and the girls were momentarily bummed but perked up pretty quick. It is always an emotional thing to see the baby, and today was no different. Watching him dance and squirm reminded me of how miraculous the whole thing really is. I will try to get some ultrasound pictures scanned in before we head to Tennessee on Thursday, and maybe by tomorrow we'll have decided on a name! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty from whom all blessings flow!

Kylie Loses Her First Tooth

I can't believe it, but Kylie lost her first tooth on Sunday afternoon! Unlike Caitlyn, she was completely calm, and was anxious to get it out. It all happened quickly, and by the time we realized it was loose, it was REALLY loose! Here are a few pictures from the big event. It always stops me in my tracks when Kylie hits a milestone like this. To think that a little over five years ago, the doctors didn't know if she would be here.....running,playing, and laughing. She truly is a miracle to us, and Jeremy and I thank God for every smile and every laugh. And even though some would argue as to whether she is perfectly normal (just kidding), she is most definitely her own little person......our Smiley Kylie!

Friday Night Success

Since my sister arrived last Tuesday, we have been busy, busy, busy! We spent a lot of time last week preparing for the VBS Benefit Concert that Andrea and I were singing in. Friday night the concert turned out to be a great success, and the people who attended really enjoyed it. I was so proud of our church for stepping up and raising so much money for VBS 2008! Andrea and I, although nervous, enjoyed the opportunity to get to sing together. Andrea did an incredible job, even learning a brand new song the night before the concert. Caitlyn played Jesus Loves Me on her violin to start the night off(see video above). She was a great sport even though we forgot her music. She played it from memory almost perfectly. I have lots of pictures form the past few days and will post them as I get them loaded. Our twenty week ultrasound is this afternoon, so I'll post as soon as we get back and hopefully have pictures by tomorrow. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty for his many blessings!

Rainy Thursday

Check out this new ticker I copied from a friend of mine! It follows the baby's development. I thought it was pretty cool, so I added it to the bottom of our blog page. We are having a great time with Andrea here. The weather hasn't been that great, but hopefully we'll get clear skies for Monday and our trip to DC. Andrea and I are singing in a Vacation Bible School Benefit Concert tomorrow night, and we've got soccer on Saturday. Jeremy bought a little motorcycle/scooter for the kids. With the weather being nasty, they've only gotten to ride it once. Andrea and I got some great pictures though, and I'll post them as soon as we get them downloaded. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Caitlyn's 2005 Flashback

Here is the final installment of the 2005 flashbacks....Caitlyn. She's the most serious of the kids, but still has a silly side. She loves to talk, and is extremely intelligent. 2005 found her enjoying being a big sister again. Many pictures I found had her with one of her siblings, hugging and smiling. Caitlyn has always been the "little mommy" of the bunch, eager to nurture and of course.... boss someone around! :) At times she gets a little overbearing, but the other kids are quick to put her in her place. Christmas 2004, Caitlyn was fortunate enough to have her own personal home visit from Santa. Santa was actually a relative of a friend from church, but she had no idea. To this day, she still remembers that visit. 2005 marked the beginning of her love of reading as well. Caitlyn began reading shortly before her birthday that year. She was only three! She has discovered, as I did, that books provide a relaxing escape from reality at times, a chance to exercise her imagination. She is a very imaginative and creative child, and we are very proud of the little girl that she has become!

Aunt Rea Has Arrived!

We have returned from Norfolk with Andrea in tow! I took a few pictures of the kids as we waited patiently (yeah right) for her plane to land. The kids were anxious as usual, and started screaming the moment they saw her. We are very thankful to have her here for the next week and a half, and are looking forward to all the fun we have planned. We always enjoy her yearly spring trips to Virgina! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty for blessing me with an awesome sister!