An Uneventful Week and an Anniversary

Not much going on here this week. Caitlyn has been running a fever for two days, but I think she's feeling a bit better today. She's excited because she hasn't had to do schoolwork! With all the flu and stuff going around, it doesn't surprise me that someone in our house picked up a bug. I think I might be getting a sinus infection, but maybe it's just allergies. With all the rain this week, you can definitely tell spring is here. I went to the eye doctor yesterday morning (I have been in desperate need of some new glasses), and they confirmed what I already knew...I'm half blind! :) Just kidding. I did order some new glasses, so I'm excited about that. They should be here in about a week or so. April is right around the corner, and as usual I feel like the year is flying by.

I've been thinking a lot about Corey and Dawn the past few weeks. Corey's birthday was last week, and Dawn's birthday is next Tuesday. It was March 30, 2007, when those two little kiddos came into our lives. They are still talked about at our house frequently, and John David still calls Corey his brother. It's been a a year now since they left, but it feels like much longer. I decided to make the kids a picture book with photos of Corey and Dawn. I think it will help them, and me too. I guess I thought that after time, we would forget, or at least the kids would. I'm realizing that will never be. John David may never understand why his little brother was ripped from his life so abruptly, and for that I still blame myself. I think we learned so much that year with Dawn and Corey, and we definitely came out on the other side a closer family for it, but I always wonder if it did more damage than good. The kids have fears now they didn't have before, hurts that weren't there before. Someday, I'm sure they'll understand. God knows, and I don't think he brought Corey and Dawn into our lives for nothing. We do miss them, though.

Hope you all have a great weekend! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who for now has blessed us with these.

Random Weekend Shots

Here's a couple snapshots we got of John and Kylie and the dog over the weekend:

John David and Kylie having a jam session



Kylie all dolled up for her friend's princess party



Chewy is getting so big!

Spring Recital

Caitlyn's Spring Violin Recital was yesterday afternoon. She did a great job as usual! It is really nice to see how she has improved over the last two years, and every recital we get to see how the other violin students have improved as well. I think she was a little anxious about this particular recital because she has just recently gotten a new violin, a bigger violin, and is still adjusting. Caitlyn was extra excited since she got to wear a dress that she's been waiting half the winter to get to wear, and because I did her hair special for the event. We were very excited to have the Averys (friends from our church family) there to support Caitlyn too. Thank you so much for coming, Jackie, Roger, Savannah, and Derrick! I uploaded the video (below), so be sure and check it out. After we returned home from the recital and while Caitlyn was looking so pretty, her and I had an impromptu photo session. Enjoy the pictures! Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who for now has blessed us with these.

He Said It!

Luke has been babbling for a week or so now. Lots of da-da-da-da-da, and ba-ba-ba-ba-ba. Nothing really meaning anything, but so cute nonetheless! Last night he said "mama" two or three times, and it was directed at me! I was so surprised! Even though I could sense some disappointment from him, Jeremy even admitted that was what he said. He's been a little fussy since he hasn't been feeling good. As I was leaving the living room, I walked past where he was sitting on the floor. He looked right at me, flung his arms up, started crying, and said "mama". So cool!

John David said something yesterday too....something not so exciting. Try embarrassing beyond belief! I had a few errands to run, and decided to take John David with me. While we were out, I took him to the Dollar Tree to spend the two dollars he had saved. As we're waiting in line at the checkout, this sweet little old lady was going on and on about well behaved he was, and how cute he looked, etc., etc.. He was acting shy, and then all the sudden, he looked right at her and said, "You look like you have a moustache!" She didn't quite hear him, and asked me what he said. I thought, "Oh thank God, there's still a chance to get out of this!" So, yes, I told a little fib, but it didn't work. As soon as I got the lie out of my mouth, John David says, "That's not what I said, I said.....", and proceeded to say those horrible words again!! I tried covering his mouth with my hand, but it was too late! I was so humiliated, and especially after she was saying how well behaved he is. I'm sure I should have handled it better, like making him apologize or something, but truth is....I panicked! Needless to say he got a good talking to on the way out to the car. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty for two mostly sweet little boys.

Lukey's Got a Cold

Just wanted to ask you to pray for Luke. He's been sick since yesterday. He's running a low fever, Has a little cough, and has a runny nose and congestion. No biggie, but he is so pitiful!

The Jig is Up

Caitlyn finally discovered that the tooth fairy is a fake! Two weeks ago she had two teeth removed at the dentist office. Her mouth is getting too crowded and her permanent teeth are having difficulty coming in, so two baby teeth needed to be pulled to make more room. Anyway, all the way home from the dentist she went on and on about how she was going to get money from the tooth fairy. That night as she was getting ready for bed, and putting her teeth in her "Tooth Fairy Box", she declared to Jeremy that she thought him and I were the ones that put the money in the box for her. What she couldn't figure out was who was leaving her the letters from "Trixie" the tooth fairy. Suddenly it dawned on her, and she turned to me and asked, "Are you the one that wrote me the letters?" I couldn't lie to her, so I confessed. She actually thought it was funny, and exclaimed, "That's why she keeps forgetting to leave me the money!" After that the only question she had was, "What do you do with all the teeth?" Keeping up the act for her sister, she put her teeth in her box, and patiently waited for her money. Sadly, the tooth fairy took a few days to remember to leave the money. When Caitlyn discovered the stack of quarters, she said, "Daddy already gave me money." I told her we thought those teeth were worth a few extra dollars since they had to be taken out by the dentist. So far, Kylie has no clue, but it's only a matter of time before she too is too old for the fairy! Words of warning: I'm sure Santa Clause is next!!

National Museum of Natural History

Here's the last of the pictures from our Washington, D.C. trip last Saturday. After the National Air & Space Museum, Jeremy and I took the kids to the Museum of Natural History (their favorite), and Andrea and Clay went to see some of the memorials, and the National Museum of American History. I included some pictures that Andrea took while they were site-seeing. She'll probably post some more to her blog. As you can see from the pictures, the kids made a beeline for their favorite spot in the Museum of Natural History, the Insect Zoo. After holding their share of creepy crawlies, we learned all about bones, saw the dinosaur bones, the hall of mammals, and visited the gift shop. Caitlyn had $10 that burning a hole in her pocket, money she had earned cleaning up the yard, getting good grades, and a few dollars from the tooth fairy (more about that later). She was able to find a really neat origami kit that shows how to make all kinds of origami animals. She had asked for an origami kit for Christmas and not gotten it, so she was extremely excited to find this one. She hasn't finished an animal yet (they were a little more complicated than she anticipated), but when she does I'll be sure and post a picture. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who for now has blessed us with these.

Looking out off the second floor balcony



The view



The Insect Zoo



Kylie and the Hissing Cockroach




Caitlyn opted for the tame caterpillar :)



John David holding a grasshopper



The Ocean Hall




Andrea and Clay site-seeing

Lunch @ Air & Space

We always seem to get some of the funniest pictures while we are taking our lunch break at the Air & Space Museum. Here are some of this trip's lunch pictures!

Andrea and Clay





A Bunch of Crazies!





John David's face cracks me up in these!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hope everyone is having a grand St. Patrick's Day! Here's a video my mom emailed me this morning. Too cute not to pass on! Enjoy!

First Stop: National Air & Space Museum

Caitlyn and Kylie Riding the Metro


After a long Metro ride into the city (maintenance on the tracks caused some delays), we arrived at the Air & Space Museum. The kids were disappointed that we weren't going to the zoo, but the weather was not permitting. It was in the 40's, and raining! The kids enjoyed their usual trip to the "How Things Fly" room, while Andrea and Clay looked at all the "grown-up" exhibits. We also took our traditional picture of the kids in front of the spaceman.





The "big" kids are all smiles...although John David somewhat resembles the unabomber.



Who's that hunk? Oh yeah...I think I know him! :)



Luke Hanging Out

Luke Gives a Thumbs Up

Friday, while Jeremy and I did the grocery shopping, the kids stayed home with Andrea and Clay. These are some pictures that Andrea took while we were gone. Enjoy!

All the Knutson kids sitting still! Amazing! Doesn't it look like Luke is giving a thumbs up?


Luke and Clay

Luke and Aunt Rea



Playing Legos with Clay

Pretty In Pink

Here's a couple pics I took this morning of Kylie. She picked out her clothes herself! Didn't she do a great job?! She even wore a pink headband and lipstick. Looking at these pictures, I realized how grown up she is starting to look. She's gonna be a heartbreaker! :)

Happy Birthday Lanning

Today is my nephew, Lanning's, 2nd birthday! Happy Birthday little man! I heard he is not feeling well, so I'm hoping he is able to enjoy his birthday at least a little.

Andrea and Clay have gone back to Tennessee, and we are sad! :( We had a great visit, but it was just too short!! I am still loading pictures from our day trip to D.C. on Saturday, so I will post them as soon as I am done.

One last note: Congratulations to my cousin, Jen, and her husband, Jeremy, and to our friends Hilda and Jesse.! Last week Jen and Jeremy welcomed to their world two new babies, Micah and Gracie. Though the delivery was unexpected and the twins were small, they are doing well, and hopefully will be coming home today or tomorrow. Jen and Jeremy;s son Sam is due to have surgery on his ears on Wednesday, so please pray for them! And at 4:00 this morning, Hilda gave birth to Kyle David, weighing 8 pounds 8 ounces, and measuring 21 inches long! So exciting! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty for two safe deliveries and three new babies!