Heckert Happenings!

Christmas program clip

2011-12-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a clip of the program... The words are kind of hard to understand at the beginning, but this is the song about Mary having a baby.

Christmas music program

2011-12-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

On Dec 5th Kate had her school music program. We all were very excited to go and see her sing in her first school program ever!

To no one's surprise, Kate was in the back row, center...She was lucky enough to stand by her best friend, Trinity (the girl in the red dress).

The songs were cute and the Kindergarten kids did a great job singing. My favorite part of the evening was the song they sang about Mary and Jesus. I am so grateful that I live in an area where we can still sing in public school about the Savior, it was beautiful.

Kate made us so proud, and Elise and Lily sat very well during the program...All in all, it was a fantastic family night.

Happy Birthday Elise

2011-12-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

The baby turned 1 yesterday! She was lucky enough to have two celebrations: One at Grandma Eva's and one at home.

She needed lots of help with the presents.

For her birthday dinner we had Elise's favorite, homemade mac and cheese!

Thank you Dairy Queen for the cake, yum!

Elise is such a joy in our lives; she makes us laugh all the time. Her are a few facts about our 1 year old:

Likes:

Food

Books

Ripping pages in books

Mommy

Wrestling with Kate, Lily, and Daddy

Stairs

Food

Pacifier

Food

baths

Dislikes:

Bedtime!

Sisters

2011-11-20T17:35:00.000-08:00

Kate and Lily Nov 2008

Lily and Elise Nov 2011

I can't believe how fast time flies!

Thank you Lord for these blessings!

Halloween part 1&2

2011-10-31T20:59:00.001-07:00

Halloween started early this year with a very fun party thrown by some great friends. It helped me get their costumes done early, and we got an extra use out of them. Honestly though,I am not sure why I keep making their costumes year after year, they can be such a headache. I went to Joann's a billion times because I kept underestimating how much tulle I needed...Silly tutus. However, by this time next year I will forget all the toil and money saved and probably put myself through it all again. Thank goodness the girls are so cute, they make it all worth it!

Here they are, outfits intact! We ended up breaking the headbands in the next 20 minutes and shedding out wings closely after that, so this is the one complete picture I got! My three little butterflies!

Melting my heart

The next weekend was our church's trunk or treat...so fun! I sewed hangers into the girls' wings so they would stay open, and I must say, it made the look even better.

In this game one little one throws small pumpkins over their head while someone else catches it with the cauldron. It was way more dangerous than it looks...Kate and I were a team and I ended up catching a pumpkin with my nose! Those things were hard! Luckily, no black eyes.

Hit the cans with the beanie babies and win a prize!

Mommy (still seeing stars) and her girls!

Halloween part 3&4

2011-10-31T20:43:00.000-07:00

When we finally got to Halloween for real, I was a bit worn out, but the girls were still full of excitement. Papa took the girls for a little tick or treating around our neighborhood.

Lily decided that she wanted to be a ballerina because she "had already been a butterfly," and fortunately we had all she needed. It was a little chilly, so Elise was just bundled up, not that she cared about not having a costume.

"Are they getting something for me?"

After regular trick-or-treating, we went to Bethel Temple for trunk or treating because Drew had our car in the event. Here is how he looked! Besides the Lamborghini, his set-up was the coolest

Elise enjoyed the food...

while the girls loved the inflatables. It was a really good time, and since the girls had more fun playing than trunk or treating, we didn't come home with very much candy!

Fall Festival 2011

2011-10-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

October dawned with the annual Westside Fall Festival. The weather was gorgeous and my sister and brother-in-law were in town for the festivities, making for a fabulous week.

Kate and Lily had a great time this year, especially with the cotton candy!

Grandma Eva was great to the kids and got them some tickets for the rides. I think the giant slide was the hands-down favorite for everyone

The family in front of the monster ear booth. We had PLENTY of these. I wish everyone could have the chance to come down and experience the fall festival, especially the monster ears! We had a wonderful time visiting with Melissa and Christopher and can't wait to see them again.

One Hungry Monster

2011-09-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

Today I handed Elise a "cutie" orange to play with while I was getting some things done. For a few minutes I was engrossed with my routine when suddenly I heard a very cute "smack," "smack," coming from behind me. Elise was chomping on the orange, peel and all! Where there are three teeth, there is a way to eat anything!

'Why doesn't this taste very good?"

The damage, she really didn't let that peel stop her!

9 months old

2011-09-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

September is upon us, and what a great time we have been having. The weather took an unexpected twist and we are now enjoying temperatures in the 70s. We also had Kate home an extra day from school for labor day, which made Lily so happy. These two miss each other so much during the day, it is so sweet.

Elise also had her 9 month appointment on Tuesday, surprising us with an unexpected growth spurt. She weighs in at 19 lbs 10 oz ( 64th percentile) and stretches out to 29.25 inches (93th). In June she was only in the 75th percentile for height, showing an impressive gain from 6 to 9 months. It looks like all my girls will be tall...two more and we will have quite the basketball team!

Daddy and Elise taking a nap before church.

Making some beautiful music.

Lily hard at work on her preschool craft.

Trying to entertain Elise during preschool time

Elise's new favorite position. If I hold still for more than 5 seconds, she is on my leg, bouncing up and down and begging to be held, it is nice to be so loved!

The end of August!

2011-08-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

August has been a fun and busy month: school, birthdays, milestones, lots of things going on! Hopefully September will be just as fun, but with much cooler temperatures.

Last Friday, Kate's school had a Family Fun night with inflatables, food, and a book fair. We had a great time.

Kate and Lily were very excited to get a balloon animal, they are so easy to please!

I also worked part of the night as a parent volunteer by supervising one of the inflatables. It proved to be a very interesting two hours. I called one boy a girl right to his face, which was mortifying, but the funny thing about it was his reaction, he acted like it had happened before, which made me feel better. Cut your hair kid!!!!! I also thought two girls were boys, which would have been even more disastrous if said out loud. Parents, make sure your children aren't gender neutral or look like the opposite sex when they go out! Geez...

Elise turns 9 months old tomorrow and is such a cutie pie! She races around and is into everything...I love this stage. When she grins you can see her two little bottom teeth sticking out, its priceless!

Playing

2011-08-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

Elise is starting to get so big! She will now sit and play with toys that she finds, and it is so fun to watch her explore. She has so many more things to play with then Kate and Lily did, so this time around it is so different than the other two. Elise played with this doll forever, touching its face and "kissing" it.

She worked so hard to get into the box, and ended up not liking sitting on all the toys inside!

Lily is 4!

2011-08-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Monday our sweet Lily turned 4! She was very, very excited for her big day. On Sunday we had cake and presents at Grandma Eva's house.

Elise really was loving the cake and ice cream part

Monday was another fun day of celebration

Here are just a couple pictures of Elise growing up way too fast!

The end of an Era

2011-08-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

The last five years I have really loved being a mother of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. It has been the most joyous time of my life spending my days with my babies, but today marked the end of having all my kids at home with me. Kate went and started Kindergarten!! Many of you know of my struggle with sending her this year because she will be one of the youngest, but earlier this summer Drew and I finally decided to just bite the bullet and let her go. I did not want this to be the decision because I didn't feel ready to let my first-born grow up, not to mention I didn't want to grow up! Not following the school calendar is pretty awesome; trips whenever you want, no alarm clocks in the morning, laid back days, etc. However, over the last couple of months, I have grown more comfortable letting my little one go and following the beat of the school schedule. So, let the fun begin!!!

Above: First day of school breakfast!

Showing off her Tinkerbell backpack...Aren't we so cool?

So big and ready to learn!

We will miss you Kate! Especially Lily

Waiting for the bus

Getting on the bus! Yes, cars were lined up waiting as I snapped this shot, but thats a mother's prerogative!

Her locker!

At her desk and ready for Mommy to leave!

It is now 10:30, and I think Lily, Elise, and I are holding up great. I am excited for 2:45 to come to hear how the first day went. Can Kate really be this big?!!?

And she's 8 months...

2011-08-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

My number 3 is now 8 months old. I cannot, I repeat, cannot believe how fast time has passed. We have had the best time the last few months with our three precious girls. What a blessing!

Elise loves to be in the midst of things, she can squeeze and push into any space if she thinks something is going on without her. Here Kate is guarding the laptop because Elise LOVES to smack at the buttons.

YUM, cake...Thanks Daddy, if you keep this up I might make "daddy" my first word

New trick

Playing with the books

We already have the "potty party" concept down in this house.

Kate and Lily are very tolerant of Elise crawling around in their play area, and Elise takes full advantage of it!

My little adventurer...coming down was defiantly not as much fun as getting up

Naked, covered in drool, and so happy. I just love having a baby around.

Land that I love?

2011-07-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

Drew has psoriasis, that's no secret to most of you. For the past three years this disease has been part of our lives. The dermatologist he has been seeing for the past couple of years has always acted like it is no big deal, so we have been trying everything on our own to get rid of it. Finally, with Drew's new job, he has private insurance that allows Drew to go and see someone else. Surprise!!! Drew's psoriasis is severe and he needs to start on some medication. In all truth I was ecstatic that we finally had some doctor that took us seriously. Then Drew goes to pick up his month long prescription... and even with our insurance it cost more than our MORTGAGE!

That's right readers, those little pills demand more money than our house. I thought that finally having private insurance would be great and allow Drew to get what he needed, but until we meet the outrageous deductible, most things are out-of pocket. I spent most of the weekend researching prescription assistance, but because we have insurance, we can't get anything!!!! So, we have to pay a premium monthly AND cover a deductible to get the cost covered.

I am angry! When did this country become a place where the poor can get fat off government assistance but the working middle class can't catch a break? If a person makes less than $40,000 he/she has a world of financial help at his/her fingertips. WIC, TANF, Medcaid, college financial aid, and those are only a few. I feel as if hard work and self-reliance are qualities that are no longer cherished by this nation that was built on the backs of independent, industrial men and women. Its wrong, and I want it to STOP! If people need help from the government, they need to give also. This getting something for nothing plan is not working anymore. I am not sure what I can do, but I will find out, and I hope you find out too. Together we can change the world, one small step at a time.

2011-07-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

On saturday I took the girls and the dog town to the river for some bike riding. The girls were so cute!

We really wore out Alex

Our little trio of cuties!

A few weeks ago we went to another Otter's game...this time we were smart and got in line for face painting before the game started! It is so fun to spend time with our girls!

Elise is getting bigger!

2011-07-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

Playing with the puppy!

Tired girl

Wanting to be a big girl

Pulling up!

Playing with her reflection

6 months

2011-07-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Kate at 6 months
Lily, 6 months

Elise, 6 months

Well, you can't get any cuter then these three can you?

How can anyone wonder why I want more...

A weekend in St. Louis

2011-06-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Drew had his EdwardJones summer regional meeting in St. Louis so we had a nice little vacation. We got to stay at the Hilton right downtown and had an awesome time.

In the heart of downtown is a park called Citygarden with ponds and lots of plants. We weren't prepared for the water, but luckily my girls are still young enough to swim in public in a t-shirt and panties.

Friday night we went to a Cardinals' game!!! What fun, EdwardJones had rented out some suites so we spent most of our time in air conditioning.

Visiting the Arch

It was also Marine week in St. Louis, so we got to see lots of airplanes and guns around the arch.

The one thing the girls really wanted to do was ride in a carriage, so we finally gave in and paid the outrageous fee to see St. Louis from a horse-drawn carriage.

The weekend was amazing and it was nice to spend some time with Drew. We can't wait to go back!

Ballet

2011-06-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

For the girls' birthday, they received dance lessons from Grandma Heckert. They love love love to dance and have really enjoyed the lessons. The hour class is divided into ballet, tap, and tumbling. Above is Lily during the ballet part.

Relaxing during tumbling

Kate, waiting for class to start

Kate doing a plie.

I am really excited about the dance lessons too because I am hoping it will teach the girls some grace and poise which will be beneficial for their whole lives. The girls' favorite part is ballet and they love to practice. I hope to have some video up after this week's class.

Otters Game

2011-06-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday we went to an Otters game and had a great time! The girls really seemed to like it, and it was fun to spend time with my brother, Grandma, and dad.

Kate (showing off her now two spot gap in her mouth) and Jonny

Daddy and Lily.

The Evansville Otters!! It was perfect weather for a baseball game, and we sat almost right in front of the pitchers mound.

Jonathan had a blast!

So did Elise.

The girls' favorite part was getting their faces painted. I think we waited in line for an hour, but it was worth it to see the grins on their faces when they turned into "kitties!"

A little sibling rivalry

2011-06-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

Elise's personality is starting to show through, and she is determined to: 1. not to be left behind and 2. To be the first in something! Last friday she started getting up on her hands and toes trying to move, and this quickly turned into some "crawling." While she does not crawl in the typical fashion yet, she can get where she needs. I am shocked that she is so mobile at 6 months. The other girls were both closer to 9 months. So, not only is she the first with blue eyes, she is the first to crawl so far. Watch out Kate and Lily!!!

p.s. 6 months stats are Weight 16 lbs 9 oz Height 26.5 in

Help! My baby turned FIVE!!!

2011-06-08T07:50:00.000-07:00

Monday was Kate's birthday and boy did we have fun! The girls got bikes, ballet lessons, crafts, and so much more! The girls had to put on their ballet uniform as soon as they opened them!

Thank you Melissa and Christopher!

Having fun with all the craziness!

Kate and Lily have a book where a girl gets a sewing machine for her birthday, so Kate really wanted to learn how to sew. Mom found some really fun sewing/craft projects for kate, we are really excited to learn to be like Grandma!

On Tuesday we had a party with a few of Kate's church friends. We made bracelets, decorated cupcakes, and ate pizza!

Lily had to help me while baking cupcakes...sometimes I just don't have enough hands.

Papa gave the girls a card that sang, and they can't get enough of it!

6 months of cuteness

2011-06-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Elise turned 6 months old. What a sweetheart! This past week she has been going through a major growth spurt because she is hungry all the TIME! I mean more than usual, eating every 1.5 hours instead of 2. Today she seemed to slow it down a little, which is a relief.

Elise is as cute as can be, and We are so excited to have her in our family.

As cute as she is, she is also impossible to photograph! She does not like to hold still, especially when I make her laugh. Most of her photographs are super fuzzy...thank goodness for digital photos that I can delete.

Growing up and getting crazy!

2011-05-31T07:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it was not enough that Kate is going to Kindergarten this year, she had to go and lose her first tooth this weekend!!!! At first I thought she knocked herself hard in the mouth, but no, she is just growing up. As usual, this milestone come before I was ready, but time must march forward! When she first lost the tooth, she says to me, " I was so brave, I should get a kitty." Thats my girl!

Unfortunately, the day before she lost her tooth, her and Lily talked Drew and I into getting this little guy. Yes, in answer to all your thoughts, I am crazy. Breastfeeding generally sucks out all my reason and good sense, and Kate and Lily seized the opportunity.

His name is Alex and he is a Corgi/Beagle mix, so his legs are only about 3 inches long. I put him next to Elise for a size comparison. We love him and are excited to have him in our family.

Elise now is practicing sitting up and getting chubby!

New Mexico 2011

2011-05-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

In May we made our annual pilgrimage to New Mexico to visit Drew's parents. As always, we had a great time in the desert. The craziest part of our trip occurred when we were going for a walk and come up on this fellow in the yard. Not pausing to look close enough, we thought it was a rattlesnake and ran for the house (the picture was taken with a zoom.) We frantically got Animal Control to come out only to discover that our fearsome "rattler" was not only a harmless bull snake, but DEAD! Dead as can be...we definitely got a good laugh at ourselves.

Too cool for school

Our favorite New Mexico haunt has to be white sands. It is always beautiful, but this year the wind was really bad, so we didn't stay very long.

Something new this year was going to the driving range...what fun! The girls loved it and are on their way to golf greatness!

The girls with Grandma Heckert and Great Grandma Mitchell

All about Elise

2011-05-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Recently my pictures of Elise have been few and far between, so here is a post dedicated to our smallest jewel.

Working out in the yard at the end of April. It was beautiful weather, but windy, so she had to be bundled up quite a bit!

This MUST be for eating, isn't everything?

I am so big!! I can turn from my back to my front and from my front to my back.

Drool

Elise LOVES LOVES food.

She is an eating pro.

She will eat whatever I give her, and she expects us to share everything we are having.

This is her usual mode of transportation: the baby carrier

Not so sure about the swings

Happy girl outside

Our little lovely ladies

2011-05-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

In April, the girls got their pictures taken (yes, again ;)) at the Riverfront, and I must say, they turned out beautiful. Elise was not in the picture-taking spirit, which is why there are so few of her.

This was her happiest moment, trying to eat the tulip.

I am such a blessed Mommy to have three beautiful daughters that will dress up and take pictures for me!

Utah and Easter

2011-05-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

This month we had the pleasure of going out to Utah to pick up Andrew from college and celebrate Megan's birthday. After we survived a blizzard and Super strength winds throughout Kansas, the first thing we did was have an Easter egg hunt at my Aunt Alzina's with some of my cousins and their children. We had a great time! Here are Kate and Lily with Meg and Mel.

Cutie pie elise with mommy

Papa Clair and Mama "Zina" with baby Elise

We went up to Thanksgiving Point, which is about 30 minutes north of Provo to attend a tulip festival. The girls loved running around and the flowers were amazing!

We had a great time helping Megan open and enjoy her gifts.

Our last day in Utah we visited a place called Kangaroo Zoo which had lots of inflatables for the kids. The girls did a marvelous job of wearing themselves out.

We had a great time visiting our family and we can't wait to do it again...well, as long as we fly out next time!!!!

A great weekend

2011-04-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

Kate and Lily attacked my daffodils and whatever kind of grass this is and made a flower arrangement on Saturday. We also did a ton of yard work and I am amazed how much better our yard looks!

On sunday we went to my mom's house to watch General Conference. Kate loved "helping" grandma quilt. After the morning session we went to my Grandma Eva's for lunch and enjoyed the nice weather immensely.

The monkey is at it again: trying to figure out how to get up in to this tree!

Kate set up a flower shop on Grandma's front porch.

Elise with Grandma Eva

This was Emily and Andrew's last sunday here in Evansville, a very sad fact in deed! We will miss them so much! They have been so great with the girls and it has been wonderful to have them so close. Good luck guys on your new adventure in Utah!

Girls with Grandma

By the pretty flowers

Elise had her 4 month appointment today and she is 25 inches (76%) and 13 pounds (34%). She is starting to get really interested in food and loves mashed potatoes! It is amazing to watch her figure out the world around her!

Hello April

2011-03-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Kate reading to Elise Lily being herself!

Today we had some visitors! These cute little ducks came to our yard to play, and promptly ran away as soon as I ran to get the camera. Kids and animals are not very cooperative with camera time!

Good bye March

2011-03-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

In just a few short days Elise will turn 4 months. She is growing up too fast, as are Kate and Lily. She is starting to roll from tummy to back, and is sleeping a little better now that we have moved her to another room. Elise is also so patient with her older sisters. I am constantly turning around to find Kate or Lily picking Elise up, walking with her in their arms, trying to read to her. It is a bit unsettling for me, but so far we have had no accidents. I want to nuture my kids' maternal instincts, so we have been practicing holding her and carrying Elise gently. Hopefully that stops any dropping in the future. "Camping" in the living room.

Going to "Princesses on Ice."

Happy girl!

Spring is upon us!!!!!

2011-03-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday dawned warm and sunny,so the girls and went outside to tackle our bushes. For the past three years I have put off any real yard work,but no more. We are going to have a pretty yard this year!!!!
Not so sure about all this!

Little Cinderkate.

Being Mommy's helper

My snuggle buddies.

When Elise turned 3 months, we stopped putting her in the swing to sleep, and it has been a tough adjustment. Where she was sleeping 8 hours straight, now it is not more than 4. So, she now gets into bed with me after her first night feeding and stays there the rest of the night. Its not so bad, but hopefully we can adjust soon.

Pictures to brighten (another) rainy day

2011-03-15T07:06:00.000-07:00

Caught some more smiles from our little bug!

Lily crawled into bed with me while I was nursing Elise, and when i got up, she scooted over so she could be closer to the baby. I love how much my girlies love each other.

At the prospect of another morning of combing, Kate decided she wanted a haircut, so I cut her hair. She is about as cute as can be!

Things are going great here in the Heckert house.

Drew is working hard at all of his callings:

husband, dad, owner of ebash, Elders' Quorum president, and Edward Jones advisor.

In short, he is a very busy man!!!

I have been looking into preschools for Kate (sniff, sniff),

and the girls are growing up like crazy!

Another week flies by!

2011-03-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

Drew was away in St. Louis for the week, so the girls, Grandma, Alisha, Emily, and I went on a road trip to Indianapolis for shoping and a trip to the Children's Museum. The best part was the the museum is free the first Thursday of the month!

Checking out the dinosaur exhibit. Kate and Lily were fascinated that the dinos "roared!"

Trying our hand at fashion design

Kate playing photographer

Lily on the catwalk at the Barbie exhibit

At the Dora and Diego exhibit

Waiting to go into the Children's Museum

Cutie pie!

Like mother, like daughter! Lily is a climber, and this is her conquering one of Mom's bushes

Just some pictures of the girls!

2011-02-24T10:20:00.001-08:00

Buddies

Kate and Lily love to hold Elise!

Relaxing

Too cute!

2011-02-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

Kate in her blessing dress 2006
Lily 2007

Elise 2011. We sure do know how to make the baldest, cutest babies!

Elise's blessing day

2011-02-20T15:53:00.000-08:00

Elise was blessed today...Drew did a great job, and Elise was perfect through the whole thing!

We have enjoyed having a baby around the house so much. She is a sweet, sweet part of our lives, and we don't know what we would do without her.

still alive...

2011-02-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

Kate was playing with diaper wipes and made the bed post look like a bride. We have been watching way too many Disney movies!

" I see you!"

Elise gave us her first grin on the 16th of Jan, we are still trying to get her to do a full on smile for the camera!

Elise's two months stats: 10 lbs 5 oz, and 22 1/2 inches. She is the smallest of all my kids at this age, but it is not for lack of trying...she loves to eat. 90% of my day is sitting and nursing, and the other 10% is feeding Kate and Lily!

Kate and Lily got into Drew's Dungeons and Dragons set and set up a royal feast for all the little figures. Disney and D&D...who knew?

Drew and Elise studying. Drew takes his first exam on the 10th of Feb, pretty exciting!

Kate "reading" to Elise.

Still trying to capture a grin on camera.

Her cheeks are starting to fill out.

Jan update

2011-01-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

January has been flying by! Lily went to primary, officially making her a big girl. Go Sunbeams!

Elise, enjoying some naked-time.

Daddy-daughter nap time!

Kate showing off a Christmas present. Don't you love her outfit?

My girls are on the cutting edge of fashion!

Elise's first bath! She loved it until I got the camera out.

Pictures of the cousins

2011-01-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

I think we have some pretty cute girls!

All About 2010

2011-01-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Holiday to all our friends and family this year! As we celebrate the coming of a new year, I can't help but think of the wonderful year 2010 was!

This year we finally remodeled the kitchen and we were "lucky" enough to spend our tax return on a new roof. I would like to say we will not put any money into the house this year, but I know it won't happen, so I will accept the fact that houses always need something done! In May I graduated from USI with a degree in Nutrition and Wellness, and we are still celebrating the end of my undergraduate degree! We made two trips to Utah this summer to first drop off my siblings Alisha and Andrew off at BYU and next to celebrate my sister Melissa's wedding. The car ride almost killed us, but we were glad to have two such joyous events to attend. The end of 2010 brought the most wonderful event of all: the birth of our third child, Elise Noel. We are amazingly happy to have this little bundle in our lives!

Drew and eBash made it to two years in December and he continues to love his job. However, because of his love of adventure and new things, Drew will start another job this month with Edward Jones. We are looking forward to this experience and the continued growth of eBash.Drew is a wonderful husband and loving father, and I feel so blessed to have him as my eternal companion.

I, as previously mentioned, graduated in May and have been enjoying staying at home with Kate and Lily. I also feel in love with Agatha Christie novels and started having preschool at home for the girls. We learned almost all of our letters before Elise came, and I hope to start back up soon.

Kate (4) became a big girl this year. She is so sweet and thoughtful and is a great big sister to Elise. She is in love with princesses and wants to understand everything. I am answering a thousand "why" questions every day from her.

Lily lost her status as "the baby," but has bloomed into a delightful little girl. She is so much fun and is Kate's best friend. She also loves princesses and dressing up and playing pretend. There is never a dull moment in our house with Kate and Lily!

Elise is brand new in our house but has already had a huge impact on our family. She is a great baby and has routinely only woken up once during the night since we brought her home. She lets Kate and Lily hold her and love on her without complaint, a wonderful quality indeed.

2010 brought so many blessings into our lives and we are looking forward to what 2011 brings!

Almost Christmas

2010-12-23T08:09:00.000-08:00

We are getting excited for Christmas at the Heckert House! We have been wrapping presents and putting them under the tree all week. The girls have been counting down the days until their cousins and aunts and uncles come.

I love when the girls cuddle with their toys. Here they are watching a movie at grandma's.

Looks like Mommy was the only one ready for this shot!

Two weeks old!

2010-12-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

Elise is now two weeks old! That was the fastest two weeks I have ever experienced! Before church last sunday, we decided to do a photo shoot with the girls. They were very cooperative.

Yesterday Santa Clause can to the library to read books and surprise surprise, my children actually sat on his lap! It was fun to watch them sing with and listen to Santa.

5 days old!

2010-12-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

Sleeping peacefully
This makes my heart melt!

I thought she looked like the abominable pink snowman.

Beautiful Baby Elise!!!

2010-12-03T05:11:00.001-08:00

These pictures uploaded crazy out of order, but this is my first meeting with baby #3! What a joyful moment!

Last bump shot for pregnancy number three!

Daddy and daughter

Kate meeting Elise for the first time!

Lily's turn

Eyes open!

We are excited to have her here with us, and really excited to have a name for our precious Christmas present. Even though my mom had warned me that third labors are always different, this one was pretty much the same as the other two: quick and uneventful, which is great but makes for a pretty boring story! But here is the breakdown

1:45 pm arrive at Hospital

2:15 pm start Pitocin

5:30 pm ask for an Epidural (sorry have to wait until a C-section is done)

Slight panic as I wait for my Doctor to come and break my water, I definitely wanted the pain meds before that happened and the Dr. was due any minute!

6:30 pm Celebration! Epidural given and Dr. arrive at the same time!

6:45 pm water broken

8:24 pm baby is born!!!

And that is how we do it at the Heckert house. Thank you Mom, so much, for short labors.

Thanksgiving weekend!

2010-11-29T11:35:00.000-08:00

On Thanksgiving the girls went to the circus with Grandma Maralu and Aunt Alisha! They loved it and have been playing "tiger doing tricks" everyday since. The game consists of Kate telling Lily to jump, dance, and do other things for pretend treats.

I don't have any circus pictures yet, but hopefully I will soon. These two were taken right before they left.
For those of you who were just dying to know what we do all day, here it is! Dance around in panties and sing into whisks. Don't you wish you could come over?

Kate got really into it.

Here is her grunge guitarist face. Lily was moving around so much I couldn't get her guitar pose.

Thanksgiving crafts

2010-11-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

This month we have learned all about Thanksgiving! To satisfy my kids' need to cut and glue, we made some fun crafts. Above: Indian Headbands, Below, paper plate turkeys.

Ode to Pregnancy

2010-11-19T14:15:00.000-08:00

As my third pregnancy draws to a close, I am left reflecting on this 9 month period that most women in this world experience as a part of life. I know, I know, most women do not enjoy this time, but I have to stand up for gestation and say that I really love being pregnant! You may wonder why, so I will elaborate on the things I love about pregnancy...
1. Pregnancy enables us to focus on taking care of our bodies for the sake of our little ones
2. More calories to consume!!
3. People open doors for you, tell you how cute you look, and are generally nicer then usual.
4. I feel closer to Heavenly Father during this time as I participate in his divine plan
5. Everybody wants to feed you!
6. The pregnancy glow
7. This is the only time a belly is excepted and praised!
8. It gives me another reason to shop
9. Getting a chance to slow down
10. You get a beautiful baby at the end of it!
Well, there it is, ten reasons I enjoy being pregnant!

Drew's car

2010-11-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Drew collaborated with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra to sponsor its "Video Games Live" concert and was lucky enough to get his car "wrapped" as part of the deal. I didn't get all the sides of the car, but this gives you a good idea. He was so excited to cover up his "old man" car color!

Candy Candy Candy Time! aka Halloween

2010-11-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

The two little witches who don't like to take pictures...
Just thought this was funny!

One of the kids at church dressed up like Drew, pretty good huh?

Drew was very excited to win the trunk decorating contest at church.

North Carolina

2010-10-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

Last week Drew, the girls, and I went out to Emerald Isle, NC for a Heckert family vacation. It was beautiful and so relaxing.
This is the view from the beach house all of us stayed out. Pretty cool, huh?

We tried to take family pictures while we were out there. Of course, 5 seconds before it was our family's turn, Drew accidentally knocks Kate in the head and she cries the WHOLE TIME! I was not very simpathetic. Lily started crying in the big family shot when I dared to pick her up and move her...she recieved even less sympathy. Why do children always seem to cry during pictures? Maybe its a test to see how loving the mommy is...

Enjoying the beach!

The Adventure of the Clogged Drain

2010-09-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

As reviewed on the previous post, we have had a clogged kitchen sink over the weekend. I really really really didn't want to call a plumber over a clogg, so this morning we called Home depot to see if there was a machine we could rent that could help us out. Fantastically, there was such a machine, called the "electric eel!" For $40 and 30 minutes of work we were finally able to reach the elusive clogg and get our sink working again. Take that outrageous plumber prices!!! Drew is the official hero of the day for saving us money and a headache!!!

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do!

2010-09-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

Thursday I noticed that our sink was draining slow, so I ask Drew to fix it thinking that it would be a quick "draino" fix. WRONG! The drain stuff didn't work and the clog got worse. Drew has a snake-pipe cleaner-outer thing at work, and he brought it home to see if it would work. It wasn't long enough and I was not going to call a plumber after hours on a friday, so we took our dirty dishes outside!!!! I couldn't spend very much time bending and kneeling at the tub, so that it why we went outside. It worked very well, and we got to spend some quality time together as a family getting soaked. As for the sink, I don't know what we will do because I really don't want to pay for a plumber! We will keep you updated!

Hitting the third trimester!!!!

2010-09-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

I made it to 28 weeks! It is hard to believe my due date is only 12 weeks away when it is still 90 degrees outside! Our family is anxiously awaiting our little "Christmas Present!"

Preschool days

2010-09-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

Today brought the start of week 3 of "The Heckert Monkey Preschool," (the girls picked the name) and today we made crowns for our craft. Since most of our crafts are ripped apart before anyone can actually see them, I thought I would take a picture this time.

Besides crafts, we are learning songs, letters and their sounds, numbers, shapes, and whatever else Kate might need before Kindergarten next year. If you look closely at Kate's crown, you can see where she wrote her name. I love that she always puts more then three lines on her "E."

Another Milestone...stitches!!!!

2010-09-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday night brought about another milestone in the Heckert household. Kate and Lily were in their room when Kate starts screaming like a maniac. Drew goes in there to discover Kate with a huge gash in her head. I followed soon after to find three shocked individuals with eyes as big as saucers. After a quick clean up and some ibuprofen, we went off to convenient care for some fun!!! Kate was really calm and brave except for the actual stitching part, but who is calm with needles near their face? The picture above is from last night, right before bed.
This is from tonight during the band aid change. Looks pretty good, but you can see it was a pretty big gash!

Going to the Doctor!

2010-09-09T05:33:00.000-07:00

This week we went to the Doctor to see how much we were growing! Kate is 45 1/2 inches tall (105%)and weighs 48 pounds (89%). Lily is 36 lbs (89%) and 39 1/2 inches (94%). Both are healthy,happy little girls!!!

Utah Trip: Mama 'Zina and Papa Clair's House

2010-09-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

During our trip we headed up to Preston, ID to visit my grandparents.

The above scene occurred in about 2 seconds. We sure do love toys!

Grandma and Grandpa's neighbors had chickens and were nice enough to let us feed them. Taking this picture is as close as I ever want to get to a live chicken again. You would never believe I was raised by a Farmer's daughter!

A much safer view point!

Enjoying the cool Idaho summer evening. I think it might have been in the 70s. Loved it!

; Kate and Lily with "Mama 'Zina" and "Papa Clair."Papa gave them a ride in his scooter!

Trip to utah: Temple Square

2010-08-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

Last week, Mom, the girls, Alisha, Andrew, Dad, and I made the LONG drive out to Utah to take Andrew and Alisha to BYU. We had a great time, and I know the kids will have a great time in college.

We took a day to go up to Salt Lake to see the temple. The weather was perfect!
The water was of course a favorite!

Pretty flowers and a pretty girl!

Thank you Lily, that is exactly how I want to remember you, with a finger up your nose!

Before we left we HAD to go to the mall. We made quite the group of shoppers!

Lily is 3!!!!!!

2010-08-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

On Sunday Lily turned 3! We had a party on Saturday and Lily enjoyed several days of opening presents.
Cute as can be!

She blew out the candles one at a time, all in a row!

Yes, Tinker Bell really does fly, and try to hit people in the head. Lily wasn't sure she liked it at first, but warmed up to it later on.

Sharing the birthday goodies!

Thanks to everyone for the presents, and I know I especially enjoyed the candy she recieved! Lily is so bright and funny and huge joy in our lives. I am so glad Heavenly Father blessed our family with this amazing little one!

5th Wedding Anniversary!!!!

2010-08-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

This morning in celebration I found our wedding album and decided to scan some pictures for our blog. Most people haven't ever seen these pictures...so get ready for a blast from the past!!!

On August 13th 2005, Drew and I were married in the beautiful Washington D.C. temple. I remember how hot it was then, but I am so glad my wedding isn't today, with temperatures in the upper 90s and 100s!!!!!!

Here is the whole gang, starting from the left: Grandma Alzina, Grandpa Clair, Grandma Eva, Elizabeth, Jonny, Dad, Drew, Me,Melissa,Alisha,Andrew, Emily, and Mom. (P.S.This is the last wedding we had where no children attended!)

The sisters!

Look how young they look!!!!

Week 23

2010-08-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

More than halfway done! As you can see, the belly is growing,growing,growing! I am finally at a point people don't wonder, which is awesome!!!

Lily and Kate in the Courier & Press

2010-08-04T05:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was national night out, so Lily, Kate, my Grandma Eva, and I went out to Garvin Park for free food and games with prizes. It was pretty hot, but the girls had a great time. While we were there a lady from the paper took some picture, and this morning I looked and there they were! Of course Lily looks a mess and Kate is glaring, but I consider this a testimony that my girls were the cutest kids at the event!!!

Rainy Day Races

2010-07-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

This morning we were supposed to go to a Splash Park, but rain kept us inside. After lunchI had to find something to get some of the girls' energy out, so we had races!! This is the shopping cart race
They had to pick up the animals and put them in their cart

Racing back to the finish

Wipe out!!!

The course

This version of the race called for racing across the room on their knees, picking up one animal in their mouth, and crawling back to the start to deposit their animal in the bucket. They loved this one!

Kate setting up one race course

Our score keeper. Diego thought all the toys were for him, so he had to sit in the press box for the duration of the meet.

Fun in July

2010-07-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the girls went outside with Andrew and Alisha to play in the sprinklers. We are going to miss these two when they go off to college in a month!

Heckert Number 3

2010-07-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

We were able to find out what we were having today and we are excited to announce we will be having a....

GIRL!!!!

The girls were ecstatic to find out they were having a sister, and Drew and I are excited for another beautiful baby girl. Why mess with a good thing? We love little girls in this house!!!

17 weeks

2010-07-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

There it is folks,belly number 3!

Picture Update

2010-06-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

Picking flowers

A favorite picture from a visit from the Farr Family

Water fun on a hot summer day

Playing on the slip and slide outside

At the Jarvis Family reunion

After the initial shock of landing, Lily loved the slide

Having fun with Mommy's shoes

Sister Bonding Time!!!

Another Heckert Adventure

2010-06-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

What does a rock and a crochet hook have in common? Lily's nose!!! Yesterday Lily came up to me and said "Mommy there is something in my nose." Then she proceeded to grab my finger and try to put it up her nose. I politely, but as quick as lightening, pulled my finger away and counseled her to use her own devices to get what I thought was normal nose material out of her nose. Upon my dismissal she turns to her Aunt Emmy and informs her that a rock is stuck in her nose. Guess what? There was a rock up her nose. Emily, being the kind aunt she is, took Lily upstairs to Grandma, the true fixer of all medical problems, who used her vast nursing experience and found the perfect retrieval tool, the crochet hook. Out popped the offending object and all peace was restored. My only question....where did she get the rock?

The Big 4!!!!

2010-06-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I officially am starting to feel old because I now have a 4 year old!! I just can't seem to figure out where these last four years have gone, but they sure have been fun. All Kate has been asking for is a toy doggie-so we went to Build-a-Bear on Saturday. This the girls showing what they picked out.

And stuffing our animals...

The girls loved the whole experience, and it was the easiest birthday ever!! We later had family over for pizza and cake, and got some great goodies from Papa and Grandma.

Blowing out her candles at Grandma Eva's house.

On our way home today Kate said to me "I thought I was going to be a big girl now and get holes in my ears." I replied she wasn't that big yet. Kate is such a happy and sweet girl who is always thoughtful of others. We are so lucky to have her as our daughter!!!!!!

New Mexico, White Sands 2010

2010-05-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month we went and visited New Mexico and Grandma and Grandpa Heckert and Mitchell again. The weather was gorgeous and we got to spend some much needed time together as a family. On our first day there we visited White Sands. We love this place.

This year we went sledding down the dunes for the first time. So much fun, but...

the climb back up almost killed us!

One of our many attempts at a family pic. It was just too sunny and windy.

I hope to get the rest of our trip up in the next couple of days, so stay tuned!

FInally...a graduation picture

2010-05-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

We made it!!!! As of May 9th I am an official college graduate. For those who are wondering I graduated with a B.S. in Nutrition with an emphasis on food and wellness. For a quick summary here are the top 10 things I learned during my college study...

1. America is fat! 66% of adults are overweight or obese.
2. Being fat is expensive. 1 out of every 6 dollars spent in the U.S. goes to health care
3. For the first time in history we are decreasing our life expectancy from the previous generation
4. Less than 20% of adults exercise regularly
5. Decreasing body weight by 10% can significantly decrease chances for diabetes, heart disease, etc.
6.Talking about health care and weight issues is depressing
7.Small improvements to diet and activity make the most lasting changes
8. Moderation is a vital for prevention of weight gain and for weight loss
9. Fruit and vegetables are awesome
10. For best results increase physical activity and improve your diet.

So, as you can see, most of the time nutritionists are frustrated and depressed about the human condition. So people wake up, get some exercise and eat more fruits and vegetables and you will live a longer and better life!!!!!

Happy Birthday Drew

2010-04-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

Drew turned 28 yesterday!!!! The girls and I were able to take him some lunch and get some ice cream with Daddy on his big day! However, I still owe him a cake with candle and birthday pictures. April just flew by. I love you so much honey!

At the park

2010-04-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

The weather has been beautiful here in Southern Indiana and last week I was able to take the girls to the park for some fun. It is so fun to watch them play and swing and enjoy being outside!

P.S. Only three more weeks until graduation!

Drum roll please....

2010-04-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to announce that the Heckert family will be growing! As most know, we have been waiting (not so patiently) for a very very long time to add to our little brood. We are due Dec 10ish and are super excited for our little one!!!

Easter Pictures

2010-04-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

I had my awesome friend take our family pictures today in the beautiful weather.

These are my favorite shots.

New Kitchen, the last of the house remodel

2010-03-01T14:34:00.001-08:00

As many know, when we moved into our house two years ago it needed some work. In the first year we bulldozed our way through every room except the kitchen, because I was happy with it... until last Friday when I decided it was time to tackle our final remodel! So the above picture is a before shot...
And this is our after shot. We painted the cabinets, put in new flooring, installed a new ceiling fan, and bought a new stove. Very exciting!!!!

Happy (very late) Valentine's Day

2010-02-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

I know this post is a little late, but considering my mind is still back in October, I am doing pretty good! We had a fun Valentine's Day: we went to church and got treats all weekend. These two shots are of the girls getting their hair done-too much fun!

Much to my horror, it also snowed ALOT on Valentine's Day. Yuck! We decided to document this with a "girls" picture. If you look close you can see the crazy snow falling down. Snow GO AWAY!

The first week of the second month

2010-02-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

Being silly before bed. Lily said "take a picture of me," and when I held the camera up she said "say 'say cheese' mom!"

Jumping on our "new" big girl bed.

Putting a cape on...

Making sure it is secure...

Pulling on some gloves...

And Super Princess Kate is ready for action!!

A few pictures from January

2010-01-31T18:17:00.000-08:00

Playing outside with our umbrellas earlier this month ( we had a streak of days in the 50s)

For about 6 months, Lily has had a "tent" on her crib, and a few days ago I came into their room in the morning to find her like this... She had ripped a hole in the seam and squeezed herself out. We moved her out of the crib quickly.

Early in the month we had some snow and Lily made some snow angels

This week was really fun...we had a surprise visit from Melissa for mom's birthday and Andrew was in the sectional wrestling meet.

Kate entertained herself during the meet by doing Melissa's hair.

Andrew placed 3rd overall, it was so fun to see him do so well!!! Now onto Regionals!

A wrestling weekend

2010-01-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we were able to spend the day watching Andrew wrestle at the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference. It was great entertainment. Our attention was captivated by three different matches all going on at once. Who knew guys in spandex could be so much fun to watch! The above picture is how Lily likes to eat donuts- starting right in the middle. About halfway through it she just ate off the chocolate and handed the rest to me. Yum

Kate was so adorable at the meet. She understood that we were cheering for green so she kept cheering " Get 'em green, get 'em!" Too much fun!

Andrew finished 4th overall, winning his first and third matches.

Go Andrew, go get 'em!

Egbert Christmas Service Project...Evansville Chapter

2010-01-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

Every year the Egbert Family donates money and puts a family in charge of a Christmas service project. This year was the Kuhlenhoelter year! After a few months of not having a clue what to do, we stumbled upon two worthy causes.

One of Andrew's classmates lost his mother unexpectedly very close to Christmas after having lost his father just few years ago. Knowing the holidays would be tough under the circumstances anyway, the High School put together a fund for Christmas presents. We were happy to be able to donate to that.

Alisha also suggested we buy supplies to help feed the patrons of the local soup kitchen a Christmas feast. We ended up making 6 (or was it eight? I can't remember!) pies and 240 (this number I will never forget!) homemade rolls!!! It was quite the day spent mixing, raising, rolling, and baking these rolls.

Before we started.
Alisha, showing off her culinary skill.

The pumpkin pies.

Just a small sample of the BAGFULLS of rolls. There were so many!! I had nightmares of making rolls that night!

Holiday Family Newsletter...A little Late.

2010-01-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have received my email with my family newsletter, but this version is for those of you who didn't.
First, I want to wish every one a wonderful 2010. I am extra excited for another wonderful year for the Heckert Family full of fun and blessings. December 6th marked the one year anniversary for Evansville eBash, and for this momentous occasion Drew was allowed a present, which he quickly squandered on a new dishwasher (which I was refusing to get). He is now in charge of emptying said dishwasher, lucky guy.
In June our family, plus my siblings Andrew and Alisha made a cross-country trek to Los Angeles. We had a blast visiting the beach, enjoying the weather, and getting acquainted with real LA traffic. It was a week I will never forget.
As for me, I have been going to school this past year, anxiously engaged in getting my nutrition degree. Being away from home is tough, but helps me appreciate my family even more.
Drew is working hard at eBash and is also the Young Men's president as church, a calling which is keeping him on his toes. His two big projects this year were getting eBash ready for retail and also going to the schools and establishing a school rewards program. Both projects were a great success and are bringing in a lot of business.
Kate is growing at the speed of light (still), and is the sweetest child that has ever been. She is very caring and kind to her little sister. She is really into dressing up like a princess, but loves to act like an animal-we have a lot of meowing/barking/growling going on at our house. Her new phrase seems to be "You hurt my feeling!" something I hear a lot along with a pouty lip and a few squeezed out tears. Such dramatics!
Lily broke my heart this year and turned two, making her not a baby anymore. This toddler is full of energy and loves Dora the Explorer and Diego. Recently she has become a champion for the "oppressed" but shouting "You hurt my sister's feelings!" every time Kate is put into time out. How can I win against that? These girls are like two peas in a pod, getting along better than i could every imagine.
That about sums up our year!!!

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam!

2010-01-04T20:22:00.000-08:00

This Sunday marked the beginning of Primary for Kate as she entered the Sunbeam class! It was quite the day for Mommy as she was forced to admit her little baby was growing up!
Buttons are much more interesting than pictures.

Mommy and her girls

Christmas

2009-12-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve was at Papa's with Grandma Gloria and Aunt Shirley.

The umbrellas were the hit of the night!

We also played a mean game of CandyLand

Before bed on Christmas Eve

LOVE

Lily and Kate in their new outfits from Grandma Heckert. Aren't they cute?

We spent Chirstmas with Grandma MaraLu

who gave the girls Dora hats and gloves. Awesome!

The girls also loved a pink princess tent they received from "Mama" Eva.

It will go great in our basement with Uncle Reed and Aunt Jo's present.

So ends another Christmas for the Heckerts. What a wonderful holiday full of love and giving!

Church Christmas Party

2009-12-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the ward's Christmas part. We had a great time eating, playing with our friends, and making Gingerbread Houses. Kate and Lily pulled together a little group of girls and played so cute the whole evening

Tackling Hailey

The girls all wanted to take a picture.

Daddy and Lily making their house.

The final product for drew

Kate worked so hard on hers.

What a talented girl!!!

The trouble with pull-ups

2009-12-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday after bath time Lily wanted to put her pull-up on by herself, and after a few grunts and groans of frustration, announced she had accomplished her goal. I was in the kitchen making cookies when she comes in to show me her feat-and this is what I saw.....

Thats right, she managed to stick both legs in one leg hole and pull it up around her like a belt. She looks like a summo wrestler! So silly!

Sunday Morning Torture!

2009-12-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

As if anyone didn't know, I love dressing my kids up and taking pictures! This Sunday was no different as I made the girls and Drew endure the cool morning temps to take some Daddy daughter pictures.

I love my little family!

Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

Today was a wonderful thanksgiving!

First thing this morning we went to watch Daddy play flag football.
Trying to blow on a dandelion!

Go Drew!

Checking out the action!

Lily was trying to take a sample!

Watching "a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving."

"Yum!"

Kate was helping me look through the Black Friday ads.

Its Autumn Time Its Autumn Time, the Leaves are falling down

2009-11-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning was spent raking leaves in our front yard. It was quite the workout!
This year the girls are finally getting the concept of playing in the leaves.
Needless to say, they helped prolong our efforts!!

Where's Lily?

Believe it or not, I am sitting straight up in this gigantic pile of leaves!

A very Fairy Halloween!!!!

2009-11-01T07:02:00.001-08:00

We had another beautiful Halloween this year. I have decided that Evansville is the place to be in October, nice temperatures and beautiful fall colors.
Lily decided that Uncle Andrew needed to be decorated

Watching the Doggies next door.

Checking out the pumpkins!

Our ward had a Trunk or Treat on Tuesday.

It was great, lots of games, candy, and friends.

SCORE!

Savannah cheering on Lily at the bean bag toss.

Two smilers out of three isn't bad!

It was worth a try!

Without a doubt, the balloons were the best part of the Trunk or Treat!

The Farr Family visits!!!!

2009-10-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to have Russ, Elizabeth, Megan, and Mel stay with us for a week during his fall break.We had so much fun hanging out, and can't wait to see them again over Christmas!!!

The most favorite activity of all was racing with Uncle Russ. The kids LOVED it!

This was "On your mark"

"Get set"

"Go"

The leaves were the halfway point

And trippin' at the finish line. Needless to say, Kate won every time. Lily would trip at the same spot, and Megan would do a sympathy trip, very cute.

LOVE

Picking (and eating) very green strawberries!

One night we made pumpkins, I loved not carving, and this way, you can actually tell what they are supposed to look like.

I took Meg and Lily on an errand to the super market, and we had a blast.

Kisses

Another week of fun

2009-10-17T17:12:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for church on last Sunday.
Friday was senior night for the football time, here is Andrew, mom, and dad that night. North pulled out a great win-even though the crowd had to sit through freezing rain to see it! Thank goodness for umbrellas, blankets, and hot chocolate!!!

This morning we went to the Regional Cross Country meet, boy was it cold!!!!!

I love being the one with the camera, I get to make everyone stop what they are doing for a picture!

Laying around the North tent before Alisha started.

Here's a shot from the race. Alisha finished 22nd overall, which is awesome. The team was second, so next week we go to semi-state!

A visit from Grandma and Granddad Heckert

2009-10-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

Today the Heckert Grandparents came to visit! We had a great time visiting, the girls were crazy they were so excited! We are glad that the holidays are coming when we will see them again.

Fall Fun

2009-10-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today we went to another Cross Country meet out at USI. The weather was very fallish-chilly and overcast. The girls were having a blast running around with Elmo.
Running like Lisha

Waiting at the finish line.

This week.

2009-09-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Thursday night the girls and I played outside before going to bed, here are some fun pictures from the evening.

Look at that reach!

Lily kept saying " I push, I push!"

On saturday we went to Alisha's Cross Country Meet. Here is Kate being silly...

And of course Lily must do the same thing!

I took this shot right as the starting gun went off. I like how Alisha and one of her teammates are starting their watches!

We found this bench on the course next to the finish line, so the girls hung out with Mom while I ran around cheering like a crazy person.

Here is Lisha as she is about 10 yards from the finish line. She placed 16th out of more then 50 girls and the team was 3rd. GO Huskies

Giving hugs at the award ceremony. They love to be the entertainment!

Lily's Two year appointment

2009-09-07T19:11:00.001-07:00

Last week little Lily went to the doctor for her two year appointment. She weighs 30 lbs and is 35 inches tall. Growing up fast!

End of August photos

2009-09-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

One Morning I noticed it was awfully quiet, "where were my little girls?" I thought. Here was the state I found Lily in-covered, I mean covered in lotion.
Kate was occupying herself with something a little less messy-my shoes.

I just thought this picture was cute. I know she means serious business when she takes a book to the bathroom!

School Days

2009-09-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

School has started again! I just thought I warn you that the blog might get a little neglected as I try to navigate my senior year of college. But yeah to the being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel!