We had some new landscaping put in and I wrote my weekly article about the project. Now we are busy trying to keep everything alive as temperatures rise. Exciting times at the Keller household! (Article starts on page 5)
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Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Wish you were here
To hear our daily dueling piano concerts! They are quite entertaining!
Why do we have two pianos?
The one on the right is a friend's piano. They do not have room in their current home for the piano, so we said we would take care of it for them. The husband is a painter and painted a lot of the interior of our home. When he came to give me a quote for the living room, I called it the piano room. Steve laughed and questioned why I called it the piano room since we didn't own a piano. I have visions of it becoming a room to enjoy reading a book or listening to one of the kids play piano. He offered the piano to us, on a loan until they had a place for it.
Then last week Charlie's preschool director heard another mom and I discussing piano teachers. She came up to me during the conversation and asked if we needed a piano. They are in the process of moving and since their kids are grown and don't play anymore, they were willing to part with their piece. I jumped at the chance knowing Steve and family will want their piano back someday soon. Piano on left.
So our front room now has two pianos and we have stocked up on a lot of Advil for head relief!
Since we moved into this house I have been on the lookout for a piano. I was hopeful a local church would part with one and our only "cost" would be picking it up and getting it to our house. Well God provided above and beyond, the family even delivered the piano on Saturday!
Why do we have two pianos?
The one on the right is a friend's piano. They do not have room in their current home for the piano, so we said we would take care of it for them. The husband is a painter and painted a lot of the interior of our home. When he came to give me a quote for the living room, I called it the piano room. Steve laughed and questioned why I called it the piano room since we didn't own a piano. I have visions of it becoming a room to enjoy reading a book or listening to one of the kids play piano. He offered the piano to us, on a loan until they had a place for it.
Then last week Charlie's preschool director heard another mom and I discussing piano teachers. She came up to me during the conversation and asked if we needed a piano. They are in the process of moving and since their kids are grown and don't play anymore, they were willing to part with their piece. I jumped at the chance knowing Steve and family will want their piano back someday soon. Piano on left.
So our front room now has two pianos and we have stocked up on a lot of Advil for head relief!
Since we moved into this house I have been on the lookout for a piano. I was hopeful a local church would part with one and our only "cost" would be picking it up and getting it to our house. Well God provided above and beyond, the family even delivered the piano on Saturday!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Spring recital
Avery had so much fun dancing in her recital on Sunday. They danced to a Beauty and the Beast song with Miss Sophia as their student mentor. Miss Cherie has been a wonderful teacher and will be missed as Avery moves up to a higher level of ballet next year.
The class
Silly face photo
Finished and enjoying the beautiful flowers Daddy and the boys picked for her.
The class
Silly face photo
Finished and enjoying the beautiful flowers Daddy and the boys picked for her.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Life lessons on the farm
Unfortunately Avery learned a life lesson this week about life on a farm, the food chain.
Our peeps, Max, Flap, Izzy and Jake were eaten by a fox the night we brought them over to the farm.
I stopped by the farm yesterday to pick up our crop share (thankfully by myself) and took a look in the pen where Farmer Chris had put the chicks. When I didn't see them there, I assumed he moved them over to the pens where we dropped Joe off weeks earlier. Nope, not there either.
Then I saw Chris and asked him about the chicks and he sadly shook his head. Not only were our four chicks taken, but six other little ones as well.
My heart sank thinking about Avery. At her dance recital dress rehearsal she asked me if I saw the chicks at the farm. I told her "no" but knew I needed to tell her about the incident.
After dinner Stephen and I told her and while she got upset, she took it rather well.
At bedtime prayers she thanked God for the time we had with the chicks and that we were able to see them hatch. Love that girl.
Our peeps, Max, Flap, Izzy and Jake were eaten by a fox the night we brought them over to the farm.
I stopped by the farm yesterday to pick up our crop share (thankfully by myself) and took a look in the pen where Farmer Chris had put the chicks. When I didn't see them there, I assumed he moved them over to the pens where we dropped Joe off weeks earlier. Nope, not there either.
Then I saw Chris and asked him about the chicks and he sadly shook his head. Not only were our four chicks taken, but six other little ones as well.
My heart sank thinking about Avery. At her dance recital dress rehearsal she asked me if I saw the chicks at the farm. I told her "no" but knew I needed to tell her about the incident.
After dinner Stephen and I told her and while she got upset, she took it rather well.
At bedtime prayers she thanked God for the time we had with the chicks and that we were able to see them hatch. Love that girl.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
weeks of accomplishment
May has been a GREAT month so far.
Avery announced at 6am this morning that Max had hatched, our second chick from our second attempt at chicken hatching. I was so relieved as I made quite a few mistakes with timing and temperature/humidity levels.
On Thursday Charlie graduated from preschool! It was such a nice ceremony with a reception following. We also took Charlie out to lunch to celebrate. Charlie had two speaking parts and performed them flawlessly. What a difference from 8 months ago when we had to beg him to go into the classroom! Instead of Charlie having tears, mommy shed a few.
Our other big news: Jackson is potty trained! And the older two are riding bikes without training wheels! This has been a month of huge successes for our kids and we are so proud.
Avery announced at 6am this morning that Max had hatched, our second chick from our second attempt at chicken hatching. I was so relieved as I made quite a few mistakes with timing and temperature/humidity levels.
On Thursday Charlie graduated from preschool! It was such a nice ceremony with a reception following. We also took Charlie out to lunch to celebrate. Charlie had two speaking parts and performed them flawlessly. What a difference from 8 months ago when we had to beg him to go into the classroom! Instead of Charlie having tears, mommy shed a few.
Our other big news: Jackson is potty trained! And the older two are riding bikes without training wheels! This has been a month of huge successes for our kids and we are so proud.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The lessons we don't like teaching
Inquiring minds want to know.
"Who is that man they keep talking about on TV?"
The boys weren't really paying attention, but the inquisitive 7-year-old was focused and wanted to know more about this Bin Laden man.
I tried to tiptoe through the topic, not wanting to scare her but also give her the truth. Her brain wants the truth and when we don't give it to her or give her enough of it, she finds a way to learn more herself. So instead of sending her off to school to ask questions about Bin Laden or find her googling the man's name (and seeing images we know she is not ready to see), we talked.
It was a great lesson about human nature, our choice to do good or bad, what God wants us to do with our lives, but it still came down to him being a "bad" man who killed a lot of people.
A few hours later a shiny blue square caught her eye, as Stephen cut his Amex card over the garbage can. "Oh Daddy, that is pretty, why are you cutting it?"
After having a second credit card number stolen, Stephen was taking care of the issue. Another bad person had stolen something from daddy. A thief.
So we begin the growing up stages of life. Not growing in the sense of height and weight, getting out of a car seat...the deeper issues. The emotional, sensitive issues. The introduction of bad people doing bad things. The issues that were only a part of books we read together now entered her real life.
My heart was heavy for her as she took in what Daddy had just told her. I know they have to grow up and I would much rather they know the things that happen in this world than be naive. Our world has changed and it just seems that 7 is a very young age to know about terrorists and thieves.
"Who is that man they keep talking about on TV?"
The boys weren't really paying attention, but the inquisitive 7-year-old was focused and wanted to know more about this Bin Laden man.
I tried to tiptoe through the topic, not wanting to scare her but also give her the truth. Her brain wants the truth and when we don't give it to her or give her enough of it, she finds a way to learn more herself. So instead of sending her off to school to ask questions about Bin Laden or find her googling the man's name (and seeing images we know she is not ready to see), we talked.
It was a great lesson about human nature, our choice to do good or bad, what God wants us to do with our lives, but it still came down to him being a "bad" man who killed a lot of people.
A few hours later a shiny blue square caught her eye, as Stephen cut his Amex card over the garbage can. "Oh Daddy, that is pretty, why are you cutting it?"
After having a second credit card number stolen, Stephen was taking care of the issue. Another bad person had stolen something from daddy. A thief.
So we begin the growing up stages of life. Not growing in the sense of height and weight, getting out of a car seat...the deeper issues. The emotional, sensitive issues. The introduction of bad people doing bad things. The issues that were only a part of books we read together now entered her real life.
My heart was heavy for her as she took in what Daddy had just told her. I know they have to grow up and I would much rather they know the things that happen in this world than be naive. Our world has changed and it just seems that 7 is a very young age to know about terrorists and thieves.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
God's sense of humor
Spent some time at the Monterey Aquarium today. I took so many pictures for the kids, I know they will enjoy looking at them. Like me, they can't get enough of sea life. I think I stood and watched the otters for an hour, they are just so funny.
I am always amazed at some of the creatures we see at aquariums. Like the leafy sea dragon.
This tank showed how garbage incorporates itself into sea life and the animals that live around it.
And jellyfish, just plain weird.
I am always amazed at some of the creatures we see at aquariums. Like the leafy sea dragon.
This tank showed how garbage incorporates itself into sea life and the animals that live around it.
And jellyfish, just plain weird.
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