4th of July

We headed to Carlisle for the 4th of July. Carlisle always has a big celebration on the 3rd and 4th.

Here are few pictures of some of the fun things the kiddos enjoyed...

Kiddie Parade

Kyla won a Cookie Monster stuffed animal

Pony Rides

Makenna Did Her Own Hair

I'm Back

For what it's worth I back from my absence on the blog.

Lots has happened.

So I have a few things to add to the blog.

Here is a very brief and highlighted list:

• Kyla started walking
• Kyla turned 1
• I got glasses
• Colin turned 3
• We sold our house 
• Life is happening...enough said

Check back often to see/read in detail about the aforementioned and many other things. I'll try my best to get this blog updated sooner than later.

Wreck-it Ralph

This past Saturday we (as in me and Makenna and Colin... Jared got to stay home with Kyla) went to watch Wreck-it Ralph at Jack Trice. Thanks Auntie Sarah for finding out about this FREE and fun event. It was a ton of fun and the kiddos had a blast.

Makenna @ 4 1/2

I decided that since I have recently updated about both Colin and Kyla I would do a quick update on Makenna too.

Here are a few things that stand out about Makenna @ 4 1/2 :

She loves to color.

She REALLY likes to play Sequence for Kids. She is also a fan of many other board games but this by far is her favorite.

She still lives in princess land. Although it has tamed down a bit.

She loves animals. She doesn't even discriminate. She likes to let bugs crawl on her hands and pick up worms. Inside I am thinking "that is gross" but outwardly I encourage her because really it isn't that gross and it even 'cool' (her word not mine) to Makenna.

Her vocabulary and word comprehension shocks me at times...in a good way. A few highlighted words in her vocabulary; familiar, particularly, precisely, and exactly.

She would rotate eating grilled cheese, pizza, or pb&j for every meal if I let her.

Makenna's 4 1/2 Pictures

April Showers

He is Risen!!!!

I made these cute little snacks with the kiddos yesterday. I think I saw something similar on Pinterest but didn't pin it and just improvised to create our own version of an "Empty Tomb Snack".

These were super easy for the kiddos to help make and they absolutely loved making their own empty tomb. I thought that this was a fun and tasty way to do a hands-on activity about Jesus' resurrection. To be able to interact while talking to the kiddos about how Jesus was no longer dead and how He raised from death into life was priceless. And because we still have plenty of ingredients to make these a second time, I think we will be making them again Sunday morning.

If you are interested, here is a list of what we used to make our "Empty Tomb Snack" and how we made them.

What you will need:

• 1/2 graham cracker
• 1/2 mini chocolate covered doughnut
• chocolate frosting
• 1 oreo
• green sprinkles

How to make a empty tomb snack:

• spread frosting on the graham cracker
• place doughnut half on the graham cracker
• put the oreo rolled to the side of the opening of the doughnut
• add green sprinkles to give the ground some grass:) 

Who's Who

Me

Makenna

 Kyla

Snow, Snow, Snow

We have had a couple snow storms toward the end of February and the first part of March.

Here are a few pictures we have taken of the kiddos enjoying the wonderful God given gift of snow.

Iowa State Women's Basketball

We had the opportunity to take all three kiddos to an ISU women's basketball game. A few highlights of the game....

• The kiddos dancing to rap music before the game started.
• Getting a picture with Cy.
• Watching the cheerleaders (Makenna loved this).
• Cy coming up behind Makenna and surprising her.
• Makenna getting her face on the jumbo-tron because of her flexing ability

Makenna Telling the Story of Jesus BIrth

Jared and I try really hard to impress upon the kiddos why we celebrate Christmas. We want them to know that it is a day to celebrate the greatest gift we have been given....Jesus.  We continued with the same traditions that we started last year with the kiddos. You can read about that here.

All that being said we think it is really sweet to here the story of Jesus birth told by Makenna so here is a video of her telling us about Jesus' birth.

Disclaimer: Colin adds his two cents in and Kyla has to make it difficult for her big sister to tell the story. But hey that is real life here at the Willis house so enjoy!

Annual Pictures with Presents

2012 Willis Christmas in Pictures

Typical picture of the Willis cousins.

Drew finally has a boy cousin to play with.

Posed picture for Grandma Janelle - I think it turned out rather well:)

Great-Grandma reading "The Night Before Christmas" to Makenna.

Makenna sledding down Papa Jim's hand/skid loader made hill.

 Kyla taking her first sled ride......

 I think she is indifferent to what just happened.

 Colin sledding.

 Ally and Kyla.

 Love Tana's face in this picture.....captures her personality perfectly:)

 Uncle Jason and Colin.

I think that in a few years any picture resembling this might equal trouble:)

2012 Sigmund Christmas in Pictures

Papa pulling a sled full of grandkids.

 Michael is not quite sure of what is worse....his pink coat or the snow.

 Who says you can't still play on a playground after a 9" snowfall?

Michael and Kyla

 The tent we got Jacob and Michael for Christmas was a huge hit:)

 Me and my baby

 Hey where are my sister and my stockings? :)

 Watching movies in Nana and Papa's bed.

 Makenna's Belle dress.

 Kyla in her Christmas jammy jams.

 Daddy giving Colin Christmas snuggles.