The Lange Gang

It Never Gets Old

2009-03-04T13:33:00.003-05:00

This morning when I was feeding the kids breakfast, I looked out the window to see nineteen deer in our backyard not too far from the patio. This is the most we have seen at one time. Have I said how much I LOVE living in the country?

I Just Can't Get Enough of These Little People!

2009-03-04T13:19:00.001-05:00

Its That Time of Year

2008-12-04T16:58:00.002-05:00

Well, its that time of year again when we try to get a pictre of the whole gang to send out with the Christmas card. Adding another child has only made this more difficult. The only way to describe the event is... torture for all those involved!!!! It is sad when a picture is considered successful if everyone is looking in the same direction and no one is crying. I am hoping it will be easier in years to come. Here are a few of our attempts.

Brooklyn's Christmas Dress

2008-12-04T16:46:00.002-05:00

Grandma Lange bought Brooklyn her Christmas dress this year. Brooklyn put it on right away for some pictures. Trying to pose with a cheesy smile

Here she is upset because I wanted her to pose and she wanted to be done getting her picture taken. She just asked me if she could suck her thumb and I said no so she just held her hand there. We are trying to break the habit. She has been doing really well.

Brenden

2008-12-04T15:07:00.002-05:00

Kelly, this is for you. You wanted to see how well Brenden could write his name... well here it is. I think he is doing a great job. I am very proud of him.

Nothing New

2008-12-04T14:57:00.002-05:00

Carson is such a good baby. He is so happy and brings me so much joy. The rest of the kids love him so much. Cole said to me yesterday, "Thank you mom for having Carson, I really love him."

Brookie's Big Girl Room

2008-12-04T14:46:00.001-05:00

Well, it was finally time to kick Brooklyn out of the crib (turned into a toddler bed) and pass it on to Carson. Here is her new furniture. It is beautiful and she loves it. I have some decorating to do in her room yet.

Better Late Than Never

2008-12-04T14:26:00.002-05:00

Only a little over a month late, but here are out Halloween pictures. Technically, these pictures were not taken on Halloween, but this is what everyone wore. You see, I have a VERY good excuse for posting so late. The night of Halloween I took some great pictures... inside, outside, and trick or treating.... it was a beautiful night. Unfortunately, not realizing it for days, the memory card was not in the camera. So, we replayed Halloween... well, the dress up part anyway. I am posting these pictures mostly because Kelly wanted to see Carson in Owen's hotdog costume. He was adorable and got most of the attention when we were out and about.

Visiting Cole

2008-11-11T13:33:00.002-05:00

Last week was the Harvest Party in Cole's class. I volunteered to help out and brought Brenden with me. He was so excited to visit Cole's school and Cole was so proud to show Brenden the ropes in class. It was so cute how Cole taught Brenden to stand in line and fold his hands and showed him around the classroom. They are best buds. Cole showing Brenden around the playground.

This is Cole's buddy Trey. They are very silly together. I enjoyed listening to their conversations.

The boys eating lunch.

Mini Momma

2008-10-30T13:12:00.002-04:00

Brooklyn is no longer my baby girl, but is quickly growing into my sweet little girl. Whenever I do her hair or get her dressed she ALWAYS says, "I be like you Mommy." This melts my heart everytime. She does everything with her baby that I do with Carson. Brooklyn even took her baby to the doctor today for her check up. Dr. Gomez was great at playing along and listened to her baby's heart and looked in her ears. Brooklyn was so happy.
Brooklyn has also taught me the importance of watching my words. Yesterday, while she was suppose to be napping, I heard yelling from her bedroom. I peaked in her room and saw her yelling at her baby. She had her finger pointed at the doll and was telling her baby she had to obey... "right now!!!" And then she said, "Did you hear me? I said right now!" Oh... to hear your own words coming from your 2 year old's lips... lesson learned! Baby (she doesn't have a name, just Baby) playing on the activity mat

Baby in the bouncer (Hey Owen, can Baby use your toy too?)

And Baby in the bumbo seat while we make dinner.

Owen, would you mind?

2008-10-29T22:57:00.002-04:00

Dear Owen,
Would you mind if I borrowed your bouncy activity toy? I've actually already tried it out, spit up all over it, and really had a lot of fun in it. Since you are storing it at my house, I figured the least you could do was share it with me. Thanks for being such a great cousin! Oh, and sorry about the spit up thing.
Miss you,
Carson

4 Months Old

2008-10-29T22:50:00.002-04:00

I just realized that I did not post 3 month old pictures of Carson. Where did the month go? Time is flying by. Here he is, already 4 months old. Carson is a great baby. He is content and happy, sleeps through the night, loves to coo, and brings me so much joy.

Fall Pictures

2008-10-29T22:33:00.001-04:00

This pose didn't quite work

My Boys

Taking a stroll in the trails

Okay... So I am a Little Behind

2008-10-29T22:12:00.002-04:00

Brenden's birthday was September 21st. I obviously haven't posted in awhile so here are some pictures of his 4th birthday. My mother-in-law makes all the kids their birthday cakes and brings them over the day before the party for them to look at and enjoy until we have to cut into it. The kids just love it and she does an amazing job. Here is Brenden smelling his cake. He did this all day. By they way... to any of you that are reading this and were at the party, sorry I did not share Brenden's sniffing of the cake sooner. I didn't know how many would eat the cake knowing how close my son's face was to it.

Brenden and his new bike

Playing with my new camera

2008-09-18T11:09:00.010-04:00

Jeff bought me a new camera for my birthday last month. I have been having lots of fun taking pictures of the kids, trying to learn all about the camera. I tried doing a home photo shoot. The kids had fun... at first.

This is Brenden saying, "I want to be done smiling and taking pictures."

Brooklyn saying, "I'm all done now."

My boys
My Baby
The Big Kids

Random Pics

2008-09-18T11:09:00.003-04:00

My baby Carson No, its not Halloween... its just a rainy day, so we dressed up.
He is such a happy boy.

Brooklyn with her Grandpa Rademacher

Cole's First Day of School

2008-08-26T22:34:00.002-04:00

On the way to school he kept saying, "I am just so excited!"

Breakfast before his big day. I wanted just a simple picture of him with his new backpack on his first day of school, but he wanted to pose.
Another pose... this time showing off his Spiderman backpack.

Carson is 2 Months Old Today

2008-08-26T22:23:00.002-04:00

He is growing sooo fast!
Brenden's feelings for Carson haven't changed. He still adores him!

One Month Old Today

2008-07-26T13:51:00.002-04:00

Where has the time gone??? Carson is already one month old today. It seems like just yesterday that I was whining and complaining about being overdue and thinking that the pregnancy would never end. silly smile
Here it looks like Carson is scowling but he is really squinting in the sun. Actually, he is sitting in the shade but he gets this from his Grandpa Rademacher!

Random

2008-07-26T13:37:00.003-04:00

Here is Brooklyn and her Uncle Korey. Korey came for a visit last week and Brooklyn was quickly attached. (Uncle Ben- you better hurry back for a visit if you want to claim back your spot as Brooklyn's favorite.) Korey was in a wedding and looked quite handsome... and I have no idea what Brooklyn is doing here, but Korey didn't smell.
The boys in their matching Batman pjs... compliments of Grandma Lange of course.

A family picture (minus me of course) before going to a wedding. Brenden is at a very goofy stage. It is very difficult to get a nice picture of him without this facial expression.
My little man
Brenden is still in love with Carson. He's not old news yet.
Cole asked me to take a picture of his big muscles.

Two Weeks Old

2008-07-10T21:06:00.002-04:00

Today Carson is two weeks old. On one hand, I can't believe two weeks have already gone by. On the other hand, its only been two weeks and I already can't imagine life without him. I love him so much. And I am still VERY happy that I am not pregnant anymore. Today was Carson's two week doctor's appointment. He weighed 9 pounds and 8 ounces. Everything was perfect and he is very healthy. It seems the two vessel cord caused no harm to my baby. Praise God!!!

Frog Hunters

2008-07-10T21:02:00.002-04:00

The boys love the critters around our yard and woods. They have caught everything from slugs to snakes. Here they are after a hard day of frog hunting.
Brooklyn was more interested in blowing bubbles... that's my girl!

An Afternoon with Grandpa

2008-07-05T21:14:00.002-04:00

My dad took Cole to the Buick Open with him last weekend. After seeing what his grandpa was wearing, Cole ran to his bedroom and came out wearing this so he could look just like him. It was very cute and Cole had a great time. Dad emailed me the next day to tell me some funny things Cole said: Cole: I know how to play golf
Me: You do?
Cole: Yes, my Dad taught me when I was a little kid

We are on the 16th hole green watching them hit onto the green, and a guy hits one from over 100 yards out and it ends up about 3 feet from the cup… A great shot and Cole says “Aw he missed”. What was really funny was that he said it before the people started applauding for the great shot that it was, so everybody around us heard him.

I am thankful for my dad spending some quality time with his grandkids. They love him so much!

First Family Photo

2008-07-05T21:07:00.002-04:00

Okay, so its a little over a week old, but someone just gave me this picture. It was our first (and only so far) full family picture. It was obviously taken at the hospital only a few hours after I had Carson. I can't get over there is six of us!!! How things have changed in the last five years!!!

My New Favorite Picture

2008-07-04T10:42:00.000-04:00

My sweet Broolyn.

Another Day at the Pool

2008-07-02T12:39:00.001-04:00

A Visit With Aunt Kelly, Uncle Ben, and Baby O

2008-07-02T12:29:00.002-04:00

At the park... Owen loves to swing! Owen got quite comfortable in front of the toy cabinet... Brenden is showing him around.
Playing with Uncle Ben is always a lot of fun for the boys.
An attempt at a picture of the grandkids... not so bad for 5 kids under 5 years old!
Meeting his new cousin!

Snuggle Time

2008-07-02T12:23:00.002-04:00

I just LOVE snuggling with this little guy! Brooklyn is a little mama already. She loves Carson and a big helper.
Brenden can't get enough of his snuggle time. When his time is up, he says, "just 5 more minutes."
Cole has been very sweet with Carson as well. He has been a big help with the other kids.
Carson looking very serious.

The Kids Come See Carson

2008-06-26T14:18:00.003-04:00

The kids were very excited to see their new baby brother. Brenden probably held Carson for close to an hour and did not want anybody else to hold him. He is a very proud brother. As you can see from the pictures, they love their new brother.

Carson is here!

2008-06-26T01:18:00.003-04:00

I went in to get induced at 8:20 P.M. on Wednesday June 25th, and Carson Jeffrey Lange was born at 12:21 A.M. June 26th. This was my best labor ever! He is 21" long and 8.5 lbs. Thank you for all of your prayers. More pictures to come later, I am a little tired right now.

Update...

2008-06-24T13:27:00.002-04:00

Well, here it is now Tuesday, June 24th and I am STILL pregnant. I have been having lots of contractions but none that are kicking me into full blown labor. Tomorrow night is this baby's last chance to enter this world on his own and then we have to induce. Due to the 2 vessel cord issue, the doctors won't let me go past Thursday... so ready or not, I WILL have a baby by Thursday. I am still praying that he comes on his own before then. I am feeling pretty good but mentally and emotionally starting to feel tired. This will all be over soon and I will post pictures of family's addition.

Almost 42 Weeks

2008-06-18T22:54:00.004-04:00

For those of you wondering... Yes, I am still pregnant. I have another doctors appointment tomorrow. I am still feeling great, but looking forward to having this baby. Kelly arrived into town today so now the time will pass quickly.

Happy Birthday Jeff

2008-06-10T20:55:00.003-04:00

Today is Jeff's 31st birthday. For his gift, the kids picked out some Spiderman pajamas (boxer shorts) and could not wait until bedtime to see Daddy sport them. They also made special birthday cards for him. Instead of a cake (mostly because Daddy is on a diet), we made jello jigglers that spelled out "Happy Birthday Daddy". The kids had fun and couldn't wait for Jeff to get home to give him their treats. He is a great daddy and we all love him very much!

STILL Pregnant!!!

2008-06-10T07:50:00.003-04:00

For those of you checking in and wondering, yes... I am still pregnant. I had another nonstress test yesterday and everything is looking fine. Baby Lange is healthy and strong. I feel pretty good too! So far... no sign of labor happening anytime soon. I am excited for this to be over, but patiently waiting.

Our Landscaping Project

2008-06-05T09:29:00.002-04:00

Jeff started working on our landscaping last week and it looks great! It will take a little awhile before the grass comes in. I am so thankful for a hardworking husband.

Here is our patio by the walkout basement. Jeff built the retaining/seat wall around it. It turned out great!

The Helmets are Here... Finally

2008-05-28T23:27:00.003-04:00

Jeff bought Cole a 4 wheeler for his birthday last week and I have been a nervous wreck since. The helmets finally came in the mail today which comforted me only a little. He has so much fun riding his new toy and it makes him look a lot older than his 5 years. Brenden and Brooklyn also received new helmets. They just like to wear theirs around the house.
Of course Daddy had to buy Brookie a pink helmet... very cute. With three brothers, there is no doubt that Brooklyn will be somewhat of a tomboy!
the gang
Double Trouble

A Visit with Owen

2008-05-28T23:23:00.002-04:00

Ben, Kelly, and Owen came over for a visit last weekend. We had a nice time and it was great to see Owen. He is growing and changing so fast. He is definitely loved by his cousins.

Cole's 1st Day of School... well, sort of

2008-05-25T09:16:00.002-04:00

Cole went to school for the first time last week. He went to Genesee Christian School for a day to visit the classroom and loved every minute of it. We plan to send Cole to GCS this fall. That night he told us all about everything he did that day. Then he said, in his little man voice trying to sound older than he is, "Well, I better get to bed. I got a lot of hard work to do tomorrow at school." He is definitely excited and ready for school... his mother, on the other hand, is not quite as ready to let him go.

A Birthday Party

2008-05-23T20:34:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday we celebrated Cole and Brooklyn's birthdays. Brooklyn turned 2 on May 13th and Cole will be 5 on May 31st. The kids had a lot of fun. Grandma Lange made the birthday cakes and as usual, they were adorable and delicious. Cole requested a Transformers cake and Brooklyn had to have a princess cake. Brooklyn and her Grandpa Lange
Brooklyn and her Grandpa Rademacher... she really loves her grandpas.
Even though it wasn't his birthday, Brenden was happy!
Brooklyn and her Great-Grandma Wurtz (Jeff's grandma)

Playing with new toys Cole is only 5 years old but Jeff thought it was about time he had his own 4-wheeler. He loves it! And yes, we will be getting a helmet for him.
All the kids hovering around the new toys.... its very exciting.
Brooklyn feeding her new baby, her favorite toy.

Old Fashioned Pictures

2008-05-16T11:12:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!!!

2008-05-13T11:11:00.001-04:00

Today my baby girl is 2 years old. Its hard to believe! Where does the time go?

One Month to Go!!!

2008-05-03T11:57:00.002-04:00

Here I am at 35 weeks. I feel great and everything is going well with the pregnancy. This warm weather has kept me active which makes the time fly by. Since the two vessel cord discovery, I have had many appointments and more tests only to find out that everything else is looking good. The doctors are not finding anything else wrong with the baby or the pregnancy, so another active Lange boy will be here soon!!!

My Girl

2008-05-03T11:51:00.002-04:00

Brooklyn makes us laugh everyday. She is definitely a girly-girl for having two brothers. She imitates everything I do. Today she got into my jewelry box and put an earing inside her ear. She came to me and said, "Lookie mama, I'm like you!" I am so happy God blessed us with a girl.

Wildlife

2008-04-15T09:15:00.002-04:00

Last night we were sitting down for dinner around 5:30 and this was this view outside the dining room window. Six deer were just hanging out in ourbackyard. The sun was shining so bright it was hard to get a good picture, but it was so beautiful. I love living here more and more everyday. It is just so peaceful. The kids watching the deer after breakfast the other morning... very entertaining.

Relaxing in Florida

2008-04-07T11:30:00.002-04:00

We had such a nice vacation, its sad to be back. We did lots of fun things. The guys enjoyed golfing a few times. We went to Disney's Animal Kingdom one day and spent the rest of our time by the pool, on the playground, enjoying the beautiful weather, and just hanging out together as a family. We had a great time!!!

Brooklyn and Grandma Lange
Playing in the sand
At the park... Cole
Best Buddies
Brenden, Brooklyn, and Grandpa Lange after a tiring day of play.

Brenden loving on Owen

Brooklyn hanging out at the park.
Cole just relaxing (he's got such a hard life)

Face Painting

2008-04-07T11:24:00.002-04:00

Cole the Dragon Brenden the Tiger
I think this may have been the highlight of Brenden's vacation. He was so excited to get his face painted. I don't think I have ever seen him sit so still.

At the Pool

2008-04-07T11:13:00.002-04:00

Loving the sun... actually the shade. Either way, Owen is very happy. Cole coming off the water slide.
Brenden getting ready for a swim
Brookie is a little worn out
Cole going down the water slide.

Having fun!
My boys having fun together.
Owen and his Daddy
Brooklyn looking cool

Disney's Animal Kingdom

2008-04-07T11:11:00.002-04:00

Warm Weather and Ice Cream

2008-04-07T10:31:00.000-04:00

Easter in Florida

2008-04-07T10:13:00.005-04:00

Coloring Easter eggs

Brooklyn's helping Baby O-O with his basket (actually his candy).

A Belly Pic

2008-03-09T22:07:00.003-04:00

Well, here it is Kelly (and Kara). I keep getting belly bump picture requests and as much as I hate to do it, here it is. Six months down, three to go.

Getting Ready

2008-03-05T14:40:00.003-05:00

We leave for Florida in 16 days!!! The kids talk about it almost everyday. Yesterday they decided to get their swim stuff out to "get ready" for the trip. They have been wearing their gear around the house and pretend to be swimming. I can't wait to get outside, we are going to have a blast!

Indoor Play on Another Snowy Day

2008-03-03T12:27:00.002-05:00

Rocking together Playing in the basement

Kelly and Ben gave the kids this bounce house over a year ago. It is a GREAT winter activity to do in our basement. The kids get exercise and have lots of fun!!!

Playing on the mini-swing set.

Cat Sitting

2008-03-03T12:16:00.002-05:00

We cat-sat for Jeff's parents last week and the kids loved every minute of it. Who needs toys? Of course, if we owned the animals and they were able to play with them every day, I am sure the excitement would quickly wear off. It was a very fun week... well, maybe not for the cats! Brenden loving on one of the cats. They would just let him lay on them.
Brooklyn trying to give one a kiss!

My sweet Cole even drew the cats a picture and hung it on their house. It was very cute.

Snow, Snow, and More Snow

2008-02-16T16:11:00.004-05:00

All 3 sledding at the same time

As soon as we got the sleds out, Brooklyn plopped down and said, "Go!"
Just a picture of our house during its first winter. We love all this snow!!!

Okay, so none of her snow gear matches, but isn't she cute anyway?!

Brenden with his "cheese"y smile!
Yeah, we play on the swing set in winter. We still are looking forward to spring.

The ritual snow angel.

My Sweetie

2008-01-28T10:18:00.000-05:00

I just love having a daughter. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys too. They are fun and energetic, but having a little girl is totally different and I am so happy that God has blessed me with a daughter too. There is just something sweet about her that melts my heart. Here is her first set of pigtails. The boys kept telling her how pretty she looked and she just smiled and shook her head around to feel her pigtails hit her face. It was adorable. Having two older brother, Brooklyn would rather play with cars or dinosaurs than a baby doll. I have been trying to get her attached to a little doll just because it would be so cute. Well, here she is. The last few days Brooklyn has rocked this doll, pushed it in a sroller, and has slept with her. Here she is eating breakfast with her baby doll. She insisted that it sit in the highchair with her. How could I say no?!

Such a Good Daddy

2008-01-28T10:11:00.000-05:00

Jeff played outside with the boys all day on Saturday and they had so much fun. He helped them build forts and tunnels in the snow. He also pulled them around on their sleds with the quad throughout the yard and trails around our house. He is such a good daddy, probably because he is still a big kid himself!
Here is Cole in one of the many tunnels. Brenden crawling through a tunnel.
The boys jumping on and destroying one of the forts, which is more fun than making one!
Jeff playing (or digging) in a tunnel.
Sled rides...oops, we lost one!

A Beautiful Winter

2008-01-25T13:10:00.000-05:00

I just love the snow at our new house. Here is a picture of the first snow in our backyard from the deck. It is so beautiful. The kids have had a lot of fun sledding around the yard and in the trails (actually being pulled by the 4-wheeler, I am not sure if that qualifies as "sledding").

Worn Out

2008-01-25T13:04:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't posted in quite awhile so it is catch up time. Scroll down to see more updates of what has been going on with us in the last month or two. It seems like there isn't much going on in the winter time, but we have managed to remain busy... the kids keep us that way anyway. I have been trying to fill our days with fun activities while counting down the days to our March Florida vacation. Above is Brenden crashed on the living room floor after a fun filled day.
The kids are growing and changing so fast. The pregnancy is going well. Besides the kicking going on in my growing belly, it would be easy to forget that I am even pregnant. We did find out we are having another boy. We are very happy!

Potty Training

2008-01-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

Here is Brooklyn sitting on the potty after her bath. She has been doing a GREAT job potty training, we are very proud of her and I think she is proud of herself too. I will be very happy to have her completely out of diapers before the next one arrives.

Indoor Winter Fun

2008-01-25T12:52:00.000-05:00

Getting ready for the swim.
I couldn't tell you how many times the boys went down this slide... forwards and backwards, on their belly and on their backside. They had a blast.
Posing for Mommy
Getting ready for Florida, we can't wait.

Fun at the Circus

2008-01-25T12:40:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we took the kids to the circus for the first time. We all had a lot of fun!
Brenden must have gotten a little bored when he decided to entertain himself by honking Brooklyn's nose. She didn't seem to mind.
Brenden when something wasn't going his way, probably when his cotton candy was gone.
Cole enjoyed every single bite of his cotton candy. Does anyone know any good dentists for kids?!

Christmas Parties Galore

2008-01-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

Uncle Korey and Owen

Cole and Mommy
Brenden and Aunt Kelly

Brooklyn and her new baby
Cole figuring out the transformers.

Brooklyn and Great-Grandma Wurtz

Pre-Christmas Festivities

2008-01-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

Decorating the gingerbread house... concentrating very hard.
Brenden put half the decorations on his house and the other half in his mouth. I think he had the most fun.
Cole... the perfectionist.
All the kids with our friend Lauren.

Decorating the Christmas tree... with most of the ornaments ending up at the bottom.
Making yummy Christmas treats, the boys helped!

2007-12-09T09:58:00.000-05:00

My 2 Little Spidermen

2007-11-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

Brenden's 3

2007-11-02T08:58:00.000-04:00

Actually, Brenden's been 3 for a little over a month now but we were not able to celebrate his birthday until last weekend because of moving. He wanted to have a Lighting McQueen birthday (from Disney's movie Cars). Jeff's mom made the cake and, as usual, did a wonderful job. As with all the kids, she brings the cake over early in the day so they can enjoy the cake and look at it all day. So all day Brenden watched his cake and asked me over and over again if everyone was going to sing the "Happy Birthday" song to him. When I told him yes, he would giggle and say, "I am going to be pretty happy about that!" He was so cute.
Brenden watching his cake very closely.

Owen even made it to the party!

One Fall Day

2007-11-01T14:31:00.000-04:00

We are just loving the land surrounding our new house. The weather has been beautiful, so every afternoon the kids and I enjoy a walk in the woods behind our house. There are acres and acres of woods with trails throughout. We have enjoyed the views and the wildlife. Fall is my favorite time of year.

Okay Already!

2007-10-06T11:34:00.000-04:00

Here are a few different angles of the kitchen.

Well here it is, sort of. It has been a long month and after much nagging from my sister, here are a few pictures of our new home. I spent most of September packing and preparing to move. Fortunately we sold our house very quickly, but we had to be out before the new house was complete. We moved out of our house September 22nd and into a 5th wheel parked in the driveway of our new home. We finally moved into our new home last week and it has been great. Actually, it is not completely done yet that is why it has taken me so long to get some pictures posted. So, here are a few to get you started. We are not completely unpacked yet and nothing is decorated, so it looks a little bare. I love my new house!!!

The exterior is not quite finished yet.
Do you like what we have done with the landscaping? I think it needs a little something.

This is one view from our deck in the backyard. It is so peaceful. We have seen several deer and turkey.

Master bedroom

Master bathroom... 2 person tiled shower and large jet tub that I hope to have time to use someday!

The living room.

Family Camp

2007-09-05T14:37:00.000-04:00

Better late than never... here are some pictures from our vacation at Camp Cobeac a few weeks ago. We had a great time!

Much More than Walls!!!

2007-08-18T22:21:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile since I posted any pictures, so there are lots of changes. We have been busy with many things such has vacation (pictures coming soon), house planning, and selling our present house. YES, you read it, we have sold our house!!! We need to be out by the end of September which is exactly when the new house will be complete. Is that a coincidence or is that God's perfect planning? We have been so blessed.
Anyway... here are some more current pics of the new house. Somehow they got out of order, so sorry for the jumping around (room to room.... I hate to be unorganized!)
This is a picture of the master bath from the doorway. Straight ahead is the closet and to the left of that doorway is a little room for the toilet (I like privacy and more importantly, I want Jeff to have privacy). To the right of the closet door is the tub.

The bonus room is above the garage and will house lots of toys very soon.
This is one of my favorite parts of the house... the hood in my kitchen. The kitchen obviously is not done yet.
The granite was installed last week as well. It is kind of hard to see in this picture and I couldn't get a better one because the guys were there putting in the hard wood floor (they were in my way!). It was just killing me to see all that dust on my new cabinets, I can't wait to clean!!! (I am being serious.)
These our the master bathroon cabinets. The counter tops and sinks will go in this week.

More views of the tiled shower in the master bath.

Almost done!!!

This is a picture of the property while standing in front of the garage looking out towards the road. It is so beautiful and peaceful. As you can see, we can't even see the road from the house. It is perfect!

Another view of the kitchen (pictures of order) before the countertop or floor was in.

Even though not pictured, so much has been done in the last couple weeks. All of the interior trim around the doors and windows and baseboards is done. All the walls are primed, the doors are hung, all the cabinets are installed, and all the tile is complete (except around the master bathtub- which will be done this week). Coming soon are plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, and carpet. We will be living in our new home in no time.

We Have Walls!!!

2007-07-08T23:15:00.000-04:00

The stone work is done. I love our pillars. My cousin's husband, Shawn, is doing the brick work and is doing a great job. I am excited to see the finished product.
The dry wall is now done and it is time to paint. Every step gets me more and more excited! This is our great room with the fireplace on the inside wall. Our windows overlook a little meadow and some woods. The setting is so peaceful and just beautiful. I can't wait to call this place home.
This is part of the master bath. Our tub will go under this arch in front of the window (which is frosted).
This is the bonus room. It is a gigantic room above the garage that will be the kids playroom. We have big plans for this room.
This is just another angle of the great room looking towards the front door. In the back right corner is the open staircase going down to the basement. The doorway to the right of the front door leads into the den. We will eventually have french doors there. This week the walls will be primed and the floor work (tile and hardwood) will begin. This has been so much fun!

My Two Little Fish

2007-07-08T23:00:00.000-04:00

This summer both of the boys have become great little swimmers. Cole just turned 4 years old at the beginning of the summer and Brenden is still only 2 years old and they are both swimming without any flotation devices. Cole is just tall enough to touch in the shallow end of the pool, but is proudly swimming in the deep end and jumping off of the diving board without any help. Brenden can't touch anywhere in the pool but is brave enough to swim anywhere and jump off the diving board as well. He will even hang on to Jeff and dive to the bottom to touch the drain. The boys have already started racing, jumping off the side of the pool and swimming to the other side. They are fun to watch and quite impressive.

A Bouncehouse

2007-07-08T22:49:00.000-04:00

Kelly and Ben came home last week and brought with them a bouncehouse for the kids. They love it! We set it up in the living room (for the day) and they bounced away. It is quite large and will fit quite nicely in our new basement. Thanks Aunt Kelly and Uncle Ben!!!

A Day at the Beach

2007-07-08T22:36:00.000-04:00

These are just a couple pictures of our playdate at the beach with some my friends from work. The kids had a blast!

Fun Stuff

2007-06-23T08:48:00.000-04:00

The front door was installed this week. It is 8 feet tall and looks great. It still has to be painted, we are not sure on the color yet.

Brooklyn sporting her new shades.

This is Cole singing to Brooklyn. It was very sweet. He decided he needed to teach her the ABCs and needed some backup music. I think she enjoyed it.

House Updates

2007-06-18T07:39:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted any new pictures on the house in awhile because there haven't been any visible changes. The last couple weeks they have been working on the plumbing and electrical and finishing up some other things. This last weekend my cousin's husband, Shawn, starting laying the brick and stone and it looks great. Cement was also poured in the garage and front porch. The insulation, dry wall, and siding is to start this week. The front door and surrounding windows is to be installed today.It is coming along quickly and each new change gets us more and more excited.

Silly Kids

2007-06-18T07:25:00.000-04:00

Our two Superheros... Spiderman and Batman. They are very entertaining.

She is such a girl. Brooklyn likes to dress up already.

I walked into the living room and found this. Cole wanted Brooklyn to sit by him and watch TV. He picked her up and put her in the chair by himself. She didn't look very comfortable but didn't complain.
Cole tries to be my little helper. Here he is carrying Brooklyn back to me after she has wandered too far. She usually doesn't care.
And here is my Brenden getting ready to attack. The boys were wrestling in the grass. They just make me smile.

Cole's Spiderman Birthday

2007-06-18T07:13:00.000-04:00

I know I am a little behind, but I figure better late than never... right? These pictures are a few weeks old but still needed to be posted. Cole turned 4 years old on May 31st. Since his brother's last birthday back in September, Cole has been planning his "Spiderman Birthday" as he has called it. I am not quite sure how he came to be so obsessed with Spiderman seeing how he has never even seen the movie. Nonetheless, my child has been talking about it for monthes. His Grandma Lange made the most perfect cake and brought it over in the morning so he could look at it all day long, and that is actually what he did. (What a smart Grandma!!!) I even heard him praying for his cake a couple times throughout the day, it was very cute. God has blessed me with such a sweet boy. He had a lot of fun at his party and received lots of Spiderman gifts. He is already starting to talk about his fifth birthday.

A Roof and Windows

2007-05-26T11:52:00.000-04:00

Last week the roofing was complete and almost all the windows were installed. The front door and the window above it are still to come. With each new progression we are getting more and more excited. Next week is electrical and plumbing work... boring, but necessary. We will keep you updated.

Happy Birthday Brooklyn

2007-05-13T21:23:00.000-04:00

Today was Brooklyn's first birthday. She enjoyed opening her gifts and obviously loved her birthday cake (made by her Grandma Lange). She has been such a blessing to our family and was a perfect Mother's Day gift.

Better Pics

2007-05-12T23:10:00.000-04:00

The front view of the house.
From the backyard.
Our future living room looks out into our wooded backyard.
This will eventually be our dining room/kitchen.
This is our bonus room that sits above our garage... future kids playroom.

Last week more progress was made. We now have a basement floor and most of the rough framing is complete. They started putting on the shingles yesterday. Its starting to look like our house. Cole said, "We have walls now, let's move in!" We still have awhile to go!

Under Construction

2007-05-09T08:17:00.000-04:00

The front view of the house from the driveway.
A closer shot.
A view from the backyard.
The basement before the floor was in.

In the living room looking through the front door.

The house is coming along without any major problems so far. It is going so fast and is very exciting. The basement floor was put in yesterday and the roof is suppose to be complete this week, weather permitting. I will try to post weekly updates as we go.

Update

2007-04-30T08:43:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile, but that is not to say that nothing has been happening. First off, our Florida vacation was perfect. The weather was beautiful, the kids were well behaved, and we enjoyed everything that we did. The drive to and from wasn't bad at all. The only thing I could even complain about was that my camera died our second day into vacation, which is why I haven't posted any pictures. However, anyone reading my boring blog is probably only here because you were at my sister's blog first, which means you have seen some of our family vacation pictures that she posted (the day we got back of course- she is so prompt). Anyways, here are a couple shots that I captured before the camera went out on me. They are mostly from our visit to the Green Meadows Petting Farm.

Since back from vacation, other exciting things have been happening as well. We started the building project on our new home. Of course I have no pictures to post but will be buying a new camera shortly. So far we have a basement. Today they are framing in walls and a roof. It is all so exciting and very busy.

Just being cute...

2007-03-15T15:15:00.000-04:00

New Pictures.... for Uncle Korey & Uncle Ben

2007-03-02T11:53:00.000-05:00

The kids are growing and changing so fast. Cole loves to bake. This week we have made blueberry muffins and oatmeal cookies. He would like to bake everyday, but it is more than we can eat. Brenden is becoming very artistic. He loves to color and sing, and usually at the same time. I love to hear his sweet voice singing any song. Brooklyn is now into EVERYTHING. We have quickly returned to the stage of gates, closing doors, and child proofing. She is on an exploring mission. These three keep our lives busy but are entertaining.

New Pictures.... for Aunt Kelly

2007-02-23T12:47:00.000-05:00

The boys really enjoyed the snow, when it finally came. They had fun throwing snowballs and making snow angels.

Grandma Lange bought Cole a snorkel, mask, and fins for our anual trip to Florida. Cole has been wearing them ever since. In fact, he woke me up the next morning wearing all of his gear. It was a very funny way to begin my day. He has been practicing going under water with his mask on in the bathtub. He is very excited to to swimming.

ABC's

2007-02-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

As most mothers out there, I try not to allow my children to watch too much television. I want my kids to be able to use their imagination and play on their own without needing constant entertainment. There are multiple studies out there stating the negative outcomes of too much television watching. However, there are sometimes you just need the TV. If I do not get up early enough to take a shower before the kids wake up, I will pacify them with a movie to keep them busy and out of trouble. Well, attention all mothers of toddlers... I found a video that is great. It is called the Letter Factory by Leap Frog. My 2 and 3 year old have both learned all of the letters and their sounds. They have sang the ABC song for awhile now, but this video taught them phonics. They love the video and it has been a great learning tool. I highly recommend it!!!

The Many Faces of Brooklyn

2007-01-26T13:48:00.000-05:00

Brooklyn lifting the bumper pad in her crib to see what is going on. She doesn't miss a beat!

Just being cute.

The boys like to be helpful and give Brooklyn whatever she wants or whatever they think she needs. Here, they have dumped out her entire toy box onto her lap. Lets just say she is NOT starving for attention!!!

Brooklyn beginning to crawl. She is very happy. We all love her so much!

My Dream Job

2007-01-24T07:58:00.000-05:00

POSITION: Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Momma, MaJOB
DESCRIPTION: Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys , and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT &PROMOTION: Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION: Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

Its Not Halloween

2007-01-12T16:55:00.000-05:00

No, this is not a picture from Halloween. Cole decided he wanted to be Batman for the day. He said that Batman is "a good guy and helps people." So, that is exactly what he did. Cole put on his batman costume and helped clean around the house and fought off all the dinosaurs (aka Brenden the T-Rex) lurking around our place. He reminded me throughout the day how big and strong and brave Batman was. And just in case I forgot, several times throughout the day he would lift up his mask and say, "Mom, its really me, Cole, okay." Sometimes he says the funniest things. The last picture is just Brooklyn looking adorable wearing Uncle Korey's hat that one of the boys put on her. She is 8 months old tomorrow. Unbelievable how fast time goes!!!

Christmas Has Come and Gone

2007-01-02T08:29:00.000-05:00

I think one of Brenden's favorite presents was his Cars stickers. Everyone was stuck by the end of the night.
Cole and Brenden were great at sharing and opened most of their presents together, regardless of who's name was on the sticker.

Brenden was very tired after all the food, presents, and partying.
Brooklyn was worn out too. She is such a good snuggler.

Pretty in red!
Yummy bows Brooklyn? She spent more time playing with the bows and paper than the presents. She will quickly learn, I am sure.
Cole is jumping and very excited about his new spiderman dinner plate and bowl. He was very easy to please.
My sweet Brooklyn.... this picture says it all.
Uncle Korey and Brooklyn

This year we bought our nephew Travis a turtle for Christmas. Yes, it is a real turtle. He was very excited.
The boys playing with their new swords. Great gift Grandpa and Grandma Rademacher... weapons!!! ;)
Another family picture attempt.
We love family. This is Great Grandma Rademacher with Cole and Brooklyn.

I can hardly believe that another Christmas season has come and gone. We had a very nice holiday season spending time with friends and family and eating way too much food. Kelly and Ben were home from Kentucky and stayed with us for 10 days and we loved every second of it. Everyone, especially the boys, were very sad to see them go. I think Brooklyn took a special liking to her Uncle Ben. Korey is also home right now for his winter break but will be returning to Florida soon. As much as I love this season, I have to admit I am looking forward to getting back to my routine. Too many late game nights and junk food has caught up with me. Thanks for a fun week Kelly and Ben. And remember what Cole said before you left, "come again soon!"

The Christmas Program

2006-12-22T07:50:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday was the Chrismas program at church and all three kids were involved. Jeff introduced Brooklyn in the nursery walk. Cole and Brenden are in the same class and sang a Christmas song. Actually, I don't think any of the 2 or 3 year olds really sang, but they all looked very cute. I was just happy that neither of my boys cried or threw a fit about going on stage (specifically Brenden). Cole noticed his grandpa in the crowd from the platform and had to shout out "Hi Grandpa!" Brenden discovered that the stage made a loud thumping noise when he jumped, so that's what he did. He not only jumped, but he got about 5 other kids to do the same. They had a lot of fun making all that noise. Fortunately, it was after the song was finished. It was a fun morning.

Christmas Cookies

2006-12-21T23:01:00.000-05:00

Tis the season for baking... and the boys helped every step of the way. They both had to have a hand on the mixer, cut out their own cookies, and of course frosted them all by themselves. Cole took his time frosting his gingerbread man sugar cookie very carefully and then ate it enjoying every bite and licking all of his fingers. Brenden, on the other hand, put a clump of frosting on his cooking then took a giant sized bite and repeated the process until the entire cookie was gone and he was left covered in frosting and asking for more. They had a lot of fun.

I did it again!!!

2006-12-04T07:57:00.000-05:00

I did it again!!! I got another picture of all three kids without anyone screaming or crying, and this time a couple of them are actually smiling. It took quite a few attempts and as you can see, Brooklyn was fed up with her brothers dropping her by the end.

Just for Kelly

2006-12-03T13:27:00.000-05:00

I thought Brooklyn looked so cute for church this morning that I had to take a picture and post it just for my sister Kelly to see. Kelly, we miss you and I wish you could see her (and the boys) more often.

Yummy Cupcakes!!!

2006-12-02T11:22:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Cole learned that it was his Aunt Kelly's birthday and insisted that we make her a cake. While I was busy changing Brooklyn's diaper, he got out all the ingredients and was ready to go when I came back in the kitchen. How could I say no to that? So we made Aunt Kelly some cupcakes. The boys were great helpers and enjoyed making a mess.

This picture is of Brenden getting caught trying to sneak a cupcake. When knows he is in trouble, he hides his face because he thinks, "if I can't see them, they can't see me!"

It's time to decorate!!!

2006-11-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

This was the first year the boys got really excited to decorate the Christmas tree. We had a lot of fun. Cole thought that the ornaments should be lined up in a straight row as pictured above. I enjoy watching them figure things out. I also now appreciate everyone who displays outdoor Christmas lights and decor because my boys love it. And I love to see joy and excitement in their eyes and hear it in their little voices. Children are truly a blessing!!!

Fall Fun

2006-11-15T18:23:00.000-05:00

Its Amazing!!!

2006-11-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

Its Amazing!!! For the first time, I have taken a picture with all three kids together where noone is crying and all are looking in the same direction. Sure... none of them are smiling, but I am just thrilled noone is screaming. Here is my secret... I am sitting under the TV. That is probably why none of them are smiling either... they are staring at the television screen. So, if any of you get a Christmas picture of the Lange kids with all of them having the deer-in-the-headlights look, you will know why.