Caution...Party in Progress!!!

Hard Hats Required!!
Lawson had a fun three year old birthday party. He had three friends over to celebrate for a construction party. The theme was quite fitting due to the construction we have going on with our house. The boys played games, ate lunch and cake, and opened presents. I think they all had a lot of fun.



Edible Excavator Cake (no baking required!)

Demolition Game (how many boxes can you knock over with the recking ball?)

Jacob and Lawson


Isaiah and Elliott

Thanks for coming boys and for the presents!!

Lawson is 3!

Happy Birthday, Lawson! We are so thankful for you and the three years we have had with you. So many things make you special, but I think what has stood out mostly to your dad and I lately is that you are the only boy that God chose to bless us with. We are excited for the years to come watching you grow. We are nervous about the responsibility we have to help you become a man of God, but we are thankful for that challenge.
This is a big year for you with lots of changes: no more pacies, no more diapers, a new big boy bed, a new house, and a new baby sister!!! Bless your heart! You have a lot to deal with, but you will do great overcoming those challenges.
We love you!!

Twinkle Toes

Sara Grace's ballet class had their Christmas ballet performance. The class was told to choose something Christmasy to wear. This is what Sara Grace chose to wear. She had a lot of fun.
The dance class


Sara Grace and Logan showing us their moves.
A clip of the dance performance.

football star!

Lawson is super proud to display one of his birthday gifts from his Nana and Poppie. He loves his helmet and outfit. Bronson wishes it was Greenbay, but I think that Greenbay paraphernalia is pretty hard to come by in Indiana.

Christmas Tree Lighting and Carriage Ride

We went to the Upland Train Depot for the annual Christmas tree lighting celebration. The kids had a blast, despite the cold weather. We rode on a carriage ride, sang Christmas carols and toured the train caboose. Sara Grace and Lawson also had the opportunity to hang an ornament on the Christmas tree. In order to do so, they were lifted up in the air by a crane/bucket thing. They loved it. It was a fun time.

Lawson loved the caboose tour.

Sara Grace singing and dancing.

Putting the ornament on the tree.

Family carriage ride

House Update

Our house is coming along. It has been a lot of fun to see the progression. There is an Amish crew that has done the work so far and they are amazing workers. Here are some shots thus far.

New Additons to our Family

Nana and Poppie (Bronson's parents) were here visiting last week during Thanksgiving. While they were here they noticed that we had a fish swimming in one of our plastic bowls, living on saltine crackers. Bronson's dad loves fish and felt that this was not the greatest environment for this poor little fish. So, he went to Walmart and came home with an amazing home for our fish as well as 2 fish friends. Sara Grace and Lawson are thrilled to have these new additions as well as the cool new fish tank. Thanks Poppie!!

Big Announcement!!!!

We had a big doctor's appointment today, and we were able to find out that our newest addition is.....another GIRL. She looked so sweet on the ultra sound screen. It was lots of fun to see her and to see how much she has changed the last few weeks. Lawson and Sara Grace were excited to hear the news. We showed up at the house with pink balloons. (Lawson was a bit more excited about the balloons than the announcement). We are thankful to have this gift and we look forward to meeting her in March.

Here is the video of the big announcement to SG and Lawson.

Thanksgiving Celebration

Logan, Sara Grace, and Ella

Lawson couldn't understand why this place card holder hat couldn't fit him.

All the table decorations were made by the girls.

Our family photo


Our little Monday group had a Thanksgiving celebration for all three families. The girls have been learning about Thanksgiving this month and made lots of crafts. We decided to have a Thanksgiving feast with the families so the girls could show what they learned. The little girls decorated place mats, name tags, center pieces, hats, and cookies for the big feast. Each family also brought food to share. We ended the evening with a song that the girls learned, "Five Fat Turkeys"--super cute.

DO NOT READ ANIMAL LOVERS!!!

I know that many of you love animals, so I apologize for this post on your behalf. However, this has been and is a big part of my life. My dad and brothers were huge hunters my whole life and then I married a hunter. I don't really get into it, nor do I understand the super excitement that surrounds it. But all the men in my life sure do, and so this is a typical weekend for us hunter widows.

We went to Murfreesboro, TN were my brother Peter and his wife Sunshine live. We had so much fun. I am so sad that I don't have more pictures to show of the weekend, but my battery died after I took these photos.
Basically the guys were up and out the door by 5 a.m or 5:30 a.m. They would come home for lunch and then go out again for another hunt until dark.
Sunshine, the kids, and myself had a great time going for walks, shopping, going to the playground, and just playing in the house.
Since moving here, Bronson hasn't been able to hunt as much. So, he was pretty pumped to get a deer. Here are some photos, as Sunshine said, "of our redneck family."

So excited!

We are raising such prim and proper girls. (Bright and Sara Grace, hold that antler higher.)

Family Photo!! Uncle Pete, Bright, Decker John(not pictured), Daddy Deer, Mommy Deer, Bronson, Sara Grace, and Lawson

Surgery Day

Well, poor little Lawson had to have surgery on Tuesday. Unfortunately, when he was born, the first circumcision did not work and he had to have it done again. Lawson was such a trooper. We left at 4:30 a.m. and drove to Indy. Surgery began at 6:55 a.m. All went well including the waking up part. There was no screaming or throwing up. We were so thankful. He has been in pain the past few days, but he is really doing great. The first day, he did not try walking at all. However the next morning, he took some steps and has done great walking since. Lawson had been up at since 4 a.m. In this picture he is in the waiting room it is only 6:15. Hospital gown on and waiting to be taken into surgery. This moment shocked us. He sweetly walked back with the nurses on his own. He didn't resist (poor baby didn't know what was about to happen). Surgery over! Monkey and Lawson did great. We were so proud of him. Home at last. No walking took place today. Only sleeping and movie watching took place the rest of the day.

The following is a video of Lawson the very next morning. These are his first steps after surgery. It cracked me up the way he was walking. (You'll need to pause the music below).

Happy Birthday, Bronson!!!

We had quite a birthday planned for Bronson. Thanks to our party planner, Sara Grace. She had an elaborate day planned for her daddy. We had quiche for breakfast, picked up Cracker Barrel to go and took it Bronson's work for lunch, and then we had an Iowa Football team party for him at dinner: roast, mashed potatoes, and biscuits. Finally for dessert we had football cake.



His biggest present was that they broke ground on our house on his birthday! so exciting.