My Sweet Kate

My sweet kids say some of the greatest things and sometimes I forget to write them down. Usually I rely on my mom to write them down for me (I call her and tell her about something the kids did and then she'll write it down in her journal--hence why I've asked her to will me her journals); I have not been the best at putting pen to paper when it comes to special things with the kids. So I don't forget this time, I wanted to be sure to write it somewhere and where better than my blog! :)
So Kate and I were in the kitchen this evening making dinner--homemade pizza--her favorite. (okay, any pizza is her favorite really....) So, she says to me, "Are we cookers (chefs), mommy?", Yes, baby. "When I grow up you know when I'm 5, I'll be Chef Antonia." (We've been listening to this book on tape called 'The best chef in 2nd grade" and Chef Antonia is the famous chef that comes to visit the 2nd grade classroom.) I say, you mean Chef Kate. And, she says, "Yes, I'll be Chef Kate-tonia!" All I can do is smile at that sweet girl!
Then after a little while, she says to me: "Mommy, all I want to do is stay home with you and daddy and my brother, Sterling. ....because I love you all so much. I love you and daddy and Sterling. I love my family." And, I stop what I'm doing because Kate has never said anything like that before to me just out of the blue. And, I tell her, "we love you so much too Kate!" But, it's like it's almost not really enough to just tell her we love her because it's really SO much more than that. She is such an amazing little girl. And, I have tears streaming down my face right now because I know just how incredibly blessed she has made my life and it just blows me away.
Thank you God for sending me this most precious little girl to be MY little girl. And, thank you Kate for being exactly who you are.

Every once in a while they just make you pause...and then swell with pride.

So, I'm standing in the kitchen the other day making breakfast or lunch, I can't really remember and my son is working on his Legos in the family room and he says something to me. At first I didn't think I heard what I thought I heard and so I asked him, "Buddy, what did you just say?"

And, he turns to me and says (again), "Mom, do you know how much I love you?"

So, me thinking to myself, "Well, good grief, boy, I think my heart is about to swell out of my chest!" I walk over to him and take his face in my hands and say, "Thank you buddy!, I love you too!" And he smiles, just a shy, proud smile and turns back to working on his Legos.

Man, do I love that boy! It was as if he knew that every once in a while, mommy needed to hear that. Thank you God for my sweet, amazing little man!

Well, it seems everyone updates their blog but me...

It's obviously been a looooooong time since I posted on my blog! And, really I probably wouldn't have even thought to post anything right now except that I need to get my thoughts down "on paper". I'm having a hard time deciding what to do for my son's 6th birthday party. I thought I had it all figured out: it's a John Deere theme what would be better than going to the fair and seeing all the John Deere's there right? Wrong! The fair costs a lot of money! Now, I can't think of anything to do and oh, yeah, it's about 3 weeks from today! Yikes! I guess if there's anyone out there that actually might read this, What are your suggestions on how to celebrate a 6-year-old boy's birthday with a John Deere theme?
Maybe I'm just having a mental block because I don't want to believe that my son is getting so old already. I know, I know, 6 really isn't old but seeing as the last time I think I posted about his birthday, I think he was turning 3! 3 years goes pretty fast, darn it! And, in just a few short weeks he starts REAL school--kindergarten. wow. Don't know what to even say about that...I do love that I can communicate with him a lot easier now than when he was younger. I love that he is so sweet and kind and is concerned for others. Tonight for example, even though I was kind of getting on him about getting his PJ's on, he stopped and noticed that my water glass was empty and so he turns to me and says, "Mom, can I get you some more water?" Kind of blew me away. Love that boy! He's a great kid and I'm pretty darn lucky that he's mine! Now, I just need to remember that when he's throwing a tantrum! :)
Kate finished the last day of her week long "Beauty and the beast" ballet camp today. She is so funny because I know that she really does like ballet and going to her class but you'd never know it from the recital they put on today. It was just a mini one but she didn't do any of the moves! C'mon kid! You're so excited about going and then won't do the ballet moves! All you have to do is follow along with the teacher! Oh, well, she looked so super cute in her blue and green tutu, I guess it doesn't really matter if you actually do the dance part! Love that girl! But boy is she stubborn!

Sleepless in Seattle and my wonderful husband

We were flipping through the channels tonight and stopped on "Sleepless in Seattle". It was right at one of my most favorite parts (and probably one of the saddest) where it's New Year's Eve and Tom Hanks is remembering his wife and then she comes on screen from his memory and he says something to the effect of "I miss you so much it hurts.". I, of course, started tearing up and my husband looks over and says, "Oh, honey..." in just the sweetest way and asks me why I'm crying. And I just told him because everyone wants to have a LOVE like that where you and your spouse were meant for each other or soul mates or something along those lines. And, then he says the sweetest and most surprising thing to me--"We're like that, honey. We were meant to be together. I knew it the first time I turned a manifest in to Operations where you were working and you (me) were like, 'Oh, HI Sterling!' (and with eyelashes a fluttering, he says)". He says from that moment on, he knew we were meant to be together. I was knocked off my chair with that comment! I had no idea that my honey felt like that. This was way before we even started dating!! It was something I totally needed to hear and never in a million years expected him to say. I'm convinced that God told him what to say in just that moment to make my heart swell with love for this wonderful man I married! I am so blessed to have the most amazing husband! I am definitely one lucky girl!

Genealogy.com: What is a First Cousin, Twice Removed?

Hello all my blogger and non-blogger friends!

Yes, it has been a long time since I wrote last and that's OKAY, I've decided, because obviously I was not ready to post anything yet. So there! :)

ANYWAY... I got to thinking about a question I've had for a long time about First and Second cousins and once or twice removed cousins and I decided I was going to look it up. I don't know what took me so long to check it out. I mean, geez, you can find anything on the Internet! Below is a link to a very interesting article posted by Genealogy.com that explains it all!

Genealogy.com: What is a First Cousin, Twice Removed?

Hope you find it as interesting as I did!

(And, yes, I know what all of you are thinking...I will post again, soon...Just don't hold your breath or anything! ;) )

Kate's 1st Birthday!

Isn't she just the cutest!? Kate Scarlett Kesler Age: 1!

Hello all from West Texas!

Yes, we're still alive down here, barely! Looking back it's been a rough winter.... Lots and lots of illnesses, but hopefully that is all behind us now that the weather is getting nicer! Yeah, that's right, I said the weather is getting nicer! :) In fact, for Kate's party on her birthday, Sunday, January 27, 2008, we had near 70 degree weather! It was so awesome to not be cold!

So speaking of Kate's party, we had such a great time! But we missed all of you that couldn't be here! We decided to do a big bash, of course, because that's just how I am! I mean it was my baby's 1st birthday! How could I not? ;) Anyway, we rented a Disney Princesses Bouncy house and had yummy cake and ice cream and our house (thanks to my sister!) was all decorated in pink and white streamers and balloons. It was sooo cute as you can see from all the pics!

I'll keep this short this time although there are so many things that I need to write and let you all know about that have been or are coming up for the Texas Keslers!

OK, sorry for the teaser, but I've got to keep y'all coming back some how!

I'm still here, really!

I know, I know!!! It's been forever since I posted last! Bad Rachel! For my 2 or 3 loyal readers, please don't give up on me yet! :)

This past month was pretty rough--illnesses (yucky stomach bug), major tiredness (mostly due to my sweet baby girl not sleeping--Read this as Me not sleeping either--), long stretches of days when my husband had to work, etc. etc. Just a tough time. Hopefully we're past all that!

Anyway, lots of cool things happened during that time too. Our Katie got three teeth (2 on the bottom, 1 on top), she learned how to roll over both ways, she started crawling and pulling herself up, waving, clapping. It's crazy! She's growing and changing everyday and I totally feel like I'm missing it because I'm either trying to get dinner on the table or I'm trying to calm down Sterling Alexander when Kate starts getting into his toys ("Move her Mom!!!) or I'm trying to spend a minute of quality time with my husband (It's okay to hide in the closet to try and have a conversation together, right?). Thank goodness for cameras and pictures!

I keep trying to remind myself to enjoy this time. Especially when my son asks me, like he did today, to sit next to him on the couch during the dinner rush to read to him. So stinking sweet! It would have been so easy to put him off, but then I stopped and thought about what life is going to be like in a few years..... Yeah, I'll be lucky if I get a "Hi mom" let alone a chance to really spend some quality time with him. So, I figured I better take advantage of it while I've got it. Who cares if every room of the house has toys and dirty clothes and dishes in it!! RIGHT NOW I've got a little boy who loves me and wants all my attention. I better cherish this time, DARN IT!, even if it did mean that we ate dinner at 9:30 PM!

Here's some pictures of Kate in her ever changing state! Plus, you be the judge....Kate has two holiday dresses and I'm not sure which one to have her Christmas pictures taken in. Let me know which one you think is better! Thanks!