Kellen's 1st Presents of the Season

Santa came a little early to Arkansas so we wanted to share with you his experience.
Ok, Ok, I know I am REALLY late, but haven't been on here in forever. Spending too much time on Facebook. Sorry to disappoint everyone on the video cut short. But, if you must insist, the big box had......... are you ready........ a basketball hoop in it!! Come on guys, exciting stuff, right!! Yeah, I know, not really that exciting, and Kellen really didn't care that he got it because he had all of his new trucks. Someday he will like basketball according to Casey. FYI, sorry for looking so scary that morning, I was visited by the sick fairy and and my voice sounded really sexy. Kind of embarrassed actually..... oh well, it was all about Kellen anyways!!! He had a wonderful Christmas and need to post new pictures of our Holidays in Kentucky!!

Tis the season...

Remember that little guy!! He just turned one, oh my! I was looking through old pictures and came across these, boy has he changed. We haven't gone to see Santa yet, but I am really not sure how he is going to react. Last year, he cried. The year before that, I think he cried. And his first Christmas, he was great! So, we will see how it goes. We have been busy getting ready for Christmas and planning our trip back to Northern Kentucky. I started Christmas shopping months ago, but there are always the last minute things to get in order. We had a little dusting of snow a few days ago, but that was about it. The sun came out and all was gone. We might be seeing a white Christmas in Cincinnati, but not in Arkansas! (Em, I might be the worse blogger in history. It's been forever and I don't work!) Love and miss everyone!

Happy Halloween!

This was a fantastic Halloween! Kellen was really into it and was such a great sport in his Turtle Costume, he called it Tony the Turtle! (One day when we were hiking in the park, we found a really old turtle and named it Tony, how original!) Anyways, he was so darn cute and even went up to the houses all by himself, he's such a big boy. He held his pumpkin with all of the candy in it and even when it got really heavy. We had a great time and loved watching Kellen say, trick or treat.... Then, towards the end of the night, he just walked up to the door and held out his pumpkin. How can you turn down a 2 yr. old turtle!! We love you Kellen, and thanks for hanging in there until the end!!

And thank you to the O'Connell's for having such a huge neighborhood with lots of candy! Abby and Zach were Cowgirl and Cowboy, loved it!!

Jamie and Laura Get Married!

What an amazing wedding! It was so beautiful and Jamie and Laura looked amazing. We had a wonderful time and it was so awesome to spend time with everyone. It was so good to see Em, Jeremy, and Hudson, the cutest thing ever!! He is such a combo of his mommy and daddy and those blue eyes melt you. Kate and Shannon were the flower girls and were a hit at the ceremony, they are adorable! Jamie and Laura were so happy and seeing the smile on James face when he walked up the beach was priceless. They are perfect for each other and we wish them the best. I loved every minute of it and it was good to be with family. Miss everyone already!!

Pumpkin Patch

We were able to go to a farm with pumpkins still on the vines, first time for me! It was a ton of fun and went with our new BFF's,theO'Connells. After getting scratched from the vines, a lovely picnic, a bumpy hayride, raspberry stains that don't come off for days, and about 20 picked out pumpkins later, it was well worth it!! (Love the pics, the farmer stand was hilarious!)

Summers are long in Arkansas!

We had a great summer in Arkansas with lots of new experiences, which happens quite often here! We were able to visit a few wild animal rescue facilities, a drive-through zoo (that's right!), a monster truck show (as you have seen on video), birthday parties, and anything that came our way that involved fun! Kellen, I dedicate this to you because this summer was so special to us and I've enjoyed every second with you. You are growing up too fast and figuring out what life is like as an almost 3 year old. You are happy, confident, outgoing, smart, and very loving... and extremely sure of yourself (its your way or the highway!). Mommy is trying to take it all in, its easy to still think of you as my little pumpkin who always loved to snuggle up on my chest and let me look at you for hours!! You are not afraid of anything or what this world offers you. We love you and are so proud of everything you do. Everyone is telling us how much you look like Daddy, which is fine by me!! You are a handsome little guy and are always flirting with the girls. We love you and you will always be our little pumpkin, xoxoxo Mommy and Daddy

Kellen's Art Class!

Kellen took an art class last month and it was quite an experience. We are proud of him and now have some really cool art work to hang in his room!! Good job buddy, you will always be an artist to me!!

I know it's been a while...

I have lots of stories and new pictures to add, just been busy!! Fun stuff to come....

Congratulations to Keith and Maggie!

Wanted to say a big congrats to the newly engaged couple, Keith and Maggie!! We are so happy for you guys and love you so much. You have always had my vote!! Looking forward to the big day and will be there standing by your sides. We love you and wish you the best,

Lots of love Casey, Holly, and Kellen

(sorry for the bathing suit shot, but thought you guys looked great, and was the only recent one I had of you guys! Plus, you love the beach and it's where you're getting married...)

A Lady Named Mercedes

Great Story - There are a few farms behind our subdivision and beautiful horses that are always hanging out. Well, today they were by the fence so we got to feed them. We usually walk up there and feed them carrots, apples, grass. There was a lady standing there talking to the horses and calling them by their names. I was like, you know their names!! And she said that they were her horses, all 15 of them! And that she owns like over 200 horses and that she is a vet. (Gets better, promise) And then she said she had been away for three months and was upset how bad her horses looked, etc. And then I asked her where she was for 3 mos. and she said, Louisville, Kentucky!!! What!! Um, I am from Kentucky I said. Small world. Anyways, she was there taking care of the DERBY horses and even was the vet for (this is the coolest part!) BIG BROWN! Hello, the Derby winner. Couldn't believe it, made me want to cry. She said she would bring a saddle for Kellen so he could ride them next time we go up there. She gave me all these hints about the horses, where to feed them, that she'll be at the farm taking care of them and that we're welcome to feed and hang out whenever. It was really nice talking to her and now I have all of the scoop on these amazing horses that are right behind our house. Thought you would enjoy that, made me homesick!!!!
And her name is Mercedes, thought that was funny.

Betsy Janes made it to Arkansas!

Just wanted to say a big thank you to Aunt Betsy for making a weekend trip to Arkansas (wish it could have been longer!). She got here Thursday evening and then left on Sunday, but almost stayed another day due to the weather. We had a fantastic time and it flew by! She got to go to Kellen's art class and see him in rare form drawing fishes under the sea. Betsy is no stranger when it comes to art and being creative, maybe Kellen will inherit some of these wonderful skills. And then we were off to lunch at La Hacienda where the food was great, with a very handsome waiter (hee hee!), and the company even better. On Friday night, we showed Bets how we do it up at the Fayetteville Club Happy Hour and how the weather here can go from sunny to stormy. On Saturday, we went to the very hip Farmer's Market downtown Fayetteville where there were lots of dogs, lots of great food, more dogs, and the mayor handing out suckers! Where do you think Kellen ended up... And then off to a birthday party at the O'Connells where we arrived at three and left at about 9! We were the last ones to get there and the last ones to leave. It was a great time and Bets got to meet our future good friends here in Arkansas. Sunday came very quickly and we kind of sat around wondering what the weather had in store for us. Slowly, we decided it was safe for her to go and then she was off as quickly as she came. The goodbyes were tough and a few tears were shed, but we hid those very well.... Aunt Betsy, we love you with all of our hearts and thank you so much for making the trip to see our life in Arkansas and loved every second of the weekend. Justin, wish you could have been here, but we will see you soon and would love to have you both stay with us anytime!!

Kellen at the Monster Truck Show

First of all, want to say how impressed I am of this video. Case has been wanting to do something from the truck show and he went all out!! It is awesome and it will make you laugh and have you in tears (even had Case in tears!).

Casey decided to make a movie from our crazy night at the Monster Truck Show. We got home from there and were without words, never had I experienced anything like that. I honestly couldn't stop laughing the entire time I was there, and best of all, Kellen seriously had a blast. As you watch this movie, Kellen will crack you up many times. His earphones (I know there is a proper name for those things), his laugh, his many different face expressions, and the best part of all; us leaving the show and him crying all the way out. It was so pathetic and Case and I tried so hard not to show emotion. He had so much fun and it broke his heart to leave. Of course all good things must eventually come to an end, and this was obviously one of those moments. Thank you again Arkansas for showing us the wonderful things in life a family can do together, no matter what it may be! And by the way, the show was in a rodeo two minutes from our house!! And, the truck he was playing with that lost two wheels before we left, it was in the garbage by morning. Completely fell apart, they get you every time....

Washington County Fair

"The Washington County Fair"

It's official, we have now been to a fair. And I know they have them back home, but there's just something about living in Arkansas and having the experience here. Case and I can't believe that we live only five miles from a place where there were 100's of cows, pigs, chickens, and rabbits. They were all hanging out and were on show. Which means, pretty much all of them had ribbons hanging above their names. Just like Charlotte's Web! It was really funny and Kellen had a blast, as always. The O'Connell's were nice to invite us and we had lots of laughs.

Kellen and Zach were checking out the tractor pull, that's right, tractor pull. That was a first for all of us, was very entertaining.

Casey and I dressed for the occasion... well a little overdressed.

The Classic Silver Motorcycle that sparkles!

Kellen riding the motorcycle and holding on for dear life! We were cracking up because of the way he was sitting and how serious he was. He did loosen up a bit, but just thought the whole ride was hilarious. I mean, we think most of the rides were at least 20 years old.

Overall, the fair was an adventure and glad we got to experience the other side of Arkansas. And best of all, Kellen enjoyed every second of it!

Going Potty Again!

I am determined to get Kellen on the potty. He sat on his potty chair and on the real potty today, yeah! I got him to do it with m&m's. Both grandma's suggested I do something like this and let's see how it goes. Funny that I stumbled across some m&m's in his play closet (prob. from last Easter, but that's ok). Actually, Kellen found them and opened up an egg and they came pouring out. I was like, oh, wait, don't eat all of those. He was literally picking them up as fast as he could. The fastest I have seen him move and I couldn't help but laugh. He just kept looking at me with big eyes and trying to beat me to them. Was priceless. He sat on both toilets and tried so hard. He pushed, trying to tinkle and it only made his face more red. But, he got some m&m's for effort. Let's see how it goes. Going to also buy some cheap items for when he actually does make some splash! Oh, and he did toot from pushing so hard and we had a good laugh. I said, you can go poopy too... right!
I am learning the joys of parenting, again, not sure how our parents did it... and in multiples. And Again, hooray to all the parents out there!!! Absolutely amazes me...

Captain Kellen, Ahoy Matey!

Weekend in Western Kentucky

A few weeks ago, we did our annual Bern's trip and this year it was in western Kentucky. We went to Kentucky Dam Village, which is a state park in Kentucky. The park is surrounded by Lake Barkley and it's beautiful, very proud to have such an awesome place in the Bluegrass state. It was a great trip and on Saturday, we were able to rent a pontoon boat. And Kellen got to drive!! He was in love with the boat and the lake. He jumped right in the lake with the rest of us and we had a very special day. Instead of children asking for a pony, he is now asking for a boat... maybe way down the road, and if he's buying!! We were very proud of him that he was such a trooper on the pontoon and that he fell in love with the whole boating experience. Thanks for an amazing weekend, it was so good to see everyone and spend time with each other and have lots of laughs. And keep in mind how darn cute that hat looks on him, just in case you didn't notice!! Kind of reminds you of someone that was stranded on an island... Enjoy! Love and miss you all already!!!

As you all know, Kellen only falls asleep in his own bed. But, he was very close on the boat. It was a rare moment for sure. Keith, I think you got the touch!

Taking it all in....

Kellen's Night Time Routine

Check out Kellen just before he goes to bed. He's got a pretty good singing voice! (Notice that he likes to mix up the songs, just a little...)

August in Arkansas

Let's just say, it gets a little hot here in Arkansas. The last 2 weeks were in the 100's and Kellen's face was more red than a McDonald's french fry box. This is in the car on the way back from Beaver Lake.We spent a lot of time in the pool (s) and even got a cool hat to try to keep the sun out of our eyes.

AND, I finally went down the slide at the pool.

"My buddy Jason"

Want to say a big thank you to Kris and Jason who came to visit us for a week and it ended up being the hottest its been in Arkansas! We did lots of sweating, swimming, and exercising!! Casey and Jason were able to get in quite a few rounds of golf, really helping Jason's golf game, got lots of potential here folks. We had a blast and Kellen was purely entertained and had a human adult toy 24 hours a day, that would be Jason. I wouldn't mind having Jase full time, he not only dressed Kellen, but helped with diapers and even cut his fingernails and toenails, yikes!!

We got to mountain bike one day and it about killed me... so, not sure when I'll take up that sport again. But, it was really cool to be in the forest for a few hours and experience the wonderful nature and Fayetteville Lake. Kris and I were busy working out at the club, doing some yoga classes and even tried the Body Pump class. I looked like an idiot and Kris looked like a pro! Kris was even my personal shopper for a day, now that is the way to go! We had lots of funny moments and many special times watching Kellen with Aunt KiKi and Uncle Jase. We truly enjoyed having them here, it wasn't easy saying goodbye. Thanks again for making the journey to good ole Arkansas Jase and Kris, we love you very much and miss you!









Kris, Kellen, and myself posing in front of a dam in Springdale. This was the same day his face was as red as a Happy Meal.







A quick story for the video. Before Jason and Kristin came to visit, Kellen walked up to the fan in the garage and yelled Jason's name in there out of the blue. And then we had him do the same thing when they were in town, it was quite funny.

First Day of "School"

So Kellen had his first school day today. He is currently majoring in PE but has minors in Music and the Arts (See Exhibit A) He started strong staying in the lines but then decided to let it all go...His handwriting is better than his dad's.

Our car broke down so he had to drive himself there. He looks a little road raged, I guess he gets that from mom....




















He sported his very stylish backpack (thanks mama Berns) which was loaded with what else, trucks.

Going Potty Should be Fun!

Kellen is slowly warming up to the potty chair. He decided it would be pretty cool to draw and then to put his stool in front of him to prop up his feet. Whatever it takes!!

(Haven't gotten him to sit on it for a few days, the joys of potty!)

Air Show in Arkansas

This is a picture of Kellen and I when we went to an Air show in Arkansas. It was right when we moved here and had a great day. It was really loud, and as you can see with the earplugs, Kellen wasn't too thrilled on all of the sounds. Case loves this picture because Kellen has his glasses kind of tilted and the earplug is way too big for his ears.

Kellen's quest to defeat Tiger

So now that we have a back yard Casey can practice golf and Kellen can begin his quest to take down Tiger in 18 years.

It's about Time!

I have finally started a blog so that we can share our time in Arkansas and show pictures of all the fun we've been having. And of course to share the amazing moments with Kellen!! I hope that I can keep up with it and soon include everyone to make it that much more special.