Sunday Funday!

Today is Sunday which is now "soccer day". We spend it like we do most Sundays. Church, soccer, and another new routine: riding on Papa's BIG construction equipment! (He has a job site right by the soccer fields.) Before his game he was sure to remind me that he wanted to ride on Papa's construction equipment after the game. Then afterward, the first thing he did was go to Papa and ask to go ride on the equipment. Today he got to ride in a giant dump truck and a big dirt scraper that you stand up to drive. We always ask Sammy if she wants to ride too, but they're just too big and loud. She just digs in the dirt while Will rides!

We're loving this beautiful fall weather, and can't wait for the changing leaves. Will checks the trees every day!

Almost every morning Will wakes up at about 4ish and comes into our bed. He usually goes back to sleep, but he wakes up a lot earlier than we'd like. Usually we tell him we can't get up until the sun is up. This morning he kept checking out the window to see if the sun was up. Finally, I got up with him and we took a blanket out to the front porch and watched the sun come up. It was pretty awesome! The little boy who usually doesn't stop moving and really doesn't have a whole lot of time to chat was cuddling up with me and telling me all kinds of stuff. He was telling me about how God made the sun, which led to talking about Paco! (Mom & Dad's dog who died last spring.) He said he wanted to see him up in heaven. Then I asked what he thought Paco was doing and he said, "I think Jesus is throwing a ball and Paco is getting it."

As if that wasn't sweet enough, later I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. First he said a police man. Then he thought for a minute and said "Can brothers be daddys?" I said yes and he said "I want to be a daddy too."

He never fails to facinate me, that boy!

Sammy Baby

Ok,so you know how we all think Sam has always been a big talker? Well, lately she's been blowing me away with what she says! Last night when I was putting her to bed she wanted to read another book, and she said "OK, let's go for it!" Sometimes she's so cute I just don't think I can stand it! She is really liking trying to get dressed by herself lately. As you can see, she was experimenting with Daddy's boxers yesterday! She always says "Please will you play with me?" How could we say no? This morning when we were having our usual Play-doh playing session she said "Bonjour!" suddenly. Lately she's been way into singing before we go to sleep. Some of her favorites are Itsy Bitsy Spider and Row Row Row Your Boat. Even though they have typical brother/sister tiffs, she thinks Will is the best thing ever. While he's at school, she constantly asks for him and says that we should go get him. It is impossible to stay mad or upset when she's around. Having a bad day? Just come by and spend some time with Sam.

I hope you enjoy the latest video of her singing!

ahhh....laughter

there's nothing more fun than when we can watch the kids having fun.

there's no better sound than their laughter.

these are just a few shots that share that perfect, innocent joy we get to see every day.

we are so so blessed.

The Petzolds and the Kauks take Manhattan!

KSU WILDCATS!! Future Wildcats!

Well, yesterday was a fun, sweltering, exciting day! We headed out for Manhattan in the Kauk's minivan at about 9:30. We made great time and were ready for a wild and crazy tailgate. After all, that is how Ryan and I met! The weather was a little on the hot side. (We fried like eggs on the asphalt!) A bunch of my sorority sisters had organized a tailgate, so it was great to see so many of them. It was definitely a different tailgate atmosphere with lots of little ones, and a few little ones very much on the way!

The kids were troopers, and they couldn't wait for the game. The actual game was really fun (still hotter than a firecracker). We had good seats, and the kids were enthralled with Willie the Wildcat. If he ever went out of sight, Will was sure to ask "Where's Willie?"

Ryan missed seeing every touchdown because he was in the bathroom with the kids two of the times, then getting a sno-cone the next! We lasted until after half time then decided to head to Aggieville! HA!

We did go to Rock-a-belly (in Aggieville) for the best sandwiches on earth, but then we headed out of town. Of course, the kids didn't sleep a wink the whole day (except for Carter the whole second quarter!)

When surveyed, the children shared that their favorite parts were Willie and the sno-cone! It was a successful game for all! K-S-U...WILDCATS! GO CATS!

Our Cheerleaders

Ryan and the kids, ready to watch the Cats!

Will, Mags and Carter, ready to head home!

Soccer and Such

So fun! Will had his first soccer game last weekend! He did pretty well, and had a lot of fun. He never picked up the ball with his hands, and he ran with the "pack" and chased the ball! He even kicked it quite a few times in the general right direction!

Sam was quite the cheerleader in her cool shades! (Sorry, I can't get her pic to load right now.)

It's so hard to believe that our baby boy is now in school 4 days a week and playing on a soccer team! Do we still have tough and frustrating moments? Um...yeah! But he's right where he needs to be, and growing so much!

We're off to the K-State game tomorrow. It's the kids' first trip to a game, so it should be fun. I'll definitely post an update after our trip! GO CATS!

Waffles

So, I bet you don't have a sou-chef as precious as that, do you? This morning, despite feeling quite rotten (I have a yucky sinus infection) we decided to make waffles. Sam and Will are always on hand to pour the milk, add the flour, break the eggs, and of course, stir. They turned out pretty yummy, too!

Real quick I have to share how sweet they were yesterday as I was completely miserable. Will actually insisted on coming to the doctor with me instead of going to my mom's. (Sam stayed with Grandma!) He was an absolute angel at the doctor's office, and kept saying, "Mom, I'm sorry you're sick" or "Mom, I hope you feel better." I was in bed yesterday while they played in their rooms, and they just played so well together. I never even had to get out of bed for a beating! (Totally kidding, of course!) They would come in every so often to check on me. One time Sam came in and climbed up in bed with me. She took my face in her sweet little hands and said "Look at me" then she kissed me. I know sometimes I get so frustrated with them (like when they fight in the grocery store and I want to crawl underneath the cart so no one sees me), but they truly are the sweetest!

TOMATOES

So, what do you do on a yucky, rainy day? We had a pretty good one! First we babysat our friend "Baby Drew", then after lunch, we went to visit Will and Sam's newest second cousin, "Baby Daniel". Will is mesmorized at how small he is and how much dark hair he has! He told Sammy, "You have to be really gentle because he is little teeny like a peanut." Sammy really liked Daniel's mommy Amy more! She loved cuddling with her and playing with her hair!

By the time we drove home from Amy's in Gladstone, the kids were totally zonked out in the car so I just left the door open and let them sleep for a while. Not long later I heard tornado sirens! I had no idea! I grabbed the kids from the car and we all went to the basement. After much confusion, (and a mild confused tantrum) we were happily playing with toys! Will understood that it might be a storm that spins round and round (thanks to a Care Bears movie he's seen 60,000 times). The cutest part was that he kept asking when the "tomato" was going to come. He said he was ok since I was with him and he was in the basement. He was never scared, just curious where the "tomato" was.

Well, thank God there were no "tomatoes"! We went ahead and played in the basement until the tired babies were goofy beyond belief! Here are a few pics of them goofin' right before bed.

Elephant Head

Silly Faces!