Keene Family

Can’t stop looking at him, this last hour of him being 7....my heart might burst ❤️. He fell asleep watching ‘Top Gun’ with me - we deemed it suitable at the PG rating and the fact that he was turning 8 tomorrow! Well not 10’minutes in, there’s swearing and he promptly notifies me of each incident of said swearing 🤦🏻‍♀️ “Mom! There’s another one!” 🤷🏻‍♀️. Yes my love, maybe we should have waited until a later birthday 😂 https://www.instagram.com/p/CAJ4qDTFUtQ/?igshid=1t578s20hcccf

Great start to the boys’ spring break! Rochester Friday and Saturday for State Wrestling Tournament- Jacob didn’t place but showed SIGNIFICANT improvement from last year and we were SO proud of him! He cheered on his teammates and didn’t shed any tears or blood (unlike last year 😂). Huge thanks to his amazing coaches (they absolutely rock) and the community of wrestling families for making it so great. 🤼‍♂️🤼‍♂️🤼‍♂️. THEN we spent two days eating, drinking, snowmobiling, seeing the “pigs”, painting, and playing with the Sonnek’s!! Thanks for hosting us- love you guys!! ❤️❤️❤️#springbreak2019 #hastingswrestlingclub #myheartisonthatmat #keenonneks2019 #wifeysreunite (at Minnesota Lake, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu5E2Zule_7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1nj21afjadmha

Halloween 2014!!  Trick or Treating the neighborhood, then annual Keene/Davies Halloween Party!!  Look at all our LOOT!

This is all I could capture on my phone, but imagine my surprise to see my 2 1/2 yr old running toward me/Nick, with a HUGE group of older children behind him...with this in his hand...wonder if they got him to pick it up or if he was the only one brave enough ;-)

Farm birthday parties, laughing, children's museum, laughing, walking/climbing/getting into trouble, laughing....

Walking machine...Caden has been taking steps for well over a month, but in the last two weeks has actually started to get the hang of it!  My little 10 month old over-achiever (really, it's just that he can't stand not doing what his big brother does...or rather following him around...and walking/climbing allows him to do what he loved most- getting into trouble!)

More children's museum (3/24/2013)

Cousin Jeffrey's 4th birthday (3/23/2013)- Jacob and Caden's cousin Jeffrey turned 4 two days after their cousin Eden turned two!  These are pictures from his party.  It was farm themed, hence the straw hats and CORN!

Both the boys loved the day...tumbling, playing with bubbles and water, and roaming around a kid focused area!

Here we have grams entertaining Caden (or is it the other way around?) in between shuffles during an intense cribbage game (which she lost, I might add, to her really great cribbage playing granddaughter...)

We (mom and the boys and I) planned for weeks for a long weekend up at gram and gramps house (Nick stayed home to paint!)  The plan was to leave Friday after work, after dinner and baths, and have boys sleep on the way up that night.  Then Patti and Cornell were going to join us later Saturday morning.  Well, the weather decided something else and our Friday nigth adventure ensued!  While it was lightly snowing when we left, by the time we got close to Forest Lake, it was blizzard like conditions out.  Decided we needed to find a hotel- and fast.  Mom called Nick who contacted the hotel in Forest Lake.  When we finally got there it was clear numerous others had the same idea- the hotel apparently filled up fast with other travelers.  We got a two queen room- Jacob slept with gamma Carolyn (she recalls waking up in the middle of the night to a little head on her pillow!) and Caden with me.  The next morning when gamma started the shower, Jacob jumped at the opportunity!  Not only did he take a shower with gamma but stayed through mama's shower too- he was a little raisin by the time finally got him out!  Next was breakfast in the lobby before we continued our journey on a sunny but snowwhite Saturday!

The morning continuing our adventure!  Breakfast in the hotel- yogurt, eggs, potatoes, waffles, fruit, applesauce, cheese, muffin, milk...and that's just what Jacob had.  We did finally let Caden out of his carseat only for him to make a complete disaster on the table and floor...sigh.  After we checked out, I was certain both boys would pass out- well Caden did.  Jacob stayed up until the last 15 minutes- little stinker! Didn't want to miss any of the excitement!  When we finally got to the farm, aunt Patti and Unc Cornell were already there.  We quickly transformed the living room into a play area and "baby proofed" where we could. 

Our delicious meal!  Grams made corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, and carrots (with help from Cornell and mom)- in honor of St Patty's Day I suppose!  Patti and I kept busy with the boys while this was being made. 

We were busy the entire weekend- whether it was entertaining Caden with ANYTHING and keeping him out of trouble (here it's yogurt cups!), or letting Jacob run WILD upstairs- never a dull moment.  Jacob was fascinated with the upstairs, wanted to run and play and jump on grandpa Mike's bed while gamma Carolyn tried to make it (and prior to that helping her vaccum up all the bugs...which we worked hard at keeping Caden from putting in his mouth.)  I too remember loving the upstairs as a kid, so seeing my child show so much interest in it warmed my heart!  Jacob was plum tuckered out and laid down on the floor in the living room falling fast asleep.  In fact we had to actually wake him up after severl hours.  Exhausted from fun!

Just like we did with Jacob when he was this age, here's GG Ceci giving Caden a "bath" in the laundry tub!

We had such a nice weekend with gram and gramps...while it was at times challenging trying to keep up with Mr. Caden and his desire to get into EVERYTHING (he not only pulled that picture off the shelf, but at one point pulled the whole stand it was sitting on down!) he did keep us entertained and on our toes- particularly because hes' got the walking thing almost down! The stairs were a favorite of his- up he'd climb then stand proudly at the top! I believe he had quite the game going with Gamma Carolyn to take three steps then fall into her arms! While it was an exhausting weekend for mama and Gamma, we survived and I know the boys and gram and gramps had a really good time.  Can't wait for the next visit!