Kupferer 4*

Changing Seasons

2010-11-20T08:51:00.003-06:00

As I write this post, I can see our neighbor outside raking up leaves. Fall is certainly a favorite season for me, at least in the beginning. But once all of the colors change to brown and the freshness of the cool air just starts to feel cold, my love for the season starts to change. The familiarity of fall begins to take the edge off of my excitement of its arrival. I see that same case in other areas of my life. The giddiness of anticipation for something large or small soon is replaced with the mundane. Unfortunately, I have seen this at work in my relationship with Christ. I have such a desire, such a longing for time with him. But soon my times become part of the ordinary, easily pushed aside for another day.
What can ignite excitement once again? What can illicit that anticipation, at the same time pushing off the familiarity? Isn't it perspective? Isn't it a cherishing of the mundane, seeing it as worthy as well? The beauty of fall still remains, only my view of it has changed.

... a long time (& Wes' wish list)

2009-10-17T19:41:00.005-06:00

Wow, its been a long time since we've updated this blog. I guess this is one of those things that gets pushed to the back burner when you're busy.

(and the only update we're giving today is a few items on Wes' wish list)

Even though his birthday is less than 2 weeks away, we still wanted to let you know some of the items he would like. It will also give you ideas for Christmas.

He is really into Star Wars right now. He loves storm troopers and clone troopers.

... But he loves Darth Vader more. Don't ask me why, I don't know.

He saw these at the Family Christian Store and thought it was cool. It's like Rescue Heroes, but they are Bible Heroes.

Both boys love to play with the set of Trio that Nathan got. And they still love anything with a firehouse.

He picked this dinosaur from playmobil out when we were at Toys-R-Us. He loves dinosaurs and loves to play with his other playmobil stuff.

There are a few ideas of what he likes to play with these days.

And WE PROMISE we'll update with pictures and status updates soon.

Moriah's spring

2009-05-04T21:51:00.002-06:00

Moriah Jane is 9 months old now...and she is doing great! She is crawling everywhere and is a rather curious little girl. Here are some photos of our gal.

Enjoying a visit with Becca

She loves to go down the baby doll aisle at the store. She just talks and talks to the babies!

This one is sure to be a favorite photo for years to come!

Here she is practicing standing. She is doing so well!

And here she is starting to help herself in the pantry---won't be long and I will have another helper in the kitchen :)

Photos, photos, and more photos!

2009-05-04T21:21:00.004-06:00

Here are some photos to catch you up on the Kupferer household activities...

Nathan & Amy before bedtime

Here is Moriah, happy as can be (notice the one shoe on, one shoe off style!)

Amy and the kids got to take a trip to the Evansville zoo with some friends- we had a great time

This was a beautiful sight---it actually was a double rainbow, but it didn't show up on the photo

Mike & Moriah

Amy, Nathan, & Wes replaced the kitchen faucet...the boys were a big help. Moriah napped almost the whole time, which was a help, too!

Wes, who just turned 3 1/2, is here with some new Rescue Hero toys

Where would he learn this? Nathan is feeding Moriah some Cheerios and reading a magazine at the same time! :)

We had a great visit from Amy's mom, Marti, and Becca. Here is a pic of Becca and Nathan

And finally, we have been enjoying the park a lot so far this spring. Moriah loves to swing and the boys love everything there is to do there.

Those are just a few highlight photos. The next post will be especially for Moriah's fans :)

5th Birthday Wish List

2009-03-07T15:19:00.003-06:00

Well, it's birthday season again at the Kupferer house, and for those family members who may be wondering what Nathan might be wanting- this post is for you! :)

Here is a picture of Nathan with his new lunch box that he bought for school this fall. He is really excited about starting school!

These items have been on Nathan's wish list for a while. He enjoys helping outside with any project and would really enjoy a weedeater or leaf blower (probably the weedeater more actually). He is not a "brand boy", so it does not at all have to be this exact one, but any will do.

Nathan is very interested in playing with any action figure kind of guy, and he thought these looked pretty cool. As a side note, the boat actually floats. We saw this at Walmart.

We play a lot of games as a family, and Mike spotted this toy at Walmart and thought Nathan would like this twist. We don't have all of these board games, but it looked like ones Nathan would enjoy.

Another item that he needs for school is a backpack. He picked out one online that he likes, and we think it will hold up well for his early school years. Click on the link to see it. He would like to have his name monogramed on it so he can easily find it. :)

The last item on his wish list is called A Moon in My Room. It is sold at Target or online at Discovery toys. It is a moon that you hang on the wall and it lights up to go through the 12 phases of the moon. It looks pretty cool and I have read really good reviews of it.

Well, that's about it for now. Please remember, family, that these are just ideas/suggestions. Anyone who has been to our house knows that we are in no way lacking in the toy department. But I also recognize that a five year old needs a present or two :)

Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure: a review

2009-03-03T15:37:00.001-06:00

I thought I would share some of my thoughts on the new Hermie & Friends DVD.

I was excited to watch the new Hermie video with the kids for our movie night. Having seen a couple of the other Hermie & Friends, I knew Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure was going to be good. And I was not disappointed. Beyond the lesson it teaches, about being unique, it was plain fun to watch.

Like all good animated movies it has entertainment for both the kid and the adult. One of my favorite parts was when Sinclair presents his presentation to the garden friends. His pictures are being projected onto a sheet of paper which reads, "From the desk of Max Lucado." Beyond the little bits of humor, parents will also love the message on how God designs each of us unique, and our differences do not make us less worthy than someone else.

The DVD also includes a fun, little cartoon short, "Hermie Had a Little Lamb," along with other extras. There are coloring pages, a sing-along, a trivia game and a recipe for a fun dessert to make with your kids. I highly recommend Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure to anyone with toddlers in their house. You might even want to use your kids as an excuse to watch it yourself.

Despite the lack of posting, things have been happening

2009-02-28T13:11:00.006-06:00

As usual, we have gotten pretty busy and have not posted anything to this blog. In an effort to help you see what we have been doing, here are some pictures of the last month or so.

Wes playing a Rescue Heroes game on the computer. He is getting really good at the puzzles.

Nathan playing an Imaginext game on the computer, all by himself. He is getting pretty good at using the mouse and arrow keys and playing the game on his own.

Moriah's first time in the swing.

Aunt Kim stopped by on her way to Texas for a few days. It was a great visit. (Just look at how happy everyone is)

Moriah with one of her headbands in.

Nathan & Wes with their snowman. It was good packing snow, but it sure wasn't enough to make a big snowman.

Moriah reaching for the camera through the barn window.

Pizza night - Wes wanted ketchup on his. (He said it was good.)

Wes stopping long enough to get a picture.

Nathan and his new lunch bag. He is excited about using it at Kindergarten next year.

Moriah chewing on a zwebok teething biscuit. Her new teeth sure do come in handy for biting food, or so she is learning.

The Haircut

2009-01-18T16:35:00.004-06:00

Well, I (Amy) don't want to sound dramatic, but something has happened to Wes. He's just not the same little guy anymore. Here, I'll let you see for yourself...

Yep, Wes finally at age 3 got his first major haircut. For those who are curious, he is not a fan. Although the cut was his idea, he wanted to back out of it about 1/3 of the way in. The other night at dinner he said, "I'm never going to do this again." We asked him what he was talking about and he just pointed to his hair.
We have had a week now to adjust to Wes' new look, and I have to say that it certainly grows on you. ( no pun intended). And for those of us who just loved the way the little guys hair was his "signature look" as I call it...yes, he is growing it back out. :)

Christmas pictures

2009-01-18T14:30:00.005-06:00

I know how much you all love to see the pictures, so here are some pictures from our Christmas trip to Terre Haute and Fort Wayne.

The age of technology...brothers can't even just talk anymore :)

Nathan & Wes taking some time to play at Grandpa's

Thanks for all the new clothes, Aunt Kim!

Grandpa, Mike, Wes, and Nathan

Amy M. and Moriah--- Amy's a natural!

We had the chance to have dinner with some old friends. Here's Jason, Becca, & Ethan.

Grammy loving on her Moriah.

Moriah is checking out a new toy with Grammy and Aunt Marti-- it actually has become a favorite of hers. Thanks, Aunt Jan!

Even big boys get sleepy :) Nathan & Sadie enjoying a Christmas snooze.

Uncle Paul and Wes enjoying a little Wii action.

We had a great time celebrating 2008 & bringing in 2009 with a game night. Doug is taking in some of the Wii games.

Wes & Moriah in their jammies :) Priceless.

And here is Allison with her biggest fan, Moriah :) Let's just say that Moriah was not short on people to talk to and entertain her!

It was pass-the-Moriah night :) Here's Nathan with his lil' sis.

Nee Nee and the boys and Allison had a chance one night to make some monkey muffins. They were delicious and everyone really had a great time doing it (thanks, Mom K.) And the good news is that very few monkeys were actually harmed in the making of the muffins. :)

Well, that is far from the majority of our Christmas trip, but we don't want to overwhelm you. I'm sure you have other things to do besides look at our Christmas pictures. :) Thanks for taking time to check out the happenings at the Kupferer house. Oh, and hope you had a Merry Christmas.

Photos of the family

2008-12-07T16:40:00.001-06:00

Discount Movies I saw at Toys R Us that the boys might like

2008-11-29T09:20:00.001-06:00

While at Toys R Us recently, I came across their discounted DVD section. There were a few titles that caught my eye as ones the boys might like watching. These are cheap and educational. (Some of the "all about" dvd's have more than one episode, and some episodes can be found on multiple DVD's) Let us know if you decide to go this route for gifts.

Boys' Christmas Wish List

2008-11-29T06:23:00.001-06:00

Here are the items Nathan & Wes told us they want to put on the Christmas wish list. I added pictures to all of the items to help with identification. I will put which boy wants the toy to save you the time of trying to figure it out on your own.

(Nathan & Wes) This is one of the Bass Pro Shops sets that Wal-Mart carries. Here is a link to the Bass Pro Shop website that has something similar to this. Wes picked out a different one that is on his birthday wish list page.

(Nathan) He would like this knight costume. And he would probably like some of the other pretend costumes like this one, too. Again, Wes has one similar on his birthday wish list.

(Nathan) This is a pretty cool helmet. Check out more about it at the matchbox site. Wal-Mart carries it, as does Target, I think.

(Nathan) This goes with the helmet, to complete the fire fighter role play set. You can find more on it here.

You can find it at Wal-Mart or Target, I think.

(Nathan & Wes) This goes with the space shuttle below. I don't have a link to the online site, but it can be found at one of our two most visited stores - Wal*Mart or Target.

(Nathan) He has been fascinated with this space shuttle for a little while, now. Here is the link to the site with more info. We have seen it at Target and Wal-Mart.

(Nathan & Wes) They love car carriers and these little carries look pretty cool. There is no link, that I could find at Hotwheels.com. They can be found at any retailer who sells Hot Wheels.

(Nathan & Wes) They love to play with our lincoln logs and these look a lot like them. They are the KidConnection brand, from Wal-Mart. You get a lot more for the money with these than you do the regular/name brand ones.

(Nathan) Again, this is a car carrier. You can find it online here or at many retail stores (need I keep mentioning the same two over and over?).

(Wes) This fire engine is in the same "toy line" as the car carrier above. Here is the info on the website.

Also, there are a lot more toys on this page that both boys would like.

(Nathan) This is a play set that we found in Wal-Mart that Nathan really likes.

(Nathan, mostly) We have a few other garbage truck in the house, but he still wants another one :)

(Nathan & Wes) This is a huge tonka truck that the boys think is really cool. Find the Tonka Toughest Mighty Crane here. All I can say about this crane is that it is huge.

(we found it at WallyWorld)

(Nathan) He loves to do these types of workbooks.

(Nathan & Wes) They really like these playsets that are part of the KidConnection line of toys at Wal-Mart.

(Nathan) Legos seem to be one of the popular toys in our house right now.

(Wes & Nathan) They have a few different toys like this. The top picks are the weed trimmer and the leaf blower. Anything the boys could play with outside to help with yardwork would be great. They use their mower, rakes, wheelbarrow and shovels a lot to help work outside. These are found at Toys R Us & Wal-mart. (Nathan really wants the jackhammer they have at Target, too)

(Nathan) These John Deere toys were found at the same two stores. This is the one Nathan said he wanted.

(Wes) I know its winter, but when it warms up he will love to help wash the cars with this set from Home Depot. You can find it at Toys R Us and online.

Also, you can check out Wes' birthday wish list to see more ideas.

Our little old lady

2008-11-05T08:37:00.003-06:00

This past Saturday was when Moriah turned 100. One hundred days old, that is. Here are a few pictures of the old gal---she looks pretty good we think :)

On that same day Wes announced at the dinner table that he "was all done listening to us (mike & amy)." After much questioning, we discovered he was leaving out a very important word...not. He was all done NOT listening to us. It made for some pretty fun memories. One day, when our house is finally quiet and I (Amy) look around at how clean everything is and how much free time I have, I can honestly say that I will miss this- the constantness that anyone who has young children can relate to. And I will miss the way one word changes everything a 3 year old is trying to say.

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-22T06:31:00.000-06:00

Somehow, we have ended up with 8 pumpkins this year. We are going to decorate some, carve a few and do something with the others. Last night, we took to carving the first one. It is a double-sided pumpkin. The first side is the cubs logo and the other side is a face that Nathan drew. It turned out really well.

Here are the pictures from start to completion. Enjoy. (I'll post more pictures when we do the other pumpkins)

Updating Wes' Wish List

2008-10-16T18:18:00.004-06:00

With Wes' party being on Saturday, he will begin to get some of his presents early (2 weeks before his actual birthday). We thought we would edit the original post with a PURCHASED next to any item he gets or someone tells us he is getting. This way, you will know what he has gotten, so we don't start getting 10 hoodies :)

So, if you happen to disregard everything we say about not getting Wes a birthday present and get him one please let us know if it is on his list. Thanks. :)

Fall Already...in pictures

2008-10-14T15:29:00.007-06:00

Here is a picture of our beautiful little lady. We have discovered that Moriah greatly enjoys being outside, so we took advantage of the weather the other night and headed out to fly some kites.

A classic picture of Wes! It was taken during our one day trip to St. Louis. We were able to enjoy a picnic at the Arch.

Our family was able to go to an outdoor concert this past weekend. Here's a shot of Moriah flashing Aunt Kim a great smile :)

We went to a local pumpkin festival-- who knew there were so many carnival games you could play with pumpkins!

During our day in St. Louis we went to the Science Museum. There is a bridge there that allows you to look down and see the highway traffic below.

Although our packing to one day move has slowed down considerably (you really can't pack everything), here is a picture of Nathan playing in a piece of packed up furniture. When we moved to IL, he could stand inside the shelf.

Aunt Kim was able to pay us a visit this past weekend. And we used to think it was hard to get one kid to look at the camera!

This is by far one of my (Amy) favorite pictures of Moriah.

Well, that is a few of the highlights of the last few weeks. Hope you all are doing well, too!

Wes' Wish List

2008-10-04T10:30:00.014-06:00

With Wes' birthday coming up at the end of the month, we thought you might like to see what he is into right now. To make it a little easier, we took pictures for you to see (of most of the stuff). Here are the pictures and links to the items online (in no particular order)...

Easy Score Soccer Set. PURCHASED We saw this at Wal-Mart, but I'm sure Target or other stores should carry it too.

Wes has really started to get into soccer and we think this would be a great way to help encourage him with it.

There are a couple KidConnection sets at Wal-Mart that Wes (and Nathan) likes. This is one of them. The other is the offbrand lincoln logs. This wouldn't be Wes' first pick, but it is something he would enjoy playing with.

There is no link to a website for this, sorry.

Good Night, Gorilla. PURCHASED. Wes just found this book the other day and read it multiple times. We got it from the library, too. Seems to be one he'll enjoy for a bit.

Here is a link to the book on Amazon, and you can find it at just about any local bookstore.

Wes is not ready for this particular book, but he loves doing activity books. Ones for pre-kindergarten would be more up his alley.

PURCHASED. We saw this hoodie at Wal-Mart and Wes liked it. He loves Handy Manny and doesn't have a hoodie like this.

Again, I couldn't find any online link, except for some ebay auctions.

PURCHASED Wes really wants one of these dual racetracks (not necessarily a Cars one, but one like this).

Here is the Cars spiral racetrack at WM. Or cheaper at Fisher Price's website.

Wes really likes this Hummer with canoe. (We think part of it is because its red)

You can see more about it at the Bass Pro Shops website.

Wes loves to play dress up and wants this policeman dress up set.

Here is one you can get at Toys R Us. Or some I found on Amazon.

He is really liking Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and My Friends Tigger and Pooh.

Here are some examples of Tigger & Pooh & Mickey Mouse Clubhouse movies at Best Buy.

Here is the rescue copter PURCHASED on Amazon (a little more than what it is at Wal-Mart).

He really wants a new Monster Jam Truck. Here are two fun ones I saw at the store.

Here is a the Monster Jam website.

We hope this gives you a look into what Wes is into at this moment. As I have typed this post, I have been hesitant to publish it. I am hesitant because I don't want any of you to think Wes NEEDS any of these things, he doesn't. If he does not get any of these items, he will be just fine. We do not want any of you to get him anything, but we also know that there is no way to stop some of you. :)

**edit** Make sure to let us know if you get something from this list, so that we can mark it PURCHASED so that others who see the list will know. Thanks.

Moriah's hospital stay

2008-09-25T06:17:00.000-06:00

Here is a video montage of some pictures from Moriah's hospital stay last week. It'll give you a little look into what it was like and where she spent a few days (along with Amy and I).

The boys at play

2008-09-17T07:12:00.001-06:00

Over the past couple of weeks, we've been able to do some fun stuff outside. We wanted to share some of it with you all.

Here is a picture montage of the boys at play.

Video: Hi everybody, we love you

2008-09-14T20:28:00.002-06:00

Here is a little video we made that we wanted to share. Hopefully, you will see more of these short videos from time to time.

hi everybody, we love you (take 2) on 12seconds.tv

Dinnertime just got a little more fun...

2008-09-10T07:09:00.000-06:00

Something big happened this week at the Kupferer dinner table. Everyone moved up a seat (except Amy and me, we're hopefully set in our seats by now). We've tried at different times to let Nathan sit on a regular seat and he does pretty good. So this week, we moved him up officially and thus Wes and Moriah get moved up, too.

Nathan in his new "no booster seat" big boy chair. He's really excited about this transition.

Wes in his new big boy chair. He actually does sit higher in this booster than he did in his old one, so that helps a bit. He, too, is really excited about being in a different booster seat. Though, he would prefer to not be in a booster (he's ready to be just like his big brother).

Here "sits" Moriah in her new dinner table chair. She gets quickly moved up to Wes' old chair. Thankfully, Wes had a chair that can be positioned differenly, so Moriah can lay back at the table for now. This is a bit early for her to be moved to the table, but its not going to hurt anything. She wasn't as excited to move up.

Now with this new arrangement and Moriah getting closer to table food every day, I'm sure we'll have plenty of stuff to write about.

A month gone by

2008-08-29T21:01:00.000-06:00

This past Monday we celebrated Moriah's one month birthday. We asked her what kind of cake she wanted, but she never did answer us. :)
Here are some more pictures of the past month. We have been blessed to have many family visitors- Amy's mom Carol, Mike's parents Rick & Sandy, his sister Christy, brother Aaron, sister Kim, and our niece Allison. It has been a fast moving month in many ways, and in some ways it seemed it would take forever for Moriah to pass through this newborn stage! (Those who have visited know firsthand of some of the feeding & fussiness trials) Overall we know that in the midst of all the tears- both Moriah's and Amy's :) - something amazing has occurred...we have become the Kupferer 5.

Aaron, with Nathan & Wes, during out "boys day out" in Evansville. It was a lot of fun!

Aaron with Moriah. She wasn't quite as excited to see Uncle Aaron as the boys were. She'll get there.

Our friends, from GA, Jim & Murleen stopped by to visit. What a joy it was to have them join us for a few minutes. We actually saw them twice. They stopped by on the way up to see family - caught us while we were still in the hospital. And this was obviously taken at our house, on their way back home.

This is the farewell picture. It was such a joy and blessing to have Grammy spend a few weeks with us. The boys loved it. Moriah loved it too. We don't know what we would have done those first few weeks without Grammy here to help. :)

Another great picture of Mommy & daughter.

We didn't have to wait long after Grammy left for someone else to stop in. As Grammy was leaving the driveway, Aunt Kim pulled in. Thus started a great couple days with Aunt Kim.

The first night Aunt Christy was here, she braved the night and an upset baby to go for walk. And it worked! Thanks Christy.

Moriah looking up at Popeye. Again, he was someone else she would settle down for (the two people she wouldn't being mom and dad).

Grandparents & grandkids. It was a fun couple days. Lots of laughs and memories.

Probably won't get a picture like this again.

Recent visitors

2008-08-04T06:34:00.001-06:00

We've had some great fun with visitors over the last few weeks. Grammy has been here helping and having a great time. This weekend, Uncle Aaron joined us for a few days. The boys have really enjoyed having more family around. Amy and I have really enjoyed it. Without the help and time, we're pretty sure the boys would really not like us now. We look forward to having more family and friends visit before we move (whenever that will be).

Here are a few pictures of our family with our visitors...

Here is one of Uncle Aaron with the boys before he left. Nathan and Wes are holding the dinosaurs and tools they used to get the dinos out of their egg. (Uncle Aaron brought a great gift)

Here is Nathan and Uncle Aaron "digging" for the dinosaur.

Playing in the pool. Not much better than that during the summer.

Uncle Aaron holding Moriah. She didn't seem to be as excited about Uncle Aaron as the boys were. She was just getting to meet him, though.

One very happy/proud grandma with her new granddaughter. Moriah has really enjoyed have Grammy here to visit.

a few more pictures

2008-07-31T06:50:00.000-06:00

Due to a lack of time, you will be getting pictures and not much more than that for a little bit. But even pictures are better than nothing.

Here's Wes at the hospital sitting on "his chair" eating some fruit snacks. His chair is also known as the trash can.

Notice that Wes wanted to sit next to Mommy and hold on to her leg. :)

Moriah's going home outfit. Doesn't she look good in pink?

In the carseat getting ready to head home for the first time. Look how small she is!

Moriah's first pictures

2008-07-26T12:21:00.004-06:00

Friday, July 25 at 8:21am.
Moriah Jane entered into the world. She weighed 6lb 6oz and was 19 1/2 inches long.

Here are a few pictures of the "soon to be spoiled" Moriah to tide you over...

Her first picture ever.

First close up. Isn't she adorable!

My favorite picture, for obvious reasons.

Did I mention how adorable she is?

Amy's first time to hold her.

What have we been up to?

2008-07-21T07:37:00.001-06:00

With the baby coming this Friday (July 25th), we have been pretty busy. As usual, the best way to convey what the Kupferer family has been up to is through pictures. So, here are some pictures of recent events.

Wes enjoying some time in the pool. He really likes to jump and splash.

Nathan is doing really well this summer in the pool. He is even enjoying the big pool at the city pool.

This is the blessing we got at the baby shower last week. It was really nice to have friends bless us with this stuff. It was even nicer to have friends show up at the shower and show their support/love for our family. We got over 800 diapers and about 900 wipes - that should last about a week. :)

We took Sticky to the park last week. I (Mike) put her up on the equipment and got her to slide down with me. She wasn't too excited about that part, but she loved the park.

Nathan really took ownership of Sticky on the way home from the park. He tried to walk with her and help her stay on the road. It was really sweet to watch him take on this responsibility and grow up a little bit.

This is just a bit of what we've been up to. We'll post more soon.

Typewriter Fun

2008-07-12T09:31:00.002-06:00

After watching Amy show them how it worked, the boys wanted to give it a try.

It was a little more difficult to press the keys than on the computer keyboard.

Wes' baby wanted to try.

Nathan wanted to know where what we typed was being sent...he assumed it was just like the computer! :) Maybe next week we'll cover cassette tapes or records.

Negotiations with a 4 year old

2008-07-02T10:23:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, at dinner, we were talking to Nathan about earning extra money around the house. Amy had talked with him earlier about helping to pack boxes to earn money. He wants to buy some new Transformers (dare I say, real Transformers and not that "fake" ones he bought a few months ago) that are easier to transform and use. He has started getting an allowance and is learning to save/spend his money. He has impressed me before with his ability to think through and process a purchase (we've been trying to teach him about money issues for a little while now), but the following conversation caught Amy and I off guard.

Nathan: "Dad, I want to do things around the house to earn more money."
Me: "Ok, what do you want to try to do?"
Nathan: "Help pack boxes."
Me: "That sounds good, how much do you think you should get for packing up boxes?"
Nathan: "Mommy, how much do the Transformers cost?"
Amy: "$10"
Nathan: "$10"
Amy & Me: (laughing)

Leave it to a toddler to process what he needs and then try to make that much money. Both Amy and I are proud of how Nathan is learning to manage his money.

A month in review...part 2

2008-06-22T21:20:00.006-06:00

While we were spending time in Fort Wayne with our family, we took advantage of a nice breezy day to fly kites. The boys enjoyed it...but I think Aunt Jan enjoyed it the most :)
We also had a chance to see Allison at her soccer practice. A little rain never hurt anyone. In fact, it made for some cute pictures. I think Allison liked having her very own, and rather loud I might add, cheering section.

Ahhh, maybe when the boys are older family pictures will be worthy of a frame. Until then I guess it is best to just enjoy little kids being little kids. I did take a mental note though, asking Wes to say pretty much anything to pose for a picture is not always a good idea. :)

Nathan, who is 4 now, is trying to see if this boot will fit. I think he still has a ways to go, even with his current growth spurt. He has been into playing pretend, riding his bike, helping with projects outdoors, and trying to touch the bottom of any pool he is in. :)

Cowgirl Becca--how adorable!
Here are some pictures from our time with my sister Marti, her husband Paul, and their daughter Becca. We had a really great vacation together in St. Louis!

The Kupferer clan at the St. Louis Zoo

The Science Museum was a very anticipated spot for Nathan. He was really looking forward to using the radar guns. And Wes and his baby had a great time watching the traffic zoom by through the windows on the floor of the bridge.

Beautiful Becca

Mike, Nathan, and Wes on the train at the St. Louis Zoo.

Grammy, this one's for you. My mom worked as a bank teller, so we had to get a shot of her three youngest grandkids playing banker at the St. Louis children's museum.

The whole gang

This was really cool-- there was a mini wall that you could make imprints on. This was Nathan.

And that brings us back to this past week. After cleaning out the shed and coming across our tent, we were kindly reminded by a certain 4 year old that we had promised to camp out in our backyard one night. I am really glad we did. It made for a very special and memorable night. It was by no means a regular bedtime night- you can hear the announcing from the baseball fields in our backyard and the game lasted until 11:20pm-- but it was very much worth it. And yes, for all those who may be wondering, even me at 33 weeks into a pregnancy made it the whole night in a tent.

Ahh, one month in review. It was a busy month- a very good month in a lot of ways. Mike has been home as he continues his job search. That has been wonderful for our family; I'm not sure the boys will know what to do when he heads back to work. (or me for that matter) As we look to the next month with the baby's arrival we continue to ask that you would keep our family in your prayers. As usual, we are not lacking on things happening :)

A month in review

2008-06-22T21:16:00.000-06:00

During a trip up north to visit family, we were able to be at our niece Allison's 8th birthday party. We all had a great time, especially the boys. It was Wes' first time on a trampoline and he and Nathan liked jumping with Aunt Christy. :)
Below is a picture of Mike's mom & dad with their three grandkids.

There has been some news that we have failed to mention on the blog (at least to my knowledge). Most people are already aware, but if not, this picture should sum it up. :) Here I am with a good friend, Becca, just a week before she delivered her firstborn- Ethan Christopher. (congratulations to Jason & Becca!) Mike and I have a little under 5 weeks to go until our newest one comes.
Are you looking for a great gift for Mike these days? Consider this a free hint for a sure-to-be-a-hit gift :) (he actually did enjoy playing it for over an hour with Allison)
And on our visit home to see family, we were able to go with my side of the family to a Wizard's baseball game. Here is Nathan and Grammy enjoying the game.

Our big man Wes. His current fascinations include jumping (everywhere), sitting in big boy chairs, doing things "by myself", and pretty much anything he sees Nathan do. :) He is a true joy.

My most recent, and largest by far, cooking experience. Who knew that one breakfast casserole could call for 2 dozen eggs!! It was a fun day of cooking, and I have to say things actually turned out okay!:)

A picture of one of the many recent additions to our house...not by our choice however! After returning home this past month we discovered that the neighborhood cats that live next door have had 5 more kittens. The most recent total...somewhere around 12 or 14 cats.
Then, a picture of Sticky on a trip up north. We have a van now with all of this space, and what does she do? Yep, come sleep on top of the cds. :)

Nathan's New Bike

2008-05-16T16:23:00.001-06:00

here is a video of Nathan riding his new bike...

Nathan's birthday party

2008-04-26T20:40:00.004-06:00

a few pictures from Nathan's birthday party.

a friend helped Amy make this cake. How cool is it?

Here's Nathan trying to blow out the candles, he kept trying to not get too close, but still blow out the candles.

The "goodie bags" for his friends. It had 2 clamps, sandpaper, animal crackers, carpenter pencil, paintbrush.

Here he is, after his nap. This is shortly before the party started.

Using their sandpaper to sand down some wood.

Making a "road" with their paintbrushes.

The crazy group of guys that came over to celebrate Nathan's birthday. What a great group and a great party.

Happy 4th Birthday Nathan

2008-04-23T06:53:00.000-06:00

Today is the start of year #4 for Nathan. Wow, the last 4 years have gone by extremely fast. Maybe later this week, we'll post some highlights from the first 4 years of Nathan's life.

Pictures o' Nathan

2008-04-23T06:23:00.000-06:00

Nathan in the midst of the mini-hunt.

With his new dump truck (thanks to Grammy and Aunt Jan) carrying his old "big" dump truck.

Coloring eggs with Grammy.

First ride on the Big Wheel since last Fall.

Nathan on the mini-egg hunt, this time with the tongue out. :)

Pictures o' Wes

2008-03-29T20:43:00.000-06:00

Wes & Nathan hunting for some eggs in the backyard.

He found one.

And another one. Who is that taking video? :)

Riding his trike.

A new scooter, from Grammy & Aunt Jan. Here Wes is trying to ride it like the boy on the box it came in.

Big Easter Visit: Easter Day

2008-03-23T17:03:00.000-06:00

What a great time we are having with the family visiting (Grammy & Aunt Jan have been here since Wed. night, Popeye & Nene have been here since Saturday).

activities complete:

2 egg hunts
lots of good meals
boys' Easter program
lots of relaxing
games
got Grammy's car to start

We'll post pictures soon

Last summer pictures

2008-03-22T11:45:00.001-06:00

I just found these pictures from last summer. We had meant to post them last June, so I dusted them off and here they are.

locked out & breaking in

2008-03-22T08:32:00.003-06:00

Last week something potentially bad happened. We were leaving to go to the library to get some new books. Well, for some reason I walked out of the house without my keys. Amy did not take her keys because we were just going to the library (and she thought we might just leave the house unlocked). At step 20, I looked up and asked Amy "Do you have your keys?" "No"

That's when I knew it was bad. I had locked us out of our own house. We didn't have keys for the car or the house. So, I walked around to the back to check and see if we left a door unlocked. No, we're too safe for that :)

So, I set to try to break into my own home. After trying and trying to break in, I did it. It was a great feeling (?) to be able to break into my own home. At the same time, Amy was in the back trying to break in. Neither of us knew that the other was breaking in.

Right when I got in, Amy was getting in. So we both managed to break into our house at the same time :)

The next morning, Nathan was talking to Wes at breakfast telling him about how "daddy" was "awesome & strong" and was able to get in the house without a key. For Amy it was pretty amazing to listen to the boys talk about Mike in such a way. It also made me (Amy) think of how often I talk about our Heavenly Father that way...something to think about.

birthday party requirements

2008-03-13T15:19:00.002-06:00

Amy asked Nathan today who he wanted to invite to his party. We had a few names we thought he would say. But he surprised us. His answer: people who can bring stuff I want. So his first priority was getting a good present. :)

The last couple weeks in pictures: part 1

2008-02-22T17:29:00.003-06:00

Nathan enjoying his new cd player.

Wes climbing into the "closet attic" in the play room's closet. We cleaned it out to repack it and let the boys play up there in the between time.

Nathan playing with Lightning McQueen in the "closet attic"

Nathan and Wes helping Amy clean the bathroom.

Wes created a SuperWhy Superhero

2008-02-11T11:04:00.000-06:00

The other day, Wes and I (daddy) played some SuperWhy games online. Nathan and I played Bob the Builder games. It had actually been a long time since we've done that together, so it was nice to play online games with them for a bit.

One of the SuperWhy games is to create a superhero. Here is a link to the one Wes created. Notice the color scheme.

Photo of the Week: New Tools

2008-02-02T10:08:00.000-06:00

Here is Becca & Wes looking at some new tools. The boys have really used there tools around the house to help me (Mike) with a few projects.

Photo Friday: Building a truck

2008-01-18T07:18:00.000-06:00

Saturday, before we left Ft. Wayne to come back home, we got to go to Lowe's to build a truck. It was so much fun. Becca, Nathan, Wes & Allison all got to build a truck. It was a great morning with family. These are two pictures of the boys working with their tools. Wes and Becca wore their aprons until we were inside McDonald's for lunch. :)

Thanks to Lowe's (and Uncle Paul) for letting the boys have some other kits to work on at home, as well as a hammer for each of them to keep!

Dentist & a Date with Daddy

2008-01-17T16:36:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a big day for Nathan. He had his second dentist appointment. But this one was different on many levels.

First, we told him only he could go back when they called his name. Just like Mike did when he went a couple weeks ago. He was going to be a big boy and do it on his own.

Second, it was a different dentist than the first time around.

Third, it was only Mike and Nathan who went to the appointment.

Fourth, Nathan did everything so well. He did not even hesitate when Holly called his name. He just got up and walked back with her like a big guy. (It was a little hard for me (Mike) to just stay out in the waiting room and watch him go back)

Fifth, he did awesome. Yes, he was timid, but he didn't cry. He let them look in his mouth and did everything he was supposed to do. This was a vast improvement!

Afterward, he and I got to go out to eat. He picked McDonald's. It was a great lunch, I think the first time he and I have gone on a "date with daddy" and it was so cool. I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did. Then we went to Rural King to look at the toys.

Part of me is ready for him to grow up, so we can do more things like this - but the other part of me doesn't want him to get any bigger. I like him just the way he is.

Photo Friday: Christmas w/ the great grandparents

2008-01-04T22:14:00.000-06:00

This is the last picture we had taken with Grandma. It was on Christmas Day. (I really like it)

Photo of the Week: Wal-Mart Lunch

2007-12-22T09:11:00.000-06:00

Lunch at Wal-Mart. We had one of their buckets from the deli. The boys loved the popcorn chicken!!

Updated Boys Wishlists

2007-12-14T22:30:00.000-06:00

(last updated 12.22.07)

We decided to add this post to keep an ongoing tally of items that have been "snagged" by someone; therefore, need not stay on the list. But instead of going back and deleting that earlier post we are going to just update this post.

As far as we are aware, these are the items already gotten...

for Nathan,
- John Deere: bean combine
- play chainsaw
- elec toothbrush
- Veggietales Campfire Sing-a-long puzzle

for Wes,
- basketball
- tricycle
- John Deere: skidsteer
- elec toothbrush
- Praise Baby CDs (both of them)
- Spot on the Farm book

(if you have gotten an item off the boys' lists and would be so kind as to let us know, via phone, email, leaving a comment, or letter we will add said items to this list)

Photo Friday: Snow Day

2007-12-14T07:08:00.000-06:00

First snow of the year for the boys. And they had to go to Ft. Wayne to get it. :)

They had a great time playing in the snow with Becca.

Photo Friday: Christmas trees

2007-12-07T13:26:00.001-06:00

Wes' tree.

Nathan's tree.

Photo Friday: Grandma and the boys

2007-11-30T23:39:00.000-06:00

this is a picture of grandma and the boys playing/watching pool the day after Thanksgiving. We love being there when the boys get to spend time with grandma and grandpa.

Boys Christmas Wish Lists

2007-11-23T19:24:00.000-06:00

Nathan:
Play chainsaw (Dollar General has one)
Car carrier semi (Wal-Mart)
John Deere - skidsteer or at Target
John Deere - ADT or here
John Deere - combine - bean
John Deere - log skidder w/ semi preferred
Diego helicopter
electric toothbrush (cars)
100 piece puzzles - like this or this or this

Wes:
big basketball (like one of these, though it doesn't have to be this nice)
John Deere Toys - skidsteer
Semi
electric toothbrush (sesame street)
Spot books or videos (examples found here)
Cereal Bars
coloring books (really anything age appropriate would be great)
a tricycle
Praise Baby CD (Born to Worship or Praises & Smiles, we have the other two)

Photo Friday: Sticky's best friend

2007-11-23T19:20:00.000-06:00

Sticky loves to visit grandpa and grandma!

Photo Friday: Wii

2007-11-16T07:14:00.000-06:00

Nathan got to play a Nintendo Wii last week when the jr high had their game day. One of the students brought over a Wii and we had to test it out. Nathan really liked it.

Photo Friday: Firefighters

2007-11-09T06:29:00.000-06:00

Nathan & Wes were firefighters this year for Halloween.

The funniest thing this year (and I wish I could have been home to see it) was that Nathan and Wes helped pass out candy. Nathan would open the door and Wes would hold the container and then they both would put candy in the bags. (let's just say the trick-or-treaters made out good at our house)

And there was one girl who walked into the house and started to play with the toys :)

Birthday Boy

2007-10-29T12:14:00.000-06:00

Wes is now officially 2 years old! Last night before bed our family was talking about today being Wes' birthday, and Wes said, "Daddy, too!". He was remembering the birthday party we were able to enjoy with our family that was a joint party for Mike and Wes.
So, what does a two year old boy enjoy? Well his current favorite things are football and baseball, running, eating candy, and singing one VBS song repeatedly. Nothing too abnormal, but he sure is amazing to watch. Even though he is not our first child, he has such a different way of learning things that so many things he does are new to us.
Well what birthday blog would be complete without a few pictures? Enjoy!
Happy Birthday, Wes!

Photo Friday: Family Shot

2007-10-26T23:49:00.000-06:00

Once in a few months (years) we are all together. We take those opportunities to take a picture. I think this is a pretty good one.

Photo Friday: Construction Toys

2007-10-12T11:41:00.000-06:00

Here are the boys playing in the rocks. They're playing construction of course.

Photo Friday: Wes at the park

2007-10-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Wes at the park, last week.

Wes' one day stay

2007-10-05T06:14:00.000-06:00

Wes spent his first night in the hospital (since the whole birth stay) on Wednesday night. We went to the doctor and it ended up that he had pneumonia in both lungs. He had to take breathing treatments and had oxygen for part of his stay. Thankfully, though, he was able to come home on Thursday night. He still has to take breathing treatments every 6 hours.

I'm just glad he and Amy are home. Amy was able to stay overnight and help Wes with his stay - so that was awesome. I know she is glad to be back home, too.

just thought I'd update everyone on happenings in our family.

boys behind bars

2007-10-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here are the boys behind the bars on the bridge at the playground.

Family Photo

2007-09-22T10:32:00.000-06:00

Isn't this a nice picture of the family?

Photo Friday: Fall Fun

2007-09-14T06:04:00.000-06:00

Amy and the boys went to the pumpkin patch yesterday with a few friends. Here are some pictures. From what I heard (and what I see in pictures) they had a great time.

Hair Today: Gone Today

2007-09-10T06:17:00.000-06:00

I'm not going to write a lot in this post, because more will be said with pictures. So without further hesitation, here you go...

(a timeline, if you would)

These last two are of Amy's pie in her face. Didn't they do a good job?

Family Time

2007-09-05T07:10:00.000-06:00

Last month Nathan, Wes, and I had a chance to head up to Fort Wayne for a visit. Here are a few pictures from our trip. We were able to have a baseball game with Becca and Jason. Nathan actually was hitting well that night!

It was a really special visit for us. My mom, the boys, and I were able to take some flowers to my dad's graveside on the twelve year anniversary of his death. As the boys are getting older we are able to share more and more about Papa Chuck.

Becca had made a birthday cake for Grammy (Amy's mom) and we were able to be there to celebrate.

We were also able to have a great visit with Popeye (Mike's dad). The boys always enjoy themselves at NeNe & Popeye's house.

.
And I had to post this picture of Becca :) Maybe this hairstyle will be in fashion in a couple of years!
Overall, we had a great time with family!

Wall coverings

2007-08-31T12:40:00.000-06:00

Amy started putting some of Nathan's schoolwork on the playroom wall. He has some great stuff, so far. Its fun to see his artwork on the wall.

Wes' first poster. I gave him this poster of Warren Moon about a week ago. He asked if it could be put up on the wall. :)

Reading Buddies

2007-08-25T08:48:00.000-06:00

Nathan is now a preschooler

2007-08-21T10:59:00.000-06:00

Here are 3 pictures from Nathan's first day at preschool. We'll write more about it later. But we really know you just want to see pictures anyway :)

On the way to orientation with Amy.

Before the first day. The "daddy and preschooler pic"

Before the first day. The "mommy and preschooler pic"

Sadie

2007-08-17T22:07:00.000-06:00

We haven't put up too many pictures of the dogs lately, so here are two of Sadie looking cute. Enjoy...

Photo Friday: Family Happenings

2007-08-10T08:13:00.001-06:00

The boys helped me (Mike) hang a wall hook in their playroom. Now they have something to hang all their pretend costumes on.

Nathan and I went to a skating party on Saturday. He had just gotten his skates the week before and had never skated anywhere other than the house. But he did a lot better than I thought and even wanted to skate without holding my hands.

Here are the boys helping Amy go through some videos for an upcoming yard sale. They did rather well at picking some to keep and some to sell.

Wes lined all of these guys up one day. They are all sleeping, but notice that they are all holding hands, too.

New Picture Badge

2007-08-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

Just like we added the video badge to the side of the blog, we just added a picture badge. This one has pictures from our trip to Wisconsin. You can watch the pictures come and go, or you can click on it and go to our Flickr page to see a bigger version of them.

Enjoy.

Can we freeze time?

2007-08-03T14:22:00.000-06:00

Lately the thought has crossed my mind, "Amy, remember this moment. Hold onto this memory." At times it is when Wes wants to 'slow dance' before bed. Or when Nathan calls me his super hero because I drove us home safely from the grocery store. These pictures capture one of those moments--the boys playing together. These are the things I want so desperately to capture and hold onto.

Summertime Pictures

2007-08-03T14:04:00.000-06:00

Wow- does anyone else find it hard to believe that it is already August? We have had some hot weather, a reminder of our years in Georgia, and I feel ready for fall. Here are a few pictures of our adventure out to the park this morning with some friends of ours.

In other news, Nathan has about 3 weeks until he will be starting a 2 day a week preschool. He is really excited; he thinks that he will learn about lots of things there...even how to swim in the deep end of the pool. I hope he isn't disappointed when that topic isn't covered :) Wes is beginning to repeat 2 word sentences and he still loves to make people laugh. Mike and I are doing well. This summer has been a good one for our family. We have had some visits from friends and family, have been able to travel, and have just made some great memories together.

Fair Week

2007-07-29T07:22:00.000-06:00

Here is one of the rides Wes got to ride...

Here is the ride Wes wanted to ride...

Photo Friday: watching TV

2007-07-20T22:42:00.000-06:00

Here is a picture of the boys sitting in their chairs watching TV.

Photo Friday: Wedding edition

2007-07-12T14:55:00.000-06:00

Two pictures of Gregg & Kim on their big day! What a wonderful wedding.

Videos on sidebar

2007-07-12T14:50:00.000-06:00

I just added a video bar to the side of the blog. It has both videos of the boys on it. Also, as we add videos in the future, they will show up on this sidebar. So, now if you want to see one of our videos, you won't have to search for it.

enjoy

summer traveling

2007-07-09T15:53:00.000-06:00

Let me see, what have we done that hasn't been posted?

1. Vacation to WI (fun in cheese country)
2. Trip to Ft. Wayne/Terre Haute (Amy & boys)
3. Gregg/Kim's wedding
4. start VBS this week
5. summer, summer, summer

Over the next few days, we'll be posting pics and stories from these fun adventures.

Stay tuned :)

Photo Friday: 1st stop on our way to WI

2007-06-29T08:12:00.000-06:00

Mike and the boys outside Steak n' Shake. It was a good break and good food.

Photo Friday: Camp Fun

2007-06-15T21:37:00.000-06:00

A few pictures from camp last week.

Here is Nathan sleeping in his bunk bed. He loved being in a bunk bed, even though he didn't get as much sleep as he wanted/needed. I (Mike) am just glad he was able to stay in the girls' cabin and not the guys'.

This was our Wii group.

When we got home there was a car show in the pond/park area behind our house. So Nathan and Wes brought out all of their cars to have their own car show in the kitchen.

Billiards

2007-06-02T17:48:00.000-06:00

The boys playing pool. It was great to play pool at grandpa's house.

Two-For-One Special

2007-05-25T13:09:00.000-06:00

Seeing as we did not officially post a picture last Friday, we are running a two-for-one special this week. I am thinking about changing our blog name to photo Friday seeing as that seems to be the only time we find to post lately. :)
The first picture is from this past week while the boys and I (Amy) were at the park. For those who do not know, we live walking distance from the city park and we enjoying heading over there frequently. This picture was from us taking a break for a snack. It was actually Nathan and Wes' first time to try Skittles candy. In case you were wondering, it was a big hit. (Note to all gift buyers--the boys like Skittles) The other picture is from last week when Katie came by. Nathan is developing into quite a photographer. The cute thing is he pretends that his camera is also a digital one, turning it around for you to look at the picture after he snaps one. :) He always asks, "is this a cute one, Mom?" Oh, and he says that he frequently runs out of batteries, too. I think he listens too closely to us.

Surprise visits are the best

2007-05-20T17:50:00.000-06:00

A week ago I (Amy) heard a knock on the door and opened it to find our friend Katie Cash at the door! It was a big surprise considering I thought I was only talking to her on the phone and was going to have our conversation interrupted by a guest at our door. Katie was out taking a road trip to visit her family before she joins the Navy next week and she was kind enough to include the metropolis of Albion in her route. :)
Katie is one of the teens that was a part of the youth group Mike ministered to during our years in Georgia. It was awesome to see an old friend and also an encouragement as far as being reminded as to why Mike is in ministry. God's timing was supreme; you see I had been feeling somewhat discouraged lately as to this whole youth ministry thing. And to have a former student see our family as worth the time to visit helped to remind me that Mike (and myself by default) is not in this for the great meetings or the suburb pay or the fancy company car (aka the church van). He, and our whole family for that mater, is in it because God is using him to challenge and change lives. So, Katie, if you have a chance to read this before you are heading out to basic training, I meant what I said--your visit was a true blessing.

me-tensils

2007-05-20T17:34:00.000-06:00

Tonight at dinner I (Mike) was trying to teach Nathan that forks, spoons, and knives are called utensils. So, when he started to talk about them, he called them metensils. He thought I said "you" tensils, so he thought they were his.

Summer Calendar

2007-05-11T15:42:00.000-06:00

Mike and I have been looking over the calendar for the summer, and the weeks are beginning to look quite full. This summer will have a variety of things for our family to do--the county fair, vbs, summer camp, a visit to Fort Wayne, Kim's wedding, visits from old friends, and our first family vacation. With all that is upcoming we are sure to have plenty to post about and share with all of you.
As for now, our days are passing by in fairly normal ways, filling up with playing and growing. There is not too much that is unique to blog about...but I take that as a good thing for now. After all of our looking ahead at the summer, I am considering this our calm before the storm :).

182 is a big deal

2007-05-04T13:29:00.000-06:00

Well, just in case you haven't been counting, this is our 182nd post. So I would like to celebrate by having us play a game of guess who's who.

Can you guess which picture is Nathan and which one is of Wes?

(and for those of you who are curious...we do not take a scheduled trip to Old Navy just to get the boys' picture taken with the dog on the bench. It just turned out that we did so anyways.)

Photo Friday: Birthday Party

2007-04-27T21:12:00.000-06:00

The kids table at Nathan's birthday party. They had a great time.

a few random thoughts

2007-04-25T06:58:00.000-06:00

Well our day at the Kupferer house is off to an unusual start. It is 7:57am and the boys are both still asleep.
Last night was the last night of a revival that we had at Little Prairie. Seeing as I was not involved in the planning or the teaching and had no responsibilities other than listening, I think I would be up for a few more nights. It was refreshing and challenging to have more times for corporate worship than Sunday mornings.
I just read back over the last few posts of our blog and also Mike's ministry blog (reflections) and I just wanted to publicly thank Mike for all that he does to keep up on informing you about our lives and ministry. Thank you, Mike. It does not go unnoticed.

Happy Birthday Nathan!

2007-04-23T06:27:00.000-06:00

Today is the start of year #3.

Let's look back at years #1 & 2

Year #0. We had no idea what would come, but we were thrilled to welcome the little guy into the world.

Year #1: Clean. What a great year. Nathan really enjoyed his party, too.

Year #1: Messy. It took him a little while, but he got the hang of the birthday cake.

Year #2. A great day with friends in our old house in GA. Look how big he looked.

Year #3. Having fun at the park during his party.

3rd Birthday Party

2007-04-21T13:27:00.000-06:00

Today is Nathan's party. He is pretty excited about it. Its a great day outside (in the 70's, with no clouds) so we're gonna have the party down by the pond.

Aunt Kim got in town last night, so she can enjoy the great party, too. :)

We'll put up pics and maybe video in the next few days. Until then, just imagine how much fun we're having.

Photo Friday: chewing gum

2007-04-20T23:18:00.000-06:00

Thought you might enjoy some pictures from Nathan's first exposure to chewing gum. He chewed each piece for a minute or so, then put it on the plate to get the next piece. He doesn't quite have the concept down yet, but that's ok. :)

Wes' new bed

2007-04-14T19:10:00.000-06:00

Wes got a new bed this week. His crib was converted into a "transitional" bed. Needless to say, he loves it. Now he and Nathan want to play more together in their room. He does so well, too.

Here are two pics of it.

Another week in pictures

2007-04-13T13:52:00.000-06:00

Here are two pictures from the Kids Carnival last Saturday. It was cold outside, but a lot of fun. This is the train ride they had. Nathan busted his lip in the moonwalk, but was asking to get back in once we cleaned him up.

One of the things both boys like to do each night is help to feed the dogs. Here is what they do when we have to open a new bag of dog food.

Family Week #4

2007-04-06T21:28:00.000-06:00

All 3 grandkids.

Nathan got to have 2 birthday parties this week and its not even his birthday yet. This is just practice for the real party in a few weeks.

Allison was kind enough to read to Wes.

This has to be my favorite picture from the whole week. As Amy said "He's gonna hate us for this one." Yeah, but now its great and when graduation comes around - this one will make its way back out.

Family Week #3

2007-04-03T19:10:00.000-06:00

Lots of fun in Fairfield today. Wal-mart will never be the same. Our lunch was good - Wendy's makes some good food. (all I have to say about Wendy's is that the floor under our table will def. need cleaned before other people sit there)

We had an Easter egg hunt tonight. It was fun.

We had a marching band perform in the living room, too. There might be a video up with that footage later.

Family Week #2

2007-04-02T21:54:00.000-06:00

This is the cookie Nathan made for his birthday. Even though his birthday is not until the 23rd. He did a great job helping make it. Thanks Aunt Marti!

Becca opening up a gift. It has been great to see her and the boys playing together.

Wes' first time to sleep on his "big boy" bed. We don't think he's going to want to go back to the crib now. He is not quite "stuck" to his bed, yet. He's already walked out of the room a couple times over the last few days. But he will go right back in and lay back down without a fight. So overall, he's doing well.

Two silly boys just having a good time.

Tomorrow we take a trip to Fairfield. :)

Family Week #1

2007-03-31T16:13:00.000-06:00

Today starts our Family Week.

Amy's family (Ga Ga, Aunt Jan, Aunt Marti, & Becca) just got here.

Let the fun begin.

Photo Friday - Cincy Bridge

2007-03-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

These are pictures from our trip to Cincy last week. Amy and the boys were able to spend some time with Kim during the afternoon. After going to the Aquarium, they walked on the Purple People Bridge. These are a few of the pictures that were taken.

The week in Pictures

2007-03-23T23:18:00.000-06:00

Look at how much fun they have at home during the day!

Nathan putting his pictures up on the blog. :)

Daddy and Wes just being pals.

This is the new building on CCU's campus. It changes the look and feel of campus quite a bit from when we were there 6 years ago.

It was a good week here at the Kupferer's. It was nice to see Kim, along with a bunch of friends, while in Cincy. I (Mike) got to go to a one day training at the campus. It was a great day and I got to see some good friends that I haven't seen in a long time. Amy and the boys got to hang out and enjoy some of the finer spots around Cincy. Sites like Skyline, the aquarium, and the highway.

Hopefully we'll post more about the week soon.

More Friday pictures

2007-03-16T22:03:00.000-06:00

Just some good pictures of the boys. :)

A new look for the kitchen

2007-03-15T17:32:00.000-06:00

I wanted to post a picture of our latest home improvement project--our painted kitchen. I was really pleased with how the color turned out (although I can't pronounce the color name, I still like it). Thanks to Wal-Mart and Kiltz paint, we now have a new look for the kitchen. (oh, and the hours that Mike and I spent painting--thanks to that too, I suppose :) )