A fort a.k.a "hiding spot"

Reece's favorite new thing at our house is an extra box that we were hoping to use to ship gifts to California in... it was really too big! So we cut out doors with notches for handles and we have the best/cheapest toy ever! He can even color on it - which he loves!

in the midst of the emptying out the cabinet project... he was almost finished and ready to start the second part of his adventure.

the duck begins..

and there he goes...

and he's in!

He loves loves loves Climbing, hiding, playing, climbing, hiding, climbing, hiding. At least I know where to find him!

Birthday weekend

My birthday weekend review in a few pictures....

Monty and Jen making the 1989 Christmas party rounds.

At the Kirby/Mills small group's awesome Christmas party!!

The moms and the boys... hard to get a group shot.

The Dad's were all BFF's in high school.

Reece and Momma watching the dad's play pool and the Big 12 championship-

- the kid doesn't sit still but for a 1/2 a second -

dinner with Yelda at Kenny's. Love it when she's in town!!

the happy trio!

Reece drinking from his big boy cup -

and eating blueberry waffles!

the only way he wants to drink at the table anymore.

okay -- that's all for now!

only 2.5 months since

two and a 1/2 months since our last post?!?!?! This task seems so daunting that I wish you could just link all facebook pictures and comments and there you go! So I am going to work in small pieces.... (see below this post)

We just got home from one of first Kennedy Family Adventures. We took Reece to Waco for the Baylor -TX game. We have been slacker BU alumni and not been back as a couple ....for at least 5 years. And it was fun! We drove around campus, went to JP's (Exxon) for gas and potty breaks instead of Subway and TCBY like we used to, visited with our long time friends, The Erickson's (insert link to their blog on our list- i don't know how), sat with new time friends, The Davis' and Stephen's (also insert blog link here --someone needs to teach me!!), ate salads at Ninfa's and headed home. All within in the same time door-to-door of when I leave for work and get home. This was MUCH more fun. We drove down Dutton and thought our our worship band at church, Dutton. Reminised (sp) about Ninfarita's and Crickets. And realized how our life has changed. We love our life and it's 180 degree change and our all of our friends new and old.

(BTW- Monty just said--is that a post??? on our blog??? really...)apparently I am out of touch. Reece napped throughout the 3rd quater of the game on my lap and then again from Northpark to our house. Of course. Oh well that's part of the Adventure!!!

So we are sad that BU lost but happy that Texas is one step closer to the national championship at the Rose Bowl!!!! We will be there regardless of the teams, but hope it's a team we know and support! Let's hope to Hook 'em in Pasadena!!!!

Here's to some more updates!!!

Halloween!!

"Roar," said the friendly tiger, Reece!

We started our week at The Heights Fall Festival. It's a little tough to capture this kiddo on camera these days so the pictures aren't fantastic.

Playing the one toddler friendly game- go fish! or eating the pole - either way fun times.

Rockin' with the band - or the people playing Band Hero!

Our church does such a great job providing a fun and safe environment and especially for fellowship with all of our friends!!!

Halloween Night
We went to Maggie's house for some special one-one trick or treating and snacks. Mr. not camera happy... But Maggie looks great as Mother Nature!
Trick or treating with daddy... and a messy face. Such a little boy!

walking with Momma

Playing with his little girlfriend - Mirabelle. They are great playmates - she tolerates his hugs and big brother like qualities. :)

Pretending to talk to Gigi and Papa on Ms. Jan's phone.

I teach with Jan and she lives just up the street from us so we go over there sometimes to visit. The phone is right next to the step stool which Reece LOVES to climb on.

"Sitting" with Duffy before going to Trick-or-Treat

Practicing with Mia

Quick family photo

enough said.

BUT this was before we even started trick-or-treated.

He only napped for about 30-40 minutes this day...


a precious tiger and a precious boy!

18 months

His FAVORITE thing besides "nanas"... hummus by the handfuls.

(My camera is not working right now so I only have my trusty phone to take photos.)

My sweet boy turned 18 months today! Can you believe it?!?! He had a overall great day. Here's the long run down-- be patient...the best is yet to come...

Woke up early and "hung out" with his momma while I got ready for work. He had his morning ritual snack before breakfast - a banana and a cup of rice milk and a serving of Sesame Street. We LOVE On-Demand SproutTV. His daddy took him to his appointment while I taught the aleady stinky 6th graders. Got a shot from the mean nurse (Dad says she's "no nonsense- I say mean!) and an overall great bill of health! The Dr. even said he was intellectually advanced for his age! Must have been listening to 4th grade math for 9 months! ;) I think that they may say that to everyone. Weight is in the 60% range - 26.6 pounds and 90th% for height - 35 inches. It is freaking his dad out that he is just about 3 feet tall!!! His molars are slowly making their way through the bone and gums - they move up and then down before they break the skin.

He went to school and played outside, slept for 2.5 hours on his cot. I can't even stand it that he sleeps on a cot. He has gotten much better at this since last week and is subsequently sleeping great at home too! Snacked on hummus with pretzels when we got home...and then he ate from the container b/c his bowl wasn't working for him. then wanted to see the Bee - yes The Bee Movie. He cooked dinner standing on his chair with his daddy, got a splash of hot olive oil (awesome parents right??!), ate his dinner, played a little, and then we went up for a bath....

(yadda yadda yadda)....and then..............

he pee-pee'd in the potty for the very first time!!!!!!! He was SOO proud of himself. Covered his mouth and had a huge smile. We high-fived and double high- fived and yelled in happy voices peeeee-peeee YAY!!!!! We yelled for Daddy to come up stairs - he was a little worried until he saw the potty. And then Reece clapped and yay-d some more!! Such an exciting moment for me (and for him to I am sure...)!!!

I am so in love with my son. He is just the best thing ever. To list only 18 things that make me love him would have to say that there were some things that I don't love. Every inch of his being makes me smile and my heart gets warm- even when he's being "independent" and connecting his teeth to my skin ;). He is a sponge and I love seeing the new things he's learned on a daily basis ooze out into his personality and conversation and the way he interacts with others. R-Man we love you more than words can say!!! happy year and half birthday!!!

a horrible self-portrait on a cell phone!

p.s.I am going to go private -- it just takes a bit of work especially when it's not super high on the to do list! ;)

Privacy Please

We are going private to protect our little guy.

so you don't have to go looking for him...

behind a tree,

on a playground,

in the pool,

scarfing down hummus,

behind bars,

or looking for his yacht.

Please email us at jenniferkennedy1@hotmail.com if you want to stay in touch with us.

:) Jen and Monty

Generation Shapers

looking for positive message t-shirts for your family?!?! Hard to find in simple, classic styles? Look no further.... one of my oldest and dearest friends has started a family business. Check out Ashley's business!!! There are super cute pregger t's too!

http://www.generationshapers.com/index.html

5 year anniversary

We celebrated this special "multiple of 5" (the first) anniversary at The Joule Hotel in downtown Dallas. We found a special package online that included rose petals on arrival, champagne and chocolates, and breakfast in the room. Monty decided that for our 5, 10, 15 etc anniversaries we are going to do something special. So we left Reece with his Mia and Duffy and checked in Saturday at 4:30 p.m. We quickly changed and headed to the pool with our books in hope of relaxing and reading. Not so much. It was more like a Vegas style pool where we stuck out like sore thumbs - no one there was reading a book nor was there any place to relax. So we went back and changed and headed downstairs to people watch. We sat on the patio of Charlie Palmer's (hotel Restaurant) and had great Cappucino's and relaxed. Monty and I loved getting to sit on the patio and just "be" without worrying about a thing! We got dressed and headed downstairs for dinner at 8:30. Our meal was fantastic! If you have the chance to eat at Charlie Palmer's, I highly recommend it. We got a chance this morning to lay by the pool and read but decided to leave when the party got started up again. Thanks babe for a truly special weekend. I love you!

our room

the bubbly on arrival

before heading to dinner

to many more special anniversaries!

A praise

A dear friend of mine, Amanda, is praising God today for he is SOOO good. She received news that she is now a cancer SURVIVOR and not a cancer patient!!!!! Diagnosed right before I was, she has continued to battle with all of her might for 5 years. Today, her doctor told her she was FREE!!!

http://utmandaj.blogspot.com/

The praises are for: healing, modern medicine, chemo, doctors and their continual effort to increase survivor statuses, and for her family and friends who have never stopped praying and loving her!!! and a cute new boyfriend to boot.
;)

giggle box

I will never ever tire hearing this sound. It's just precious!

road work

The City of Richardson has decided to replace portions of sidewalks. This week it's our street's turn. Reece was thoroughly enthralled with the workers. He had his afternoon snack here in his rocker staring. I was able to read my book for 20 minutes!!!! Keep it up Richardson! Tomorrow we may spend the entire day in the front room. :)

Pointing. They are there-- I promise. They left their Powerade bottle on our grass when they left at 7:00 pm. The sidewalk is not even that bad... oh well - good use of $$.

a new morning must have

Every morning we watch video's from my parents. Reece talks to them. The first thing he asks for when he wakes up is for his Papa. We watch the videos no less than 5 times in a row. The other day he reached over to the laptop and clicked play on his own. So we have started making little videos to send back to them off us watching. Just thought I would share what he is obsessed with right now!

weekend at the lake

Cedar Creek Lake at the Funk's house.

We had a great 4th/5th of July. I didn't take anypictures but these were captured from a friend's FB. gotta love facebook.

Reece's first photograph -- he was the photographer.

Waiting for the fireworks


Entertaining a toddler is a tough job!

We had a great time floating in the lake, exploring the grounds, and eating a great buffet of different dishes. Mostly adults and a few kids, there were almost 80 of us celebrating together. We spent the night in a room with 2 toddlers and 6 adults. It was so worth spending the night to wake up to the peacefulness of a lake.

5 Wh's of Cabo....

A month... I can't believe I haven't posted in entire month! Quick synopsis -- My hubby had back surgery, I finished out the school year, Reece then got herpes stomatitis that put us out for a week, then we packed up and headed to Cabo. That's pretty much it. So here is a summary post of Cabo.

The 5 Wh's of a Summary..

where, what, who, when, why

(I teach math so I could be wrong here!) ;)

WHERE we slept...our room of La Residencia 221.

WHERE we spent our time...
Adjascent to the Esparanza Resort in Cabo San Lucas Mexico

WHO I spent the most time with!

The "Randol" family... aka.. Webb/Parsons/McCaw/Kennedy clan

WHAT we did a LOT of ... relaxing in/near a pool or ocean!

WHEN we all get together... we have a ton of FUN!!

WHY - WE got to spend an entire week with some of my most favorite people in the world - GiGi, GaGa, me and Ali (the determined their new old lady names this week!)

The "Randol" family girls

The boys

the 6th wh that we don't teach--- WHY NOT... get henna tattoos on the day without responsibilities?!! oh yes that's a angel fish on my shoulder!

stay tuned for more specific updates!