Just like last year, all us neighbors took a trip to the pumpkin patch. Great weather again this weekend so we took advantage. It was really crowded today, but the kids did great. Kendal is fighting off a cold and has a really bad cough, but was a trooper. She slept maybe a total of 3 hours last night, which means Marnie and I were up most of the night too. Let’s hope tonight goes better! Pictures below:

Kendal, Ben, and Maddy trying out there Halloween costumes!

Another one...

Look at my tail.

I'm not hungry mom.

Remind you of last year?

Maddy, Kendal, and a goat.

Big Ben and Greg.

Kendal ready to go home!

In case you have not heard... Marnie is pregnant! Yup, that’s right, baby #2 is on the way. She is already 14 weeks pregnant so the baby is due mid April. We finally started to tell people this weekend, so don't feel left out if you are just finding out now.

So far this pregnancy has been a little different than with Kendal. Marnie can actually eat and has not been as sick. Maybe it's because she just knows what to expect or maybe it IS different... hint hint. Mike jr. on the way? Either way is fine with us. If it’s a girl we are ready to go in terms to toys, clothes, etc. If it’s a boy, we have some work to do. We will see... we actually may find out in November at our next ultrasound. We will keep you posted.

Marnie has had three ultrasounds already. Pics below. She signed up for a U of M growth study so she gets free ultrasounds every month... not a bad deal. Other than holding this exciting news to ourselves for so long, things are going great. Marnie is obviously tired all the time since she is growing a baby, so I have had to pick it up around the house.

As for Kendal, she is wonderful as always. Still growing like a weed and discovering something new everyday! Recent pictures and a few videos are below:

Ultrasound at 7 weeks

Ultrasound at 8 weeks

Ultrasound at 12 weeks - Picture 1

Ultrasound at 12 weeks - Picture 2

Kendal and Maddy driving... sort of

Kendal and Marnie playing after dinner

Kendal and Grandpa Schmidt

Kendal listening to some tunes...

Kendal and Aunt Maggie... Boo!

Mandy turns 30!

Kendal cleaning up after the party.

Sorry for the delay between posts... the weather has been so nice that we have been spending plenty of time outside enjoying this last nice stretch of great weather!

Last weekend we went to the Zoo! Maddy's blog has some great pictures on it of Kendal. Jaclynn posted them that next Monday. The zoo was fun; Kendal skipped all her naps that day and still did great! Kendal and Maddy actually got along too! Overall, a great day. We got home in time to watch the Buckeyes roll!

Zoo pics and videos below:

Maddy and Kendal at the Zoo!

Another one of them being good together!

Meow... Kendal waves to the Tiger

Kendal and Maddy holding hands

Bad chimp! (This is the one that Jaclynn was talking about in her post)

Kendal calls daddy a Rhino!

Kendal likes reptiles!

The troublemakers teasing the Croc

This past weekend was another good one as well. My parents came to visit and Ben turned one! We went to his party on Saturday where Kendal had a great time playing with all the other kids. She seems to hold her own quite well with 2 and 3 year olds. The food was great, maybe not the cake though as Ben didn't want anything to do with it just like Kendal when she turned one. The Bucks rolled again and the Browns pulled out another victory. Watch out Packers!

Other then two nice relaxing weekends, things are still going great. Kendal has had a runny nose for the past week, but so have all the neighbor/daycare kids. Must be that time of year. She is starting to figure out how to get into everything! Before it was just things that she could reach, but now she is climbing everywhere to get what she wants. Marnie calls her monkeywoman!

More pictures below:

The birthday boy!

I wanted an ice cream cake mom... geez!

Kendal drooling over all Ben's presents...

Grandma Schmidt pulling Kendal and Maddy...

Kendal and Olivia

Kendal, Brenden, and Olivia playing the piano... sort of.

and finally... monkeywoman!

Welcome Elizabeth Marie Skidmore! My cousin Heather and her husband Brad had their second child today! Congratulations guys! 7lbs 1oz. 21" long. Camera phone pic below:

Last week was another enjoyable one with Kendal Marie. Marnie did get a disturbing phone call during the week from our daycare provider. Kendal got her first haircut... unintentionally of course. Apparently, one of the older kids at our daycare got her hands on some scissor's (long story) and managed to snip off a part of Kendal's pigtail in the front and another portion in the back. A picture is below; I don't think we got all of it back though.

Her hair is just not the same anymore and we are contemplating a real haircut. I know it could have been much worse but the whole situation really stinks. We are glad it is only hair we are talking about as that grows back.

Other than that little incident, things are going great. Kendal has the vocabulary of a 2 year old which we can only attribute to her many weekends alone with daddy playing with her. :>. She is starting to put together phrases and short sentences; pretty neat. Maybe it is all the football she watches?

Marnie and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary together last weekend. We didn't do anything special just had a relaxing evening together at home. Pretty surreal on how much we have done together and been thorough since we first started dating in 2000. I would have to say we are happier than ever and we could not be more in love. Like all couples we have our issues (note to self: stay away from Marnie in the morning :>), but this last year we have grown closer together than ever. Kendal was just the icing on the cake. Alright, enough mushy talk. Kendal pics below:

Kendal's first haircut

Look what I figured out dad!

Listening to some tunes...

Look at me!

Touchdown........ Steelers :<

Hang on!

Last time my hair will look this good!

Move b@#ch, get out da way

Kendal falls asleep in her high chair

Another two weeks gone, summer is almost over, my golf league is done next week, next thing we know it will be snowing! How depressing. Hey, at least football season starts tonight! Woot!

Two weekends ago, we all packed up and made a long overdue trip to Cleveland. I got to play in a golf outing with Timmy and Marnie took Kendal to see her dad and sister. Kendal got to spend plenty of time with my parents as well since we stayed that their house. Overall, a fun and relaxing weekend; just too short when you spend half a day on the road.

Last weekend Marnie had to work except for Labor Day and by then she was exhausted from working all those 12's in a row. Marnie's sister and Aunt Maggie came to visit Kendal though. We all had a great time... I spent all day Saturday and a part of Sunday working on my car... it was so nice to have the extra help with Kendal, that project would have taken me weeks otherwise. Kendal did great as always!

Nothing else much new... Kendal is as cute as ever. We think she is going through another growth spurt as she was tossing and turning most of last night. She looked taller when she woke up this morning. :>

Recent pictures below:

Kendal's favorite new chair at Grandma and Grandpa Schmidt's. Someone please comb my hair!

Now this is a hair style!

Marnie's favorite Kendal face.

I see you...

Am I ready for the Power Wheels yet?

Go Tribe!!!

Kendal, Greg, Sarah, Ben, and I went to the Indians vs. Tigers game last night. We had a great time. Seats were awesome, behind the plate (Thanks Metaldyne!). It was hot and sticky downtown but the kids did great. They stayed up past 10pm as well. Troopers! Pictures below:

Wow, two weeks flew by so fast... so here is a Kendal update:

Kendal is doing great as always... still going to bed early and sleeping through the nights no problem. Her vocabulary is up to about 20 words/phrases and she is not only walking great, she has learned to all out sprint (much quicker than mom I must say :>). She is really starting to develop some problem solving skills as well. When challenged with something, she initially gets frustrated, but tends to calm down and figure it out. Pretty cool, yet scary as we really have to keep a close eye on her. Marnie said this morning she already figured out the child proof locks I spent hours putting on all our cabinets!

Two weekends ago we went to a party and hung out with our friends Isis and Fil. Kendal was great; she passed out early and slept through all the noise (and fireworks!). Too bad she woke up extremely early (~5am) and did not want to go back to bed (strange place I guess?). So, we went home on only a couple hours sleep (boo!). Good thing she took a morning nap!

This past weekend, we went to the Melon Fest (big party in downtown Howell) and then my parents came to visit Kendal which let me get some stuff done around the house. This weather is making me think of winter! Nooo! Maybe its time to take to pool down?

Today, I got a nice lunch surprise at work as Marnie brought Kendal in to visit and take me out to lunch. A nice way to break up the day I must say.

Recent pictures and a few videos are below:
As always there are plenty of Kendal pictures on Little Ben’s and Miss Maddy’s blogs too… take care everyone!

Maddy Dancing!

Should we send this to "So you think you can dance"???

Ben and Kendal fighting...

Bad Boy!

Kendal is so smart!

Kendal at Isis and Fil’s Party

Kendal after the party on our way home

I like raspberries...

Maddy and Jason

Maddy waving her flag

Jason and Kendal dancing

Grandma Schmidt and Kendal

The scowl!!!

Kendal and Cheeto

Look at my new purse!