Denise's Graduation!

I'm trying to wrap up May (on the last day!) and thought I would share my photos from my sister Denise's graduation from Iowa State. 

My grandparents stopped out at my house for a little bit before we all headed up to Ames for the morning. I was glad they got to see the girls a little bit extra! 

Denise had her party at a nice park right by her apartment in Ames. It was a nice and sunny morning! It was fun to socialize with family members and some of her friends before she went to her ceremony at 1 p.m. The party wasn't big or fancy but just perfect and I think a college graduation is something to celebrate! 

The girls, of course, were doted on by all. 

All three babies, with my niece Noelle! It was cute because they all looked similar in their pink jackets with ears especially since they are all about the same size. 

Denise had pulled pork sandwiches, salads, chips and dip and yummy cake. It was perfect and hopefully easy to put together- just a reminder that parties don't have to be too hard to put together...its about the people and the celebration. 

We are so proud of Denise and are excited to see where life takes her. I feel like the years right after college are very difficult where you are trying to make your way in a career and figure out how to navigate an adult world. It hardly seems like 10 years ago I was in the same position, graduating with not yet landing a job. I had traipsed around the entire state on endless interviews and finally my job was the one waiting for me right in my backyard. :o) I credit a lot to my first job and colleagues for getting me off on the right foot and I would not be where I am now professionally if it wasn't for that opportunity. So I just pray the same doors open and opportunities present themselves to Denise because you spend a lot of you life working and it might as well be something you enjoy doing! 

Happy last day of May! Hopefully I will get into a better groove with my blog now that I am home every day for SUMMER!!!!

Insta Updates

I have lots of instas ready to share with you!

I try and post daily on my instagram account (@rosekundel) but I know it is still nice to see them all in one place so here they are! 

I took this photo after a friend posted one of her drinking coffee on a vacation to New Orleans on Bourbon street with musicians playing in the background and I just wanted to keep it real. I ended up really liking the photo! This time of year my coffee consumption is through the roof, thanks to the Boone Starbucks (aka McDonalds). I'm looking forward to a restful summer to wean myself off the caffeine. 

The memory of planting these tulips in the fall after Trace died is so vivid in my mind. Digging holes in the ground, planting the bulbs, the cool air, with the promise of hope for the spring. I love that they have kept coming up every year, beautiful as ever. 

Always the entertainer!

Anna sitting up so pretty! (this was about a month ago when it was still a novelty)

Trying to get some playtime in after school! Usually it involves Michael entertaining us and me trying to get in some snuggles. 

Love this age! Sitting up, playing together, chubby cheeks and smiles! 

I love my trees in the spring. I am so happy my requested for one white tree and one pink tree was granted...it seemed silly at the time but now it makes me so happy every spring. 

The girls are up at the crack of dawn, always. 5:30 a.m. ...my little alarm clocks. I feel like I should get up at 5 a.m. just to get something in before they wake but that is just so early!! 

"Surprise!" It's like a party! 

When did my babies stop being tiny babies? They are still supposed to be little! 

"I want the superhero juice...you know the kind with the letter and the lightening bolt?". You got it, kid. 

High Trestle Trail...bike ride for the boys and a walk for the girls. This day we met up with friends and it was a great way to reconnect!

My mother's day flowers!

Pretty spring concert nails. One student told me they looked weird and then another student told me my coffee mug was weird. What? Kids are weird. 

Are we getting bigger or is our pillow getting smaller? 

Again, with the entertaining. 

"lets post like Mario". We let Michael play Mario with us maybe once a week for just a few minutes. However, he talks about it all the time and has fun making up stories about Mario and bowser while playing. So I promise you he is not playing hours of Mario all the time...just constantly talking about it! 

Michael has been loving watching short little Minecraft videos on lego.com lately. The guy will show kids how to make new sets and talk about them- they are pretty neat. However now Michael refers to his legos as "models" and "elements" and "mini-figures". It is cute. :o) We are going to the Lego experience in Kansas City soon and he really wants to find a book that will explain more about minecraft legos to him- I am up for that! 

Thanks for stopping by- have a great week! 

8 months, mother's day, Trace's birthday

In my last post, I was talking about how I was wishing April away, and sure enough...here we are again, with May halfway over! It's been a busy first half of the month with my concert at school, my sister's graduation and Mother's day. We only have about a week and change of school left and I am ready for summer! 

Our trees were really pretty this spring and it seemed like the blooms stuck around for a good solid week. Our pink one bloomed first and then our white one and it just so happened to be nice out one night so I ran the girls out quick for a photo shoot. It is so stressful at home after work but I'm glad I did this...they will only be babies while the trees are blooming once. I love when they bloom...they are such good reminders of Trace's birthday which is on May 17th. I love how spring brings beauty, freshness, and new life to the earth. It always reminds me of the anticipation of Trace's arrival and his birth which we were so excited for. I'm happy his birthday is in the spring but of course, it is a bittersweet sort of happiness as we just wish he was still here with us celebrating. 

Trace's death has a new meaning now that the girls are here. Anna and Brynn are such good reminders of God's grace and we are so blessed to have them. We love them so much but we know that we are on a different path of our life now and we don't know for sure that if Trace was here they would still have come along. I guess that is just part of the mystery of life. I think of Trace every day and feel so sad that Trace never got to the age the girls are now...all the fun things they are doing he never got to do but we hope with all our hearts he gets to do them in heaven. 

Now that I've made you all sad...

The girls are 8 months old! 

So many new things have been happening this month. They are eating food much better and love to eat puffs and yogurt melts. They are getting better about not being so messy while eating baby food. They have started to try to drink out of a sippy cup. 

They love sitting up and have figured out how to get themselves from sitting back to crawling around on the floor- their favorite! We've had to gate in our sunroom so they have a safe place to play...otherwise they were getting all over the house and they are fast and sneaky! Both girls are still scooting on their tummy but are both getting up on the knees and rocking back and forth. They haven't quite figured out how to crawl on their knees that way! Anna also loves to do "baby planks" and will push up on her hands and tippy toes with her butt in the air. She'll try to move her feet because I think she knows she needs to use them to get walking but can't quite figure that out either. Brynn loves to stand with us holding her hands and looks like such a peanut. When she stands she loves to smile big at Michael because she knows exactly who she is going to be tagging along with when she starts walking! 

The girls are such good sleepers and have been sleeping from 6:30-5:30 every night, without a peep. They are always so cozy in their beds...I just wish I could watch them sleep all night long. They have a special little fuzzy bunny that they always cuddle with or use as a pillow tucked under their cheek. How do they figure that stuff out? We are still working on finding more consistent naps but I'm hoping that will happen when we are all home together for the summer. Right now they are taking three short naps throughout the day but I would like to stretch that to one shorter nap and one longer nap. We'll see! I enjoy the sleep at night so I am definitely not complaining. The extra hours at night give us some time to spend with Michael, exercise, or get a little work around the house done and have been doing wonders for my mental health! 

Anna and Brynn are so happy and are always ready with a big smile. Anna still seems to be more laid back while Brynn is always ready for adventure. Anna will seem more content while Brynn will get upset more quickly and be harder to get to sleep. I'm not sure if these traits will play out in the future or if I am just making it up but that is what I see! 

We love them so much! 

They are growing so fast and I am in denial by the time summer is over we will be quickly approaching the big ONE!!! 

And finally, happy Mother's Day to all my favorite mothers out there. I made this little collage and I really love it (you can celebrate yourself on mother's day, right?). I never ever thought I would be so blessed to have four babies in my life. The time they are tiny is so fleeting I am glad I have a few photos of myself with them. Long live blonde hair and black sweaters! :o)