Each time I go to Kentucky to see my best friend of 25 years (yes, we met when we were 11 years old) it is a fun time. This time was still fun but by "fun" if you like a lot of indoor time with a family that had kids home from school for a solid week...then you GOT IT! Honestly, her kids were still good and way better than I believe my boys would have been had they been cooped up that long. Her kids are great at entertaining themselves and for this week that served them well!
We did venture out a few times to celebrate two things. 1. Our 25 year Friendaversary. We made that word up:) Each time we tell people (well, not each but a whole lot) that we have been friends for a quarter of a century we get an extremely weird face. A face like, "how is that possible?" Well, we met in 6th grade at the age of 11.
That's how it's possible. That's not unheard of. What is unheard of (almost) is that after 25 years, 5 children, and a 12 hour drive that spans the distance between us, we are still best friends. We still love and support and take up for each other even when we are lucky to see each other 2-3 times a year ONLY. That's true friendship and that's what we were celebrating this weekend.
2. The second reason we went out to celebrate was to cheer on the winning UK Kentucky basketball team. I'm gonna be honest here, I don't really care that much about college basketball. Gasp! I am way more of a college football girl, hands down. You kinda have to be in OK. Well, in KY you kinda have to be a bball fan so we dressed up and went out to have dinner and watch the game (thank God for babysitters who are willing to travel in 18 inches of snow). Kentucky played Auburn and I watched a few minutes of the game in between conversations with Andrea. I know they smoked them by about 30 points and I know they made it look like they were playing a high school team and that they haven't lost one game this season. I know that means they are pretty darn good!
I always love coming to Kentucky to visit. Besides the fact that Andrea lives there it really is one of my favorite states. It is so beyond beautiful with the soft rolling hills and the million dollar horse farms. This trip those farms were not as seen since they were covered with 1 1/2 feet of snow but I still knew they were there! Andrea knows my love of her state so she bought me a new shirt to sport some KY pride! Thanks for a great weekend and hopefully next time you can come here so I can show you some of our good ole' OK summer weather like you showed me some of the KY winters. At least summer we can lay by the pool and swim so I think I win this contest! Until next time....
Let me be real with you for a moment. When I walk into a Target store and see the red and white Target symbol, smell the fresh Starbucks brewing, gaze upon the deliciously adorable clothing section, and browse all the great books and music...I lose my mind a bit. As in, I'm only here for Tic Tac's, and come out with $100 worth of MUST HAVE'S for the Kueny house.
Apparently, Will Parker is not like that at Target (or most anywhere else for that matter). This boy is thrifty. Does not like to spend money. Wants to save save save. I wish I had a little more of his mentality sometimes. He's been saving for awhile now and had about $50. Since it was just me and him this weekend I took him to Target to browse and shop. We walked each aisle (sometimes twice), he "thought about" several purchases. He left with a $3 ball. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. A $3 ball mind you that we already do have of about 1,000 in our home. Oh well, he's a cute shopper and he's taught me a few things today about saving so I guess I will let him slide with only the $3 purchase.
Pictures are so wonderful for helping you remember people, places, and things. Some pictures are even more great (specifically when they involve your children). I'm gonna say here in advance that I think Will's basketball team picture is good and nothing really stands out in it to me. Owen's, on the other hand, makes me laugh so hard. Two things: 1. Almost every child looks like their arms are amputated because of how the photographer made them all put their arms behind their backs. I'm not sure why they made them do that as that is not a NORMAL position for a person to stand in. Maybe my photographer friends can clue me in? Also, Owen is on the end so I think it makes his left arm amputation even more pronounced.
2. Owen plays basketball this season with his cousin Jack. Cousin Jack is standing two down from the left of Owen. Jack, for some reason, is looking at some imaginary object up over everyone else's vision. He is the only child looking up there and we have no clue what he was staring at. So funny! I love memories around here!
My very special Valentines date. Momma and Will got to spend the whole Valentines weekend together since Daddy and brother were out of town. This weekend has been spent spending some one on one time with our oldest and I have enjoyed every moment of it. One of our favorite things was the "Paddington" movie. I didn't think I would actually enjoy this movie like I did. It was great and an awesome reminder of what "family" really means. A perfect movie choice by Will for an even more perfect weekend. I love you Will Parker Kueny. Thank you for being my Valentine 365 days out of the year:)
For the last month we have had a visitor from Kentucky. Andrea sent me her first born son. In the cardboard form. Meet Flat Gavin all the way from Lexington, KY. He was designed flat for a reason (so he can be easily mail
ed to another state). He picked OK and to come visit the Kueny family. We couldn't have been more excited about that.
The point of this project was for Will to take him around to some cool things in the community where he lives. We also included in the report fun things about Tulsa like Route 66 and the fact that we are the second largest city in OK. I am sure Gavin will find ALLLLL of our facts stimulating. Sometimes it's not easy to come up with "fun" things about Oklahoma...who am I kidding?
We had Flat Gavin for roughly 3 weeks and in that time we took him to about 8 different "fun" locations in the Tulsa area. Some of these were: a basketball
game, a SuperBowl party, a Valentines party, a birthday party at a trampoline park, a Baptism, with their cousins to go see the new "Spongebob" movie,
my LASIK surgery, and we HAD to take him to real Gavin's favorite restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings. Luckily enough, Will's cousin, Ava, picked that exact place to eat for her 9th birthday party. Bam! That one was easy:)
Let me explain one more thing....Flat Gavin isn't too study. I mean, he was dressed pretty awesome in his handmade school uniform but all and all Flat Gavin was made from paper. Paper isn't too tough. When an active family, such as the Kueny's, start taking Flat Gavin over and over to places and he gets placed in hands over and over and thrown into purses's over and over...bad things can happen. Very bad things. Like decapitation.....
Don't worry. I fixed him all up before mailing him back to KY yesterday. Thanks for visiting Flat Gavin. We had a great time with you!
December 22nd, 2014 Will asked Jesus into his heart. Steven and I know from personal experience that this is a truly life changing decision and one that will effect him the rest of his life. It is such a joy and honor to watch our son making decisions and slowly turning into the great man he will one day become.
We have taken some time between Dec 22nd and now to discuss with Will the importance and significance of baptism in our faith. At first, he just thought he was going swimming. Then it was a bath. Then a hot tub. You see my point of wanting to really explain it to him and for us to fully know that he is aware and understood what he was doing.
That day finally came. Last night, February 7, 2015 our first born son Will was baptized. There is no greater joy for us as parents to watch your children follow in the ways of God. We are so blessed. Thanks to all the friends and family that came out and took time out of their busy schedules to celebrate our Will. We love you big boy. Keep on growing!!
