I AM A BLOGGER!

Rachel Cooke Photography

I decided the best way to keep up with the kids and their happenings is to blog about it. I am trying to keep up with their books, but I think I will be more successful blogging and then transferring to their books. Plus, family can keep up with their goings on this way as well. I am going to start with a post about my 5 year old, Kimberlyn Joy. She just turned 5 in December. I gave her a questionaire similar to what my friend Kenna gave her son Owen who turned 4 in October. Oh and Kimberlyn is very similar to her Gaga when you ask her what her favorite such and such is...there is no such thing as 1 favorite!

1) When is your birthday?

Kimbo: Decenter dirteen (December 13)

2) What is your favorite color?

Kimbo: Pink, Blue, Orange and all the colors of the rainbow

3) What is your favorite letter and why?

Kimbo: M and K because they are lucky

4) What is your favorite number and why?

Kimbo: 22 b/c it gets to 100

5) What is your favorite toy?

Kimbo: My Little Pony

6) Who is your favorite My Little Pony?

Kimbo: Scootaloo, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash (interesting choices - refer to question 2 about fave colors: Scootaloo is orange, Pinkie Pie is pink, and rainbow dash is blue and her hair is rainbow - kind of funny)

7) Favorite smurf:

Kimbo: smurfette, Papa Smurf, Grouchy, and Jokey

8) Favorite TV show:

Kimbo: Wiggles, Dora and My Little Pony

9) Favorite Movie

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Kimbo: Happy Feet (Funny choice as she never asks to watch this) - not a big movie girl, likes TV shows better (like mommy) (based on requests, mommy would say her faves are either Toy Story 2 or 3 and My Little Pony Movie)

10) Favorite Book

Kimbo: My Little Pony I can read book

11) Favorite Food

Kimbo: Mac and Cheese

12) Favorite Drink

Kimbo: Orange Juice

13) Favorite Stuffed animal

Kimbo: Pillow Pet and Punky

14) Best Friend

Kimbo: Ellie Beth, Emma C, Misty and Katherine, Jolene

15) How old is mommy and daddy:

Kimbo: 13 - (close, 33)

16) Favorite thing to do:

Kimbo: Go outside

17) Favorite sport

Kimbo: Soccer and Ballet

18) Favorite Game?

Kimbo: Sight Words Bingo

Kimberlyn is an absolute joy - hence her middle name. She loves life and wants to live it to the fullest. Right now she is a big time gamer. Right now we play lots of Memory, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Trouble, Bingo, Go Fish, a new game called Sight words Bingo, and she has a Leapster. She loves to make up words or phrases for people/things - she has done this since she was 2 (Eeta Mouse was Mickey Mouse, Deer nose was Rudolph, Gaga is Dara, and her newest one is Bedtime Church for Wednesday night church).

Kimber did awesome her first year of soccer this year. Her first game she scored 6 goals. She scored every game. We don't expect that to continue forever or make her feel like she has to score - she just wants to so badly. Her coach (Coach Gena - whom we adore along with her daughter Coach Lala) told me Kimbo said before the game, "Coach tell me which goal to go to and I will score." She is absolutely on fire for soccer. She loves to run and has amazingly strong legs. It does help that her daddy is a soccer coach, but she naturally loves soccer.

She also loves ballet. She is not a natural dancer, but she works hard and loves the challenge. Her teacher Ms Caren is fabulous! She makes it so fun for the kiddos. She will make any kid love to dance. Ballet is also fun for Kimbo b/c she dances with her best friend (and practically my third child) Ellie Beth.

Fun things we did Kimbo's 5th year: 1) Beach trip to Galveston with Grammy and Robbie in July 2) Started Soccer in August 3) Thanksgiving trip to Burns Flat playing in the cotton fields right outside Nana's house - and as always played with her dear friend Jolene 4) Learned how to swim - started out in May scared to death of going under water - to a full time swimmer in June, goes under water every chance she gets (no lessons - Gaga worked with her on a few techniques) 5) Learning to read and spell- Can read her My Little Pony I can read books, sight words she knows consistently - she, the, a, and, was, pony, all the pony names, tree, dance, love, cat, hat, etc. 6) Knows how to write all of her letters and numbers 7) Started PreK 8) Learning Bible verses - first bible verse memorized is Mathew 5:16 - loves to let her light shine. This makes discipline easier for me b/c when I ask them if their light is shining when they act this way, they think about it and realize maybe not so much. I also try to praise them when they help me or do something sweet. I praise them for letting their light shine by helping me fold the clothes, or taking care of Blake etc. It has been highly effective so far. Probably helps knowing I don't make up all the rules. :)

We look forward to what the 6th year brings us, but are really trying to live one day at a time and enjoy every moment. Lots of things have happened this past year to remind us that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. We are living each moment to the fullest.