Boy, oh Boy, oh Boy!

Tuba Time

2010-01-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

We have a fun tradition in our house...each boy has spent a significant amount of time inside Daddy's tuba while he plays! The boys have all really liked it and we decided it was Joel's turn to try it out! It was fun to watch him listen to his daddy play from a different perspective.=)

"Hey, Dad! This is really neat!"

"Hmmm...this sounds interesting..."

"I think I like it!"

It was also fun to reminisce a little bit and look at some pictures of Peter and Caleb when they used to fit in there!=)

God's Word

2009-10-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

We have been making a more consistent effort to do family devotions after dinner each night. The boys enjoy the time of reading and discussing what we have read. Peter has started reading a chapter each night to us out of his children's Bible. This is something that he decided to do completely on his own. Last night after he read he said, "It feels good to read God's Word". It was so wonderful to hear him say this. I told him that I thought that it makes Jesus smile to hear him reading the Bible. We went on to discuss some of the other people who are in Heaven who were smiling because of his reading. There was a break in the conversation and Peter said, "I feel so happy. I feel like I might cry." It was so wonderful to see my son express such joy for God's Word. I am so proud of my boy.

Big Brother Caleb

2009-08-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

Caleb is such a sweet big brother! He just loves giving Joel kisses and hugs and he always tries to comfort Joel when he is crying. A couple of days ago, Joel was crying and Caleb decided to try to cheer him up. He walked over to him and started singing to him. The song he chose is my favorite hymn, "How Great Thou Art." I stood there in the kitchen crying as my sweet boy sang a wonderful song about our awesome God to his baby brother. What a special moment. He has continued to do this (there are a few songs in his repertoire at this point) anytime he hears Joel crying...it is so wonderful to hear.

Brothers!

2009-08-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

My mom bought these three shirts shortly after I found out I was having a boy. I have been waiting for months to take these pictures!=) Peter and Caleb were so excited to have shirts that match Joel! They were so excited to hold him and have their picture taken! I love my boys!

Joel is Growing!

2009-07-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Joel is getting bigger everyday! He loves to play on the floor with his daddy! He is such a happy and content little guy. We are all really enjoying getting to know him.

Baby Brother is Here!

2009-07-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

Joel Douglas Koontz arrived on July 4th at 5:44 am. Peter and Caleb are so excited to have their little brother here! Peter is especially excited to have a baby to hold, toes to tickle and a little head to kiss. Caleb is a little more stand-offish with him, but he does enjoy holding him occasionally. It is so sweet to watch the boys want to help change diapers and show concern when Joel is crying. We are so excited to watch this little guy grow and play with his brothers!

Mini Golf and Bowling

2009-06-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

So, within the past couple months we have taken the boys on two fun outings: Miniature Golfing and Bowling. I must admit I was somewhat nervous about going someplace where my boys would each have the own club or heavy sphere with which to pummel each other. Once again, my boys rose to occasion, followed the rules and had a great time! Here are some pictures for our excursions:

Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed to have such fun and creative little boys, who are lead by an even more fun and creative daddy!=) Charles did a fun activity with the boys yesterday which resulted in a very special Mother's Day gift. Here is what they made:
If you can't tell (and it took me a moment this morning before I could tell) what it says, it says, "I love my Mama". I almost cried when Charles gave this to me. He made a huge jumbo sized card out of it and the boys signed it for me. It was just so wonderful to see that they all worked so hard on something special for me.
And if THAT wasn't enough, Peter presented me with my first piece of handmade jewelry from one of my kids. He made a beaded bracelet for me at school and I just love it. I will treasure it always!=)
I love you too, boys!!! Thanks for a great Mother's Day!

Legoland!

2009-04-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

We went to Legoland during Peter's Easter break and had such a great time! The boys just love it there! There are so many fun rides and places to explore...it is a little boy's paradise! Here are some pictures from our fun day...enjoy!

My happy boys playing in the fort on Castle Hill.

Playing in the Lego House.
Caleb driving a lego car.
Peter having a blast!
Such a great daddy!

The whole family in front of Miniland USA's version of Washington DC.

Atlanta!

2009-04-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful trip to Atlanta last week. All of Chuck's family was there and it was a really great time! The boys had a blast! The loved flying on an airplane (at least for most of the flight), had a great time visiting the World of Coke, the aquarium, Monkey Joe's and Stone Mountain. Their favorite part of the trip was playing the game their Uncle Craig invented...Ladder Ball!!! It rained the whole time we were there, so Craig came up with this variation on basketball. Each space between the rungs of the ladder was assigned a point value. The boys played down there for HOURS. It's the little thing is life I suppose.=)

Ladder ball!!!

Fun times at the aquarium

Reading with Aunt Laura

Stone Mountain in the rain!

A Very Fun Birthday!!

2009-03-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed to have such a fun family! I used my free birthday pass at Disneyland to get into CA Adventure and a friend of ours signed the boys in (thanks, friend!!). We had SUCH a great time!! The boys loved the new Toy Story Mania ride and they had a great time going on the jelly fish, rockets, Soaring over CA, Turtle Talk with Crush and lots more, too! I have to admit that there are times when I really think that my kids are not going to be very well behaved...this was one of those times. It is so wonderful when they prove me wrong!!! They were loving and kind with me, my husband AND each other!=) We had a very fun and special day!!

The whole family having a great time!

My boys having a great time together.=)

Peter and me on Toy Story Mania...such a fun ride!

A Very Fun Valentine's Day!

2009-02-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

We decided to do something fun and different for Valentine's Day this year...we went up to Mt Baldy and played in the snow! It was Peter and Caleb's first time to see snow and it was very fun! They kept thinking that we were somehow going to end up with their cousins in Minnesota since that is really their only reference for snow. When we got to the "snowy mountains" they were so excited and couldn't wait to get out of the car and play! They had a snowball fight, made snow angels, ate CLEAN snow, went sledding and had their first hot chocolate. It was a blast!

Peter's First Horn

2009-01-06T13:19:00.001-08:00

Peter has been saying for a long time that he wants to learn to play the trumpet. We decided that a good place for him to start would be on a coronet. They are smaller and would be easier for him to handle. Chuck was able to borrow a coronet from our good friend Matt. We gave it to Peter last week and he was so excited!! He figured out how to make a sound on it right away and he is anxious to learn how to play it. It was just so fun to watch him be so excited about it. He has matured so much since he started school and we are so proud of him!

Grandad

2008-12-29T07:30:00.000-08:00

Peter and Caleb love their Grandad. We all had a big scare on December 19th when Grandad suffered a small stroke and temporarily lost his ability to speak. The boys were so anxious for Grandad to get better and be able to come home from the hospital. Every time I got home from visiting him in the hospital they were full of questions and asking if they could go visit him. Peter was especially vigilant about praying for Grandad and asking God to make him all better. The four of us were able to go to the hospital on Monday the 21st for a nice visit. The boys were very interested in the tubes and monitors. Peter has had an IV before, so he was very intersted in seeing how that was working for Grandad. Peter especially liked the oxygenation monitor and kept his eye on it. When it was at 98 he exclaimed, "GO for 100!!" We all got a good laugh out of that. While we were visiting, Caleb spontaneously led us in a hymn he learned at preschool this past semester. As we sang "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" we came to this stanza:

Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
your loosened tongues employ;
 ye blind, behold your savior come,
 and leap, ye lame, for joy.

Those words have never felt so real and applicable...or so emotional.  Grandad's speech has been
restored and the boys were so happy to have him home for Christmas.  It was so wonderful to
watch my boys pray for their Grandad and show him such love and concern.  We praise God that
Grandad is well!  Here is a picture of the boys with Grandad on Christmas Eve
(the day he was released from the hospital):

Hooray for Peter!

2008-12-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

Peter has finished his first trimester of Kindergarten...and it was a great one! We met with his teacher last week and she had lots of good things to say about him. Of course he has some things he needs to work on, but he is doing really well. There was a small awards assembly today and Peter got two awards: one for achievement in Visual Arts (although apparently everyone got that...so what's the point?) and one for perfect attendance ( I think I should get an award for that one, too!). He was very proud of himself...and we are proud of him, too! Here are a couple pictures from his special day:

La Mirada Snow!

2008-12-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time attending Biola's Christmas tree lighting last week. There was wonderful music, scripture readings, and SNOW!! The boys were amazed when the snow began to fall around us. I look forward to the day when they will see and play in real snow, but for now this will have to do!=)

A Wonderful Thanksgiving!

2008-12-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun Thanksgiving! Peter actually had Wednesday and Monday Dec 1st off as well as the usual Thursday and Friday, so we have had lots of fun family time! Peter's Thanksgiving festivities started at school with the Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast. I was able to go and help. It was fun to watch Peter celebrate with his friends! Here are a couple pictures from that event:

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day together as well. We had yummy pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, watched some of the parade, and had a very tasty dinner over at my parents' house. We all have so much to be thankful for!

Monsters

2008-11-19T18:40:00.000-08:00

This was heard in our house after bath time tonight:
Daddy, "Caleb go sit on the rug in your room and get dried off, please."
Caleb, "But Daddy, there is a monster in my room."
Daddy, "If you are a good listener the monster won't bother you."
Caleb, "OK Daddy."
I could not help but burst out laughing when I heard this conversation. Probably not the best parenting tactic, but good for a laugh!

Superheroes Get Time Outs Too

2008-10-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Peter and Caleb were having lots of fun trying on Halloween costumes a few nights ago. Peter decided on the Buzz Lightyear costume and Caleb decided on the Incredibles costume. They were having so much fun running around the room and playing until they started taking their roles a little too seriously. Caleb decided that is was very important to demonstrate how hard Mr. Incredible can punch. This was, of course, demonstrated on the poor unsuspecting Buzz Lightyear. This is what followed:
Superheroes do, indeed, get time outs too.

Homework

2008-09-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

Peter had his first homework assignment last week. I was expecting him to drag his feet about it, but he was SO excited to do it! He sat at his little desk and was quite diligent about practicing the correct way of writing his name. I know this will not last forever, but for now it is sweet to watch him be so excited about it!

Rockets and Fondue!

2008-09-20T18:28:00.001-07:00

What on earth could these two things have in common? Well, not much except that they were both part of a very fun Saturday for the Koontz Family! We had a great time at the park launching a rocket that Peter got for his birthday. The boys enjoyed helping Charles get it set up and then watching Daddy launch the rocket. They especially enjoyed shouting, "Everyone, stay back!!". The boys were amazed over and over as they watched the rocket launch, "All the way to the moon!".=)

I decided to try something new and adventurous for dinner...fondue! The boys loved it and actually didn't attack each other with their fondue forks...although they did want to pretend they were light sabers! They did enjoy the tasty food, though! Fun day!!

He's Still My Little Boy

2008-09-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

Peter is loving school and he turned 5 last week. I have had lots of people ask me if this is emotional for me. It definitely has been to a certain extent, but I am mostly really excited for him. I have also had lots of people comment on how he is growing up and that is, of course, true. However, when Caleb and I drop him off at school and he shouts to us over and over, "I love you, Mama! I love you, Caleb!" as we walk to the car, I know that in so many ways he is still my little boy.

PK's First Day!

2008-09-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

Peter had his first day of Kindergarten today. He was so excited and it seems like he had a great day! He can be a boy of few words at times, so I didn't get a whole lot of details, but he seemed really happy when I dropped him off and even happier when picked I him up. His teacher's name is Mrs. Austin and she seems really nice. I can't believe how grown up my little boy is! Here are some pictures from his special day:

Walking with Daddy

In front of school

Flashing me the "I love you" sign while waiting in line to go in to his class...so sweet!

Walking into his class...looking very proud!

Still looking happy at the end of the day!

Noah's Ark

2008-08-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time visiting the Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball last week. We went with some friends and the kids all had such a wonderful time. The exhibit was completely interactive and exciting for the kids. They enjoyed looking at the animals and figuring out what they were made of, making storm noises in the storm room and playing inside the ark. It was a fun time for all! Here are a few pictures from our outing (from top to bottom): PK making it rain and watching the water rise, the boys playing in the upper level of the ark, and the boys having a fun time sitting on a huge turtle!

Olympic Fever!!

2008-08-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

It's official...Olympic fever is running rampant in our home. I was working in the kitchen yesterday and I noticed that CJ was running back and forth through the living room. When I stopped and watched him I began to fully comprehend what he was doing. He was starting at one end of the living room, bent over on all fours with his bottom stuck up in the air, and running through the living room jumping over imaginary hurdles!! He came up with this completely on his own. It was so cute. PK soon realized what CJ was doing and this is what transpired:

They have really enjoyed watched the olympics. I think that the swimming events were probably their favorite. They would sit on the couch with me and holler, "Go Michael Phelps! Go America!". Fun times! Here are a few more snapshots of the Koontz Track and Field events:

The Corn Festival!

2008-08-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

My brother and I grew up attending the Corn Festival in La Habra. The boys have gone a few times, but this year they finally got to ride the roller coaster! I think this is literally the same roller coaster I rode when I was their age. It was so fun to see them riding it! They also enjoyed riding a few other rides, including the flying saucers. Fun times!

Bunk bed!!!

2008-08-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

PK and CJ just love their new bunk bed. Charles and I gave it to them today and they were so surprised and excited. They have been spending most of the afternoon re-enacting the unveiling of their bed. They run out of the room and then run back in and scream with delight, "Wow! A bunk bed!" It is so funny! Watching them growing up and starting to get to do "big boy" things is just so special. Here are a few pics of them exploring their new bed:

Sail Away!

2008-07-14T15:11:00.001-07:00

PK and CJ had a wonderful time participating in Adventure Week at church last week. They learned Bible verses, heard Bible stories having to do with the sea, learned wonderful new songs, and had lots of fun with their friends! PK was in a class with kids ranging from 4 to 10 years old and he had such a great time with all the "big kids". CJ was in a preschool class and had lots of fun with his friends in there. It was such a good time for them and it was wonderful to watch them growing in knowledge of the Lord. Here are a couple pics and a video from the week...enjoy!

Star Wars!

2008-06-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

It has been so much fun introducing my boys to Star Wars. We just finished listening to the Return of the Jedi radio drama and they just loved it. PK has assumed the role of Han Solo and CJ is now Luke Skywalker or a storm trooper depending on his mood. I am, of course, Princess Leia. It has been really fun to watch them hear the stories that I grew up with for the first time! Their imaginations have really grown through hearing the stories. We showed them the original Star Wars movie in small increments and they were spellbound! So, the most popular activity in our house at the moment is light saber duels...with light sabers made out of legos. Fun times!

The sincerest form of flattery?

2008-06-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

So, I know what they say..."Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"...I am not sure they had this in mind, though. I was sitting on the couch reading my book when CJ bounded up and said, "Mama! Read Peter Pan to me!" I responded with, "Just a second sweetie"...I just HAD to finish the paragraph I was reading. CJ proceeded to fling the book at me with a harrumph. I gave him the typical head tilted mama stink eye and was waiting for an apology. Instead I got the face of a little boy, a face that is strikingly like my own, giving me that same stink eye right down to the tilting of the head. It was more then I could handle. I burst into uncontrollable peels of laughter and scooped my boy into my arms. He of course proceeded to make the face at me for the rest of the evening. Perhaps not my best parenting moment, but a very memorable and humorous one to be sure!

Fun Times in Sunriver!

2008-06-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

We had such a wonderful time visiting with my family in Sunriver, OR. We stayed in a beautiful home with a spectacular view, lots of room for the kids to play and a wonderful round-a-bout where the kids could ride their bikes. It was so much fun to watch the boys ride their bikes. We must have ridden around that circle a hundred times! PK and his cousin Corrie had so much fun riding together and saving Daniel from the lions' den and the evil wise men. CJ enjoyed getting off and on his trike while using the occasional stick to shoot things...true to form. The boys also enjoyed spending time with Jack and Wesley. It was so sweet to watch PK play with Wes and give him kisses and hugs.

The trip was topped off with an overnight drive home (7pm to 8am). And I must say that I was SO proud of my boys! They had fun listening to the Star Wars radio drama and fell asleep rather easily. It is so wonderful when your kids exceed your expectations...I think I need to have a little more confidence in them. Good job kiddos!

Cars!

2008-06-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

My boys *LOVE* cars...and I don't just mean the ones from the movie (i.e. McQueen, Mater, King, etc.). If it has wheels they love it. PK even goes so far as to bring cars to the table with him and sort them by their colors to match his placemat. They will also line up their cars like a used car lot and take turns picking vehicles to play with. It is hilarious! CJ is of course following in his older brother's footsteps which leads to many a conflict, but it also leads to lots of fun races! Hooray for cars!

And so it begins...

2008-06-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

Life with two active boys is always interesting. I decided to start this blog to share some of the challenges and adventures as I walk this journey with my two boys. I hope that you will enjoy hearing about our fun times and our more "interesting" times.
So...for starters I will ask you all a question. How can a 2 and a half year old boy turn so may different things into a gun? Fork, spoons, cars, golf clubs...the list could go on and on! No one had to teach CJ this...he just uses his imagination. Never a dull moment around here! How can such a cute and sweet little boy cause so much mischief? A rhetorical question...obviously.=)