Monday, February 7, 2011

Snow Days!!!!!!!!!!!!

We love snow days!
The kids have been out of school for a week now and we just got the call that we are out tomorrow too! Okay, so mom loves snow days too but 5 in a row??? Hmmm, not sure if I am as excited anymore, haha!
Landon and his friends made an awesome sledding ramp at our neighbors hill and the kids have been enjoying it. I might have to give it a go tomorrow!
 lashsicles!!!!!!!!



Mayli trying to be like her brother and build a fort

Friday, September 10, 2010

IT'S MAYLI DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 YEARS AGO TODAY MAYLI BECAME A KNOPF!

3 TOP REASONS MAYLI IS INCREDIBLE
  1. HER STRONG WILL TO GO AFTER WHAT SHE WANTS.
  2. HER SWEET CHARMING SPIRIT
  3. HER HEART
DEAR MAYLI,
YOU COMPLETE US AS A FAMILY! YOUR HEART IS PRECIOUS AND WILL ALWAYS BE LOVED FOR EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE MY SWEET GIRL. I LOVE HOW YOU WALK INTO A ROOM WITH YOUR HEAD HELD HIGH. YOU SHINE DEAR GIRL!

PAME INDIAN VILLAGE

In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”


Brian, Brianna, Landon and I took our first medical mission trip this summer. I have been wanting to take our family on vacations with purpose for some time now. Next time we will bring the girls (wanted them to mature a bit:). The experience-AMAZING! No cell phones, no tv, no computer and for part of the trip....no showers! And guess what we loved it. EVEN ME! I get bored so easily (u know my undiagnosed ADD, which is probably close to being diagnosed, ha).
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It was very inspiring watching Brian relate to the people of this village. Alexa was a great translator. And, as always prayer can break through any language barrier!

Our teens are awesome! I remember when Brianna and landon were toddlers and I would get so exhausted from all the baby stuff - people would say to me "just wait until they are teenagers". Well so far they are wrong. I love every single day with them. I have to say Brian and I thoroughly enjoy them. All the teaching moments, all the moments they teach us, challenges, emotional times, watching their personalites emerge into something more beautiful each day. I LOVE IT ALL! My kids will forever be my heroes. I was asked what inspires me to be a good mom....MY KIDS inspire me to be a extraordinary mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brianna and landon- I was so proud of you on this trip! You handled every bit of it with grace and dignity. You lived up to your name!  Dad and I couldn't ask for better teens (even if we wanted to you are ours haha)

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Trick or Treat!

We had fun at Lake Family's Fall Halloween Festival....bonfire, pig roast and trunk or treat! Every year we love carving pumpkins and roasting pumpkin seeds with the kids! Brianna and Landon still really enjoy it. We told them they can never get out of this tradition! I hope they always love it!






















































M i c k e y........M o u s e!!!

We had such a wonderful vacation to Orlando!!!!!! We went to Disneyworld, Epcot and one of the water parks, Typhoon Lagoon. We had so much fun!!! As the kids get older, it is so much fun for Brian and I to watch their personalities form. Even through the chaos of parenting, we have so much fun! I am so happy to have such a wonderful journeying partner! We truly enjoy our kids and this family. Sometimes it isn't easy, but Brian and I are both so good at laughing and recognizing that the challenging times will pass and knowing that we just have to enjoy each and every moment of this journey together! It still makes me laugh that we had 2 different times where someone told us that our family was entertaining to watch....haha! Ya know, you have to ask yourself..."what exactly does that mean"? It makes me giggle because YOU KNOW they were referring to the "energy", the laughter, the CHAOS. I am soooooo thankful that our kids are lively, energetic or I guess you could say wild, outspoken. I call it plain F U N!!!!! I have often wondered why God didn't give us just ONE quiet child but then, I remember that we have to keep life exciting. I want our journey to be active and full of life. Us Knopfs...we love adventure and challenge! We are a team (though we forget this many times) and WE LOVE LIFE!!! As Brianna says, let's be the fruitloop in the bowl of cheerios!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go teammcbabllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
















Saturday, September 5, 2009

First Day of School!











Do we really have 2 middle school age children??????? That is crazy how time flies. I remember older, wiser friends and family warning us about how fast time goes with children when we had 2 babies in diapers. They would look at us and say "Enjoy them while they are little because before you know it, they will be grown". That is such a hard concept to believe when you are in the midst of busy parenting, diaper changing, constant chaos, busy schedules. It is still a hard concept to believe in the midst of running kids around, family schedules, wondering who has what when. Brian and I juggling where everyone needs to be -often times splitting up to make sure everything is covered. I remember thinking date nights were hard when they were little still in diapers, but wow...now date nights are even harder. The older they get and the more kids...the more things to coordinate. If only we would have known back then to take advantage of those "slow" times. It takes more coordinating, more juggling, we have to work harder on our relationship. It is even easier to let that fall to the back burner now. We thought it would get easier as the kids got more self sufficient. Oh...the lessons of life:)
The kids are enjoying school. Brianna is still in taekwondo, Landon is playing middle school football. Carli and Mayli are enjoying 1st grade. Carli loves reading and Mayli loves music class!






Grandpa is fun!!!!!!!!!!!



We love Gpa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Grandpa Bob, Grandma Charlotte, Lindsey and Maddy came to visit us before school started. We had fun at the pool with them!




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