The Keenum Family

Our Love Story...

2011-05-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

This is kind of a lengthy story but its a good one. And it ends well. ;) This is the story of how Matt and I met and became who we are today. *I must note that a couple names have been changed in the story because my memory is not the best and though I remember the correct names perfectly, I may not remember the exact words or details that took place so many years ago. So, to avoid misquoting or mis-telling the story, I changed the names. You know who you are if you are reading this. ; ) Enjoy...

It all began the summer of 2001. That's when Aaron, my boyfriend, introduced me to his best friend, Matt. Matt and I became fast friends. We spent more time laughing and talking with one another than anyone else that summer. In fact, people started to wonder whether I was dating Aaron or Matt. The chemistry between the two of us was unmistakable. However, I would never cheat and Matt would never betray Aaron's trust. There was no denying though the attraction was there.

Just a month into my sophmore year, I began to see a different side to Aaron. It seemed as though we were more brother and sister than boyfriend and girlfriend. We were fighting constantly. Aaron and I decided it would be best to break up and remain friends than to continue fighting the way we were. Aaron was going through a lot. His dad was ill with cancer and I wanted to be there for him. I thought of Aaron's family as part of my own. So, we remained friends.

With Aaron and I no longer dating, it was kind of expected for Matt to ask me out on a date. He never did though. We remained friends, but that was it. Matt had told me once that he didn't feel right dating his best friends girl. I was kind of disapointed but relieved at the same time. See, I thought that what Matt and I had was special. I didn't want to lose that. However, no matter how strong my feelings for Matt were, my fear of being alone was stronger. I began dating again not long after that. Matt was always happy for me. But inside everyone knew he was jealous. I thrived on the jealousy. I wanted Matt to want me. And he definitly wanted me.

Matt's senior prom was approaching and though I was already dating someone, he just couldn't see himself going to the prom with anyone but me. So, he asked me to be his date. I was hesitant. I didn't answer for several days. But one day as I was headed to 5th period I passed Matt in the hallway. Just seeing him reminded me of how much I longed to be with him. He wasn't asking me to break up with my boyfriend or anything. He wanted to go as friends, with a group of friends. I didn't see the harm in that. So, as they passed, I turned around and stood on my tiptoes. I hollered as loud as I could across the sea of teenagers to where Matt stood and simply said, "Yes, I will go with you." Matt turned and smiled his irrestible smile that he saved just for me. I knew that smile well.

April 2002 Prom had finally come. Though I kept telling myself that we were only going as friends, I couldn't seem to get rid of the butterflies flittering around in my heart. Little did I know that Matt was thinking of more too. He picked me up early so we could meet the rest of the group for pictures. He brought a pink rose and a beautiful pink rose corsage that matched my dress perfectly. And as he escorted me to the car, I saw that he had borrowed his dad's pick up for the evening. See, I was a country girl. I was crazy about trucks. Matt thought that I would much rather ride in a truck than any limo in the world. He was right. My heart melted. The evening went wonderfully. Though it seemed more like a real date than just two friends hanging out. Matt even fed me part of his dinner. It was as if the other three couples weren't even with us. That it was just Matt and I.

I knew after prom that it wasn't fair to anyone to continue dating when my heart so obviously belonged to Matt. So, I broke it off with my boyfriend. Wanting so badly for Matt to realize that we were more than just friends. Matt did finally get up the nerve to ask me out. After thinking about it a few days, I said yes. But it wasn't as great as we had thought. Suddenly shy around eachother and completely terrified of losing our friendship, we quickly broke things off. Neither of us, were happy about that, but the friendship continued.

Late that Summer, we both went to Tennessee to help our friend's sister move. It was a beautiful night with an abundance of shining stars in the Tennessee sky, when I said I Love You for the first time. Suddenly, things got quiet. Matt retreated inside the house where he spent the rest of the evening reading and not saying much to anyone. Meanwhile, I was freaking out. What had I done? Why did I tell him? The next morning we both wanted to talk. After, a long sleepless night, I went first. I told him that we should probably remain friends. It would be better that way. Right? Though, I really didn't believe it. All I wanted was for Matt to say I love you in return and swoop me into his arms. Instead he angrily packed his bags and drove home. Leaving me to catch a ride with our friend. Things were just never the same after that. We started going to differnt churches and hanging out with different people. Matt poured himself into God and I ran away from both of them.

Now, let's fast forward to the year 2005. Matt and I have only talked to eachother a couple of times over the years. Though the feelings were always there. Neither of us were brave enough to try again. But something happens in my life that has me suddenly thinking of Matt more than ever.

I had been dating, Clay for two years. It was our anniversary. I knew that tonight he was going to propose. It was what I wanted, what we had talked about. But when the time came the first word I thought of was not yes, or no...it was Matt. I said yes anyway, wondering why I thought of someone I hadn't seen or spoken to out of the blue and at a time like that? But what made matters more confusing is the lack of joy coming from Clay as well. What were we doing? Did either of us want to get married?

Clay disappeared a couple weeks later. Said he just needed some time. Aaron shows up to take me to lunch to cheer me up. He asks if Matt knows about Clay. Suddenly, I can't hide my feelings anymore. I beg Aaron not to say anything to Matt. Embarrassed I ask Aaron to take me home. He simply looks at me and says, "One day I hope someone will love me like you love him." I couldn't believe what I heard. Did I really love him that much? After all these years? Does he even think about me anymore?

A few months pass and Clay shows back up. Wants to try to work things out. Since I have convinced myself that Matt is too good for me and he will never come back. I decide to give Clay another chance. But quickly discover that he is lying to me and living a completely different life than I want to lead. Now, I am faced again with deciding whether we should break up.

A few days before my 20th birthday, I get an unexpected phone call. It was Matt. He wanted to ask me to lunch. Said he thought we could catch up. I was almost certain that Aaron must have told him about Clay. Why else would he have called? I haven't heard from him in so long. Why now? But I would never turn him down. So, we plan to meet the next day.

Both of us are a bundle of nerves. It doesn't take long to know that all the old feelings are still there and stronger than ever. Matt was more talkative than he had been in the past. I couldn't believe all the things I was hearing. He said that he had been thinking about me. Then Aaron called and said that he should call me. So, he did. I told him about Clay. How we had gotten engaged and broke it off but are now trying to make it work. He told me he was happy for me. He talked to me about how I deserved happiness. I deserved a man that would cherish me and love me unconditionally. He described the type of man that I saw in him. It was not long into the conversation that I realized that he was talking about himself. He was fighting for me. Just like I had always hoped he would. However, this time I was already taken.

We left the lunch not knowing what would happen. Not knowing if we would be friends again or if there was a chance for something more. But I knew I owed it to myself and to Clay to try to work things out. So I prayed. A lot.

Another month passes, more lies are revealed and it is evident that the relationship between Clay and I is not going to make it. I am a bundle of nerves the morning I prepare to say goodbye to Clay. While praying and asking God if I am doing the right thing I get a text from Matt. Not having talked to him since my birthday I can only assume that the timing was a God thing. The text simply said, "Good Morning, beautiful. Hope you have a wonderful day. I love you!"

Wait...What?? Was that really from Matt? Did he mean to send it to me? Maybe he had a girlfriend and just hit my number by mistake. My coworkers convince me to call Matt and simply ask him if he sent the text. He says yes he did send the message. I say, "ok, thanks. Talk to you later," and hang up on him! Seriously in shock from the content of the message, the timing of the message, the anxiety over the break up that is due to take place in just a couple hours, I can't even think straight.

To shorten this sweet story...Clay and I broke up that afternoon. Matt continued to text me. Letting me know that he was praying for me and sometimes stopping by to say hey. After a couple weeks, I finally asked him if we would ever be more than friends. He simply replied, "I don't want to be your rebound." This caused me to laugh,because what he didn't realize is that Clay was the rebound. Matt was the one I had always wanted. But I simply say, "I'll wait."

November 4th, 2005, Matt finally told me that he loved me and he wanted to be more than friends but that he couldn't date me. God had already told him that I was the one he was meant to marry. So if I wanted to be with him, I had to be ready for forever. I obviously said yes. Matt kissed me for the first time that night and the friendship that we had cherished for so long was finally a love story.

One month later, Matt proposed to me. And that is the beginning of our happily ever after....

Wow! Time for an update?

2011-05-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

So, where should I begin....
Matthew is still at Ross Bridge. Still working hard. Still providing So well for his family. (Love ya Babe!) He and I both are trying to lose weight right now. (Not fun!). Matt had a birthday! He is now 27 years old! In honor of him getting another year closer to 30, I threw him a Super Mario Brothers party! lol. Let's see, other than that not much new in Matt's life. He is still AWESOME!

Kaylee... well, Kaylee is still growing up WAY too fast. She is breathtakingly beautiful and smart. (But I may be a little biased.) She has developed a little more attitude than I would like, but I really can't blame her. She didn't stand a chance in this family. ;) She did fall a few weeks back and hit her face pretty hard. It knocked her front tooth back and we were nervous we were going to lose the tooth. It turned grey, then black, but now is turning back to normal! :)

Cade is going through some stuff right now. Most of you already know that he has chronic diarrhea. Well, after three years we are now testing and trying to find out what is the cause. He went for a Hydrogen Breath Test at Children's hospital last month and was unable to complete the test. He started throwing up in the waiting room. It was a combo of nerves and an empty stomach. So we rescheduled and tried again this past Friday. He was able to complete the test and we should know that results of that today.(Hopefully). What we are looking for is lactose intolerance. If it is not that than we will look at Fructose/Glucose intolerance, or food allergies. Its been a crazy few months in and out of labs and doctors offices but he is such a trooper.

I am doing well. I have had an emotional year thus far, but I am just AMAZED at how God is working in my life. I lost my dear cousin, Brandon a couple months ago. He was Such an amazing man of God. I truly miss him. I have had to let go of some relationships along the way this year but praise God I have made new ones! I have seen God provide for every need this year. For every loss/hurdle I have faced, He has provided. I am So blessed!

That's about all I can think of for your Keenum Family Update! Please stay tuned for a special love story edition in honor of Matt and I's fifth wedding anniversary!! :)

God Bless!!!!
Kim

Fall 2010

2010-12-14T19:50:00.000-08:00

   So, though I did manage to get a Thanksgiving post in I have not updated you all on the life of the Keenums in a while. Where to begin...
   Well, Matthew is now the Head of the AV department at Ross Bridge. It is a lot more responsibility for a smidgen of more pay. But I am super excited for him! He likes it so far. Although, his first week on the job he was asked to let go the only other AV guy there who also happens to be a good friend. That was very upsetting and a very difficult position to be put in. He struggled with that for many reasons. Thankfully, the Lord quickly provided a great job opportunity for his friend and we believe strongly that God has big plans for him and his amazing wife! (We REALLY do!) Anyway, he is really starting to get the hang of the new department and is enjoying his new role at Ross Bridge. During the holiday season he is also working part time at Costco. It has great pay! And even though he still works too much, it has been a blessing. I am so proud of my husband for being such a devoted provider for this family.

Let see, who's next...

Well, Cayden had a birthday! He is the big 3! We now have to pay for him to go to the movies with us, lol. He has really shown a new attitude for this year of his life. Not quite sure its a good one. ;) He is much more boy now! I LOVE that! He is chasing cars, scaring his sister, and unfortunately shooting his "laser" at people. He is making me feel much more at home, as I grew up with two older brothers. Don't get me wrong I just love my little girl. But there is nothing like having a boy in the house to make life interesting.

Kaylee is growing so fast. She amazes me everyday with how intelligent she is. I am worried she is about to surpass me already! ;) She is going to turn four in just four short days. I sometimes wonder if she is turning 14! She has some mood swings, but she is the best sister and daughter anyone could ever ask for. She loves helping me with anything, but mostly loves taking care of the boys. She has learned she can pick Hudson up. Which, will not last long as he is almost caught up to them in height and weight. She will make a great mommy one day... a VERY VERY VERY long time from now. Ha!

Both the babies celebrated their birthdays on Thanksgiving weekend! We had a joint birthday party for them. The theme was Alvin and The Chipmunks! They had a blast!

   As for me... well, what can I say. Life is about the same. Still at home with my babies (all three of them). The only thing that has changed for me lately is that I had some health issues going on. I have been in and out of the doctors office all fall. But I now know that the medication I was taking was causing all my "problems" and after a rough, rough "detox" (for lack of a better word) I am a new woman! The doctors did give me a scare a few times in the process though. First they said they thought I had Thyroid problems, blood work came back clear. Then they did a MRI and found two pituitary microadenomas. Made me wait over a month before finding out that they are not even an issue. They are not producing any hormones and are so tiny they are not causing any other problems either. So they will check them in a year to make sure there are no changes but nothing to worry about! Hallelujah!

   That is about all the news for the Keenums. Wish I could give you more, but we lead simple lives. :) I can say that I am beyond blessed. I just look around my home and see countless blessings that I never deserved. I am so grateful for all that I have and for my children to grow up in a wonderful home with plenty of food and toys and a father who truly loves them and cares for them and plays with them. Oh, I am teary eyed just thinking about it. God has truly blessed me.

Hope everyone else is doing well! God bless you all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-24T20:56:00.000-08:00

I am grateful for my God, for the mercy He bestows, for the grace He pours, for the blessings He showers down, and the lessons He teaches me along the way.

I am honored to be Matt's wife. I am blessed to have his love, to have his protection, his support, and his friendship. I am grateful for his hard work.

I am so thankful for my wonderful children, for the ability to stay home with them and watch them grow everyday. I am grateful for their hugs and kisses, their games and silly faces. I am thankful for being their teacher. I am humbled to be their mother.

I am grateful for my extended family, for Mom and Bob, for Dawn and Don, for Tamara, David, Meredith, Steven, Dad and Lynn. I am thankful for the support emotionally, physically, and even financially at times. I am grateful for the chance to spend time with them and to share my children's lives with them.

I am thankful for friendship, for the late night phone calls, the girls night outs, the Facebook status updates :), the advice, and the love. I am grateful to be myself and still have friends.

I am beyond blessed to have the life that I have. I am highly favored. I would like to show my gratitude by giving God all the credit for everything you see. He did this for me! Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise His holy name!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A special shout out to those who made 2010 a little brighter: Alicia Barnett, Amber Couchman and Christina Shelton (so glad I found you!) For an Awesome church family at Westwood Baptist (you guys rock!), for Nicole Jeffers (I love you girl!!) For Mitchel and his two adorable little girls, for Tonya Hooie, for my dearest Aunt Debbie (You are amazing!) For my sweet Hudson who just keeps me smiling, for Bryant and Lauren for being the best neighbors anyone could ask for, for Chris Ball (because you missed me! Thank you!) for reconnecting with Andrea, Jessie, Amanda, and so many more through Facebook, I could go on and on. Thank you everyone for being a part of my life! :)

♥Mattie♥

2010-05-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

It will be four years next week since Matt and I shared our vows to one another. I can't help but feel like a love struck teenager whenever I think about him. From the day I met Matthew I knew that we had a special connection. Though we remained "just friends" for years, we always knew that there was more to our future. I praise God everyday for sending Matt into my life in His perfect timing. I am who I am today because of the love this man has given to me. I feel joy from my head to my toes everyday when I wake up and realize my dreams have come true. Other than two amazing and beautiful children, Matt has given me a precious gift that I could never thank him enough for. He has given me confidence in myself, confidence in God, and a love that is unconditional. I can't even put into words the many emotions I feel. I know that now when I look in the mirror I feel beautiful. He makes me feel beautiful. He makes me feel wanted and adored. I pray that my children will someday find the love that God has given to Matt and I. I pray that they settle for nothing less than God's perfect match for them. Trust me God definitely knows better than we do what we need. He has proved that to me everyday. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, God for bringing my angel into my life.
Happy 4th anniversary Matthew Steven! I love you!

♥Kim♥

Just another day in Paradise!

2010-04-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

So I am a horrible blogger. You would think that I would be better at this. Seeing as how I always have so much to say. lol. Oh well!

So, to update since last post we are doing WONDERFULLY! :) I really, really am blessed. I will try to give you a short version of everything that has happened lately.

Let's Start with Matt. Well, he had a birthday! He is now 26 years old! We are kind of in shock at the rate we are aging these days. ;) He is still working at Ross Bridge. Been getting in some great hours. Been thinking about going back to Southeastern Bible to finish his degree. So, keep that in prayer if you would that God would open the doors and provide a way for him financially. That's about it for Matt. Um, except to say that he is still the BEST husband and father EVER!! Hehe! I just LOVE him!

Kaylee Anne, hmm, where should I start? She is three going on thirteen. Same old independant Kaylee. We just love her to death. She is always so entertaining. She loves singing songs that she makes up on a whim. Last night we all played Hide and seek in the dark and she was telling us "scary" stories. lol. It was so much fun! She is fully potty trained and passy free. We are having some sleeping issues with her right now, but other than that is developing great! She has been taking swim lessons at the YMCA (thanks Mee-maw!). She can now swim from one end of the pool and back. (50 yards total!) She is so awesome! I look forward to pool time this summer. She may be starting T-ball here soon. I will let you know. I know she would rock at T-ball.

My darling Cayden is doing well. He is PASSY FREE!!! So awesome! I took him shopping for a new toy and told him to pay for his new toy with the passy. So, he picked out a Sheep stuffed animal and handed his ziplock baggy of passies to the cashier (who thought I was crazy) and never looked back. Seriously, not one complaint from that boy. He is so grown up! And his speech is improving. He has been talking for a while but now he is able to pronunciate a lot better. Sometimes I have to turn around to see who is talking he sounds just like Kaylee. :)

Well, I guess that leaves me. Hmm... I don't really have anything new going on. I just sit at home and watch the kids, clean house, and eat. lol. I do have to say that I am enjoying those tasks a lot more these days. Even cleaning! I just love the look on my husband's face when he comes home to a clean house. I love making him proud. We have a lot more time to spend together as a family. It is just wonderful. :) I have made a promise to Mattie to not shop for anything other than groceries until September! Aaagghh! I made this promise about a week ago, and I am struggling. I had NO idea how addicted I was to shopping. lol. I think really its the whole "wanting what you can't have" syndrome. Anyway, you can hear all about my shopping woes at AdorablyRandom.blogspot.com

Well, that's all for now. I will try to update a little better. As you can see though, you haven't missed much. Love you all! :)

Prayer Request For 2010!

2009-12-29T21:30:00.000-08:00

So, here are my prayer requests for 2010! Notice, if you will, that I did not call them my new year's resolutions. The reason being that I always make resolutions and nothing happens. But when I pray the Lord answers! (Can I get an amen?!?) So, with God's help and His blessings, this is what I want to accomplish this year!

1.) Have a DAILY quiet time

2.) PRAY with my children and for my children

3.) Lose 21lbs! (I can do ALL things through Christ who Strengthens Me!)

4.) Exercise more-- ok I guess I should say exercise period. Cause, any exercise would be more than I do now.

5.) Find peace financially. "...give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise I may disown you and say, 'Who is Lord?' or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of the Lord."

6.) Serve God in my church and grow the First Touch Ministry.

7.) Show my unwavering support to my husband as he grows in wisdom and favor with God.

8.) Clean house more often!

9.) Say goodbye to the Pappy and Diapers! (FYI: Kaylee is no longer in diapers! PTL!)

10.) Omit the phrase "I want..." from my daily conversations. Replace with "I am blessed!"

May my friends, family, and facebook fans (lol) be with me in prayer this year. May the Lord work his miracles. I know some of these request may be hard but nothing is hard for my God. God bless each and everyone of you this new year!

What a Year!

2009-12-29T20:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I haven't been the best little blogger. :( Since my last post so much has happened! Let me see if I can try to catch you up.

The last post was about our first trip to the ER back in October. Since then we have been to the ER two more times and have had a 5 day stay in the hospital! Most of you know the details because we needed everyone to pray for our sweet boy. Just in case you don't know, Cayden came down with the swine flu the last week of October. We immediately sent Kaylee to Nana's and were so blessed that she did not come down with it! Halloween came and went and Cayden was worse and not better. So, we took him back to the ER and the Dr's office and found out he had developed pneumonia. They sent us home. He continued to be in pain and I probably called the nurse like every 30 minutes. Finally, got an appointment with Cayden's regular pediatrician who took the first blood sample since he had gotten sick. His white blood cell count was way too high and we were immediately sent to Children's hospital where we stayed for 5 days on IV antibiotics and fluids. He did recover very well after that. Praise the Lord! It was definitely a very rough time for us. Emotionally, physically, and financially. (Actually, we just received the final bill in the mail for all that this week! Yikes!)

Both kids had a birthday! Cayden had a Buzz Lightyear party just 6 days after returning home from the hospital. He had a blast! (ha! a blast, get it?) Kaylee had her Strawberry Shortcake party just five weeks after Cayden. She loves parties! And all her amazing gifts! I can not believe that I now have a two and three year old! Time flies! Of, course, more presents came with Christmas. We celebrated throughout the month with parades, parties, and family time. It was a wonderful time. They really enjoyed Christmas this year! Thank you to everyone who made it a great Christmas for them. Lord, knows it would have been pretty bland with the one present each that we had for them. We are truly grateful!

Matt is still working at Ross Bridge. He has tried to find other jobs, but the Lord has not shown us our path just yet. He is now back working part time at Taco Bell. He works whenever he can. I praise God for such a dedicated and devoted husband! I could not ask for more! The best news is that Matt has decided to go back to school! He would like to continue his quest to be a youth minister! I am so beyond proud of him! I know God has great things in store for Matthew and for us as a family. Keep him in your prayers as we try to apply for grants and student loans. Pray that the Lord will provide for him to serve in this way.

I am still at home. My "business" is at a standstill. I haven't invested too much time in it lately. Mainly because I do not have a business liscence. I was approved for one! :) However, we are counting every penny and the start up money I need to spend on the business liscence and supplies is just not a priority right now. But I have enjoyed making cute things for my children and friends. It is a lot of fun! 2009 was a hectic and emotional year for me, but 2010 has all the makings of a great year! I have been put on some medicine that has been a LIFESAVER to me. My hormones seemed to have leveled out. I feel in control of my emotions and have seen such a huge change in my attitude! What I thought was a dreadful diagnosis turned out to be for the best. Because now I am on the right medication and can have a normal happy life. :) Praise the Lord!

I have been given the opportunity to serve my church as the First Touch Director. It is a ministry for expecting parents. We provide support, encouragement, and prayer during the "waiting period". Once the baby arrives we welcome them with open arms and show the new parents around the preschool department. It is a wonderful ministry that I am blessed to be a part of. It has turned out to be a big undertaking. I am but one very young, person and there are hundreds of women in our church. Finding out who is expecting and who isn't seems to be a big task. Pray for me to have wisdom and creativity in my new venture!

Well, I think that about sums up 2009. Stay tuned for my NEW YEAR's Post. Have a wonderful and Happy New Year! God Bless!

Our first ER trip...

2009-10-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

I am sure that you all thought I had forgotten about my blog. Truth be told, I did! Ha! I have been so wrapped up in my new hobby, sewing, and my old hobby, reading. I have not found the time to blog. But I am here now! And do I have a story to tell!

So you all know that my darling little Angels are also known to be quite the little dare devils. Always jumping off the furniture, climbing on top of dressers, running into walls (on purpose!), and oh so much more wonderfully daring things. It is a miracle to me that we have made it this far without a trip to the emergency room. But, that changed Saturday when Cayden busted his head open.

So, of all the daring things my kids are known to do, what happened that made him finally warrant a trip to the ER? Well, surprisingly enough, it was a complete accident. He was getting down out of the glider/rocker and when his feet hit the ground he was a little unsteady so he fell to his knees and his head went forward slamming quite hard on the bottom corner of the dresser. It just popped his little forehead right open. Nothing too big but deep. Deep enough to receive 4 stitches! He handled it quite well. Of course he was numb when they did the stitches. They had strapped him in a harness of sorts that of course kept him from moving. So that did make him scream for daddy the whole time. While Mommy watched from behind holding my breath and tensing up so much that I nearly threw up and passed out. I sat down in a chair in the corner of the room and when the Dr heard me trying to catch my breath she told me to leave the room! Ha! No way! I was fine though. I survived and so did Boogs. He was back to his old happy self moments after they unstrapped him and handed him to Daddy. I had the worst tension headache Saturday night. But I was overall impressed with how we all handled the first ER visit. Hope to not go back for a LONG time though!

Things are going well here at the Keenum house. We are all still very much in love with each other! Everyday is such a blessing! Counting down to the birthdays coming up. Cayden will be 2 on November 13th! And Kaylee will be 3 on December 18th! It is so surreal. But we are loving every minute of it!

I hope to update this blog more often. I will at least try. :)

Love you all! God bless!

ATTENTION!!

2009-08-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

Just to let EVERYONE know... I am extremely proud of my husband! I have so much respect for that man I want to scream it to the world!!! I mean seriously if I could write him a reference letter, every one would want to hire him! He freakin' rocks my socks!! :)

As most of you know Matt has worked NON-STOP this weekend. Getting all of about 6 hours of sleep in three days. The kids and myself have missed him TERRIBLY. And wished that he was home with us instead of at work. Let those feelings not be confused with lack of appreciation for the hard work Matt is putting in to provide for his family. Really lets stop and think about this for a second...

We have Matt (love of my life, bestfriend, world's best daddy) whom we love spending every moment of everday with, working non stop to make sure that we are provided for and happy. Oh if its even possible...he just makes me love him more!! So, when you love someone that much, why would you not miss them like crazy when they are gone?!?

I know this post may be a little random to most folks, but I just had to make sure that my complaining about Matt being gone was not misunderstood by anyone. It would break my heart if anyone thought that I didn't respect/appreciate/love Matt. I can gaurantee you that NO ONE loves him more than I do!!! (Except God). He's my Angel, my star, my rock!

Ok, I could go on and on about this man, but he told me to stop. lol. Going to go to bed now. ;)

Thanks for reading!

Grammar check???

2009-08-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

Lol. My last post was filled with errors. While Spell Check has the best intentions of correcting your spelling errors, it can not read your mind. Ergo, make sure you very carefully check spell checks corrections before signing off on them. Ha! Monogamy is not something we struggle with in this house. But Monotony is! Lol. That is too funny. And I am not fond of the color yellow (not found). There were more but oh well.

Also, anyway think that Kaylee looks like she is glaring at me in the picture above?? I think I must have said something to her or something. LOL. She is so funny!

Just another day in...paradise?

2009-08-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

Just checking in to give a couple updates. Has for the 'big announcement' you were to receive last week... My darling, bestie, Nicole is expecting baby number two!!! A true answer to prayer! We are so excited! However, against my firm dislike, she has decided not to find out what she is having. lol. I admire her for doing that. I would never be able to hold out that long. As for the person throwing the baby shower, I personally would LOVE to know whether to use pink or blue. I have never been that found of yellow. :) Hehe! I love you Cole!

Matt has gotten the job at Taco Bell. Though he seems very excited about working there, I ask for many prayers. I am already seeing some serious signs of fatigue. He is such a wonderful provider for this family and would go to the ends of the earth if he needed to. I love him for that. Just pray that the Lord gives him the energy, strength, and occasional day off that he needs.

And while your praying...pray for the children and myself as we are left at home with out our wonderful, fun, loving, doting, father and hubby. Kaylee and Cayden get so cranky and fussy when they are trapped at home all the time with nothing but the same old toys and boring old mommy. They love spending time with their daddy so much (as do I). it breaks up the monogamy of the day. He is such a wonderful light in our lives.

Cayden is amazing me everyday. I am really starting to see him grow, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is great that I am finally opening my eyes to see that he is not a "baby" anymore, but bittersweet. As I am proud of his new accomplishments and his mouth full of teeth (finally), I know that my baby days are over. :( Praise the Lord for bringing us Hudson! What a blessing to have him to ease my baby blues. Ha! He is so precious too! As is his Mommy and Daddy who happen to be the best employers/neighbors ever!

Kaylee is doing well. She is unfortunately going into the terrible threes which I just found out are worse than the terrible two's with a little girl. Ugh! Her tantrums are now more "grown up". Meaning, that she has learned the art of backtalk. Pray for her (and the rest of us!) as she learns to handle her emotions and express her feelings in a more positive way. I pray that she learns better than her mommy did. lol. On an EXTREMELY positive note, my little 'Miss independent' has started being more cuddly, loving lately. Oh how I have missed her sweet kisses. Its funny though to have her yell at you one minute and then lay her head on your shoulder the next and say, "I love you so much Mom!" :)

As for the crazy one in this family...I am doing alright. I have kind of slowed down with the business which makes me a little nervous to hand over the money for the business licence. But I know that God has plans for me. It is exciting and nerve-wrecking. I truly hope to gather the money and the courage to get the licence next week.

I hope that everyone is doing well. Keep in touch and invite me and the kids over to dinner during the week. lol. Until next time......

Hello, Hello

2009-07-16T06:56:00.001-07:00

Quick update for ya:

Matt is currently looking for a new job opportunity. We love Ross Bridge, but the pay checks have not been sufficient enough for us. Even the money from Pizza Hut has dropped. So, he is thinking of changin from Pizza Hut to the new Taco Bell when it opens for his second job. Just keep him in your prayers that God will present him with the right job financially and emotionally. I want him to love going to work.

I am in the process of getting my business liscense for Kaylee's Boutique. Pray that it goes well and that I don't forget anything that I will need later. Things are great with the Boutique so far. I am learning to sew boy clothes and have had a few people already order some dresses and bows from me. Its been fun! Tonya, my friend, has her own Children's clothing business called Sew Adorable. She has been such a HUGE help in getting me started and spreading the word for me. I made my hair bows to match her fall line. You can check out a 3 column article on Kaylee's Boutique in Wedensday's (7/15/09) Shelby Reporter. My friend from middle school wrote the article to kind of get things up and running. So, awesome!

Kaylee and Cayden are doing well. Changing everyday. Cayden is really starting to grow up. I have babied him a lot because, well, he's my baby. However, he is really starting to be a little more independant and loves playing with his sister. He is climbing on the furniture now. As yesterday afternoon he can get in and out of his bed by himself!! He is talking A LOT! Some things we can understand. Some things we can't, but he loves to talk. Kaylee is still Kaylee. Nothing new to report on her really. She is still the funniest thing ever. I really really need a video camera. I could make a lot of money off of her. She just cracks me up with her little sayings and her faces that she makes. She is 2 going on 21. Hilarious!

Well, that is about it for now. Stay tuned for a big announcement coming sometime next week............

Getting Distracted! :)

2009-07-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, So I have been a little pre occupied with Kaylee's Boutique and my new found addiction to facebook. I am afraid that I have neglacted my blogs. :( Sorry.

Things are going great here, as usual. Father's day was wonderful. Mattie wanted to spend the day playing games with his family. So, we did that. He got some fun stuff from his babies including a tshirt that says World's Greatest Dad. He loved it.

Kaylee's Boutique is really coming along. I haven't sold anything yet, but I have bartered. :) I made 15 hairbows for a friend of mine to match her fall line. She sews children's clothes. She invited me to her trunk show on the 12th where I will be able to sell my bows!! Woohoo! I am excited! I soooo love having something to do. Matt loves me having something to do too. :)

Kaylee Anne is still in her terrible two's but is learning some new tricks. She knows how to back talk now and roll her eyes. She "fake" cries to get attention. OMG! Its unbelievable to see my sweet innocent baby learning these things. One of the many "firsts" that are not all that exciting. However, she is still our baby girl. We love her to death. She is sooooo smart too. She knows her different birds and she told me that Cayden's passy is white. She loves counting. And my favorite is that she has learned to sing songs using lyrics instead of giburish.

Cayden is my little love bug. He still loves to cuddle and kiss. He has become a little more independant. His new phrase, "I do it!!!" He is "talking" a lot. He has these full on conversations that no one can understand but it is so fun to hear. He has gotten pretty much all his teeth in finally. He has not had any more diaper rashes since his switch to Lactose-free milk. We have also taken them from juice to home-made kool-aid with very little sugar in it. So, that has helped too.

Matt and I are still happy, happy, happy. We love spending every minute together and are having so much fun raising our babies. My "bad days" have been few and far between since starting my new medicine. Things have just been peachy keen. I love life and I especially love my life. :)

Well, that's all for now. I will try to fill you all in our fourth of July activities. Have a wonderful holiday!!!

OMG!! What a little Mimic!

2009-06-19T05:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so Matt and I were watching some magic show on monday. I guess I should say that Kaylee was watching it too. Anyway, they did this trick where the "helper" swallows a needle that was "in" her glass of wine. This particular show was on how the magic tricks were done. So, she really didnt swallow the needle. It just gives the illusion that she did. Anyhoo, he then gives her some thread which she plays with in her mouth for a few seconds. She then, pulls her shirt open a little bit to reveal part of her tummy. There "inside" her tummy you can see the needle. She pulls it out with the thread attached of course. It was a little disgusting but whatever.

So, a few seconds later Kaylee disappears into her room. She comes back and appears to be pulling something from her tummy. I laughed and ask if she was pulling a needle out of her tummy. She said yes. Then, I noticed that she had something in her mouth........it was a piece of thread!!! Idk, what she pulled the thread off of, but I do know she got that trick down. LOL.

Oh, do we have our work cut out for us with her. Whew! What a mess!

Parenthood

2009-06-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is one of those totally random blogs. As a stay at home mom, I have way to much time on my hands. I think too much about everything. Todays topic is Parenting. I thought I would share my thoughts. Some of you may agree, some of you may not, but they are just thoughts.

I think one of the best ways to learn how to be a parent is to remember what it is like to be a child. I want to share some of the things I want my children to learn that I may have learned by expierence or maybe I lacked as a child. My view on being the best parent I can be I guess.

One of the first things that came to mind due to some recent expeirences is that "Honor your Father and Mother in the Lord for this is Right." is a LIFELONG commandment. You may never fully understand everything your parents have done for you or gave up for you or how much they love you. You should always be respectful to them for it all.

Something Matt and I both learned only in different ways is that you must cherish every moment because it can be gone in an instant.

Life is short. Though it may not seem that way when you are waiting to turn 16 or waiting to graduate highschool or waiting to be 21. Believe me life goes by really fast. Its not just something old folks say, its true!!

Be independant, Don't rely on any person. Rely on God to provide ALL of your needs. People come and go. And people will disappoint you. I gaurantee it. But God will always be there.

And Cherish the people who are there for you and forgive them when they let you down. Always give people a second chance, even if you dont think they deserve it. Some of my best friends came from second chances.

Teach your children to clean house and dont do it for them. lol. I know this one is funny but if you dont teach them you will end up cleaning their house for them when they are all grown up and on their own. Right Mom? ;)

Don't say Shut Up! Listen to what people have to say. And if you must, just say, "Be quiet, please."

Children listen to EVERYTHING you tell them. If you joke with them about how they look, they will carry that with them the rest of their life. If you tell them they can't, they won't. If tell them they are beautiful and you tell them they can do anything, they will believe you. If you tell them you love them, they will feel loved.

Love your siblings! Really, you only get one family. God made each one of us different. We dont have to agree, we dont have to even like eachother. However, we must love eachother.

It does matter what your future in-laws think of you. You have to live with them the rest of your life. Make sure you like them. ;)

T.v. is not the devil, but the devil is on t.v.! So, be careful what you watch.

Don't fight in front of the kids.

Sometimes parents have to show tough love. When they tell you no or are not there for you, its not because they hate you. Its because they love you and they are trying to teach you something. Listen, learn, and then thank them.

Above all, I want to teach my children that God is number one, family is second, and everything else comes last.

I want them to know how much I love their daddy. I want them to look up to me. I want them to come to me with anything. I want to be a friend. But I want to be an authority figure. I want their respect. And I want their love.

I know this is totally random, but thanks for listening. :)

Kaylee Anne!!!!

2009-06-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

Kaylee got her ears pierced on Saturday! She looks adorable. I got her these earrings shaped like flowers that are pink. She says, "My ear pierced like Mommy's. See? I so beautiful!" She only cried a little bit. My bestie, Nicole, went with me and she video recorded the whole thing. However, I forgot to get it off her camera. Ha! So, I will get that posted sometime in the near future. Kaylee is growing up so fast. She amazes me everyday.

I know most of you heard about her art project in the living room, but for those of you who are not on Facebook, I will fill you in. She apparently had a crayon that was not put away last time she colored. She used this crayon while mommy was napping (and Daddy was playing computer games, aka "watching the kids") to color ALL over my living room walls and in her brother's room. We now have to paint the entire living room. The paint we have on our walls now is so cheap that the paint comes off if you try to clean it. We really needed to paint anyway. However, now we HAVE to and we dont have the money. Grr. The best part is when Nana asked her if she did it she said, "Woody did it. Woody colored on the wall." Woody is a stuffed doll! She has learned the art of lying! And so the fun begins.....

Anyway, life is crazy but life is wonderful. I love my babies so much. I wouldnt trade this time for anything.

Another great weekend!

2009-06-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

So, we decided to spend some quality family time together this weekend. It was great! We started Saturday morning bright and early at the Birmingham Zoo. It was a lot hotter than we expected. We ended up being there about 2 1/2 hours, but only saw about half the zoo. We kept stopping to cool down. We road the train, which is a rare treat. Then, an even rarer treat, we bought some icecream to share. It really helped us cool down enough to see some more animals. We ran into some friends we hadn't seend in a few weeks. It was nice seeing them there. I hope they got to see more animals than we did. :)

After the zoo, we took the kids home for naptime. They were exhausted!! They slept like 2hours before I finally woke them up so we could go to Nana's pool. Our first swim of the year went "swimmingly" Ha! Cayden is still not that big of a swimmer. He is more like his mommy. But KK LOVES the water! Trenton was there too. He is growing so much! I didnt get any pics of the pool fun. However, we went back to Nana's after the pool for some pizza and backyard fun. The kids played a little golf. Really, Trent already knows how to golf and swing a bat!! You go boy!

Sunday was spent going to church, eating lunch with Matt's family, and then haning out with our best friends, Mitch and Nicole. It was a really great weekend!

Georgia on my Mind!

2009-05-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, we got into Atlanta just in time for rush hour traffic. It was horrible, but after 1 1/2 hours on the interstate we finally made it the 20 miles to our exit. We stayed in Duluth, GA at the Atlanta Marriott, Gwinnett Place. It was wonderful. They gave us an amazing room on the 15th floor with an awesome view! We were both exhausted from the car ride, but were willing to go back out for some Steak and Shake Burgers. They were delicious! We walked around Gwinnett Center Mall for a few minutes then went back to the hotel, turned on the tv and then tried to get some sleep. I could not sleep at all. I may have gotten an hour tops.

Saturday morning, after calling my babies to check in, we got all dolled up and went to the Georgia Mall. It was huge! I quickly realized I had on the wrong shoes for this venture. Our first stop was Old Navy for their famous $1 flip flop sale! Matt had to stand in line while I shopped. The lines were sooooooooo long. But we got 5 pair of flip flops for $5! It was worth it. Then, we proceeded to walk the entire mall. Taking our time and enjoying each little shop we went in. It was awesome not having to stop for diaper changes, rush because the kids were screaming, or pick up cheerios of the store floor while the clerk looked on with a disapproving face. We spent three and a half hours at the mall. Woo! I was exhausted after that. We went back to the hotel vowing we were not going to go back out. We went swimming in the pool and after about 30-40 minutes of relaxing by the pool, I found my second wind (or so I thought). We went out in search of an accessories shop looking for a new purse for myself. They had some awesome purses at the mall for like $60-$195!! I needed something a little less exspense. We finally found a Ross Dress for Less after driving about 20 mintues. I got a great purse. However, by this point my second wind turned out to just be a slight breeze. Matt had to take me to the hotel while he went out to find food and bring it back to me. I got straight in the bed and did not get out of it the rest of the night. We just sat there eating junk food and watching The International for an outrageous $13.99 on pay-per-view. Hey, we are allowed to splurge every now and then right? I again did not sleep very well. I slept a little longer than friday night getting about 3-4 hours of sleep.

The next morning I woke up at the crack of dawn. I took my shower very quietly and then sat in the dark for as long as I could before finally waking Matt up at 7:50am. I was so ready to see my babies. We had a good drive home and made it back by 11am (Alabama time). And after having our babies home and safe in their beds, I finally got some sleep.

All in all, a great weekend!

18 month Check-up

2009-05-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

Cayden went for his 18 month check up. Everything went smoothly other than the hour drive to the doctors office (thanks to a train sitting on the tracks in Helena). He weighs 26lbs 13.5oz and is 33inches tall. He is in the 60% for weight! Which is amazing considering 6 months ago he and Kaylee both were in the 25%. He is definitly growing. Doctor said to cut back on the sugar and switch to lactose free milk. Hopefully, that will clear up his digestive problems which in turn will clear up his horrible diaper rashes. I just wish he would have told me to try switching milks 4 months ago when this all started.

Cayden also got a new bed. Our darling friends Mitch and Nicole gave us a twin bed. It is a little premature for him. I think he would be much happier in the crib. If it hadn't have broken, he would still be in there. He only fell out of the bed twice last night. lol. So, I guess it will take some getting used to.

Mattie and I are headed to Atlanta friday. We are celebrating our 3 year anniversary! (May 20 is our actual anniversary) We are super excited. We are going to go to the Mall of Georgia which I am stoked about. Also, we are going to go the Atlanta Zoo if its not raining, which Matt is stoked about. I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband and friend. He is my world. I love you Mattie!! :)

I got a coupon binder and am all organized like a pro. I will have the art of couponing down in no time. Its so much fun! Its like playing a game. Its me versus the grocery store. And I am gonna win!!

Well, that's all for now. Oh, Kaylee's doing great. Nothing new on her end. She still Kaylee. :)

Take care everyone, enjoy your Memorial day!

That's Awesome!!

2009-05-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo!!! Mattie won the Biggest Loser Competition! There were two catagories: Most amount of weight lost and Most percentage of weight lost. Matt won both of them!!! He has lost a grand total of 65 pounds which is 25% of his body weight! I am so proud! I took him to Top China Buffet for dinner thursday so he could eat all the chinese food he wanted. It was great.

On another positive note, I am learning the art of being frugal. I am L-O-V-I-N-G it!!! We went Grocery shopping today and we saved a good bit of money from coupons and careful planning. Believe it or not I still have a lot to learn about the art of coupons. However, I am still pretty stoked. Here's a summary of our trips:

Wal-mart:

2 packs of Oscar Mayer Weiners for $2.00

2lbs of Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh lunch meat for $5.00

Kraft Salad Dressing for FREE

and some other items we needed for a grand total of $24.34 with a savings of $6.50

Publix:

Deluxe Mac-n-Cheese for $.99

McCormack Grill Mates Seasoning for FREE

Eggo Waffles for $1.39

2 Tombstone pizzas for $4.79

Grand Total is $13.95 with a savings of $13.76!! Woohoo!!!!!

Cvs:

Huggies Jumbo pack of diapers $7.49!! Savings of $3.50!

Anyway, some of you may be thinking I am a little crazy. I thought that about people who were so excited about coupons before I realized how much money we could save. I am never turning back. If its not on sale its not going in our buggy. :)

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading! :)

2009-05-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

I took some pics of the kids today at Aldridge Gardens. I am so blessed. I love being a mommy. Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Way to Go Mattie!

2009-05-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

Matt has lost 61 pounds and counting!! Way to go, Mattie!! There is nine days left until the Final Weigh In of the Biggest Loser Competion. So far, Matt is in the lead. However, we don't know the specifics and there is still time for others to get some good numbers in. I will update you guys again when the competition is over.

Matt's awesome new body, has made mine look rather frumpy and chunky. Therefore, pray for me as I begin trying to change my eating habits. I do not want to have any addiction to food at all. I want food to be a healthy part of my life. I am excited at the possibilty of having freedom from food. However, very skeptical that I will be able to do this. We'll see.

Things with Hudson are Wonderful!! He is so precious! Bryant and Lauren are precious too. I have a great job!

Kaylee and Cayden are doing well. Not really anything new since the last post. They are having a night out tonight with Nana and Pop. They are really looking forward to that. I know they love all of their time with the grandparents. Matt and I love those times too. :)

Well, until next time!

2009-04-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

A New Blogger

2009-04-30T06:08:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I am so excited about our Keenum Family Blog. This is my first blog so I may need some time to get used to it. I just recently got the internet up and running again at our house. We had to take a brief break from cable/internet to buy diapers for our babies. :) Everyone in the Keenum house is suffering from allergies right now. :( Including my absolutly adorable neighbor, Hudson Bryant Naile, that I am now keeping from 6am-4pm monday-Friday. Got to love Spring.

Matt is still working at Ross Bridge. He is enjoying his job for the most part. He has an application in for a promotion right now. Hope to hear on that soon. He is also working at Pizza Hut three nights a week. He is not doing as well with that right now. Mainly becuase people just aren't tipping. I mean a lot of people dont tip at all anymore. And the ones that do aren't tipping much. (Oh well!) God has blessed us finacially thus far. He will continue to provide. :)

Mattie has lots over 50lbs!! I will have to ask him for an exact weight loss #, but I know he looks HOTT!! The Biggest Loser Competition at Ross Bridge ends May 15th. Everyone there thinks Matt has won it already. We pray that they are correct in their assumptions. That would mean some $$$$ for us!

Kaylee Anne is 2 and a half now. She is WILD! I love her to death. She is the sweetest, most precious, little girl. And She is also rude, loud, and VERY independant. She will NOT potty train. However, I know that she will not be in diapers forever. Really and truly, She is such a blessing. She is a wonderful big sister. I am amzed by how smart she is everyday. She continues to amaze us.

Cayden Matthew is going to be 18 months in May. He is growing so fast. He is sleeping in a toddler bed now. (aww!) He is mostly a happy child. He has a temper on him, but I would too if someone kept stealing all my toys. :) He is talking very well now and getting better everyday. My favorite new phrase he has learned, "Mommy, hold me!" I love my cuddle bug.

As I mentioned earlier I am now the proud nanny to my neighbor's little boy Hudson. He is almost 3 months old now. He a very sweet baby. I love caring for him.

Well, I guess that pretty much catches you up on what's going on with the Keenum Family. I look forward to getting this blog up and running. Talk to you soon! :)