A whole year later, and Joshua turns 1! We celebrated with dinner, cake and presents... and then a bath! Thanks Aunt Sharon, "Aunt" Shannon, and Steve for helping celebrate!!

Benjamin and Elliott were invited to next-door-neighbor, and fellow kindergartner, Jackson's 6th birthday party at Lexington Gymnastics. They had a huge foam pit to swing/jump/slide into and everyone got to play on all the gymnastics gear - parallel bars, uneven bars, balance beams, trampolines, etc. Lots of fun!

got to play on all the gymnastics gear - parallel bars, uneven bars, balance beams, trampolines, etc. Lots of fun!

Not many miscellaneous photos - most of the events warranted their own albums!

Mimi and Grandpa came into town for a quick visit, and we all went to Indianapolis for cousin Lindsey Ludwig's wedding to Matt. Saw lots of the Mount side and had a fun time!

GramE and PopE visited! We had fun for the week PopE was here, and the week and a half GramE was here, so sure. Can't wait for them to visit again!

Kristy took a couple days off and toured the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Distillery in Versailles with some of the family. Very picturesque, neat to see the process, decided PopE would make a good distillery tour guide when he retires.

distillery tour guide when he retires.

GramE really wanted to go to an orchard, so the first Sunday they were in town, we took a trip to Evans Orchard and picked lots of apples. Many of them turned into tasty applesauce, apple pie, and just good old crunchy apples!

just good old crunchy apples!

And now, fall begins, since August is over. We celebrate the beginning of school for Benjamin and Brian, a visit from Papa and Gigi (their own album), B & K's anniversary, and Joshua crawling!

What a change! We had all the trim, molding, chair rails, closet doors, windows, etc. painted from the aged-looking dark pine to the young-looking white/cream! It took the painters 4 days and they did a great job. We love it!

did a great job. We love it!

Kristy went with Brian to New York City for the 2009 American Accounting Association conference. What a city... it really never sleeps! Fun to visit, neat things to see and do, glad we don't live there - haha :)

there - haha :)

What a month! We had a visit from Mimi and Grandpa (in their own folder below), a fun week at VBS, got a new dishwasher and guest bedroom set, and ventured to our new home's parks and pools!

I pulled off a handful of non-deletes from my old cell phone. The oldest are from January 2009, the newest from the end of June. I'll put them in their respective miscellaneous albums later, but for now, they're in this album. And now a few from Brian's cell phone (he still has his).

now, they're in this album. And now a few from Brian's cell phone (he still has his).

Mimi and Grandpa, the first visitors to our new home in Lexington, stayed with us for a week. We got lots of projects accomplished (well, Grandpa did!) and the boys enjoyed the Louisville Zoo and the Lexington Explorium after VBS!

Lexington Explorium after VBS!

We had a memorable 4th of July in Lexington. Brian ran the Bluegrass 10K with friends and colleagues from UK, then we all walked the Stonewall neighborhood parade, including a simply decorated wagon :). Had dinner with cousins at Cheddars, and lunch at Kristy's Uncle John and Margarita's house on Sunday -- homemade tacos c/o Margarita (she's from Costa Rica!) Watched the (recorded) Macy's NYC Fireworks on Sunday b/c 1) Kristy had a migraine Saturday night and 2) It was raining when the local fireworks were being set off.

:). Had dinner with cousins at Cheddars, and lunch at Kristy's Uncle John and Margarita's house on Sunday -- homemade tacos c/o Margarita (she's from Costa Rica!) Watched the (recorded) Macy's NYC Fireworks on Sunday b/c 1) Kristy had a migraine Saturday night and 2) It was raining when the local fireworks were being set off.

We're exploring our new home... took a walk (1 mile both ways) to the new elementary school, played in the backyard, hired a new sitter (Sarah), and.... big stuff... bought a playset!

And so, we arrived at our new home! Lots of pictures of each room, from different angles, the back and front yards, the boys in the trees and all around the beginning of memories!

We started our departure from Austin with breakfast at IHOP, took a break in NW Arkansas with fun time at Chuck E Cheese, had dinner at Lambert's in Springfield, MO, and then drove all night to arrive in Lexington early Monday morning.

in Lexington early Monday morning.

We spent the first part of the month enjoying our last days in Austin. Texas-shaped waffles, dinner at the Texican, playing with the Morgans and the Dobsons, and Mass at St. Paul's celebrating the 2009 graduates!

2009 graduates!

Our time in Austin ended... 5 years gone by. Such a wonderful time indeed, which made it so sad to leave. Tried to get pictures of the house as it was being emptied and then when it was all gone. Anyways, here are the pictures.

Anyways, here are the pictures.

The boys stayed with Mimi and Grandpa while Kristy worked in the office for the last time in a couple months. Seems like they found the camera in the diaper bag and took some fun pics!

Lisa and Kevin Morgan hosted a good bye party for us and all our Austin (CS and Fredericksburg) friends. It was so great to hang out with everyone one last time... and so hard to say the goodbyes. But goodbye we said, and thank God for such great friends!

But goodbye we said, and thank God for such great friends!

We were lucky to attend Fr. Will Straten's ordination to the priesthood at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Cedar Park. What a cool Mass! Followed by a dinner organized by Alexis Dobson and Lisa Morgan at St. Theresa's Catholic Church filled with old Ag friends and good food. Congratulations Fr. Will!

Morgan at St. Theresa's Catholic Church filled with old Ag friends and good food. Congratulations Fr. Will!

Had to complete a few repairs as requested by the Garbacz buyer, so here are pictures to prove we did them. She didn't ask for sod (not really a repair), but we laid some down anyway to fill in the dead stuff.

dead stuff.

I guess since June is here, it's appropriate to upload May pictures :). Houston trip, end of school, playing with Karen, lots of Joshua... another busy month!

We visited the lake house one last time before we move. Had a fun time with GramE, PopE, Uncle Steven, and Julie... Mimi, Grandpa, Aunt Laura, Mr. Mike, Uncle Zack, Sarah... and the McLennans were there on Saturday for the day. K got a mean sunburn, but it was worth it :)

See Laura's pictures here . . . http://public.fotki.com/Laoorah/going-away-party-fo/

there on Saturday for the day. K got a mean sunburn, but it was worth it :)

See Laura's pictures here . . . http://public.fotki.com/Laoorah/going-away-party-fo/

We all enjoyed a great dinner at North by Northwest before heading to Common Interest for a fun evening filled with friends and karaoke! There were some stellar performances that night ;)

Casey's parents hosted a BBQ at their home celebrating his accomplishments in the PhD program. We enjoyed some tasty Rudy's BBQ and their lovely home and yard!

Benjamin and his class celebrated the end of the year with a lunchtime performance, followed by a picnic and water play. Then the next evening, they officially "graduated" from preschool with a program and "diplomas". :)

program and "diplomas". :)

Brandon, Helen and Stephen Posvar came in for the weekend and spent Mother's Day and Kristy's birthday with us!

Visits from GramE and PoppE, Gigi and Papa, Uncle Scott and Aunt Tricia... lots of pictures of Joshua being cute, a get together with the 6 girls that had 6 boys in 2008 (and get this -- total, those 6 girls have 12 kids -- ALL BOYS!), baked stuff, looked for bugs, and now we enter May!

6 girls have 12 kids -- ALL BOYS!), baked stuff, looked for bugs, and now we enter May!

This is the house we have a new contract on. If you were to compare to Forest Lake, it's completely different, aesthetically. It's 30 years old, and in a very established neighborhood. All the bedrooms are upstairs, master bath, boys bath (with two sinks too), and lots of hallway closets aside from bedroom closets; downstairs consists of a formal dining, formal living (office), family room, kitchen, breakfast room, half bath and utility room. It has original slate tile in the entry, but most of the carpet is updated. We plan to do some major renovating downstairs, lots of which will be in the kitchen. We're excited about all the possibilities this house offers and hope all goes smoothly. Our #2 (Palmetto) went to pending the night we planned to submit an offer on it, so that ultimately helped us decide to go for Longwood. See the pics for more details, if you are interested.

bedrooms are upstairs, master bath, boys bath (with two sinks too), and lots of hallway closets aside from bedroom closets; downstairs consists of a formal dining, formal living (office), family room, kitchen, breakfast room, half bath and utility room. It has original slate tile in the entry, but most of the carpet is updated. We plan to do some major renovating downstairs, lots of which will be in the kitchen. We're excited about all the possibilities this house offers and hope all goes smoothly. Our #2 (Palmetto) went to pending the night we planned to submit an offer on it, so that ultimately helped us decide to go for Longwood. See the pics for more details, if you are interested.

We enjoyed Easter baskets in Austin, then went to Fredericksburg for Mass, an egg hunt, and barbecue dinner with Scott, Tricia and the Itz's.

These are pictures of the first house in Lexington that we had a contract on. It fell through for various reasons, but it was a really nice house.

We compiled a list of 6-7 houses on our "Short List" after seeing 23 this weekend. We've ranked them to some degree, but really, the top 5 are all pretty close in "we'd be really happy in them" terms. Forest Lake and Longwood are in separate albums, these are the others. Palmetto was pending by the time we got in the Longwood contract.

They are organized by house name, but if you're interested, the rank order is generally:
1. Forest Lake
2. Palmetto Springs
3. Longwood
4. White Pine (agent shots only, forgot camera)
5. Pepperhill
6. Vermillion Peak Pass
7. Retrac
7. Lauderdale (Brian's # 7 really, explained in the description)

See the folder "Other Kentucky Houses' for those that didn't make the list. Unless we go through contracts on all 7 of these without success, then we'll return to the others :)

terms. Forest Lake and Longwood are in separate albums, these are the others. Palmetto was pending by the time we got in the Longwood contract.

They are organized by house name, but if you're interested, the rank order is generally:
1. Forest Lake
2. Palmetto Springs
3. Longwood
4. White Pine (agent shots only, forgot camera)
5. Pepperhill
6. Vermillion Peak Pass
7. Retrac
7. Lauderdale (Brian's # 7 really, explained in the description)

See the folder "Other Kentucky Houses' for those that didn't make the list. Unless we go through contracts on all 7 of these without success, then we'll return to the others :)

Here are pictures of most of the other houses that we saw on our trip. Camera battery died towards the end, Kristy memory slacked somewhere in the middle so they're not all here. But it's ok, the important ones got their picture taken (or downloaded from the MLS site). These were marked 'no' for one reason or another. We didn't really catalog them with detail, so if you *really* want to know why it was a 'no', just ask :).

important ones got their picture taken (or downloaded from the MLS site). These were marked 'no' for one reason or another. We didn't really catalog them with detail, so if you *really* want to know why it was a 'no', just ask :).

Well what happened... Brian wrapped up his interviews and we celebrated his new job at the University of Kentucky! The Brenners and Mr. Mike helped us with a lot of house projects getting it ready to sell. Joshua started rice cereal. And general Bratten goings on ensued...

sell. Joshua started rice cereal. And general Bratten goings on ensued...

We traveled to Bryan to see Darren, Crissy, (or, if you're Elliott, "MisterMister Hartl") and Ian. Ian's getting so big and certainly looks like his mom and dad! We all dodged highway traffic to take pictures in a field of bluebonnets (or, "bluebons" if you're Benjamin) and had a great time seeing everyone!

take pictures in a field of bluebonnets (or, "bluebons" if you're Benjamin) and had a great time seeing everyone!

We headed to Temple to celebrate Michael's 4th birthday and all his Spider Man wonderfulness.

Kristy and the boys traveled to Spring for her work trip, time with GramE and PoppE and dinner with Mimi and Grandpa!

February came and went... we missed Brian for half the month while he was on interviews.

GramE and PoppE visited while Brian was out of town on interviews. We spent Saturday in Fredericksburg. While there, Kristy realized she lost $40 out of her pocket. Sunday was spent prettying up the back yard, enjoying the cool air, and finding the lost $40 by the front porch!

the back yard, enjoying the cool air, and finding the lost $40 by the front porch!

We celebrated Elliott's 3rd birthday and Brian's 31st birthday, complete with balloons and cakes. Kristy experimented with a few new recipes and Brian's car was the victim of a hit and run while we were out one afternoon. And now a busy February begins!

were out one afternoon. And now a busy February begins!

Kristy and the boys traveled to Spring for the weekend prior to her work trip. Brian joined for a quick visit before heading back to Austin from a conference in New Orleans. We played with the dress up box, got haircuts, and went to the Auto Show. Always a fun time!

up box, got haircuts, and went to the Auto Show. Always a fun time!

Mimi and Grandpa visited and celebrated Elliott and Brian's January birthdays. Mimi brought some Cluster Coffee Cake - oh happy day :) And Elliott got a new Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt too!!

Papa, Gigi and Uncle Kent visited the weekend before Elliott's birthday. We had lunch at Juan In A Million, went to Goin' Bananas, had dinner at CraigO's Pizza and enjoyed spending time together!