The Kempiak Laboratory

Professor Baylee opened up our Party of Five science laboratory for her mad scientist friends today for a round of ‘testing’ and ‘experimenting’. It was her belated birthday party and well worth the wait! We were oozing with fun!

Our first order of business, critical thinking style, was to have our mad scientists figure out how to get a hard boiled egg inside a glass bottle without harming it. Do you have any idea? Our laboratory of scientists do now, knowing what happens when molecules get heated up! Hint…just light a birthday candle that’s pieced into the egg and see what happens!

There are many names for it; Gak, Goo, and Slime, but no matter what you call it, our science party wouldn’t have been complete without making this rubbery, slimy, stringy putty sensation! With only a few ingredients and quite a bit of stirring action on each scientist’s part, we were quickly on our way to learning about the properties of polymers. (Don’t you just love the expressions on Professor Matthew and Professor Kristin’s faces?)

We were erupting with fun as the scientists made their own volcanoes and brought them outdoors for the lava to freely flow. We were all fired up and excited to explore one facet of earth science!



5-4-3-2-1…Blast Off! Each scientist made personal rockets out of film canisters and had a chance to launch them as well, using water and Alka Seltzer tablets.
Have you done the experiment with Mentos and diet soda before? We did! Who would have ever guessed that dropping those chewy mints into a bottle of diet soda would produce such a gigantic reaction, a 20 foot geyser! With red, white, and blue sodas (colored with food coloring) we set the three of them off simultaneously for a ‘homemade’ firework show that the kids greatly cheered about.

Our drink of the day was my version of those yummy Sonic Cherry Limeade. To make it “science like” we filled it with dry ice so it would “smoke”. What a hit!
{Note to self…if I ever need to get the kids to eat or drink anything ever again…dry ice may be the key ingredient!}
Our experiments weren't the only things erupting with fun! We served an explosive, steamy chocolaty cake with hot cherry lava pouring out. Poor Baylee, when it was time for her to blow out the sparkler candles, she was a bit frightened and backed up quite a bit. Boy did that girl have to show off her lungs and ability to blow a lot of air from far away!

This party could have lasted days. In fact as the laboratory closed for the day, Professor Baylee pleaded, “Can I have another science party next year?” To me, why not…there are so many other experiments just waiting up my lab coat to pull out!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

What's in the Box?

Often times when trying to duplicate one of those heartfelt scenes from a Hollywood movie, the end result is far less climatic than desired or anticipated. This time, the result exceeded our wildest dreams and prayers. Today is Owen’s 4th birthday. And now that almost 4 years have passed since our dog Tynan died, we were all ready for a new one. Jon and I knew that Owen, our total animal lover, especially dogs, would go absolutely crazy if we bought him a furry four legged friend. It was a perfect excuse to get him (or should I say, the family) a puppy. We could hardly bare the days leading up to today, knowing what was about to happen. Some how we kept it together and the unveiling of his precious present gave many of us tears.

We waited to give Owen his present until the end of the school/work day. That way we all could be home to enjoy the moments as well as invite family to be a part of this night. Prior to Owen opening the box we asked him what he thought it was. He was clueless. We brainstormed some things at the final one mentioned was a stuffed animal. When he opened the box, Owen was speechless. His Kool-Aid grin said it all! Then he uttered, "it’s a real puppy!" Owen hugged that sweet jet black puppy forever and eventually decided to name her, ZOE! She’s a cutie, alright, weighing 2 pounds 3 ounces.

About 10 minutes passed when the next surprise hit! Jon quietly left the room and came back with, yet another puppy in his arms…this time for the rest of the family. It took awhile for it to be noticed but once they did…YOWZA! Brinkley, Zoe’s brother, shocked Baylee and Nathan completely and even more so, thrilled them more than I think they ever have been before! Brinkley is more playful and adventurous than Zoe, but a little peanut! He’s only 1 pound 15 ounces. Nathan thinks he’s “Awesome” because it looks as if Brinkley has black glasses around his eyes, like Nathan does.

Both tiny puppies are from the same litter. Their mom Maggie is a purebred Miniature Poodle and dad Jasper is a purebred Shih-Tzu. So our breed is considered a Shih-Poo.

Oh how our lives have changed from this day forward! ☺

(Video was taken, however I have no clue how to post it. Once I do…it will be here. Check back.)

Our Sleeping Beauty!

I just love watching my kiddos sleep, don’t you!?

This is my precious, lovable, and totally adorable Owen all tucked in for sleep with Cocoa our family mascot, the last time as a three year old. Tomorrow is his birthday. I simply can’t believe he’ll be four. Where has my baby gone? {sigh} It seems like yesterday when we had an unseasonably large rain storm when he finally entered this world ten days late, weighing 9 pounds and 21 inches long. Oh how blessed we felt for having another safe delivery and a totally healthy child, completing our Party of Five.

Bringing Owen home to his brother and sister will always be a highlight in my life. Both were (and still are) enamored by him. Who wouldn’t be?

In honor of my birthday boy, I’ve asked the family to tell me four things that makes Owen so very special. We could go on all day, but as tradition has it, we’ll stick to four…his very special number for now!

4 things we totally LOVE about Owen…

To Owen, Love Baylee ☺
1. I love how he plays with me.
2. I love reading with him. He listens so well.
3. I like his smile.
4. I love his drawings.

To Owen, Love Nathan ☺
1. He is helpful to me.
2. I love when he runs with me.
3. I love the way he looks up to me.
4. I love how he says funny things in cute ways. He makes us laugh a lot.

To Owen, Love Daddy ☺
1. I love his smile.
2. I love how excited he gets when he sees a family member come home.
3. I love how he prays.
4. I love his sense of humor.

To Owen, Love Mommy ☺
1. It’s your smile Owen that we all adore. It’s genuine and full of life. I can’t help but smile back.
2. I love how you enjoy one on one time with me, playing whatever. You enjoy me reading to you, playing Star Wars, cars, puzzles, walking, drawing, Playdough, etc.
3. I love how you communicate. I’ve never met a kid who can talk as much as you. Your vocabulary is so vast and what you talk about is important. I especially love how you use words like, “Actually”.
4. You are adventurous and easy going. You will play with anyone, make a friend with anyone, and go anywhere for the “thrill” of it. Even a trip to the mailbox is exciting for you. You help me discover what’s right in front of my face and appreciate the little things like the shape of the moon, yellow flowers, and everyday animals.

Baylee, Nathan, Jon, and I praise God for the life he gave in Owen and thank Him for loaning us to him. May we cherish each day and honor the Lord in the way we raise sweet Owen Jon Kempiak.

Engineer Owen

Do me a favor please? Just pretend that it’s April 2008 (not 2009) as you read this so you don’t think I’m a horrible mom.

April 24, 2008…Owen’s 3rd birthday. Owen loves trains and especially loves riding them at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale. That’s the exact spot he desperately wanted his 3rd birthday party with his buddies to be. I agreed. We set the date and BAM! Owen got sick, running a high temperature (2 years in a row for his party) so we had to CANCEL the festivities although the cake was made and everything ‘ready’. Ugh! Practically 6 months pass when we finally get around to the “reschedule” (although it’s almost time for his half b-day party at home)…this time, the party having to be cancelled AGAIN the day of…due to a HUGE rainstorm. Double Ugh! More time passes, we get busy and Jon’s work schedule continues to be less than desirable, so we just let it slide by almost wishing we can just let his 4 year old birthday party be a combined one (3 and 4 year old party). Well, Owen didn’t forget. One day he calmly says to me, “Mommy, can we pleeeeeease have my 3 year old birthday party now?” More conversation continues and the end result leaves me wanting to, once again, plan the party. It’s been almost 11 months since he turned three and as he pointed out, we had all the stuff, so off I call my friends and family and whalla, another date is set. No fevers, no rainstorms, nothing…so OWEN FINALLY GOT HIS BIRTHDAY PARTY. I think he wore his Kool-Aide grin all day! And I, feel much much much better that I followed through (finally) with my word!


(Owen, Cocoa, and Colton)
(Owen and Ross)
(Something real cool...our cousins Jennifer and Zephyr were able to come to the party from California. It was awesome being together!)

(Colton on the bottom, cousin Zephyr, Nathan, cousin Carlie, Sabrina, Ross Jr., Baylee, cousin Blake, and Owen)
(Cousin Zephyr, Ross Jr., Colton, and Owen)

Now I’m just a month from him turning 4. We told him his party had to be in May to at least make it seem like time has passed.

A Magical Time of Togetherness

As a recap…Baylee’s one “ask” to Santa this past CHRISTmas was a ticket to Disneyland (and she got ‘it’). And one BIG PERK of me taking the substitute position last Fall was to save money to go there as a family of five. Well, since Jon’s birthday was the 9th and because Disneyland graciously allows birthday people to get in for free on their special day in 2009, we thought we should take them up on their offer, using Baylee’s two day pass and the money we set aside. So basically, for day one we had to pay for 3 tickets only and then day two we paid for 4 tickets, and day three 5.



It seems so silly to me to sum up the trip as “Magical” but really…that’s what it was. We all are Disney lovers and I can cry just thinking about Owen’s reaction (and Baylee and Nathan too actually) to each site and character. (Okay, I am crying as I type this now!)

Thankfully we have two very special teachers for Baylee and Nathan who were so awesome to give us the ‘thumbs up’ to go the week before our Spring Break. It was great timing too, only 15 minute waits for the most part. Can we make this a family tradition???




We initially paid for a two day trip but as we were half way through day two, Jon called his boss for permission for another day off and then quickly headed to customer service to upgrade our tickets. As a submissive wife, I couldn’t disagree. (lol)
~Here are some favorite moments of our time away~
♥ Being together, holding hands, singing, and being carefree
♥ Owen meeting his very favorite character Goofy and asking him if he’s wearing pineapple underpants (from a movie he likes)
♥ Nathan being “tall enough” for Indiana Jones ride
♥ Owen on Dumbo (his favorite and first ride)
♥ Baylee on Splash Mountain (her favorite…that die hard)
♥ Nathan’s time on stage fighting Darth Vader!

♥ Owen grabbing Nathan's hand proudly and not letting go for over an hour after Nathan went up against Darth Vader. "You're my hero!" he was saying.
♥ Our niece Kristen joining us on day two’s afternoon
♥ Running into our friends the Robert’s and Castronova’s
♥ Picking out our family mascot…Cocoa the monkey!
♥ HSM3 parade
♥ Watching Owen during the Playhouse Disney show, thinking all the characters are alive and able to hear him
♥ Finding hidden Mickey’s
♥ Seeing the “new” Small World…pretty!
♥ Having total strangers wishing Jon happy birthday (because of the pin they give him to wear)
♥ Running into Michelle Kohout after her “Shift” around midnight in downtown Disney and not even knowing she works there.
♥ The flowers, trees, and landscaping of Disneyland (and happiness of all the workers and most the guests)!
♥ The fireworks…wow. I cry every time!

Oh how I’d love to have season passes to Disneyland. Maybe sometime. Hmmm, I wonder how many sub positions I’d need to take to cover that one!






(For those wanting more information on how to get a free ticket on your birthday at Disneyland, click on the link above when I say, "Free on your special day")