A Visit with Santa

For the second year in a row, the boys got to visit Santa at a coffee shop/wine bar in Burnsville that my aunt owns.  I  really prefer it over waiting in line at the malls, and the boys enjoyed getting a little treat, drinking hot chocolate, and singing Christmas carols afterwards.

I was a little nervous about taking the boys to see Santa this year. They are both at ages where I thought that Santa would probably scare them a bit. Owen seemed excited to see Santa.  He was very insistent in wanting to bring him the entire ToysR'Us catalog so that he could show him the things he was asking for.  After much discussion, he settled for cutting out some of his favorites, and gluing them onto a letter for Santa.

As soon as we walked into the coffee shop, Owen made a bee line to Santa (luckily no kids were in line), and handed him his letter. He didn't even give me a chance to take off his coat, or get my camera ready.

Owen was more than happy to sit next to Santa, though Adam didn't really want anything to do with him. He wouldn't even look at Santa until Santa gave him a little candy cane.  Santa even tried to tickle Adam's feet,  normally a sure-fire way to get a smile, but still nothin'.  



I love Owen's face in this picture, as Santa is about to tickle his feet also.  Adam on the other hand looks to be planning his escape.

A Month in Pictures

It is time to come terms with the fact that I am not going to be able to catch up with my blogging for the month of November (and a good portion of October...oops!)  Anyway, I figured I would just wrap up the month of November with some pictures of the highlights for the month.

Playing in the leaves

Our little helper

Our big milestone for the month....we have a potty trained little boy!!

Go Pack Go!!!  Rob will not let a game go by where the boys aren't wearing their jerseys :)

A walk in the park with Grandma and Grandpa Stevens

Janelle (my sister-in-law) and I finally got to break into this bottle of wine after a couple years of being pregnant..Cheers!

Owen with Grandma Kieffer on Thanksgiving

Grandma and Grandpa Kieffer with all the grandkids

We picked out the perfect tree this year...and it's still standing.

 

Decorating the Christmas tree





The boys are ready for Christmas!

Well there's a wrap up of November.  Hopefully December doesn't get away from quite as quickly (though it already is flying by).  One of my many New Year's Resolutions is going to be to keep up with my blogging and pictures...we'll see how that goes :) 

Halloween Meal

Since we have been back into our home, some of my coworkers have been preparing meals for us as we are settling back into our home.  I seriously work with the most generous and caring people.  I have to post some pictures of the dinner that my friend Christine made for the boys on Halloween.  She was soo creative and really got into the Halloween spirit!  The boys loved it!!

Hotdog mummies!  Owen called them "hotdog  mommies" most the night...he thought he was hilarious!

Carrot fingers

Banana ghosts (I think these were Adam's favorite)

Monster apple mouths



Owen really liked the scary monster mouths

Thanks to Christine for an AWESOME Halloween meal...she even made Rob and I stir fry that was delicious!  And a huge thank you to all my co workers who have helped in preparing meals for our family...we are sooo grateful!

And yes...we are back home!!! YEAH!!  We are still organizing, and I am a bit behind on posts, but hopefully I will catch up soon...

Happy Halloween

This year for Halloween, Owen wanted to be a hotdog (this kid seriously LOVES hotdogs!)  Anyway, I found a super cute hamburger costume for Adam at Old Navy, and  just couldn't pass it up.

Here are some pictures of our cute little Hotdog and Hamburger:

Getting ready for a night out on the town

Packed the boys up in the wagon

The first house of the evening

Candy from our neighbors - they got a bag full of goodies

I smiled everytime they would walk up to a house together...they were such a cute pair!

Adam was a pro at trick or treating, and quickly picked up on the routine

Owen did an awesome job of saying "trick or treat" at each house, AND saying "thank you" after he got candy

Finally home with lots of goodies...Happy Halloween!!!

Silver Linings

I feel like we have been living our last month and a half by silver linings...it has been a very popular saying in our household.   Examples are as follows:

1.  We have a pool in our new home
2.  We have a cleaning lady 
3.  Our bed is made everyday when we get home from work
4.  We get to do updates to our bathroom that we wouldn't have otherwise done
5.  I get to pick out new paint colors
6.  We are getting a new comforter
7.  I get to pick out new bathroom stuff
8.  There is hot coffee any time of the day or night
9.  We haven't had to cook (which I miss), but also means no dishes (which I don't miss)
10.  We  are going to declutter

11.  We found the valve to the water spicket in our backyard that we haven't been able to use since the house was bought (it was IN the ceiling of our basement...now they are going to put in a fake vent so we can access it)

12.  The closets got painted (not exciting, but it was on Rob's to do list)



And this list just continues.  On a brighter note, we are moving things back into our house next weekend!   It is hard to believe, but our hotel living will be coming to an end...and we are all ready for it.  Yesterday, on our way back  to the hotel from the house, Owen said excitedly "Mom, one more week and nap at home!"  If you can't tell, we have been talking about the count down to moving home and sleeping in his own bed. He also walks into every room that was just painted, touches it, and tells me "It nice mom.  I like it a lot".

I also got around to downloading some BEFORE pictures.  These pictures were taken in the process of moving everything, but all of the rooms had to be completely emptied of EVERYTHING.





Our bedroom





The boys'  bedroom





Our bathroom



Our bedroom/bathroom









Basement





Basement


Hopefully I will have some AFTER pictures ready to post soon.  I also have lots of entries to post of the boys swimming, in the hotel, and at the pumpkin patch.  We've had a busy fall!

Bumps in the Road

I apologize for my lack of posts and updates since Adam's brithday.  Our family was thrown into quite a whirlwind the last month...let me bring you all back to four weeks ago today.

It was the first Packer game, and Rob had gotten home before the kids and I.  As I pull into the garage, Rob opens the door while on the phone...he looks like he has seen a ghost.  All he said  was  "it's really bad"...not a statement you want to come home to at the end of the day.  I walk into the house, and hear a dripping sound.  Then I walk up the stairs  in my socks, and the carpet is drenched.  Apparently  our toilet had clogged at some point in the morning, overflowed, and ran all day while we were at work.  And unfortunatley it was our upstiars bathroom, which means it ran into our basement  bathroom, ceiling, and walls.  I never realized a toilet could do so much damage.  I don't think Rob or I truly understood the amount of damage until the restoration company came the next day.  As of Thursday night, I was going to take the next day off to work on cleaning the house and getting it ready for company, my parents were still going to stay at our house Friday night,  and we were still going to host Adam's 1st Birthday Party on Sunday.  By Friday late morning, we realized we weren't even go to have a house to sleep in for the foreseeable future, much less a house to host a birthday party at.  I do have pictures of the house before all of the work, but they will need to be posted on a different day.

The beginning was a little rough, with several hotel/location (six to be exact) changes, but we have been in he same hotel now for about three weeks.  It's a suite, so there is a seperate bedroom from the living room which is wonderful.  And the boys are loving the pool...they just think we are on vacation.

Lately, I've been slipping up a lot and will say something to Owen like "We are going to go home and eat."  Owen will always laugh and correct me "Mom, not home, go to hotel".   I told Rob, it will be a sad day when he doesn't correct  me, and considers the hotel his home.

The BIG 1

That's right....Adam Louis is one year old today!!  It is a little crazy to think back to a year ago today and think about what I was doing during each hour of the day, and how it still seems like yesterday.  At this time one year ago, I was comfortably in the hospital with an epidural, trying to get in one last little nap before Adam arrived.  I can hardly believe that my baby is one...he has grown up so fast.  We has a nice little evening at home with pizza, birthday cake, presents, and Skyping with grandparents.  On Sunday we will celebrate with family.

As always,  Adam continues to be on the go.  He walk EVERYWHERE, and this is most definitley his preferred method of moving around.  He's still slightly wobbly and takes a few tumbles...but that does not slow him down (hence the scrapes and bruises on his forehead in the pictures).

 Things that he loves at one year:  playing  in the sandbox, bathtime, pools, milk, any kind of ball, using a club  or bat to hit any  kind of ball, jumping in his crib with Owen (Owen calls it "party  time"), fruit, trying to use a spoon or fork, music,  dancing,  cell phones, playing outside, trying to walk up slides, brooms, shovels, sitting on the couch, balloons, and his blankie.

Things  he dislikes at one year:  diaper changes, getting  dressed, the weed wackers, baby gates, being left in a room with a baby gate up, staying in one spot,  being told no, sprinklers, and hats (winter is going to be rough).  

Happy 1st Birthday Adam Louis!!  You are such a blessing...we love you so very much!