They came...and they went!

I am hoping this is the last time I have to start my blog with excuses as to why it isn't up to date! Holidays, they are just busy I guess.

We attended Shawn's Holiday Party earlier this month. The first time we have attended since 2006...ever since then I have been pregnant or taking care of an infant during Christmas. We had such a great time! Here we are all dressed up for the festivities.

We got a rarely captured picture with our friends Josh and Katie, too!

It's become a tradition in our family to go see it "snow" during the holidays. Of course living in Arizona this doesn't mean what it means everywhere else. Cole loved it again and I am sure next year Sis will as well. She was too tired so she just relaxed in her stroller.

It was then time for Cole's Christmas Concert. We were so excited for this event! Mom, Sis, Grammy, Papa and Emily all packed up and headed to church to see his preschool performance. Unfortunately Dad had to work and wasn't able to join us. Turns out he didn't miss much! Got Cole all dressed up for performance and I think he lasted about 3 minutes on stage. He then started crying and wanding off the stage saying, "Mommy? Mommy?" Yep...I had that kid! I have pictures, but really aren't worth posting. Who wants to see forever how sad Cole was as his friends sang, "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus?"

Holiday baking is so much fun, especially with the kids. They always want to "help" which is just so messy and ridiculous but what the heck...I let them help. Sis got her new apron on (the 3 of us have matching ones. Mine says "Goodie Maker" and their's say "Goodie Taker") she was ready to help. I then looked over and she had Cole's bike helmet on. I guess she knows was a messy and dangerous job baking is. Safety First Sis!

Speaking of baking, Cole insisted that this year we make a Birthday Cake for Jesus (thank goodness for Lutheran Preschool!). Here is the finished product and what was our dessert on Christmas Eve. Totally decorated by Cole! :)

Here we are at church on Christmas Eve...what is with our red eyes? Clearly there is a function on my camera I am not understanding?

We left cookies for Santa, but the Guiness was Daddy's! Santa got milk (not pictured).

Christmas Eve was spent assembling Sis' kitchen from Santa. Here is the finished product, it is so cute! Woo Hoo...he came, even without the chimney!Too bad for Santa he left 1 gingersnap cookie behind. Lucky for Sis...she snacked on it all morning! I think she is inspecting one of brother's presents here.Santa brought so many wonderful things, but as it turns out everyone had their favorites. Cole's was by far his DJ Lance hat and glasses. He hasn't taken them off, once again wore them to school today.

Miss K loved her kitchen! In action...making something fab of course!

Here is Cole enjoying Daddy's favorite present. The Kinect for his Xbox! They played all day going river rafting, bowling, boxing. Mommy and Daddy even played into the wee hours of the morning one day. Shawn got so into it that he actually hit the ceiling fan with his hand while "spiking" the ball during a game of beach volleyball!

We had a great Christmas overall. The absence of my dad was felt all throughout the season. He loved Christmas. He loved the decorations, the cookie making, the chex mix, the traditions, his family and the entire thing. Hard to believe I won't spend another Christmas with him. We will carry on his traditions in our house and pass them onto the kids. Lefsa doesn't make the man, but the man loved lefsa...so we will eat it! Love you Dad!!

My name is Cole...I like to Dance!

Yo Gabba Gabba! I have no idea what it means...what it is really about...but it is the current obsession of Mr. Cole. He really goes all in when he loves something (remember the Elmo craze of 2008-2009?). The kids nanny got him turned onto Yo Gabba Gabba and now we all know and love DJ Lance, Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Todee and Plex. I think DJ Lance is stuck in a time warp and has remnants of a bad acid trip from a rave in the early 90's. Nothing else could explain his outfit, dancing and relationship with the Gabba Gang. All that aside, my Cole loves it, so I am on board too.

Saturday Cole and I went to go see them live in Downtown Phoenix. I about fell over when I saw the price of the tickets, but like any good mom I hit purchase on Ticketmaster and then hit the cash machine on the way to the show knowing I would get suckered into major promotional merchandise purchasing. I was right! The overpriced t-shirts, keychains, etc. all came home with us. PS...we like Brobee the best in our house.

They give out DJ Lance glasses when you arrive. The crazy guy handing them out said, "don't forget your 3-D glasses!" When Cole put them on I noticed they had no lenses. Interesting 3-D glasses. Regardless, Cole loves the glasses...he put them on immediately. Wore them the entire show, took a nap in them on the car ride home and when I dropped him off at preschool this morning, he was still wearing them. I am sure parents were thinking all kinds of things seeing my crazy kid wearing oversized black cardboard glasses to school. Awesome! Here is a close up of Cole in his glasses.

I was so excited to get lots of pictures at the show. I pulled out my camera ready to snap away only to discover the batteries in my camera were dead. Not awesome. Luckily this day and age everything has a camera on it. I pulled out Cole's iTouch and snapped a couple of pictures. Loved this one and had to share. Cole, in a Brobee t-shirt, wearing his DJ Lance glasses, posing with Plex (the magic robot).

At one point in the show the Gabba Gang enters the theater from the back and each character comes down an aisle. Luckily we had aisle seats and Todee herself walked right by us. Cole got to touch her and I swear it was like a celebrity sighting for a 3 year old! As my sister said, "he'll never wash that hand again."

It was expensive and loud and total, total fun. I am so happy we went and I will always remember the excitement on his face seeing his Gabba friends so close up. In the words of DJ Lance it was truly....AWESOME!

Nothing like being a month behind...

I cannot seem to get back to blogging! I have missed so many events...work with me!

We celebrated a very important birthday on November 3rd...Cole turned 3! Faithful blog readers can guess very quickly where he wanted to go for his big day. Yep, Red Robin. Again. I guess Clucks & Fries and the free sundae gets him every time.

This picture kills me...these stupid machines drive me crazy. You never win and really, who wants to win the scary stuffed animals inside anyways? Well, must have been Cole's lucky day...he actually got the claw to pick up 2 prizes in this one. I think the prizes were a sticker and a plastic ring. Awesome, great use of $2.

After the birthday dinner we came home and opened presents. Cole got so many fun things including these cool drums. He is obsessed with music and starting a band (he has asked Santa to bring him a Guitar). It comes from Yo Gabba Gabba and the episode where they start a band. Brobee is his absolute favorite and Brobee plays the drums. These drums can hook up to his iTouch (yes, I did say HIS iTouch...another birthday gift) and play his music through speakers on the drums and he can jam to the beat! Here is Cole riding his new scooter in the house. It has since been moved outside and is an outside toy only. Funny he rode it around inside the house more than he does outside.Birthday celebrating wrapped up and we started planning for Thanksgiving, which included a Thanksgiving Breakfast at Cole's Preschool. He only goes to Preschool Wed/Fri, but the breakfast was on a Tuesday. So...we all packed into the car, invited Grammy and Papa and arrived ready to feast on breakfast. We had visions of french toast, bacon and coffee. We walked into a platter of Krispy Kreme doughnuts cut into fourths and some apple juice. Sad! I tried several times to get a good picture of Cole and I at the breakfast. After 4 takes, this was the best we could do. Why??

Here are Cole and Grammy making Turkey's on Thanksgiving. Cute little craft with apples/marshmellows/toothpicks and candy corn.

Thought it was funny that in the middle of all the action Kenleigh had to dive right into the toy box. I guess it's easier than standing and trying to pull them out...just become one with toys Miss K!

This one is for my sister (the vegetarian). Somehow Kenleigh got a hold off the drumstick and the girl would not let it go. I kept trying to take it away and she would throw an absolute fit. She gnawed on that thing for a long time....savoring every last morsel. Gross!

I guess that brings us up to date! Last night we attended the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess resort. Our friends Rachel, Sean and Haley joined us. Cole and Haley have been buddies since they were less than a year old. I love watching them grow up together.

Sporting their Fireman hats after a tour on the Fire Truck!

So rarely captured pictures of just grown ups! One of me and Rachel and of me and Shawn!

To Infinity and Beyond...!

On October 30th we had our first of what we hope will be Cole's Annual Birthday/Halloween party. When we found out I was pregnant with Cole and he was due on October 25th we had visions of Halloween Birthday parties for him. When the little bugger took so long to come and arrived on November 3rd we weren't sure Halloween parties would work. Much to our happiness it was a great idea and will be our new tradition.

We had about 25 adults and kids, all in costume, come for the party. It's awesome to see Grandparents, parents, kids, single people in their 30's all dressed up. Some great costumes were seen. Miss Piggy was my personal favorite and I didn't get a picture of her. Sorry Vanessa!

Here are a few highlights from the party!

Buzz & Woody

Sister Virgina, Wonder Woman and Princess Jazmine Woody & Fairy Princess Emily (Kid's Nanny)
Father Al and Alea (dressed as a Huskers Fan, okay so not everyone dressed up!)

Woody & Cowgirl Sara enjoying birthday cupcakes!
The next evening we set out to go Trick or Treating. The kids got dressed up in their costumes (which now had a few stains on them) to head out. I was really excited to go with Cole this year as last year I missed the fun being home with our tiny newborn Kenleigh. It started out great and then we realized that as we left each house, a group of older kids in very scary masks were always walking up. By about the 4th house Cole was so scared of the kids and their masks that he asked to go home. We tried to get a few good pics of the kids before it all went to heck. Action shot of WonderWoman! Wondering if her super powers can break down the gate?

Howdy Pardner!

It was a great party, a great Halloween and makes us look forward to all of the fun we will have in future as the kids get older!

Fall in the Northwest

I always loved fall in the northwest. Beautiful leaves, cooler weather, boots and sweaters. My dad always loved it too. He passed away early in the morning on September 30, 2010 which turned out to be just a perfect fall day, one he would have loved to see.

When I rushed to Seattle on a moments notice late last month I never would have imagine I would end up spending 2 1/2 weeks there. Among the difficult times during the trip there were good ones too. I thought I would post a few pictures of the fun times.

We met up with Amy and her 2 kids to go to the Pumpkin Patch one day. Cole was in heaven! Grace is 9 years old and her and Cole hit it off instantly. They had so much fun on a big slide that they had at the patch.

I think the look on his face explains it all...heaven!

Just a couple BFF's trying to look happy during a sad time in life.

Speaking of BFF's, did I mention these 2 were?

Anyone else have a 3 year old that they can't get to smile "normal?"

Sis was excited to wear her boots, too!

He took a piece of my heart with him...

Charles W. "Bill" Fromhold

August 11, 1942 - September 30, 2010

12 month stats

I forgot to post Kenleigh's 12 month stats. This is really more for my memory than for anyone else...but if you are comparing, yes...she's a big girl!

Weight: 24lb 8.5oz -- 90th

Height: 30.5 inches -- 90th

Head: 17 3/4 inches -- 50th

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Tall, chunky and ... I won't say it! Love my girl!!

Has anyone seen my baby?

Still playing catch up here...so, Miss K is now 1! I look at this precious little girl and realize she is no longer a baby. I am baby-less! She is walking, talking (says Mama, Dada, Bye Bye, Uh Oh, Ball) and chug-a-lugs her milk like such a big girl. It's gone too fast!

Celebrations started on her big day, September 8th. We took her to the standard Blubaum birthday location...Red Robin! Obviously her brother got to pick her birthday place. Sis enjoyed an ice cream sundae in celebration of turning 1. Here she is wanting more sundae!We came home and opened presents, correction, Cole opened her presents. She enjoyed watching him open them and then played with the paper. She got a pink vacuum, a baby doll and stroller and a bunch of other fun, fun toys! Here she is looking down checking on her baby.

Oh, and trying to get mommy's carpet clean (it's a lost cause, Kenleigh!)!

That Saturday was her party...ladybug themed! We even dressed up the birthday girl in theme with her party. Here she is with Renee. The wings lasted about 40 minutes, I was impressed!

I have raved before about my girlfriend Rachel and the amazing job she does with cakes and cupcakes. She went above and beyond again this party with these cupcakes. Adorable and delicious! Thank you Rachel for sharing your talents with us!

Mommy and the birthday girl...who was apparently reaching for a balloon, or something better than me!

Kiss this!

We always start celebrating holidays too soon. Halloween is no different. The Halloween jammies have been brought out! I love Cole in these...they are just so Cole!

Happy College Football Season...Go Cougs! Wait, who dressed these children?