Merry Christmas!

Love,
Santa's little helpers!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The holiday celebrations just keep on coming for us!  I can't keep up with all the pictures!  This definitely is the most wonderful time of the year: the music, the food, the decorations, spending time with family and friends and seeing it all through Kade and Mason's eyes makes everything more exciting.  Children truly do make this blessed season so much more special.

Making chocolate dipped pretzels with Grandma and Grandpa C.  Kade and Grandpa were supposed to be in charge of the sprinkles but Grandpa lost Kade after about 2 minutes.  Kade was more interested in tasting the goods, making sure the rest of us were safe to eat it.

Grandma H with Violet and Kade, frosting cookies at our annual cookie baking extravaganza.  Kade was a bit more focused this time than he was with the sprinkles job.  Violet, however, spent more time frosting her tongue than she did frosting the cookies.  In case anyone is wondering, Kade is wearing an apron and nothing else.  Maybe he's trying out a look for a future "Men of the Holidays" calendar?

Erin and Kade showing off their matching aprons.

Kade did so well meeting the Big Guy this year!  He walked right up to him, told him what he wanted and even let Santa put his arm around him!  What happened to my shy guy??  He's getting so big!

We had breakfast with Santa with Michael and Taylor, our old neighbors.  Here's the 2 BF's looking "cool" in 3D glasses.

Unfortunately Mason missed out on most of the above festivities due to my strict nap schedule.  He did get in on some gift action though!

We had to celebrate Christmas with my family early because my parents went to Kansas City to welcome their newest grandchild into the world!

Noella Grace joined us on December 19th at 8:36 am coming in at a whopping 9 pounds 9 ounces!  And I thought my boys were big!  I can't wait to meet her in person!  Kade has already asked if he can "wrestle gently" with her.

The boys dropping off their gifts for the "Thanksgiving Tree" as Kade calls it.

The daycare Christmas party.  Can anyone spot Mason in this picture??

And finally, a cute picture of Mason.  I feel bad because he didn't make much of an appearance in this post.  Seems like anytime anything fun is happening, he's asleep!  Maybe it's because when he's awake nothing gets done besides cleaning up the disaster trail in his wake?  He's into everything these days!  No cupboard, drawer or clean house is safe.

It's the Holiday Season...

Ok, after a short tutorial from Erik, I think I'm finally getting a handle on the laptop.  We're back in business!!  

December 6th was the beginning of our Holiday Celebrations.  We started out with a day of playing at Owen, Ellie and Rylee's house.  All day we pumped the kids up for our annual trip to the lights at LaCrosse's Riverside Park and a visit with Santa (and used as a threat to not go when our little angels were acting more like devils).  Unfortunately we didn't get going quite soon enough and the line to see Santa was over an hour long.  Turns out none of the kids actually cared about talking to Santa, the boys just wanted to see the live reindeer and the girls just wanted the candy canes!  Whew, crisis averted.

Ellie and Kade in front of the reindeer.  They ended up just telling the reindeer what they wanted for Christmas in hopes that Dasher and the gang would pass that info on to Santa :-)

Mason's first trip to the lights!  He loved the people watching and listening to the choir singing Christmas songs.

Next year we're going to have to find a board that has 6 face holes to make room for Mason and Owen, Ellie and Rylee's baby sister or brother coming this summer!

Family picture time!

Goofballs in the sleigh

Kade and Ellie holding hands while walking through the lights.  It's a popular spot for marriage proposals…maybe in 20 years???


The next day Lady A, her parents and grandparents came to our house to celebrate Christmas with Kade.  We played and ate all day long…it was a perfect Sunday!

Here he is surrounded by all of his gifts from them.  It was a lot of work getting him to sit still long enough to take this picture.  It appeared as though Kado the Tornado touched down about 32 seconds after this was taken :-)

Mason got in on the action too!  Although, he had more fun tearing and eating the wrapping paper.

Big brother teaching little brother everything he knows about tearing into gifts.  Gotta help a brother out once in awhile!

Stud Man showing off his new slippers from his birth great grandparents.  Yes, I realize he's wearing shorts and a tank top.  Yes, I realize it's December.  The kid is warm blooded, add to it the fact that he never stops moving, which means proper winter attire makes for one sweaty 4 year old!

Mason "enjoying" his new toys.  When do babies finally stop putting everything into their mouth???  Soon I hope!!!

And this concludes Round 1 of Holiday Celebrations 2014.

Technology Sucks and Mason's 9 Month Stats

So, our iPad sucks.  It's an important piece of this blog because it's what I use to do my updates.  The app I use to write my posts will open for 2 seconds before overwhelming the ancient patio (as Kade calls it) and cause the old gal to give up on herself.  I've tried hitting it, I tried punching it, I've tried dropping it on the floor.  I know, all great measures to take when you want something to work FOR you. I have yet to throw it across the room but it has been suggested to me that I try that next.  I promise I don't try these tactics with anything, or anyone, else.  Just a stupid patio that randomly shuts down and can't handle opening one measly little app.

So, I'm on to Plan B: Erik's MacBook Air.  However, I can't seem to get a handle on this new fangled technology that doesn't require the use of an actual mouse.  And, I can't seem to figure out how to import pictures.  Which is a problem because I have TONS of pictures I want to post.  It was a big week last week!  The holiday season is upon us and we have been busy!!  When I ask Erik to help me with this foreign contraption he calls a "laptop" he looks at me like I have 2 heads.  Sometimes I need to remind Mr. Information Technology that I just learned what the word "reboot" means a couple months ago and that's only because I googled the meaning.  That's a true story.

So, hopefully my next post will have the goods I'd hoped to do this time.  In the mean time…

During Thanksgiving weekend, Kade and I got invited to go bowling!  We've wanted to take him bowling for awhile but just hadn't done it yet.  It was so fun!!  Kade loved it.  On the drive into town I explained to him what bowling was all about.  He was a little nervous at first and he wanted me to help him but after 2 times he told me I could go sit down.  There was 5 kids and 3 parents.  Since Kade and I were the last to show up, I got nominated to fill in the 6th spot on the scoreboard.  Although, all 3 parents took turns going, it is my name up on the screen.  I tell you this because when you see the picture of the final scores I want everyone to know it isn't just me that can take credit (or not) for our final score.

L to R:  Braeden(6), Colin (3), Owen (7), Kade (4), Ellie (5)

Ages of the kids are important to note as well when you see the next picture.  Also, important to note we did use bumpers.  And we bowled for an hour.  I know everyone is thinking "my" score should be off the charts, right?

Yeah, it's a little embarrassing.

Mason had his 9 month appt today!  There wasn't supposed to be any shots but he had to get his 2nd flu shot.  Bummer.  

This appt confirmed what we already knew:  The kid is huge.

Stats:

Height:  2 ft. 5.5 in.  (77%)

Weight:  25.4 lbs  (>97%--he's literally off the charts)

Head:  47 cm  (89%)

He's meeting all of the milestones and doing great!  He's started saying "Dada" and "Mama", not very often and you have to listen closely to hear it but he's saying them!  Actually, I've really only heard him say it when he's crying and wants us to hold him.  And, I'm more than happy to oblige :-)  I can't wait til his vocabulary really starts taking off!  

And because Mason and Kade have been so close in their growth charts, I have to add what Kade was at his 9 month.

Height:  2 ft 5 inches  (80%)

Weight:  22. 4 lbs  (80%)

Head:  48.5 cm  (>97%)

It should be noted that Kade had his 9 month check up when he was actually 9 months old.  Mason turned 10 months old 2 days ago.

The moment you all have been waiting for!

Well this is the moment you all have been waiting for.  Dad is doing a post and it's not even 2015 yet!  So hold on and buckle your seat belts people!

There has been a lot going on at our new home in the country as pointed out in previous posts.  Lots of outside jobs which Dad and Kade absolutely love.  Little to early to know for sure if Mason will share the same enthusiam for the outdoors, but if the past week is any indication I think he will.  He comes trucking on all four pretty quickly if we head towards the door with our jackets on.  Mom picks him up and he leans and reaches out to follow us…or maybe just Kade.  Mason doesn't let Kade out of his site for very long!

As combines and dual wheel tractors starting roaming over the fields this fall harvesting crops Kade's head was on a swivel as we drove down the roads.  Even mom points out dual wheel tractors, combines, and bobcats now as we travel down the road.  Way to go mom!!

Kade knows the names of several local farmers (Ed, Wayne, Dave, Bob, Jack to name a few) and it just so happens that Ed owns the land around us.  Ed is Grandpa and Grandma's neighbor so Ed is frequently sited out in his fields near their and now at our house as well.

Look what showed up in our driveway one day! No way.  A DUAL WHEEL TRACTOR!!

There must be a combine somewhere.  Sure enough there it was and even the combine had dual wheels Kade said!  Ed stopped to ask Kade if he wanted a ride in the combine, but unfortunately Kade was to shy to take Ed up on his offer.  Well, as luck would have it, Ed was still out in the field later that evening when Kade and I were outside probably just doing outside stuff in the dark.  Who knows what.  Ed stopped again and asked Kade if he wanted a ride.  So Kade and I hopped up into the combine and made several rounds with Ed.  "Can we just ride one more round dad, please, please, please"!!!  We even got a couple pieces of candy out of the deal.  Thanks Ed!  Next year we'll need to squish three of us on the buddy seat.

A few weeks later look what showed up in our yard! Is that an excevator in the background!  More fun machinery to watch in action!  I guess Kade thinks he's #1!!!  Kade and Mason both enjoyed watching the excavator, dump trucks, and skid loader (skid loader with tracks on it as Kade would say) prep a site for our new shed.

The result of a few hours of work. Yeah, it's nothing huge.  36X40.  Plenty big for our toys though.  I figure if I fill this up and a two car garage I have to much stuff anyway and should get rid of something!     In fact they are starting on the shed bright and early tomorrow morning so it won't be very long at all and we'll be able to start putting in our camper, four wheeler, snowmobile, trailers, lawn mower, a few tools, air compressor, the boys outside toys, maybe a basketball hoop, and other misc items.  Shoot.  I think I should have made it bigger!!

You gotta love Mason's reaction as he prepared for in his very first Thanksgiving meal. Or maybe it was just a "so big".  He had the works all blended up together and he loved it.  Topped it off with a couple bites of pumpkin pie and ice cream.  Is it nap time yet?

The three crazy kids that provided us all with tons of entertainment, laughter, and joy throughout the day.  Looks like Kade just got in from playing snow football with Uncle Jay.  The single digit temps didn't slow those two down!

Mason and Violet were all smiles watching Great Grandpa work magic with his cane!

A couple Thanksgiving 2014 family photos.

Mom was at work the day after Thanksgiving.  Mason helped me get lunch ready for us boys.

Kade and I made a run to town on Sunday afternoon.  Neither one of us like to go to town on the weekend, but we were due for haircuts.  We got haircuts, ate at Subway, Kade got new shoes, and we picked out a Christmas tree all in a 2 hour trip.  Here is Kade showing off his new haircut.  He is only 4, really.  This picture and his size 1 shoes may make you think otherwise though.

Time to decorate for Christmas!  Mason checking out the snowman making sure he isn't melting.

All soft decorations were put on the tree this year.  Next year Kade will take care of the upper half of the tree and mom the lower half.  The top third of the tree is missing decorations this year!

I can't wait to spend a whole bunch of time over the holidays with my amazing and loving family.

Wishing you all a very joyous and happy holiday season!  Happy holidays!