Mommy's Special Dates!

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of going on a special date with my two handsome sons, Krue & Kiefer.  We attended a Mother-Son dance and had so much fun! We danced, played games, and had good talks.

I loved this special time with them!  These two are turning into very nice and thoughtful young men.

Love you both, more than you know.

Kiefer's 5th Birthday

Kiefer is 5 years old!  I can hardly believe it. 

At the age of 5, Kiefer is extremely imaginative and funny.  He keeps us laughing and we are constantly amazed by his interesting and creative names and stories he comes up with.  Kiefer still has his imaginary friends, Jam and Boojoe.  He also talks about Jam and Boojoe's cousin, Max, and their dog, Patron.  Kiefer would play Mario Cart on the Wii for hours if we would let him.  He is really good at it and no one can beat him.  He will also play with his matchbox cars for hours.  He has them race and then will line them up (like a parade) in the order they finished.  Kiefer loves to tell us about each car and why he gave them the name that they have.  

Kiefer impresses us with his lock on names and faces.  He calls people by their names when he sees them... and remembers them forever.  What a cool gift he has!  Kiefer loves hearing stories about people and looking at pictures of people and talking to people.  It would be safe to say that he is a "people person".  His teachers and friends love him.  One of the teachers at his preschool said to me, "What are we going to do without Kiefer here next year?"  So sweet :)  

On Kiefer's birthday we celebrated with some presents in the morning.  Kiefer played in an upwards basketball game that day so the entire team sang him happy birthday.  We traveled down to Indy that evening for dinner and then a Monster Jam show.  It was fun!

In a couple of weeks we will be having a friend combined birthday party for Krue and Kiefer and also a family birthday party.  

It was a fun day!!

The Galloping Gobbler

On Thanksgiving day Lee ran in the Galloping Gobbler... a 4 mile race in Ft. Wayne.  Not only did he run the hilly race at a fast pace... but he ran it while pushing 100 lbs. of Krue and Kiefer in the buggy!  Yah, he's crazy.  The boys loved every minute of it!  They cheered him on the entire time.

Potty Training Already!

 Kai is 18 months old and very interested in going potty like a big girl!  I pulled out the little potty from the attic the other day... and she immediately wanted her diaper off to try it out.  She has gone potty two times now on the potty!  (I consider it on the potty... when actually she missed the hole and it ran down the front of the potty onto the floor.  Oh well... good attempt!)  Kai has her baby dolls go on the potty, too!  Do I see NO DIAPERS in my future???  Oh ya!

 

So proud of herself!

Fun in the Snow!

Kai, watching Daddy and Krue shovel the sidewalk and driveway.  She was yelling, "Hi My Daddy!  Hi Krue!"

Krue loves helping Lee shovel this year!  He does a great job and is a hard worker.

All three kids having fun in the snow.

Graham joined in on the fun.  They had a great time and then were invited over to the Blythe's for hot chocolate!

New Years 2011 ~ Michigan

For New Years Lee and I traveled to Arcadia, Michigan.  Dan and Abby and all of the DeLaGarzas were there too.  We rented a nice, peaceful lake house for some fun and relaxation for 3 days.

Our view out the back windows.  A pier, surrounded by woods, that leads to the lake.

Dan and Lee with their boots on.... back from a walk on the pier to the lake.

Abby brought lots of games.  We had fun playing all of them!

Dan and Abby on New Years Eve.

Pretty Kora and Kayley.

Lee and I on New Years Eve.

The Girls... Abby, Kayley, Me, and Nicole

My Ice Picks so I wouldn't fall in the ice.

Cute picture of Dan and Abby.

Team Nagel

Team DeLaGarza

Playing with Kora.

Lee, Dan, and Nick Snowboarding at Crystal Mountain.

Nick's Badger Hat.

The Wimps who stayed in the lodge, sipping our warm drinks, and watching the brave ones outside.

Debbie, Andy, and Mark... and a good view of the slopes.

Playdate With the Linderwells

The other week my very best friend from middle school, high school, and college, Schlaura,  came over for a visit with her adorable kids Annika, Griffin, and Graham.  I still talk to Schlaura on the phone often... but we only get a chance to see each other once or twice a year!  This was a special treat for her to visit!  

Schlaura and I's kids are staggered in age... Krue 6, Annika 5, Griffin 4, Graham 21 months, and Kai 18 months.  Now Schlaura is pregnant with her fourth!  We have quick a crew when all of the kids get together.  But they play very well and get along great!  Schlaura and I had such fun catching up, watching silly old home videos (we made a ton when we were growing up), and just enjoying watching our kids play.  I told Lee... you know it is a good friend when you can just sit in silence for awhile... watching what is going on around us... without it feeling uncomfortable.  

We are going to have them back soon!

All the kids!

Krue and Annika had a ball jumping from bed to bed.

Super Krue!

Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  The kids are at really fun ages!  The boys are starting to understand the true meaning of Christmas ~ Jesus.  We talked a lot about Christmas as a celebration of Jesus's birth.   It is His birthday!  The boys made lots of birthday cards for Jesus and Krue even wanted to bake Him a cake :)

Lee and I had the wonderful opportunity to adopt a Christmas family and buy gifts for then off of their wish list.  We adopted a single mother with three kids about our kids ages.  Lee and I took the boys shopping and they even pitched in money of their own to help out.  We delivered the presents as a family on Christmas Eve.  It was such an awesome feeling to be able to help out another family.  Krue and Kiefer got to see first hand how this family didn't have any presents, lived in a very small house, and had kids their same age.  They loved bringing in all of the presents and setting then under their tree.  Kai loved seeing their little baby, Bella :)

Here are some pictures from our Christmas this year...

My Sweeties on Christmas Eve.

Naughty

Nice

Christmas Morning ~ Presents under the tree from Santa!

Just woke up... getting ready to see what Santa brought!

Kiefer got a Pillow Pet he had been asking for.

Kai got a baby doll with cradle and high chair.  She loved them!

Krue was most excited about his new Pocket Rocket!  Mommy was excited about the helmet!

Kai had so much fun this Christmas.  Everything was so exciting for her!

Lee was enjoying the morning with the kids.

Kiefer on his new Go Cart!  He is very good at spinning out.

Krue testing out his Pocket Rocket.  "Mom, I feel like I am flying!"

Update on Kai

Kai has been growing and changing like crazy this year... as all 1 year olds do!  She has reached many new milestones and continues to do so.  Kai's personality is playful, spirited, nurturing, and outgoing.  She is still a "Mommy's Girl" (sometimes a "Daddy's Girl") and is happiest when I am holding her so she can be involved with everything I am doing.  Kai loves babies and baby dolls and we see such a caring and nurturing side of her coming out.  She will rock the baby dolls, cover them up with blankets, dress them, feed them, kiss them, hug them, tuck them into bed... it is precious.  Kai also loves to help me around the house.  She will help me vacuum, put away dishes, run the dishwasher, help me move clothes from the washer to the dryer, take things to the boys, bring me her diaper & wipes... she is a big helper.  Her favorite toy right now (besides baby dolls) is her kitchen.  She will pretend like she is making soup, stir it, put the lid on, shake salt & pepper in, then serve it to me.  Kai is also a muti-tasker... she will pick up her pretend phone, hold it with her shoulder and ear, and continue to cook at the pretend stove!  (Wonder where she learned that??)  Kai will entertain herself by sorting and organizing.  She loves playing with a stack of cups... she will unstack the cups and then stack then back up forever.  Kai also enjoys "nesting" objects, such as plastic eggs ... taking them apart and them putting then back together.  

Kai has a wonderful relationship with her brothers.  Every morning she will wake up, I will carry her down the stairs, and she will see her brothers and shout, "Hi Boys!"  Krue loves to carry her around and protect her.  He always makes sure she is happy and safe.  He also loves to make her laugh!  Kiefer is more of a playmate for Kai.  They share many of the same toys... and also fight over them.  They love to chase each other, sing together, hug each other, and pick on each other :)

We just can't get enough of our little "Kaiser Buns".  She adds so much joy and spunk to our family!

Sleeping on Daddy's shoulder (10 months old)

Playing in the family room (11 months old)

Eating pickles... she loves them (11 months old)

Enjoying the boat at the lake (11 months old)

First friend, Elle Armstrong (11 months old)

Kai's first birthday!

Fourth of July Baby and Walking (1 Year)

Feeding herself with a spoon (13 Months)

Pretty Ballerina (13 Months)

Yummy Summer Watermelon (13 Months)

Sweetie Girl (14 Months)

Corndog at the Fair (14 Months)

Piggy Tails (15 Months)

Kai was a flower for Halloween (15 Months)

Trying on Mom's goggles (16 Months)

Getting a sucker from Santa! (17 Months)