St Patty's Party

St. Patrick's Day is extra special at our house because it is also Katelee's birthday! We celebrated with the little green fellow below, and other family members, by enjoying cake and ice cream and a dance party! Katelee got a little dance mat as a gift and it was a big hit! Katelee is such a cute little stinker! She loves to do everything herself (famous phrase: 'I dude it.') She loves chocolate syrup, with a touch of ice cream in the bowl, and especially loves to be without clothes on. She runs around the house yelling NAKED NAKED until we have to wrestle her down and force her to be clothed. Happy birthday little one!


Kate's special rainbow cake witha pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! What a lucky gal.
We have been busily preparing for our upcoming move. I try to pack a few boxes at a time, only to have them unpacked by my little helpers! We are looking forward to a new adventure, sad to leave our great friends and neighbors, of course. Grant, whose jobs around the house consist of making his bed, taking his dishes to the table, etc has decided that he is "sick and tired of doing everything around here." He informed me this morning that he would be moving out without me, to a place where there are no mommies. I don't think he'd last very long ;). Just a day ago, the little guy was scratching my back and said, "Mommy, when I scratch your back, all your worries go away." He is down for one of his bi-weekly naps now. I am hoping the back scratcher is the kid that wakes up and not the mommy-less wonder!

Wonderful World of Disney

I have returned to report that the happiest place on earth (aka Disneyland) lives up to its claim as such, even in monsoon like weather! We arrived in California for our Disney adventure last week and we were able to enjoy both sunny weather and torrential rains. Did we enjoy the wet climate? Actually, yes...the lines were few and the waiting only minutes, if that. We got to go on nearly everything...and truthfully, it is a toss up as to who got the most giddy of group. It may have been me, you will have to ask Dave on that one. Grant, obviously thrilled for just the plane ride, announced loudly in the cabin: "Pilot? PILOT, I am ready for blast off!!"

As you can see here, I got a little excited. Dave offered to take Katelee back to the hotel one day for a nap and Grant and I hit the Buzz Lightyear ride about 10 times. The other day, Grant wanted a nap and while the three of them returned to the room, I literally ran from attraction to attraction with a smile on my face. The last night the three of them were so worn out, they fell asleep in the ice cream shop and I told them I had just a couple more rides to hit before I was ready to go. It was a great trip!

We celebrated Grant's birthday at Goofy's Kitchen and here he is displaying his chocolate mickey figurine. He was going to town on that. We loved the character breakfasts and Katelee warmed up to the characters by the end of the trip, but at first a quick high five and then a cry was about all she could bring herself to do. Most of the time, she just gave all of us and the delightful Disney playmates, dirty looks...it is her specialty!Grant, on the other hand, dished out hug after hug. He would stretch his arms out 100 feet away and slowly approach his furry friends: More than half of our time, we were wearing our rain gear. We have always joked that Katelee reminds us of ET (just the way she walks back and forth and sideways waddles a bit), this little poncho confirmed that as she tried to walk around in it: Grant refused to wear his rain jacket, so we just covered him in the stroller...yes, he is inside. We stayed nice and dry except for my feet, which after 14 hours of rain walking were completely white and pruney...next time rain boots, I know.

We can't wait to go back...well I can't. Who knew I would be a maniac at the park, next time I may need some intervention!

Winter Wonderland

One more month of winter gone and it seems as though we haven't had enough good snow fun! Dave and I did go snowmobiling last Saturday for my birthday.

We had a blast and it was so beautiful. Dave demanded that I let him off when I drove (he claimed I was a crazy driver, that he had nothing to hold on to, and that he was going to fall off and severely injure himself.) Well, no person was injured; however, the vehicle that our friend borrowed to haul the snowmobiles up, did not return down the mountain unscathed! While we were loading them up on the trailer, the hitch popped off and shot through the rear window. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the Pathfinder had seen better days. It was a very cold and wet drive home!

We did get a small snowstorm this week and the kids and I did snow frolic a bit. Grant loves throwing the snow, Katelee does not love to recieve Grant's thrown snow; Grant loves making snow angels, Katelee just falls down in the powder. But, we all love the hot cocoa we enjoy later. Katelee, for days continues to cry, "MORE CHOCWATE" with big sighs and huge tears, like a true hormonal female! More snow adventures to come, we hope!

Good Times

Well, my camera was dysfunctional for awhile, the memory card was locked, or so it was telling me. So, now I am a bit behind posting some photos of the holidays. We had a nice holiday season...a great 2008, no big events or changes in our lives...lets see what 2009 brings us!

There's nothing like a child's fear...uh, I mean love of Santa!Christmas morning: 5 star quiche breakfast made by yours truly, new clothes, new toys, boxing and guitar hero.

Here is Dave, putting his heart and soul into boxing. I think he is trying to make up for the real flesh and blood boxing match that was cancelled...yes, I did have some influence on him with that decision. So, I think Paige didn't understand the fury behind the blows.

And, no better way to start the new year than a win at the Sugar Bowl! Wahoo!

Tis the season for colds and flus, and while I had my bout with it last week, while Dave was at the bowl game, Grant told me to lay down in bed and he came right by me, stroked my cheek and said, "It's okay mom, I will take care of you all of the days." How sweet-could I get that in writing?!

What (NOT) to Wear

So as we are ready to leave for church, I tell the kids to go downstairs so we can get in the car and head out. I, myself, had dressed Katelee and knew she was looking cute and ready...her ensemble looked like this:
Grant, however, had insisted he get dressed himself. This was no surprise, he does it nearly everyday. I just lay his clothes out. So, I was a bit shocked when he came out with this little ditty, as it was not what I had prepared:
I am afraid the poor child has some fashion issues, probably inherited from his mother!