SNOW-TIME!! - January 16th, 2009

Okay, about a week after the nice warmer weather, here we are back to cold and snow!! We were heading out to run some errands but the kids wanted to play in the snow for a few minutes. So, I got them dressed in snow pants and coats and off they went. Since we live on a cul-de-sac the snow plows - plow a BIG pile of snow in front of our house!! That is heaven for a 4 1/2 and 2 year old. Both kids got to make snow angels, Ashlyn had a ball doing hers. Since we were on the way out the door, we didn't have much time. We couldn't find Jacob's other mitten, so he got to make 1-armed snowangel while his cold hand stayed in his pocket. He didn't seem to mind. I think their most fun was throwing cold snow at mommy!!

Swimming - January 10th, 2009

We went to the community center to swim at the NEW indoor swimming pool. It's a nice place to take the kids when the weather isn't the greatest. It has a nice little kiddie pool, lazy river and 2 water slides. We went with Shanna and her 2 kids and they all seemed to enjoy themselves. All 4 of them wen down the orange tube slide!! Yes, even the two little girls. It took a little bit to get Jacob to actually go down...okay, it took a lot of kicking and screaming, but a mom really knows what her kids will like - and this time was total proof of that! After the first time with the screaming, he LOVED it. He kept going down over and over...until the lifeguard told him he had to lay down. That he didn't want to do, so we went back to the kiddie pool.

Now, I don't have a picture of Ashlyn going down the slide, because she only did it once and I don't want to be turned into child services LOL. She actually wanted to go again and again, but she was just a little too little. My picture of her is coming down the slide on her back and head first - just picture it!! BUT...she LOVED it!! She is my little daredevil. Nothing will stop her. Watch out roller coasters, here she comes!

Playing Outside!

On Friday, January 9th the kids and I went outside to enjoy the nice weather. Gotta LOVE this midwest weather. I crave these days after all those freezing cold days just to get outside and not turn into an icicle. Ashlyn got to take out her new Dora the Explorer bike that she got for her birthday!! She really did good riding that around in front of the house. Jacob also liked taking his sister for a ride on his Power Wheel. I'm glad we bought the 2-seater!! Sorry for the long delay in-between posts...I will try to do better.

Karate - Yellow Belt Testing!!

Jacob's big night was Thursday! He got to show all his karate moves he's been working on for the last 4 months. He did a real good job with all his basic moves, his Japanese, and his Kata (which is a series of moves)!! We are all very proud of him. Most of the kids in his class were only testing for the white belt/black stripe - which is only having to know half of the Kata...BUT, our little Jacob (one of the youngest in the class) went all the way and tested for his yellow belt by showing he knows his ENTIRE Kata!! He did struggle with ONE part (his BIG turn), but other than that he nailed it!! Way to Go Jacob!! Next week, when they hand out the "new" belts, he should still get his Yellow belt. He will just show his teachers his Kata (including the BIG turn) one more time. He has been practicing really hard. And enjoys every part of it.

After the belt testing, they had a fun class. Jacob made us laugh during one part. They did a speed activity, where they would punch, push up, sit up, stand back up and kick. They did this several times in a row. When they finished, they asked everyone to turn around and fix/adjust their "Gi's" (the karate uniform)...Jacob turned around, pulled up his pant leg, and checked his KNEE'S!! What a little cutie!! Good Job, Jacob on all your hard work for your first belt testing!! I'm sure we'll have many more to follow!!

Birthday Party @ Monkey Bizness!!

Since the new year began, we've been pretty busy!! Ashlyn celebrated her 2nd birthday over the weekend. Her "Dora" party was at Monkey Bizness at the mall. She got to invite a few of her little friends and their families. All the kids had a blast!! There is large inflatable bouncy house, obstacle course, big jungle gym, and more!! We will be going back there again and again!!

Ashlyn's Baby Dedication & 2nd Birthday!!

On Sunday (her actual birthday), we did her baby dedication at our church. She did very well up on stage, and I think she enjoyed the entire church singing her happy birthday!! After church, we headed over to Chuck E Cheese with Matt, Heidi and kids - and met Grandma there too!! We are so partied out after this last weekend...good thing there's not another birthday until Jacob's in a couple months!!

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Ashlyn had her 2 year check up and everything there turned out ok. We also have been seeing an ENT because of her ears and nose!! We got tubes put in her ears about 6 months ago because of chronic ear infections since she was 3 1/2 months old. Since July, she has had 2 more ear infections and constant snot in her nose. After sinus/neck x-rays before Christmas showed "concrete" blockage in her sinuses, we have decided to do surgery on January 22nd to remove her adenoids and "clean out" her sinuses. This is just a quick and easy procedure, but she will have anaesthesia. Hopefully this will help her little nose and ears!!

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*Tonight is Jacob's Karate Belt Testing (for his Yellow Belt)~Stay Tuned!! :)

Happy New Year!! (a day late!!)

Happy New Year!! I love the holidays, but I really enjoy starting a new year. I like to think about what we have to do this next year, and reflect on all that we've done during the last year. It's a good time to set realistic goals and start working towards them. I've made a few for myself that will hopefully bring more organization to my life and less chaos!! Isn't that what everyone longs for??

We had a good time celebrating the upcoming new year with some friends. Jacob and Ashlyn got to play with their friends too - all night long!! They all got along pretty good considering there was 7 kids and it was VERY late before they went to bed!! It was a nice evening, and hopefully we'll be able to get together like that more often!!

There are a lot of happenings in the upcoming year!! Ashlyn will be 2 in a couple days, and Jacob will be 5 in a couple months!! YIKES - they are getting BIG!! Jacob will start full-time Kindergarden in the Fall, and Ashlyn will start Preschool (2 days a week). We've talked about taking the kids to Disney before Jacob goes to school, so that will be our BIG family trip this year (as long as the budget lets it happen!!). I am looking forward to this next year and all the big milestones for the kids and our family. I can't wait to share with you the adventures as they unfold!!