When Life Hands You...Eggs?

I haven't posted in a while because I didn't have pictures; which I thought translated into I didn't have anything to say/report. Turns out I don't have many pictures because the kids are so busy learning and growing, I can not keep up with them to document everything!

Drew is coming around and turning into a "talking" machine. Not that we understand a lot of what he says but at least it sounds more like words instead of yelling! Kelsey has always been our talker and lately has been spitting out a lot of 2-word phrases. In the past week, we also noticed that both kids know most of the sounds zoo animals make. Either I need to pay the sitter more or let them watch more Sprout tv :) The zoo will be extra fun this year!

Drew has also learned to "do" new things. He "walks the walk" while Kelsey "talks the talk". He opens the dishwasher, cabinets, car doors, puts keys in locks, has always been the climber. And recently became strong enough to open the fridge door. I received this text from my mom when she watched the kids Thursday:

Mom: When did Drew learn how to open the fridge door?
Me: Funny trick right? Not sure. He did it last night.
Mom: Well you are going to need more eggs!

Apparently she was in the living room with Kels and Drew was unusually quiet, which can only mean he's finding trouble. She heard him coming into the living room saying, "uh oh" and saw he had half an egg in his hand. He dumped about 5 eggs on the kitchen floor. Mom said she salvaged a couple and they had scrambled (no pun intended!) eggs for lunch. I guess when life hands you lemons...

It has been dreadfully cold this week which tested the kid's tolerance for hats and mittens. Once they were in the car they didn't last too long. There is also hardly any snow on the ground and I can't remember a birthday coming up this short with snow. It had been a past time of mine to go sledding on my birthday; this year would be a no-go unless we went to a ski hill where they "make" snow.

Yep, you guessed it - my wise, wonderful self is 29....again!

Sitting on the chair together. Of course, Kelsey is saying "Mine!" to the camera.

I told them to show me their feet....

...which meant to Kels - get these darn socks off!

Drew's been lovin' him some big, fat cat!

Trying to fit in the bottom of his Fisher Price "grill"

"Monkey see, Monkey do" (but Kelsey tried it head first!)

Busy Again

Firstly, I can't believe it is the middle of January and all of our snow is gone! What makes winter great is that the snow covers up all of the dormant, not pretty foliage. And I just feel that if it's going to be 18 degrees and blustery, there should be fluffy white snow to go with it

This weekend we went back up to my hometown. We celebrated a couple family birthdays, supported our cousin Nick at his wrestling tournament, and attended mass in memory of my dad. After our visit to the cemetery, we headed to a local bar that opens early for breakfast with the whole fam damily! Oh, did I forgot to mention it was our first time with the kids in church since baptism (other times we leave them at home with a sitter). I thought it would be early enough that I could bribe them with food and that would keep them quiet. Or that the singing and congregation praying would intrigued them into silent wonderment. Ha, no such luck. Drew was my biggest worry because I assumed he would want to run up and down the aisle. Craig took him out to the back of church twice - our church is too small and too old to have a "cry/children's" room. Kelsey kept pointing to the ceiling and asking, "what's that?". And she's recently become the loudest eater. EVER! Every bite of her fruit cracker was, "yum,yum,nom,nom,num,num." And both kids would turn around, look up to the balcony of choir singers and say, "hiiiiiiiiiiii. Hi. Hiiiiiiiiii." Good thing they are cute!!

Once we hit up the tavern there was plenty of other people that wanted to entertain the kids. They were "playing" the digital slot machines, climbing up the bar stools, and eventually, the holy grail, the pool table. Auntie Tara helped Kelsey put quarters in the machine after playing with only the cue ball got old. Then we had to fend for ourselves as they "threw" the balls down the table. Soon the aunties figured out that it would work better if the kids sat on the table. Kelsey loved it. Drew then befriended the bar tender and became possibly the youngest person behind Swede's bar. But the bartender loved it! She scooped him up and served a couple drinks, ate some popcorn, and started taking everyone's money off of the bar.

What a weekend! Hoping for a quiet week so we can gear up for another equally busy weekend:)

Here We Are - 2013

You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present. ~Jan Glidewell

A year seemed so *long* when I was younger, like really young. Now, the new year approaches and I think, "Crap, what did I even accomplish last year?" The past few years has been about keeping one foot moving in front of the other; with trying to conceive, then bedrest, then adjusting to life with twins. I'd like to stop worrying about what I didn't do and start living with no regrets. Who cares if I didn't "polish the silver" if I was able to spend extra hours laughing with my family. Or that the "top bookshelf wasn't dusted" because I wanted to see some friends that aren't always near. I have learned a lot last year - some things factual like what the heck IS a "probate" and subjective like, life being FULL of unknowns you shouldn't delay or put things off , if it's important to you, then it is important.
Wishing you all the best this new year has to offer. Show us what you got, 2013 - We.Are.Ready.

Getting stylish in mom's boots

This is what happens when toddlers want to play with a train track -
you have to get INSIDE the track!

Jax and Kelsey at the Lettenberger's last weekend for Christmas wrap up!

Wash up! Always cleaning her hands.

Don't let the past steal your present. ~Terri Guillemets

Dashing Through the Snow...One more Stop

Grandma Linda and Grandpa Irv's Christmas Day

Drew looking through all his loot from Derek and Cassandra

Uncle Derek helping Drew put his matchbox car track together

Table and Chairs from grandma and grandpa!

With their names painted on the chairs

Oh yes, a smart phone!

Talking books from Aunt Tara. Kelsey also got her first "baby" from Tara,
a cabbage patch doll. I'll have to get a picture of her with it!

Over The Fields We Go...To Another Christmas!

Stahl Christmas Eve

(Pardon the glare - his shoes are reflective! And they are not the shoes
he was supposed to wear but there are battles you just don't fight with toddlers!)

Showing my cousin Nick the play house!

Where'd he go?

All the snow up by my dad's.

Oh What Fun It Was

Bonin family - Manitowoc Christmas 2012!

Watching TV with cousin Braden

Kelsey interested in Ella's gift

Playing with one of the many new gifts from grandma and grandpa!

And It Begins

We are getting ready to head out and travel around the state to visit family for the holidays, starting tomorrow and ending Tuesday night. I'm making lots of lists and packing clothes, hoping I don't forget anything. We are excited for the kids to understand a little more about Christmas this year.

My sister was essentially snowed-in at our place the last 2 days. She lives an hour away and works in Milwaukee. Because of all the snow they were going to get/got at her place, it was safer for her to stay here and know she would get to work and not have to drive. We only have about an inch of snow; it was mostly rain. But that gave my sister and I some quality time drinking wine and hanging out, like old times.

Drew helping dad

They have recently started pulling the toys out of the toybox so
they can sit in it.

This is a "selfie" of Drew. He has figured out the buttons on the camera
and knows the red light means a picture will be taken. This was the best one!

 

Another pic of the family Christmas basement. My sister made the
banner and pretty snowflakes on the right.