Happy Birthday, Drew!!

I still can't believe my little boy is FIVE!  Time needs to slow down just a little!  He had a great birthday.  My parents, my brother and Andy's dad all made the trip to Peoria to help him celebrate and he was thrilled they were all here.  He was very excited for his Cars ice cream cake "just like JD's" as he told us over and over again!  It probably is no surprise he picked Mickie's for his birthday dinner.  He likes pizza, but he loves the games at that place.

January??

This post was meant for a few days ago, but things have been hectic around here and I just didn't get around to it.  I was going to post these pictures and remark about how the kids are having a great time playing outside on the Gator my brother bought them and that we are having great weather for January and how we haven't had any snow.

And now we are under 4+ inches of snow.

2012 Looks to be an Exciting Year

If New Year's Day is any indication of what 2012 has in store for us, I am not sure I am ready for it, but I guess I have no choice.  The day started off well enough.  The kids got up, ate breakfast, played with toys.  Just before lunch, Drew asked Andy if they could kick field goals and Andy said sure.  I kind of raised my eyebrow, but didn't say anything because I was sure Andy wouldn't actually let him kick a real football in the house.  Next thing I know, I hear a loud crash in the kitchen.  Drew kicked a ball from our living room into the kitchen and it landed on the counter and knocked a Christmas candy dish (a very unique one I might add) onto the floor breaking it into a million pieces.  Drew stopped in his tracks and looked at me.  Andy did too.  I looked at Andy and smiled and said something to the effect of, "I'm going to kill you."  Drew heard me say that and got really upset and he told me to apologize to Andy and that it is not a nice thing to say to someone.  Of course, he is right and that is not a nice thing to say, but he is 4 and didn't understand that I wasn't actually going to harm my husband (even though I may have wanted to).  Next thing I know, I am "apologizing" to a laughing Andy.  Andy then went to the kitchen and cleaned up the huge mess.  I haven't observed any field goal kicking since.


There is rarely a dull moment in our life with Kayley.  That child has been through a lot in her 3 1/2 years and in return she has put us to the test whenever she gets the chance.  Her preschool teachers told me at her conference that she could benefit from practicing her cutting skills at home because she isn't grasping the concept of cutting out shapes.  Santa brought her and Drew a pair of safety scissors.  They spent most of the weekend sitting at the kitchen table cutting up scrap paper.  She didn't want to cut out the shapes I had drawn at first and said she couldn't, but once I showed her how to do it, she caught on quickly.  Later in the afternoon the kids wanted to watch a cartoon, but we had a football game on so the kids went to our room to watch the cartoon.  They have done this a number of times.  Usually, they lay in our bed and watch the show.  Occasionally, we will hear Kayley running around our room in my heels, but that is the extent of anything they have done.  Until New Year's Day. 

I was in the kitchen getting dinner ready and Andy carried Kayley into the kitchen and stood by the table.  She was super quiet and he kind of had a smirk on his face.  I kind of glanced at them, but then went back to what I was doing.  Andy then asked Kayley to tell me what she did.  She didn't say anything, but she smiled.  I looked up quickly and asked what she did, but I didn't notice at first.  Then Drew said, "She cut her hair!"  Andy started laughing and I walked over from the stove towards the table and stopped dead in my tracks.  It was both funny and absolutely heartbreaking.  We have been working SO long to grow her hair out and get it all even.  Her hair grows so incredibly slow. 

Kayley was very proud of her haircut and Andy complimented her and told her he loves her mullet.  She said she was just trying to get the snarls out.  Well, she succeeded.  I couldn't get mad at her because it was already done, but I did calmly try to explain to her that Mommy and Kayley go to the hair salon only to get our hair cut and we don't try to do it at home.  She said ok and that she won't do it again.  I don't exactly believe her. 

She gave herself very short bangs and took a
chunk out of the side while she was at it

Like my new bangs?

I took her to the salon earlier this week. The stylist recommended against a pixie cut because it is really hard to maintain and awkward to grow out, which is what I would want to do.   She basically said there is nothing she could do about the bangs Kayley cut, but she could try to frame the rest of her face so the big chunk she cut out of the side of her hair would blend better.  

At the salon

I decided to buy a headband to try to cover up the super short bangs as much as we could. 

Not so bad as long as she leaves it in

Not so good when she takes it off

Merry Christmas!!

The kids woke up bright and early Christmas morning and were very eager to see what Santa brought them.  Drew decided to get dressed for opening presents while Kayley opted for her pjs most of the day!

Barbie sing-along toy

Tractor and wagon from Grandpa Mark

Basketball hoop

I try to start them young!

Opening her Barbie corvette

Cars bedspread!

Trying to figure out who the present is for

After the kids opened their presents we got ready for the Thiel Christmas.  Andy's dad and his brother Mitch came on Christmas Eve.  Matt, Kim and JD came Christmas evening.  Chris, Jenny, Macie and Noah came on the 26th.  We had a great time as always and the kids had a lot of fun.  We got the kids a babysitter and went to Andy's bar, The Pour House, on the night of the 26th to celebrate Kim's big birthday!  We had our Thiel Christmas on the 27th and everyone went home on the 28th.  The kids were so sad to see their cousins leave and have asked me about 4 or 5 times when they are coming back to visit! 

Here is a video of Kayley singing "Jingle Bells" (her version of it).  Anytime anyone would interrupt her with "Merry Christmas" she went right back to "jingle bells" chorus. 

Here is our nephew Noah playing with cousin JD's new toy and LOVING it!  This is too cute!

And a few more pictures from Christmas:

The next Taylor Swift?

Macie's Barbie jet from Uncle Mitch!

Getting ready for a cousin picture

 

Macie, Noah and Drew are happy.  JD is trying to fake happy.
Kayley is mad and really wants her hair dryer.

Getting Ready for Christmas!

We have been busy doing all the things you do before Christmas.  I can't believe Christmas is in just two days.  Where did the month of December go?! 

We took the kids to see Santa last Sunday.  They decided to go up together and bring their lists with them.  Drew was concerned he would forget to tell Santa everything he wanted so he wanted to bring his list with him.

Kayley didn't say anything.  She just showed Santa her list!

Posing for a free picture after I declined to
pay for the official picture with Santa

The kids and I made sugar cookies today.  Kayley lasted about 7 minutes, but Drew hung with me almost the entire time.  He is definitely Mommy's little helper. 

Hard at work

Also hard at work

He might have stuck is finger in the frosting a time or two

She hates baking as much as I do!

Or maybe she is crying because I told
her to stop eating all the cookies

And we ended the day with a gingerbread house.  Neither lasted long at this activity so we rushed through it to be finished.  That may be our first and last gingerbread house!

Our masterpiece!

Iowa Basketball...in Peoria

The Iowa Women's Basketball team played Bradley last Saturday night so Andy and I took the kids to the game.  Bradley was trying to promote the game so tickets were only $1 each and it worked because they had record attendance.  I think there were more Iowa fans than Bradley fans.  We do travel well!  Unfortuntely, Bradley's 3 point shooters were on fire and Iowa was flat.  Bradley beat Iowa.  We ended up leaving shortly after the beginning of the second half.  The kids were getting restless and the game wasn't that fun to watch at that point! 

Christmas Program at Preschool

Drew and Kayley had their Christmas programs at preschool on Friday.  Overall, I think they had a great time. 

Last year, Kayley cried as soon as she saw me, ran over to me and refused to take part in anything.  This year, she smiled proudly and stood with her class and sang until the boy next to her touched her leg.  Between songs, she told on him to her teacher for everyone to hear.  Then he pushed her leg a little harder and she burst into tears and ran to her teacher and sat with her teacher for the rest of the program.  Little bit of drama from that girl. 

Things looked up when Santa made a visit.  She went up and got her present, but didn't want to get too close.  Santa brought her a princess book of stories and we have been reading it over and over and over!

Getting ready to sing "Jingle Bells"

Safely on Ms. Collette's lap

Santa reading the Threes class a Christmas story

Getting her present

Last year, Drew came and stood with us while the rest of his class sang.  He wanted nothing to do with it.  Notice the theme with our kids?!  This year he was so excited to sing for us!  He had a great time.

Santa brought him a book on space.  He recently learned about space at school and is constantly telling us everything he knows about space.  He wasn't as into his book as Kayley was hers.  He seemed to already know most of what was in it.  We read it once and he hasn't asked for it since.  I hope Santa has better luck with the rest of Christmas!

Angels getting ready for the program

Listening to Santa read a Christmas story

Blurry picture with Santa

I have tried for two days to post the videos of Drew singing, but they won't load.  I'll have to get my IT guy to help me out!