2 Accidents, 1 week!

Okay, it's true. I've had two minor fender-benders in 1 weeks time. The first one is hardly my fault. Okay, well it was totally my fault. Here is the PG version: I had a minor neck problem and I couldn't turn my head. So instead of looking, I just backed out of my parking spot and WHAM ran right into a concrete wall. Nice big dent in my back bumper. Then today I was backing out of the garage and like a dumb blonde (sorry blondies) I forgot Mike's car was there. WHAM again. I dented both cars.

Yeah, another red-letter day for Kimberly!

He came to life one day

Friday Night we heard it was going to snow! So we sat down with our Frosty the Snowman book and read the story. Frosty the Snowman is one of Lorén's favorite songs and movies. This book is "precious" to say the least. It plays the song! I was amazed at how interested in the book Zachary was! He just stared and stared at the pictures.

Have you ever seen the movie, "Christmas Story"? Lorén "couldn't put her arms down" in this snowsuit!

Lorén and daddy are ready to build Frosty!

Lorén helped roll out the body! She kept falling in the snow! It was awesome!

Seriously, have you ever seen an uglier snowman? She was in love though!

Daddy built her a "Baby Zach Frosty". It was so sweet!

Lastly, what is a wonderful hour in the snow without some hot chocolate when you get in! I seriously wonder if any got in her mouth though! (Excuse my hat hair!)
I wish I knew how to post video so you could hear her sing her song. Here's how it goes, "Frosty the No-man was a joddy happy snow with a corncob pipe and a button no and two eyes made out of cou. SLUMPITY SLUMP SLUMP slumpity slump slump look at Frosty go!"

In other news, I shoveled snow for the first time in my life. . .THAT REALLY SUCKS!

Lorén's First Play-Date

Lorén had her very first play-date today! I found a group on "Meetup.com" for St. Peter's moms. Today was our first event! We went to a fun "Cookie Decorating Party." It was so nice to get out of the house and be with other moms! Lorén did great! She had a bit of a rough time sharing toys but we are working on it! I was the picture-happy idiot documenting the whole ordeal. . .will I do the same for Zach's first Play-date? Hmmmm! Ready to go! What are we doing?
Decorating cookies? Ohhhh jump for joy! (please ignore the garage. . .we are staging Zach's room-remodel out of there!)

Zachary is ready to go! Bundled up against the cold. . .brrrr!

We're here!

Lorén? Can you wait for Mommy? (Lorén just commented on this photo, "Come back here Norén!" )

Artist at work! Notice the missing arm. . .she took a bite before I could even get the frosting on!

Sprinkle happy girl!

Time to eat it! Or at least lick the frosting off of it!

Mommy and Zach hanging out!

OH MY GOSH! IS IT TOUGH TO DEAL WITH A CLIMBER OR WHAT! P.s. see the presents under the tree. . .her first fit about the fact I wouldn't let her open them.

Gotcha with a smiler Mister Man!

We got home and Lorén went poo-poo on the potty! She even told me she had to go!!! When she hopped off she said, "See my cookie in the potty mommy?" Oh-my-gag! Here she is post-poopie teeth brushing! I find I have to brush my teeth after a poopie too. . .don't you?

Tummy Time and PJ Day

Random Ramblings

First of all: Did my Thank-you's get mailed out? Mike can't remember if he did it. . .Stac, Bethie, did you get them?

Okay this Blog entry has literally taken 2 days to get out!

Things God and I are going to discuss when I get to heaven:
1) Why didn't you have mothers sprout a 3rd arm when we gave birth?
2) Why did you only put 24 hours in a day? I need at least 32.

Things I love:
1) Dinner time with Michael and my children! Zach swings and watches us eat or gets a bottle himself. Loren is a little pistol but what can I say? She's 2.
2) The couple times a day Mike calls "just to check in on you."
3) The fact that Mike rushes to get home to us!
4) Kristopher being in town and hanging out with us.
5) My parent and their closeness to us! I love my mom giving and Giving and GIVING to our family. . ."Oh sure, raid my pantry because you forgot to buy spaghetti stuff."
6) My father's wisdom. . .enough said!
7) Kristopher's passion for his friends and his family (. . .his friends are almost indistinguishable from his family).
8) My Merry Christmas Tree and Loren's Merry Christmas Memory tree.
9) The empathy of my oldest friend Jessie, the humor and devotion of my Foo-Friend Lisa, the wisdom and love of my close friend Sheri, and the new found love and giving nature of my newest friend Tish.
10) The new church plant and church plant family Michael and I have found. Each of them loves us and our children so much that they are willing to give and do anything for us!
11) Bonnie Lou who gives of herself to the N-th degree. A woman who will drop EVERYTHING to come down here to help us.
12) Bob who tells life how it is and isn't afraid to make life right! He pushes you to be a better person.
13) Josh and Kelly - Josh who is so passionate in his beliefs and is willing to stand up for them. Kelly who calls out of the blue just to tell me she loves us and my children. Also, for the obviously refreshing love they share.
14) Mike's true friends - both old and new.
15)Loren's passionate nature! She is a handful but a handful I will never let go of!
16) Zachary's strength and giggles. The "love-eyes" he gives to us. His big mouthed smiles and the beginnings of giggles.
17)The people I have learned so much from (Kaki - how would I have made it through without you?)
18) Bloggers who have allowed me to keep up with their lives and how they are doing (Jen - start one! I can't wait to see pictures of you by the statue, Ryan by the statue, the statue alone. . .)
19)My cat who is so gentle to my children. . .despite the fact that Loren "abuses" her relentlessly.
20) Finally - Coffee in general but Starbucks in particular!

Boy oh boy

I paid my dues for letting Loren have a bit of fun. I didn't think about the fact that the child has severe Fall allergies and I let her go romping through the leaves. The last two days have been hell on earth with her drippy nose and drippy eyes. She keeps rubbing her eyes and telling me, "mommy, my eyes hurt." Ohhhhhh. Mike picked up the piles of leaves and he's doing pretty badly the last two days as well. Oops. Oh well, she really did have a blast (as you can tell). So I'm just going to suffer through it for that hour and a half of sheer joy!

Mommy of the year!

Today was a great day! I was able to FINALLY rake our front yard! Loren had an absolute blast playing in the piles. It's funny that you don't have to tell a child to jump in a pile of leaves. It's just inherent in their nature. I was also able to get her 2 year pictures! The last picture is of Zach's new quilt that Aunt Debbie made him. Isn't it GORGEOUS? He loves how busy it is! BTW - isn't his smile precious!?!

Traditions

I was reading my devotion the other day and it mentioned that when you get married and have a family of your own, it's important to start your own traditions. I was wondering: What are some traditions that you all have begun in your home?

For us, it's important for the kids to put the Angel on top of the tree. Mike lifts Loren (and Zach) up and they put the Angel up on top.

We always have to be home for Christmas. . .wherever home happens to be!

Mike buys me strawberry shampoo for my stocking (There has never been a Christmas where I haven't got Strawberry Shampoo in my stocking. Mike surprised me our first Christmas together by remembering!!!)

The kids open one gift Christmas Eve.

We watch It's a Wonderful Life every Christmas Eve (again, there has never been a Christmas Eve where I haven't watched it.)

This year I am starting a new tradition where Loren and I will make Sugar Cookies together and decorate them. I already have the dough made and in the refrigerator for when she wakes from her nap.

Anyway, enough rambling! I just heard Zach start fussing. Let me know what traditions you have (or hope to have)! I love reading about them!

To follow up yesterday. . .

Guess I did too much because today I have
. . .nursed Zach
. . .sat on my fat rear at Sheri's drinking coffee
. . .watched Frosty the Snowman with Loren
. . .watched TV
. . .taken a hot bath

That's it. I was too pooped from yesterday :)

It's 12:15 am

. . .and I have put away all of my maternity clothes and got out my winter clothes

. . .done 3 loads of laundry, and have them put away

. . .done a Walmart run and have those things put away

. . .picked up the house

. . .SHOWERED

. . .cleaned Loren's room

. . .Organized my dresser (needed to be done since we moved)

. . .Got addresses on Thank-you cards, Birth announcements

. . .have Christmas Cards ordered

. . . have a present wrapped and ready to be sent out

. . .have Zach's 0-3month clothes put away and his 3-6 out, washed and hung

. . .took 1 trip to Good Will

. . .returned Maternity clothes to everyone I borrowed from

. . .took a load of "You left this at my house" to mom's

. . .washed Zach and Loren's sheets and re-made the beds

. . .made dinner for tonight

. . .made dinner for tomorrow night for us and for a couple who just had a baby

. . .Updated my Son's Baby book ***BTW: he is cooing and smiling up a storm.**

. . .Updated the blog!





Drank a glass of 1/4 wine and 3/4 Sprite and I'm OFF TO BED FINALLY.



I ache



Here's one of my favorite pix of the kids. . .

Why and How?

My list of stuff I have to get keeps growing exponentially compared to what I can actually get done in a day. I mean just staying on top of ALL of the laundry and dishes is almost ENOUGH in one day! Moms of 1+ kids, how do you do it? How do you find the time to get everything done and still be a good mom?

Lorén's 2 Year Party and Thanksgiving

These are in backward order but. . .alas, I just don't care to fix them :) Hope you enjoy!! Mommy and Zachary are in love with each other!

Zachary has begun to smile and all but giggle at us!

Fun times with the Christmas tree!

OH MY WORD!

Lorén puts the angel on top of the tree.

Mommy and her girl!

CHEESE! Lorén loved helping Daddy decorate the tree.

Grandma Lou is in love with Zachary!

Lorén and Grandma Sue are all tuckered out after a big Thanksgiving meal.

Ahhhhh siblings!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS AWESOME CAKE???

My good friend Tish created this cake! If you want a cake for a party, just contact me and I can get you her number! She is amazing!

Aunt Debbie is so proud of her Angel-girl.

Isn't this just the cutest? Lorén loved her "Vewry Happy Bird-day hats." She got upset if you weren't wearing one. :)

She was so happy that Zach got one too!

Lorén just adores her Unc Kris

Why give Lorén gifts? She loves to play in the box!

Lorén on her actuall birth day. This is one way to eat her "Vewy happy bird-day cake."