Snow, finally

Just when you think it's just the kids who get excited to play in the snow... we all enjoyed a chance to get outside on Saturday.

Ok, this was enough, it can go back to 60 degrees now, please.

Some silly pictures from the week

Dueling superheros!

Last, but not least, this one is my favorite:

(Yes, she's wearing her brother's underpants!)

A trip to the zoo in January?

YES - we put on our jackets and went to the zoo yesterday.  It was 63 degrees here yesterday, a record high for January in the midwest!  Everyone we saw yesterday was smiling and happy, thrilled to be outdoors and there were no snow shovels in sight.  Most of the animals were already indoors in anticipation of the harsh Iowa weather, but we still had fun on the playground and saw the new sea lion pool.

Here's a picture of the kids playing before dinner, Katie wants to do whatever Kevin is doing.

Have a great weekend.  Katie starts Water Babies swim lessons tomorrow.  Nate is going to take her, I am sure she'll love it.

Merry Christmas 2011!

We had a wonderful Christmas! Grandmom, PopPop, and Uncle Brian drove from Chicago and arrived here on December 23rd.  Christmas Eve was filled with the kids church service at 3:00, dinner at Biaggi's and I played the flute at church at 7:30.  The kids were tired and went to bed in plenty of time for Santa to come and drop a load of presents at our house!  The grownups enjoyed the famous Neuman Christmas punch and playing baggo outside in the driveway on Christmas day.  It was such great weather this year!

Kevin was thrilled to receive a dinosaur pillow pet, Transformers, Imaginext dinosaurs and Monopoly Junior.  Katie can't talk too much yet, but I can tell she's happy with her new rocking horse, shopping cart and dolls.  Both of the kids received bundles of new books, we are all happy to refresh the collection.

Oh - I almost forgot to add how much fun we have been having with the TinkerToys.  You can see in these videos that we made it into a microphone.  The kids also received some toy instruments:  drum, piano, guitar.  Here is a video of some impromptu Christmas caroling!





We spent the remainder of last week "relaxing" at home.  Nate went to work for a few days, but otherwise we were home and played many, many games of Monopoly Junior, dominos, Crazy8's, read all the new books, battled with dinosaurs, played babies, rocked out with the instruments, learned how to transform all of Kevin's robots, and kept Katie from climbing up the Christmas tree (when all she was really trying to do was kiss the ornaments that she thinks look like puppies).  Whew - I'm exhausted and glad we are back to our regular routine this week.  I need a nap!

Anxious & excited

Just checkin' things twice...

Don't you wish you were as cool as these kids?

Katie - video 19 months

What have we been doing lately?

Getting ready for Christmas, of course!

Last weekend Kevin sang in the kids Christmas program at our church. The 3 and 4 year olds sang "Away in the Manger" and "Go Tell It On the Mountain". They kids were adorable. We were stuck way in the back, so this video isn't too great, but you get the gist...

We were so proud of Kevin, he sang nicely and followed the teacher right up front (some of the kids are still really nervous - in fact, one kid puked - right in the middle of the program). Very memorable! After the Christmas program, we rewarded Kevin with dinner at McDonald's. (We have been on a McD's detox for a few months because Kevin is addicted to the toys!). After dinner we took the kids for a ride touring the Jolly Holiday Lights in downtown Des Moines. This has become a fun family tradition.

Katie, posing in one of her Christmas outfits:

Trying to get them BOTH to stand still is always a challenge:

Our tree is up, lots of cookies are baked and I am done shopping! Whew... time to enjoy!

Katie is a pirate, posing in the shirt I made for her (reversible, with snowmen on the otherside):

Upcoming events - Kevin's school Christmas party is this Monday. As part of a year end service project for the school, Kevin and I are dropping off the donations of breakfast casseroles and hard boiled eggs to the DSM Salvation Army headquarters next week. Remember a few weeks ago, the kids got the tour their mobile canteen truck? Well that was such a hit, his school decided to partner with Salvation Army and we continue to make donations each month.

Kevin & Nate have a role in the Christmas Eve church service. Kevin and a few other boys will play the role of shepherds and Nate will read their lines (very difficult for 4 year old boys to memorize a script!) I am playing the flute that night too.

Merry Christmas!