Cartoon Nap

Merry Christmas !

We never actually got a shot of all three of us together.

So, I made it happen with the magic of cut & paste! (above)
Oh well.
The last few days together have been so easy going.
A very rare scenario for the Neaman three.
We enjoyed a few little outings together, lots of yummy
food shared with friends, gifts that stayed within our limited budget
(except for one big surprise from Keith's folks), and of course lots and lots of winter white.
We are now back to the ol grind stone but in a content
agreement that our holiday was actually quite pleasant overall.
ahhhh (happy sigh)
Best wishes to you all!

Itinerary Revised

We have simplified the rest of our holiday into one page.
Ahhhhhh, what a wonderful time we are having so far.
We had a lovely & simple trip to the Garden's for today's activity
(I'll post pictures later)
We saw beautiful trees and holiday choo choo!
We lounged and played and foot-rubbed.
Now we are thoroughly chilled and stoked for the fat man to visit.
Bit by bit we are figuring things out
and today, all is good...

but I'm supposed to be the QUEEEEN of Christmas!

This has been a very busy month for Keith. If you totaled the minutes in a week that I got to see him (awake) it may have added up to an hour. So you can imagine that we are pretty excited about his 5 days off for Christmas. We had originally planned on visiting my young aunt & uncle in Missouri but with my degree of pregnantness we eventually decided the trip would be too arduous this year. So instead my brother & his beautiful new wife thought they'd come to visit us! We were excited by this and I tried to get and idea of what they would like to do while here. My brother said he didn't care at all and that I should just consider myself the Queen of Christmas this year. I could plan anything that worked for us and they would come along for the ride. Ho ho ho
So, Keith & I figured the best way to make our little vacation time go smoothly and maximize festiveness would be to design a detailed "Holiday Itinerary". From Friday to Friday. I have scheduled in everything from essential nap times to food shopping & cooking and daily festive activities ranging from visits to Santa, trips to the museum, presents, food & special mommy/daddy alone time ;) We knew of course that we should not be rigged if it were to be successful, so we did this with the understanding that if needed, we could completely cancel a day's activity and just relax at home. (even though relaxing time was officially scheduled too).
Well, Today is day 3 of our N.H.I. (neaman holiday itinerary).
So far: disaster! In fact, we had to have an emergency family council today to completely re-work the entire week!
It all started Friday evening with the Church Party being canceled. I am on the activities committee and so Keith was required to attend. There is a lot of prep that goes into these things (usually) so I was all geared up for it. Then came the snow and it was all called off. No big deal I thought. One less thing to worry about and then we could relax the night before our big Saturday. Instead of a ward Xmas party we decided to have a cookie linger longer on Sunday and I spent some of my day contacting people about the change.
Saturday morning: first mistake - we got a late start. we were scheduled to leave by 10am but didn't get out the door until after 11. We were headed to a mall on the other side of town that we had not been to since last year.
Second mistake: I assumed to know the way. We got lost for an hour and a half. (little upsets my lover more). Then we found it. Our 3-part mission: A. See Santa and get our (to-be-yearly-traditional) photo taken with him. B: Ride on the carousel C: Play at the big tree play yard area. Then get home in time for nap.
Third mistake: We arrived with a screaming toddler to battle the holiday heard shoppers at nap time and tried to carry on anyway. We went in reverse order. First the play yard. Dakota was happy at first then got pushed by a pack of rowdy kids. Much crying and consoling. Then we attempted to get him into it by carrying him up the tree slide and pushing him down. One moment of smiles followed by a face plant on the bottom resulting in a bleeding fat lip. Quick retreat from play area.
Next, carousel. tears gone by now so we asked him if he wanted to go and he responded Yes. Waited in line, paid for token and waited to start. They took 10 seconds longer than a this toddler could handle and a teary second retreat began.
At this point I am feeling a great deal of pressure in my uterus and Keith is fed up with people in his way and all the screaming. We decide to skip Santa and maneuver our way home.
Get home. Dakota takes a late/short nap.
Time for Phase two of our super Saturday holiday fun. Buy a Tree.
I would have liked to get one much earlier but like I said, Keith has been far too busy this month for us to do anything together. This was the perfect time. Or so we thought.
In the dark, on the ice, two sold-out places later we decided to go home empty handed and just start baking cookies for tomorrow's linger longer. Four batches. Day 2- a bust.
Sunday:
Since we have not been able to get together as a family much lately, we also have not been able to get a Xmas photo taken. (I always like to take something festive for our cards, hence they have not been made yet.) Well, we had arranged for a friend to take it at church in the snow today.

I have a funny sort of chronically-late-to-church syndrome so we made a drastically huge effort to get everything ready in advance and a clear division of morning duties made. As I was getting ready this morning I looked out the window and realized that the photo would not be happening today. Oh well, we had a photo plan "B" for my brother to take it at meijer gardens.
So all dressed up in my Xmas best (even managed to squeeze into my maternity support hose!), we grabbed our pre-stocked kid activity bag, a month's worth of tithing, and my 4 dozen cookies and we flipped on our 4W drive and made it to church ON TIME!
Only to find nobody there and that it had been canceled.
This time of course we just laughed. After all it's only church; not like a photo with Santa or anything :)
Back at home we called around for a place to buy a tree. First three we tried said they were done for the season. Then we found one with only 5 left! So we left immediately to gleam what we could. This resulted in another missed-nap-time-breakdown and wonkily fabulous tree
Then the bomb hit.
My Brother & sister-i-L decided not to make the trip out because of the weather.
BUT MY ITINERARY!!!!!! All our activities! Their Gifts! The Lentil Nut Loaf!!!
I'm the Queen! (stomp stomp)
and my kingdom is collapsing......

This is where I decided to screw the itinerary and let my son go ahead and drive the car.

Snowed In

The darn cat woke me up today at 2am and I could not get to sleep after that. So by the time the mailman came I was pretty excited to get out. The only thing was, it had been blizzardy all morning and just getting to the mailbox was about to prove quite the project. I had to get all dressed up anyway so I figured I'd make a pathway; just in case a package were to arrive today ;)
We have a service (thanks to my dad) that is supposed to clear the driveway (though not the walkway) but the roads are so bad today that they never made it. Humpf. Seems like this is when we need it the most (and the mailman made it come to think of it). It took me over an hour just make one little walkway. All that for one bill and junk! The best part was watching my neighbor with his nifty snow-blower ignore the 8-month pregnant lady toiling away the whole time. Ah Michigan ;)

Zerberks!

Always good for a laugh

First time finger painting

Yes it has taken us a long time to get to this.
I've been meaning to introduce him to paint for a long time but have been fearful of yet another catastrophic mess.
It turned out pretty well and controlled however and he produced the most fabulous art I've ever seen!
I'm now thinking "mural"!

Snosages for dinner

Listen carefully and you can hear him snoring :)

Light 'em up!

I've been feeling pretty good about myself for getting the lights up back in September.
(even if I was teased a little)
Thank goodness too because I'm way too sick and uncomfortable now for such projects.
Twinkle lights are one of my most favorite things about Christmas and some day I plan on having one of those obnoxiously loud decorated front yards that all the neighbors go out of their way to come see.

Of course for now in our little place, for which we are so thankful,
this will have to do.....

Happy Eating everyone

Thank You Friends & Family

For all the great toys!
I love playing with them and am grateful to have you in my life.

Happy Birthday Little Dakota - You're 2!

My sweet little guy is growing up so fast!
Oh I love you so much Dakota!
You are my favorite little guy in the whole wide world.
Today's birthday party was a great success. We played, ate, and got super silly.
Thank you everyone for the way cool presents! Dakota is still playing with them now.
We had fun with Kaitlyn's cool parachute,
mommy's homemade pináta,
and sprinkling our own cupcakes!
Mostly though, it's wonderful to see all my favorite friends:)

Camera on the fritz

My camera charger has gone totally missing!
So since there are no new pix to post :( I thought I'd put up a few that never made it to the blog...

Here is Dakota with his buddy Rand (3)

You can tell we stop at this place a lot.

We finally discovered this wonderful little kid water place at the end of the summer.
Maybe he didn't seem thrilled here - but just wait til next year!

A little rain never stopped someone born in Portland OR.
The lawn must get mowed!

Father-son after church nap :)

A hot summer ride with a cool refreshing treat.

Aaahh, another cool treat for a hot day. Isn't summer delicious

Bouncing is what tiggers do best!

but not necessarily little 'kotas
We met our playgroup today at an indoor bouncy place.
Unfortunately Dakota lasted about 30 seconds before he became terrified of the huge inflated monsters.

So we left and went straight to the familiar Apple Haus to play.
"Outside!" he squealed with delight.

Fun with kids & costumes

It started with a little ward party. These things are really just about giving the kids a place to run a muck and it works well. I have been very pleased with Keith's willingness to dress up more easily. What a good sport he is becoming. (I think he is secretly starting to really like it;)
In fact, he decided on his own to dress up for a child at the hospital.
This was loads of fun for me & dakota too. Our most special treat.
Today's activities included a trip to the children's garden for special halloween kid activities where we met up with buddies. Then later a dinner at another pal's house and first ever trick or treating with other buddies. Fortunately this evening's sugar high was followed by a big crash in time for beddy-byes. Here are our pix of the fun.
(sorry, none of me - I was the bumble bee again of course... maybe someone else will have one)

:)

Autumn is a second spring
where every leaf is a flower
-Albert Camus

Family Fun at the Pumpkin Farm

There are lots cute little farms around here.
Many cater to kids with fun things to look at and do.
Here we are on one beautiful day out...
Ma & Pa pumpkin pickers.

Having fun with corn!

Wo- what a fast barn slide!

So many pumkins.
One needs to sit and think about this...

Ah this one is just rightNext on the list: Carving!

Autum Leaves

Our trip to the Barn

So many great things about our little vacation. Mostly: Friends & fam.
We were lucky to be joined in Washington by our dear friends the Ripples!
He I am with Carrie by the sea dragon.

We also were joined for one night by the radest portland family, the Harmon's
Here is Keith with his buddy Steve
(world class photographer extraordinaire)

Here is his wife Kelly & the kids: Lia, Cole & little June bug
(photo from our last trip together)

It was also great to spend time with family.
Here is Grandma trying to force a smile on dakota's face.

Lia & Cole

Gourmet breakfast at it's finest.

Havin' a drink with the monster

Playing with his little buddy Rand on the beach

Asleep with Grandpa N.

A lovers row out in the pond

Learning water safety with Grandpa S.

"Let me explain it to you little guy"

Nature walk with Daddy

Hey, this bear isn't so scary.

don't get me!
look what I almost sat on!

Go mama Go!
Carrie with baby Norah in front

Alone on the beach

Like father, like son

First kite try

Weeee! This is great grandpa :)

First driving lesson

Couldn't get enough of the train rides
(Rand, Dakota, Carrie w/ Norah)

John driving the train

My little adventurer!

Typical family meltdown