Thursday Night Golf

Tonight was Ethan's last golf class.  He almost cried when I told him.  He has really enjoyed this class and got so excited every Thursday morning when we told him it was golf night.  Tonight and last week they got to hit 'real' clubs and 'real' golf balls in the simulator.  He, naturally, thought this was awesome!

Check out this form...

Ethan and his new friend Zander (also happens to live 3 houses down)

This sweet girl is already into to golf!

IKEA

My parents graciously offered to keep the kids for a weekend, so we could plan a trip north to IKEA with Abby and Alex.  After Abby and Alex bought their house, they were ready to go, so we planned it for last weekend.  We left Friday afternoon and had a great weekend, with great shopping, great eating and great company.  It was so much fun!  Saturday was a long day browsing through IKEA.  The boys were done about 3 hours before we actually left the store!  But we rejuvenated them with a trip to Golf Galaxy and some Chicago style deep dish pizza :)!

After a delicious dinner at Giordanos...so good!

Abby and I with the big yellow letters :)!

Jared and Alex were probably regretting agreeing to this trip, right about now...they spent a long time in the cold trying to figure out how to fit everything in the truck.  You did great and we love you both!

Alex showing off Abby's collection of Swedish chocolate (And happy because we are finally leaving that place)

Thank you mom and dad for keeping the kids.  They had a great time and so did we!!

Photo Friday...Week 20

In the last few days, I've been giving the kids 'rides' around the living room (carpet only!).  Horsey or piggy back, they don't care!

Giving your child a piggyback

Ethan wanted to try taking a picture...this is the best one of about 6 :)

Best Friends

I absolutely love watching Ethan and Nora interact and play together.  (Not too long ago, I posted this and this)  As I was scrolling though the pictures on my camera, I realized I had several to share of the kids playing.  Some of the photos, aren't the greatest.  But they do show how much fun they were having!

They love laundry baskets...

  And being chased/chasing each other!

Ethan, also likes to 'help' his sister around...

Walking Girl!

Nora is rapidly approaching 15 months old.  She is a very speedy crawler and doesn't really show too much interest in walking to get where she wants to go.  She can walk and has walked half way across our living room several times.  But if she spots something she wants, down she goes.  I'm sure she will get there.  And I'm sure it will be sooner rather than later.  In the meantime, here are some pictures of her walking protocol (for now)...

First, she climbs onto the fireplace and sits down...

Next, she scoots to the front and puts her feet on the floor.

Then, stands and makes sure she is stable.

And, finally, she's off!

She made it to her target!

Ethan wanted her to walk to him the other night.

She was headed there, but then made a turn for the chair.  He was ready though!

I also have a couple other (non-walking) pictures of Nora to share.  She is very able when it comes to climbing and getting where she wants to go.

Just playing in the toy basket

Photo Friday...Week 19

This was not a staged scene for the Photo Friday series!  I had gotten the comb out to comb Ethan's hair after his bath and then laid down on the floor to watch TV with him.  During a commercial, he said he wanted to comb my hair, so I told Jared to get the camera :)!
Some serious concentration here...

Your child doing your hair

Sweet Girl!

These might be the sweetest sounds I've heard in a long time :)!  I love watching this girl grow and learn new things!


Nora also LOVES this thing.  I don't know what it's called, but I think just about anyone of any age could sit and play with it!

Checking out her green hand

Clapping with it

Notice that intense concentration

Sweet Nora!

Photo Friday...Week 18

These photos are from a few weeks ago when we were in Salem and it snowed.  It was a beautiful snow!  Nora was intrigued by that white stuff coming from the sky :)!

Holding a Young Child on your Hip

And this one was just too cute not to share!

Trying to catch a snowflake on his tongue :)

S.N.A.G

We signed Ethan up for a pre-school golf class that will meet 4 times this month.  Tonight was the first class and he was so excited!  We all were!  We learned tonight, that SNAG stands for Starting New At Golf.  It was adorable and Ethan was pretty impressive :).

Putting around before class.  I'm pretty sure this one was in the hole!

Listening to Coach Chuck

Showing off his SNAG club

Working on some form. They pretty much hit the tennis balls at these targets the whole time, and had a blast doing it!
Stay tuned for further updates on how the next few weeks go.

Basket Races

Nora, actually, came up with this game and Ethan got on board very quickly.  She is into pushing everything around.  Laundry baskets are a favorite, as of late.  She pushes them in circles.  Through the kitchen, into the living room and around again and again and again... Ethan took this as, "let's race!"  They have a blast and it's quite fun to watch.

Game Time

Ethan got a Farm board game for Christmas from his Grandma Karen.  And he has insisted that we play it everyday after I put Nora down for her nap.  It's a cute game, and was not difficult at all for him to figure out.

Getting it all set up!

Now, explaining the rules to Daddy

Thanks, Grandma Karen!  He really likes his new game!

Photo Friday...Week 17

Both of our kids are super ticklish, and I love it!  So this week's photo wasn't too hard to accomplish.

Tickling your child until they smile

Snow!

We have snow!  It was nicer, better snow in Salem when we were there last weekend with all the family and I have a ton of snow play/sledding pictures to share!  Ethan had a blast and wants to go out everyday to play in it.  It's difficult now, since it's 15 degrees!

Josiah, Jared, Paige, Alex and Ethan

Working on a snowman

Paige, Josiah and Ethan with the completed snowman

Why not dive into the snow?!?

After the snowman was completed, we walked over to my Uncle Mike's house to sled down his hill.  I was just the photographer, no sledding for me :).

Jared and Ethan

Josiah

Paige.  She can pose even sledding down a hill :)!

Holding on tight

Abby got in on the fun too!

Came to a stop at my feet :)

Jared, paving the way

A family snow picture.  It was too cold for Nora , so she stayed inside with Grandma Terri. 

Taylor and Josiah headed back to the house.

I love this picture!  Ethan, Paige and Josiah after some serious sledding!

We didn't have any snow at our house when we left, and when we came home on Monday we drove with the snow and ended up with about 1.5, maybe 2 inches on the ground.  So, Jared and Ethan went back out for some fun on our hill :)!

Shoveling fun!

Ethan wanted to do the sidewalk all by himself...with a hoe.

Our snowy backyard

Getting ready to go down the hill