Christmas

So every year I think I will start Christmas shopping early and spread it out.  So, Olivia and I were at Kohl's the other day.  I saw they had a game on sale that would be fun for her.  She didn't need it today, I was able to sneak it in the car and get it home without her seeing it.  I was proud of myself, one present purchased!!!  I even had it in my present hiding spot.

Who says Christmas doesn't come in September?  That is exactly why I can't shop before December.

Woot!! Woot!!!

Today is the first day Olivia has gone all day without an accident!!!  We even ventured out of the house and she did great!!!!  We hope that today is the start!!!!  I will hopefully get to send my breakup letter to the Pull up company very soon!!!

Kansas City



This past weekend Josh and I headed south to Kansas City to watch ISU play Kansas State at Arrowhead Stadium (where the Kansas City Chiefs play).  After giving hugs to Olivia and many thanks to Grandma Judy for staying with Olivia, we headed out Friday afternoon.  It's amazing how quiet a car ride can be without a 2 year old . (no DVD players, no "Mommy, Daddy I'm thirsty!  Mommy, I dropped my lovey!  Daddy, I can't reach it)

We stayed in downtown KC in some really old hotels.  They were remodeled and very nice.  Friday night we headed down to the Plaza and had dinner at one of our favorite. restaurants in KC, Jack Stacks.  It has great BBQ.  It really felt like a date.  We had dinner outside under the stars.  It was very relaxing.  After dinner we headed back to downtown to the Power and Light district.  This area is full of restaurants and bars.  It is probably a couple blocks long and a couple of blocks wide.  All the bars open up to this big courtyard in the middle.  It is a ton of fun.  Friday night the Iowa State alumni assoc. had a pep rally so it was packed full of ISU fans!!  We felt like we were in college again and stayed out to midnight.  Yes, that's right, midnight!!! 

Saturday was beautiful.  It was at least 85 degrees and sunny for the game.  Too bad the Cyclones didn't win. 27-20. It was a great game and we had a blast!!  We ran into Keathen and Chad Winter.  Chad was a college roommate to Josh back in the day.  We also saw my brother Jason. 

Saturday night we went back down to the Power and Light district for more dinner under the stars.  That is something that Josh and I could get used to.  We met up with Keathen and Chad for a drink.  Everyone was tired from the previous night and a day in the sun!!  Plus the weather had turned and it was rainy and cold.  

The most rewarding part of the weekend was when we opened the front door to our house hearing, "Daddy!! Mommy!!! I missed you!!!"  Olivia gave us the biggest hugs possible!!!  She was so excited to see us.  She just kept saying, "You're home!!"  This makes me wonder how she will be when we are gone for a week in Mexico!!!

We had a great weekend!!  Thanks again Grandma Judy and Grandpa Dave!!! I  know Olivia had a great time!!! She laid on the floor and was sad when Grandma pulled out of the driveway!!She has been talking about how grandma slept at her house!!

Ummm....

I know, I know, I know.  There's always next year.

Once a State fan, always a State fan.

GO CLONES!!!

Pufferbilly Days

Olivia and Josh headed up to Boone this morning to go to the Pufferbilly Days parade with Grandpa Dave and Grandma Judy.  Josh was nervous 1.)  he doesn't really head out to far with Olivia by himself 2.)  Olivia has never been to a parade before 3.) Olivia is potty training.  Lately, Olivia has had a case of the"ants in the pants."  So it is always a gamble if she sits still or not. 

Josh said that they were waiting for the parade, when Olivia overheard a kid say, "Daddy, I have to go potty."  So naturally, Olivia said, "Daddy, I have to go potty."  Olivia not only experienced her first parade, she also experienced her first port-a-potty.

Once Olivia figured out was going on, she really enjoyed it.  She loved to see the horses, fire trucks, and school buses.  Oh the candy and bomb pops were a hit too!!

GO STATE!!!

GO STATE!

As I was looking for Iowa State shirts for Olivia, I found one  that said "Start Em Young, Raise Them Right!"  It had a big Cy on it.  I thought it was very fitting!!

Labor Day

The meaning of Labor Day...work!!!  I decided it was time that Olivia find the meaning of work!! We decided to plant mum's. 

She was all over digging in the dirt.  That is one of the many things I love about her.  She can be girly-girl one minute playing with her dolls, and then the next minute minute digging for worms.  She loved helping dig the holes in the planters, putting the mums in the holes, and then watering them.

The flowers turned out great!!

 

A Weekend Away

A couple of weekends ago, we headed west to Sioux City.  My cousins that were down here in July were also at my parents that weekend.  Once again, the kids had a blast together.  There was not much of the weekend that went by that those two were not together.  Olivia, being the older one (by 3 mo.), decided she would  make the decisions.  That was my nice way of saying she liked to boss Layne around.  We heard alot of, "Yayne, come here.  Yayner, Yayner."  The poor kid didn't know what to think.

My dad just completed a garden.  They spent alot of time playing in it.  Olivia discovered the cherry tomato plant.  She was eating the tomatoes like they were covered in chocolate.

 On that Saturday, Julie (Layne's mom) and I decided that we would have a nice bonding time with our children and take them to the Kid's Clinic at Lowes.  They were going to build a school bus.  Once we got the kids past the lawnmowers and down to where the clinic was to take place, the kids had already lost interest in doing the bus.  Olivia sat for the most part and helped with the hammering.  The poor table!!  I think it got hit more than the nails did.  I would show you the finished product, but Layne bailed out before they got that far.  And for Olivia's bus, it was crooked in some places.  We also got to spend sometime with my grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins that we don't see that often. 

We had a really great weekend.  It is always nice to get away and relax.