Brrrrrr!

The high was 33 today, and it SNOWED here last night!!!  Makenna and Ken were both on a 2-hour school delay, so we enjoyed a non-rushed morning in our jammies until 10:00.  When Kellan and I went to get big sister at 2:30, it was still FREEZING out.  Here are the kiddos, all bundled up!

Family photos

While I take a lot of photos OF the kids, as I was going through my 2011 photos, I realized we don't take many pics WITH the kids.  We need to be better about that.  I guess that means handing over my beloved camera every now and then! 

Makenna is not the most cooperative 2 1/2-year-old these days!  :)

Milestones

I feel like I haven't documented as many of Kellan's milestones as I did Makenna.  I guess that's the life of the second child!  :)  Kellan is SITTING!  For up to a couple minutes at a time, and then he tips.  But he gets better every day.

Just being cute!

25 days.....!

Oh man, less than 25 days until Christmas!!!  I am way behind in my shopping, but I'm not to panic mode yet.  We decided to do an Advent Calendar, but no candy.  We wanted to bring focus to spending time together, doing for others, and remembering the spirit of the season.  Let the countdown begin!

Here is the Advent Calendar.

Day 1.  "Set up the Nativity."  We found the cutest Little People nativity set, and Makenna got to set it up and play with it.  She loves "Baybay Jee-dus".

Day 2.  "Hot cocoa with whip cream."  Um, someone please check the DNA on this kid, she was not really into cocoa.

Day 3.  "(Unnamed) craft".  To be updated later.
Day 4.  "Read Curious George Christmas book."
Day 5.  "Eat a Christmas Cookie."
Day 6. "Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas."
Day 8. "Make a Gingerbread House."
Day 9. "Watch Frosty the Snowman."
Day 10. "Get a Christmas Tree."
Day 11. "Hang Ornaments on the Christmas Tree."

The army crawl

Kellan can get anywhere he wants...but not in the conventional way.  He chased Makenna around the living room the other day, but I was laughing so hard I didn't get it on video.  Here he is chasing another lady....

Post-volleyball and Thanksgiving

It has been a whirlwind since Ken's season ended a week and a half ago.  They played on Tuesday night, losing the Central Florida.  They finished the season with 19 wins, just short of the 20 we were hoping for.  Wednesday morning, we packed up the kids and the car and drove to Phoenix.  We were invited to Aunt Leslie's for Thanksgiving at her new vacation home.  We hadn't quite decided, but then my company picked up a field hockey event in Phoenix during that week, so that sealed the deal!  We got in Wednesday evening, in time to relax for a few minutes and head to bed.  I had to be at the fields at 6am.  Luckily, it was only about a 15 minute drive.  The event went well, it was our first in the sport, and I think we'll pick up a few more events in 2012.  I left the fields at 3:00, got back to the house in time for appetizers, visiting, and TURKEY!

Friday I worked again, although not until 9:00am when the sun was up.

Saturday afternoon, we packed up the car for a bonus destination.  We made the last minute decision to visit Ken's folks in Burbank.  Since we are staying home for Christmas, and work picks up for me in January, this was our only small window to get out there.  And....Grandma Carol and Grandpa Larry hadn't yet met our newest addition!!!  The drive took way longer than planned due to some traffic, 8 hours.  Without kids, about 6 is normal.  With kids, we guessed it would take 7 hours.  Ugggg.  We were all ready to be out of the car.  We spent Saturday evening, Sunday, and Monday morning visiting.  Then....back in the car!

The Phoenix house is the perfect half-way resting point!  Aunt Leslie and Uncle Dave gave us a key to the house, and we arrived Monday evening.  We were there long enough to unpack, sleep, and pack it back up.

Tuesday morning, we got an early start, leaving the house by 8:00am.  The trip back to El Paso went much more smooth, and we made it home in about 7 hours, with only 1 stop for gas, food, diaper, etc.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a ton of pics, but here are the ones we did get.

Makenna has NEVER, EVER been "that" kid that you see fall asleep in funny places.  Not on the couch, not on the floor, not while we're carrying her, or at the volleyball games.  The day we got home from our trip, it was 3:30 in the afternoon, and she had resisted a nap the entire car ride.  Ken and I were unpacking and getting settled when it got a little too quiet and we turned around to see this!  So cute.

Papa covered her with a blanket.  We left the iPad so as not to disturb her!

Mama and Mak

My brother kept telling me that Makenna looked like me at the same age.  I finally dug out some childhood photos, and look at this!  (This is Mak's first school pic from Miss Becki's 2 year old class.)

Too funny

This kid cracks me up!  Makenna at 4 1/2 months.....and 2 1/2 years. 

November

I know I say this every month....but how is it November already? I count time in volleyball....weeks, matches, seasons, etc....and with less than 2 weeks to go, it certainly feels like this volleyball season has just flown right past.

Our Junior League group's largest fundraiser of the year is A Christmas Fair....we rent the Convention Center and rent out booths to vendors, and sell tickets for people to come shop!  They also have several kids events, so I took Makenna (and Kellan) to "Club North".  There were crafts, activities, performances from the Nutcracker......but she was ONLY interested in the jumpy-blow-up slides and castle!  

They fed the kids ice cream at 11:00 in the morning!

I love this one!  GBarb got Kellan this outfit that says "World's Best Little Brother", in Miner colors, nonetheless.

Kellan has started solids!  Can you believe it?  At his 6 month check-up, he was 19lb2oz (75%) and 28" (90%).  We got some baby rice cereal, and this kid is NOT shy about eating.  He seems to have figured it out very quickly.  We'll move to some fruits in a couple of days.  Yay!  What a big boy!

Oops, missed.  :)

Anyone remember this hat?  Aunt Linda's friend knitted this hat before Mak was born.  She found it in the closet the other day and has become quite attached!

What?!....doesn't everyone make dinner in a tutu and beanie?!?

Halloween!!!!!

Makenna is finally at the age to start understanding holidays and enjoying all of the fun things that go along with them!  We were so happy that Uncle Kelly and Daniella made the long trip out to El Paso to visit.  Makenna had a long day of celebrating - pumpkins on Sunday night, Trick or Treat at school, party and candy and cupcakes at school, lunch out with our little family, then her first "real" Trick or Treat around the neighborhood with Papa, and handing out candy for a little while at home.  LOTS OF FUN!!!!  She has also now learned the word candy...."can?" (pointing at the pantry)....I give her 1 per day, but she seems to have a sweet tooth like her Mama.