Happy Thanksgiving!

Taylor and I made turkey cupcakes tonight. Aren't they cute? (She insisted that some be pink.)
Popeye the sailor Pear's eye is already looking better. He's on the mend!
Until next time,

Mommy Kel

P.S. Give me props for two updates in one day. :)

Decorating, Photo Shoot and Popeye

Boy, I've been a real slacker lately with updating the blog! Adding pictures can be a real pain in the butt and I think that's why I always end up putting it off.

The weather here has been unseasonably cold lately, so we took advantage of a sunny day on Sunday to put up Christmas decorations. Yes, it's too early and I always wait until after Thanksgiving, but the forecast isn't too promising. I'm not a big fan of being cold, so the lights went up Sunday. I was going to wait until Friday to do the tree and inside stuff, but it felt too weird going from Christmas decorations outside to fall decorations inside.

Taylor was my big helper this year! (And I mean that in a serious way, not a cutesy mom way.) She held the lights while I got the strands untangled (I had a 3-week-old baby last year when I took them down. They were a mess!) and even helped put the Christmas tree up. I like real trees, but I'm not attempting that with wild-man Pear in the house.

Michael loved the decorations and kept doing that cute heavy-exhale, wide-eyed thing. Taylor was so excited the whole day. That's what really makes it all so much fun! Oh yeah, just as we put the finishing touches on the tree, the entire thing feel over on top of me! We caught it on video, but I can't figure out how to edit the section out. If I do, it's so going on here. Taylor said, "Good thing Mommy's head blocked the tree from falling!" How sweet.

Taylor assembling nature.

I want that...and that...and that...You'll get nothing and like it.

Cuties under the tree. The Pear would NOT sit still.

Taylor with her favorite ornament.

The outside lights. Yes, I have a cheesy deer. I even considered an air-blown Santa this year.

Just a cute picture from dinner Saturday night.

Posing with Michelle and cutie Ben.

I took the kids to get their pictures taken on Tuesday. Wow, what a production that is! I picked out the perfect outfits, set up the appointment between nap times and prayed for no sickness, scratches or bruises. The pictures are so adorable. I love the Picture People and I recommend them to everyone. Taylor is a ham and did whatever the photographer asked. Michael was all smiles until I put him down and then he went ballistic! He kept crying and crawling to me, muttering "mummmmummm". In the end, the photographer covered my arms and shoulder with a white sheet and I held Michael. He was all smiles again and they just photoshopped me out later. Too funny. Here are a few samples from the shoot. They are even brighter/cuter in person:

I noticed that Michael had a few eye boogers yesterday morning, but no big deal. Well, his eye turned bright red and goopy last night. (Your eyes are watering right now, aren't they?) It was completely swollen shut this morning so I took him to the doctor. Yep, it's pink eye. Luckily, the drops are supposed to work quickly and he's not contagious after 24 hours. We should be safe to head to Cincy for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. He seems totally unaffected by it. I keep singing, "He's Popeye the sailor Pear..."

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

My Little Indian, Basketball and scUM

Hi everyone and TGIF!

I was so proud of my little girl last night! Taylor had her preschool program and it was just adorable. She and her classmates were Indians and let me tell you, the Worm makes a pretty cute little squaw. The older kids were pilgrims and the little 3-year-olds were turkeys. I laughed back when Taylor first told me her little friend Noah was going to be a turkey. "Mommy," she said in such a serious voice. "You can't laugh at the 3-year-olds or they won't wear their costumes." Corrected by your 4-year-old for being immature. Oops. :) She did great, as did all of the kids. I have to give props to the teachers. At one point, there were 92 preschoolers on stage!

Taylor had quite the following last night. Grandma Taylor made the 45-minute drive through blowing snow to be there and our friends Brown-Haired Donna (Taylor has always called her this) and her son Kody stopped by. Five of Mike's varsity basketball players also stopped by to see her. How sweet is that?

Taylor was soooo excited before we left!

My little Indian girl, dancing to the music when her scene was over.

Taylor, cheesing on stage. The red eye makes them all look like children of the corn.

Taylor and her preschool BFF.

Cute picture of Grandma and her grandkids. Doesn't Michael look really old here? I figured out that it's because he actually has a neck now. It's no longer his big bobblehead noggin sitting on his shoulders. :)

A rare picture of the four of us.

Michael, checking out his big sis on stage.

Short video of Taylor dancing after her part was over.

This weekend should be a fun one. Mike's team has their first scrimmage tomorrow morning and we'll head over for a little bit. I'm excited to watch them play. They should be really good this year. Plus, they really are a great group of guys which makes it even more fun to cheer for them.

Coach Daddy on Meet the Team night.

Hanging out on court with Daddy.

Of course, the big Ohio State/Michigan game is tomorrow. I hate Michigan/scUM. There's really no nice way to say it. I watched Ohio State play Michigan on Family Feud's College Rivalry Week last week and flipped the TV off like 10 times. Real mature, I know (Taylor was at school and Michael was napping). Taylor knows all about our beloved Buckeyes and the rivalry. She's looking forward to the game, too. Tonight I was putting her to bed and I mentioned that we get to watch Ohio State beat Michigan tomorrow. She got a worried look and asked, "But what if Michigan scores more points?" They won't, I reassured her. "Oh yeah," she answered. "We have Beanie."

Go Bucks! Michigan is kinda yucky!

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Let it Snow!

Autumn in Ohio - changing leaves, beautiful harvests and a final few days of shorts weather quickly followed by snow. I've lived in Ohio all but three of my 35 years and it's pretty much guaranteed to happen like that. Well we've gotten our snow the last three days. Nothing big, but enough to kind of get you in the Christmas spirit. Mike must have felt it too, because he wanted to get the Christmas village and train set up last night. I take care of the rest of the Christmas decorating, but that's Mike's little project. He and Taylor had a good time getting it put together! It's up on the poker table, but we'll still have to be sure the Pear doesn't get his little hands on anything.

Part of the Christmas village.

Yay, the Christmas village!

Daddy and the kids, pre-bath.

Post-bath.

The kidlets and I.

The Pear and I played while Taylor and Mike did most of the work. Michael has become so much fun in the last month. He loves to play peek-a-boo and does silly things that he knows will make us laugh. Tonight at dinner he kept putting the lid to my Gladware on his head and laughing hysterically. It was so cute. He also likes playing ball - he has a pretty good arm! I've noticed that he's been cuddlier than ever lately. I just melt when he puts his little head on me and nuzzles.

Michael loves putting the ball in this musical tree. Note to self: dark gray is not a good color for a teething, drooling child.

Snot, drool, a little leftover dinner and a yellowing bruise on his noggin. Still, the Pear is adorable. (Don't worry, I was there the whole time he was on the steps and pulled him off after this picture. He thinks it's funny to climb up a few steps then laugh until one of us grabs him.)

All cleaned up and in a comfy pair of fuzzy jammies.

Whoa Mom, it snowed!

Givin' a little love to Champy.

Like most moms, I get horrible mom guilt if I think I've not paid enough attention to one of my kids. Champ, my first "baby", is no exception. I felt bad that he hadn't gotten a walk in a few days, so we headed out in the elements after I put the kids to bed.

Just like the old days - Champy and I out for a late-night walk. Gotta love my ensemble. Eh, I was warm.

A picture of our snowy deck.

Gotta get some sleep now. I'll update this weekend with pictures from Taylor's Thanksgiving program.

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Smile

Just sitting here at work thinking how much I love my kids. They put a smile on my face.

That's all.

Until next time,

Mommy Kel

Friends

Have you ever seen those cheesy cards, coffee mugs, prints, etc. that have the poems about "sisters" or "brothers" written in some dramatic font on a pastel background? After some jealous first few months, followed by months of apathy, I think the Worm and the Pear have become friends. Who knows, maybe they'll exchange cheesy cards someday. :)

Now that Michael is old enough to acknowledge Taylor and laugh at her silliness, Taylor pours it on. She's granted him permission to play in her room and even gives him some of her least favorite toys to play with/chew on.

The kiddos, playing together in the Worm's room.

Taylor and Michael on the Pinto swing. He doesn't look too happy, but he was smiling and having a blast until I picked up the camera.

Michael has taken a real liking to Taylor's kitchen set. I think he thinks it's his job to remove every piece of plastic food from the counter and throw it on the floor.

He likes to play peek-a-boo with the refrigerator door.

Taylor really looks out for her little brother's safety. She screams for me anytime he heads for the stairs (which is approximately 98 times per day) and is good about keeping her small toys off the floor. She performs a "choke test" by placing the item in her mouth to see if it can be swallowed. It's hysterical. The Worm has also learned that she is strong enough to move her little brother around. She likes to pick him up now and remove him from danger. This doesn't always go over so well, as the top-heavy (aka big headed) Pear sometimes takes a fall. More than once Taylor has run up to me saying "Sorry Mommy" as I hear Michael crying in the other room.

Taylor, performing the choke test. Uh-oh, the plastic doggie fits and fails.

Helping Michael out of his chair.

We've just been going with the flow here with not much new to report. The weather was awesome last week so we spent lots of time at the park, taking walks and hanging out in the yard. We had a dance party tonight in the basement, but Mike has forbidden me from sharing footage. :)

I have lots of random pictures to share. Here goes:

Michael loves Taylor's pinwheel.

Wheeee!

She's such a ham. I picked up the camera and she busted out this pose. You're right Lauri, such a Kellie poser.

X Games 2022?

Michael likes to play give and take now.

Hanging out on Daddy. Michael is huge.

Yes Michael, you are adorable. Drool and all.

Taylor cheesing after a trip to the dentist. She was such a good girl!
There's an old farmer guy at church that just loves Michael. He says he looks like a little cherub. In this picture, I have to agree! During his screaming fits, not so much, haha.

Well, hi there Mommy!

I'm a biased Mom, but I think my kids have great eyes. Both have blue eyes, but the color and shape are completely different.

Michael.

Taylor.



Alright, time to spend some quality time with Mike. Have a good weekend!


Until next time,


Mommy Kel