Celebrating 4!

Gavin turned 4 on Sunday. He started his birthday weekend off with a playdate as his good friend Avery's house on Friday after school. On Saturday afternoon, our family went to the Mall of America to check out Sea Life (old Underwater World). We usually do the rides at Nickelodeon Universe, but since we were there a day before Gav's birthday and his ride wristband wasn't free, we decided to try something different and return on Tuesday for less expensive rides. Only Jacob has been to the aquarium before, so it was fun to see it. We had supper at the Rainforest Cafe, even though I tried to convince Gavin to try somewhere else since he doesn't like the thunder and noisey monkeys at the Rainforest. Turns out Jacob is more persuasive than I am.

Watching a turtle swim over head.

Jacob at the aquarium.

Being in those aquarium tunnels, did make me think of Jaws more than once.

Trying to get a picture of the boys while waiting for our table at Rainforest Cafe.

Valcano Cake!

On Sunday we had a family birthday party for Gavin. Target made him an awesome Mario cupcake cake. It was almost too awesome, as Gavin didn't really want anyone to eat it. His brothers gave him new Leapster games, we gave him a pogo stick, he got Bey Blades, Tag books, a DS game, Woody, a giga ball, and more. He spent the day playing Wii with cousins and aunts and uncles.

Mario

Gav with his cake.

Megan and Corey with Gavin.

Grandpa and Grandma Middendorf with Gavin.

Tim and Adrea.

Rosenbergers

Grandpa and Grandma Jeske.

Wyatt enjoying some bounces on the pogo stick.

Christmastime in Pictures

We started off December by putting up our 3 trees. One in the front dining room and two in the basement, one for all my ornaments and one for the boys'. It was decided that the boys need a bigger tree already. Wyatt was pretty good with the trees, he did like to pull a few ornaments off now and then. Mostly the light-up snow globes from on the boys' tree.

Where to start?

Jacob decorating.

Finished product.

This year in the church Christmas program Jacob was a wiseman. These wisemen were a little unruly in practice, but they did a great job when it came to showtime.

Jacob, Noah, Griffin, Brendan, Aaron, and another Noah.

We made it downtown to Macy's 8th floor and the Holidazzle parade with the Jeske crew this year. We got to the 8th floor just before the pre-parade rush and had no wait, way better than the last time we were there and had to wait on another floor before even getting to the 8th floor. Then we had a pretty mild night for the parade, so we could all hang out on the curb and watch.

Jeske girls with Jeske grandkids.

Jeske cousins - Isaac, Jacob, Maddie, Wyatt and Gavin.

Wyatt watching the parade.

I got to volunteer at Jacob's Holiday party at school. I got to lead the New Year's Dance party. It was the wrong day to wear my puffy vest, but an OK day to skip my morning workout. After 6 rounds of YMCA, Macarena, The Twist, and the Bunny Hop, I was sweating to the oldies no doubt.

Jacob celebrating with. a noisemaker.

Wyatt finally had surgery on his right tear duct to open it up and stop all the mattering in that eye. Everything went very smoothly and Wyatt didn't have a hunger breakdown before hand like I feared, but was pretty upset after he woke up without his parents there. They came and got us right away, but he took a while to settle down.

Gavin's preschool class sang a bunch of Holiday songs for parents and grandparents. Meanwhile, Gavin did his own little dance and act in the backrow, while the rest of the kids stood/sat still and sang nicely. Fred and I were the parents with our faces buried in our hands and thinking "what is that kid doing?".

Gavin's preschool class.

Gavin looking sweet.

Gavin and Avery post-show.

We spent the long Christmas weekend up in Melrose. We got to see some friends and hang out with family.

We started our Christmas Eve day out at the Jeske's for brunch and stocking presents. All the kids were patient and attentive thru the whole 15 rounds. Jacob got the hange of guessing, by watching what other cousins were opening. Gavin would just say "and I don't want to guess". Even Wyatt was good about opening his presents.

Wyatt opening a gift from the Rosenbergers, sometimes we can't wait for the kids to open presents and they get to do so early.

Gavin with a stocking present on his face and his shirt from Rosenbergers.

Great Grandma Lyd with 5 of her great grandkids.

Tim and Adrea with Wyatt.

Then we headed to Middendorfs for lunch, the dice game, and gifts. Jacob got a pogo stick, Gavin a Tag Reader, and Wyatt a laptop from Grandma and Grandpa.

Jacob and Grandpa Gene.

Fred, Gavin and Jacob.

Grandma and Grandpa Middendorf with Gavin.

Chad and Mary with Jacob and his drumset.

Megan and Corey with Gavin.

Then it was off to church, back to Jeske's for supper and the rest of the presents.

Trying to get a decent picture of the boys. This is the best I could do.

Family pictures appeared even more challenging.

Gavin's favorite and most anticipated present, a Mario costume along with Luigi and Wario. The 3 Amigos donned the costumes and played Mario brothers.

The annual Jeske girls photo by the fireplace.

We hung out in Melrose on Christmas Day. Had lunch at the Jeske's, visited with the Middendorfs in the afternoon, and played Monopoly at the Rosenbergers that evening.

On Monday we celebrated Christmas at our house. Santa brought Jacob a keyboard, Gavin a couple Wii games (which Jacob likes more than Gav), and Wyatt a Laugh and Learn Puppy (which Gavin plays with more than Wyatt). Sigh. Fred took Jacob and Gavin swimming in the afternoon and we baked Jesus a birthday cake.

Another failed attempt at a photo of the 3 boys. Yes, Gavin wore his costume for a few days straight.

Wyatt with his own "cell phone".

Jacob holding Wyatt's Santa gift.

Gavin with his new shirt and new Wii games.

Jacob with his new key lighting keyboard.

Happy Birthday to Jesus!

The Birthday the Bug Almost Squashed

Behind on my posts, but Fred planned such a fun birthday for me that it should be documented. For my 35th birthday Fred planned a day and night away in downtown Minneapolis. I accidentally ran into the info in the back of his shirt drawer, but didn't tell him until I had to. And I had to once I got the stomach bug the night before my birthday. I knew my parents were coming to watch the kids and I didn't want my dad to catch what we had, both Jacob and I got the "bug". I felt well enough to sit up by the time mom got here, so we headed out on our adventures.

Fred had a room for us at a hotel downtown. We grabbed some lunch and went to the room to rest, Fred had been up all night with Jacob and I with the toilet. After our rest, I was feeling better and we headed off to Bar La Grassa - a great Italian restaurant I had heard friends rave about. We ordered a few items to share and enjoyed some wine. Then we were off to the Guthrie to see "Charlie's Aunt". Fun show, just a little long. By the time we got back to the hotel, Fred's bug was kicking in. And so Fred spent the night in and out of the king bed.

We returned home in the morning, so Fred could recover in the comfort of our own home. I let him rest up during the day, so we could head out that evening to check out a friend's band at the Golden Valley VFW. The Nordeast bands' public debut was fund to attend, even if Fred didn't have the energy to shake it on the dance floor.

Thanksgiving with No Turkey

We flew off to Florida as the first flakes 0f snow were falling in Minnesota and spent the week. And it was just us, no grandparents or aunts to help. It was tiring. Thankfully we had great weather and fully enjoyed the pool and ocean. I do believe Fred and I got the award for wettest parents. We were always in the pool with the boys, no sunbathing on the sides or sitting at the tiki bar while they floated in swimmies like some other kids. Though we do look foreward to vacations with a little more sitting and watching than this vacation allowed.

Wyatt's first sight of the ocean did not invoke fear as it had for the other two. He just wanted, and tried, to crawl right in. We learned to dress him in swim trunks anytime we went near the beach because he was sure to get in the water. Fred laughed at Wyatt as he would sit at the edge of the water, then it would recede and he'd go sit at the new edge, and continue this until the water came back in and he got splashed in the face with a big wave. Never did it deter him from the ocean.

Our Thanksgiving lunch was leftovers accumulated during the week and then our supper was pizza. No turkey, no sweet potatoes, and no pie. We did have a Pepperidge Farm cake for dessert that was quite delicious and we had enough ice cream from the nearby shop during the week that our sweet tooths did not go unsatisfied.

The swimming and playing left everyone very tired in the evenings and the big boys slept well at the hotel, but Wyatt is not our best sleeper and it was tough. There were a few mornings where I was ready to go home because I was just so tired. But other than that issue, and one cockroach in the bathroom, our trip was good. Even the flights with 3 hour layovers in Altlanta went pretty smoothly.

Gavin and Jacob in a rare moment of not wrestling, actually water has that effect.
Wyatt going right for the water.
We had a park a block down from the hotel and got a little silly on the climbing pole.
Gavin.
Jacob.
Fred, aka the Rock.
Wyatt swinging.
Self-timer family photo.
Wyatt enjoying the pool with Fred.
Jacob and one of his many new friends in the pool.
Fred and Jacob enojying "busting" the waves.
Just so you know it was a true "family" vacation, tears were not off-limits.
Gavin learned he liked to enjoy the ocean on someone's hip.
Wyatt going for the ocean, again.
Jacob in a hole with his friend, Davy. Davy's dad spent a couple hours digging this out.
Gavin testing the hole.