Thanksgiving and getting a tree

We had a good long weekend off of work. It was sad to have Matt go back to school this morning...only 3 weeks until Christmas break!

           

 Thanksgiving 2013 (but Friday with theCalhoun/Laber side)

Festive Turkey dress, compliments of Grammy Tami!

 Saturday, Nov 30-Traditional day to go pick out our tree! Micah taking a horse drawn ride to pick out his tree.

 We let Micah pick out the tree this year. This is what he picked. Matt wasn't thrilled-not his first choice. It is short, but full and it made Micah happy!

 Micah in front of his tree

 Getting decorations out-I think we bought these last year for a youth event...

 Funny face reindeer

 Adelie also liked them

 Discovering lights for the first time

 Adelie decorating for her first Christmas!!

 The finished tree!

 December 2-Adelie is 11 months old today!  

End of Fall 2013

Is winter here?  Getting the coveted "Snow Day Phone Call" this morning has me leaning toward yes.  Oh, how a snow day makes me so happy!  So our fall season was great, but it's hard to believe that enjoying fall colors and my favorite season has come to an early end.

We are finding that two kids makes us much busier than just the one did, but I don't think that comes as a surprise.  Sorry for the month long delays in blog posts.  All that means is that our tardiness gives you more news and pics to catch up on.

Jennie is busy with nursing clinicals, I am coaching a 7th grade basketball team for the next 2 months, Adelie is getting her legs under her, and Micah is making his dentist earn her money (you can ask about that later) and is taking his Water Runners class at the YMCA.  Yes, the Water Runners Class is our feeble attempt at managing his energy overload.  I don't think it's working.  Love that kid... wish I had the kind of battery he does.  I would be so much more productive.

Now, we are all looking forward to the coming holidays.  Thanksgiving and Christmas always end up being celebrated in epic proportions, being that Jennie and I get to double up on these celebrations, for the fact that both of our families are so near.  It's going to be great!

Here are some of the highlights of the last month:

 hiking at Van Buren State Park after our last camping trip

 Micah and Mommy

 The patient, his nurse, and his doctor... Happy Halloween!

 Jack-O-Lanter #1

 Jack-O-Lantern #2

 Adelie's 10 month picture

 November 12, 2013 = Snow Day fun!

 Cleaning off dad's ride

 Cleaning off Micah's ride

 Jumping in leaf piles, Michigan style.

Even the beast escaped for some first snow fun!

On another note...
Okay, so these are not from the last month.  In fact, they are long overdue.  Jennie told me when I was blogging that she had said a while back that I would report on my wilderness trip to Craig Lake State Park in the upper peninsula of Michigan.  We made this  6 day trip in the last part of July.  The excursion was miles away from civilization (the way I like it).  It really was an adventure.  The first night we had to race across the lake in our canoes to set up camp on the ridge before the storm hit us.  We got set up just in time to get under our tarps and keep most of the rain off.  Needless to say, the strong winds drove some of the rain into our shelters.  We had an ax injury, resulting in having to get my cousin out of the park and to a hospital.  He got stitched up, came back to camp, and then went back to the hospital in Marquette later in the week for hand surgery.  I swear I crossed a crazed beaver that had it in for me fishing solo one night.  He surfaced a few feet from my kayak two times and pounded the water.  Guess I got a little too close to his home.  We even had two nights in which we had to brave temperatures that dipped into the 30s.  When you put it that way, it sounds like a miserable trip, but when you are there in the heart of God's creation you can't help but be amazed.  Blessed to have been able to have been there.  I can't wait to do another trip like it!

 Camp

 Craig Lake Transportation

 Found this little waterfall when we paddled over to Claire Lake and hiked the portage trail.

 Claire Lake

My quiet night time paddle

A whole months worth!

Well, September flew by! Matt has been really busy getting back into the swing of 2nd grade and a new school year. I started the second week of September back to work for LMC in addition to Lakeland. The kiddos are at a new daycare (which we love and its going great!).  Just a few highlights from the month!

 Matt and Micah on the motorcycle (I'm not sure why the picture is distorted...)

 Swimming at Laukus' house

 The bench Matt made for our entry room

 Melissa was back for a week-we had a girls' afternoon. We think it may be the first time we were all together in 2 years! Us four and the kids

 Church camping weekend! It was our camper's debut

 Braeden turned one! At his party he had a bounce house, which was a huge hit with all the boys! (sorry, also distorted for some reason!)

 Adelie helping with dishes. Next to a similar picture of Micah from November 2010! (both approx 9 mo old)

 Adelie was 9 months old on Wednesday!! Here are a few pictures I took of her in our front yard.

 She had her 9mo well visit today. She only weighed in at 14lb 14oz! Dr Driscoll says she is below the curve, but she has been consistent and she will probably just  end up having a petite build. He estimates she probably won't even get to be as tall as me.... (I'm only 5f 4)
Micah is also officially 3 and a half as of Thursday.

8 months

In honor of Saturday's first Michigan football game and win...

Today Adelie is 8 months old!

So Adelie pulled herself up on our cat's carpet box, and I had deja vu! I knew I had taken the same picture of Micah and his first time pulling himself up in the same location. So I quick snapped the picture, and here is the comparison! (age wise they are both 7.5 months old, within 2 days of each other)

 Micah- November 15, 2010, and Adelie- August 16, 2013

 This is our new-to-us car! 2007 Dodge Caliber, to replace Matt's car

 Tub time tonight

 Already beating up her brother

Playing together in the tub

Post past due

I am way late in posting on the blog! A lot has happened since last time.

July 18-23, Matt went up north for a backpacking/canoe trip. I will let him do his own post on that.

While he was gone, that Monday, July 22, Adelie decides to start crawling! Daddy was in for a nice surprise on his return.

August 2, Adelie turned 7 months old. On that day, we were doing our youth group camping trip up in Grant, MI, and went to Michigan's adventure for the day. Micah is still talking about the water slides! He also fell asleep at 6:30 that evening and didn't wake up until the next morning. We must do more trips like that :)

Just this past Friday (Aug 9), Adelie started pulling herself up on things (Mainly the bumbo or my legs, but she tries with almost everything she comes in contact with!)

We went to the fair yesterday with Grammy, Aunt Jenn, and cousins Gabe and Lydia. Sadly I don't have any pictures because Matt had the camera somewhere! But they had fun seeing all the animals, eating funnel cakes, and walking through the expo buildings. No rides this year, but Micah really wanted to! (He rode some really cool ones at Michigans adventure, so I didn't feel the need to let him ride any yesterday).

School is quick approaching and Matt is already getting into his mode-he is already stressing about getting to school and getting his room ready (He will be teaching 2nd grade at Lincoln Elementary, and has to switch rooms, from the 2nd floor to the 1st floor). Summer is sadly coming to an end!  Looking forward to getting some fun stuff in still and enjoying the nice weather while we have it.

Adelie Crawling

The day she started pulling herself up (she actually stood up right here holding on to my leg)

Taken today: The cute kiddos!