It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Our attempt at a family picture....those crazy kids never cooperate at the same time s
Since we have put our tree up, I keep finding Kylie just sitting and looking at the lights and ornaments


Kylie with Santa, she did such a great job, she jumped right up in his lap and talked to him. She is very into the whole Santa and Christmas stuff this year, it is so much fun!
Playing in the snow, I had a snow day and it really wasn't that bad outside so Kylie and I bundled up and went out for about 45 min. If you really know me, you know that was a stretch for me due to the fact that I hate the cold and get bored in the snow easily. It actually wasn't too bad that day. Kylie loved it and I had to drag her inside and bribe her with Mac and Cheese. The next day Todd took her outside and they were out for about an hour, but it was a little later in the day, so a little colder and she wasn't too upset about coming in. The next snow day was a lot colder, so we did not venture out, we shall see what the rest of the winter brings.


The zoo in December?! We went to Christmas For the Animals at the Zoo.....we brought a bag full of gifts for the animals; sheets, shampoo, pickle relish, yogurt......just a few things for the enrichment programs. We got to see Santa's reindeer and then walk around and see some of the animals. We also got to make an ornament and Kylie was able to play limbo and win a little Lion stuffed animal. She had a blast, even if it was a little cold.

Mel and Todd

Pictures........o.k. so this is all pictures to update everyone

Kylie's neighbor friends Ava and Emmy came in to warm up a little on halloween night......of course they had to have a tea party


Presenting.....our little Tinker Bell!
Playing in the bubbles after Todd washed dishes........
Hanging out in the basement before drywall was done
Picking apples at Klackel's Orchard



MSU vs. UofM all the kids piled in Kylie's bed....
Cutie pie.....it has been so cold lately
Kylie was waving at the people cheering us on during Race for the Cure
Kylie with Sophia, Peyton, and Kaitlyn.....three of the four strollers on our team.
Kylie says, "GO GREEN!"
Mel and Todd

I know, I know.......

Again it has been way too long since I posted.....So since my last post Kylie has been saying some of the cutest things.....for example, "What the heck is the deal, daddy? Seriously?" and "Guys, Guys, Listen to me" and "Really?" I think that I have asked Kylie what outfit she wants to wear a little too much, she will hold up two similar toys and say, "Which one you like?" Usually it is the same thing only different colors, so we will respond with one of the colors and she will usually hand us the correct one. She still loves to sing and dance. Kylie loves watching Tinker Bell, both the first and the second one and also Cinderella. Lately instead of saying "Why" like most kids, she has been saying, "What". We are not sure which is worse. Kylie definitely has a sense of humor.....for example, just now as I am typing she was just bouncing off the couch....yup face first and said, "Awesome." Mia has been barking at the builders all morning and a little bit ago, she said, "What is her deal?" We have started getting out her watercolor paints and Aqua Doodle to help time pass with these dark cold evenings. It is no fun going outside, but we still have to entertain her so we have started being artistic.......I will have to take a few picture of her painting.
We never did get to a Michigan State football game.....we were too busy in September, and then by the time our weekends cleared up it was too cold to take Kylie. We keep hoping one of these Saturdays will be nice, but no luck yet. The way the Spartans have been playing football has been very frustrating anyway, so not sure we are up to going this year. Maybe we will make it to a basketball game, as long as Kylie gets to meet Sparty sometime, she won't care what sport we are watching.
Kylie was in her third Race for the Cure this past September. Our team just keeps growing and growing and it is amazing. This year we actually had more friends with strollers join us, it was fun to walk with everyone and help raise money for such a great cause that affects all of us. This year Aunt Amy ran it for the first time, we are so proud of her! She has been working really hard and has lost more than 50 pounds.
This year for Halloween Kylie went as her favorite, Tinker Bell. I was not such a fan of the fancy, "princess" style costume, so Nana made Kylie's costume this year. It was perfect. The weather was a little too cold for us though. We layered Kylie up with two long sleeve shirts and a pair of tights, and one of mommy's head wrap things, but she was still too cold. We made it to about 12 houses before she decided she was too cold and wanted to go home.





Mel and Todd

It's been awhile........

So yeah, I haven't posted in forever. It isn't that we haven't done anything, actually I have missed a lot. Since my last post we have gone to the zoo a couple of times, celebrated our friend Amara's 2nd birthday, attended the first Electronic Music Festival, gone on our first family vacation, spent time with both grandparents, and Uncle Josh and Aunt Amy, Kylie was in her first bike race, played with our neighbor friends, and mommy and daddy helped celebrate Uncle Skav and Aunt Emily's wedding, and Melinda went back to work, which means Kylie gets to visit her Mimi and Sandy and her friends at their houses.
So much going on in our lives. Not only does Kylie sing her Abc's, she also sings "Old McDonald" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider", oh yeah, and the theme song to Little Einsteins. Of course I haven't got any of those songs on camera. Kylie has started to be able to hand us letters when we ask her for them by name, and also pick out colors. We often find ourselves asking, "How did she know that?" We are hoping to take Kylie to her first MSU football game, she is very excited to see Sparty, even if they haven't been playing very well. The neighbor kids have all been playing so nicely together, that we know they will miss each other through the cold winter months and we are hoping to plan play dates so they can still see eachother. The adults have been getting to know eachother too and have even enjoyed some time out without the kids and we look forward to having more of those outings. Sorry to our avid readers that I have not posted in two months, I will try to get pictures posted soon!
Mel and Todd

Kylie has learned how to say her Abc's....

She just turned 2 on June 23rd....I know she doesn't understand completely what she is saying, but it is cute and if you start she will finish or if you say some she will continue from where ever you stopped.
Mel and Todd

First Camping Trip

The weekend of July 11 and 12th, Todd had a softball tournament in Fountain, (near Ludington). Every year I try to go, but have always had something going on, usually something I have planned without thinking about it being the tournament weekend. This year I decided I wasn't going to plan anything and Kylie and I would go with and we would camp. Todd found out that they would be playing two games on Saturday and then a couple on Sunday, but the games on Saturday were at 10 am and then at 3 pm, so we decided to drive up on Friday night and camp for the whole weekend. We borrowed a tent from Erin and Steve because our little four person tent wasn't going to cut it. Once we figured out how to set it up, we were able to begin the fun. We figured Kylie was already over stimulated just from the drive and then setting up the tent, so we let her hang out by the fire with us until she was settled and sleepy. She went to bed around 11 pm, and she only threw a small fit. On Saturday we got up and get ready and went to Todd's first game and they lost. Then we drove to Ludington for lunch and then went back to the camp site. We packed up our swimming stuff so we could go to the big lake after the second game. We decided to first check out the lake at our campground, Round Lake, and decided that it was probably a little bit warmer then the big lake would be so we would just come back to the campground instead of the big lake. Kylie wasn't so happy going in the water this time, so we didn't stay in long. We decided to show Kylie what it was like to tent camp cook. We grilled our hot dogs over the fire and had carrots and potato chips and then we waited a little while and introduced Kylie to S'mores. She wasn't so sure at first and just wanted the chocolate, she actually tried to take it apart, but then I made my own S'more and showed her how to eat it the right way. She figured it out and really enjoyed herself. We tried not to stay up too late, because Todd's game on Sunday was at 8 am. They lost and the team decided to call it quits. They were not going to be in the big tournament, and a couple of the guys were hurt. We were exhausted so we decided to just pack up and drive home. I think Kylie enjoyed herself because as we were leaving the campsite, she started crying just a little bit. I'm so glad our first camping trip was a success. If we camped more, it would be nice to have something better than a tent, but for now it works.
Mel and Todd

Happy 4th of July......a little late

Oh how we love the 4th of July. We always have such a busy day, but it is always so much fun. Kylie got a new dress from Grandma and Grandpa for her Birthday that was blue and white with red lady bugs and red ribbons on the shoulders. It was perfect for the holiday. We always go to Grandma and Grandpa's house and then go to the parade in Grandville, and then we have lunch and then we go to Erin's mom's house for our annual backyard fun day. The guys and a few of the ladies play volleyball, there is a nice pool for swimming, and now with all the little ones we have little pools for the kids to play in. Usually Mia goes to Grandma and Grandpa's house, but this year she had a sore back so we left her home. Around 5 Kylie and I drove home to let Mia out and hang out with her a little bit. Kylie hadn't hadn't had a nap all day, so she fell asleep in the car. We went back to the party and had dinner and Kylie and Daddy did some swimming. I didn't have a chance to put Kylie's bathing suit back on her, so she went in her skirt. After the party we went to watch the fireworks. We always go to our church and hang out for awhile and then watch the fireworks. This year I bought glow bracelets/necklaces and they were a big hit. I bought 30 and we shared them with the kids at the party and then the rest were for Todd, Kylie, Josh, Amy, Grandma, and Grandpa. Kylie only took about a 45 minute nap the whole day and lasted through the fireworks. We brought Great Grandpa home and she started getting a little whiny, so Todd stayed in the backseat with her. When we were almost home she looked over at him and said, "I just want my milk" I think we finally got her to admit she was tired!
Todd was teaching Kylie how to Hula Hoop

Kylie and Todd at the Parade

Kylie and Zane at the Parade

Kylie didn't have the greatest view of the parade, the rule in Grandville has always been that you must stay on the curb, but evidentally the cops don't know how to control the children watching the parade from the middle of the road......Yup Kylie stayed on the curb! She found a flag and had so much fun waving it.
Aunt Amy and Uncle Josh brought Kylie's bike seat and gave her a ride to the party.

Kylie and Sophia check out the kiddie pool

Water Balloons

Kylie found the Hippo toy and wanted to take it in the pool

This is just before she went swimming in the big pool with Daddy in just her skirt, I only had one shirt for the rest of the evening, so I got Todd to take that off her.
Kylie's first sparkler



I thought this picture was kind of cool
Mel and Todd

To End the week.....John Ball Zoo

To finish off the week we went to John Ball Zoo with Steve, Erin, Peyton, and Sophia. The kids had a great time. This was the hottest week that we have had all summer, so all of our outside fun was very HOT. The kids got tired and hot quickly, but we still spent a few hours wandering around looking at the animals. They did really well, and when it was time to go, we all knew it.
To re-cap the week: Monday, Binder Park Zoo; Tuesday, Kylie's birthday and party; Wednesday, Doctor appointment and hottest day yet, so not much outside; Thursday, beach; Friday, John Ball Zoo........after that we just relaxed. I didn't take any pictures for the next week, we were just laying low, kind of. Todd got back to work on Monday morning and found out that he to go to Dayton, Ohio, for work so he was gone Monday thru Wednesday. We had Grandma's birthday and My birthday celebrations. Todd had softball on my birthday so we postponed the celebrating for a day, but Kylie started thinking she was going to get cake almost every day. I will post 4th of July pictures and Kylie's first camping trip soon!



Mel and Todd