Winter Daze

We need an extra day in our weekends.  Just one.  Then maybe we can get everything done that we need to, have some fun, relax, and then I can blog... 

 

Let's get right to it.  I think all we did was go to the Winter Daze Parade right here in downtown Menomonie.  This will do until the boys get a bit older and we take them to the Holidazzle in the Cities.  It was great, and the boys L.O.V.E.D.  They saw horses, donkeys, puppies, lots of "kids" (according to Aiden), "bights" (lights), a camel, a cow, the Grinch, and Santa!  Aiden was doing some window shopping along Main Street.

 

 The boys LOVE horses and most ALL animals. 

 The Crew.

 All bundled up and loving the parade.

 More Horsies!!!!

 Spirit is the Menomonie Mustang Mascot.

 Once we were home, we had two little Reindeer that played the Kazoo.

 The boys are telling more and more stories and constantly amazing us with the things they say and remember from day to day.  Aiden is working so hard at putting everything together and is often putting 3 and 4 words together.  I smile everyday on the way home from Bonnie's.  They tell me who was there and all about the animals.  They point out the trees, tractors, barns, trucks, and they are ending every story with: "Daddy too, Megan too, Debbie too, Gramma too, Grampa too, and Nana too."  They will go on and on I swear just to keep hearing themselves talk.  The other words that I heard and noticed a lot more this week are:

 

"Mine"

"My Do"

"I Do"

 

Yep... getting to be pretty stubborn and independent.  Bring on the Terrible Twos!  ;)

 

House Update:  I CAN"T EVEN KEEP UP.  Adam usually visits daily, I make it out on the weekends and for as long as nothing was happening, it has exploded lately.  The exterior walls were studded in one day, and the interior walls were studded in the other.  Our front porch was poured, and the roof went on today (pictures to com on Sunday's blog).  This is what I have been waiting for, to be able to feel the space.  I have to say, I can't still quite feel it... but here is a brief tour:

 

Looking at the front from the road, the garage isn't on in this picture so that throws me off.  The front window is a spare bedroom and where the porch will be.  The other HUGE cut out is for the HUGE custom door coming from Utah.

 Looking from the Great Room into the kitchen (two windows framing the stove).  The other window on the right is the boys' room.  The window off the back is the dining room.

 Master Bedroom.  Big window looking out back and the two windows framing our bed.

 Master Bath.  The one window is in the "toilet closet" and the other is the transom above the bath tub.

 From the inside looking out the front door and spare bedroom window...

 In the great room looking at the door and windows leading into the screened porch.

 Out the Master Window to the back.

 Out the dining room window to the back.

More pictures this week of the roof and with the garage on... ***Note to self, never ever sell a house at the start of school and build another house over the holidays.  ;)  It adds craziness in this already busy time of year, but worth it in a couple months.

 

The Wamboldt's are off to see Santa tomorrow night after work.  Any bets on what the picture will look like.  The boys say they will sit on his lap because he gives them candy... Great, strangers enticing them with candy!?!?!?  But it's Santa, so I am okay with that.

 

Thanks for checking in!  Christmas cards are in the mail... from the A Team.

Tis' The Season

I know I promised the blog on Monday... but time slips away.  FAST. Very fast.  I hate to get behind because the pictures and stories just keep piling up... and I know there are some that check this blog daily for updates and to look at what the Wamboldt Family are up to.  When I down loaded the pictures this week there were 300 of them.  Yep.  Love the digital age of taking TONS of pictures and then choosing what you want to keep, delete, and BLOG about ;)  I say to myself - "We did ALL that this past week or two?!?!?!"  So let's get started...

 

Ashton has has discovered the ipad and my iphone.  He has animal apps and puzzles that he does independently.  Nana even asked if they needed their own ipads or ipod touches for Christmas... I said NO!  They can use ours as a treat and I don't want them hooked on technology yet.

 When Daddy is doing an important job, you can expect that Aiden won't be too far behind.  The project last week - Decorate the Tree.  If I would have let him, Aiden would have been sitting on top of the ladder.

 Ashton helped for a minute...

 Projects with Daddy, usually involves a hammer.

 Ornaments are moved daily, but here is the finished project.  No breakables and cherished ornaments at the boys' level, and no glass icicles, or colored balls for this year. :)

 Saturday, December 1st we went to cheer on Mikayla for her first dance competition at the High School.  She has danced since she was tiny and didn't dance last year... so we were excited to see her dance again!  They opened the competition with their holiday dance.

 Mikayla's #1 Fans...

 Mikayla is the farthest on the right.

 In the back doing the splits.  No matter where I sat, she seemed to be the furthest  away from me or in the back... (she's on the tall-er side).

 Doing her kicks!  (second from left)

 Their second dance was their pom routine.  They took second place! Whoo-hoooooo.

 St. Nick left something in the boys' shoes on the morning of the 6th.  *He must not have seen Mommy's shoes behind the boys'.

 Jammies, new books, and CANDY CANES.  Yes, they ate their candy at 6:30 in the morning...

 The last time we saw Santa was at Pleasant Vally Tree Farm and they got a candy cane from Santa.  If you ask Ashton what Santa brings he says "Canny (Candy)"  If you ask Aiden what Santa brings he says "presents".

 Besides one broken ornament, the boys have done great with the tree.  We "look with our eyes"... as Aiden doing.

 Ashton will look with his eyes too, but sometimes close them ;)

 Loves getting his picture taken right now...

 They actually stay still for a few pictures!

 Doesn't that face show pure guilt?!?! 

 They think if they aren't touching it with their hands, it's OK.  So the back into the tree... "Back, Back Back."

 I think Aiden also thinks it's OK to touch it with his mouth.

 

On Saturday, December 8th we headed West to Waconia, MN.  We had the 2nd annual Stout Christmas.  Adam and his old roommates try to get together with the families at least once a year.  The families are continuing to grow!  Last year we went to Mike and Berta's in Maple Grove and this year it was at Eric and Jamie's.  Next year, it's at our house!  They have a beautiful place they just built and had been living at for a week before hosting!  Aiden found the trucks right away... Thanks for sharing Kaden.

 

Last year Isaiah was just a BABY!  This year he was trying to keep up with the big kids...

Roommates. Stouties. Daddies. Husbands. Boys.

The play room was STOCKED with toys... even with all the dolls and Barbies...

The boys still founds the trucks, cars...

and the TRAIN TABLE.

Taking a break from all the playing for a picture...

The Crew last year (2011)...

This year (2012). 



Look at this little Cutie.  AS I mentioned earlier, Isaiah was a tiny baby last year and slept most of the time we were Christmas Partying.  This year he was being a HAM for the camera...

Aiden with "Uncle Deek."

After a late night of Christmas Partying, the boys were troopers to get up and head to Eau Claire for Elise's baptism.  Aiden and Elle stayed busy with some "books."  

Elise May.  Happy Baptism Day!

Proud God Parents.

Is Elise not a mini-me of her big sister?!?!

Two years ago to the weekend, we had twenty something inches of snow in the day of my baby shower.  This past weekend it was fifteen inches of snow for Elise's baptism... so we had to play in it!  **Reminder for Wamboldt's - Don't plan anything on the second weekend of December, except a sledding party.

 

 The truck even gets brought out in the snow!  I do have to say, I give kindergarten and early childhood teachers A LOT of credit getting kiddos all bundled up with boots, snow pants, mittens, etc.  To get these two dressed is a chore in its self, and after 15 minutes of being outside Ashton is begging to go inside because he's cold...

 And this is why we are doing a BIG mudroom in the new house with lockers!

 Speaking of house... it's been awhile.  HOUSE UPDATE:  So much has changed, I can't even keep up!  The pictures below are from before snow, and just the foundation with back-fill.  It is now all framed with exterior walls and interior walls.  Yay!  I can FINALLY walk through and feel the space of the walls, the rooms, and the layout.  We had to "Flip (mirror-image) the plan to fit on the lot right so I was all confused and anxious to "feel it".  The garage went up today and basement floor being poured tomorrow and they will end the week with prep for the roof trusses to being on Monday.  I try to sneak out every couple days, and I am amazed how fast things are changing!  I'll get out there in the daylight hours this weekend to get some updated pics!

 

View from the road.

 The wine cellar that will be under the garage floor once it's poured.

 View from the back.

 

 

Can you believe that in this crazy recap of our weeks, three of us have had chest colds, three of us have had pink eye, and I was in bed for two days with a fever, chills, and felt like I was hit by a truck!?!? 

 

Tis' the Season to be Merry!