Catch Up

The move put my blogging talents on hold for some time. Here are some pictures from our stay in Iowa. The movers came mid-October and then we flew home with the kids to Iowa for a bit. Todd and I went on to Ohio to move into the house on our own while the kids stayed with Nonnie and Bull. I went back to get the kids and my parents drove back with all of us to help us with unpacking. It was a crazy few weeks and the kids were obviously unsettled. I think we've finally found our happy place. The girls have started at a new school, Veda is in dance classes and we have a routine. Now we can start to enjoy all that Cincinnatti has to offer - other than cold weather;)

Adele exploring the empty shuttle truck before they started loading in CA.

Clear Lake - apparently this dog sculpture is a tree stump.

Bull worked hard to make leaf piles for the girls.

 Digging for carrots... which we ate for dinner... along with fish Papi had caught on his trip to FL.

 Veda and Papi got lots of fishing in. She was especially entertained by the gutting of this fish. "Oh look... at all the blood... there goes his head."

 Cousins

 Owen and Adele the Artists.

 Cuddle time with Bull.

 Keeping busy in Nonnie's shower.

Fun at Wilson's Apple Orchard. The apple slushies were the highlight I heard.

www.stayclearlake.com

If you haven't heard the news by now... the Laabs family has bought a hotel! Formally the Heartland Inn of Clear Lake. We are very excited about our new venture. Please follow us on Facebook at South Shore Inn Clear Lake and visit the website www.stayclearlake.com often for updates on the renovation and resturant (2012 project).

The Little Gym

I enrolled Veda in a ballet, tap and gymnastics combo class. She had lots of fun but kept asking which of her friends was going to go to class with her (since she took class w Ella in cali). We've been touring preschools/daycare and I hope to have them started in something after next week. That will be a relief as they need to be around other kids desperately!

Worker Bee

Nana hard at work unpacking boxes!!

On the subject of fish...

This is the fish that Veda caught with Papa in Iowa. Bull fried it up and I have to say it was amazing and super fresh. Maybe instead of a lemonade stand she can have a fish stand next summer in Clear Lake;)

A moving present

I am way behind on my clogging updates because I am having issues with internet on my laptop. Here is a pic from my phone... I promised Veda a fish when we got to Ohio (didn't learn my lesson the first time w Bob;). This was Bull and Nana's treat. We went with the 13 cent feeder fish as I will probably have to replace it weekly after I kill it. This one is named Nemo and Veda was told she should only feed it every other day. So I told her she can feed it when she takes her baths... genius because she is back to throwing tantrums about bathing.

The playground by our new house...

Good Times

We just got to Cincinnati with the girls. They were especially excited about the playground in the backyard... second to the spiders in the basement (ewww)!

Halloween 2011

We were sad that Dad wasn't with us in Iowa for all the fun. Veda and Adele took Nana and Mom on an hour and a half hike. They really couldn't care less about the candy... they just had so much fun ringing doorbells and hearing everyone tell them how cute they are;)

Adele putting rocks in her pumpkin... not a good strategy considering she had a long way to haul that pumpkin.

No matter how many times Adele face planted she was determined to keep up with Veda. She would get out and run to the door and then climb back in her stroller for a free ride to the next candy station.

Even the police give out candy. I thought they were after me when they came whipping around the corner...

Neighbors

We are desparately missing our neighbors in California right now. It's been almost two weeks since the move and it's finally setting in that we aren't going back. Veda asks about her friends and misses her playtime just outside our front door. In the weeks before our move our friends demonstrated how amazing they really are. They all got together to throw us a going away party on the lawn... they let us use their dryer when ours was unhooked and we still had a load of laundry in the wash... they even folded our underwear;)... they let us hang out at their home way past bedtime while the movers finished up... they let our children take baths at their house... they took Veda for an entire 24 hours so that she didn't have to stay with us at the hotel... they made us the most amazing homemade Japanese dinner and didn't even flinch when Adele tore up their house...they let us mooch off their wireless when our internet was disconnected... they made us cookies for the trip home... they offered to watch the kids... they showered us with gifts for baby boy laabs and our new home... they offered their homes so we didn't have to stay at the hotel... they made sure we left town with at least one more load of hand-me-downs;)

I can only hope that we find at least one neighbor in Ohio that is anywhere near as generous as the Cali crew. We love and miss you all!

The House

Trying to catch up on some posts... Here's the house. Took the movers two full days to get everything off the trailer and put the beds and crib together. Todd and I spent 4 straight 16 hour days unpacking, organizing, and shopping. We were wiped out. I'm back in Iowa for some meetings and will drive back to Ohio on Friday with Mom, Dad, and the kids.

Of all things...

There's an onion patch right outside the back door. Todd's favorite;)

Overheard

Veda and Papi were able to get some fishing in today and caught two fish. A small one and a larger one. Veda was excited to show us the catch in her net.

"There's a baby fish and a mommy fish."
"What are you going to do with them," I asked.
"We are going to eat them, we are going to eat this family."

Coincidently we did have fish for dinner. Fish that Papi caught on his trip to Florida. Veda is not a fish fan but when we told her we were eating the fish she had caught earler she couldn't resist and decided she loved it.

Clear Lake

We've made it to our next stop! I'm sick now... finally caught it from the kids. Making our trip a challenge but the girls are better and having fun and that's all that matters.

Homecoming Parade

We made it to Iowa. Emotional and exhausted but we couldn't miss the Iowa Homecoming Parade. Have to be honest though... total let down. Good thing Veda is easily impressed by deadbeat college students standing on Uhaul trailers.

Overheard

Dad can you open the car window so I can dry my thumb? Its wet because I sucked it. Dad go faster its not drying yet.

The Movers are Here

Having a Happy Meal picnic outside to stay out of the way. Lots of action.

Everything Fun

We brought the girls to a fundraiser for a child with cancer at a friend's salon. Adele sat for a $10 cut but Veda wont let anyone but Didi touch her hair;) There was a band, snow cones, hot dogs and a silent auction for mom!

Movie night in the hood... we're gonna miss this place!

Croup

Add this to the list of things we have to deal with before the movers get here on Tuesday. I guess I should be thankful she didn't get sick while we are holed up in the hotel and homeless next week. Poor thing is miserable and as usual we can't get her to take any medicine.

Overheard

I was taking a shower this morning and could hear the girls in the other room fighting. Rather, I could hear Veda screaming. Adele was pulling Veda's hair and laughing every time Veda would react. She thought it was a game. I tried to explain to Veda that Adele thought she was playing and that she really just wants to be close to her big sister because she loves her.

Huffing and puffing Veda says, "NO MOM! She wants to hurt me. She is trying to kill me."

Pool day

It's well into the 90s here which is a bit unusual so we decided to go for one last dip yesterday before the big move. I hadn't planned on getting in but Veda got excited and jumped in without her water wings which meant I had to go in after her... fully clothed;(

Overheard

I had lit some candles around the house and Todd had gone around and blown them out because we were leaving. Veda asked who had blown out the candles and I told her that Daddy did it.

"Oh, because he thought it was his birthday?"

Going on a Bug Hunt

Veda's favorite thing to do is hunt for bugs and "nature." When Nana and Bull were here she collected a full plastic bag of treasures. Today she found four ants and she named them cucumber, spot, macaroni and pepper. She decorated an old box and then taped it shut. But she made me put some cereal in it first so they would have something to eat.

"Sophie's" House

We drove down to Long Beach this past weekend to visit with my dear childhood friends, the Strauss' and to meet baby Charlie! Veda has been talking about the fun she had ever since. She calls it "Sohpie's" house and says she has a funny Grandma that tells funny stories. That would be Judy;) Thanks to Abby and Mike for having us and Jackie for taking time away from her pedi to visit with us;) Every time we see them it's like time has stood still. Love and miss my girls!

A couple pics from Maui...

 Outside Mama's Fish House

We took this same picture, in this exact same place, seven years ago this November when we attended the Maui Classic with the Hawkeyes.

Thank YOU Nana and Bull

Thanks for taking care of the beans while we were in Maui and ensuring we had a worry-free vacation. The girls loved reading books, going on walks to the park, collecting "nature", and watching Seasame Street on Bull's computer. Sure am glad we will see you again two weeks from today.

Maui

Missing the girls but not worried because we know Nana and Bull are taking good care of them. The Four Seasons is amazing and beautiful. The service here is over the top. Sitting at the serenity pool and the staff comes by every five minutes with fresh pineapple water and ice towels.