Cleaning Mom's Car

Didi started a new trend for the Laabs household...Veda cleaning our car.  She seemed to really enjoy putting Armor All on the dash and cleaning windows...hey, we'll take it.

Fun at Didi and Papi's House

This past week I took Veda and Adele up to Clear Lake, while Kathy went on a work trip to Chicago for 4 days (Winston stayed back with Grandma and Grandpa Sayre).  

Saturday night started with a holiday party for the South Shore Inn and The Landing.  Veda was content watching a movie during the festivities, but Adele hammed it up at the party.  Walking around to everyone at the party, asking, "can I have some more soda."  At least it was Sprite Zero so she didn't go into a sugar coma...never the less, she danced the night away and strolled around in her jammies till about 10pm.

Sunday night we headed down to Ames for dinner and an ISU basketball game.  We hit up an old favorite of the Laabs family, Hickory Park, where Veda and Adele enjoyed their famous ice cream.  After that, we headed over to Hilton Coliseum for the girls to experience their first Iowa State BBall game and a token picture with Cy (sure to make Kathy happy!)

Thanks again for a great couple days in Clear Lake!

Missing Compass

Ms Kathleen and Ms Veruska

The girls have been out of school since Nov 21st. They are getting a bit stir crazy. Even Adele is asking if she can go to school and she use to kick and scream in protest. I think they are missing their awesome teachers. I know I am. Can't wait to get settled in Minnapolis and get them started up again!

Favorite Places

 This was Winston's favorite place this summer. He would move from window to window watching Dad mow the lawn.

Unfortunately this is now his favorite place. He is destined to be a basketball player. He keeps finding random things around the house and dumping them in the "hole". I found one of Veda's shoes and a plastic bag full of pacifiers in there the other day.

The Bouncer

So, Veda and I were pretend fighting/wrestling on the ground today.  Adele came over and jumped on top of me...I asked her, are you the bouncer?

Veda: "What's a Bouncer"
Dad: "A Bouncer breaks up fights at bars"
Veda: "Huh, maybe Grandpa Gary can be a Bouncer...he doesn't have a job and he goes to the bar a lot"

A Classic - Patrick Swayze in "Roadhouse"

Hudson Baptism

This weekend we celebrated baby Hudson Ehlers baptism in Madison.  Congrats on your big day little buddy!

Carousel Rides Part 1

When in doubt, hit the mall for carousel rides...always a big hit...to note, Veda named her horse Lullaby and Adele named her dragon/sea monster Didi...I'm sure there is no resemblance to her Grandma...

The Green Hornet Strikes Again!

Shopping at Shiels was exciting for one person.  While hat shopping for Winston, Adele found one to her liking...and then proceeded to run around the store trying to scare all the other little kids (quite successfully I might add)....

Shop till you Drop

At least the parents were ready to drop...and be finished with toy purchasing for Christmas 2012.  As much as the kids would love a giant stuffed pony, its just not going to happen this year (unless the ponies can live in the back yard).  At a minimum, Costco Iowa City provided a couple good hours of entertainment...

Sayonara Cincinnati

Adios Cincinnati and P&G.  Tuesday was our last day in the 'Nati...we snapped this very 'posed', very cold picture as the last of our PODS units were packed up and ready to move out to Minneapolis, starting the next chapter of Laabs, Inc.

Happy Birthday Bull

Glad we were able to celebrate with you today...

Love, Veda, Adele, Winston, Kathy and Todd

Thanksgiving at the Sayre House

Winston really enjoyed carving his first turkey...Veda called Uncle Ryan in Japan after dinner.  It was a fine feast, enjoyed by all.  Thanks Grandpa Bull!

Tin Foil Ball

Unwrapping a 5 lb tin foil ball...hours of entertainment for Adele.  Thanks Auntie Janice sharing your treasure...

Saturday Morning in Iowa City

First day we've had to really bundle up the kids to go outside and play...better get used to those hats and gloves...

Little Buck Hunters

"Dad, can we go shoot some deer" ~Veda @ The Airliner in Iowa City

Overheard

On her way out the door this morning to her friend Derek's birthday party, Veda said, "I sure hope they have an area for girls to twirl at the party".

Winston Walks

First week living on two feet (and only 9 months old)...way to go Winston!

Election Day

It's election day and this is where our vote will go. To be clear... I believe in the right for marriage for everyone and I believe in a women's right to choose! Simply said - I support this campaign on most other issues and I think they are most pressing in our country right now.

Veda has been running around the house telling us she wants Broke Obama to win. Clearly influenced by someone at school;)?

Happy Halloween 2013

9 Month Hulk

Winston had his 9 month check-up yesterday. Poor guy has had a double ear infection for more than 2 weeks now and it still hasn't gone away so he couldn't get his shots and was put on another round of antibiotics. Which means Mom gets to perform circus tricks for another 10 days in order to get the medicine down. He weighed in at 21.9 lbs (between 50th and 75th percentile), he measured 30.5 inches (above the 95th percentile) and his head measured in the 75th percentile.

Overheard

 

Adele was watching her favorite Charlotte Diamond Dvd, Crunchy Carrots, in the car and singing her favorite song and said, "Mom can I have a Sasquatch?"

Me: "Where would it sleep?"
Adele: "In the car."
Me: "What would it eat?"
Adele: "Mulch"

A totally predictable response given it is one of her major food groups.

Easily Entertained

Papi recently stuck his finger where he shouldn't have and almost lost it;) When he came to visit last week the girls had fun blinging up his cast.

A NEW ADVENTURE! MINNEAPOLIS BOUND!

 

So if you are wondering why I haven't given the blog much attention, this is why. We have been busy planning for the next phase of our lives. We close on our new home in South Minneapolis on Dec 17th - probably in the midst of a major snow storm;) Every day Adele comes downstairs, looks at the boxes and asks, "Where we all going? Minnesota?" Then she does roll call to make sure we are ALL going to Minnesota. "I go Minnesota? Veda go? Winston too? Mommy and Daddy? Baby Hudson?" No Baby Hudson. "Oh."

We have to be out of our house in Ohio on Dec 1 so we will be wearing out our welcome in Iowa City, Clear Lake and Madison for most of the month.

Adele's Pet

I think I stared at Adele in disbelief for a good 15 seconds. I kept trying to process what she was SQUEEZING in her hands. "Look Mom. It a birdy!" I screamed and she threw it on the kitchen floor. After disinfecting the premises I began my lecture on avoiding dead animals. "Please do not ever touch dead animals". Veda chimes in, "like a dead moose?" "Yes Veda, we do not touch dead moose."

Soldier Sweaters

"Look dad. Soldier sweaters. You put those on, then you go fight and beat people up...or you wear them when you go kill deer." ~ Veda @ Walmart


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Overheard

Haley, our babysitter, took the kids to the park this morning. On their return Veda ran into the house dangling part of an old earring she found at the park. "Mom! I found the Key of Legends. This will be great in my diorama!"

Overheard

I was working in my office this morning and Veda walks in as I'm inserting a USB memory stick. She grabs it out of my hands with excitement and says (wide-eyed),

"Mom! Is this the kill code"?
"The what?" I ask.
"Ya know, the kill code to keep the giant meatballs from falling from the sky."
"Yep Veda, that's exactly what it is."

Overheard

Papi and Didi were in town this week and helped us move a couch from the basement. We found some huge spiders hiding underneath... thankfully dead. Veda got so excited that she ran to find her bug box. When she couldn't find it she returned with her sparkly purple purse and carefully placed the dead spiders inside. I left the room because I couldn't handle it - I do NOT like spiders - dead or alive. Later I went downstairs and found one of the spiders on the staircase.

"Veda - why is this sitting here?"
"Well - he was my favorite but then all his legs fell off."

Negative

I took Adele to an allergist at the recommendation of our pediatrician. She has been having some skin issues and stomach discomfort. In order to test for all allergies including Celiac disease we had to have blood drawn. NO FUN. Five vials of blood and lots of tears and all she wanted afterwards was to be held and to ride up and down repeatedly in the glass elevator. She kept saying "higher" "higher" like I was pushing her on the swing.

We got the call yesterday that everything came back normal - she isn't allergic to ANYTHING. Surprised but relieved. No crazy diets in our house.

Ice Cream Social at School

The Parents Committee held an Ice Cream social and committee sign-up. Against my better judgement I signed up to help with Teacher Appreciation. Hopefully I can find time in my sleep to help out;)

School Fun

Field Trip to Young Chefs Academy

Taste testing frosting flavors for their cupcakes

School Fun

 Cool tractor art

 Singing "Wheels on the Bus" while driving the "bus"

 

Adele throws a fit just about every morning I take her to school. Here's my proof that she's having fun after I leave. I love that she is always singing new songs that I haven't taught her and that she can count to 10 in Spanish!

No Underwood Farms

So I was a little down on our Pumkin Patch experience this weekend with our friends, Steve and Jennifer and kids. Only because I miss our outings to Underwood Farms in Moorpark, CA sooooooo much. To top it off, my friend Christina called from Underwood on Monday to tell me she was in line for the tractor ride with Halle Berry and her daughter Nala. Blooms and Berries outside of Cincinnati is a fine experience with lots of fun free activities for the kids but Underwood - it is not.