so, so wrong...

Not going to lie...Keatin is obsessed with cell phones.

Keatin has 4 cell phones of her own at our house (old ones that yes...we actually take turns charging so they still light up and appear to be "real"). 4 phones!!!!!!!

Anyways, this was tonight...found her playing with 3 cell phones at once.



She knows this one takes pictures...note - she has 2 other "spares" in her right hand. :)

Owen, Ben, and Keatin

Today we headed to DM for a few hours to see some good friends from Creighton (Mike and Katie Walsh) and their 2 boys (Owen and 2 week old Ben). They were traveling from Chicago to KC...Katie's sister is getting married this weekend...2 weeks after Katie just had a baby....hmm, sounds kind of familiar. :)

Anyways, it was GREAT to see them...even if it was only for an hour! We ate together and then let Owen and Keatin run around at the play area at Jordan Creek (which Keatin surprisingly loved and was off with all the "big kids"). Of course we tried to take the "kid" picture (see below)...please ignore the "big kid" who had to hold her daughter on the bench. :) Josh and I both got a couple chances to hold Ben...who is all of 6 pounds. We both commented how quickly you forget how small newborns are!

ballerina????

Another new Christmas gift from mommy and daddy...

We may have a future ballerina on our hands...mommy wouldn't care. :)

Cozy Coupe

We got back to Ames from SL on Sunday afternoon...and we opened presents as a family on Sunday night. We got Keatin a pink and purple cozy coupe for Christmas...did you know that is what these Fred Flinstone cars are called??? I learn something new all the time!

let's go shopping!

A glimpse at Keatin's christmas present from Jen/Joey...although we never got to see them...the gift was already at my mom and dad's house...and it was a hit!

santa :)

Christmas morning...

Here are the videos from Christmas morning...playing with Grandpa's dancing Chicago Bear Santa...and sharing the lipstick from her new pretty pink purse. :)

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day...

Merry White Christmas...a VERY, VERY, VERY White Christmas! (Which BTW - one of my FAV X-mas movies...was on ALL day yesterday...watched a few 3-4 times.) :)

We have been in SL since Tuesday...it is Friday night...and I have not seen it stop snowing yet - for real! The end of my parents' driveway was drifted up to Josh's chest level this morning...I like snow...but not this much! It can stop anytime... :)

We have been blessed to have most of the family safely arrive in SL. Jen had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas...so not sure we will get to see them as the weather isn't really promoting much traveling tomorrow. So we are bummed about that...2 holidays in a row we don't connect. :( But...we would much rather have them be safe than traveling across the snowy tundra of Western and NW Iowa.

A few more pics to share...Grandpa Petersen has some good videos from opening presents this morning...will try to get those off his camera tomorrow. We have had 2 great days of spending time with family and doing all the usual "Christmas" things...which this year, has included LOTS and LOTS of shoveling/blowing snow for Josh. :) (Keatin has actually really enjoyed watching all the snow "activity" out the windows.) :)

After Christmas Eve church...Keatin's hair WAS up in a cute ponytail...then she pulled it out. :(


Christmas morning...Santa came and Keatin was ready!!! (Notice Santa's belt - must have gotten dressed in the dark as his belt was brown...and unfortunately, he left it behind!)


And opening presents began!



Santa ALSO left his black boot-cover-thing...of course, Keatin tried it on!



Keatin's new pretty purse...Daddy loves it already!


Christmas afternoon at the Barbers...


Oh Crimmy - I missed you!



Keatin's own recliner from G & G Barber...





Cozying up with Crimson...love that dog!


More of the snow report tomorrow... :) Merry Christmas 2009!

Christmas in SL - Day 1 :)

We are in SL...a day early! Came in last night...they are predicting over a foot of snow in NW Iowa...so because I have an amazing boss, she let me sneak out of work for a day...and we are glad we came. It has been sleeting/raining/snowing all day...and it is only the beginning.

Here are a few shots from today. Keatin became a bit obsessed with the piano...aren't they cute together? :)


A glimpse out the window this afternoon...


So outside we went! Keatin has not been out to play in the snow yet, and we decided today was the day! Got the snowpants on...


Daddy helped with the mittens...


OK...I know...she looks miserable already... :)


We stayed out for maybe 5 minutes...I think next time we should try it when it isn't snowing ice pellets...



Back inside...Keatin was sharing her tea with Santa...


And giving him lots of kisses. :)

Early X-mas... :)

Keatin had a "taste" of Christmas today when G & G Barber brought their BIG gift for her! Josh plays in a VB league and they wanted to watch him...plus, we knew we wouldn't be able to fit this gift in the car after Christmas... She had a blast ripping the paper off her new slide - yipee! It features a "rock wall," BB hoop, soccer goal, football goalpost, and of course...the slide. Josh could barely get it put together before she started climbing all over the thing. :) We knew she would love it...and will provide lots of entertainment on cold winter days. We will have to invite some of Keatin's friends over to play soon!





He he - this was Keatin saying CHEESE. :) :)



Oh - she enjoyed playing in the box with Grandma Barber as well!

Also - please keep our brother-in-law Joey (and his family) in your thoughts and prayers during this Christmas season. Josh and I were in Omaha yesterday for his grandparent's funeral...both of his maternal grandparents died within 4 days of each other last week.

SNOW!!!

If you don't live in Iowa, or anywhere in the Midwest for that matter, we now have snow...LOTS and LOTS of snow...well over a foot of it! I got out of school early on Tuesday, no school Wednesday or Thursday, and went back today. We still had a fair amount of students snowed in - their gravel roads had not been cleared yet...since Tuesday! I would be going mad! Oh - the joys of Iowa!

Anyways, Josh's bank was closed on Wednesday as well...which is a first for him. So we had a family snow day together! He had to plow our driveway 3 times in about one and a half days...hence the boots by the back door...and of course, our Miss Keatin was very intrigued by them. Keatin playing in Josh's boots was the most excitement we had all day! Ha ha! Honestly, I LOVED being home and got a few "projects" completed. But there is just something about being "trapped" that makes you want to get out! The 15 degree below zero wind-chill kept us inside...

While we were home together for a few days, I wiped Keatin's nose about 500 times - it is raw...which then turned into a cough...and by the end of the day yesterday, she was digging in her ears. Off to the doctor she went this morning with Josh...double ear infection...again... Antibiotics again, with a probability of discussing tubes. Urgh...

tis the season...

To wrestle with mommy when taking ornaments off the tree...


Or to "help" with the Nativity Scene...looks very nice, original, and well-put-together, huh? :) Oh, those poor wise men and stable animals...


We are really working on "helping" mommy and daddy pick things up/put them back. Here is an example of Keatin doing that...kind of...before she gets distracted and heads back to take another ornament off the tree. Ahh...you just kind of have to laugh after awhile... :)

Thanksgiving Break...

Back to reality tomorrow...Mondays...urgh...

Thanksgiving break was wonderful! We went to SL on Wednesday evening and spent Thanksgiving day with both the Barbers and the Petersens...then back to Ames on Thursday night (Josh had to work on Friday). Keatin and I did not go shopping on Black Friday...taking a 1 year old by myself to crowded stores did not sound one bit appealing to me. :) We just kind of hung out the rest of the weekend...got Keatin's Christmas pictures taken, went to church, put up all our Christmas decorations, had Andy/Gina/Alyssa/Drew over this morning for a few hours, and just watched a fair amount of football/college basketball. :) Enjoy the pics below!

Keatin was like a hawk at my parent's house on Thanksgiving...she spotted the computer and off she went! I was told the next day that she managed to move a bunch of files - ha ha!



Keatin and Great-Grandma Petersen on Thanksgiving...


Daddy and Keatin decorating the x-mas tree in the basement. :)


I really wanted to get a good picture of Keatin with her santa hat in front of the tree. Ah - the joys of picture taking these days. :)





Yipee! I got one! :) Josh calls her "Our Little Elf."


Crimson had to join in the fun as well - ha ha!


Remember the computer at Grandma/Grandpa's house on Thanksgiving??? Look where I found Miss Keatin tonight - at the computer in our basement! Is this scary or what?!?! :)