The Adventures of the Family Pharaon...

A Little Space, Please...

2012-01-05T05:54:00.001-06:00

This project has been on our minds for months. Back at the beginning of June, DaddyBoy and I made a kidless trek to IKEA to measure...and plan...and dream. Our fantasy was to give Kayci her own space for her 8th birthday. The $2500 price tag? Not in our plans, or dreams. So we put it on the back burner, thinking we'd tackle their room when we had more time and money. Ha. Instead, we tackled it last week. It turns out, we just needed to get creative. And, several weeks ago I found coordinating duvet covers at IKEA that I absolutely loved...I couldn't get them out of my mind. It was driving me nuts, which meant I was driving my Boy nuts, which meant he was happy to go along with my crazy plan after Christmas. We live in a 2 bedroom house, it's a fact. We love the house and don't plan on moving anytime soon...but the kids are growing. Fast. And they need their own space. We weren't sure how they would react to two beds--they were both thrilled. Even better for me, when I presented then with comforter/duvet options, they both chose the one I had chosen for them (squeal!) with no coercion or trickery at all. That was probably one of the highlights of the experience for me, honestly. So, I could go on and on about how they didn't figure out what was going on until the day after we went to IKEA and bought *two* twin duvet covers (ah, hello?)...the next day I put them in front of the TV and made quick work of taking apart their big bed. They were SO excited to come in and see the beginnings of Kayci's bed...they were ready for their own spaces, the timing was right. Whew. Noble moved into Kayci's room when he was one. It's almost three years later, and the poor kid was still sleeping in Kayci's room. Other than a dresser drawer and a couple of shelves for his board books, there was nothing in the room that was "his." In fact, even he called it "Kayci's room." As excited as we were to give out growing girl some much-needed space and privacy, we were also happy to *finally* give our Bubby a space to call his own. I'm a little sad to say that after three years of cohabiting, the door still had Kayci's picture on it. You can't tell in the picture, but that's both of them at Kayci's piano recital. :)

Behind the door: we couldn't survive without their hooks--a place for each of them to hang tomorrow's clothes. These save a lot of time every morning! I can't think of a better place to keep Noble's ties and hats, so they'll stay there.

To make our plan work, we needed two shelves to divide the room. Our budget settled on these closet organizers from Target...they're the cubes you see in the pictures. The kids were sharing a dresser...well, he had a drawer in the dresser and the rest of his stuff lived in baskets. Poor, poor second child. The other, most necessary, part of our plan: keep the blue walls and orange curtains and Kayci's dresser (it works well for one kid, just not for two).

Here we go...Noble's bed. :) We had to buy a new mattress and bunkie board, but we had the bed frame, linens and pillows. The stool is Kayci's that's just been hanging out, waiting for a purpose since a) we moved here or b) she outgrew "the sad stool." It's a little crazy, but it fits in the space and it holds his CDs--I'm sold. Oh! We bought him a lamp, too. I'm a liar. He wanted a red one, like Andy ("Toy Story"). Done, $7 on clearance! His folded clothes are in three fabric drawers/bins on the shelf. So far, it seems to work! Noble's Angry Birds poster fit perfectly on the (finished) back of the dresser that faces Kayci's side and makes up part of the divider, so that was a fun treat for him.

The Pixar poster was in their room already, the other frame came out of the office (Daddy switched the print for a hero poster), and I did the canvas. I did one for each knucklehead, using my current favorite pics of them. They're both from December, and Daddy managed to capture each of their personalities right now. (I'm a little biased.)

This is the same sign and saying that's been in Kayci's room for years...I just flipped it over and redid it to match their new space. I'm still shocked that pink didn't make it into the color scheme this go round, as it's Noble's absolute favorite color. Funny: when they went to Lowe's to get a paint sample for patching, Noble was confused and thought Daddy was painting the whole room. He picked out a pink chip and gave it to Daddy...imagine the poor kid's disappointment to get home and see that the paint and the room were still blue. Maybe next time, Bubby...

Here's Kayci's bed. This is a bed frame from Mom & Dad that we've had in storage since the fire. It needed a little TLC, but I'm happy with the end result. All we bought for Bitty's bed was Rustoleum and the duvet cover/new comforter inside.

I just realized you can't really see it in the picture, but Kayci's night stand was an issue. We found one she loved in a thrift store, painted it...then realized it just couldn't work in the space. So, I pulled in a black and white Hoosier chair (from the table I use as a desk) and stacked Nancy Drew books to make a pedestal for her new lamp (rookie mistake--I bought a new lamp instead of buying a shade for her old lamp. Dang it.). Her iHome and bedtime books & water fit, so this may be a keeper. Plus, it's a little silly having a lamp on top of a fun stack of books, and I think she likes that it's so different.

We brought Noble's desk in from the office. We have all been piling stuff in and on their desks for too long, so getting them clean was a bit of a battle. But man, seeing them mostly clutter-free feels good! Kayci's shadow box is actually a Silhouette advent calendar; I'm going to make the boxes for the empty spaces for jewelry storage. Her typewriter has been banished to its case most of the time she's owned it, but I really wanted it to be out for her. Her plastic drawers fit the bill...we just put fun paper in the drawers so Mommy doesn't have to see the clutter. :) And the karaoke machine? Has been a dust catcher for YEARS. Let me know if you want it! (Kidding. Kind of.)

We still have one more project to complete for their walls (hint: the colored canvases above the beds), then we're DoNe. It's funny how much time the kids have spent in here in their own spaces...reading books, listening to music, crafting (Kayci), or just pulling toys off the shelves and puling them in the bed (Noble). It's a simple thing, space, that makes such a big difference. I'm so happy that we jumped in and got this done!

Go Tell It On the Mountain

2011-12-18T21:18:00.001-06:00

Today at church, Kayci and Noble (and the other kids at church) dressed up and sang "Go Tell It On the Mountain."

Kayci and Mommygirl made a white tutu for Kayci and a halo out of garland. We borrowed some angel wings from a friend and her costume was complete. It's not tough to make Kayci look like an angel.

But the real challenge was Noble.

When they started practicing the song at church a few weeks ago, he came home and said that he was going to be a wise man. When asked what a wise man wore, he said "you know, a cape, wike a superhero." He had it in his mind that a wise man was a superhero and that he should wear a cape.

We tried and tried to convince him that a wise man should dress like he dressed when he dressed up like Joseph at school. But to no avail. So Kristi - being the best Mommy ever - bought him a cape to wear.

Then - yesterday - a stroke of brilliance! If we could convince him to wear a crown, the cape might be okay. Success!!! So Noble wore a red superhero cape and a gold crown, a Cars tie and carried a box painted gold. Apparently, the wise men brought gold bricks...

Here is some video if the kids singing from two different angles:

Kayci's First Piano Recital

2011-12-10T19:54:00.001-06:00

Today was Kayci's first piano recital! She started piano lessons in September, and she's been practicing really hard. Here's a video of her portion of the recital:

...and some photos of her playing:

We're so proud of our big girl!

Krause Elementary 3rd Grade Christmas Program

2011-12-09T14:57:00.001-06:00

Last night Krause Elementary had its annual 3rd Grade Christmas program, and Kayci took part - in fact, she was one of the speakers at the beginning! Space was extremely limited, so we didn't send invitations- but you can watch the whole thing here!

Have fun watching the cutest darn milk (Kayci's costume) in 3rd grade sing, dance and speak! And Merry Christmas!!!

2011 Krause Elementary 3rd Grade Christmas Program from James Pharaon on Vimeo.

If You're Near Brenham on Friday...

2011-11-30T09:25:00.001-06:00

...then try to make it out to the annual Brenham Lighted Christmas parade! This has become a tradition for our family, and the Pharaon kids will once again be riding on the Germania Insurance float in the parade.

The parade starts at 6:30, and there's no charge. And best of all - the weather is supposed to be absolutely AMAZING! So forget what the headline to this post says and cancel all your appointments, holiday parties, meetings with the governor and shopping excursions and head down to downtown Brenham this Friday night to see one of the best parades in Texas (because the Pharaon kids are in it, naturally).

See you there!

Kayci and Avery Play the Piano

2011-11-28T11:51:00.001-06:00

Ladies and Gentlemen - the musical stylings of Kayci and Avery...!

Noble Writes His Name

2011-11-28T11:47:00.000-06:00

Where's Noble??

2011-11-20T07:08:00.001-06:00

What happens when we play hide 'n seek...before coffee.

Pat Curtis 1929-2011

2011-11-13T07:59:00.001-06:00

My earliest memory of my Grandma is of her putting a towel down on the seat of her car (a Mustang, if I remember correctly) because my bare legs were burning on the hot vinyl seats. It was the '70s, shorts were short, socks were long and everything seemed to be made out of vinyl.

I remember her getting me Cheerios down from the cabinet at her house because she didn't want me eating the dog biscuits that I could reach, so she helped me get something more appropriate (and just as tasty). I've got a lot of other snippets of memories from around the time I was three - about the age that Noble is now - of playing in her back yard with my cousins. And family Christmas at her house. And playing her piano - the same piano Kayci now practices her piano on. And sitting at her table eating. I remember playing at her house with soap operas on - Days of Our Lives - and of "helping" her in the back yard, which usually consisted of her giving me various errands and tasks to do ("there are some sticks on the ground over there. Can you bring me all the sticks?") to keep me busy while she tried to get some work done.

But I have two memories of her that are my favorite. The first is of driving down South Main where it intersects South Post Oak. There used to be a K-Mart there on that corner, and I remember passing by it many times with my Grandma (and of getting some portraits made there, too). I have no idea where we had been, but we were on our way back to her house. I was sitting in the front seat (remember - it was the '70s) and I remember her making up a song about my name. And I remember her teaching me "The Ants Go Marching" - the same song Noble loves to sing with me today on our way to drop him off at school (and sung, naturally, in the same dramatic staccato as Grandma did). And I remember her singing me a very silly song by Carmen Miranda called Cuanto Le Gusta.

And then there was the day I decided I wanted to go see Grandma, so I walked a block and a half to her house. Unsupervised. Unannounced. We lived around the corner from her when I was three, and I distinctly remember walking down the sidewalk of my street, carefully looking both ways for cars (as I had apparently just been taught) and knocking on her door. I remember her surprise when she opened the door and saw me. I remember her calling my frantic mother and telling her that I was there and that I was alright. And I remember her making me lunch. Nobody ever made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich better.

I spent a lot of time with my grandma, and I loved every minute of it. She really seemed to understand me when no one else did. She understood that kids have a tendency to write on walls, so she gave my cousins and I a special place in her house - the closet in "the childrens' room" - where we could write on the walls all we wanted. My first knowledge of science was at Grandma's house when she explained how a potato would grow roots in a vase on her windowsill. She answered all of my questions, and I'm sure there were a lot. I marveled at her paintings and loved it when she would read stories to me. I loved hearing about all the wonderful adventures she had had (she lived a really interesting life). She was adopted, and so I think she had a little bit of a different taste for life. Everything seemed like an adventure. And I think I got my love of adventure and mystery from her.

When I think about my Grandma, I think about sun brewed tea (lemon and mint), Avon and costume jewelry. I think about drinking from the hose in her back yard. And I remember her patiently reading every one of my Bill cartoons, no matter how dumb the jokes were. I remember taking trips with her and Granddaddy to all kinds of interesting places - Teague, Richmond, West Columbia and all sorts of cemeteries all over the state (we used to love to see what the oldest grave we could find was). I remember how beautiful and park-like her yard always was. The day my sister was born in 1981, I recall a sunny May day picking dandelions in her back yard. I remember the mint plants in her yard and her making mint jelly (which she vowed she would never do again). And I think Grandma gave me the nickname, "Destructo."

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to have Grandma over to the house for a weekend and just sit and talk. We talked about all sorts of things, but we really talked about family. I grew up enjoying countless hours of sitting in her chair looking at old family photo albums. I knew that she was adopted and that she was the keeper of our family knowledge, so it was important to me to sit down and get as much of that out of her as I could. She brought the family Bibles with her and we talked for hours and hours about as much as we know about the history of our family. I recorded those talks, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with my aunts and cousins soon. It was a weekend I'll never forget, and one for which I will always be grateful.

The past three months, Grandma has been in the hospital almost non-stop. She was finally in a rehab facility getting strong enough to go live my Aunt Peggy. She was supposed to go home Monday.

I was supposed to have dinner with Grandma and my mom today.

Next week we were supposed to have our first family Thanksgiving in over 20 years. We still will.

But Grandma died yesterday evening. The last time I talked to her - last weekend - she sounded great. She was feisty as every and looking forward to getting out. In fact, she was trying her best to convince the doctors that she was strong enough to go home early, but she was frustrated because they weren't buying it.

She told me a couple of weeks ago while she was laying in her hospital bed that she was just tired. She knew that she was still here for a reason, but she didn't know what that reason was. It turns out that she was here just long enough to see her family come together again in way that hasn't happened in more than a decade. Everyone is speaking to each other again and we all have new perspective. Tempers have calmed somewhat and bygones are in the process of being what they are.

I wish that she could have been with us forever. I wish that she could have watched Kayci and Noble and Shannon's daughter, Avery, grow up. I wish that Grandma would've gotten to see Kayci's first piano recital (and to tell her again the story of her first recital when she had to be escorted off the stage). I wish that she had gotten to see Noble grow into the mini version of me that she loved and understood. I think they would've been great friends. But they got to meet her, at least, even if they didn't get to know her. They'll have a memory of her. And for that I'm grateful. I'm thankful for her life and for the intangible lessons that she has taught us all.

I'm going to miss her spirit and getting all sorts of crazy e-mail chain letters and hoaxes from her. I'm going to miss her cards. I'll miss her asking about what the kids are doing. I'll miss her stories. I'll miss her breathlessly referring to me when I was a little monster.

Thanks, Grandma. Say hi to Grandaddy for me, okay?

Honoring our Veterans

2011-11-11T10:31:00.001-06:00

Noble Makes Coffee

2011-11-11T07:09:00.001-06:00

Ever since Noble was a baby, one of our morning routines has been to make coffee together. This morning, he decided to make coffee by himself:

It's Taylor Swift day!!!

2011-11-05T10:27:00.000-05:00

For her birthday, Kayci got tickets to go see Taylor Swift in concert. It's been a long wait, but today is the day!

Kayci has a Taylor Swift calendar in her room. A few days ago I walked in and noticed this:

Trick or treat!

2011-10-31T19:29:00.001-05:00

Away we go...

...and, he's done.

Happy Halloween!

Keeping Washington County Beautiful

2011-10-31T14:19:00.002-05:00

Daddy introduced Kayci to the fun of community service on Saturday...Noble and I were jealous to sit this one out, but the two of them had a BLAST!

http://www.brenhambanner.com/articles/2011/10/31/news/news04.txt

Pumpkin Carving!

2011-10-31T06:13:00.000-05:00

Almost Time for Halloween Fun!

2011-10-29T15:21:00.002-05:00

The Graveyard

2011-10-18T06:33:00.000-05:00

We love Halloween! The kids and I have been working for the past several days to build headstones for a graveyard Halloween decoration for our front yard.

We started with some old foamcore conference posters that were going to be thrown away at work. Kayci and I drew the outlines of grave markers on the posters and I cut them out.

Then Kayci spray painted the cut posters gray and both she and I decorated them with marker. Noble got in on the act, too. He spray painted a gold glitter skull that we found in the dollar spot at Target and drew on the backs of the grave markers.

Then - under the cover of dusk - Kayci and I carefully built our graveyard on the hill in our front yard. I dug up the ground in front of each grave, as if it were freshly opened (either by grave robbers or by the dead rising from their tombs - take your pick!). And the final piece was the skull - I partially buried it in front of one of the graves, and it looks pretty amazing.

But then the cool front blew in. I awoke this morning and looked out the window to see all but one of the graves laying down. So I went out and picked up the gravestones and will put them back in place when the wind dies down a bit. But luckily I got out last night and snapped some photos of the Stone Street graveyard before the wind kicked up.

So proud!!

2011-10-13T12:36:00.001-05:00

I know that this is James' news to share, but I don't think he will. And, I'm about to BURST with pride, so I'll go ahead and give you a hint: someone's photograph is on page one of the new Texas Highways magazine. It's a bittersweet honor, because of the subject, but I am so, so proud of my Boy!

It's that time again...fundraiser!

2011-09-26T06:18:00.000-05:00

First of all, don't feel guilty if you read this and move on. But...if you enjoy school fundraiser items, it's that time again. :) This year Kayci's school is selling Tracy Hamilton again--I can tell you for certain that the cookies are YUMMY. People like the products, too, but I don't have personal experience with that. I've seen a couple of things I like, though!

If you want to take a look at the "stuff", go to this site and click on VIEW BROCHURE:
http://www.fundraisingzone.com/brochure-fundraisers/holiday-collection/index.php

If you want to check out the cookies, here's a link to the brochure (same thing, click VIEW BROCHURE). Now, with the cookies there's a cool option--you can spend $16 on a gift card which lets you choose 1 item and includes shipping & handling to ship directly to you.
http://www.fundraisingzone.com/brochure-fundraisers/cookie-dough/index.php

Unfortunately, there's no way to purchase directly online like in the past (bummer!). If you want to buy something, just get in touch with me and we'll figure it out!

And if you really want to support Kayci's school but don't want to buy anything, you can send a plain ol' donation, or use your Target card and indicate you want a %age to go to Krause Elementary, or you can save BoxTops, or Coke lids, or Tyson A+, or Campbell's labels for education...there are lots of ways you can help support the Krause PTO. (Yes, I'm biased!)

Thanks for reading this! No guilt trip if you don't buy/do anything, promise. :)

Conversation with Noble at the mall

2011-09-24T18:20:00.001-05:00

Noble: Daddy, a pterranadon eats meat.

Me: they do? Are you a pterranadon?

Noble: no, I'm a Pharaon.

P.S.

2011-09-16T10:44:00.001-05:00

...that's also what he wore to pick Kayci up from school.

And to Recycling, and Higgins Branch, and the animal shelter...

Greeted by Captain America

2011-09-16T04:57:00.000-05:00

This is what I saw yesterday when I walked in after work: Noble sitting on the floor in the office in nothing but his Captain America underwear playing as happy as can be. He was playing so happily, in fact, that he didn't even bother to get up. He simply looked up and said "hi, daddy!" and went back to playing.

I love that kid.

First Day of School, 2011-12

2011-08-22T10:44:00.000-05:00

(okay, I was just going to let the pictures speak for themselves, but this was too funny--once she got into her classroom, she REFUSED to look up. all of the kids did, and they ALWAYS say hi/bye to Noble. It was funny!)

Noble's Tarantula

2011-08-03T20:51:00.001-05:00

Noble and Daddy caught a tarantula ... then decided to take it inside to show Mommy...

Love for Sale...

2011-07-28T06:02:00.000-05:00

...okay, it's free, and he's got lots of it to give. If you're on our blog list, you know we're just not cat people anymore, as much as we love Otto. It's too bad, too, since he's so much like Buddy and so fun. We have left him alone overnight a couple of times and he's done great--he's well-behaved *but* he's a kitty, so he does kitty stuff, like climb. And attack your ankles when you walk by. And play with papers if you leave them on the floor. You know, the cute stuff.

So, we need to find him a home with someone who will love this little guy and appreciate all of his kitty qualities. :) Anyone interested? We'll deliver to Houston, Austin, San Antonio...

PS--if you decide to take him and if you ever change his middle name from "AND the Neverland Pirates," please don't ever tell Noble.

What's New With You?

2011-07-11T08:09:00.000-05:00

I've noticed that the busier we are, the less we blog...sorry about that. We are having a great summer, but we haven't taken many pictures. Case in point: the kids and I went to the Weseloh reunion a couple of weeks ago, and I didn't take. a. single. picture. Crazy, right?

So what's new around here? Nothing, and everything.

Daddy is working as usual, and he's wrapped up a ton of freelance work just in time to start a couple new projects. Video editing takes up a huge chunk of his time, so he's almost literally been working around the clock. I can't speak for him, but I'm glad that part of his summer is over. I hope! :)

As for me, the only thing different about summer is that I don't drive in to Houston to work each week and I only work one day for the school district. It's nice to be able to fit that in around the kids' schedule. I am enjoying the day-to-day stuff with my our family...August is going to be tough!

Kayci is still Kayci. Last week was her first birthday outing, and she chose Chuck E. Cheese for lunch. It was a blast--I love the College Station Chuck E. Cheese, since it's usually pretty deserted. (And the food is as good as it gets for...well, there.) *Confused? She chose 8 outings instead of a birthday party this year.* Noble goes to school on Wednesdays, and even though the original plan was for Kayci and me to scrapbook on those days, they've turned into days when we get stuff done and do at least one Mommy & Kayci thing. We've gotten pedicures, gone to the movies, and done whatever Kayci wants, generally. Last week we met the Dallmeyers for lunch and a trip to Justice, which is at the top of her favorite Wednesday list this summer. Have I mentioned that she's growing like a WEED? Seriously, we have gotten rid of almost her whole wardrobe. I'm kind of worried she's going to shoot straight through 10s (shirts, at least...10 pants still aren't fitting, but the 8s are too short...arrgh.). We'll see what size she is when school starts! If she gets any taller, I think we're going to have to start layering tanks under her t-shirts to make up for length issues. :) Our Bitty is a young lady already.

Noble has changed so much this summer. His speech is clearer, his vocabulary has exploded (he reminds us so much of little Kayci in that respect), and he's pretty well potty-trained. Since May 24th, he's been doing #1 AND #2 in the potty, but we've kept him in Pull-Ups for convenience. (I know.) This weekend he was talking to Daddy and they decided it's time for him to wear just underpants. So, he did it Saturday (even through a morning of running errands!) and yesterday (even through church, nap! and a 4-hour trip to a farm). Pretty cool, huh? This is what I woke up to yesterday morning--Daddy and Noble made a potty chart. When Noble has 5 dry days in a row, he can get a Cars toy he's been wanting for a while. Yep, we bribe. But he's excited! Did I mention that he, too, is growing fast? Poor skinny guy can still wear shorts from 2 summers ago, but we had to go up to 3T jeans for length. We're buying 4T shirts for length, but he just swims in them because he's getting taller, not thicker. His face is changing, too...the baby roundness is gone. Our baby is a little boy.

Otto is still a part of our family, but he is a foster child. He will be going to a new (cat-loving) home soon. We're just not built for it anymore.

We'll see what else the summer brings...right now, we're enjoying a slower pace and fresh food and family time. That's what summer means around here. Come out and visit sometime!

Bringing Home the...Bronze?!

2011-06-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we went to our first Father's Day Olympics, held by Brenham Bible Church (a group of people we are enjoying tremendously, btw). Our very own DaddyBoy rocked the tie-tying contest for an early lead, then got skunked...um, well, trailed in the next couple of competitions. But he looked great out there, and did us proud.

Congratulations, DaddyBoy! You're still #1 to us, even though your only official medal says 3rd. And next year, you're going to start training earlier. I'm just sayin'.

P.S.--One of the BEST parts was watching the kids play. Someone gave them plastic spears and axes, and they chased each other around, poking each other with spears. Sounds like one of my childhood stories straight outta the 70's! But seriously, no children were harmed in the making of this blog post.

The One That Got Away

2011-06-21T19:08:00.001-05:00

That's no fish, folks...he's telling us about his poop from earlier. It was THIS big, he says.

Guess Grandpa's fishin' stories stuck with him, after all.

46 Years Ago Today...

2011-06-19T16:57:00.001-05:00

...they said, "I do."
And they did.
And she still does.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad. Thank you for loving each other, and for loving all of us. We wouldn't be where we are today--literally or figuratively--without you, your support and your example.

Blue!

2011-06-18T15:59:00.001-05:00

This was one of Kayci's purchases at Justice. I figure if you can't wear a blue wig on your birthday, when can you?

When's the Party???

2011-06-18T13:11:00.001-05:00

Today is Kayci's 8th birthday, and several people have asked us when her party is - they didn't get their invitation.

That's because there's no party this year. Kayci decided that instead of having a party that she would rather DO something. So we decided to take the money we would've spent on a party and take her to eight of her favorite activities over the next few weeks.

First up: the downtown aquarium in Houston. This morning, after birthday Kolaches at the bakery, we headed down to Houston so go see sharks and white tigers!

So don't be alarmed - or hurt - that you didn't get an invite to a Kayci birthday party this year. Nobody did! Maybe next year, though... :)

Happy birthday, Kayci!!!

Kayci is 8!

2011-06-18T00:24:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to our sweet girl...

You love so much, and you are so loved.

All our love,

Daddy, Mommy & Noble

Noble and the Kitten

2011-06-12T15:11:00.002-05:00

For the story behind Noble's kitten, be sure to check out The Adventures of Mommygirl.

Make a Wish!

2011-06-09T06:01:00.002-05:00

Fashion Show!

2011-06-02T20:24:00.001-05:00

Thanks, Grandma for an early birthday shopping trip!! It's safe to say Kayci is one happy girl!

Happy Summer :)

2011-06-02T07:33:00.000-05:00

Kayci's Talent Show Performance

2011-05-31T16:36:00.003-05:00

Kayci recently performed in the Krause Elementary talent show with her friend, Kate. They did the "Hairspray" dance from their portion of the Junior Maifest coronation, and they did a great job!

Check it out:

#2

2011-05-31T13:58:00.001-05:00

#2 is so close to mastering #2...we're pretty stoked around here. :)

And just for fun, a flashback to last month's accomplishment:

Scenes from a Lunch

2011-05-23T03:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my sister, Celena's, 30th birthday, so my dad threw a surprise lunch for her at Fadi's - a Mediterranean restaurant in Houston. I'm pretty sure everyone had a good time, and I'm certain we all left very full. These are some photos I took at the lunch:

Happy birthday, Nina!

Weapin' Wizards!*

2011-05-16T19:33:00.000-05:00

So this is where the story ended. Let's go back to the beginning...

It was a lovely day at Antique Rose Emporium with Marsha and Grandma. The kids were having a blast roaming around chasing lizards and just being kids.

Then we noticed a bright green lizard on a statue next to where Grandma was sitting. So,

Daddy caught it to give the kids a close-up look. He's the best!

See here, kids, this is how you hold a lizard safely.

Kayci wants to hold it,

so of course, Noble wants to hold it, too.

Wow, Bubby--great job!

What a nice lizard, laying there so nicely.

He lets Noble pet him.

And Noble gets comfortable.

Maybe too comfortable. It takes Noble a second to realize that the lizard has, in fact, clamped down on his finger. Until Mommy gasps. And then, all heck breaks loose.

*Disclaimer: No Nobles were harmed in the making of the blog post.

Happy Mother's Day, MommyGirl!

2011-05-08T05:14:00.004-05:00

Happy Mothers Day to the best MommyGirl ever! We love you soooooooo big! Thank you for all that you do.

Kayci Dancing at Maifest Video

2011-05-08T05:10:00.002-05:00

Kayci is on the stage on the top left. She's the tall one. Don't forget that she's got short hair now when you're looking for her!

Noble's Silly Eyes

2011-05-07T06:09:00.000-05:00

Kayci in the Junior Maifest Parade

2011-05-06T16:58:00.001-05:00

See the set here on Flickr.

Preview

2011-05-06T11:39:00.001-05:00

This is just a preview--Daddy will post real Maifest pics later. Our 60s dancer is having a groovy time!

Juggling...

2011-05-05T12:56:00.001-05:00

It's been a busy, crazy week around here. Even Noble is working on his juggling skills...

Four Eyes!

2011-04-26T21:19:00.000-05:00

The first pair she picked out...and 45 minutes and at least 45 pairs later, the pair she chose.

Perfect fit!

Pure joy--she said, it's just like you said, everything's brighter!

After a drive around town so she could read all of the signs, and before a trip out to the Dallmeyers' to show them off, she wanted to try out her new glasses and read the Justice catalog. Yep, they work!

Don't worry, Bubby...I'm sure your turn is coming.

Big Shoes to Fill

2011-04-14T22:36:00.000-05:00

Like Daddy, like Bubby.

Happy Birthday, Adam

2011-04-07T22:52:00.004-05:00

Today is my brother Adam's 18th birthday. As we thought and talked about him today and celebrated him this evening, I can't help but admit that in many ways I still think of him as a little kid. But he's not, and we're so proud of the man he's becoming. He's really turned into an amazing guy, and I'm looking forward to really becoming his friend in the years to come.

We love you, Adam, and Happy Birthday!

101 Years

2011-04-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

Mom left me a message earlier...today would be her Dad's 101st birthday. Wow! Just think about the world 101 years ago...even 38 years ago, when he died...how things have changed.

Luckily, the important things remain the same: our faith and our family.

I never knew Grandpa Weseloh, but through Grandma and the family, I KNOW him. And I'm proud to be a child of his child.

"I can pass on a curse or a blessing to those I will never know; generations will reap what I sow."

--Sara Groves

Thank You, Lord, for the blessings you have heaped upon the Arnold Weseloh family. Thank You for his life and legacy of hard work and determination, and service to You. May we grow ever closer to You and to each other, and continue passing on our values and stories and yes, even those idiosyncrasies that mark us as Weselohs.

Noble Sings the ABCs

2011-04-03T10:23:00.002-05:00

Bluebonnicator Report: March 31

2011-03-31T04:56:00.006-05:00

When we last left our hero, the Bluebonnicator, it stood at 30 percent. The flowers were not so great yet and prospects were looking iffy.

What a difference two weeks make.

Spring is officially here and the flowers are out, folks - and they're looking really good. What's weird is that the places where the flowers are usually the best aren't all that great this year. My suggestion is to get off the beaten path and explore some of the farm-to-market roads. There are some amazing patches to be seen there!

This would be a good time to remind everyone about some general guidelines:

1. Don't trample the bluebonnets. Try to step only in the areas between the bluebonnet plants. It might require you to what I call "the bluebonnet hop", butit will keep the plants looking great for everyone.

2. Don't pick the bluebonnets. Period. Get some seeds off the bottom of the plant instead and grow your own! Besides, it's against the law to pick the bloom.

3. Don't go romping through people's yards and fields to take pictures without permission. It really, really makes the locals mad when "city folks" come up and go on quarter mile hikes into their pastures to take their family's picture in the bluebonnets. It's private property, and it's just rude. Most times, if you'll just ask permission it will be okay, but there are plenty of great photo opportunities on public land. The state makes sure of that.

4. Watch out for fire ants! The same kind of soil that is great for growing bluebonnets is also prime for fire ants. Watch out! [and watch out for snakes, too!]

5. Ask a local. As I said before, there a lot of great photo places to take your family's photo in bluebonnets. And a lot of them are very easily accessible, but might not be able to be seen from the highway. Ask a local where some great shots can be had as you buy some Blue Bell ice cream or a sandwich or an antique from their shop.

6. Don't cross a fence. I've heard a lot of stories since we moved up here about tourists crossing fences. Some stories involve getting chased by bulls, some involve broken fences and some involve animals getting loose. But every one of the stories involved trespassing and ticked off the land owner. I've been guilty of this in the past - I admit it - but now I know better, and I'm letting you all know, as well.

7. Have a great time, outdoors. Get outside and enjoy the spring air and the sunshine. You can't see the bluebonets from your living room couch, folks. Unless you live in Brenham, that is. ;)

So without further ado, it's time for this week's Bluebonnicator index:

60%

We still haven't gotten the rain that we need to make the bluebonnets amazing, but there are some great patches popping up, regardless!

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

2011-03-27T19:08:00.002-05:00

The Pharaon family took a trip to the zoo last weekend and had a great time! We started at the children's zoo portion and then headed over to the new African safari section - two sections where we've (surprisingly) never explored before.

We got to see bats, pet goats, "raffs," "noceruses," monkeys (chimps) and even play some bongos! And of course no zoo trip is complete without a ride on the train.

Here are some photos from our trip. And be sure to check out the video at the end. It's worth it just to see the chimpanzee charge the glass at us. Fun!

Odds & Ends

2011-03-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

I love the kids' birthday gift for Daddy...it's just a heart-shaped rock we found while out on a bike ride one day, but it just felt special. :)

We are so behind in our blogging...this week we went to the Boys & Girls Club to help them break a world record (most people doing jumping jacks simultaneously for 2 minutes). We'll find out in a few weeks if they broke the record, but it was worth it, regardless. (Turns out, Noble can't jump for 2 minutes...and I can't jump and talk to/take care of Noble at one time. Sigh.) But it was fun. :)

A note about this picture: we DID take a picture of our family, but there's the kid from Kayci's school who wanted to be in the picture, and I feel a little weird putting his picture on the internet. It was funny...but in the, heh heh, kinda uncomfortable way. We had fun with the Dallmeyers, and Heather totally rocked the jumping jacks despite the distractions. She's my hero!

Kayci is just...Kayci. She's just awesome, when she's not being a normal kid. The highlight of her life right now is the treehouse. We went today and bought the rest of the rails, and James got the jigsaw ready. The other night they went out to Brad & Sherri's and picked up the roof (thanks, Bogans!) Her other favorite thing is reading...which can be a problem, sometimes, as she tends to rush through her schoolwork so she can read...we're working on it. Last week we got back into the habit of reading at bedtime--Miles to Go, the Miley Cyrus autobiography. Painful! Tonight we read Ephesians. Yes, she has become really interested in the Bible lately, but the real reason? She discovered that she can get AR points for reading the books of the Bible. Ha!

Noble is a mess, but a beautiful mess. In the past few weeks, his speech has become so much clearer, his vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds, his behavior has evened out...it's been a lot of fun. What made me blog in the first place tonight was our dinner conversation. (Side note: we're trying to be good about eating at home, eating healthy, etc...so tonight we took everything in our crisper and threw it on the grill with some shrimp. Turns out, carrots and radishes are pretty good grilled!) So, we're sitting outside eating and Noble says to James, "I wanna twy your sawad stuff." Okay, try some salad. What do you like? "Umm...some cucumber and wettuce. Which one is cucumber?" So Noble takes some of each out of Daddy's bowl. Takes a bite out of the cucumber and almost gags...then tosses it back in Daddy's bowl (of mostly uneaten, in the process of being eaten, salad)..."Ugh. I not wike dat." Takes a bite of lettuce...same thing. Tosses it back in Daddy's bowl..."Not wike dat, either. Tastes wike weaves!"

He's at the age where he can help with lots of stuff, and loves to help--and getting him busy is a great distraction when he starts getting worked up. We needed a distraction toward the end of dinner, so I sent him inside to get our "thankful for's" notebook. He did it! Which was cool, but this was what he's thankful for today: "tooting and burping and watching "Bubble Guppies." Oh, my.

So that's a slice of our life...there's been some other, big life stuff this week, but those stories are not ours to tell.

Look, up in the tree!

2011-03-20T19:14:00.001-05:00

When Noble and I woke up from nap, we walked outside and saw:

It's almost done! James is a little bummed that he didn't finish the railings today, but it was finished enough that we were all able to enjoy dinner in the tree tonight.

Kayci ate outside at her newly repainted table...

And Noble ate inside.

And yes, his drink was yuck.

Come by in a couple of weeks and it will be completely done! I am so proud of the progress Daddy and Kayci have made over Spring Break. She's going back to school a very, very happy girl. :)

Happy birthday, Daddyboy!

2011-03-19T12:51:00.001-05:00

Today is James' birthday! Kayci and I had fun decorating and putting together a choose-your-own-adventure birthday for Daddy. I can't tell you much about his gift because it involves gifts that will be given over the next few weeks, but I will say he chose adventure over a new toy. I think he chose well, but Kayci really wanted him to get a new iPad!

Today has been a perfect Daddyboy day: great weather, Big Daddy's for breakfast AND lunch, and an entire morning spent outside working on the treehouse. After nap (also one of his favorite things!) we're going to spend the afternoon with family celebrating another very special life.

Welcome to 36, Boy...it looks great on you!

Bluebonnicator: March 18

2011-03-18T10:32:00.002-05:00

Big changes in the last week. Lost of sun, warm weather and a little bit of rain have really started bringing out the flowers off all types. It's getting really pretty out there, and bluebonnets are starting to pop up in lots of places - but not in places where they're usually really good and not in any great numbers (yet).

A couple more weeks and more rain will really help the bluebonnets.

So this week's Bluebonnicator index is:

30%

Gavin & Kayci Go To Sonic - Gag Reel

2011-03-18T06:41:00.001-05:00

Never-before-seen gag reel from Gavin & Kayci Go To Sonic, shot two years ago this week.

Progress!

2011-03-17T12:33:00.001-05:00

Kayci wanted to show you the progress on the treehouse. So, here you go...

Kayci designed and painted her walls with just a little help (and even that entailed MUCH micromanaging, hence the kid spray-painting).

She knows what she likes, alright. Here she's adding some finishing touches.

The almost-final product:

Pirates, beware!

Slide platform...big progress!

And the slide is up!

Up next: stairs to Kayci's level, finishing her walls, adding her railing. They're moving right along!

Yesterday we had our first picnic in the treehouse, and now Kayci is planning a campout up there...with Daddy, of course. No way could we trust Noble up that high with our eyes closed!

Best. Day. Ever.

2011-03-16T12:11:00.002-05:00

That may be a bit premature, as she hasn't actually proclaimed it so...but I feel pretty confident Kayci will say those words before the day is through.

It's Spring Break. Our plan, since James was supposed to work all week, was to lay low. Spend time at home, dig out the office floor, spend time with friends--just hang out. Our plan was to do the opposite of what comes naturally to me, and just BE. So far, so good.

Kayci really wanted to work on the treehouse this week, and has been disappointed that it hasn't worked out so far. I promised her that we could get the paint and at least get that done, then James was able to work out a day off today. I wish you could have seen her face when I said, "why don't you ask that man to help you with the paint?" and it was Daddy...priceless.

Big picture...

The slide's going on today!

Happy girl!

Gavin & Kayci Go To Sonic - Deleted Scene

2011-03-15T06:12:00.002-05:00

This is a never-before seen deleted scene from Gavin & Kayci Go To Sonic. Enjoy.

Two Years Ago This Week

2011-03-14T05:53:00.000-05:00

Ladies Man

2011-03-12T13:09:00.000-06:00

Bluebonnicator Report: March 10

2011-03-10T05:44:00.003-06:00

The weather is warming, the sun is shining and the grass is getting that really pretty soft, green look to it. Spring is here! And the good news is that there have been some bluebonnet sightings! I've noticed a few flowers popping up around town and there has even been a report of bluebonnets on the highway next to Arby's (thanks, Sherri). There are even two bluebonnet plants growing right here in Pharaonsylvannia (but no flowers on them yet).

The flowers that I've seen around town aren't very deep-colored yet and they're pretty sparse. I've noticed a couple of Indian paintbrushes pop up, as well. Seriously- two flowers.

So this week's Blubonnicator index is:

10%

It's getting there. Another couple of weeks of warm weather with a couple of days of rain in there and those wildflowers will be everywhere. Just not quite yet...

Three Years

2011-03-08T04:28:00.003-06:00

As I woke up this morning thinking about Noble's birthday today, I thought "has it only been three years?" It seems sometimes as if we've always had a Bubby, and it definitely seems as though he's been with us for more than just three years.

I happened to awake at 4:12am, the same time three years ago that Kristi woke me to tell me that her water broke. As I write this, three years ago, I was loading the dishwasher because Kristi wanted to come back home to a clean house. It would still be another 45 minutes or so before we would get on the road and make a mad dash for Houston. You can read that entire story here. It's worth it.

So much has happened in the last three years- it's been packed with such fun times, sad times, life and, unfortunately, death that it just seems as if its been a lot longer than that. Noble is older now than Kayci was when we moved to Brenham, and she seemed so big at the time. It's frightening and sad - and beautiful - to me how quickly she's growing and how much both of them have grown in three years.

So today is Noble's third birthday. Happy birthday to my little guy. He took our little family and shook it upside down and changed everything. We just thought we were having fun before him, but we had no idea how much more fun we would have with a Bubby. I can't imagine our family without him.

The Return of the Bluebonnicator!

2011-03-03T12:24:00.005-06:00

It's March, and that means that it's time to start thinking about getting outside and enjoying the fresh air and springtime flowers. Many of our friends and family ask us how the bluebonnets are looking, so I came up with a handy gauge to show exactly how good the bluebonnets are for the upcoming weekend - the Bluebonnicator (patent still pending).

Every Thursday throughout March and April we'll post the official Bluebonnicator index for Brenham, Texas (the Bluebonnet capital of the world) for the upcoming weekend .

So, without further ado, this week's Bluebonnicator index is:

0. Zero. None. Nada. Don't waste your time. The freezing weather we all got just a couple of weeks ago has made the flowers a little late this year. In fact, things are just now starting to green up.

That's not to say there aren't great reasons to come visit Brenham this weekend - for a little piratey fun, say. But just don't expect to see any bluebonnets yet.

Birthday Wishes...

2011-03-02T19:49:00.000-06:00

Many of you have called, texted, e-mailed, facebooked...you get the idea...asking about Noble's birthday. If it were up to us, we'd say--just send him a card (he loves the singing ones, but thinks Ant Peggy sings every one since they're usually from her. By the way, Peg, a few days ago his thankful thought was "Ant Peggy because she bought me that card!") I digress.

If you MUST buy the child a gift, think small, because he does. Noble loves the little crappy toys that drive Mommys crazy. You know, cars, plastic animals, robots, anything from "Toy Story" or "Cars" or "Spiderman" or "Batman" or dinosaurs or frogs...he's pretty easy. :)

He digs the Fisher-Price Imaginext toys, I think because he gets to play those with Daddy. :) Auntie Nina got him a cool Imaginext Batcave for Christmas and I'd say that's one of his favorites (there are several bad guys you can buy to go with it), along with the Imaginext Pirate ship Wyatt passed down to him. He still loves the Imaginext dragon castle GoGo got him for his birthday last year, and I'm sure he'd love some more little guys to lose. I mean, play with.

A list of Bubby's favorite things:

bubbles
play-doh
paint
Spiderman
Batman
action figures of any kind--he loves to make them talk to each other :)
woo woos (ambulances, firetrucks, police cars)
garbage trucks
playing outside, period

I hope this helps! Thanks for celebrating our favorite preschooler.

Sniff. He's not a baby anymore, is he?

How to tell when Noble has had your phone

2011-03-02T10:58:00.000-06:00

Black History Program

2011-02-25T16:38:00.004-06:00

Today Kayci gave the welcome remarks at the Krause Elementary Black History program. After a whole month of rehearsing and preparation (she didn't need it- she memorized the speech in less than an hour) she took to the stage and gave her speech perfectly!

She also presented the doll she made of a famous black American for a class project. She chose Thurgood Marshall, the first black Supreme Court Justice. And in addition, she and her friend, Jenna, had a special surprise. They had made a doll of Mrs. Dixon, their math and science teacher.

She did a great job, and we're so proud of our Kayci! Here are some photos from the program. You can see the entire Flickr set here.

That Girl!

2011-02-15T19:54:00.001-06:00

Kayci had to do a project on a famous African-American, and she chose Thurgood Marshall (hooray!). This is her "doll" and report...which she typed on her typewriter because that's what Justice Marshall would do. Oh, that girl--I just love her!

On Friday, February 25th at 1:30, Kayci will recite the opening for Krause's Black History program. You're invited!

A Day Late...

2011-02-15T05:47:00.000-06:00

Hope you felt the love yesterday...we sure did!! :)

Fundraiser...

2011-02-13T17:31:00.000-06:00

You know how we feel about fundraisers, but Kayci is really into this one for some reason. So, here it is: Kayci's school has a fundraiser through 2/22. If you are interested, you can go to this link:

www.joecorbi.com

And enter this information:
Online Group Code: 70KRAEBT
Seller ID: 333732

And Kayci will get credit for the sale.

No pressure at all, but if you are one of those families who likes the cookie dough, here's a chance to get some. :)

Thanks!

Snow Day!

2011-02-05T06:55:00.001-06:00

We only got a light dusting of snow, but in Brenham, Texas, snow is snow! The whole town shut down and we had a snow day - until the sun came out mid-day and melted everything, that is...

But we enjoyed the snow while it lasted!

Kayci at 100

2011-02-02T10:48:00.001-06:00

Just for fun...

Can you dig it?

2011-01-26T16:36:00.001-06:00

Kayci has been telling me that she and Mason are digging in his backyard.

Underground clubhouse? Sure, whatever, kid.

Almost had you, didn't we?

But still...they've dug up the Dallmeyer's whole garden. Wonder if they'll till ours next?

--out & about :)

Boys will be men...

2011-01-25T17:27:00.001-06:00

All aboard the Zilker Zephyr!

2011-01-23T12:38:00.000-06:00

Literary girl

2011-01-22T18:37:00.000-06:00

Triage

2011-01-16T19:44:00.001-06:00

Luckily I caught them before they started surgery...

Happy Birthday, Uncle Wonny...

2011-01-13T13:55:00.000-06:00

...from your favorite little squirt! (and his Mommy, Daddy, and big sister!)

Little Rascals!

2011-01-10T13:17:00.001-06:00

Noble's First Day Video

2011-01-07T06:16:00.000-06:00

Please pardon me if this doesn't work--it was my first time to ever upload to YouTube and now try to embed it in the blog without James' help. Crossing my fingers!

Noble had a GREAT day at school...when we picked him up, Ms. Stacy said that he cried a little when I left that morning, but that he was fine in just a second. (He agreed with her: "Yep, I cwied when you go bye.") He fit right into the routine and enjoyed playing and eating and sleeping (when I asked him, in front of Ms. Stacy, what the best part of his day was he said, "Sweeping!"--that's Bubby for sleeping. Suck up.) He was in a great mood when we picked him up, and in the car he listed several toys he enjoyed playing with (especially some sort of blocks that have snapping things that you can build and make a building or a pyramid).

I think it was a great experience for everyone involved, and next week we'll try it again. I'm sure we'll bore you with details, don't worry!

As for big sister, Kayci got her report card yesterday. She's my girl--she was like, "95?? Why so low??" Hee hee. Her highest grade was a 99 in Social Studies (I think they all get 99s), and she said yesterday that Science and Social Studies are her favorite subjects. That totally fits, as she's so curious about history and how things work in the world. Kayci is excelling in every way this year, but I will say that the whole girl drama thing rears its ugly head every now and again. This started a bit last year, but this year there have been a few days when Kayci's come home grumpy because she got into an argument with friends or someone wanted to play with someone else...I know these are life lessons, but man, it hurts to see her sad. She's learning who her real friends are. We all have to go through it, I know. :(

So that's it from our little corner of the world. Hope you all have a great weekend!

First Day of School!

2011-01-05T09:43:00.001-06:00

You read that right! It is totally a God thing how this came about (and Ms. Heather helped!), but 2 phone calls on Monday answered several prayers. :) We visited St. Paul's yesterday and of course we all loved it, so Noble started today. He'll go on Wednesdays for now, and if it's a good fit for him we'll look at 2-3 days next year. For now, we're just praying for a good day today. So far, so good!

He woke up at 4:45 ready to go...he's so OUR kid.

Traditional first day pictures, but with the added bonus of overdue Christmas decorations. And, you're welcome!

He was so proud of the little gift he had for his teacher...he wanted it to be in all of the pictures. Sweet boy!

There's a smile!

And one with Kayci...

And one with his teacher, Ms. Stacy. He was smiling before I snapped this, but that look is so Noble this one was a keeper.

As for Mommy, I think I'm still in shock...but I'm in awe of how it all has played out. It's amazing what happens when I get out of God's way :).

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T20:34:00.000-06:00

image: http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T06:38:00.002-06:00

We had a great Christmas! We started on Christmas Eve with our traditions of getting ready for Santa - opening one present (it's always pajamas), milk and cookies, reading The Night Before Christmas and putting out reindeer food.

Kayci woke up first at 6am. Actually, Kristi and I were awake laying in bed. We heard her feet hit the floor, then we heard her quietly open her door and tiptoe into the living room. A couple of minutes later, she came into our room and "woke us up." "Santa came!," she said. We got up and let Noble sleep a little extra. She picked through her stockings and the things that Santa had left out for her while I made coffee.

After a little while, she could hardly contain her excitement anymore and asked if we could go wake up Noble. That's usually a pretty bad idea, but since it was Christmas, Kayci was confident that a "Merry Christmas, Noble. Santa brought you presents" would do the job without him having a meltdown. And she was right. He didn't want to walk out for some reason, though. He wanted me to carry him. It took him a moment when we came around the corner and saw the train table and the Thomas the Train track and playset Santa had left for him, but he quickly broke out in a huge smile. The first thing he said was "Daddy- play Thomas Train with me!" We looked at the train set for a few moments and then started digging in to the stockings and playing with other things that Santa had brought the kids.

Kayci distributed presents while Noble helped himself to some of his Christmas chocolate, and the kids started open their presents from me and Kristi. According to Kayci, it took two hours and fifteen minutes to open all of our presents. That's not because there were tone of presents - it's because when we open presents we always open them one at a time, and we frequently open them and play a little as we go. And surprisingly, Noble didn't really want to open his presents. He was very content with what he already had open. We practically had to beg him to open the next present a couple of times. Having a little kid who doesn't want is really nice. And having a big kid who seems genuinely appreciative of the things she unwrapped is something we could have only imagined. I know I wasn't that kid when I was her age.

While the kids played with their toys, Kristi and I started getting ready for the day. We had our traditional buttermilk crumbcake breakfast, played some more and started getting dressed to head to Pflugerville to see Kristi's brother and his family (which has become another of our Christmas traditions).

This Christmas was special for us because it was all about our little family. I had some vacation time left, so I was able to take the week off, so we got a lot of time to just hang around and be together. Hopefully, the kids will remember times like these when they look back on their childhood Christmases thirty years from now. I know I'll count it among my favorite Christmases.

So from the Pharaon family to yours, we hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

Good timing!

2010-12-23T12:53:00.001-06:00

Guess who has an ear infection?

Now guess who used the hour pharmacy wait to kill 2 birds with 1 stone?

We're just grateful he said those 2 magic words yesterday after nap (ear hurts!) and that the clinic could get him in this morning. This time tomorrow he'll be a whole new Bubby! :)

--out & about :)

What Noble is Thankful For - Dec. 13

2010-12-20T21:48:00.000-06:00

Here's a translation:
"Dear God, thank you for our muffins, thank you for our honey, thank you for our food, thank you for Backyardigans, thank you for TV, Thank you for Daddy's work, Daddy, and our family, for Reagan and Madison (?) and Grandma and Ronny and Cat and Gavin and Amy and Reagan and trampoline and Daddy's truck and Mommy's car.

Amen."

You just never know what's going to come out of that kid's mouth...

Pajama Party!

2010-12-15T18:55:00.001-06:00

Heather and I are off to the MOPS ornament exchange, so Daddy & the kids are having a pajama party!

What Noble is Thankful For - Dec. 5

2010-12-15T06:00:00.002-06:00

English to Noblese translation:

"Dear God,

Thank you for our family, bacon, dump trucks and Toy Story 3, dump trucks, [something] plate, cooking and race cars.

Amen."

Santa Baby

2010-12-14T06:41:00.000-06:00

Christmas has been a blast so far--Noble is 2 1/2 (really 3/4...) and is LOVING everything about this magical season. It's fun to see it through Kayci's eyes, as well, as she explains things to him. I think she's having *almost* as much fun as we are!

This week their favorite Christmas song is "Santa Baby" (thanks, T Swift!)...but neither of the knuckleheads knows the lyrics. So they sing..."Santa Baby...sing it with me!" over and over. Or, in Noble's case..."Santa Baby...sing wiff meeeeee!"

You'd think we'd get tired of it, but not yet. I'll let you know next week. :) Kayci just pointed out that tomorrow will be 10 days 'til Christmas.

Yikes!

Thanks, Matt, for grabbing your camera!

2010-12-06T05:12:00.002-06:00

Sorry

2010-12-04T09:54:00.002-06:00

Some of you may have received several posts from the blog this morning. These were posts that were caught up in a server-side spam filter somewhere that I just found. So don't adjust your set - it's not your imagination - yes, these posts go back to Halloween. Sorry for the inconvenience and the anachronistic holiday posts.

But I hope you enjoy!

Brenham Christmas Parade

2010-12-04T08:04:00.003-06:00

Last night was the Brenham Lighted Christmas Parade, which has become one of our family traditions. Once again, we rode in the parade on the Germania Insurance float, and we had an awesome time. The theme of the float this year was "Polar Express," so the float was decorated to look like train cars. My truck pulled the float (because it's black like a train engine) and featured a working smokestack. And best of all, there was a snow machine mounted onto the top of the truck that made it snow onto the train and in the streets of downtown Brenham! It was a lot of fun watching the kids along the parade route excitedly enjoying the snow as the float passed. The wonder and joy on their faces was simply moving.

After the parade, we went to the Brenham Olde Town Bakery for some cookies and hot chocolate. It was a great way to cap of the night. Hope to see you here next year!

All aboard the Polar Express!

2010-12-03T18:00:00.001-06:00

--out & about :)

Skip

2010-12-03T13:29:00.000-06:00

Skip Leigh passed away on Thanksgiving. His family did a great job paying tribute to his life this week--Skip would be embarrassed to be the center of attention like this, but at least he can rest assured that nobody got up there and told lies about him. :) Skip was a good guy. He was a man who lived a simple life, worked hard, loved his family, and served his God. We would all be wise--and lucky--to be a bit more like him. Please keep Kate, Melissa, Cathy and the rest of the family in your prayers.

Alex is 5!!

2010-12-02T09:23:00.001-06:00

Happy birthday, Alex!!

We are so excited that you're 5 today...but I bet your Mommy is a little sad that her baby is now--sniff!--school age.

Big birthday hugs from us!

Super Jesus!

2010-12-01T11:01:00.001-06:00

On December 1st, we always kick off our Advent activities with a book about Jesus' birth. This morning we were reminded if the difference in our two kids: as soon as we were done talking, Nobley grabbed Baby Jesus and started flying him around.

Sigh.

--out & about :)

Star Student!

2010-11-30T04:59:00.000-06:00

She's on the left, rocking the silver tie. Man, I love that kid!

That Me Sitting on Santa's Wap!

2010-11-27T06:51:00.000-06:00

That's what Noble said when he saw this picture. Turns out, he DID sit on Santa's wap...and he told him what he wanted for Christmas (Thomas de Twain). Kayci told him she wants books. :) When we walked away, Noble kept turning around and looking at Santa. He got my attention, "Hey, where my toy?" He thought he'd tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas--and get it! This Christmas thing must be so confusing for our literal little guy...but so far, so fun. He reminds us so much of Kayci at this age (minus the screaming and behavior issues and messes) when he starts telling stories in his sweet little voice.

We'll have to catch up--Daddyboy has taken some amazing pictures this past few days--but I thought I'd share that Noble did, in fact, climb into Santa's wap instead of giving him a high five. How brave! He got a kick out of the Christmas lights...I can't wait to see what he thinks about our decorating when we get home. Kayci can't wait to set her Christmas tree up in her room. I can't wait for cider...for getting the tree...all of it! It will be a fun weekend...and I can't wait to hear Kayci explain it all to her Bubby. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T03:26:00.000-06:00

If you're reading this, chances are pretty good you're on our list of people we're thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, family and friends...loving you BIG!