Kate's 1st Birthday Party

After her morning nap, Kate was happy and ready to receive her birthday guests.

Grandma Lorrie had a great idea to keep Spencer and Sadie entertained until the party started - coloring books and bubbles!

The giant cupcake had a little gravity problem with the icing. It sure tasted great though!

Wow, how do you cut that thing?

Kate actually liked to play with her cupcake first...

Before tasting it. Yum!

The Payan - Call cousins really enjoyed their cupcakes!

Spencer had one cupcake (or maybe it was two or three?).

Sadie just digs right in to her chocolate cupcake!

Kate is showing off her mad walking skills.

It was a beautiful day so we spent a lot of the party on the deck.

Kate is playing with one of her new presents.

And quietly playing with her other presents.

Snow January 2011

I think we got about 8" of snow with this storm in January. This is a look down our street the day after.

What a change a year makes! Spencer hated the snow last year, but this year he loves it!

Daddy and Spencer sledding (which Spencer also loved!).

Crash!

Kate decided to stay indoors and play instead of venturing in the snow.

The next day Aunt Julie came over to sled with Spencer. Crash! That hill is seriously fast!

Sadie took it easy in her sled at the bottom of the hill. Smart girl!

The playground was lots of fun in the snow.



Sharing hot cocoa :-)

January 2011

Mommy made Spencer a nutritious breakfast of eggs and toast, but he chose to eat cheesy poofs and blueberries instead.

Kate liked eating eggs for the first time.

Just chilling with Daddy :-)

Spencer found this hat in our box of Christmas stuff. And even though it is meant for a much smaller head, he insists on wearing it. Where's Waldo???

I love seeing them play together!

Kate loves her new train that Grandma Lorrie got her for Christmas.

Spencer is the ultimate multi-tasker...eating breakfast and playing with sticker shapes at the same time. (Don't worry...that is Daddy's Coke, not Spencer's!)

Spencer gingerly licks his chocolate frosted cupcake that he picked out for Aunt Cindy's birthday.

Christmas Eve / Christmas Day 2010

While Spencer and Sadie made the gingerbread train on Christmas Eve, Kate hung out in her high chair.

The finished product.

Yay! It's Christmas morning! Kate wanted to sit on Spencer's lap (with some help from Mommy).

Ooh, is that another Thomas present???

Kate doesn't really care what is in the box, just that she can hold her Weeble in one hand and try to eat the paper.

Spencer loves taking pictures with his new camera!

Kate is modeling her new hat that Cousin Donna sent.

December 2010

Kate is a great pianist and takes requests too!


Spencer loved helping Mommy decorate the Christmas tree. After he picked up each ornament, he would ask, "Where does this one go?"

Very proud of his work!

Kate checks out a hedgehog on the tree.

Thanks for my stocking, Aunt Julie!!

Spencer is wondering why Kate is chewing on his Santa hat...

Spencer tried out his new "big boy" booster seat even before it was put in the car.

Thomas hat. Check. Fruit roll up. Check. Okay, we're ready to roll, Mommy!

Kate looks comfy in her new big girl car seat. Spencer was nice enough to lend it to Kate now that he is too big for it. What a nice big brother!

We took the kids (along with Aunt Julie and Sadie) for a quick walk to see the neighbor's Christmas lights / yard.

Christmas lights!

Kate really enjoyed looking at the lights on the tree and trying to taste all the ornaments.

Sadie came over to help decorate Christmas cookies.

Spencer prefers to decorate by tasting them :-)


Kate and Spencer love playing with the house that Uncle Joe and Aunt Jody sent for Christmas. Notice Spencer's very nice Christmas light hat that he made at school.