Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Norries!

Almost 1!

My funny face boy is almost one. Yesterday we had a family party for him, his cousin Nick and a his great uncle Dave. He is so big and so silly. He had a blast playing with his cousins and his presents. Mom even let him get a little messy with his very own birthday cake. At first, he just poked it, like he pokes anything he's unsure of, but quickly decided he liked it.

The famous funny face - he "smiles" for the camera

Much Love,

Piano Man

Future piano player? Perhaps football player? Maybe both. What a sweetie!

Much Love,

Christmas Tree Fun

Killing time before we put up the tree, Jacob decided to take Ian for a ride on the office chair. He loved it. They toured the hallway and the kitchen. Here they are in action.

We put up the tree. It's a little top heavy. We didn't want Ian to grab any ornaments. Right now, he doesn't seem too interested. I'm sure that will change. We also forgot to put the garland on first so its a little crazy too. Oh well, we had a great time doing it. To me, it's beautiful, and so are the people who decorated it. :)

Much Love,

Piano Recital

What a couple of handsome, talented young boys. They gave a wonderful performance yesterday for their Christmas piano recital. William played Up on the House Top, and Jacob played Frosty the Snowman. They are so cute. Love you boys. Way to go! You done good!

Much Love,

Orchestra Concert

Jacob decided to play the viola this year, and last night was his first concert. He played very well. I'm really impressed such a program is offered to elementary students. When I was a kid, we weren't able to play instruments until junior high. Music is really important, and I'm not sure but I think it makes kids smarter. So it's really neat he has the opportunity to play.

Way to go Jacob. You are so smart and very talented. Keep trying new things!

Swimming

Ian's swimming lessons started today. He was shy at first but having William & Jacob there seem to help. He warmed up to it right away. He loved splashing in the water. He got to where a life jacket, use a kick board and play with rubber duckies. We sang lots of silly songs, and danced around. Can't wait until next week.

Much Love,

Veggie Straw Man

He loves veggie straws. He'd eat them all day long if he could. Just get the bag out of the pantry and his face lights up and he laughs. So so crazy!

Denver Aquarium

We decided to take an impromptu trip to the Denver aquarium. Ian slept on the way there. William and Jacob watched Despicable Me.

We saw lots of neat fish. Some were pretty. Some were small. Others were big and some were down right ugly. Ian seemed to have a good time. William and Jacob touched sting rays and horse shoe crabs. They even fed fish that spit. We ate lunch and headed home. Ian took another nap and the boys watched another movie. All in all, a pretty decent day.

Much Love,

Thanksgiving

John worked really hard on dinner, and it was mighty tasty. The rest of us just sat around and waited. William and Jacob did their usual (they really need to get a new hobby). Ian just ran around the house, driving me crazy. Grandma & Grandpa came over and ate with us. It was a good day. Happy Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for!

Much Love,

Happy America Recycles Day!

Jacob's class celebrated by going on a field trip to Bestway Recycling. I met them there. It was fun but super cold. We had to wear glasses and safety vests. Cute, huh?

We learned quite a bit about recycling and all the crazy things people think they can recycle. If it doesn't have the recycle symbol on it and it's plastic, you probably can't recycle it. Also, just so you know, they don't take plastic bags. Don't put them in the bin cause they'll just jam the sorting machine. It takes a lot of people to operate a recycling center, but it's worth it!

Much Love,

Fun with Grandma

Ian had a fun two days with Grandma. He was able to go to Monkey Bizness again. And this time he wasn't sick so he had a wonderful time. He was a little unsure at first but eventually came around. Grandma said after the slide, he clapped his hands together. It made him so happy. He just LOVED it. He also took a bath (his favorite) and went for a walk. What a busy couple days. He sure does have a good time with his Grandma.

Much Love,

Movin' on Up!!

Last Friday, William tested for his high white belt. He wasn't told if he passed the test until yesterday. He had to wait ALL weekend to find out. Turns out he passed! I figured he did. He's been working hard. He said he practices at school during recess, and it showed.

Yippee! Way go William. I'm very proud of you. :)

Much Love,

Grandma Janie

Today Ian and I went to visit my Granny, his great Granny. I think she liked seeing him. Grandma was there so I took a few pictures. It's not easy taking pictures of a baby. I tried to use continuous shooting mode but kept having issues. Oh well, Grandma looks like she's having fun!

Much Love,

Monkey Bizness

This new indoor play center just opened, and we've been trying to go since they opened. We finally made it yesterday. No less than 20 minutes after we got there, Ian threw up all himself and the high chair. That's when we realized he had a fever. Boo! It was a really neat place. Parents can have coffee and the kids can play and go crazy. I'm sure we'll go again. I hope next time we get to stay a little longer.

Much Love,

Another Year...

Thanks everyone for all the birthday wishes and surprises. You really made me feel special.

Not seen here: manicure & pedicure from Jen & Lara

Much Love,