Early Christmas

These videos were from last Saturday before we left for Telluride but I haven't had a minute to upload it until now. We finally made it back home last night after two VERY long days of traveling and an extra day in CO so needless to say there is a lot of catching up to do around here before we head to Texas on Wednesday. :) I will have some more posts about Christmas coming soon. Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.

Santa

So without much teaching Luke totally understands that Santa=Presents. We went to a party last week at one of the hospitals where Michael works and Luke got a present from Santa there. Since I didn't have my camera that night we made a trip to the mall this morning to get our picture with the Jolly Man. Santa was running a little late so he let me just take my own picture instead of having to buy one of theirs. I thought that was worth waiting a little bit. :)

At first Luke wouldn't look up at me because he was a little scared but Santa got him to look and even got him to say what he wanted for Christmas. His answer, "A digger and a choo choo!"

Christmas

So I just had to post the link to a blog post from a mom in Houston that I "blog stalk". As I prepare my heart for Christmas this was such an awesome reminder of what the first Christmas was really like and what Jesus' birth really means.

Click here. You won't be sorry.

Birth Stories

"He has done great things for us." Ps. 126:3

Sledding

I hope you guys don't mind the overload of winter posts. It's just such an anomaly to us! And I realize it looks like we were just wearing Michael out, but we ended up going to a park with some great sledding hills and Luke loved going "FAST."

Texan Frosty in MI

First Snow Day!

It has snowed a few times in the last couple of weeks but nothing that stuck through the next day, but I think what was dumped last night is here to stay a while! We have had so much fun playing today especially because Nana's here to play with us!

Cowboy Christmas in Michigan

Michael had this afternoon off so we headed out to chop down our first real Christmas tree! I was planning on just going to Hobby Lobby to buy one of those beautiful pre-lit fake Christmas trees that are 50% off but after today I'm glad Michael insisted that we start this tradition. It was so fun! Luke even enjoyed himself while we marched around looking for the perfect one despite the cold.

Speaking of cold, this week has gotten REALLY cold up here and tonight as we were stringing lights and hanging ornaments it started snowing! I think this will all be really fun and exciting until January when I'll be missing 75 and sunny Houston.

Oh and in case your wondering what's with the cowboy hats, my mom got Luke and Michael those hats for Michael's birthday so they had to wear them to chop down our tree. :)

Going to the chapel

My little sister is getting married! Lisa and Daniel got engaged this weekend and we are soo excited! I was so sad I wasn't there to celebrate but I couldn't be more happy for them. We'll celebrate in Telluride in 3 weeks. I can't wait to hug their necks!

Pretty bird

My first Thanksgiving to cook the bird didn't turn out a disaster! I'd like to think it was quite a success. We did all the sides and a 13 lb. turkey with leftovers to last us WEEKS!

It was weird being up here just the three of us this year but felt sweet at the same time. We have so much to be thankful for from a healthy little boy, family that loves and supports us, and a job that Michael really enjoys, but most of all Jesus! It was fun to celebrate those simple things.
Hope y'all had a happy Thanksgiving too.

Howdy and Happy Thanksgiving from Michigan! :)

A New Endeavor

For the past year or so I've been dabbling in a little bit of photography and editing but until recently have only been taking pictures of our family. Since moving here we have made some sweet friends who have given me the opportunity to take pictures of their families. In an effort to document these sessions I've started a photography blog (warning: nothing fancy). Feel free to check it out from time to time. No promises that there will be frequent updates, but we will see where it goes.
www.kimmerrickphotography.blogspot.com (I added the link to the right also)

Texas my Texas

Luke and I packed up and headed down to the Lone Star State last week for a visit.  Grams (aka.  Gigi) decided to come all the way from Florida at the last minute which was such a treat!  It felt so good to be back in Texas with my family.  Here's a recap of our weekend in pictures and captions: 

Queso baby! 

Working with Billy

Kisses for Aunt Becky (he said her name perfectly clear.)

Luke and the GGPs (great grand-parents)

Riding Abby

Just hanging out

Jumping on the bed

Some Aunt Lisa Lovin'

I wasn't kidding

We've had some naysayers that didn't believe Luke could actually toot on command so Michael insisted I post this for all to see.  I promise this is not my proudest mommy moment but it is pretty funny!  :)   (sorry for the wobbly camera work. Luke likes to see himself while he's being taped so we can't see what's in view) 

Luke Speak

Luke has been cracking us up lately and I decided a few days ago that I need to start writing some of these things down so I don't forget what a fun stage this is.  I wish the video camera was constantly going these days, but then I'd have to be reminded of all of the time outs and not so fun stuff.  :) 

A few nights ago Luke was walking around saying "toot" and then proceeded to toot on purpose three times in a row.  I thought it was so funny (I know I shouldn't have encouraged it) but I said "Luke, can you toot" and he did it AGAIN and laughed his little head off.  He is ALL boy.  

He is talking a ton too, but a lot of what he says is in Luke speak.  He says gibberish with such inflections in his voice that it actually sounds like a language sometimes.  It's gotten to a point where I can understand a lot of what he means since I'm with him all day but many times Michael has to ask for a translation.   

Here are just a few of the funny ones:

Macaroni- macker

Computer- peter (personal fav)

Pumpkin- punker

Basement- basey

Pizza- pizzy

Yogurt- yobi

sandwich- sammer

Mickey Mouse- Mic mou

chips and ketchup- keps

banana- bendi

doing some work on the "peter"

More pictures :)

One thing I know for sure, the grandmas will be happy with the plethora of Luke pictures I've been posting.  :)  The weather turned out gorgeous yesterday after what seems like months of rain and clouds so we had fun raking and playing in the leaves before nap.   

 

Our little monkey

Hope ya'll had a fun and Happy Halloween.  Just had to share our little monkey with you!  

Happy Halloween

This morning after a fiasco with the carseat being in the wrong car that I won't even go into,  (Michael's on call until tomorrow am) I took Luke to get a Halloween donut at Krispy Kreme.   Here's what he thought of it:  

Don't blink- second edition

Remember this?

Nine days later it's bald.  

It is a sure sign that winter's right around the corner and that it's time for us to break out our rakes.  :)  I'm sure we'll get used to this after we've been here a little while, but a true Fall is such a novelty to us.   I've been in denial about the snow until recently. Not so much anymore.  

A Halloween Surprise

I think I have failed to mention on here that our son has a slight (errr....more than slight) obsession with Mickey Mouse, whom we lovingly call Mic Mou.  It all started back when we first let him watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (a cartoon on Disney for those that don't know) and it has progressed into a love of all things Mickey.  

DeeDee (my Mom) knew exactly what would make this boy go wild when she surprised us with a Mickey Mouse Halloween cookie bouquet today.  It came while Luke was napping, but as soon as he woke up we started talking about cookies and Mickey Mouse and you would have thought he was going to pop with excitement.  :)    Little holidays like these (or all holidays for that matter) are going to be so fun now that he's getting a little older.  

Just had to share.  It was a fun day.   

You can't see the excitement here but believe me, he LOVED it.  

More Fall Fun

Luke making corn angels in the corn box.

We took advantage of Michael having the weekend off and had lots of fun with him.  Last night the two of us went to see David Crowder play with some friends and had a great time.  I felt pretty old at the end of the concert when all I could think about was sitting down because my "dogs were barking" so bad.  Oh well.  

Today we went to another orchard/pumpkin patch/country basket that was smaller than the other ones we've been to but had lots of fun kids stuff.  Luke loved the corn box and all of the goats.  He would have been happy to stay there all day, but good thing we didn't.  He was asleep within 30 seconds of leaving the parking lot.  :)  Hope ya'll had a happy weekend too.  

don't blink

I know I keep talking about the leaves changing around here, but this is all so new to me.  So sorry if it's getting old, but these bush-trees (not sure what they are really) made this drastic change in a matter of three weeks.   It's been awesome to watch it right outside our back door.   I wonder what another three weeks will bring.  I hope they aren't covered in the white stuff by then.   

It's a toss up..

Not sure who loved having DeeDee here more, me or Luke, but either way it was just awesome having her here.  Michael was on call both Friday and Sunday so it was a treat having my mom here to play on a weekend that otherwise would have been pretty long and lonely.  We always manage to pack a lot of fun into our time together, so this visit was no exception.  

Here's a quick recap of some of the fun we had:  we went apple and pumpkin picking, went out to dinner a couple of times, she taught me to sew (err...she sewed while Luke and I distracted her) a window treatment and closet drape to go in Luke's big boy room.  Today she helped me make homemade applesauce and my first ever homemade apple pie with the plethora of apples we have from our trips to the orchards lately.  I channeled my inner "suzie-home-maker" and felt quite proud of how all of that turned out.   (Of course we taste tested.)  

I have to say we have been spoiled with visitors this month.  It makes it seem like we aren't so far away from family when they can and do just hop on a plane to come see us.  Thanks for coming Mom.  It was such a treat. 

The trees keep getting better.

Luke wasn't sure about the hay ride.  It was COLD. 

Cider donuts are so yumm.  

Dork...I know.