Uh Oh Santa.....

Evan found a Santa toy the other day and enjoyed throwing it high up in the air until......

OOPS Santa's stuck!  I had to post this just because the look on Evan's face was hilarious as he could not comprehend how to get Santa down!  Daddy saved the day though and now every time Evan sees this Santa he says "no throw Santa, mommy, no throw."

"So how do you like Michigan?"

That's the question I get daily anywhere I go, and from anyone I meet.  The conversation usually goes:

- Them: "Oh you just moved here?" 
- Me: "Yes, from Colorado." 
- Them: "Oh, WHY did you do that?! (followed by look of shock)
- Me: "Family.  We have a 2 year old and wanted him to grow up around family.  And we are from Michigan so we knew what we were getting ourselves into."
- Them: "That makes sense.  Other than family, why would you move to MI?!"
- Me: "Yes, thanks for the reassurance on our decision....."

Yes, we know that we left an awesome state.  And lately I'm reminded every day when I look outside and wonder if it's 8 a.m., noon or midnight, due to the lack of sun.  Today the sun came out and even Evan was shocked!  "Mommy, light in my eye?!"  Me: "Yes, Evan. That's called the sun!"  (PS: I "say" this all with a smile, just documenting all of this so when we look back in a year we'll see how far we've come!)

The two things we've bought more of since moving to Michigan?  Coats and pajamas/lounging clothes.  It's so bitter cold here that we need more coats (and heavier ones!).  And the pajamas?  Well we don't really leave the house much (and I work from home now), so why bother getting dressed?

On the plus side, it's great seeing family more (in our pajamas and coats), and having Evan know who they are. We also love our house and are already diving into projects (thanks, Pinterest!). Hoping to paint the family room before Christmas. Evan loves "new house" and his school. He's a social butterfly and has lot of friends. We met one of his friends parents the other day at Breakfast with Santa and it felt like a first date when we left, and I asked for the mom's phone number. It's tough meeting people! Another plus is that I'm so lucky to have the ability to work from home for a company I love, and travel to Denver every now and then.

Some pictures from the past few weeks:

Working on project #1 - wanes coating boards in the garage entry area for shelves/hooks. 

Nice job Erik!

 

Breakfast with Santa!

 

At least this year he's not screaming/hitting & kicking Santa!

 

 

At the post office, mailing holiday cards!



All the holiday cards were special delivered from Evan!  My little elf.  :)





 

 

Display at Evan's school (Evan is on the far left)

 

Cutest snowman ever!

 

Evan loves our new kitchen table, especially his very own bench on the other side.

 

When I travel for work, Erik likes to teach Evan things....like this....drinking milk from his bowl.  That's totally fine and gives him some calcium, but he still has bad aim (see the puddle of milk on the table?).  Made me laugh because I knew exactly who taught him this!  ;)

The holiday season is here!

 

Our first holiday season in Michigan.  It will be nice not to have to travel this season!  Thanksgiving was spent with the Anderson family.  Evan is 2 and had never met Grandma Colleen's side of the family.  We had a great Thanksgiving Day with everyone, eating lots of yummy food, playing football outside, and spending time with family. 

Grandma had a playroom all set-up for Evan.  Evan LOVED the sleeping bag, so much that we brought it home and he sleeps on the floor on it every night.  We put him in his bed after he's fallen asleep, but when he wakes in the middle of the night, he gets right back in his sleeping bag.

 

Jumping on the bed!

 

After eating lots of food, we had to play outside!  Evan's hoodie was a little small, but he refused to take the hood off!

 

Meeting his 2nd cousin Caleb

 

Playing football!  Someday we'll have a picture of these two when they're 10 years older playing.  I know they'll still be just as cute!

 

Evan enjoying the entertainment of Grandma & her sisters singing to him - his own private concert!

 

 

Great Aunt Carol & Evan (trying to play the harmonica)

 

 

Trying to teach Evan to catch a football - hmm....not sure he's catching on to he hand placement....

 

Uncle David showing Evan some fancy soccer moves

 

 

 

Story time with Uncle David

 

Playing the harmonica!  He actually got the hang of it pretty well!

 

Opening gifts with Kelly, Jason & Caleb, from Aunt Corrine

 

 

 

Being in the holiday mood, we decided to decorate the house for Christmas (and the Christmas decorations helped hide the fact that we need to really decorate our new house!  If you come over and see Christmas decorations this summer, you'll know why!).

 

 

Evan's first hot chocolate was made in a Keurig.  Guess that's what happens when you're born in the 2000's!  He now knows how to pick out a K-cup, put it in the Keurig, and press the button to make it brew.  

 

Putting ornaments on the tree

 

"Watching" Daddy put the tree together - "I watch?" says Evan.

 

 

 

Daddy hanging Christmas lights (Lucy hanging out in her sweater; or as Evan says "Lucy's coat has pockets!")

 

Enjoying a rare sunny day in MI....

 

 

Evan LOVES the Grinch.  And LOVES is an understatement.  The Grinch movie is on 3-10 times a day in our house and Erik & I have it memorized!  Evan decided to take the Grinch for a bike ride in the house (Yes, Evan has a bike in the house...it has rubber wheels so it doesn't scratch the floors, of course!)

 

Zoned out, watching the Grinch.

 

Evan loves his toy laptop from Aunt Corrine.  He walked it into my "office", set it on top of my laptop, and said "Mommy, I'm working."

 

My fans helping Mommy get ready in the morning.  Love this picture!

Transitioning blogs......

Welcome to our new blog!  For posts dating back to 2010, visit erikandkara.blogspot.com