awesomeness

here are more pictures of Byron's amazing igloo.both Connor and Byron can fit inside and Connor can stand up in it.

we were over at our apartment office yesterday and the people there were asking if we were the ones with the igloo. i could tell Byron was trying to contain his pride and keep it cool. apparently, word has spread throughout the community and people have been walking over to check it out. yeah, that's right.

Byron said if it wasn't so cold and raining he would have slept in it, which I wouldn't put it past him. pretty darn awesome.

snow day

on Friday night snow began and when we woke up Saturday morning we were in the middle of a winter wonderland. Connor AND Byron were thrilled and both began preparing for the day' sactivities out in the snow. Kylene was so happy to be part of the fun and Byron carried her around as they walked and explored. After about 20 minutes she was done, and we watched the boys while we stayed warm and snug.
Connor came in and out to warm up, dry out his gloves, and drink some hot chocolate before heading back out. Byron stayed out for 5 hours straight working on...

THIS.

It's amazing. There are better pictures coming. Both Byron and Connor can climb inside and Connor can stand up in it. Kylene could see them from our bedroom window, so I put the chair up to the window, gave her a sippy cup and a bowl of gold fish and she stood there watching them work while I worked on dinner. Byron said he felt like he was on a TV show with Kylene viewing them like that. :)

our boy is 4!

on Thursday, January 21, Connor officially turned 4 years old. However, due to yucky, icky sickness, we didn't even tell him it was his big day and postponed celebrating his birthday to the following week when he was his happy self again. Probably the last year we can tweek the circumstances to fit what life brings I bet. His preschool class celebrated his birthday on the 26th and Connor requested that I make cinnamon rolls to bring as his special birthday treat. I made them the night before and when Connor got up the next morning he said, "Mom, I smelled the cinnamon rolls last night. It sure smelled delicous!" I had exactly 12 big, beautiful flully rolls smothered in cream cheese frosting and multi colored sprinkles, and Kylene cried the whole morning begging for one. Two children didn't come to class that day, so Kylene had her happy moment in her carseat after we picked up Connor. It was worth cleaning up all the stickiness to see such happiness and satisfaction on that little face.
A few days latter we had a small birthday party for Connor and 6 little boys came for the fun. They were all so jolly and it cracked me up to hear them playing and all the excitement and laughter coming from Connor's room while pizzas were baking.

I found it so sweet and amusing to welcome each boy as he arrived to our home and see him drop to his knees, unwrap the gift for Connor and show it to him. Connor was totally thrilled with each gift presentation and said, "Oh, thanks!" to each person.

Our family has a very very favorite chocolate cake recipe and chocolate frosting recipe that I made for Connor's cake.

Kylene pretty much had the time of her life too.

There was lots of laughter around this table!

By the time we were done with cake and ice cream, our house was a total and complete disaster which was fine and expected, but we needed space to do the pinata. I went to each boy and asked them if they'd help just throw the toys into Connor's room really fast so we could do the pinata. Those eyes lit up and we were cleared out and boys were waiting on the couch ready to go in no time.

I'd say...the birthday boy ended up having a GREAT birthday. :)

KDoll Creations' Hoot Owls are up on the ChildStyle Blog and will be in their print magazine Feburary. You can check it out HERE.

christmas in indy

we had such a fantastic time the week after Christmas at my mom and dad's house. my younger brother Ben, had returned home from a study abroad to China a few weeks earlier and we were so happy to see that handsome face! pretty much first on the agenda was presents, and i don't think there was anyone more excited than Connor!

future construction manager...

i was thrilled to be with my nephew, Zach, again and loved making this happy guy laugh! who couldn't love that face!

Kylene loved being a part of all the action and Zach wanted to be wherever Kylene was.

we just can't quite get enough of her.

it was so fun to be with my sister (isn't she beautiful) and her husband Jon.

we promised Connor snow at Nana and Grandpa's and they delivered! it was really fun for our family to have a white Christmas.

i don't know who's having more fun....

but i think it might be Connor.

ouch.
we got a chance to be with both sets of my Grandparents while visiting. going to my Grandma and Grandpa Myers' home for our Christmas gathering brought back so many memories from my childhood.

below is my Grandma Myers

the joy of children at Christmas is contagious.

my Dad with my Grandma and Grandpa Myers.

Kylene was a happy participant in the activities and really loved her new purse.

my Mom was successful in getting us together for a family picture before Ben left for Provo.

one of Kylene's favorite spots was the piano

our lovely Nana with Kylene. my Mom makes all holidays and gatherings so fun and works so hard to give us young parents a real vacation. at one point Ashley and I looked at each other and said, "Mom looks really tired. Well, she has been fixing all the meals, cleaning up, watching our children, cleaning the house and doing all the the laundry."

One of Connor's favorite activities was bowling. He had a great time and has been talking about going again ever since.

Kylene was convinced this 16 lb ball was the one for her.

my Dad LOVES playing with Connor. the feeling is mutual.

my Mom got the kids matching pj's which are so darling. i don't know why Kylene can't pull it together for group pictures....

we at tons of good food, watched a few movies, my Mom and sister and I went on a "girls day out", we visited our favorite burger joint, Bub's, played volleyball at the church with our cousins, played games, played lots of Wii, at some more food and just overall had a ball being together. thanks for such a fantastic time Mom and Dad, we're planning our next trip back!

christmas morning 2009

{so sorry it's taken me a month to pull things together post-holidays and get these pictures up. for all the family members that have been waiting, for your viewing pleasure...}

Christmas morning was so fun this year with both Connor and Kylene. Connor received some new Matchbox City Links that he really enjoyed from Santa.

Kylene's gift from Santa was a new baby doll, stroller, and bottle. She was enamored.
Kylene pretty much played with her doll and walked around holding a candy bag from her stocking and eating from it all morning. Connor couldn't be bothered with food since he was so involved in all his new loot!
Byron and I really enjoyed having a laid back day enjoying our kids and each other and getting ready for our trip to Indianapolis the next day.
That night we met up with 4 other families at a tiny take-out Chinese restaurant in Mebane for our Christmas dinner. We pretty much filled up the little seating area and had a ball. The food is delicious and it's so nice to see friends and not have any dishes to do. This is our second year in a row to do this and I think we might just have a tradition on our hands. Big fun at the Stir King. :)

christmas eve

we got to spend Christmas Eve with good friends having a pot luck dinner and making gingerbread houses. i'm 29 years old and this was this first time in my life to make a gingerbread house with real, homemade gingerbread instead of graham crackers. it was thrilling for me. Connor and Byron were the main masterminds behind our cabin while Kylene and I sampled some of the candy.
our gingerbread cabin. it was delicious also. we discovered Kylene loves the ginger taste. she LOVED eating this cabin and wolfed down the ginger snaps i made also.

since we weren't with our family yet, it was so nice to have such a fun event to look forward to. when we got in the car to head over, Connor said, "Let's go partyyyyyy!"

When we got home it was time to get on our Christmas pj's and set out milk, cookies, and reindeer food for Santa and his reindeer. i think we were ALL excited. :)