Sports Have Begun!

Sad to report that the camera was acting up at Nicolas' very first Soccer practice so this is the best picture I have to share. He started at the indoor soccer park, The Game, today. He was so excited that he couldn't nap. He did great listening for all the warm up stuff. But I think being by far the youngest of the group (it is a four year old group and he isn't four for another couple weeks) caught up to him about 40 minutes into the practice. He is going to go back next week but this time he says he wants to nap first (smile). What a cute soccer player he makes though! I'm not even biased at all!

The Bee Movie Potty Reward!

Well, he did it! He finally gave in to becoming a big boy and potty training. It was not an easy process with this strong-willed little guy. He was smart enough to out smart us every step of the way. We tried everything (and I mean everything) to get him to use the potty for months and months. No promise was big enough to sway him from the ease of being able to use a diaper. But when he decided to give in to the potty then all those promises came back to pour on him and wreak havoc on us (hee, hee).

Last night was just another step in his growing up potty process. He got to see his first movie at a real movie theater, eat his first BIG bag of popcorn (not counting the little pieces he sneaks at the Y during skating time) and drink his first BIG soda (... okay, provided by mom and dad and containing caffeine).

After Aaron and Mary came over to help us with Lexi who is just too young (and energetic) to take to the movies, we headed to see The Bee Movie. To say he was excited would be an understatement. He was all smiles. And apparently really important because we had the entire theater to ourselves. Thank goodness though. I think it may have disturbed others when he burped twice extremely loud in the middle of the movie (after drinking that entire Pepsi). He held his pee though through the whole thing. Guess he didn't want to miss a minute of the movie.

When it was over a very happy little boy quickly ran off the bathroom to relieve himself and prove once again why we were celebrating at the movies.

The Big Boy was standing a bit taller and bouncing a bit higher (aka Pepsi again) as we headed back to the car. Only down note.... too much popcorn sure can sting those little lips! (hee, hee)

Princess Shows Her Style

Just a few cute pictures of Lexi from this weekend. We went to a friends house for dinner. My mom called before we left and wanted to pick up one of the kids for dinner so I told her Lexi would probably be the best choice since the kids at the dinner were all going to be Nicolas' age. She was excited to spend time with Lexi for a change.

We went to the party and ... found all the little girl's in dress up clothes, running around in
heels, chasing each other and playing with all the girl toys. When my Grandma Birdie got there a little while later to pick up Lexi, she ran away laughing and Nicolas ran TO his grandma asking to go with her (hee, hee). So he got to escape the girls after all! The father's of all these daughters seemed to understand his situation too.

Next time I need to make sure I remember to bring all his Cars to play with. Anyway, Lexi is not one to play dress up yet. But with the help from a few older "sisters" guiding her, she got into the act.

Totally Tractors!

Now this ROCKED his world! Grandma Birdie had the kids come over and there was a backhoe in front of her house doing some repair work. The guys came back from lunch and started doing some stuff across the street. He saw our little guy in awe over the tractor and he came over, unlocked it and as he walked back to work on his stuff he just said "Now don't drive off with it, kay?" Nicolas was speechless. He got to climb up inside and touch things... carefully. He didn't want to get out. Lexi, on the other hand, was also excited until her big brother got inside of that BIG tractor. That scared her for some reason and she kept saying "out, brother, out please" over and over. What a day! Good call Grandma!

Lexi Laughing... Always!

Lexi wakes up this way every day so I decided to catch a little of her life and laughter on film. Soon enough she will be a teenager girl that I have to beg to get out of the bed and spend some time with me. But right now she is full of silliness and sauce.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween 2007

(Click Photo to See Album of Pictures)

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was fun and full of giggles. Nicolas was a dinosaur and Lexi a bumblebee. The both seemed to really get a kick out of it ... for the three full days of dressing up.

Nicolas loved being a dinosaur. He went from being a sweet one that refused to growl at people to embracing the chance to growl and show his claws as much as he could. He also loved to pat his big round dinosaur belly. Lexi and I could hardly keep up with him and Shawn as they trick - or -treated. Once he got the hang of the words "trick or treat" and "thank you" he was off and running and so was Shawn.

Lexi also loved being a bumble bee. Actually, as she put it, "bumble bee with wings in back". And she had no problem at all saying her trick or treats and thank you's either. In fact, she was more then eager to point to her "honey pot" and let people know exactly where the candy needed to go. Cute! Cute!

We walked in the Halloween parade with Nancy on Halloween night for Anderson Hospital. Shawn liked it even more then the kids. I think he really got a kick out of running and handing out candy as fast as he could. Lexi waved and blew kisses at everyone like a true future queen ...and without prompting (hee, hee)!!!

Then we were off to Grandpapa and MaeMae's for the last few houses of trick or treating. We met up with Builder Kai. The three cousins love to play together. They had a lot of fun and it was a nice way to finish off the three nights of Halloween fun.

Digging for Dinosaurs!

Digging for Dinosaurs!

Mom and Me had their annual Dino Dig. It was fun. Wasn't muddy like previous years so could have brought Lexi along after all. She would have loved the chance to get dirty! Nicolas had fun digging for hidden treasures once he got the hang of putting the treasures in his bucket and the dirt to the side. (smile) Hard to find those treasures in the bucket when you continue to bury them under more dirt! What a silly boy.

It's Apple Picking Time

Mom, Dad and two very excited kids went apple picking finally this year. Not many apples to choose from due to the lack of rain and spring freeze we had. But they had fun. We followed dutifully through the maze as they searched for their way out. They played in the sandbox and had a ton of fun going down the long tunnel slide. A day to remember!

It's a Family Fall Festival!

The family had fun at the Mom & Me Annual Fall Fest again this year. So much work went into it by so many people. We all ate too much and played hard. Lexi especially liked the duck pond (surprised?) and Nicolas seemed to really like bouncing in the bounce houses. They played games, ran around and went home exhausted. Fun was had by all.

They are Beautiful to Me!

Just a couple of close ups that I couldn't pass up posting. They just make my heart leap!

Growing Memories in Great Grandma's Tree

Spent a Saturday at Grandma's for a BBQ when Aunt Joanne was in town. It was great to see everyone again since we seem to see too little of each other these days. Nicolas especially liked the chance to climb a tree that was bigger then him for a change... sorry buddy... ours will grow someday!

Gotta Love Slirping Spaghetti!

Are there words for this? Our girl LOVES spaghetti. And she has as much fun eating it as she has every day doing most any other thing. This is why I chose to strip her down of her clothes, put a snow cap on her head (protecting her hair since she likes to use her hair as a napkin) and let her have fun. She did!

Mess that Matters!

They both love art and being creative. Nicolas has a creative little mind that may be normal for little kids but simply amazes his mamma. Lexi loves it too... and she loves the mess! Both of the kids were deliberate. Lexi took the paint and deliberately painted her body. Every little place she saw "clean" skin she purposely covered and loved every minute of it. Nicolas, on the other hand, made sure he got none of it on himself unless he was finger painting the canvases and then he only got the finger he needed dirty. Now you see why I put a tarp down when we paint. No worries! She went straight into a tub and was clean again in no time. Both kids are open to anyone interested in commissioning their work (smile).

Kai turns Two!!!

Everyone had a blast at our little nephew Kai's Second Birthday party. Nicolas and Lexi love playing with their cousins. It is so fun watching them grow up together. Moments we treasure! Thanks to Kai sharing his new guitar, Nicolas broke out of his shy mode and actually serenaded the family with a little John Denver, Thank God I'm a Country Boy. Hee, hee

Ice Cream and Motorcycle Dreams

Fun with Grandpa and MaeMae

A favorite pass time of Lexi and Nicolas is to go to the park and Bobby's with Grandpa and Mae Mae. Here they are once again enjoying sweets and treats!

Lexi's first year

Lexi's first year was amazing! Who knew that our first year with Lexi would be so full of life, giggles and precious moments. Whoever this little girl touches smiles. Her brother may be rough and tumble and even get tired of her touching his toys. But he glows when she calls his name. And she glows when he responds. That first year flew by too fast. She came with quite a startle at 5 AM in the morning for her mommy. I already miss holding her in my arms and watching her sleep (something she always did very well). I think she stored up energy those first few months of amazing sleep and has been burning it off ever since.

God blessed us with another gift and we treasure her each day.

Her first birthday was a just like her ... Bubbly! With her family and friends around she bounced and played and dug into her cake with such joy. Everybody stood back and laughed as the icing flew.

Thank you to everyone for making Lexi's first year a special one.

Click on the photo below to see her birthday pictures.

Lexi's First Birthday

Wow! I can't believe how behind I got with this blog. I guess it wasn't the brightest of me to start this family blog in the start of the holiday and cold/flu season. I just couldn't keep up. Slowly here I am going to try and catch up. Look below too. Will be posting some thing in order of the date they actually occured. So new additions will be:

The Biggest Loser
Christmas at the Vetters
Look Who's Three!
Vetter Vacations - You Can Too

Look Who's Swimming!

And then to come would be our little girl turning ONE! Let's not get ahead of ourselves though.

Thanks for being part of our family and sorry to those of you who have wondered about us going MIA.