Giving Thanks

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving...and then kept on celebrating with a Krache family trip to Ocean Shores.  We left for Bremerton Wednesday afternoon hoping to beat the traffic, only to sit in standstill traffic from Monroe to Bellevue.  After listening to the radio and hearing that I-5 was also a parking lot we decided to ferry it over, only to sit in a very long ferry line.  Sigh.  By pure chance we ended up on the same ferry as Kyle so we were able to meet his fiance Ashley and their kids Bobby and Abby right then and there.  The kids all instantly loved each other.  Bobby and Jameson talked cars while Abby and Brooklyn admired their crowns.  Thanks for the gifts new cousins!

Abby, Bobby, Jameson and Brooklyn on the beach.

We all arrived in Bremerton at 7:30 p.m. (we left at 2:30 p.m.) to a warm house and pizza in the oven.  Thank you Corky and Lynn!  After a quick visit, Brett's parents took our big kids back to their place to sleep while we stayed at Brett's grandparents house with Emmett.  (Thanks Don and Ginger!)  We chatted with Kyle and Ashley while watching a scary movie (thanks Kyle...) and then I hit the hay because my magnificent Thanksgiving feast needed to be in the oven by 7:30 a.m.

The alarm went off and I hit the kitchen to prepare the bird.  I had pre-made most of the side dishes so other than the occasional basting, I could relax most of the day.  Once the bird was done, the side dishes went in.  Seamless.  I have no pictures but we had a super fun day and shared quite the feast...it could have fed the entire neighborhood.  I loved cooking the entire meal for the first time and glad my patrons enjoyed it!

Roadtrip ready!

Friday morning we packed up and moved on to the ocean.  Brett's parents rented the perfect, eclectic, artsy beach house that comfortably fit all three families!  So fun to bond under one roof.  We were even able to go razor clam digging.  The state opened digs on both Friday and Saturday.  They were evening digs so that was a whole new experience.  Amazing.  You, Brett and Kyle, started digging in the daylight and then slowly but surely, it would get dark.  Super dark.  Then headlamps, lanterns and bonfires lined the beach for as far as the eye can see.  Such a beautiful sight.  My pictures are pretty lame compared to what looked like in person.

The various lights on the beach.

After two days of clam digging, sight seeing and family bonding it was time to pack up and head back to our respective homes.  Kyle's family to California, Corky and Lynn to Bremerton and us to Monroe.  We had such a great time and were sad to end such a fun trip.  We can only hope that we'll find time to all meet up again in the not so distant future! 

Family Beach-combing.

Stormy Seas.

Awkward Brett.

Awkward Tamara.

Can you find Brooklyn?

Wait for me guys!

Cute Jameson.

Look, Mom, my shadow!

She was the only one that managed to get FILTHY!

Learning to drive on the beach at the ripe age of three...safe.

Sunday Family Movie Night

Sunday Family Movie Night was a tradition that my family had and was one I always enjoyed.  We'd grab our favorite treats, a good movie and spend some time together as a family.  It dawned on us last week that the kids are probably ready for a movie night tradition.  We tried it first with Cars 2 and were successful so we tried again this week with Free Willy and were extra successful!  The kids were enthralled with the movie and had lots of questions.  Emmett body slammed us until his bedtime and then the big kids cuddled with us until the end of the movie.  We only took a break to make the necessary popcorn.  And, yes, Brett built a fort for us to watch the movie in.  :)

The movie fort.

Emmett yelling at the poor Orca whales.

Emmett's Birthday Parties

Yep, he's only one but he celebrated twice!  On his real birthday the kids and I headed up to my parents for dinner and ice cream cake.  Brett was at the fire station so it was pretty boring around home.  Emmett was not so happy because his lovely sister woke him up an hour early from his nap with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.  Yes, she snuck in there.  Sneaky little devil.  :)  So, it was a quick birthday party, but a birthday party none-the-less.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

The family birthday crown!

Here comes my cake!

Finger immediately in to cake!

Oooh!

Birthday party take two was hosted by us on Saturday, the 19th at 2:00 p.m.  We kept it on the smaller side this time around because the kid has everything under the sun and life has been a bit crazy around our house these days.  Shhh, don't tell Emmett that we skimped his birthday party.  :)  So, after getting our family pictures done in Bothell at 10:00 a.m. we hurried home, put the kids down for naps and cooked and cleaned like maniacs.  I said to Brett, "We have two hours to pull off a party.  Now go!"  We amazed even ourselves at our productivity.  By the time the doorbell rang the appetizer spread was ready to go and the streamers were hung.  We are a great team under pressure!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes!

The spread, mmmm.

Cookies-n-Cream Cupcakes and Choc Covered Cherries!

Everyone socialized and noshed on the appetizers for a bit and then Emmett dove in to his presents.  He literally dove in.  The biggest box became his own personal living room surf board.  A goob, he is seriously a goob.  He is one lucky little boy, everyone spoiled him! 

Present surfing!

Jameson "sharing" presents.

Baby Kellan had the perfect spot.

Chaos!

Chaos solved.

After he carefully observed all his new gifts and chomped on some Mum-mum's with his friend Maeve it was time for a cake facial.  He wasn't shy, as predicted.  He even was able to completely clog one of his nostrils with cake.  Awesome!  Almost immediately after, cake started coming out...the other end.  Note to self, cake doesn't sit well with Emmett.  Ew!

Cake, before.

Gettin' Ready!

So excited.

"The Girls" helping E blow out his candles.

Not shy at all.

A thief snuck a bite.

Takin' a little break...

...not for long!

Cake, after.

Emmett, after.

 We are so grateful that everyone made it out to help us celebrate Emmett's first birthday, thank you!

DeeDee practicing w/Baby Maeve.

Maeve and Bink hangin' out.

Impromptu Mom-n-Me meeting.  :)

Beautiful Baby Maeve.

Kellan checkin' out baby toys.

Tarah and sweet baby Kellan.

Big Bad Baby Emmett turns ONE!

Already takin' self portraits!

 I know, I know.  I am a week behind but it was an emotional roller coaster for me.  I mean, how can my (our) baby be one already!?!  It feels like we were just in the hospital staring at our GIANT baby and giggling.  Now he's a walking, babbling machine of total destruction. 

At least he still is a happy guy 95% of the time.  He has introduced a "cranky hour" from 5:30-6:30 p.m.  He actually is usually in bed by 6:30 p.m. because he goes in to "prayer" mode, as we call it.  Prayer mode is when he sits crossed legged, puts his hands over his head and then bows forward repeatedly.  When I say repeatedly I mean 20 or so times.  Fast.  It is then that we decide that he is too tired to be awake.  Even though he goes to bed at 6:30 p.m. he still gets up at 7:30 a.m.  So, we can't really complain.  :) 

He is still babbling, a lot, but has yet to repeat what I thought was his declaration of "mama."  Dang it.  It will come soon enough!  He walks pretty much all the time now and is still clumsy so his forehead and nose are constantly getting bonked and bruised.  He usually gets mad instead of sad when he gets an owie.  Living up to his meathead nickname for sure! 

He is still very mischievous and we keep meaning to pack up our wine bottle shelf/holder thing because he loves to clink the glasses together, hard.  I am sure he'll break one before I actually get the chance to put it away.  Oh well, it's just stuff.  He still has a love for the tupperware drawer and still gives me that devilish grin when he is about to do something naughty.  Such a little goober!


We are still working on getting him to eat solids.  At his one year check his pediatrician told us to get him off baby food.  I told her we were trying but he either chokes on "real" food or spits it right back out.  Like I said, we'll keep trying.  He likes pancakes but I am fairly certain one cannot sustain a life on pancakes. 

On a sentimental note, I just can't imagine life without Emmett.  Of course I love, and feel, the same way about the other kids but I'll focus on E for the moment.  He is such a constant source of joy and I can physically feel my heart swell when he makes direct eye contact with me and gives me that, "I love you Mom!" look.  Sigh.  I can't wait to see what toddlerhood brings for us and him but at the same time can wait.  I miss not having a baby around the house already but dream of the day that I am no longer changing and paying for diapers.  A mix of emotions for sure.  I am a little nervous to see what our grocery list will look like when the boys are in high school but am thankful that my nerves have a long time to build before then.  And you know this Mom is not ready for tackle football and sports related injures yet!  So, I promise to cuddle Emmett but not coddle him.  Love him, but keep encouraging independence.  My dreams will come true if I can raise him to be just like his amazing father.  With the addition of some cooking skills.  Chicks dig a dude who can cook.  :)   

As for his stats, he is 32.75 inches tall, weighs 28lbs. 3oz., and has a head circumference of 19.5 inches.  Our tall, big-headed, barrel-chested, beautiful blue-eyed boy! 

Note: I finally ditched the age paper in the photos because it just wasn't workin' anymore.  Enjoy some recent photos of our big little angel.

Outtake from our recent family photo sesh.

Walkin' away from me, typical.

Another male model shot.  Clearly it's in his future.

Happiest baby on the block!

Grown-up-napped

Apparently when you try to teach your kids about "stranger danger" they might go to extremes.  After Halloween it was apparent that we needed to go over some basic stranger rules with the kids.  As in, we don't go in strangers houses, even if they sarcastically invite you in.  It's a long story.  Anyhoo, our basics (they were very benign) were clearly too traumatizing.  Brooklyn went on a tangent in the car the other day about how she really hopes that I don't get grown-up-napped.  It was more of a lecture.  I am sure many kids make this mistake but it was hard not to laugh.  Okay, I laughed.  And then she told me to take it seriously because strangers are dangerous.  Another day, another Brooklyn lecture.

Bath Hair

When Emmett gets out of the bath he sports a sweet curl on top.  Turns out what I thought was stick straight hair on top really is curly.  He has one interesting mane.

The top curl...and giant hand...again.

Did I mention that he sports multiple head wounds these days?  Such a klutz.