This Mtn is Pure Snow

The snow has arrived and we are making the most of it.  On Saturday afternoon,  Cullen and Dad ventured out to Mt La Crosse for a ski lesson...Cullen, not Dad.  Although, Dad could probably use a lesson, as he is pretty rusty.  It was a productive night that ended with Cullen making his first trip up the chair lift.  The smile that was on his face can't be described.  It was just great.  We made two runs and then Cullen informed me that he had to go potty.  This seemed like an appropriate time to call it a night.  Unfortunately, there are is no pictorial evidence of our night.  Dad doesn't have a camera attached to his hip like Mom. 

On Sunday, the family headed over to Mt Binsfeld for some sledding.  It is a small hill in our neighbors backyard.  It is the perfect size for a 3yr old and a 18mth old.  Thats right, little Simone got in on the action also.  Lisa and I took turns riding down with our little girl, although Lisa did the brunt  of the sledding, while I monitored (aka drank beer) with the proprietor of Mt Binsfeld.  The rides I took with Simone were priceless.  As soon as we would get moving, this little voice would go "whheee".  That would continue until the sled stopped at which point Simone would turn and say "again, again" and back to the top we went.  It was just classic.

The snow looks as if it is now here for the rest of winter and so we are looking forward to many more of these adventures.  

Best Buds.

Cullen and Simone.  Simone and Cullen.  At this stage, these two are the best of friends.  Cullen affectionately refers to his sister as "Simonie" and she calls him "Broba" (translation:  brother) or "Ca-yen" (translation:  Cullen).  If you watch them interact, Cullen will run through the house and Simone will be about 10 steps behind.  They sometimes argue over toys, but for the most part, both kids are good with taking turns.  We continue to wonder how long this sweet stage will last.  The best advice:  enjoy it while it lasts!

Hide and Seek.

In the spirit of the Golden Globes, we wanted to post our movie of the year.  The plot, hide and seek.  A nightly game that Cullen wants to play.  However, the twist in this movie, is that Cullen always hides in the same place and when you are about to find him, he jumps up and yells surprise.  His co-star in this movie, the lovely Simone Swanson, is one to keep your eyes on.  She's got some real talent and and ever expanding vocabulary.  So grab some popcorn and without further adeu:  Hide and Seek
 

Wild Nights: NYE 2012.

Happy New Years to all of our dear friends and family.  We wish you a happy and healthy 2012!

As we ponder the New Years of old, we think of big parties, overflowing drinks, dancing and dawn-induced bedtimes.  That was all BC (before children).  Now we party hard from 4 pm - 7 pm (we can only last until Simone's bedtime).   We celebrated NYE with the Tobin family:  Tracy, Roxie, Livi and Parks.  We partied it up kiddie-style with sippy-cups and toys.  Don't worry, the adults did partake in whiskey and wine.  And after we got home (at 7 pm), Bob and Mimi even stopped down for an ice cold Stella.  Then, Dirk and I treated ourselves to steamed crab, asparagus and Stella.

Signing off at 10 pm.  Please keep the noise down :).  Happy 2012!

A Very Merry Christmas 2012

We had a wonderful Christmas.  We were able to celebrate with family, spend some quality time together and presents were aplenty!  We celebrated with the Swansons on 12.18.  Santa made a surprise visit to Bobby and Mimi's house.  Cullen answered the door, threw his arms in the air, and exclaimed "SANTA!!!".  Simone, on the other hand, wanted nothing do to with the man in red.  She was fine at the mall, but that Santa sat quietly on a chair as she approached.  This time, Santa came in shouting "HO, HO, HO" and ringing a bell.  Simone lost it every time we even moved 2 inches closer to Santa.  She was happiest sitting on Mimi's lap on the other side of the room. 

On Christmas Eve, Cullen had fun putting out carrots and Reindeer food and making Santa a plate of cookies (complete with a glass of milk).  On Christmas morning, the kids actually allowed Dirk and I to sleep until 6 am (that's late for us!).  And we spent the morning opening presents and playing with toys.  Santa brought Cullen a tool bench and a piano.  Simone received a doll stroller.  And Santa left a kid-sized tee-pee for both. Then, Grandpa Mark, Grandma Liz, Brigette and Mason ventured down for Christmas night.  We had a great time playing and teaching Mark and Liz how to use their new IPad!

Now it's operation, Where-do-we-put-all-of-these-toys?!  We are lucky and grateful to have had such a nice holiday.  Special thanks to Bob, Mimi, Grandpa Mark and Grandma Liz.  You are wonderful grandparents! 

Time for stringing lights and stitches?!

2 noteworthy things happened last week:  we decorated our house for Christmas and Cullen Robert Swanson got his second head laceration requiring stitches.  I will start first with the stringing of the lights.  We are big fans of getting a "real" tree.  We opted out of the tree farm experience this year as the kids are still so young and it just seemed like a lot of work.  Therefore, in the dark of night (7 pm), Cullen and Dirk set out to the lot next to the Kwik Trip gas station to pick out a tree.  When they got it home, Dirk and I noticed that it didn't look very symmetrical, but agreed it would be fine once the branches dropped.  After 24 hours, the tree didn't look any better.  We decided that every tree needs a little love (even the not-so-pretty ones).  We couldn't be happier with our Charlie Brown Christmas tree and realize that's what you get when you allow a three-year-old to pick out the tree at the lot next to the gas station in the dark! 

Now onto the stitches....  Cullen was playing outside on the playground equipment at the YMCA daycare.  There is a tire in the climbing wall, and Cullen hit his forehead just right on the frozen tire and suffered a pretty deep gash.  By the time I got to him, his teacher had stopped the bleeding; she gave Cullen a Popsicle; and we were off the the ER.  Cullen wasn't crying when I saw him, but he had a scared look on his face.  Once we got to the ER, his first question to the nurse was "are you going to give me a shot?"  (He is obviously traumatized from our flu shots earlier this fall.)  She told him "No" and he was at ease.   Dirk met us in the ER shortly after arrival and his first words were "this kid is going to look like a prize fighter!"  They put some numbing gel on the cut and then a very nice doctor came in and stitched him up.  Three stitches to be precise.  Cullen never even cried.  I think it may have been the promise of  lunch at "Old McDonald's" that helped him stay so calm.  After five days, he got those stitches out and he's looking a lot better. 

"Santa Claus is Coming" - Starring Cullen.