Kidapalooza 2010

We are officially recuperating from Kidapalooza 2010!
Last week our house was abuzz with 5 little boys between the ages of 2 and 6. We were outnumbered 5 kids to 3 adults as my best friend Sue and her three boys, ages 6, 4 and 2 visited us in North Carolina. It was an absolute riot! :)

A few of the highlights for the boys:

• Staying the night in a hotel with a pool enroute from MI to NC.
• Visiting the newly renovated Discovery Place
• Chuck E Cheese
• Monkey Joe's (a place full of bounce houses)
• The Monster Buster Club theme song dance party (I wish I could post the video!)
• Playing in the backyard inflatable pool, in the front yard, at the park
• 4 boys racing on Mario Cart for the Wii together

The biggest highlight for the adults:

• Naptime!

Admittedly, going into this, I had visions of the adults staying up late, enjoying adult beverages, talking about grown-up things, maybe watching a movie or two. I figured naptime would be much of the same. In reality, I think we were more tired than the kids. We adults also napped each day and promptly went to bed not long after the boys each night. I think I'll be catching up on sleep for a while.

Despite how tiring this vacation-week was, I loved being around their youthful energy. Even more, I loved seeing the boys enjoying the chance to play together again. As someone that often moved away from childhood friends, it was nice to see that the distance between them these last nine months has not diminished the bonds of friendship that they share.

I may be tired, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.... maybe next year we expand the invitation list to 7 or 8 kids! :)

*note: to protect the online privacy of those kids that are not mine, I have excluded pictures of their faces. In case you wonder why I posted pics of only the backs of their heads. :)

Good bye old friend

Bovine

August 1995 - July 2010

Roller Skates here we come!

Jeremy tried Roller Skating for the first time recently.

He did GREAT!

Big Brother Kyle was a great help reminding him that

"first you hold two hands, then one hand, then by yourself!"

Charlotte Nature Museum

Our first visit the the Charlotte Nature Museum.
Check out these cute little bugs!

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails!

If you've ever wondered if I'm one of those uptight,

"don't do that you'll get messy" kind of Moms, here is your answer...

Not only did I permit it, I defended it, and encouraged it.

Cuz I am a Mom of BOYS and I am not afraid (yet)!

The Computer Generation

Are they 3 & 4 or 13 & 14?

I can't tell.

The Big Southern Snowball Fight of 2010

Recently we experienced a good, sticky snowfall here in North Carolina. It was the perfect snow for building snowmen and for throwing! Add to that temperatures in the high 30s and even I was ready to play outside.

Kyle and Jeremy had an absolute blast! They were giggling and smiling from ear to ear. Not sure if that was because of the snow itself or because they knew they were winning the snowball fight.

Hopefully soon I can get the videos edited and posted (there are some great clips!), but until then... we hope you enjoy these photos!

Jeremy's birthday!

Happy Birthday Jeremy!

Finally put up the tree...

Well the Nord's North Carolina house has been brimming with Christmas Spirit today! Less than two weeks after all of our belongings arrived from Michigan, we managed to find the Christmas boxes (well, enough of them) to start decorating.

Kyle and Jeremy were both pretty excited to work on the tree so with the sounds of Christmas Carols floating through the house, they helped assemble it. (their first time ever helping with that aspect of the job). They loved adding each branch to the tree "trunk" and more-so they enjoyed the color coding game that went along with it... "Jeremy can you find a branch that is brown?" "Kyle, I'll need two white branches next." "Who put a green one in this row? We're working on Black." While we assembled the tree it occurred to me: "We've had this tree since we lived in the Apartment in Lake Orion (after we first married.). Wow, that's 11 years now! Time flies.... "

We promised the boys that the "Lights Fairy" would come during nap time to put the lights on the tree. They pointed out that the lights fairy is really Mom & Dad because they've watched us light the tree before. Hmmm, observant. I'll remember that! So Alex and I switched the music from traditional Christmas Carols to a Jimmy Buffet Christmas CD and set to work. Now, what the lights fairies didn't know, was the the box of Christmas decor with the LIGHTS in it, is missing. I'm sure it's here somewhere, but finding them? So, this year we have a blue-light tree. (Wow, just made the connection. Sorry Family Dollar, I feel a little like a traitor) I've had these blue Christmas lights for years, but multi-colored was our traditional look. Apparently, we're starting a new tradition this year; seems fitting. So, by 4:30 pm the tree was lit and ready for the evening project of hanging ornaments.

But first, the boys had to do their Christmas shopping!

With only 6 shopping days left (one of which is C-R-A-Z-Y if you want my 2 cents), we decided it was a good night to let Kyle and Jeremy each go to Kmart to pick out a gift for their brother. So, off we went, all four of us, to dinner at Steak & Shake and to Kmart for some toy shopping. Both boys, with their $10 bills in hand, enjoyed finding a toy for the other. Jeremy struggled with the concept only a little (he wanted to shop for his upcoming birthday - can't blame him.) and Kyle struggled with making a decision. (So many great choices!) Eventually, both settled on something and they proceeded (hiding from each other, of course) to the checkout to pay for their selection. All in all they got a big kick out of holding onto the money, figuring out what was in their budget, choosing the gift, paying the cashier and hiding the bag from their brother. Now, any bets on how long they can keep the gift contents a secret?

After returning home, the guys immediately took to hanging ornaments on the tree and playing with the decorative gift boxes under it. Kyle pretended to be Santa, asking each of us if we'd been good. (Answers varied). :)

By 10:30 (after a couple books were read and a few pictures were taken) the boys were exhausted & ready for bed. I'm happy to report that there's a good chance that Sugar-Plums may be dancing through their heads right now (even if it is a little early).

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Happy Halloween!

Spiderman and Optimus Prime had a great time this Halloween! Especially Trick-or-Treating with their friends the Lion, the Monkey, the Zebra, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

At their daycare Halloween Party Jeremy had his own little "MJ" (that was actually dressed as Dorothy from Oz). This little girl was SO excited to see Spiderman that she didn't believe Jeremy was inside the costume. She wouldn't take her eyes off of him nor would she leave his side.

Kyle spent the first half of the party announcing "I am Optimus Prime" using the voice changer helmet he got from the Jozwiak family. Come to think of it, he pretty much does that all day long until we (Mom & Dad) "borrow" the helmet for a while. He's not old enough to figure out how to put batteries into things by himself, is he? :)

Tonight I also saw a picture of the cutest Ewok EVER! If you haven't checked out bootseg lately.....

Lastly, if you're looking for something to do with those cute little decorative pumpkins and squash you'll have out until Thanksgiving, let the kids enjoy some Gourd Bowling.... the boys played it at the party and loved it! Fun for the adults too!!!

Wedding Activities

Wedding Day Slideshow




Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner Slideshow




Family Visit SlideShows

Role Reversal

These days, Jeremy is typically jumping off of anything he can find and Kyle is thoughtfully taking it all in. On tuxedo day it was a little unusual; while Kyle was hopping around giving himself multiple "Thumbs Up" Jeremy was studying his image in the mirror.

I'm sure he was thinking "I look g-o-o-d!"

"Everybody's Crazy 'bout a Sharp Dressed Man"

Congratulations to my wonderful sister Kathy and her new Husband Mike!

While they are off honeymooning, I am taking this opportunity to post a few pictures of their big day and the events that led up to it. I'll embedded a web album to share lots of photos, but first, here is my favorite one of Kyle from the whole week. You can rest assured I will be enlarging it and hanging it on a wall.

Kyle loved trying on his tuxedo. He knew he looked great and was smiling from ear to ear. The minute he looked at himself in the mirror, he immediately gave himself this big Thumbs Up! There was no prompting from us what-so-ever. Priceless!

We FINALLY got a new Camera!!!

Yes, you read correctly, we FINALLY got a new camera to replace the old one that hasn't been working since before Christmas.

I can't wait to take some pictures of my boys!!!!!!

and Kathy's wedding!!!!!!

and little Lydia when I meet her for the first time....

and Matt's birthday this Thursday..... (Matt, when are we celebrating btw???)

and Brad's 21st b-day this year!

Wow! - we have a lot going on this year don't we?????

We're home now and (almost) caught up on laundry... time to post more pictures!
All of these are from our day at Dutch Wonderland.

Admittedly on Day One, we started slow... with the Carousel.

By the end - it was all about the Roller Coasters.

This is the Joust; their first-ever roller coaster!

Duke's Dozers were quite a hit. I was surprised they liked it because it was such a slow ride, but slow is apparently ok if you get a chance to be cool like Bob the Builder!

The Frog Hopper was a big favorite with Kyle, but Jeremy was a bit too intimidated to ride.
I was so impressed when he ran right over and joined the other kids to get on the ride without looking back at us. No fear - just excitement!

Welcome to Dutch Wonderland

Vacation is going beautifully! Not much time to blog so here are the pics
(I know that's everyone's favorite part anyhow!)

I highly recommend Dutch Wonderland for the little ones! Eric and Michelle, I think we should plan a trip to meet up here in summer of 2011. You can do double duty and visit the family in Philly in the same trip!!!!!

We started out with a hail storm! Kyle disliked it - Jeremy thought it was cool (and ate the ice, of course!)

...and here's our Amish family. (Kyle will not appreciate this when he's older, will he?)

Gotta go - nap time is almost over and we're headed back to the park for more.

Later, roller coaster pics, bumper cars and much more!

Kyle's first poop joke...

Yes, a new milestone is upon us; Kyle's first poop joke.


Alex: "Winnie the Pooh"

Kyle: "Winnie the what? (snicker)"

Alex: "Winnie the Pooh. (matter of factly)"

Kyle: "(snickering more) Winnie the whhhhaaaaaat?"

Alex: "(now starting to get the joke) Winnie the Poooooh"

Kyle: busts out laughing!


They grow up so fast!

Nordic Theater

Yes, I'm getting incredible mileage from this, but not everyone that follows this blog is on Twitter or Facebook (so it's new for some of you, but if you do Twitter - I'm knkeela, who are you?)

Part I -
Setting: Yesterday, late morning, Nord Household
Alex: (concerned) "Jeremy, what are you eating? Jeremy, what did you put in your mouth?!?"
Jeremy: (hesitantly) "uh booger"

Part II -
Setting: Yesterday, dinner table, Nord Household
Kyle to Alex: "Let me put this as simply as I can; I have to poop."

What ever will they say tomorrow?

Our little turkey

Clearly, Jeremy had a great time with Daddy visiting Bass Pro Shops today....

Water Park Fun!

A long overdue post about our fantastic trip to the indoor Water Park!!! We had a blast - just ask Grandpa Joe!