Snow Turtle?

We received snow on Saturday. It was in the forecast, but I think we were still a little shell shocked. Jeremy and Drew ran to the store Sunday morning to check some numbers. When they got home (or at least when I thought they got home) Drew came running in with excitement in his voice, and asked me to come outside. I went outside and Jeremy had built him a snow turtle...a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

First Taste of Ice Cream

Jeremy had to close the other night so I treated Drew and myself to some ice cream. Tyson sat there watching us take bite after bite, so I decided to give him a little taste of mine. He wasn't sure about it and the faces he made were priceless. He would take a bite and act like it was the worst thing ever, but then open his mouth for more. When it comes to Tyson, he doesn't mess around with food, he has eaten everything that was put into his mouth, so I am not sure if he truly liked it or if it was just food and didn't want to stop.

Oh The Roads We Have Traveled

Oh where has this month gone?

We've had a busy month. Drew spent the night with Papa and Grandma Sadie (or Pingel) and February 27th. It would have been a good opportunity for me to get things done around the house, but I was rather lazy. Papa and Grandma brought him home the next day.

The following weekend Drew spend Saturday night with Aunt Lissa (Melissa). I took that opportunity to shred some paper work that I had been putting off and go through somethings that were pushed aside when we moved. On Sunday we left to meet Melissa and the kids in Waterloo but it was snowing, so we both decided to turn around and I would go to Eldora on Monday to pick him up. Monday morning he go to go to Ally and Izzy's daycare provider Vicki (which some of you know Vicki Speck from Tekamah, her husband Leon and Dad worked together). After I picked Drew up at Vicki's we stopped by Grandpa and Grandma Kolthoff's for a few hours.

On the way home from Eldora, we pulled over in Evansdale (outside of Waterloo) to get gas and Drew wanted to go to the chicken nugget store (Mc Donalds). Shortly after we got off the exit the transmission decided to go out...who new that would happen in a newer car with less than 70,000 miles, but it does. Drew thought it was cool that he got to ride in the big tow truck, Jeremy and I didn't think it was so cool that he had to leave work to come get us, be without two cars for a week and half, and pay all that money, but what could we do?


That following weekend was the big St. Patrick's Day celebration in Dyersville, so the boys went to stay with Papa and Grandma Buddy (or Grandma and Papa Strang). First we walked up to the parade in town, where we were met by Erika and Aubry (Aubry is the baby I will start watching on April Fools day) and my friend Lisa from North Liberty.

After the parade was over we walked home and Melissa was waiting for us. Shortly after we got home Mom showed up to pick up the boys (which was the first time Tyson was away from Jeremy or I). Through out that day more and more of our families and friends showed up at our house, Melissa (my sister), Nick (Jeremy's brother), Mark, Lisa, and Ben (from North Liberty) and Todd and his brother (Jeremy works with Todd here). We walked up town and joined in on the celebration.

On the 17th Jeremy and I went and picked up my car...finally, that was the longest week of my life, and we also brought home something else. I met Melissa in Evansdale and brought Izzy home with us. She was on Spring Break, so she stayed with us until Thursday. Drew loved having someone here to play with, although I am sure he got on her nerves at times. Thursday the boys and I took Izzy back to Eldora.

That evening, I was able to see an old friend of mine that I haven't seen since before I left for Europe, she moved to TX. I wish it would have been under better circumstances, her father passed away, but it was great to see her.

This last week has been a slow week.

On April 1st Tyson has his 6 month check up, and it will also be Aubry's first day with us. They came to fist last night, and she is a good baby....I am sure there won't be any problems.

As for updates on the boys, Drew is still a busy as ever, he keeps me going. He is finally going to the bathroom with out our help. Tyson has 7 teeth, just waiting for that last top front one to come in and then I hope he is done for awhile so he will get back on his sleeping schedule. He is so close to crawling, he just needs to figure out that he has to move both his legs and his arms at the same time.

Wanted to wish late Birthday wishes to Korby, Aunt Kathy, Bill, Miss Eva, Sherri, and a late Anniversary wish to Karl and Kathy. Also Happy Birthday to Ally Rae.

Go Phillies

I just wanted to take a moment and brag about how proud I am of my cousin Korby. He just singed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Pingel family is extremely proud of him and wishes him the best of luck!

Here is an article from the Omaha paper.
http://www.enterprisepub.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=15162&TM=80739.21

GO PHILLIES!!!

Beautiful Days in Iowa

We have been keeping busy, playing out side since it has been beautiful, going to story time at the library, teaching Drew how to write his name, Tyson working on more teeth, watching Tyson roll from one end of the house to the other, and watching Tyson finally sit up without falling over every minute or two.

Here are some of our pictures for the past couple of days!


Ready for the PJ party at the library in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday.


The bird he made at the library.




I think probably the cutest outfit every!




Playing out side the last couple of days. The second day Tyson slept the whole time we were outside so there are no pictures of him on day two.






Us making a mud pie, we even cooked it on Daddy's grill. I told him that he could pretend eat it, but he didn't get the memo.






Working in the last owners garden.




Some other cute pictures of Tyson.

Some More

Just wanted to update everyone, Tyson is getting is fourth tooth. It is up top, not one of the middle teeth, but right next to one. I think it will only be a matter of time before the middle teeth do come in, his gums are extremely swollen...it looks like he has peas under his gums.

Poor baby!

February

Here we go, this month has been a little hectic for us.

The first weekend of February we were finally able to make it to Nebraska to see my family. The boys and I headed to Eldora Friday night and spent the night with Melissa and the girls. Saturday morning we got up and headed to Nebraska with four kids and two adults (yes, Melissa and I are crazy). I am thinking that Tyson will probably sleep all of the way, but I was completely wrong, I think he slept about 20 minutes of the 4 hour trip and the rest of it he fussed, Ally and Izzy fought over who was going to sit up front, and Drew, well, he was good. We finally get to Grandma's house, we are greeted by Grandma, and Rich and Carol (who have just moved back to NE). We sit down and have some lunch chat for a bit, and then rush to see the Mintken family before they head off for a wedding reception. Sunday morning we visit with Jim and Shelly some more then head back to Tekamah for some homemade sticky buns and then it is off to Iowa. On our way home Shelly calls to tell us we forgot something, she is nice enough to offer to meet us where we are at, but I tell her, not necessary, just mail it to me. The boys and I drop Melissa and the girls off in Eldora and off to Dyersville. We finally get home after 7 hours in the car...ugh.







After our trip to Nebraska the boys and I have been fighting off some horrible head colds. It has been almost two weeks and we are still fighting them, but they will soon go away...at least I hope.

Soon we will have another baby in the house...no I am not pregnant. I am going to start watching the grocery assistant's daughter Aubry, she was born February 10th, finally I will not be as out number as I am at the moment.

Last weekend Mom was nice enough to meet me in Dubuque to help me find a new sofa, we only went to two stores and the new sofa will be here on Monday. Jeremy also talked me into buying a new TV, he finally got his 42" and a new home theater. The TV and home theater caused so many problems, but I will spare you from my bitching, problem has been solved.

Drew has been busy painting, working on cutting, working on using his glue sticks, and working on writing his D and R. He does very well with them all, he won't cut a paper in half, but will cut triangles on the edges, his "D" looks a bit like a triangle, but come on he just turned 3.





Tyson, has growing up before my eyes, he has been rolling over for a couple of weeks now and has figured out that is how he can get from one end of the room to the other. He is also sitting up some, he hasn't figured out how to balance his self just yet, but he is still doing a good job. He loves his baby food and cereal, since I have been staying at home I have been making all of his food and his wet wipes, it is actually fun, gives me thing to do during the day and saves us a few bucks.

The month is also a sad month for me, most of you know why, it is hard to believe that that it has been 8 years. Dad is missed horribly and I didn't even imagine how difficult it would be to explain to Drew where Papa Dave is, but I think every time we talk about it, he understands alittle more.

These are our updates for now, wanted send out birthday wishes to Uncle Rich, Aunt Shelly, and Izzy. Also want to thank Rich and Carol again for moving back to NE, I appreciate that they are there if Grandma needs them...THANK YOU!