Karl's Dream Day

Life couldn't get any better for Karl yesterday. It started with sledding in the morning, and THEN Matt put together the Star Wars AT-AT that Karl bought using gift cards from his birthday and Christmas.

Just look at this!

Then Karl changed into his Adrian Peterson jersey because there was a Vikings game coming on. Steve and Megan came over to watch the game, but the boys had to take some time to play with the AT-AT first.

Karl has been so excited to watch a Vikings game with Steve, since Steve is as big of a fan as Karl (Matt and I do our best to be good Vikings fans for Karl, but we just can't muster the enthusiasm that Steve and Karl have). Last night Laura even watched the game, but made sure she had a book with her (those who follow our blog know that Laura can only watch sporting events with a book in hand). Poor Megan had to put up with Penelope all evening. Penelope remembers that Megan is a sucker for petting dogs, and she takes full advantage.

Karl showed Steve how to play "Angry Birds."

To cap it all off, the Vikings won! Who would've thought? We think it was the magic of Steve and Karl being in the same room that gave the Vikings all their luck. And since it wasn't a school night, Karl got to stay up and watch the WHOLE game. He went to bed at 10:15. What a rockstar!

Christmas Vacation Fun

The kids have been enjoying their vacation from school, and I know this by the amount of time they've been spending in their pajamas (comfy pajamas make happy children). Here's a sample of what Laura and Karl have been up to:

A typical evening in our house involves Matt and Karl playing "Angry Birds" on their iPhones (no, Karl does not officially own an iPhone, but he has pretty much claimed Matt's hand-me-down, so we refer to it as "Karl's iPhone." It's really mine. I guess.)

On Monday, we went to Matt's cousin Kristen's house to celebrate Xavier's 2nd birthday.

Karl and Nathan


Laura, Aly, and Emily eagerly await the cutting of the cake.


Karl, Xavier, Nathan

Tanya monitoring the gingerbread cookie decorating. Laura went a little crazy with the sprinkles.


Since Steve and Megan are in town from Alabama, Laura, Karl, and Nathan went sledding with Opa yesterday.

Nathan couldn't quite make his silly photo-face with his mittens on, but he still tried!


We think Nathan is going to tell his parents he wants to move back up north after the fun sledding trip!

A Merry Snowy Christmas 2010

We've officially had the snowiest December on record in Minnesota this year, which makes for a fabulously white Christmas! Although the Christmas Spirit has been in full gear around here pretty much since the kids' birthdays, yesterday was the start of the official Christmas festivities. After going to the 5:00 caroling service at church, we had dinner with Pam and Fred.


Pam brought a preview of the book she made of all the "cousin connection" events throughout the year. These outings were quite a hit with Laura and Karl (and I'm sure with Aly and Emily, too), so now Oma's on the hook for this coming year. And since Laura and Karl also love books like this, they'll be waiting for another version next year!


Our big gift event is always Christmas morning, but Laura and Karl decided to open their gifts to each other last night on Christmas Eve. Karl gave Laura a movie (if you ask Laura what she wants for her birthday or for Christmas, her answer has been, for years now, "books, movies, and pajamas"). Since Karl has an inside scoop on what books and movies she already owns, he has a big advantage...


Laura got Karl this humming elf!

Then it was time for a mini Christmas concert. Laura played the "Arabian Dance" from "The Nutcracker," and "Little Drummer Boy."

Karl played "Oh Come, Little Children." Then he showed off on the all the other tricky pieces he's working on.

The kids actually went to bed on time, and fell asleep really fast! Here is what the kids saw when they got up this morning. See that tall present on the right side for Karl? It's a bow and arrow! For the past YEAR, Karl has been saying he wants a toy bow and arrow. Do you know how tricky it is to find a toy bow and arrow? Last year he had asked for one and didn't get it. Big mistake. Let's just say that Santa's elves worked VERY hard on that one...

Look at how nice these children smile for the camera, even while their presents are waiting to be opened!


He still doesn't know he's getting a bow and arrow set at this point, but his other big gift wish was a Sudoku book. Woo Hoo!


After presents, it was carmel roll time! Matt and I are thrilled to give you this nice picture of how we look early in the morning.


Later, we went to the Elliotts' to celebrate with my family. Josh and Luke weren't there yet, but Laura was dying to get out of her dress and into some play clothes, so we took pictures right away. Karl, Colin, Justin, Laura.


Here's a groomed family picture.


Me, Angie (with a bow on Baby #3), Jennifer, Mom

While the adults ate delicious stuffed pork loin with white wine sauce...


...the kids were stuffing down Grandpa's cinnamon bread.

And then it was time for presents again!


It's tiring me out to think that this was just the start of our Christmas Extravaganza. We have a fun week ahead of us!

The Lundgren/Mallum Cousins

Ok, so none of these kids has the last name of either "Lundgren" or "Mallum," but at least their mothers did at one time. Yesterday the Lundgrens and the Mallums celebrated Christmas at my parents' house, and while the adults stayed upstairs and visited, the kids went to the "down-down-stairs" (there are four levels in their house) and had their own party. Whenever a grown-up went down there, they would all scream. Amazingly, when I said I wanted a picture of all the kids, they obediently sat on the sofa while I quickly got a few shots in.

Hannah, Ethan (the second cousins), Laura, Justin, Colin, Karl, and Damon


I went to the celebration straight from work, so I'm using that as an excuse for not getting more pictures. I was just too tired...

Nutcracker 2010

Tradition is very important to Laura, and apparently going to "The Nutcracker" every year is part of our holiday tradition. Unfortunately, I had to work the weekend of this year's Nutcracker, so I didn't order tickets. I didn't figure it was that huge of a deal, since we certainly had plenty of other holiday plans, but every once in a while Laura would ask, "so you have to work during EVERY performance of the Nutcracker?" I had no idea she liked it that much, but when I finally asked, "do you really really want to go?" she very quickly said she did. Karl said he really wanted to go too. Luckily, tickets were still available, and luckily, Pam and Fred were also available to take them.

Karl and Oma


Laura and Opa

They had dinner at the Oak Grill at Macy's after the show, and then they staked out a spot in the skyway to watch the Holidazzle parade. We had made plans the previous weekend to go to a holiday orchestra concert with Matt's family, and to watch the Holidazzle parade with the Elliotts the next day, but a huge snowstorm had us hunkered down at home for the weekend, so I guess it's a good thing Laura got to go to the Nutcracker.

Right now we're enjoying another snowstorm, so Laura is missing her make-up piano lesson from another day we couldn't make it because of snow. I'm sure all of you Minnesota ex-pats and snowbirds are so envious!

Hey Everybody, Laura's Nine!

The excitement has been non-stop around here, now that it's birthday and Christmas season. Laura started her official birthday celebration on Sunday night, when we went to Pizza Pub for our family dinner.

On her actual birthday, we did the whole birthday ritual: pile of presents at the breakfast table, followed by carmel rolls.

Matt and I brought Burger King to school and ate lunch with the birthday girl (another birthday request). Right after school, I picked up Laura and two of her friends, and we headed to Perkins (not our best nutrition day, that's for sure...). After our early Perkins dinner, we went to see the movie "Tangled."

It's a little odd to have a birthday party on a Monday, I know, but Laura was adamant that she celebrate on her actual birthday. Except for the going to school part, I'd say it was a dream day for our young lady (I certainly can't call her a little girl anymore!). Happy Birthday Laura! You are a fabulous 9-year-old!

Laura's Tin Grin is In!

Although we think Laura's snaggle-toothed smile is absolutely adorable, the time has come to get those gorgeous teeth straightened out. I just got back from bringing Laura in to have her braces put on, so take a good last look at how crooked everything is, because it won't stay that way for long now! Right now she has brackets on the front eight teeth, which will stay on for 12-14 months, and then phase two will come when she's older and the rest of her permanent teeth are in. Patients get to choose a color for the ligature ring that goes on each bracket at each visit, and Laura decided to go with eight different colors. She says she's going to choose eight different colors each time she has an appointment!

She was quite the trooper this morning, and since pancakes are a good food to start with when you're getting used to braces, we went to Perkin's for lunch.
Congratulations on your new colorful smile Laura!

Birthday Bash Weekend

Karl was riding his birthday high all the way through this weekend. Yesterday was his party with his friends from school. I finally decided that I've hosted enough children's parties at my house, and have a new rule: all "friends" parties must be somewhere far away from the things that seem to attract unruly children (e.g. treadmill, bucket of musical instruments, the 100-year-old guitar hanging on the wall). This year we rented the party room at the AmericInn in North Branch, so all the kids could swim and be wild and loud and have fun, and I could just watch and smile, knowing that our house is quiet and clean...

Karl was thrilled to see his name on the hotel's whiteboard!


The boys alternated between the pool...


...the hottub....

...and the steamroom (which gave off "toxic gas!"). At first they complained it was very hot in there (it was about 98°), but then someone said, "No it's not! We're men!" and then this group of 6- and 7-year-olds all started chanting "Men! Men! Men! Men! Men!" None of them lasted more than a few minutes in there, and they were soon back to doing cannon-balls into the pool.


I didn't even have to cook! They ate Domino's Pizza and Dairy Queen cake made across the street! Apparently it is cool in first grade to eat your cheese pizza with M&Ms on top. All nutritional sanity goes out the window when it's birthday time I guess.


After the party, Karl got to stay and swim because the party package comes with a hotel room. The plan was for Laura to join us after the party so she could swim without having to deal with all those boys, and then go home with me while Matt and Karl stayed overnight at the hotel (Laura had said she hates hotel beds and would rather stay at home). All week we had been asking her if she was sure she didn't want to stay overnight there. "100% sure!" she said. As soon as Laura got there, though, she changed her mind (which of course is her prerogative as a woman). Fine. After a quick trip to Tanger to get her some pjs, we all went swimming and then I went home by myself. I slept very well. The three of them did not (since Laura was there, Karl could not make his dream of sleeping sideways in a bed come true).

Oh well, the fun continued when we went to Pam and Fred's today to celebrate Thanksgiving and the Meissner-Schneider cousin birthdays. Karl is always happy when there is a Vikings game on, especially when they win!


Laura, Emily, and Aly.


After dinner, the kids worked on gingerbread houses.


Then it was time for presents!


It was a crazy-busy weekend, but tomorrow's a big day too. Stay tuned!