Rotzoll Christmas

Our first Christmas was with Bob's family. We had a wonderful time at Aunt Becky and Uncle Randy's house. We were able to spend two nights there, and the kids love spending time with the cousins. It is so fun watching the kids grow together, they loved all of their presents and were spoiled by Grandma and Papa as usual.

Trimming the tree

After last year's disaster (bought real tree, real tree fell down twice, new tree stand, and then real tree threw in backyard) we got out our lovely fake tree and the kids had just as much fun decorating it. They loved looking at the ornaments and hearing stories as to where we got them. It took a lot of restraint not to rearrange them, some branches had three ornaments. I forgot to take a picture of the final project, but it was decorated with love and was beautiful.

My birthday

I guess it has been a while since I actually put pictures on the blog!! This is from my birthday back in November. In true Mom form, I had forgotten that it was my birthday and scheduled a laboratory survey in northern Iowa...so it was a very long day. I got home from work after 6:00, and Bob had the grill going, potatoes cooking, and a salad waiting. Yep that is right, Bob did the cooking and it was wonderful!! The kids, with Bob's help, made be a beautiful cake and it turned out to be a very special day. (I left before the kids were up and Kalin did her own hair.)

Quick Update!

ALL POTTY TRAINING EFFORTS HAVE STOPPED!! Andrew refuses to even look at the toilet. We've tried bribery (gum and candy), big boy undies (Spiderman and Thomas), and now pull-ups. Needless to say we had one brief week of hope and will now wait a few more months to try again. ERRRR!!!!

A new experience!

On Saturday Andrew woke up with a dry diaper, so immediately I made him sit on the potty....and he went! That is all it took for Bob and I to get excited, who wouldn't after 5 years of diaper changing. So all day Saturday we made him sit on the toilet until he went the bathroom....at one point I think he sat for 45 minutes, but he went several more times! (We are not awful parents because he has a cushioned Dora seat to sit on.) Then yesterday we were at it again, and he went #2. He was so proud of himself, and we made over him like he had won the Super Bowl. We do have to keep reminding him to point "it" down. I had to clean the floor twice and change my socks twice, but that is a small price to pay for his accomplishment. I decided that pictures were not necessary! ;)

Iowa basketball

We had the chance to take the kids to an Iowa basketball game this afternoon. Kalin got to go to a couple of games last year, but this was Andrew's first game.

Kalin liked the cheerleaders, dance girls, Herky and the ice cream.

Andrew liked the ice cream, Herky, and the basketball players. (He refused to have his picture taken with the dance team and the cheerleaders.)

Dawson visits.

We got the opportunity to babysit Dawson Grady on Friday night. (We learned that he may give Andrew a run for his money in the getting into trouble category!) Dawson was very easy to babysit, but proved to get quite mobile. ;) Anyway he had his blankie, so my kids thought they both needed a blankie.