Pure Joy

This about sums up Christmas for Maren. She learned patience in waiting to open gifts, but I think that just added to the excitement. Merry Christmas!

First Snowfall

Saturday....8:45am

 Maren can't take it anymore and insists she go out to play in the snow, despite very cold temps.

The finished product... 

Waiting for Daddy. 

Bliss!

At least the neighbor children were just as anxious. But their Grandma made them shovel. :)

Thanksgiving, 2010

Late again...Thanksgiving pictures from Grandma and Grandpa Klein's!

Maren plays with Grandma and Johann.

Maren holds Johann again, and decides that "he's big!" That tall boy is going to pass her up sooner than later! 

Johann shares some giggles with Great Grandma and Grandpa. 

Blurry again. Maren helps Grandpa put Johann to sleep.

What we did today...

Don't cha hate when you think you are getting cute pictures and you really find out that the camera setting was off and all your pictures turned out blurry? Maybe that only happens to me...

Anywho - enjoy the blurry pics of Maren helping Daddy hang Christmas lights.

Better Late Than Never.

 Maren was a super scary ghost for Halloween this year...

 I didn't want to scare you by posting this too close to Halloween. :)

Pumpkins (and outtakes...)

 We tried out yet another pumpkin patch this year. This one is an organic farm and offers a lot of produce in the summer too.

 We went on a hay ride and Lee attempted to get a picture of Maren and I.

Parade!

 We walked down to the homecoming parade on Thursday night before going car shopping. Maren was excited for the candy!

 She brought a purse that a daycare friend gave her.

And managed to fill the purse very well! 

Obeying mommy by NOT crossing the white line. She did well - only twice did we have to grab her when she followed the bigger kids out to get candy out of reach.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Maren's Grandma and Grandpa visited this weekend so Mom and Dad could golf in a tournament. It happened to be Grandpa's birthday on Friday, so Maren painted him some pictures and helped Grandma make a Carrot Cake.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Apple Orchard

We visited the same orchard as last year. Maren is still learning to put the apples in the basket gently. Maybe next year she will master it!

She really did like the apples...but this one must have had some yummy coating on the skin.

CHEESE!

Maren enjoyed the trees that were hanging low so she could reach her own apples. I got to use my apple peeler-corer-slicer and freeze some apples, make apple sauce, and a crisp!

Labor Day Weekend

While Daddy stayed home to do this....

Maren traveled to Grandma and Grandpa Klein's to play with a baby cousin...

And take a ride on this...

(So fun!)

And meet cousins once (or is it twice?) removed...

And see Great Grandma and Great Grandpa... (What's Grandpa doing?)

And make a new buddy...

Maren is happy to report that she had fun and Daddy made a lot of progress on the basement!

Hawks vs Clones - 2010

I tried completing the post for Labor Day weekend, but the picture size and placement were irritating me, so I gave up for the moment. Today is the yearly rivalry in our house. Daddy's team (Cyclones) *might* win, but the chances are low when you have these two ladies cheering on the Hawks!

So, much to Daddy's chagrin - Go Hawkeyes!

We are headed to the apple orchard this morning before the game pictures to come of that too!

Where'd She Go?

There she is! How about again?

Where's Maren?

There she is!

At first, she told me she was going to bake a cake (with a bucket of sand). Then she told me that she was going to bake herself. Ouch.

Okoboji 2010

Maren got to go to the amusement park this year! She rode the carousel two times in a row.

Riding the boat was also much more fun this year. She, of course, followed everyone else's example and required a "drink" from the cooler.

FAVORITE passtime - looking for bouys. A new word for her - she first thought I said "whoo-wee" but caught on quickly. It appeared she might jump right out of the boat when she saw "anuh-der bouy!!! I see anuh-der bouy!"

Here's a bouy going by.

Sweet girl waiting for lunch. We had a great time visiting!