Thanksgiving, Cole & The Nutcracker

Wow - I'm so sad that the long weekend is winding down so fast! Thought I'd post a few pictures before the week starts again. It has been a great weekend so far! Thursday was spent at both Randall's & Koldewyn's (yes, that would be TWO dinners - yum!) and we had a LOT of great food and time with family. At Koldewyn's, all anyone could do was fight over who got to hold Cole next. But can you blame us? Look how cute he is!

Here is Abby, holding him (well, trying not to drop him!)

Friday, Abby and I spent the WHOLE day doing a clear-out and throwing bag after bag of garbage in the bin (don't worry, we took a TON of old magazines and newspapers to the recycling bin as well!) plus a ton of stuff to the DI. I still have more stuff to take, so we're not quite done. It feels AMAZING though and now I can properly concentrate on the holidays ahead! Here is a picture of Yogi, hanging out in Abby's new "art space" (really the shelves under the bar in the kitchen!)

My very generous mom treats all the Koldewyn girls to the Nutcracker every year (complete with lunch) and today was the day! Abby got a new dress, shoes, coat and jewelry for the occasion. Doesn't she look fancy?

Here is a picture of all the little girls, before the ballet started...

A fantastic time was had by all (even if a certain five-year-old got a little cranky toward the end!) It was Christine's first year and it was SO great to have her along for the fun. All in all, it's been a pretty great weekend. It will feel a little strange to be at work again on Monday...good thing I still have one more day before I go back! Good night, all!

More of Abby's Artwork...

I found this when I was cleaning off the counter in the kitchen and thought I'd share. Our kitchen counter seems to be the receptacle for all sorts of lovely things and most of Abby's drawings. When I find cute ones like this I am trying to be proactive, scanning and saving them for posterity (and to share with y'all!) Isn't it cute????

She said there were butterflies on my hands and I was sharing them with Blair. I love how there is a beard on Blair and it looks quite full! Blair's real facial hair is still off for now, but he says it's coming back after Thanksgiving. Either way, he's a cute guy. I'll try to scan more of Abby's drawings and possibly include them in a slide show...who knows how creative I can get!

Happy Veteran's Day!

As yesterday was Veteran's Day (and it was celebrated today) I thought I'd just say a few things about the veterans that I know. My Grandpa Welling was in the Navy, as is my younger brother Jon and my Uncle Mike retired as a full colonel in the Air Force. I am proud to just be related to them! Saying "thank you" to all veterans is a HUGE understatement these days, but I still think it's important to say. I am especially impressed with those men and women who leave their lives and families behind to serve. I can't imagine the sacrifice that it would take to do that. So, in honor of Veteran's Day, a picture I took just Saturday....

Even though this country isn't what it could be at the moment, I think it's still important to remember the men and women who sacrificed everything so we could be here now. And, lest I launch into a huge political rant...

A new topic - Blair's hairless face! Every now and again, Blair decides that his facial hair has to go. Everytime this happens, I think he looks about 10-15 years younger. What do you think?

Here are Blair and Abby, watching a movie last night....

It's almost like living with an entirely different person!

And, last topic - I went to Abby's first Parent/Teacher Conference tonight and I AM SO PROUD OF HER!!!!!! She can already count to 100, read a few words, knows all her shapes, knows all her "kindergarten" colors, can write her name the "school way" (Capital A and the rest lower case letters) and her teacher calls her a "delight." I must say that I agree! After dinner most nights, we do "homework" (yes, there is homework in kindergarten!) and I am grateful that she is learning good habits that will hopefully see her through to graduate school. One of her goals is to read with a parent 15 minutes a night, so I guess it's time to go read and go to bed! Here is a recent picture she drew of Blair & Yogi (yes, she is artistically talented as well!)

I hope it's dark enough to see....I love how Blair actually has a beard! And, yes - she spelled both names by herself! OK, enough gushing...time to put her to bed. Good night, all!

A Beautiful Fall Day

There is nothing better than a beautiful, sunny fall Saturday! After lunch with Blair (who had to go to work) Abby and I went to feed the ducks at Liberty Park. I love when it's warm and sunny so late in the season. Abby had a marvelous time, as illustrated below!

Abby and dozens of her new friends....

Abby, running up the giant hill...

And, running back down (her favorite part!)

Some of the gorgeous leaves...

And, when you live in the city and don't have leaves of your own to jump in...just go to the park!

What a beautiful fall day...we are so blessed and lucky to live in such a beautiful place!

Anthony Cole Smith 11.4.07

My newest little nephew, Anthony Cole Smith was born on Sunday and I am WAY excited to be an aunt again! He weighted 7 lbs 2 oz and was 19 inches long. Mandy had to have an emergency C-section (always scary) but everything turned out fine as you can see by the pictures below:

A close-up...don't you just love his cheeks?!?!


Me, totally loving him...


Being held by Aunt Kati...



Being held by Uncle Derk...

He is absolutely darling and I am excited for Mandy & Tony to have this opportunity. Having kids does something to your life that absolutely nothing else can. I always tell new moms that it is the most fun they will ever have. Everyone else will tell them it's so hard, you never get any sleep and a baby can wear you out faster than anything else. All this is true. However, no one tells you how absolutely fun it is. I remember being exhausted feeding Abby at 2:00am but then having her smile at me or doing something totally cute or just looking at her as I was feeding her and feeling SO blessed and lucky. I always liked little kids (mostly...I did make my living babysitting from age 12 to about 16) but I absolutely, totally fell in love with my first niece, Ellie. I had no idea you could actually love a kid that much! It happened again with her twin sisters, Hannah & Rachel, her sister Sarah, her sister Emelia and her brother Cael. Obviously it totally happened with Abby, and now it's happened with Cole. There is something about a brand-new baby that just takes your whole heart. I can't wait to introduce Abby to him and have her feel the same way. She was excited for me to bring home the pictures I took of him to see for herself. She is WAY excited to tell her kindergarten class all about him tomorrow. Congratulations, Mandy & Tony and SLEEP WELL tonight, little Cole!

Abby, Laughing

I've decided that probably the best thing on the planet is listening to Abby laugh. When something strikes her funny (especially at bedtime) we can easily spend the next fifteen minutes laughing hysterically and not be able to stop. Tonight we were reading the story, "Baby Farm Animals" and I would stop on each page and ask Abby what the "baby" for each animal was, pig - piglet, duck - duckling, etc. She is a smart kid and was getting most of them right...until the goats. I asked what a baby goat was and she said, "I don't know, a goatie?" I couldn't help it - I burst out laughing, which made her laugh, which made me laugh harder. Finally, ten minutes later we were calm enough for prayers and our nightly ritual of calling Blair to say goodnight. So, when I told her to tell her dad what baby goats were...it all started again. Blair was laughing as well and I believe that is the perfect way to end the day! I didn't take a picture of her laughing, but this one is pretty close....

This is Abby on the teacups at Disneyland, and again...laughing hysterically! She is great for entertainment as well as eight million other things that I totally love about her. We are blessed and lucky to have her!

Halloween 2007

Well, another Halloween has come and gone and yes, I am feeling the FULL effects of it tonight! It's not good when Halloween falls right in the middle of the last week of the clerkship! Yikes! So, after non-stop Halloween fun yesterday, it was one of two final exams before the clerkship is over. Tomorrow morning is the last one and then a short break until Monday morning when 15 more students start the rotation. Again, yikes! But I digress....the real story was how fun Halloween was! I sincerely tried to convince Abby to be something "easier" but no, my independent little girl would not be dissuaded...she wanted to be an astronaut! And, as I tell her all the time that girls can be WHATEVER they want, how could I say no? Doesn't she make a GREAT astronaut?





After her fun Halloween party at kindergarten, Blair brought her to work where we had a quick lunch and then she got to trick-or-treat to all my friends in the Dean's Office. We then set off for an entire evening Halloween tour of our friends and family. I think she got more than enough candy for a five-year-old! All in all, it was pretty spectacular and now she is sleeping soundly, probably dreaming of all the candy we've safely stashed in a giant bowl in the kitchen. I can only imagine what she will want to dress up like next year!