For being New Year's Eve ... it was a pretty lazy day! We played and played, and played some more! Then Tim and Andy came over for games and a New Year's "woo hoo" - we just barely caught the ball drop!
Check out those cute pony-tales! Cute!
TOTAL CHEESER!
We had big plans tonight: Andy, Tim, Andy, Carter and I were going to go ice skating at Brenton Ice Skating Plaza! Woo hoo! But then it rained, and ice skating in the rain didn't sound too appealing, so we organized an impromptu Game Night!
We played an old favorite: Monopoly on the Nintendo. I would like to let everyone know that I've beaten my Monopoly stigma and am a reformed player. I have a good attitude even when I'm paying Tim $2,000 for landing on Boardwalk with a thousand hotels! You think you'd let a friend stay for free - tight wad! Then we tested out some of the cool DVD games we got for Christmas. We started with Deal or No Deal. Team one (Andy and I) had our offer up to $300,000, but opened that stupid billion dollar case. We played it out and won $200,000. Not bad for a night's work! Team two (Andy and Tim) started steady, picking low money, then knocked out big amount after big amount, ending with $92,000. Not too shabby, either! Next up, Family Feud. After we figured it out (hard!), it was good times! Andy and I started off stealing money from Tim and Andy, but in the end, they kicked our butts by almost doubling our total! Finally, the classic Let's Make a Deal. Tim, of course, won both games, making good deals. Andy and I, however, always seemed to get the box with the tuna-fish sandwich or broken watch and not the 1978 Thunderbird (valued at $4,400)!
I think Tim cheats.
That's not really Brenton Ice Skating Plaza, but it looks super fun, doesn't it?!
Carter helps Andy make a tough decision in Monopoly
When Water Works (ticket price: $150) went to auction, Andy and Tim just wouldn't give up! Tim finally took it for $403! "I think you've been had," Mr. Moneybags told Tim!
Team one (Andy and I) had the $200,000 in our case all along!
What would you do: Take the $900 or try and beat the dealer in high card? If you beat the dealer, you win a cozy new camper, valued at $3,600. My how inflation changes the game!!
What a great gift! This inflatable turtle thing triples as a sandbox, pool, and ball pit! Yeah! Not so yeah: we had to blow the thing up! I blew it up about 2/3 full and thought I was going to die, and daddy came in to finish and save the day (jerk!). We filled it up, and Carter can't get enough! It even has its educational merits: if you say, "Carter, can you find me a <color> ball?" she finds the color you asked for and pitches it to you! So smart!
Andy and Carter finish inflating the turtle
"Yeah! Look at all this fun!"
Normal parents do not do things like this (at least, I imagine they don't!), but Carter fills out a top nicely with balls!
"I am so tired from playing in with this turtle! I need a nap!"
It was so strange ... I was making supper (yes, occasionally I cook! Not well, but I cook!), and Carter was there, and then ... she was just ... gone ...
This is Carter's "cupboard," where I put the tupperware that she can bang on, throw around and tear up. While I'm doing supper things, she usually opens and closes here cupboard and gets all the stuff out, then leaves
One minute, she was opening and closing the cabinet, then, she was gone!
Where ever could she be?!?
SURPRISE! She couldn't stay hidden too long - she can't keep quiet!!
I've been spending some of my "break" working harder than I ever do at school. But, there's no one here who talks back!
How gross is this?!?
When I moved furniture to clean the carpets, this is what I found under the couch: a dozen cat toys, Survivor Thursday's pizza crust from who knows when, a crunched up cracker with a suspicious pair of toddler socks.
On the left: gross, dirty carpet. On the right: pass one, of three, with the carpet cleaner. Seriously ... this is sick ...
We had a pretty unproductive and boring night, so here is a vintage Punky photo to enjoy!
This is exactly one year ago, to the day! Carter was rolling over, but making little attempt to be mobile. She coo'ed and ca'ed, but had no means of communication. She loved Gerber rice cereal and formula. Isn't it amazing what can change in just 12 short months?!? But, she has that same irrestible smile!
Carter "helped" me clean the carpets today. And, as always, was nothing but helpful and fun!
The carpet cleaner is not your lazy boy, Carter Kay!
Carter was never afraid of the carpet cleaner, but every now and then, she'd walk away and stand by the wall, just eying it
I agree: too loud!
Our bathtub is so gross! A couple years ago, we had it re-tiled by some "professionals" who weren't so professional. Over the years, the caulk has started to fade and the mildew has seeped into it, making it impossible to clean completely. I'm sure you've noticed in Carter's tub photos - eww! So Andy scraped off all the old caulk, super-cleaned the entire shower, and re-caulked it.
So much better! I know it wasn't moldy before, but it always seemed gross to me. Now, it's like a whole new shower! Yeah!
New and sparkley clean!
After our Carruthers Christmas, we again packed up the Durango and headed to Grandma & Grandpa Chalupa's for Christmas. All of the Chalupa's were there early for a family Christmas. Carter (16 months) and Courtney (15 months) don't get to see one another a ton, but whenever they're together, they act like they've never been apart! They are adorable! They are wonderful Christmas gifts themselves! The girls both went wild opening their gifts and each others' gifts. They both received Sit and Spins and Little Tike Tool-benches. Carter received some fun musical CD's, an awesome Elmo DVD, and a hilarious Elmo and Cookie Monster "giggle ball." Too funny! At one point, Courtney showed signs of starvation, so Brian let me give her some Cheerio's, which Carter had to have. Carter would take two: one for her and one to feed to Courtney (if you have these photos, I would LOVE THEM!). The rest of us opened gifts. Andy and I received gift certificates to the mall (which we're going to use for home things from Pier 1), Carlos O'Kelly's and Chili's (which we'll use for "date night" - anyone want to volunteer to babysit?!), and a ton of DVD games: Deal or No Deal, Let's Make a Deal and the Family Fued. We also got Ice Age II, which I can't wait to watch (on my week of vacation!) It was nice to sit around and be together, since it so rarely happens with everyone's hectic schedule. I guess that's the Christmas miracle: not the gifts or the lights, but being together and enjoying one another. It was a present-filled, family-loving night!
How can you not love this crazy Chalupa?! My very-favorite (and only!) niece, Courtney (15 months)
Sit and Spin #1 ...
... and ... could it be ... Sit and Spin #2?
It's either Sit and Spin #2 or a step! Carter must be confused!
Carter and Courtney have the SIT part down, but are struggling with the SPIN aspect right now!
Proud parents and aunt & uncle: Andy, Courtney, Kelly & Carter
After long days in the very cute dresses, both girls retired to warm pink jammies while the rest of us enjoyed Slush. Because of the frozen rum, the girls obviously couldn't have the Slush, but they could, and did, have cups and spoons that they loved!
Grandpa and his Girls!
Aunt, Uncle and Baby-Sitters Extraordinare! Carter, Corey and Amber
TRIPLE trouble! Carter, Uncle Kevin and Aunt Katie
After tearing up Santa's gifts, we packed into the car and headed to Brighton. We arrived around 11:30 and a "discussion" about how we should proceed: should we (a) have dinner, like a logical, sensible person would or (b) dive into presents? Of course, my vote was for (b), but Carter had to eat lunch! After lunch, we exchanged gifts. Grammy and Poppy got some very nice gifts, like a pretty sweater and a snake light (I'll let you guess who got what!!), and Andy and I also received some wonderful gifts, like "Lisey's Gift" by Stephen King and "Emmit Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" DVD (if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it!!!). Carter made out like a cute little bandit! She got some cutie-pa-tootie new clothes, cool blocks (that Daddy loves, too!), a Mickey CD, two Elmo CD's, some books and a couple stuffed animals. Wow ... a couple somebodies must really love Carter!!!
Poppy helping Carter stack her blocks
Carter and Grammy, trying to decide which present is next
"IT's ELMO!"
Carter helps Poppy open his flexible snake light
Carter must have been on the "good list" because Santa stopped last night! Who would have thought she'd been good this year?!? She must have been really good, too, because he left her a Leap Frog See & Learn Driver toy and a wagon! Woo-hoo! Thanks, Santa!
"Santa is great!"
Again, opening took about forever with each little piece Carter tore!
"Ohh! Maybe I can learn to drive better than Mommy!"
The wagon ... and a thousand little pieces of paper!
Some things are passed on from generation from generation. My inability to wait for Christmas "Ebe" (it's Ebe, not Eve, at my house!) comes from my Dad. I can't remember a Christmas when the two of us weren't itching to get out to the tree! And now, at 27 years of age, I am no different. I love Christmas! I love the tradition, the preparation, the perfection, the suspense ... okay ... maybe not so much the suspense! Yeah, I'm also a "peeker!" Big surprise!
Today, we did some last minute Christmas things: finished our Santa cookies, realized we'd forgotten a gift for Kristy and made a mad dash to Target, and picked up the house. I made my "Christmas Soup," which is kinda like cheesy soup, but with veggies in. I packed up the car. Carter and I played around. That got me to about 5:30, and I began to get that Christmas Tree Itch. We cleaned up the dinner mess, and were on to the tree!
Carter has been told "no touch" about the tree and presents for nearly a month now. You'd think she'd be apprehensive to dive into presents. She had zero reservations about ripping stuff up! Her first gift was an Eric Carle Treasury book and an alphabet snake puzzle. She liked the puzzle because it doubled as a weapon, but was quickly taken away. Then Daddy got a gift: the Star Wars movies and the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. My first gift was the Pilates video and Power Ring I'd asked for, and Sammy also got a gift: a stocking full of toy bell-balls that Carter also enjoyed! Carter's next gift was clothes and jammies, which she tried to stuff in the garbage box! Daddy's second gift was also clothing, and my second gift was Age of Empires III: War of Chiefs. Carter also got an inflatable ball pit and 50 balls ... that will end up all over my house or in the entryway!
Our stockings held wonderful goodies, also. Carter's held markers, paint, her favorite chapstick and hair clippies. Daddy's held a much-needed new wallet, a book of poker tells and his beloved photo "magAnets," and mine had a peaceful bath and body spray and a new pair of "not-dull and crappy" scissors. And a ton of candy for us all!
It was a wonderful night - so much different than last Christmas! But still amazingly special and priceless. Even the fit over no more gifts.
Happy Holidays! We wish you as much love and joy as we've been blessed with!
Love ~ Andy, Kelly & Carter
The Fam: Andy and Carter, and Sammy and I. Seriously - how lucky is Andy to have a red-headed wife, red-headed daughter, and red-headed cat?!? Lucky!
Sammy's plethora of balls ... all of which Carter intended to steal for herself!
Carter assisting me while I open my Pilates video and Power Ring gift. I am so excited about this one - I'm gonna be a MILF yet!
Daddy's big gift was clothing for work, not size 4 Huggies!
Carter's favorite gift was the Turtle 3 'n 1 Activity Center, which can be a pool, sandbox, or ball pit. It will be a ball pit, but not until we get back from visiting home. That didn't stop her from having fun with it now, though!
Carter's stocking of goodies
Daddy's stocking held "magAnets," which he prefers to pictures at work. With these 8, he'll have about 20 or so on his cabinet at his desk. He says people stop by and comment on "that cute little girl" all the time!
After all our presents had been opened, someone got a bit angry over no more presents!
And, if we've been good, we hope Santa will visit and enjoy our delicious cookies.
Merry Christmas!
In preparation for a Christmas that Carter will enjoy and possibly remember (probably not, but maybe, I guess!), we talked about Santa. She didn't really get it, but can pick out Santa in the mess of toys. We talked about being "good" and "bad," and being on Santa's list. We also talked about leaving him cookies and milk. We made our own cookies, which Carter enjoyed. She liked "testing" them for quality the most! If I were Santa, I think I might pass on anything Carter helped make!
First, we have to put on the frosting ...
... but before the "putting on" phase is the "quality assurance" stage!
It's a good thing Carter is such a civic-minded individual - risking her own health and safety to ensure the safety of Santa!
"Here, Mommy! Try a bite!"
"So good!"
Look at all those frosting-covered teeth! "All the better to eat cookies with!"
"I love cookies! I hope Santa loves them, too!"
Andy (and probably my own dad, too!) needed to finish up a few Christmas things today. And, by "finish up," I mean begin (Note: I've been mostly done since about the second week of December!!). So, while he shopped (you can imagine how much he loved that!), Carter and I ran a couple errands and had lunch at McDonald's. We went early so that we could have our run of Play Place! At 11:15, we were the only two there! It was great! She was so in awe of the place that I was lucky to get a chicken nugget and four or five fries down her before she took off! The rules said that no one over 4 feet tall could enter, so I didn't push it. Carter could get into the tubes and turn to the right to enter a cushy mat area. She couldn't go anywhere else, so she'd go in, flop on the mat, and then climb back out to meet me at the tube entrance! When it did start to get a little busier, Carter met a friend: Delaney. She was probably about four or five, and kept trying to give Carter this dog toy, which Carter wanted nothing to do with! She kept trying to walk away, but the girl could move faster. It's a good thing she hasn't learned to be rude yet!
Stuffing in chunks of chicken nugget to get down faster!
Longing to play on the tubes!
At the entrance, Carter initially had a tough time getting over the curvy bump. But once she figured it out, I couldn't keep her out of there!
The middle part of the (4-foot section) tube, where she was all on her own. She loved it!
The end cushy mat area, Delaney, and that stupid dog. Doesn't Carter look thrilled?!?
Since she was too little to climb the tube to the top of the slide, she'd crawl as high as she could get before gravity slid her down, and I'd pull her down the slide by her feet. She giggled and yelled the entire time!
My favorite kid ever!
We didn't even make it two blocks or through "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" before she was out like a Christmas light!
Gramma and Poppy Carruthers sent Carter a big Christmas card about two weeks ago. When you open it, Frosty pops up and Christmas songs play. She has drug that card all over the house for two weeks now! She loves it! When she opens it, her head bops back and forth to the music and she looks around to see who's watching her. And, of course, she smiles!
Why bother with a Christmas gift? Just get her a card!!
This is the stuff that we live for. Andy, Tim, Andy, and I took our seats at Carter's Christmas Program, and watched as our infant room of babies strolled through the church, dressed as angels and looking perfect. The other groups also performed, but were not nearly as cute as the babies! The toddlers performed Jingle Bells, with their own little bells. The three's had a little song and dance, the 4's had crowns of Christmas lights, the pre-K's sang about all 12 Days of Christmas, and the school-agers wrapped it up with a song with sign language movements. There were a few times I couldn't help but laugh out loud, and a couple times it was so wonderful I teared up just a little.
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Angel Baby and the Infant Crew
The Infant Room Crew. Carter's bringing up the rear.
The group proceeded down the center aisle, Carter still in the back. When she got near the front, she eyed us waving.
Angel Baby!
This evening was bath night. It's an event around our house. Carter loves it! She's now "helping" us undress her, and "throwing" her clothes and diaper in a pile. She plays for a bit, gets dried off, has her hair blow-dried, and then streaks. Tonight, she was almost in her birthday suit, but not quite.
Probably not website material, but too cute to resist! Our little exhibitionist!
For our "Family Christmas," Stephanie, Zach and Isaac gave Carter an alphabet puzzle. It's very cool! It is not cool, however, to drop each letter into the entry way.
I blame Stephanie for this.
Andy Haning's mom, Kris, got Carter a My Little Ponies book for her birthday. There are four songs that have been rewritten to talk about ponies. One song, "The More We Get Together, has been renamed "Did You Ever See A Pony?" and goes:
Did you ever see a pony, a pony, a pony?
Did you ever see a pony dance around like this?
Dance this way, and that way, and that way or this way?
Did you ever see a pony who could dance around like that?
She listens to it over and over and over and over again. And over again! And tonight, she and daddy became ponies, and they danced this way and that way, and that way and this way!!
"Have you ever seen a pony dance this way and that?"!!
Carter's taken to some things quickly (food and the sippy cup) and some things slowly (perfecting the walk), but mastering the spoon is taking some time. And the time spent practicing is also spent being extremely messy!
Christmas is about the giving, but every now and then, the gifts you give are just too good to resist! After our final shopping trip yesterday, Carter drug this toy out of the sack and over to her toy spot! I guess it's too soon to start talking about the importance of selflessness!?!
Apparently, Carter also enjoys the Weebles!
At long last I have nearly completed my long list of upgrades to Chalupas.net! Earlier today I upgraded the version of the blogging software I use (Blojsom) to version 3.0. There will only be a few new things that you will notice as most of the changes were for me ;)
List of changes:
Coming soon:
If you want to see anything new on the website, just let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Enjoy!
Andy
Mackenzie, freaking out over the crowd of cars on 86th Street!
Meanwhile, Kelsey and I simply enjoyed the ride!
86th Street SERIOUSLY sucks
Me, Kelsey & Mackenzie outside of On the Border at the big tree, being Rockettes!
I do love that molten chocolate cake! Girl's Weekend RULES!
Who dresses their child like this???
Carter's had a runny nose and the same congested, yucky cold that we've all had. She's beginning to clear up, and her sinuses have been draining and making her gag. She was sick during the night Tuesday/Wednesday, and threw up a little today at the daycare. I guess this is why we should always make sure that the daycare bag is packed ...
NOT CUTE - shorts in December and too-high socks! Clinton & Stacy would not be pleased!
... the old sliding door is gone! Yes, the door that froze on the inside has been replaced. The new door is shiny and clear and new, and actually slides! What a novel concept!
Old door. Note the "modern" form of insulation: the bathroom towel
New door. Complete with trim and everything!
Sing it with me: We're a-movin' on up! Movin' on up!
As usual, Carter was my assistant this evening. We've been testing out some new recipes, none of which have killed daddy yet! Tonight's recipe was salisbury steak, and Carter manned the timer!
That oven-mit is the size of both whole arms!
Currently, we have no mailbox. Ours, literally, fell apart. The pole that held the box had been solder (I have no idea why ...), and it finally gave way and broke. I can just imagine the look on the mailman's face when he pulled open the door, inserted our mail, shut the door, and watched the thing fall apart!! Hilarious!
So Andy got a new one and began construction, with help of course. I'm actually considering returning all of Carter's Christmas gifts and just buying her a mailbox!
"I will mail my new yellow ball ... maybe to my boyfriend, Isaac ..."
"Hey! Where'd that ball go? I just put it in here ..."
"This thing is so cool!"
Dear Santa,
Hello! How have you been? I have been very well, and I've definitely been a good girl this year. There are many, many things I would like for Christmas, like cute new clothes (18 months), a wagon, educational toys, Dr. Suess books, or whatever else you'd like to surprise me with. But, Santa, what I'd like most is if you just left my toys on the doorstep, because, frankly, you scare the s**t out of me.
Happy holidays!
Love, Carter
Hey - at least she didn't pee on Santa, like last year!
We've done nothing today, so my blogging is limited! But, Carter wore (and kept clean!!) the most adorable sweater that she received from Amy and Jonathon for Christmas last night. Gawd! That's cuuute!
What a cutie-pa-tootie!
As earlier mentioned, tonight was our Family Christmas. Most of us live pretty far away from our immediate family (Tim's family is in Colfax, about 30 minutes away, ours are in Brighton and Riverside, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours away, Jon's family is in Colorado .. you get it), so it's always been a comfort and a huge support to have these guys close. In a way, they really are an extension of our own family, and we love 'em!
So, each year, we get together, and this year we went big! I even cooked! Stephanie brought delicious chicken and noodles, and I made cheese soup (because that's one of two soups that Tim will eat), and some fattening dips. Andy made Paula Dean's caramel cheesecake, and Amy and Jon made buttermilk brownies! It was a feast!
After our feast, we gifted, and it looked like Santa's toy shop exploded in our living room! Everyone went all out, and we all made out like bandits! It's was great! Andy 2, Stephanie and I got to the envied "Present B!tches" while we passed out gifts, and we went around to watch, and ohhh and ahhh, over what everyone received.
To top off the night, we went to Jolly Holiday Lights, a light display in Des Moines. I was thinking "Wizards of Winter"-style lights, to music with a big show. But I got a lit-up character doing something Christmas'y ... and the car was packed with Tim, Zach, Steph, Andy, And 2, Isaac, Carter, and I, and I got stuck between the wailing cries of Isaac, then Carter, and Isaac, and the grand finale of Carter again. It was not so jolly!
All in all, it was a super-fun night!
Merry Christmas to all!
Christmas Double Trouble! Isaac & Carter
The Gruesome-Two'some tag-teams the cat! Not fair!
Settling in for gifting
"The Present B!tch" passes out gifts
Carter, Amy and Jon patiently await their presents
Tim, Carter and Andy. Don't let Tim fool you - he loves Isaac and Carter! Big softy!
"Present B!tch" number two, Stephanie
Saving the last "Present B!tch" for last
Tim and Andy unwrap all the essentials to make lemonade
Isaac and Carter open their joint gift: a package of bouncy balls! Gee ... thanks ...
Amy and Jon opening a card game for Game Night
Stephanie unwraps "Uno Spin!," from the makers of "Uno Attack Your Face Off!"
Stephanie was really excited about Uno ... but not as excited as Isaac and Carter ...
... but when Carter realized she had to share Uno with Isaac, she was no longer excited!
Jolly Holiday Lights (downgrade)
The snowman plugging in the lighting extravangza
It was a car ride full of this ...
... and this ...
... and two very irritated babies!
This evening, we're having our "Family Christmas," a gathering of our closest Ankeny-to-Marshalltown friends who are as close as family. We're having dinner, opening gifts, and having fun.
And, of course, Carter had to be ready! Beauty isn't easy, you know!
Cleaning all the germies, juice, and breakfast off! And being adorable while doing it!
"Looking this good isn't easy, you know!"
Carter can have the best time with a blanket and a little attention! She loves to snuggle, roll around, hide, seek, and have a blast with blankies!
"I'm getting so tired ... maybe I'll just cuddle up and take a nap ..."
"Oh yeah, that's nice ..."
"Peek-a-Blankie!"
Honestly, this should be a national holiday! Twice a year, for two weeks in December and May, Scholastic has a warehouse sale, and "the coupon." If you spend $50, you get $10 off. Normally, when books are $5.00 - $8.00, it's easy to spend $50. But when they're half-off, now $1.00 - $3.00, you can get twice as much for your classroom! And, of course, I go nuts! I lack moderation! I spent about $85, and purchased single copies about 27 books, a set of 5 classroom "student version" thesauruses, a fluency and comprehension strategy teacher book, and two different class sets - 6 in a set - for my literature circles!
I LOVE SCHOLASTIC!
... I can't wait to go back with Kelsey Friday!
I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but Carter loves talking on the phone ...
"Hello? Daddy?"
"What's that? You'll be home late? I don't like that ..."
"But I still love you!!!"
Carter, like any other toddler, has good days and bad days. But even on her worst day, she's a peach! And her good days are heavenly! One of her recent pleasures is to toddle (full speed, of course, because she doesn't have a "cruise control!") and throw her arms around you for a hug. Then the hug evolves into a giant lean back, where she tilts her chin to the sky. She wants you to kiss and zerbert her neck - it drives her into hysterics! It's makes her crazy! She loves it! And she giggles, and giggles, and giggles, and it's music to my ears ...
This evening, Andy 2 and I "assisted" Carter with her Christmas gifts. Shhh ... don't tell her we told you ... but she's making ornaments for her loved ones! It's something special from Carter herself, made from her heart (with our hearts helping!).
Carter and Andy begin the process. Carter starts with the yellow oval, while Andy works on a blue mitten shape.
Carter thinks the yellow square is hilarious!
I got to be Carter's assistant ... funny ... she's usually mine!
Huh ... like Carter, I'm not much help