The Woelfel Family

because i've been missing ours

2012-02-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

... our camera ...

every day i think to myself

'ugh... wish i hadn't given my camera a bath'

so after researching...

and researching....

i decided i wanted to do away with

the point and shoots...

but i wasn't

slr ready.

so i went in the middle.

i'm just crossing my fingers that i'll

know how to turn it on.

treadmill

2012-02-10T18:36:00.000-08:00

Last night,

at 11pm

(yes, PM)

the treadmill we ordered

from here

was delivered.

I was excited it finally came,

but at 11pm?

Anyway.

I managed to set the treadmill

up myself today

And after staring at it for a few hours,

I decided to give it a go

1.5 miles and a killer double side ache later,

I managed off the machine.

Mason hopped on

(with me RIGHT by his side)

and asked if he could give it a go.

2 miles later... I forced him off.

I was beat by my 8 year old.

how embarrassing.

i got a bench!!

2012-02-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

since i am without a camera...

i cannot update with cute

pictures of my kids

and their recent activities

(like hockey game, riding nana's horse, and just being

their cute ridiculous selves)

but i can update on a recent

(this morning)

purchase that i am

totally stoked about...

presenting:

this bench had me at hello

(hello cheesey jerry mcguire line)

but about a second after i first saw it,

i was already hitting

'send'

to the maker.

and the best part about this bench

(other than its total cuteness)

is that it is strong and sturdy and can handle

my rowdy brood.

win-win.

eight

2012-02-07T07:51:00.000-08:00

today my seven year old will be eight

at exactly

1:18pm.

his birthday celebration

began with breakfast of his choice

(buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and orange juice)

for lunch he asked to have packed

a tuna sandwich,

a milky way treat,

applesauce,

and orange juice.

and why no pictures of this milesone?
well.

while busy baking sixty

lemon cupcakes with custom blue

buttercream frosting

(per birthday boy request)

at 11:30pm last night,

my camera managed to take a dip

in the dirty dish water.

still not sure how.

thats our second camera during mason's

eight years to take a dip

and not make it.

this also means

no pictures revealing him to his new room.

chris and i have worked

hard

converting gia's room into

mason's...

and he has no clue.

so hopefully

a new camera is in store for us.

maybe not a point and shoot

this time.

maybe i am

ready for a real camera,

although,

thinking of what happened to ours

last night,

maybe not.

Happy Eight Years Old Mason!!

now off before this gets sappy.

two things

2012-01-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: All lighting pictures were from Ballard Designs... :)
since it appears we are

staying here,

we might as well make it comfortable.

there are two things

that i think we need to have

the first,

and most likely what will happen first:

a built in bench for our breakfast nook.

complete with storage

like in the one above

that i stole from pinterest.

and second.

for the girls' room.

when it becomes the girls' room.

right now it is

mason and elly's room...

but soon mason will get gia's room

and then we are in trouble.

unless we do something like this.

this could/would

make all the difference.

now we just need to find

a carpenter...

one who likes working with wood

and families

with a budget.

ok i guess one more thing.

lighting.

like this one,

for our bedroom.

and this one,

for the entry.

and this one

(the aqua one)

for the hall.

i'm sooooooo crossing my fingers

that at least a couple of these

will happen.

good news!

2012-01-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

what is she so excited about?

this chunky monkey is happy to announce....

that she has a.....

new friend that was born today!!

welcome baby arlo!

we are so excited you are here!

had ya going, didn't i!?

brr.

2012-01-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

its funny.

we have had record temps here in mn

due to warmth.

warmth, in january.

our ground is brown.

and most of january we have

been able to enjoy

with

temps mostly in the 40's.

even in the 50's.

but today.

today was different.

todays high was

somewhere in the negatives...

yes,

the high was

negative fill in the blank.

and that wasn't even the feels like.

i am pretty sure when mason

left for the school bus,

the feels like was

negative 33.

as in

-33 degrees.

and what is funny to me

is that i never once wrote

about how great

it was when the weather was so

wonderful.

but the moment the high is

negative,

boom. here i am.

to survive

while the cold was so cold,

we made valentines cards.

it was great.

chris was the lucky recipient of mine.

a gracie photo shoot

2012-01-15T18:44:00.000-08:00

for christmas

abby got her first

american girl

look alike.

she loves her.

like,

super loves.

i guess this morning she decided to do a photo

shoot with her

because when i

looked at my camera tonight,

i found these.

she even did a change of outfits.

after

her photo shoot...

she and her dad and brother

went a played hockey for 3 hours.

and yes.

they were all asleep by 8pm tonight.

around here

2012-01-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

life is crazy right now.

i thought it was crazy in the summer

and that things would

slow down

once school started.

how could i have been so wrong?

chris and i both coach

hockey.

(mini mites/mites)

and mason and abby are

both in hockey.

plus school.

birthday parties.

play dates.

its quite obvious

that my goals/dreams/wants (needs!)

are put on the back burner.

i am ok with that,

i am the mom...

but its crazy.

just crazy how busy i am

and none of it is for me.

well...

its indirect.

i am sure your first thought is

'wow elly!'

but...

this was gia's mess.

and elly is my helper here.

oh how things have changed!

and if you are wondering, big sis,

they use them every day.

its soooooo adorable and i love you for making these capes.

nap time is gia's favorite.

in fact.

she is quite the sleeper.

she sleeps from 8:00 until 10:00 almost every day.

if she stays up later,

she sleeps later.

and yes,

she still naps 2-3 hours a day.

below is a picture of my

newest invention.

eggs in muffin tins!!

kidding.

it is not my invention.

i copied it from a friend

who found it on pinterest.

anyway.

grease your muffin tin.

preheat oven to 375.

place ham in the bottom.

crack the egg on top.

bake for 15 minutes.

i decided

to use toast

and cookie cutters

to make them more appealing to my kids

and yum.

they loved.

gia is really starting to (try to) talk.

elly is communicating even better.

abby loves school and hockey and being a girl.

mason loves hockey. and hockey. and friends.

i love chris. :) and he loves me.

after nearly 3 years of trying....

2012-01-09T22:25:00.000-08:00

we've raised the white flag.

our house will not sell.

we cannot compete with foreclosures.

316 will remain our home for some time.

the sign is gone from the front yard.

we are in the process of refinancing.

we are sad

but we are warm.

our bellies are full

and we are happy.

crammed,

oh yes.

but none-the-less,

happy.

our 3 bedroom

1.5 bathroom

cozy
(ultra cozy with 6 people)

home will be ours

for longer than expected.

but we are fine with it.

we still feel fortunate.

we just won't be entertaining

much

or having holiday gatherings here.

well,

lets hope not.

HOME SWEET HOME

2012-01-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

somebody had bath envy..

can you tell who?!

and why the sad face, you ask?

he just found out from his mama

that after school tomorrow

he is getting a hair cut.

we do... do you...?

drink out of pickle and peanut butter jars?!

(wise idea from my sister)

best part.

they are kid proof.

solid as a rock.

dutch babies

2012-01-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

ever heard of them?
i hadn't.

at least, not that i remember.

but i came across this recipe

while recipe hunting

one morning

and made these for my kiddos.

they loved them

(well, most of them).

they puff up really high

and the kids enjoyed watching the process.

then once removed from the oven,

the deflated a bit

and we filled them

with fruit.

yum.

pretty.

filling.

i definitely recommend.

also called german pancakes.

or pop up pancakes.

we did MOA

2012-01-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

chris and i have really good friend.

really good.

friends we don't see often

(thanks to our many kids and a bit of distance)

but still good friends.

anyway.

those friends gave us tickets

wristbands, actually,

to go on the rides at

the Mall of America.

we brought our nephew along as well.

after

many many ride.

walking the plank.

many many bathroom trips.

lots of snacks.

and dinner at

the rain forest cafe....

we drove home.

kids slept.

chris and i chatted and held hands.

it was perfect.

thanks friends. :)

silly little side note...

2012-01-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

it pays to shop around.

really. it does.

and not that i really need to teach a lesson right now...

i do need to share.

see the boots above?

i've been on the

'find the perfect boot'

for some time now.

i had 6 expensive (to me)

boots sent to my house

and all returned.

i was trying to hard to stay under

a certain point

but i kept going back to these

(boots above)

they were at Sundance Catalog

for $325 plus shipping.

then.

i googled the maker of the boot

and found the exact boot

at 6pm

(never been on before)

found a coupon code,

realized all boots there ship free.....

and scored them for $72.90.

I am still in disbelief.

some things...

2012-01-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

are just meant to be.

like my husband and me.
(ahhhhhh)

and these leg warmers my big sister knit

and

this dress our fav sitter gave elly

see..

meant to be

goodbye 2011,

2012-01-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

hello 2012.

did you know 2011 was the first year i wasn't

partially pregnant

since 2003?

yeah.

and i plan to make it

another year...

i just have to keep chris away from me.

wink.

i think 2012

we may say goodbye

to diapers,

forever.

bittersweet, i know.

i also predict

more sleep.

better sleep, even.

more family trips

(currently in the planning stages)

a couple of weddings,

both family and friends

good health.

lots of work.

and tons of sweet friends

to share our spare time with.

i look forward to 2012

and all that it will bring.

it is my goal to be more

positive, patient, honest, and thoughtful

to all -big and small- this year.

ok ok, and to work out more. :)

we did Darwin Hill....

2011-12-31T14:05:00.000-08:00

every december we

dress our kids in their

winter gear,

pack up the van with sleds

and tubes,

and head east just

a bit to darwin hill.

this december,

like all other decembers,

we went to darwin

hill

only this year,

winter gear and sleds

were not

needed.

not yet.

can you find mason in the picture above?

from the top

just about to go down,

can you find mason?

soooooo darn pretty.

even gia walked up and down the massive hill.

and at the bottom of the hill,

on the north side,

is a trail abandoned

by snowmobilers.

we took pleasure

in their no snow

misfortune and

wandered the woods

until we couldn't wander

any longer.

literally.

what would we do without big brothers

and bampis?

recently

2011-12-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

Last year,

as I remember,

we had tons of snow.

Too much snow.

This year,

its the opposite.

The complete opposite.

Here is our house the day after Christmas.

It was 55 degrees.

The weather has been so

different this Winter...

I don't remember the last time

you could skate on the lake

without shoveling snow

off it first.

For Christmas my big sis

made Gia and Elly the most

adorable legging/skirt/tutu set.

It melts me every time I stuff

little Gia's legs.

(and by stuff I mean STUFF)

Gia is currently a whopping 34 pounds at 21 months.

Yes. I am one proud mama.

We newspaper wrap our gifts.

Then tie them with a pretty bow.

Its my fav.

G-G does pigtails right.

See below. :)

Woelfel Christmas was a blast as always.

Complete with music.

Yummy food.

and Santa.

Olson Christmas was great as well.
Sadly, no pictures were taken
(by me, anyway)

as I left my camera home.
Boo.

The day after Christmas,

the kids and I played outside.

Without coats.
That never happens.

It was wonderful.

Elly has a favorite person.

Its my brother, Reed.

And I think the feeling is mutual.

I think she is his favorite,

if he can have a favorite.

Gia.

Secrets out.

She loves food.

And she loves to stuff her mouth,

like the mashed potatoes

in her mouth...

seeping out.

Its nasty to watch,

at the same time,

its impossible not to

laugh.

And just because every girl

and her sister should have a

hang out like this.

In the coat closet.

Sharing secrets.

what....

2011-12-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

could possibly be out there

that could keep these 3 kiddos' attention?

a dusting of snow.

probably the cutest

2011-12-22T19:31:00.000-08:00

stinkin' hockey player

EVER.

I am beautiful.

2011-12-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

thanks abby.

this made my ~~day~~ year.

This makes...

2011-12-12T09:32:00.000-08:00

being sick with the flu

soooooo much easier :)

Thanks Mason!

whats in your

2011-12-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

advent calendar?

candy is in ours....

mmmmmmmmm

December is filled with

2011-12-08T22:01:00.000-08:00

lots of family time.

baking ginger cookies

playing board games

baking pie

decorating the tree
(seriously, we do this daily.. as the little ones

and the cat knock ornaments off by the hour)

making christmas decorations

(the wreath and the chain)

and just hanging out together

(yes, elly does have an impressive case of bedhead.

and abby's poncho? made by her aunt... she's the best)

only gia

2011-12-08T21:53:00.000-08:00

could rock spiderman slippers

this.

am i right?

and yes.

she is stuffiing found items

through the newly installed

(by yours truly)

cat door.

and here is a lil bit from elly,

who refuses to go to bed at night

(its 11:52 pm)

xcer aq76R4W21

UH56RJ4WR45JN34W23Q1

mama said

2011-12-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

there'd be days like this...

there'd be days like this my mama said

here's talking to you,

2011-12-05T08:24:00.001-08:00

Mauri.

No really. This is Gia on the phone with you.

I think she said

'Move my cousins back to MN'

(yes. we have ditched bibs)

Tree's up!

2011-11-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

today we were busy...

busy with

tradition.

we started with

breakfast

(for lunch)

buttermilk pancakes

and

black forest ham.

mmm.

then

we packed up the van

and headed to

copper's

first home...

turck's tree farm.

where we found

our traditional

balsam fir

all four of them

were

equally excited

about

continuing this tradition

he dressed for the occasion

(the occasion to

chop a tree down)

we let the boys

do all of the work

catching the tractor

for it to

bring our tree back

to the house

catching a ride with

the tree

the tree, now that its up :)

kidding.

but we thought it was cute

teamwork

gia eating seconds

on her daddy's

yummy

wild rice soup

mmmm

yes. thats right.

i said 'her daddy's.'

chris made it this morning

before we headed to

the tree farm.

wild rice soup and homemade

french bread to help

us warm up from

the outdoors...

we all decided that should

be added to our

tradition list

(ignore the blur)

its beginning...

beginning to look a lot like christmas

does this mean she didn't like my singing?

2011-11-26T22:11:00.000-08:00

Tonight,

Elly asked me to 'skuggle' her.

Actually, she does every night.

But tonight I was tired

enough and laid down

next to her.

I usually sing to

Gia

(who cannot really talk yet)

before I lay her down.
I rock her in the

rocking chair

that I have

rocked all of my babies.

The same rocking chair

that my mom rocked all of

her babies in.

But tonight I sang to Elly.

And after about 5 minutes

of song,

Elly muttered something to me.

Twice.
But I couldn't understand her because

her thumb was in her mouth.

So the third time,

now with her thumb out

of her mouth,

she clearly said

"Shut your mouth, Mom".

Point taken.

Can you honestly believe

that I was nervous for

Elly when she was first born...

because I wondered

how could she possibly

follow in her gorgeous

sister's footsteps?!

Well.

I'd say she doesn't need to follow.

She stands out.
She is beautiful.

The first snow

2011-11-21T07:59:00.000-08:00

Two days ago we got our

first snow

of the year.

Yay us.

I think we got 3 inches, maybe 4.

This little boy couldn't wait to

get out and play.

After just a dusting he was out

finding the snow.

Making snowballs

Getting lots of fresh air.

And just when I would bet that you couldn't be a better Minnesotan,

I looked out the window and saw this:

'atta boy.

2011-11-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

I recommend watching this...

this little girl

2011-11-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

has me

perfectly

wrapped

around

her

chubby little

finger...

who can blame me?

this one

2011-11-11T20:33:00.001-08:00

I am digging out

the night she goes to her first dance with a boy.

hockey

2011-11-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

As you all know....

Chris and I enjoy hockey.

Mason is in his 4th year,

Abby is in her 2nd.

Chris coaches.

I coach.

We like the smell of the rink.

The sounds.

The feel.

Mondays Chris comes home from work singing...

yes...

singing.

Because he is in a men's hockey league

and he plays Monday nights...

so all day Monday he is happy.
Well.
Happier than usual.

Anyway.
We are invested in LDC hockey.

Financially. Our time. Emotionally.

If you are interested in supporting

LDC hockey,

buy a wreath.

$25 for a 30 inch Balsam wreath

complete with 7 pinecones and a velvety bow.

Or a nearly 2 foot long swag for $15.

That has a sprig of white pine, white pinecones, and a velvety bow.

Order as many as you would like ;)

your order will be delivered

by the
Woelfel Elves

on November 22nd,

just in time for the holidays.

halloween 2011

2011-11-04T06:45:00.000-07:00

we carved pumpkins

decorated the house

baked pumpkin seeds

dressed up

went trick or treating

and brought home

bags of candy

counted & separated candy

celebrated with

grandma and grandpa

nana and bampa

and enjoyed every second of it

what a success

Answer:

2011-11-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

It is, indeed,

Elly.

Here is a view from the front,

not sure which she is more here,

messy or tired.

And the reason why the sudden

need to change?
Well.

Ask Abby.

She was the instigator

in this ordeal.

She is the one who changed

Elly from this

to this

and this

oh yes, this too

They very quietly played in Abby's room that day.

Played beauty shop, apparently.

And this hair conundrum

was likely

influenced by the hair cut

she helped her nana give her

bampa just the day before.

The very next day

(after the cut)

I whisked

my two beauties away

for a day at

Lili,

my favorite hair salon

in Minnetonka

where Abby wowed

or stylist by her

wonderful work...of art.

Then we dined at Champps

(because kids eat free on Tuesdays)

and went and found some Christmas decorations

at JoAnn Fabrics.

And while I will miss

the ponies,

braids,

and just the long hair...

it was definitely worth it for this. :)

who??

2011-11-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Who is wearing this new

adorable

hair cut?

My lips are sealed.

But. How did it come to be?
That is where it gets good...

what...

2011-11-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

on earth do you do with

20+ used baby blankets?

Gently used, might I add.

We've never had

a child

addicted to a blankie...

these were not dragged

around the house,

sucked on,

or rubbed between fingers.

Mostly just kicked off

during the wee hours of the night.

I could have a sentimental attachment to each

one of these.

But. I have decided,

so far,

just to keep the ones

that were lovingly made

by hand...

but the others?

I am clueless.

Abby has some wise words...

2011-11-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

when sniffing

yummy smelling markers

in school....

don't sniff too close :)

Youngstrom take 2

2011-10-26T22:48:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness I never realized how much

fun it would be to walk through

the woods with our little kids.

I remember when I was little

and my parents took me to the

very same woods.

Those trips

were often dreadful.

Mostly because my brothers were

throwing prickly things in my hair

or leaving me to fend for myself

on the trails,

back when I believed that there

were lions and tigers and bears

in there.

Nice hand, Woelfel.

Our tree climber

So the kids thought it was cool to climb into these trees

and pose for a picture...

then Chris wanted in on the picture taking

(he loves getting his picture taken... I'll post about that one day)

Well.

Chris isn't quite as little as the kids.

Not quite. Close... but no.

So.

Watch what happens.

I almost peed my pants.

Sadly I didn't get what was happening right away,

so I only caught part of it...

nevermind.

I couldn't get it loaded.

That video is

'to come'

Posing :)

Adorable

If the camera is out,

this is the face we get....

such a cute

cheesey

smile

that I absolutely adore

and

truly

it melts me.

Sometimes the woods can be tiring.

And our stroller

quickly carries 3 little girls

who need a break.

And then there is plan b,

which is much more fun than

a stroller ride.

We'll be back.

But. After deer hunting season is over.

I can't trust

those hunters to control themselves

and not mistaken

one of my babies

for bambi.

We'll be back.

With our snowshoes on. :)

mommy secrets...

2011-10-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

how I know this mommy needs a break?

when she opts to clean the poop out of the carpet

(think soft stools)

rather than do

teeth brushing and switch into jammies

solo

thats how this mommy

gets her alone time.

and yes.

the poop belonged to this cutie.

the one who is too little to poo in a toilet

but suddenly

too big to sit in a high chair

(her thought, not mine)

2011-10-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks Abby,

for getting this

oh so cute

shot of Elly.

In focus to boot!

Sweet friends

During the day

often after lunch

when Elly has gone missing

I check my bed first

and sure enough

this is what I find

Gia now prefers the

big kid swing

um, excuse me, what?Somebody tell this child

she is still a baby

and therefore,

should be swinging in the baby swing.

The favorite toy around these parts...

for a 7 year old

a 5 year old

and a 3 year old

Tell me thats not the cutest

pony

you have ever seen!

In love. :)

life isn't fair......

2011-10-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

to read about Mason's classmate,

click here

well wishes

prayers

healthy thoughts

meditation

whatever it is you do,

do it for this little guy and his family.

monetary donations,

which are always nice,

are helpful too.

if you are able

send those to

Gage Driver Fundraiser

Center National Bank

301 N. Ramsey

Litchfield, MN 55355

and then give your kids an extra tight squeeze tonight

and every night.

these make me smile

2011-10-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

she has her dads mouth

(same shape, same teeth, smiles a lot, and has food all around it)

she is just so nice

(when i am taking a picture)

abby is reading!!

she can do it!

and i must say,

unlike with mason...

i didn't have much to do about it.

go abby!

gia is running!

and kicking a soccer ball

almost at the same time.

she does have great

coordination.

elly is sweet.

no taz in sight.

thank goodness. :)

she can't wait to start

preschool.

but she isn't quite sure what she wants to be yet

(big or little)

because if the big kids are

doing something she cannot

(certain rides or school activities)

she will say

'but i am big mom'

but when it comes to something

she does not want to do

(walk from the park to the van)

she will say

'but i'm little mom'

too funny

and mason is just becoming a nice kid

he has always been nice...

but now he is older

and some mornings

like this morning

i look at him and think

how did this happen!?

(because he is so big)

plus.

the last two nights he has been in bed at 7pm

on the dot

and he falls asleep immediately

so that has helped on the nice factor at well :)

we're going on a bear hunt...

2011-10-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

over the weekend we took our kids to

Youngstrom Woods

a somewhat forgotten trail

in the woods

just

outside of town.

we told the kids we must watch out

because a bear had escaped

from the zoo

and it was spotted in this woods.

(is that mean?)

mason 'saw' its ear.

yes.

just the ear.

while abby mumbled under her breath

'there is not a bear here'

it was all too funny.

what you can't see here is that we are really

about 10 feet from the ground

mason being artistic

(ok, really he hasn't mastered the art of the camera, yet. obviously)

chris being... well....

chris. :)

like father

like son

it was around here that mason saw the ear

(for those of you tracking the bear)

it was such a beautiful day

and fabulous walk...

that when we got home,

during dinner...

this happened.

sweet dreams baby G

note to self.

visit youngstrom every october.

but early october.

before people hunt with guns.

this is the way we

2011-09-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

walk.run.twirl

chris has been off work this week.

it has been wonderful.

talk about major family time.

after lunch today we went for a walk.

it was wonderful

oh elly

2011-09-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

there is nothing unusual about

applesauce and a cup of water

well, two cups of water...

until you look a little closer

at this three year old's face....

why so tired?

somebody needed a midnight snack

it is what it is

2011-09-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

below you will enjoy a picture of elly

having a popcorn party

at eight thirty...

complete with a bowl of popcorn,

rootbeer,

in her jammies

with bedhead.

bedhead?

how bedhead at eight thirty?

well.

what you can't see is that it is

8:30AM.

Last night I went to bed at midnight.

Abby woke up at 4am

because she had an accident.

Gia woke up

right after I got Abby back to bed
(after a bath and clean sheets, of course)

but Gia was awake-awake.

Ready to play.

And didn't lay down again until 8:25.

My decision making is a little off

and I am currently

in survival mode.

Good thing I don't have kids wanting to buy

a car because now is the time to ask!

around here

2011-09-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

my proof that we need a bigger house

(or less guests)

i choose bigger house

we have good neighbors who bring

us yummy treats.

(uncle chris, notice what is in her hand here... yeah...

still coveted)

here is what you get

when we let our daughter

and her friend see our camera

here is what happens when we give mason a swing

gia one point five

2011-09-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

thats right.

on the 15th she was

a year and a half.

gee that went fast.

a second before i snapped this she was in the drawer...

never had a kid get in there before

finishing off a plate of tomatoes (her fav)

and cold pancakes...

sitting like her mama

(she isn't a fan of her high chair anymore. high chairs were sooo last month)

she is serious about her balls right now

sportin' her arm muscles :)

a muffin top i couldn't live without

oh yeah. she is a climber.

a few gia facts.

says :

bye

nigh nigh

mama

(no wait, screams mama)

dada

meows like a kitty

babbles. like. she wants to talk and thinks she is holding a conversation when she babbles.

and she does a tsk tsk tsk noise when she sees copper (or any furry animal)

walks.

tries to move faster than a walking pace (this is new)

waves hi and bye

loves baby dolls

colors (with her left hand, of course)

pulls elly's hair if elly is sitting in my lap

STILL SCREAMS for things... this is getting old

doesn't need or get a bottle/sippy cup in her crib...

(never has, never will. our only child to do this!)

sucks her thumb

wears

24month clothing (since 9mos)

loves ride on/push toys

goes up and down stairs like a pro

holds food in her cheeks for hours (nastiness)

and i think this is it.

for now, anyway.

beep beep

2011-09-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

coming through...

these little

pedal-less bikes rock

for any kid 3 and under.

just fyi.

lately

2011-09-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Mason is gone every day.

Abby is gone every other day.

Finally I feel like I get to

know my little girls.

They often get lost in the

shuffle of getting the big kids

to their activities.

We have had a fun week and a half

getting

reacquainted.

Elly enjoys being a pirate

with the help of a toilet paper roll and a super messy face.

Arrr.

Gia knows how to

smile for the camera.

And its super cute and super cheesey.

Sometimes

Elly even digs in her sisters room

and finds fun things like

make-up.

Notice the shimmer on her forehead.

Stuck.

She has about an inch to go

but is too afraid to test it.

And when the big kids come home,

the little girls are thrilled

to have more playmates.

They especially like to help out

when its homework time.

See below.

And we found this little guy

on Mason's bike.

He is a bit of a creepy caterpillar

because he has two

false eyes

that are fluorescent yellow.

But.

We had just read

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

that morning.

Isn't it ironic?

Don't you think?

(thanks Alana. that song is now stuck in my head for the day)

Yesterday while watching Mason at football practice

(yes. he finally went)
Anyway.
A little boy probably about 4 or 5

was playing nicely with Gia.

Then he asked

"How does she have such big muscles"?

She does look a little popeye-ish.

We had a showing yesterday

(don't even ask how it went)

but beforehand I had the brilliant idea

of spray painting

our gold light fixture black

(to match our other lights).

Well.

I missed.

Sprayed the wall and the ceiling.

Forcing me to repaint our hallway.

duh me.

This is where the kids hang their lunch bags and backpacks.

Cute huh?

last week of summer

2011-09-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

so this year

i feel,

we finally did it right.

we celebrated

(secretly mourned)

the last week of summer.

and by last week of summer,

i am referring to the week

before my kids start school.

first we hit up the cloudy town,

visiting our favorite babysitter ever.

she left us. off to college.

like we meant nothing

(kiddddddding).

so we visited our fav,

then hit up the mall for some snacks.

they waited so patiently.

then.

it was open house for both school-agers.

meeting their teacher, discovering who would be in their class.

and to mason's delight...

a girl

he finds to be special.

super special.

and to his super delight.

he gets to look at her

all.day.long.

i had abby grab a seat at super special girl's desk,

and mason sat in his...

just for perspective.

can you see how excited he is?

he is trying to contain himself.

but that dimple?

that dimple says it all.

the next day the kids had friends over.

their last friend hurrah

before school.

abby was so excited she couldn't keep her eyes open.

then.

the next day.

chris took the three biggest to the

MN Zoo.

they loved every second of it.

the goats got a little too close to elly belly.

the tiger go too close to all three of them.

chris' favorite.

i better watch out. i think chris has a crush on this one.

they finished the day by going to the mall of america for dinner.

what a daddy!

the next day.

see. i told you we did it right.

but.

the next day was our carnival.

our back to school carnival.

third time doing it,

first time (first of many, if they will come back)

having grandparents.

it. was. awesome!!!!!

we ate chicken kabobs

claire's yummy salad

watermelon

treats, of course

the victims :)

our carnival was complete with

sponge challenge,

three-legged races,

egg race,

grandparents trivia...

there was some tough competition

the three-legged race champs!

bampi getting make-upped

grandpa getting make-upped

getting a fact wrong during trivia

led to make-up applications

by a 7, 5 or 3 year old.

bampi's prize watermelon

enjoying the watermelon

(and forgetting all manners)

enjoying grandma's nummy cookies

what a fun time we had.

we wore the kids out enough to get them to bed on time

and they slept long and hard.

what a great week.

we are so lucky we we have each other!!

it happened

2011-09-07T05:38:00.001-07:00

the

2011-2012

school year has

begun.

with a second grader

and a

kindergartener

in the Woelfel household.

now that...

that is crazy.

side note to uncle chris.... notice mason's bag? yes. he chose your bag over the bag we ordered for him... you know, the one we had monogrammed with his name... the one with a matching lunch bag.

thats how much he likes you. :)

height predictors

2011-08-30T22:06:00.000-07:00

we've all done it,

right?

keyed in the correct digits to

see if we can sneak

into the future to see how tall our kiddos will be?

well.

tonight.

i did it (again).

and i am sure i wrote about it

when i did it last... but...

mason will be 6'1''

abby will be 5'2''

elly will be 5'6''

and gia...

well.

i'll check that when she turns two.

we might have an odd family picture when we have grown children...

i am sure if this is correct

(because it has to be, right?)

that i could find families with multiple parents

(or kids not from the same two)

that would be closer in height...

eh. i'm over it.

child-size

2011-08-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

headbands...

made with love

for my littles

by my sister.

perfect fit.

perfect look.

no slip.

no slide.

no pain.

i think i need

(want)

ten more.

ok and a couple for me.

and yes.

elly was too busy

to stop and pose for a

real

picture.

what can i say.

when you are three,

life is busy.

i crush

2011-08-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

garnet hill

its almost like i have a mad crush.

and like i have said before,

its my morning coffee.

ok and sometimes

my night time zen.

tonight, just before clicking my computer off

after some very important

(ok, unimportant)

internet surfing,

i decided to hop on to gh

to check to see if

they had updated their sale of the day

(i am such a gh bottom feeder,

i only shop the mega clearance/free shipping deals...

its all we can afford... and i wouldn't have it any other way)

but.

i came across this number

which makes me question gh

all together.

yes.

that cardigan is current.

yes. its boxy.

and 3/4 sleeve.

and yes.

its.

(gag)

cross stitched.

huh?

and it gets worse.

they are asking $128 for it.

that I don't understand.

i don't care how cheap that thing goes...

and free shipping or not.

that cardi will not grace this body.

first glance

2011-08-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

take a look at this picture and tell me...

whats your guess on why mason is

so incredibly excited?

no. its not the nummy vanilla

sundae with chocolate and strawberry

topping that his grandpa

bought him.

oh no.

its the fish he caught with his grandpa

that have him so

thrilled.

this is mason telling me

all about his time

at the farm

with his grandpa.

best.picture.ever

and these little ladies

loved the treats

their big brother and grandpa

brought for them.

and yes.

we let them eat their entire treat.

.super parents.

Tradition

2011-08-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

i love traditions.

really love.

but sometimes i feel like i am

too busy

trying to get through the day in one piece

to really do anything

traditional.

but one tradition

that snuck up on me...

one that happened and i didn't realize

is a school tradition the kids

are so excited about.

school supply shopping

with grandma.

she gets their whole list...

lets them pick out colors, sizes...

and even treats them to lunch.

lucky ducks.

today

2011-08-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

I mooned my neighbor.

It was great

(just ask her).

Gia was sitting on the hood of a pedal car we have...

and she started slipping off...

backwards...

This was happening while I was chatting with my neighbor

but being the GREAT mommy that I am,

I realized the potential harm

out of the corner of my eye

and made a dash to protect my baby.

Well the momentum of my dash

caused my above the knee dress

to travel up,

get caught on my hands,

and rise higher than should ever be risen

as I extended my hands outward towards baby G.

Gia, of course... was unharmed.

Me. On the other hand. Well.

I experienced a bit of humility.

I was wearing these... but in green

yes. thong.

no. I do not look like that.

Like I said.

It was great.

Yes, that is sand paper in their hands. They are sanding down the chair.

We saved it
(Chris wanted to take it to the landfill... I know, I couldn't believe it either)

And the kids wanted to help me get started on refinishing it.

But.
After thought.

I wonder if that is lead-based paint

dusted all over my kids' legs.
The chair was from Target

so chances are YES.

it must be love

2011-08-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

last weekend

2011-08-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

was likely a favorite for our kids.

Chris' company did their fabulous

family picnic in WI

then we hit up a hotel downtown St. Paul

and after swimming in the hotel pool the next morning,

we decided to check out the MN Zoo.

Yes, that is a grizzly bear.

And since that wasn't close enough...

Those weekends are my favorite also.

2011-08-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe our tree...

and I can't look at it without a little laugh.

Go G!

2011-08-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

What can I say....

I am one proud

Mama

Our 3 year old

2011-08-03T22:03:00.000-07:00

With Taz nearly nowhere in sight,

I am enjoying

our recently turned 3 year old.

She is big enough to go on solo adventures with

Nana and Bampa

(and whoever else might take her)

Helpful when asked

And really quite pleasant.

But I really feel like we've earned this grace period.

Especially when I head down memory lane of the last

1.5 years of Ellyness.

I tried to get a good picture of her,

but she wouldn't have it.

She couldn't stop wiggling,

talking,

sucking her thumb
(with her finger still up her nose)

among other activity.

In fact,

her behavior while trying to get a picture

reminds me of blogger

tonight,

trying to get the pictures where I want them.

I gave in to both

and just accepted that I don't have control

over everything.

Elly is so stinkin' independent right now.

She can put her own shoes on.

Wants to do her own shampoo and conditioner.

Wants to be the only one to brush her teeth.

Puts on her own clothes.
Buckles herself into her car seat

(yes, the 5 point harness!)

She is quite the little girl.

Athletically she is quite a brute.

I swear she feels no pain

(I can tell this especially when brushing her hair,

she doesn't care how snarly her hair is,

she just sits patiently)

Anyway.

We love little Elly.

And every day.

Every single day.
She tells me

'Mom, your my best friend'.

(she says the same about Chris too)

for Meghan friday

2011-07-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

Thats right.

fMf...

forMeghanfriday

so maybe she pressures me a little bit

i think its just because her life is so thrilling

and mine is so dull

that she wants to check in on me

so she can say

'yep. i am still way cooler than KP'

and then go on with her day...

cooler than me.

today i woke up with gunk on my shoulder.

laughed at myself a little

because it had gone unnoticed

for so long

(assuming it had been from G from last night)

about twenty minutes later i

noticed more gunk on my wrist...

reddish...

with a cinnamon scent to it.

the same cinnamon scent

as the latest pack of trident

chris picked up at target.

this only meant one thing.

i am pretty sure i ran to my bedroom

to check it out.

and yes.

sure enough.

cinnamon gum smeared

all over our sheets, pillow cases,

and duvet,

the special new ones that i had

cWk monogrammed on.

yes.

my super cool hunky

husband fell asleep with gum in his mouth.

gum is now banned from 316 n miller.

i am going to invest in a gum garbage

much like a cigarette garbage found outside of hospitals

and other public gathering places, and place it near our entrance.

as well as a sign.

made of iron.

NO GUM ALLOWED

this isn't our first gum incident

(this week)

but it will be our last.

today i also got to scrub this (see below)

of the walls

such an artist, elly!

i know what you are thinking.

i should have kept it there.

i truly pondered this myself...

and thought it would

likely

drive the price of our house waaaaaaay

up.

yes. up.

and then i stared at this.

but no, i didn't fold any of it.

just stared.

some sweet new babies are in for a treat from the

woelfel gang.

so i had to get these ready for the post office.

oh. and i bought 11 bags of softener salt.

because we are out and have been for

a week.

and well. who remembers to get softener salt

when you need it anyway.

besides my dad.

i'm not going to lie.

even our kids are feeling desperate.

mason wrote this last night.

time to invest in a

harvest basket i believe.

using my dress might offend somebody some day.

i like white flowers.

and see our charlie brown apple tree?

it loves us so.

even if it looks like a stick in the ground,

it is growing 36 (yes i counted)

honeycrisp apples for us...

it must be love.

fMf

one... two...

2011-07-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

Three?!

Are you serious right now?
My third child is 3?

This is a picture of Elly on her last night being two.

She made such a cute 2 year old.

Especially with Taz nowhere in sight

and her dress on backwards.

And here she is after she had finally turned 3.

Ripping into a fabulous present.

Gia enjoying Elly's birthday dinner.

Cousins enjoying being cousins

Oh and there was a pinata

Love this look on her face...

as if she expected it to fall after that pull

Best part...

Gia reaped some of the benefits of some of

Elly's gifts...

Sweet cousins arrived in bathing suits,

ready to play!

And an ice cream cake

(3 layers of homemade chocolate cake,

2 layers of homemade chocolate fudge topping,

2 layers of ice cream,

topped with ice cream frosting)

not suggested for a 100 degree day like we had...

ice cream melted QUICK!

Special hugs after gifts were received.

Everybody was tired afterwards.

Especially the littlest

cousins.

One last look at that cake.

Mmmm.

At three, Elly is very kind.

She has almost a full vocabulary,

although some words are harder to understand

and need to be translated by

Mason or Abby.

She gets dressed on her own.

She uses the bathroom on her own.

Tries to wash her own hair
(something Abby doesn't even do yet)

Knows her shapes.

Colors.

Numbers to 15-20.

ABCs.

Loves to play pretend with

anything.

She has a sweet tooth like..

ah hem....

nobody I know.

We love Elly.

And all of her spunk.

And can't wait to see who she becomes.

in recent Gia news.

2011-07-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

Baby G has discovered a fabulous new scream.

Seriously fabulous.

She sounds like a terrydactyl.

Is wonderful.

Chris and I really couldn't be happier with her

new found skill.

I just hope it doesn't last long.

Oh.I almost forgot.

yeah right

Gia started walking!!

Officially the day before Elly's 3rd birthday.

yes Elly turned three

Securing her title as the latest

'Woelfel Walker'

beating out her big sister

by taking 18 days longer to walk.

Gia was 16 months and 4 days

for her first steps.

Yay G!!

chop chop cherry tree

2011-07-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

Recent Going-Ons

2011-07-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

Our town had its

weekend celebration recently

which we always love to dive into.

This year the kids (Mason and Abby)

got a chance to

rock climb

(even Abby made it to the bell!)

eat snow cones as big as their heads,

(see pic below)

and stand in line for a free cheddar braut

(yes, they are as gross as they sound

but I won't turn down a dinner for my kids made by somebody

else even if it is a cheddar braut.

besides.

they offer it with sauerkraut.

yummers)

Abby and Mason are also in

swimming lessons...

just what I love,

sitting with my two little kids

while they beg to go swimming too.

How do you explain that one?

He loves every second of the pool.

(side note. Mason lost his 4th tooth the other day.

it was a bottom one. left side.)

Abby loves the water also.

I try to get G to stay in a stroller the entire 50 minutes...

the floor around us...

well...

lets just say

uck-o.

Elly Belly

(which I am pretty sure she thinks that is her

given name)

plays with dolls

or reads books

or yells down to the kids
(we sit in the balcony area)

Worlds best babysitter.

EVER.

And this is what she gets for taking pictures of herself

with our camera....

what a pleasant surprise!

But.
She started with us

when we only had Mason,

and has completely excepted each new addition.

She is the only person (non-family)

we have trusted to watch all 4 of our kids.

Ever.

And this fall she plans on moving away.

I've tried telling her that college is sooooo over-rated

(I mean, look where it got me)

but she is just not buying it.

At least she is going where I went...

so I know how to find her on campus when I need a sitter.

Best wishes Best Babysitter Ever.

I don't know how we will get

along without you!

i dunno...

2011-07-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

Is it me or do you think...

this guy could have parked just a wee bit closer to the side of the road?

shes going to be a good mama

2011-07-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

my baby loves her babies

2011-07-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

We got an offer!!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

Yes.
On our house.

The one that has been listed for 2.5 years.

And in those 2.5 years,

this is our second offer.

And it was

pathetic.

We didn't accept.

We are not even countering.

However,

I want to.
I want to counter-offer

her a price

higher than our listed price...

just because her offer

was

that bad.

Sadly,

I cleaned my house 3 times

for that chick.

Next low-ball offer

might just get a picture of my

rear...

with the words

'kiss it'

attached.

(my sister gives such good advice)

summer how i love thee

2011-07-08T23:38:00.000-07:00

seriously.

summer and i have a thing going lately.

my house is hot.

my house is sticky.

and i love it.

the windows are open.

our foreheads are sweaty.

i.love.summer.

gia enjoyed her first ice cream cone.

she had complete control of it

and ate most of it...

with very little on her face/clothing.

yay g!

this thing has gotten
TONS

of use this summer.

go to a water park?

heck no!

we camp out in our back yard

where our fridge is stocked

and a crib is nearby for

baby g's nap.

we also have 2 pools up

one for the big kids,

one for baby g.

just when the strawberries finished their season,

our raspberries were ready for picking.

here are my kiddos,

taking a break from the water

to eat some berries.

after this

they moved on the pea pods...

We love summer!

2011-07-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Especially the 4th.

Chris always has off.
We often have great weather.

And always spend it at the lake.

With these guys driving/spotting us.

(they look like a trustworthy group, don't they?)

Mason couldn't wait to get in the water this year.

Elly couldn't wait to get out of the sun.

Thats not G.

Thats our niece... sweetie huh?

First year she went solo on the tube....

she is definitely growing up.

And this year, for the first year ever... we left without a smore or fireworks.

Our kids were too tired.

So were we.

Crazy... never knew I would be so relieved to be home by 9pm.

Happy 4th America!

Today.

2011-07-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today it is 94 degrees.

Just like yesterday.

But because of the humidity,

the 'feels like' temp is

114.

We don't have central air.

And because I don't want to be

be yelling at the kids all day long for leaving doors open,

we don't have an ac window unit on the main floor.

Which means we sweat.

And take refuge in the pool,

in front of a fan,

in the basement,

or a big box store.

Today's store of choice:

Target.

Brace yourself.

Below are 2 pictures of feet.
I hate feet pictures.

Especially the kind showing off people are on vacay

with their feet up...

those pictures ruin the mood for me.

Where I was FORCED to purchase

these little shoes for myself.

Which was a first in more than one way.

A first time buying sandals at Target

(so far, so good)

and a first time buying a show with heels since

marrying Chris.

But today I realized that just because he is a quarter of an in

shorter

than I am...

that doesn't mean I have to where

flats

all the time.

But. Here is why I was FORCED to buy them.

Yep.

I am that mom.

The one who grabs without looking, thinking, or caring...

a pair of flip flops.

This time.

Unfortunately,

I looked, thought, and cared just

a bit too little,

as I grabbed two different shoes.

Drove 25 miles to Target.

Walked the parking lot, unknowingly.

And discovered this while helping

one of my littles

use the restroom.

They clearly are not even the same color

and one is all leather while

the other is all rubber. Agh!

I AM SO COOL.

On another note. I would like to thank

GYMBOREE

for selling this adorable outfit.

The one Elly wore for this years pics.

It rocks.

Its nice and cool on these hot hot days.

And totally adorable.

Here is Mason trying to figure out

balloon animals.

One day he will be excellent at them,

I just know it.

Happily maxing out the stroller

Abby likes to 'wear' her babies...

Sweet Baby G

A Birthday FINALLY done right.

2011-06-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

Every year I try to plan something great for

Chris' birthday.

And every year

I kinda feel like I failed.

There is never enough time

as he often works.

The kids are always around so its hard to make it

a fun adult time.

Its hard to go shopping for a great gift with 4 kids in tow.

The list of excuses goes on.

But this year...

this year I think we finally got it right....

(we because it wasn't just me planning)

it TRULY felt like we celebrated right.

Birthday Ribs.

NOT cooked by me.

And they were fabulous.

Even ask Gia.

I think she was up there with most of the guys

in amount consumed.

First of all. Before the ribs.

I decorated.

Had to get up at 2am to do so... notice the blackness outside the window?
And yes. I feel like these

tacky birthday decorations helped in the success of celebrating.

He even woke up to a card hanging in his face.
Literally.

Suspended from the ceiling.

And I decorated his work truck windows

complete with sayings like

"HONK its my Birthday"

The birthday boy and the rib master.

This is also why it was a success.

We celebrated with lots of family.

In his new birthday hat.

The cake is from Wuollets Bakery.

Which. I must say.
I drove 70 miles
(each way)

before Chris got home from work to get this cake.

And I would do it again.

Yum.

not gonna lie

2011-06-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

really. I won't.
But the first time I looked at the top two pictures,
I had to open them up to see which girl

of ours it was.

I honestly wasn't certain.
And then I asked Chris who it was

and he got it wrong.

When they stand next to eachother
I don't see it at all.
But in pictures.

Especially these.
I see it.

They really do look alike.

This last one just made me laugh.

because i think she is cute

2011-06-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

And I am her mom.

So I can do a post with a ton of pictures

of just G

if I want.

And I want. So I will. :)

Her 8th tooth just popped in.

On the bottom.

The one next to her middle ones.

On the left.

G's lovely lashes.

Perfect skin.

I love her cheekbones.

Well.

Chunk. Her cheek chunk.

A blurry shot of her top teeth.

And when she is seriously.

I mean, really serious...

she makes this

humming/groaning concentration noise.

And you know its even more serious

when her tongue sticks out.

Like above.

And above.

And today she enjoyed her first mint gum.

She loved every second of it.

Until she swallowed it.

I am happy to report that G (and Elly)

are feeling better.

Although many tears have been shed today

so they aren't quite back to their

normal selves.

Can't wait.

They are actually both crying as I type this.
And the super mom that I am is letting it happen.

Yay for super moms. :)