Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Day at the Park

The other day we went to Gage Park with some of Noelle's friends.

Gage Park has lots of huge animals for the kids to climb on. Noelle enjoyed playing with Savannah and Jacob. We had a fun day!

Noelle had fun riding this tiger.

Noelle is such an adventurous little girl. She decided to put her tummy on the swing and swing back and forth. She loved it.

Look at me!

I'm 2 1/2 !

Today we went to Noelle's 2 1/2 year checkup. It seems just like yesterday that she was a tiny baby. She is such a big girl now. At the doctors she weighed about 25 1/2 pounds (10 - 25%) and she is three feet tall (50%). She has such a fun personality and seems like she is always learning new things. She has learned her colors (she sometimes gets them mixed up still), she can count to 13 and she knows some of her shapes. She is talking so much now. It amazes me that we can have conversations with each other. Noelle loves to sing, dance, play pretend, play with friends, talk on the phone, and luckily for me she is still such a loving little girl. She still loves to snuggle with me, but sadly I think it's not as comfortable for her since she is getting so big. Noelle really loves going to church and sometimes asks me when we are going somewhere during the week if we are going to church. Here are a few other things that Noelle loves to do.

Noelle loves to read and to be read to,

she is such a great helper (she helps me cook dinner, clean up, work in the garden),

she keeps me on my toes (she got into some flour and put it on her face when I wasen't looking),

and last but not least she loves to draw. (If you can't tell what she drew, it's a sad face. She is making a sad face just like her drawing). Noelle is so much fun. She is such a sweetheart and always brightens my day. I feel so blessed to be her mom and love spending my days with her.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Michael Phelps copying Michael Eldridge?

People laugh when I grow a fu-manchu to intimidate people for the Topeka TinMan. Well guess who was spotted sporting one before the Olympics!?

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Dollar Night at the K!

While my brother Jared was in town visiting we took a little roadtrip up to Kansas City to go and watch the Royals play the Tampa Bay Rays. Jared and two of his boys came with us. We took a detour to Lawrence to go to Allen Fieldhouse (Home of the 2008 National Champion Jayhawks!) to see the Booth Family Hall of Athletics.

At the Royals game the special promotion of the night was $1 hot-dogs, pop, and peanuts. I was in heaven. We got to Kauffman Stadium just in time to stuff some hot dogs down and watch the Royals play a surprisingly competitive game against the Rays. Sadly, the Royals ended up losing 5-3. It was nice to spend some time with my nephews and my brother that I don't get to see very often.

Jordan, Spencer (hiding behind Jordan), Me, and Nicole in our seats eating hot dogs and waiting for the game to start!

Me and Nicole next to the statue of "Phog" Allen, for whom Allen Fieldhouse is named after. He is known as the "Father of Basketball Coaching," having coached the likes of Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, and Ralph Miller. If you are ever in the area the new Booth Hall of Athletics is a must see. It's kind of a "Walk of Fame" for the various different athletic programs at Kansas University. We got to see all kinds of neat things including the 2008 national championship trophy. Kansas basketball is one of my favorite things about being a Kansan! For anyone looking for a good article on the greatest basketball venue in the world, here one is.

While we were there I couldn't resist, and posed for a picture behind the welcome desk when the guy stepped away for a second.

Nicole tried to get a shot of me touching the rim (in my flip-flops no less), but we just couldn't get the timing down (my hang time isn't what it used to be).

Nicole posting me up!

Me and Jordan getting ready for "tip-off."

Those are the national championship banners up in the rafters. 2008 will be added soon!

Nicole standing next to the old school Jayhawk mascot.

The Trophy

Me and Nicole posing in front of the 2008 National Championship trophy. It sure felt good posing for this picture (after a 20 year wait!).