January, how cold you are!

Since the temps here have been in the TEENS and below, we've been hanging out indoors these days. My house gets nice and tidy & clean; however, cabin fever sets in and we all get ants in our pants! So on Saturday night we made last minute plans to meet the Falciones out for dinner at our favorite Mexican joint: Cancun. Funny story, when Mike called Rick to ask if he'd like to go to Cancun with us (where we used to dine almost weekly with them, pre-kids), Ricky's response was, "Mexico?!" Ha! I wish. Izzy was excited to see Ricky and we were all excited to leave the house.

Sunday we met the Fellers at the Monon pool to get our sillies out and enjoy the HEAT of the natatorium. Nice and muggy and relaxing in there. Izzy asks about GiGi and Lukey ALL week and then when we finally get together she SQUEALS with delight. And then proceeds to do her own thing in the pool. Jaime and I love to set play-dates to give us something to look forward to on the weekends and get out of the house...the winter months are not our favorite!

Luke & Izzy swimming
Delaney has been spending more and more time on her tummy & actually enjoys it now
Izzy reading to Laney bug

More tummy time

My mom got Izzy a tent with an attached tunnel for xmas and tonight we all spent time playing inside it

Izzy wants Laney to join her so badly

She settled for cozy time in the tent

Izzy still loves to play dress-up (ignore the broccoli in her teeth - yikes!)
and so does Mommy!

Look at what a mish-mosh she is...she was going around collecting magnets and small toys and dumping them in Delaney's exer-saucer. Mike said Izzy reminded him of the weird gal from the Breakfast Club, dumping out her random purse contents. Ha!

Tribute to Nana...

As I've been collecting pictures of Nana for her memorial...I just couldn't help myself from posting them on here. Finding these pictures of Nana has brought back many great memories of her that I will treasure always. Here are a few of my favorite memories of her:

-One summer Nana picked me up from Horse Camp when I was about 10 and the entire drive home she and I sang camp songs together

-Watching her play the Bells at Christmas church service

-Riding my bike to her house in the summers for lunch (she would serve my favorite: PB&J with the crusts cut off!)

-And every single time we talked on the phone she would jokingly ask me what I was making for dinner that night (anyone who knows me well knows that I do not cook - Nana was always trying to change that in me)

Thanks for a lifetime of memories - Love you Nana!

Grandfather & Nana - Pentwater 1964
Nana with 4 of her 5 grandchildren: Kim, Shelly, Erin and me - Flint circa 1982

Nana at my college graduation - Indiana University Bloomington 1999

Grandfather, Nana, Anna and dad at our wedding - 2004

Mom and Nana at our wedding...I absolutely adore this photo - 2004

Cousin Lisa, Nana and Kim at Aunt Jane's 90th Birthday - Indianapolis 2005

Kim, Anna & Nana at Aunt Jane's home - Indianapolis 2006

Nana & Grandfather - Christmas in Grand Rapids 2006

Lisa, Kim, Laura, Carla, Nana, Anna, mom, Taylor, Aunt Celeste, Shelly & Allyson - Baby shower in Michigan 2007

Taylor, Dylan, Kim, Nana, Izzy & Grandfather - Christmas in Michigan 2007

Taylor, Kim, Nana, Grandfather, Dylan & Izzy - Christmas in Michigan 2008

Izzy with her Great Grandfather and Great Nana - Indianapolis 2009

Mom's visit to Indy...

Mom was finally able to make the trip out to Indy to celebrate Christmas and meet Delaney (she had been unable to fly for several months due to major back surgery). She arrived last Sunday (amidst the blizzard!) afternoon and was VERY happily greeted by Izzy. We've been talking on webcam for months; however, Izzy just couldn't wait to get her hands on her Grand Roo! The first 24 hours Izzy just keep looking at mom and saying, "HI ROO!" So stinkin' cute.

Mom was able to spend two full days alone with Izzy & Delaney, as I had to work. My sister and her kids arrived Tuesday afternoon and the chaos of a full house ensued. We had so much fun: Izzy played dress-up for everyone, mom had MANY craft activities planned, swimming, museums, and games galore (cards, dominoes, etc.). Well, all of us minus Mike - who was recovering from minor surgery...but he was a good sport to put up with all of us laughing and playing games all day long.

Dressing up for Grand RooWatching The Wizard of Oz while dressed as Dorothy (mom brought both of these new costumes for her)
Delaney doing what she does best - playing in her saucer!
We introduced rice cereal to Laney...
...and surprisingly she liked it!

Izzy (and her coveted monkey) playing with her new Elmo

Laney at the pool

Swimming

And more swimming...I went down the slides a few times - since I couldn't go down the outdoor slides all summer b/c I was pregnant, I was chomping at the bit to try the indoor slides! They were fast and FUN!

Delaney sleeping on her cousin Taylor at the pool

Playing her new drums

Roo and Laney

Designing iron-on crayon shirts- one of mom's many crafts she brought with her (they also made ornaments!)

Decorating cookies

Me, mom and Kim

The whole gang (minus Mikey)

We went back to the pool...and I just loved this shot - out of focus, yes, but love the sun on the water and Izzy playing in the fountain

Izzy directing, I mean swimming, with Roo

Looking at the dinosaur exhibit at the Children's Museum
Mike, Izzy and mom looking up at the blown glass exhibit

And riding the carousel

All-in-all we had a wonderful visit with mom. We had a lot of fun and built some wonderful memories together.

On a sad note, my Grandmother Keel (Nana) passed away a few hours ago. She was my father's mother and a beloved member of our "Keel Clan." I will treasure my time with her always and hold her dear to my heart. I learned a lot about life, family, and manners/etiquette from Nana. I was happy to have spent some time with her in October (when the entire Keel family was here) and have one final picture of her with Izzy where she and Grandfather look very happy:

We miss you already, Nana.

Christmas 2009

This year we spent Christmas in Ft. Wayne with Mike's dad. We arrived Christmas Eve and stayed through the weekend. Traditions started right away with the girls opening new jammers to wear that night and all day on Christmas. Izzy got to sleep in her tent again (which she LOVES) and Laney slept in her pack-n-play in our room (read: we don't sleep well b/c of her little noises she makes...how can people co-sleep with babies?!?!). We were woken up on Christmas morning to the sounds of jingle bells and Santa "ho-ho-ho"ing throughout the house. This was a tradition in my family since before I was born: my Grandpa Bruhn would dress as Santa and wake us all up with his jingle bells and we'd sit on his lap and get our gift from Santa. He dressed as Santa until I was a Freshman in college...well after we stopped believing. Just became ritual in our family. I asked if Bob would carry this tradition on to our girls, to which he graciously obliged. Turns out there was already a Santa suit in the family and he just updated the beard, boots and belly. Izzy was in shock...and over-the-moon excited that Santa was at Bobo's house!!! Santa brought Izzy Elmo...exactly what she asked him for a few weeks ago when she visited him in Carmel.

We had a great holiday and simply loved being at Bob & Laura's...very relaxing and laid back. We often times find ourselves still in our jammers at dinner time! We did lots of eating, watching movies, shopping and simply relaxing. My mom just flew in tonight from Lake Tahoe and my sister will be arriving on Tuesday, so we have a fun week ahead of us!

Delaney & Grandma Laura
Izzy investigating the trains, trees and stockings in the loft

Izzy & Laney with Grandpa Bob in their new jammers

Hugging Santa

Laney checking out Santa

Izzy, Jake and Gabe with Santa (and Elmo). Check out Izzy's face...she was elated!

Family pic

Loving her new vest...

...and her new Elmo slippers and doll

Delaney and Grandpa Bob (she's sporting a new hat that her Grandma Laura made her)

DJ Lance hat and glasses...she kept on checking herself out in the mirror

Matching jackets

Chef Bob making his tradition: Christmas day pizzas!!!

Another holiday tradition, babies under the tree checking out the lights! Laney was a huge fan of this

Izzy wearing her "dot dots" - footed jammers & slippers