February with the Kofrons

Hadn't seen the Kofrons's since Christmas so decided to go spend a couple of days with them.  Kyann has kind of a fake smile after her bath. 

Here she is trying on a cake pan she was using for a hat.

She had been to her cousin Payton's wrestling meet and so she played wrestling the mama.  Too funny!

I think she liked it.  Even if she got pined.

Sunday it warmed up fast so decided to go out and build a snow man.  The whole family got involved.   Cindy made the bottom, Shane the middle and Kyann the head.

Here is the finished product. 

Playing in the snow.

I guess she got tired and decided the snow was softer to lay in than the  driveway.

Here is mister Snowman all dressed up.  We had a good visit and will be back for her birthday in a week.  

Tree

I spent a lazy Sunday afternoon making a palm tree for Kyann birthday party Jungle.  I think it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.  Made me think of that line from a Alfred Joyce Kilmer poem about  "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree"  It ends with "only God can make a tree"  Mine surely does not compare with any tree God made.  But I had fun and hope Kyann likes it. 

Super Bowl Party

We decide to have a Super Bowl Party this year.  We met about 1- 1:30 and let the games begin.  We had a rousing game of 99 (which I won) , a funny game of Crainium.  Rick did a really moving redition of Marlyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to President Kennedy.  We also played cribage and dominos. 

Plus you know what we do best EAT.  Lots of yummy food.  I took the bacon bites I got the receipe for at Jimmy's birthday and they went over really well.  Did not find one thing I didn't like.    We watched and laughed at the commercials on the ball game.  Then every one went home at half time.  The game was one of the best in a while.  really close.  Too bad the Patriots didn't win.  Fun times.  Fun times.

Monster's in the kitchen

I have been having something prowling in my kitchen lately.  I haven't been able to catch anything but have found some tracks.  Can anyone tell me what these are?  A two toed sloth perhaps?  I don't know.

Could this be some kind of bird?  Hope they don't eat me out of house or home.                                      

Jimmy's 91st birthday

 We went to Moberly to help celebrate Jimmy Linsey's 91st birthday.  It was a smaller party than last year.  But really had a good  time.  Katlin had a blast.  She got to play with 2 of her favorite guys, Zach and Jimmy.  This old tractor was outside the building and made a good Kodak moment.

The stage got a little crowded at times.  Dan wouldn't let me take the bass cause last year there were 4 or 5 there.  Everyone thought the same thing  and I thought for a while there wasn't going to be any but finally Mary  Long came with hers.  We had some good music and some not so good but was fun.  They had finger foods and some really good things.  One of the things was the bacon pecan bites.  I had to hunt down the make and get the recipe.  Yummo!  We had a good time and was fun to see everyone again. 

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 started with us all going to candlelight services at church.  I had made dresses for Katlin and Kyann and we tried to get them to pose but I never did get a really good picture of the two of them.   Kyann was pretty wound up at church.  Pastor John was praying and said something about being naughty or being nice and Kyann said in her stage whisper "I'm nice".   Shane finally took her out for a walk. I stuck supper in the oven and had the table all set so when we got home it was ready.  Ham, Mac and cheese, green bean casserole baked beans and home made rye bread. (thanks Mary).  Kyann went to bed not long after and the rest of us visited.  Then Dan and Sue and Katlin went to have their Christmas.  I got busy getting stuff ready for the next morning. 

Here is the tree before.  Somehow I never get an after. I think every one had a good Christmas.  I did.  We started with stockings when ever you get up and then had a late breakfast.  This year I made that hash brown casserole from Marcelline that everyone really likes, stuffed French toast with warm cinnamon syrup, (yumo) sausage links and sugar plum loaf. 

Here Cindy is opening her stocking.  I didn't get many pictures of her opening presents because she got mostly clothes and for some reason Kyann thought she had to fluff them all.  So Cindy would hold them up in front of her and Kyann would pat them a while. 

We started with Kyann and since they hadn't had very good luck with her opening presents at home (she wanted to stop and play with them)  we decided to start with clothes to keep her interested.  The first box was pajamas and she said just what I always wanted.  Too funny.  She finally did start asking where her Jessie doll was so we gave it to her.  But she was a trooper and opened all her own.

Shane with his reciprocating saw.

Katlin with her grown up bedding.

 Dan with his saddle Dr. book.  We didn't hear much out of him after that.  He had his nose stuck in that book.

Katlin with her Minion. and Kyann with her Jessie doll.

Cindy helping Kyann with her ABC Learning Classroom

After presents, Cindy Kyann and Katlin went out side to play for a while.  Dan took a nap and Shane watched a movie with his eyes closed.  When the kids came back in Kyann was playing with her play dough and made a mustache with it.   Katlin had to be at her other Grandmas by 2 :30 and Cindy's wanted to get home so they could go she Shane's dad who was in the hospital.  The place cleared out by 2 and I had a relaxing afternoon.   We had fun and it was a good year.

The Christmas Carol

Friday night Cindy and I went to see Katlin in her play at the Coralville Center for Preforming Arts.  It is kind of like our Sondheim Center.  The play was very good.  and there weren't any bad seats in the place.  We had a couple with tow little girls sit behind us and the little girl who sat behind me kept kicking my seat.  Her Dad would tell her to quit and she would do it again.  I didn't turn around to see them but Cindy did and thought she was about 5.  After the play started she kept talking to her dad in a stage whisper.  They had evidently brought candy to keep them quiet but the rattling wrappers were so loud you couldn't hear.  I guess people kept giving them dirty looks and shhh's and not too long into the play they got up and left.    Can't say I was sorry but that was a lot of money wasted. The first picture was of Marley and Scrooge.

This is the scene at the Fezziwig's party.  Katlin did a good job and looked 23 instead of 13! 

 This is the Cratchit family with the ghost of Christmas Present.  Tiny Tim was played by a girl.  Katlin thought that was really funny!

This was the ghost of Christmas Future.  You can barely see him.  Only his hands.

When the play was over and they were ready to take their bows.  Katlin was the first one to come out.  Then she played for all the rest to come forward and bow.  Amy said she was so surprised the first night when she came out and people applauded for her.    She is a funny girl..