Road trip to Mankato

We drove to Mankato to visit with my sister and her family. My neices, Annie and Em are so good with Xander and Nate gets entertained as well. It was nice to sit and relax by the fireplace while visiting.

They had plenty of things for Nate to play with (chew on).

Annie experiencing a tea party with a 3 1/2 year old boy. Pretty painful. He kept telling them that there really wasn't tea in his cup. They put water in it and then when asked how his tea was, he told them he didn't have tea, it is water! So literal!

I think Xander completely wore Annie out! He can be very....energenic. Especially when you are not used to it. He wears me out and I am around him all the time!

Xander gives their kitty Mickey a sweet hug goodbye.

Thanksgiving Day

We all went to grandpa Jimmy's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, Patti couldn't be there, but great grandpa Ernie was there and even grandma Linda (a big deal to get her to drive there!). Because Nate is a little wild man and can't be trusted to not get into trouble, we brought along a walker to keep him busy. Xander tried his best to keep everyone entertained and touch everything that he wasn't supposed to. Too bad they don't make some kind of contraption for 3 1/2 year olds!

Keeping Nate in line

Trying out a green bean

Getting tickled by great grandpa

Nate spending some snuggle time with grandma Linda

All the Pichner boys together

Very cool that the boys get to take a photo with daddy and grandma and grandpa

Another photo with the granparents. The boys are ready to be done with the camera!

Xander enjoying a slice of apple AND French silk pie!

Nate getting a squeeze from daddy

Cute pics of Nate by Daddy

Chris grabbed the camera and took some photos of Nate, hanging out on the floor and playing. He is teething, so he is making these funny noises with his mouth and pressing his lips together.

Look at that chunk of hair standing up. So cute!

Kicking off Christmas festivities!

We went downtown today to check out Macy's 8th floor auditorium show, which is the Nutcracker this year. We go every year, but this time we had two boys to deal with. Nate was fine, Xander seemed a little overwhelmed. After we were done, we went to Maplewood Mall to see their Santa. They have two different ones and we like both. Xander has sat on their laps two times each now. He was so good with Xander, who of course didn't know that he had been told his name before he walked up to him. I saw the shyness, but also the wonder as Santa said his name and told him how much he had grown. I forget that he thinks this man is actually Santa and all that means when you are three years old. But again, he didn't seem as excited as I would have thought. Nate was smiling and staring at all the new sights. After getting pictures taken and going for a ride on the merry go round, we headed home. Only after he was strapped in his car seat did we realize that Xander was not feeling well and was coming down with a cold. :( I knew that something didn't seem right and I can see it in his eyes when I look at the pictures. Hopefully we will do more fun Christmas things when he is feeling better.

Entering the Nutcracker

In awe of all the glitter and lights

Cute boys, but impossible to pose

Cute stuff for sale in the gift area

and almost everything is breakable!

Smiling at the camera so nice. And then he decided to wave at it. Ah well, it only took a few more tries to get a pretty good picture of the two of them on Santa's lap. Xander babble and probably forgot most of what he wanted to tell him he wanted. But he did manage to get out that he would like the elves to build him a Fisher Price Smart Cycle. Expensive taste, just like his daddy!

Taking a spin on the merry go round

Playdate at Xander's preschool

After class today, we got together in the gym for lunch and playtime with his classmates. So much fun and I hope we get to do it more often.

Nate is ready to get in on the fun

Xander spent a lot of time running around the gym while wearing different helmets. Odd little bugger!

Parachute play is always exciting when you are three

Nate wants to play like the big kids, with the big ball

A much needed playdate

Mr. Separation Anxiety is looking a little nervous that Noni is holding him and not his mommy


There was some wild boy energy going on, so Xander made his way to the piano to belt out some tunes with adorable Samantha. I always like when she is at playdates because they play well together.

Xander dressed himself and seemed content to leave it like that. It took me a long time to get him going this morning, so I was not going to argue about it. He knows how to put his clothes on, so this is just a little phase he is going through I guess.

Breakfast for dinner!

Every once in a while, Xander and Chris get in the mood to go out for breakfast at dinnertime. Not being a huge breakfast eater, I don't get it but I follow along (or stay home!) They get so excited about it though, it is really cute. So tonight we decided to go to Baker's Square. If I am going to suffer through breakfast/dinner, at least I should get to enjoy pie afterwards!

Even Nathan enjoyed a bit of canteloupe

Yummy pancakes and scrambled eggs. They don't have a meal on the menu that we would order for him so I have to substitute healthier choices for the crappy food they put on kids' menus. Whipped cream and chocolate chips??? That isn't a meal, that is dessert! No syrup and fresh fruit, now that is better!

Chris is feeling happy and full

Raking leaves

Nate is not a fan of the leaves, the cold ground or the rake (he cried whenever he saw it)

Much happier to hang out on the picnic blanket and watch us work

Xander getting ready to jump into a freshly raked pile

A new haircut for school pictures

With the foot incident and Halloween, I totally forgot about Xander's school photos! I knew it would be a bad idea to do it the night before, but it had to be cleaned up a bit. Very risky! Hopefully I will have some photos to send out to everyone very soon.

Thank god for the "I Love Big Machines" DVD. It is the only thing that keeps us sane during haircuts.