The Rowell Family

Christmas 2011

2012-01-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I'm a bit behind on my blogging, so let me try to catch you up.

Christmas was so wonderful this year! Max was soo into it and really loved the season... and presents! We're missing a picture of Santa this year because Max was having nothing to do with him. He was only interested in admiring Santa from a far. Maybe next year.

Max's Preschool had a super cute Christmas pagent. Lots of little kids singing Christmas songs. It was totally adorable. Max was very interested in the Christmas tree where he was standing. He made kept looking at me and pointing to the presents under the tree.

Singing Jingle Bells

Mama, Daddy and Max after the show.

Deckers had a fantastic Christmas party!! We even had snow, in southern CA! They really did it right, Santa came with his reindeer and sled. All the kids were so excited. Max was interested in Santa, but afraid at the same time. He had to keep a safe distance.

Making Christmas cookies at the party.

Nothing says Christmas like an ice sculpture of Lucky the Penguin.

Christmas morning, as you can see by the bed head. Buzz Lightyear was a big hit. Max had been asking for Buzz for quite some time. Glad Santa thought he was good enough to get him.

Max loves his Thomas the Train pillow from Grandpops.

And what fun would Buzz be without Woody?

Mama loving my Maxi boy! So much joy this Christmas. I still can't believe how BIG this child is getting.

Max and lots of cousins! He LOVED having the entire tribe to play with!

Fireman dress up from Uncle Dave, Aunt Shelly, Madi and Bryce.

Cool new flashlight from Uncle Patrick and Antie Yvonne.

Max and his love, Kendyll. She was so great with him. The two of them were like 2 peas in a pod. Hard to tell who enjoyed each other more.

Oh yes, 2011 will be known as the UGG Christmas! Mama LOVES her new job. :)

Just so happy with all the family and attention!

Tommy and Dad .... two of my favorite men on the planet! May Max grow up to be just as wonderful as you are!

This is my favorite! These two were stuck together like glue. I loved watching them together; having sooo much for. Truly wonderful.

So, we learned how to play "Blurt" with the "loud family". It was a crazy fun game, but people are nutty. You really have to YELL your answer out. Tommy and I were just saying it in our normal voice, by the end, we were screaming too!

and much to everyone's dismay, Tommy and I won the game!!

After a looong, action packed day... it's time to snuggle. Mama's favorite!

Now it's back to adjusting to winter in California.... I think we're doing pretty well.

Big boy!

2011-11-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

Our "little" Max is getting soooo big! He has grown so much just since we left Idaho. He fast, strong, and often doesn't realize his own strength. He has to burn lots of energy everyday. Daddy and Max go to the 'big park' down the road from our house all the time. Max now does his 'stretches' on the monkey bars because he's seen Daddy do the same thing. Sooo cute!

Part of being such a big boy, is our new big boy bed! This was sooo exciting! No more crib. We always joked that he would stay in the crib until he figured out that he could climb out. Well, he never climbed out, which is good. But since we moved from Idaho, he's been wanted to sleep in mommy and daddy's bed. So, we knew it was time to banish the crib and get the big boy bed. Gotta love Craig's list....we got an awesome deal. Now Max loves his room even more and doesn't fight at all when it is time for night nights.

Some fun at the little park in our apartment complex. Sporting some cool UGG, doing some hard work wear testing.

Halloween

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

It was a Wow Wow Wubbzy Halloween for Max. I was surfing on line and looking at cosutmes when Max saw this Wubbzy costume on the side nav bar. He knew then, that was what he wanted. Cutest Wubbzy you ever did see!

The class took turns showing their costumes to their friends. Max thought this was great fun!

What a fun group of 3 and 4 year olds!

The children did a parade through all the different classrooms. Super fun stuff. You can tell my the cheeky smile on Max's face.

Willow Springs had a fun little Halloween party. Max was over being Wubbzy at this point and went skelator. He was orignially freaked out by the goodie table. The candy bowl had a motion detector hand. Max was amazed!

A visit to the pumpkin patch. SO cute! Just wanna eat him up!

More fun Max stuff

2011-10-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

Max has been having all kinds of fun wear testing product from Mommy's work. I love this little fashion photo of him testing some fancy UGG slippers. Funny that you'd need sheepskin in Southern CA .... but he loves them.

These Teva Mush sneakers are his new 'go to' shoe. They are flip flops on the bottom with a sneaker upper. He LOVES these shoes ! He tells me he can run and jump very fast in them.

Max got his first bicycle! It's a balance bike; so there are no pedals. Mostly he walks his bike around right now, but he's learning to sit on it and push with his feet. It's all so very exciting!

This is after a very good day on the bike ... totally just crashed out on the floor for over an hour. So funny!

One of the other super fun things about where we live is the Railroad Museum right around the corner. They have these super cool mini trains that we can ride around. We go here a LOT! You just can never get enough trains if you're Max.

Max and Daddy having fun at Goleta Depot.

The best recent fun thing was a visit from Auntie Paula! Max just loved having being all chatty with her and playing. Auntie Paula has taugh him to say, "Toot toot ...hey ... beep beep!" Pretty funny.

Awesome August

2011-08-30T08:17:00.001-07:00

It has been a totally awesome August! The boxes are finally unpacked in our new house in Goleta, and it's starting to feel more and more like home.

Max is having a blast, becoming a true California. We were lucky enough to have Max's cousin, Bobby, come out to visit from Texas. Max loved having him around as he was a terrific playmate.

Bobby was so good with Max! He got right in there and played trains, wrestled and all that kind of "boy stuff".

I think Bobby enjoyed himself as well. Who knows, maybe UCSB is in his future. Either way, it was super fun to have "cousin time". Come on back soon!

Deckers Family Picnic

We went to our first Deckers Family Picnic at the Santa Barbara Zoo! WOW! What a BLAST! The company rented out the zoo, so from 4pm-7pm, the entire zoo was ours! There was a great BBQ and all kinds of fun activities and games for everyone. Couldn't have had a better time.

Of coarse, our favorite part of the zoo is always the train! Max and Daddy are excited waiting for our turn to ride. Which was free for Deckers... woohoo!

Boy, we sure do get very excited about riding the train. It just never gets old!

Max got his face painted for the first time. There were so many to choose from, but Max chose a basketball. Such a boy!

face paint!

There was also a huge blow up slide, jumper thingie for the party. Oh boy, that was a scream! Max was all over that thing.

The slide was super fast and Max loved every second of it. He must have gone down that thing a hundred times.

Coming from N. Idaho, this just made me laugh. This is how California does sledding: astro turf and a cardboard box. The irony here is, we tried to get Max to like real sledding, with snow and all while in Idaho. He was never really interested in it and normally would end up crying.

But, California sledding, in shorts and barefoot, is an entirely different story! Now, that is fun! Max was going down that hill like there was no tomorrow.

It's even more fun when Daddy goes down with you! Seriously one of the best times I've had in a while. What a great party!

Grandpops!

Grandpops came to visit for a few days. Max was in his glory! Grandpops is a complete push over when it comes to this kid... and Max capitalizes on it. I just love to watch the two of them together. Such mutual admiration.

We had fun exploring the Mission.

And Max was stoked to swim with Grandpops in the pool. Grandpops was such a good sport; he got totally waterlogged as Max just continued to play... and splash!

St. Raphael's Preschool

We're most excited about starting preschool again. We found a great place close to home and Max is thrilled to be back to school. He was also particularly excited about his new Ugg boots from Mommy's work. He is such a California boy already .... Ugg boots and shorts. I just love it!

Max's favorite things about school are: musical instruments, basketball, playground, lots of kids, and trains to play with.

Wonderful day for the Beach

2011-07-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great day at the beach. Aunty Amy took us to her favorite spot. Max was happy to be hanging out with his buddy, and that he could travel in style with Aunty Amy carrying him on the difficult parts. Lucky boy!

Max LOVES to throw rocks! He spent the majority of his time tossing the rocks into the surf. He's a little afraid of the waves and runs away from them, but the beach is true bliss for him. You can tell he's Tommy's boy!

Thank you Amy for coming and visiting us today; it was really wonderful. I love this picure, just think it's so sweet and tender. I figure Amy will have Max trained for find sea glass before we know it.

Max and Jax ... farewell Idaho!

2011-07-08T06:25:00.000-07:00

Before we left Idaho, we were lucky enough to have Jackie of Jax Creations come to our house for another shoot with Max. Jackie has done all his photos since he was born ... now little mister is 3!! Even though Jackie is very pregnant and supposed to be being very mellow, she was generous enough to visit us. Everyone knows what a fan I am of her work. If you're in the Sandpoint area, she is, undoubtedly the BEST!

Thank you for being so wonderful to our family Jackie! So glad we have FB to keep us close. God bless you and the new bundle of joy you're carrying.

Max LOVES his slide and playhouse Grandpa got for him. He would want to have lunch in his house all the time. You can just see pure joy on his face.

My sweet Max! Couldn't you just eat him up?

This series really shows the bliss that Max has with his playhouse.

all photos by Jax Creations

July 4th, 2011

2011-07-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

Independence Day already?? Where is 2011 going? I guess with all the changes going on in the Rowell family, it's expected for time to be going quickly.

We had to move into a hotel for the long weekend; our temp housing was booked. So we spent a lot of time packing and unpacking. Sure do carry a lot of stuff when you have a 3 year old.

The hotel had a pool, which made Max so very happy. He was like a fish, didn't want to get out of the water. I reminded Tommy that we have a pool at our new pad at Willow Springs. Max will be in his glory! Thank God we get to move in 2 weeks. We're ready to settle!

Max "swimming" with Daddy at the pool.

oh so much fun!

Good sign that Max will a better swimmer than Mama.

California here I come! Right back where I started from...

2011-06-29T19:52:00.001-07:00

WOW! So much has changed since my last post! We no longer live in beautiful Sandpoint, Idaho! We have moved to Goleta, CA for my new job at Deckers Outdoor Corp. We're very excited to be back in the area and it's great to be close to all our Ventura friends and family. It's a mixed bag, very happy for the new opportunity at a crazy rad company, but also a little sad to leave our first home and friends we love so much.

We just loved this home in Sandpoint.

What a great yard and beautiful view of the mountains. It is beyond beautiful!

My lilacs gave me a beautiful going away present by blooming like they never had before! Our back fence was a lilac extravaganza. I was in heaven!

And DOG... well, how can we not miss this darling face!! I had all I could do not to dognap him and bring him with us to CA. We love him so much... by the look on his face, I think he'll miss us too.

Max's best friend, Chloe,will be greatly missed. She was so nice to come over and give Max a bunch of going away presents, including this drum. He just loves Chloe so much, we're going to have to work on the Parisians to come visit soon.

Rowan and Max were just really starting to hit it off as we were preparing to leave. Max looks at his pictures all the time and asks for Rowan. Nice for him to have a dude to hang out with.

Uncle Brian and Fergus were generous enough to let us stay with him for a few nights before we left town. I'm sure he won't make that mistake again. A three year old can really take over any space. Brian is probably the hardest person to "leave", although we know we will see him at least at Christmas time back in Boston. We will also be begging him to visit us as much as possible.

CA has it's perks. This is our temporary housing until our condo is ready in a couple of weeks. It's totally fabulous and we're blessed to have a great yard for Max to play in and not be cooped up in some econo-lodge.

We've already signed up for the annual family pass to the Santa Barbara Zoo. Max just loved it there. The animals were great, but he could have just ridden the train all day and been totally good with that. I have a feeling we're going to spend a LOT of time here. Lucky us!

We also have the perks of being close to so many friends and family. Amy might already be sick of us. Max is totally infatuated with her.

We went to see Max's first movie, Cars 2. It was a blast! He was so excited, that he just couldn't take it anymore. Feel asleep about 20 min before the movie ended. How stinkin' cute is that?

All in all, once the dust settles and we're in our new place, this is going to be a fantastic move for the family. I promise to keep this updated more regularly, but it's obviously been a busy couple of months.

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T05:03:00.000-07:00

Easter is such a wonderful holiday! We have so many blessings in the Rowell family to be grateful for. Thank you Lord for taking such good care of us!

We went to an Easter egg hunt at our local garden center. They had 2500 eggs to find and the place was packed with kids and fun activities. Max just loved the idea of being able to eat chocolate with reckless abandon!

Playing Easter games. Toss the bucket over the fence and it comes back filled with a present. Pretty good deal for a 3 year old; he thought it was great!

And luckily, we finally had some spring time weather! Beautiful, sunny warm day ... well, warm is relative. We were just happy we saw the sun and it wasn't snowing!

Easter morning was a lot of fun. Max really liked his Easter bucket o goodies. We went to church at 8am and did our basket after. He loved church!! He stood on the chair and danced for all the songs. Really doesn't get any cuter than that!

The Easter basket had some candy; but also a prayer book, recorder, a couple of wooden toy whistlers, a super cool flash light/glow stick and the special edition Easter hot wheels muscle car.

The most exciting part for Max, was finally getting the Thomas the Train bridge he's been coveting. This bridge is displayed in a few of his Thomas books, so he's always pointing at it saying, "I wanna see bridge!"

Luckily the Easter bunny heard those wishes! Max adores his new bridge and played with it for a long time! Very sweet. You can also see the cool turtle puzzle Uncle Brian gave Max for Easter.

All in all ... so much to be thankful for ... especially the Risen Lord! Thank you Jesus!

Little Lambs

2011-03-14T06:22:00.000-07:00

Max got the "Star Student" award at Little Lambs this Sunday at church. He is such a big boy; I'm so proud of him. He sat with his class during the service, although he kept looking across the aisle at Tommy and I. I could tell he wanted to come sit with us, but he didn't cry of make a break for it.

Miss Robin goes up with Max to get his award.

Mr. Dave gives Max his very first award! Star Student!

My little over achiever. hee hee hee

The 3 and 4 year olds did a couple of adorable songs for the Church on Sunday. Max didn't really sing; he did do his bouncie monkey dance a bit. Mostly, I was proud that he was very well behaved, didn't cry or make a run for it.

Max looks a little nervous in this photo, but I love how he's holding on to his award.

Pastor Steve gives the blessing ... some of the children are getting distracted.

Link to adorable videos... at least to parents and grandparents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_K0-tFUvZ0

Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRJVMVi3hLU

Snow!

2011-03-01T15:12:00.001-08:00

Snow is sooo much fun! Max has finally discovered how much fun the snow is. He loves to pick up piles and throw the snow in the air. He giggles the entire time too. Good thing Auntie Becky has geared him well with the Patagonia cold weather jacket and pants.

As long as he's not throwing the snow at me, I'm good!

Marvelous Max - Age 3!

One ... Two ... Pree...Look who's 3!

2011-02-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Max brought in his 3rd birthday with a terrible cold. We had a really fun little party planned and we had to cancel because little mister felt pretty bad. So, Uncle Brian came over and had pizza and ice cream cake with us. Max didn't even have any, poor little guy.

Happy Birthday song gets him every time, even if he's not feeling well.

Make a wish and blow out the candles!

Opening presents is always fun, even with the sniffles. Max is loving his new guitar and Mama learned that daddy has a hidden talent of stringing guitars and knowing how to play.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Max! You are the most amazing thing in our lives; I can't believe how blessed we are to have YOU as our little boy. Mama and daddy love you beyond words. You're a blast to watch grow up.

video to follow soon....

January sunshine

2011-01-23T10:29:00.000-08:00

Max and I went for a nice walk Sunday. The sun was finally shining and we decided to soak up some vitamin D. We cruised for quite some time and on the way home, Max decided he wanted to go see Uncle Brian. I tried to tell him that we’ve walked a long way and we should go home, but he insisted we go see Brian. Luckily, he was home and willing to entertain the little guy. He got inside and after turning the ceiling fan on and off 15 times, Uncle Brian wrapped him up in a cashmere blankie. No wonder he likes hanging there. Daddy had to come give us a ride home because Max had already reached his limit and was ready for a nap. Thanks for hosting us Brian!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T12:02:00.001-08:00

We had an amazing Christmas this year! At first I was a little sad because we didn't travel back to Massachusetts, but it ended up being great to spend the holiday in Sandpoint.

Max really enjoyed the tree! He was a great help to daddy as he sawed off the top of the tree so we could fit the star. Max was fun; for the weeks leading to Christmas, he'd got and point out the different ornaments on the tree .. Train! Plane! Red! Green! Fun stuff!

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we went and had a play date with our best friend, Chloe. It was lots of fun and the beginning of the present extravaganza.

No play date is complete without a little tea party.

Then we drew some nice pictures for Santa.

Christmas Morning

Max had a ball Christmas morning! It didn't take long for him to get into the swing of things and open presents. He did want to play with each gift right away which made for a looong time in opening. We had to take a little breakfast break at one point.

We LOVE Max's wild thing pajamas! He's quite funny roaring and stamping his claw feet.

Uncle Brian come over in the morning for some coffee and to share gifts with Max. Although, Max pretty much insists on helping everyone open their presents. Unwrapping is lots of fun.

Chrismtas stocking made by Auntie Becky was great. You can see Max sporting a fun tie dye shirt from Auntie Candy.

Christmas at Uncle Brian's House

We went to Brian's for Christmas dinner. It was great fun as Ami and Hadli were also there. Hadli really liked looking up to Max and following him around to see what he was up to. I think Max enjoyed being the "big kid" too.

Max showing Hadli how much fun playing on the stairs can be.

KISSES! This is the awesome face Max makes when he wants mama to give him kisses. Then ne yells, "no!" so I will chase him and tackle him with kisses. Too dang cute! Gets me every time.

Having fun being silly with Uncle Brian.

I also love that now, every picture of Max, has him holding a car of some sort in at least one hand.

Thank you!

Anyone who knows Max knows he still does lots of sign language in addition to his growing vocabulary. He was SOO sweet ... after every present ... he said and signed, "thank you!"

Playset - Aunt Becky - Halloween

2010-11-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

There has been some great progress on the swing set. There is actually even more built than this picture shows. The slide is now up too! Just need swings and we're good to go! Max loves to play in his fort. He sometimes insists on having lunch there and even wants Daddy to join him. So cute! Needless to say, Grandpa gets HUGE props for such an amazing gift.

Max's Godmother, Aunt Becky, came to visit us! What a great blessing to have our dear friend spend a few day with the family. Of coarse, if Aunt Becky comes, presents come too. Sooo generous. And nothing perks Max up more than the word "presents"!

Max got some fantastic patagoina gear, a cool Dr. Sues puzzle and stuffed green monster. He was thrilled with all of it.

Max like sharing one of his favorite things to do with Aunt Becky ... coloring! She is such a good sport; she'll pretty much do or play with anything Max brings to her. Warms my heart to see them togehter. He's so lucky to have such an adoring Aunt.

Max love to throw rocks in the streams near our house. Aunt Becky would gather the rock for him to throw in the water. He could spend all day there if we let him. Becky probably would too! I love how the smallest things are of great interest.

On our way home from our walk, Max just wanted to hold Aunt Becky's hand. I think both of our hearts melted. Love when that little face looks lovingly up at you and grabs your hand. Love at its finest.

Halloween

We had this great Asian outfit hand me down from our friend Linda. He looked so cute all dressed up. I told people he was a child laborer in China!

There was a great party at Coldwater Creek for the little Creekers. Max was wired for sound and didn't sit still for 10 seconds. He had more fun in the fitness center playing with the balls than he did at the party!

We did get him in the party for a short time. He did some bouncing, but pretty much wasn't into playing with all the kids. Oh well.. sometimes the best laid plans just don't work out.

We went to the Children's museum in Spokane before we took Aunt Becky back to the airport. It was kinda lame, but Max enjoyed playing in the mud.

Making electricity with Daddy. ..... Aunt Becky and Mom went shopping!

Becky.... we love you more than words will ever express. THANK YOU for being such a cherished member of our family!

Puddle Stomping

2010-10-11T09:23:00.001-07:00

A little rain never stops Max from wanting to play outside. Right before this soggy play time, Max was all upset because it was time to turn off Thomas the Train. But, I said, "rubber boots" and "puddles" ... and Max perked right up!

Max had a great time running around jumping in the puddles trying to make the biggest splash possible. His buddy, Bear, loved having Max to chase. Needless to say, the two of them were a soggy mess by the time puddle jumping was over. Mama looked pretty silly in the pouring rain taking pictures too. Our neighbors must just love us! LOL

Even with our fire engine red rubber boots, we were soaked to the bone! Max could have stayed outside all day. The fact that he was water logged didn't seam to bother him.

Hey Mama ...why don't you stomp in the puddles too. So, I got my rubber boots on and stomped around with Max. :)

Autumn is well underway and it is time to start pulling some stuff from the garden and moving to the compost pile. Needless to say, it involves digging and dirt .... Max is all over it!

A big shovel is no match for Max ... whatever Daddy does, Max wants to do too!

Dragging 10 foot sunflowers to the compost pile is Big Boy work! What a stud! My boy is the bestest!

Ground Breaking

2010-10-03T13:06:00.001-07:00

We had our ground breaking ceremony for Max's play set this weekend. We're ready for the fun to begin!

Corpus Grandpa got Max an awesome play set earlier this year. Time for gardening is now over, so we've got some construction to do! And if it involved digging in the dirt, you can be sure Max is all over it! It's got the perfect location so we can look up at the pretty mountain while Max plays.

The shovel was a little big for Max, but that didn't stop him from jumping right in the middle of the activity. He even was stomping his foot on the shovel like he saw Daddy do.

Max makes sure that Daddy measures properly. Measure twice, cut once. Well, we did a little re-digging. Luckily it all worked out perfectly.

Taking some time to really get into the dirt. There are very cool earth worms that have been exposed.

No smiling... I take my digging very seriously.

Just a glimpse at some beautiful autumn color!

It's fun to be Max!

2010-10-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Max, Uncle Brian, and I went to River Front Park in Spokane last weekend and had a total blast! We were trying to keep Max out of Tommy's hair so he can work on building his play set in the back yard. Brian was nice enough to help me entertain Max.

Mostly it was a great day. Max did have a little issue with barf in in Uncle Brian's car. Yikes. So we pulled off to the side of the road. I stripped down Max, cleaned him up and gave him fresh clothes. While Brian had the yucky job of cleaning out the car seat. What a great uncle!

We walked around River Front Park and looked at the pretty rivers, saw the neat train, and took a ride on the carousel. Max really liked that and probably would have stayed on it for hours if we let him. We followed up with a trip to the new Apple store and various retail therapy... and Chinese food from PF Chang's! It was a great day. Thanks Uncle Brian for sharing is a special time.

I know we just spoke of how much Max likes to water ... but look at the joy on this boy's face! We can get an hour of "free" time if we just turn on the hose and give it to Max. I'm not quite sure what we'll do this winter to keep him occupied.

This is the look he gets on his face just when he's about to water Mama!

Sunflowers from the garden.

Green Thumb

2010-09-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Daddy makes sure Max gives all the plants a good drink.

Max loves to do anything that daddy does! So, without question, one of Max’s favorite things to do is work in the garden. He LOVES to water; as Mema would say, “water bug”. Tommy has done a wonderful job with a beautiful garden in our yard. He’s grown strawberries, several types of lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, chard, and various flowers, etc. Let it be knows, that mama complains about the garden a lot because it’s taken a lot of precious time, but the results are truly amazing. Tommy (and Max) have a lot to be proud of.

These are just a couple of pics to show Max doing one of his favorite activities and Tommy’s green thumb. The great thing is, we can give Max a hose with dribbling water, and he’s good to go for an hour. LOL

Here is an off topic video ... Max daning to "They Must Be Giants"... sooo cute!

Summer Vacation - Take 3! Seattle!

2010-08-23T05:08:00.000-07:00

We had the final installment of summer vacation; we went to Seattle to see the Ranalli family. What a blast we had on our short visit! We did a 6 hour car ride from Sandpoint to Seattle and Max was an absolute champ! He did very well on his first big road trip. He did have one minor incident where he barfed all over the car about 20 minutes from our destination. But, us pulling over to clean up kept us from being caught up in an accident that wasn't too far up the road. God works in mysterious ways.

We went to the Woodland Park Zoo and it was the best day ever! It was a little overcast and cool, but that made all the animals out for our visit. Max and Nicholas were two little peas in a pod and it was so much for to see the zoo through their eyes. It was also heartwarming to see these two little guys get used to each other and play. Just darling!

Nicholas and Max ... bosom buddies.

Nicholas and Max check out the kimono dragon. This was super cool and very impressive ... for the parents too.

The best way to travel? On Daddy's shoulders of coarse!

Nicholas investigating the bear cave ... Max is going to make sure Nicholas is safe before he goes in too.

Look at this darling face! I think Nicholas was just about to tell Daddy it was OK for him to explore the bear cave ... even though Daddy had reservations.

It was really fun to watch Nicholas and Max RUN through the zoo! They were both so excited and just took turns chasing each other ... The Daddies are not far behind!

The Rowell and Ranalli family. Great Friends!

Mama and Max checking out the elephant. Max was so happy to see all these animals in real life! I already can't wait to go back.

Darling Christian! He is the most perfect baby ever. He's smiling all the time and had a great disposition. I forgot he was there sometimes he was so good. And look at those big blue eyes! He looks just like his pretty mama.

Nicholas and Max getting ready to ride the carousel.

Max was kind of freaked out on his first carousel ride, partially because some guy stepped on his fingers right before the ride. He cried when we rode by and waved at Daddy, but then wanted more once the ride was over.

We went to this great Castle Park near the Ranalli home; the boys had all kinds of fun running around. There were also great black berry bushes to pick berries from along the way.

Nicholas is a master balancer!

Max loves to slide!

Super Mom Kelly can do it ALL! Truly, the most amazing Mom!

Max and Nicholas both have a great love for Thomas the Train. This is them watching their favorite show together.

Kelly and Chris .... we had an amazing weekend! Thank you so much for your hospitality ... and Nicholas for being so generous, sharing his toys with Max. This was the best weekend in a long time! I can't wait to do it again! Love you!!

Summer Vacation - Take 2!

2010-08-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Tommy's sister, Cindy and the rest of the Govett family came to Sandpoint to visit for a few days. Max so loved having his cousins, Abbey and Chase, here to play with. Max instantly looked up to Chase when he realized he can ride the skateboard. They took turns, Chase on the skateboard, Max running his truck, up and down the walk way.

Chase was so sweet with Max; he went out of his way to get down to the little guy's level. Max just loved having a dude to look up to.

Chase and Abbey got Max in the lake! They did a great job of collecting rocks for Max to throw in the water. I don't think Max really cared what they were doing, as long as they were together.

Abbey helping Max navigate the lake.

Max and Abbey had a fun time playing with blocks in his room. They also had some mad tent/tunnel time and of coarse, snack time.

Grapes, strawberries and cheese .... Max likes to feed Abbey. Awe....

Max's adoration for Abbey is very apparent. He watched this video of the two of them about 50 times in a row!

photography by Abbey!

Two hot mama's ... that's why we hit the shade. :)

It was GREAT to see everyone! Max is still asking for , "Aaaace?" and "Abbeeeey?" Soooo darling, I just wish we all were closer together so we could enjoy the company more often.

Summer vacation ... take one!

2010-07-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

Just finished a great week's stacation! It was wonderful to have time off and not be traveling anywhere. We live in such a beautiful place, why leave? Especially during the brief summer.
Grandpops Bobby came to visit us for a few days; we were thrilled to have him join us. Max was a little shy at first. The great thing about Max is, if he closes his eyes, the situation just doesn't exist and he hides in his little "Max world" until it's safe to comeout. Needless to say, it didn't take Max long to warm up to Grandpops.

Grandpops spoiled Max with a huge bag filled with terrific books! There was so much loot that we couldn't give it to him all at one time. He also got some cool planes, a back pack, a jack in the box (which was a little scary for a few days) and a retro top! That was a huge hit! Max loves to watch things spin so tha was an instant winner. It was hard to tell who got more enjoyment out of the presents, Max or Grandpops. They both were tickled pink, very darling to watch them together.

Mostly we bored Grandpops with our small town family fun stuff: running trucks up and down the walk way, goig to little kids birthday parties, swim classes, etc. We did some local sight seeing, like the Kootanea Wild Animal Refuge ... we saw a squirrell. That kind of stuff. But the weather was perfect, Tommy made us food that was outstanding, and the company could not have been any better.

All in all, it was awesome to have Grandpops visit and a few extra days off. I can't believe the week is over so quickly! Next on the vacation agenda: A visit from Grandpa from Corpus and the Govette family. Then, off to Seattle to see the Ranallis! Let summer begin ... finally!

Independence Day!

2010-07-03T17:02:00.000-07:00

Independence day came a day early in Sandpoint. We signed up to walk the parade with a bunch of other Creekers. Great fun for sure, but went by very quickly! I think it lasted, maybe 15 minutes. Just about the time Max was starting to get excited about it, it was over. We realized after that it was the kiddie parade the not the "big" parade.

Ollie (the dog), Ami, Hadli, Mama, Max, Val, Matt, Dallen & Chase, Necole, Chandra and Casey.

Uncle Brian got roped in for another parade! :)

We were excited to see Jennifer and Chloe back from vacation; Max missed his buddy. They were running just a few minutes late and missed the big hurrah!

Max and his VBFF, Chloe! It's so much fun to watch these two play and grow up together. They've been friends since they were about 6 months old. Nothing makes Max happier than being with Chloe.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2010-06-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

PLANES .....

Max is 100% boy and loves planes, trains and automobiles. This past weekend, our friend Robert, took us to check out his plane. It was super cool; Max dug it a lot. He got a little freaked out when Robert went to put him in the plane … I think it was because Mama was out of sight for 4 seconds. We didn’t go up flying… this time. But did have great fun putting our arms out and pretending we were airplanes and “flying” around Robert’s hanger.

TRAINS....

Yesterday, we took our first train ride. Our little town did a free train ride promoting train safety, etc. We went with some friends and really had a blast. Max was sooo excited about the train. He kept making Uncle Brian go look down the tracks with him as we waited for the train to come. He loved looking out the window, pointing out trees and cows while making his “wooo-hooo” train sounds. It was really lots of fun!

Automobiles .... see post below on playing in Mama's car. :)

Another boring story

2010-06-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

I love when Max does something new that tickles my fancy and makes me smile ... then I realize that every other kid on the planet did the same thing and the silly stories are lame to everyone I tell them to. They're just smiling at me to be friendly.

Here is one of those stories: Max is suddenly facinated with playing in the car. The adventure of being in the car but not restricted to the car seat must be very liberating; he just loves it! He's in the driver's seat and is the navigator of our jouney. Pushing buttons, lifting leavors, putting cD's in and out of the arm rest, hazzard lights on/off/on/off/.... all make for all kinds of fun. We were in there for almost an hour the other day. I finally had to pry him out because he was sporting a poopy diaper. OK ... probably a little too much info in that story. heee heee heee.

And look at this kid ... how old is he anyway? I decided to save this picture so when he get's his license, I can whip this out and tell him that I still see him like this age! 2 1/2! Poor kid ... he's stuck with a crazy mama!

Aunt Becky's awesome giraffe

2010-05-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

Auntie Becky sent Max this killer giraffe that she made for him. She's so talented; it's awesome. Max pulled him out of the package and instantly started hugging and kissing him. He's been dragging the giraffe around the house... hugging him and kissing him constantly. He also wants mama and daddy to give affections too. Pretty dang cute!

Growing

2010-05-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

It's spring time and everything is growing like a weed, including Max. I can't believe how big he's gotten! He loves being outside and exploring the yard. No detail is too small and watching bugs is now a favorite past time. He gets excited to show you his discoveries ... a dead leaf, a rock from the drive way, an ant making his way across the walk. It's a lot of fun to see it all through his eyes.

And at the end of the day ... some dino slippers, a cold frosty milk and some Baby Einstein to wind down a great day of adventure.

Spring has Sprung

2010-04-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful day! The sun is shining and the breeze is warm. We're excited to be able to play in our back yard and enjoy such a lovely day. Max is happy as long as he can run around... and extra happy if he can push his trucks all over the place. And for Mommy and Daddy ... we just need to see our Marvelous Max smiling and laughing and we're filled with joy. Isn't it great! The best things in life are certainly free.

Healthy and Strong

2010-04-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Max had a great check up at the doctor yesterday. He's in the 90+ percentile in all his measurements. 36 inches tall. 32 1/2 pounds. 20 inch noggin. That is the 95th percentile. What can I say ... big brain.

Great weekend with time to play in the yard. Max love to run around his yard and push trucks or search for tennis balls to throw for the dogs. Another great past time is to stop and check out the train as it goes by. It makes no difference what activity is going on; it stops when the train goes by. We must investigate and give a shout out "whoo hooo!"

He's such a big, healthy boy! He is just more and more fun to be with all the time. We're so blessed.

Mom's a slacker

2010-03-30T07:03:00.001-07:00

My dad actually accused me of slacking on my mommy duties and that I haven't been posting pictures of Max. This is the same man that told me that Max is the most documented baby on the planet! Well, things in Max land are great! What's not to love if you're Max? Days are filled with lots of play, walking dogs with Daddy, and every whim catered to. It's not a bad gig if you can get it.

getting ready to go outside and play.

Max LOVES to run his truck up and down the cement walk way in the back yard.

This is the look on Max's face as he charges after mama to jump on me and attack with tickles.

Look at that awesome smile! Max also has the best giggles I've ever heard!

Max’s 2nd Birthday – Part 2

2010-03-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Well, if you turn two, you should have two parties, right? We had a fun cupcake party with a couple of friends. Super mellow, but super fun just the same. Sure was hoping we’d get Max to dive into the cupcakes, but not so much. He absolutely loves the singing “Happy Birthday” part, and blowing out the candles. That’s great stuff that we can do over and over again if we indulge him; which we did. The cupcakes were interesting to him, and I thought he might go for it … but once he got frosting on his fingers, he was over it. Oh well, maybe next year!

Max 2nd Birthday - part 1

2010-03-09T07:20:00.000-08:00

We had a great time for Max’s 2nd birthday. We went to Pan Handler Pies with Uncle Brian and went home for cake and his birthday present. The cake wasn’t that much of a success; the boy isn’t really into sweets. I guess that’s a good thing.

We got him a little drum like the one he uses in his Little Mozart music class. He knew exactly what it was when he opened it and was thrilled to death! Every other parent I know tells us we’re crazy for giving him the drum … but he just has a blast with it. Soon it will be spring time and he can play with it outside!

Happy Birthday Max!

2010-02-25T11:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Max!! 2!! wow... 2!!!!

These pics are from Max's photo shoot with Jax Creations. (http://www.jax-creations.com/) Our little baby is now a big boy toddler! He's so fast and strong; it's hard keeping up with him. But, he is, by far, the biggest joy of our lives. He makes me and Tommy smile every day and just fills our hearts!

Tonight we're going to PanHandler Pies for dinner ... followed by a small cup cake party on Sunday.

* photos by http://www.jax-creations.com/

Countdown to Two!

2010-02-14T09:20:00.000-08:00

Look how handsome I am!

Inspecting the creation.

The countdown to two is ticking away! I can’t believe our “baby” is 2! *blink* TWO! Max is so strong, fast, funny, inquisitive; loveable, smart … I could go on and on! Proud mama! Some Maxisms – his favorites things at age 2:

Lights, this has been a fascination all along, but now he can control them and that makes it all the more exciting. Nighttime ritual includes walking around down stairs and making sure all the lights are off. We get particularly excited over the swag hanging light that he has to be lifted up to pull the cord and the ceiling fan.

Coloring is another wonderful obsession. Tommy covers the coffee table with white paper and tapes it down for Max’s daily new canvas. Every morning when Max wakes up, he is completely excited to see the vast blankness and anticipates, excitingly what he will create.

Watching home movies starring… Max! Every diaper change involves Max checking out the documented adventures of his life. It’s the only thing that keeps him still enough to change him without making a total mess. As Grandpa always says, “He’s the most well documented kid on the planet!”

Pushing around anything with wheels including the tricycle he hasn’t figured out he can actually ride on. It’s a total bonus if he is strong enough to flip the object over and spin the wheels with his hands as fast as he can.

Favorite foods: Oatmeal with daddy in the morning, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, broccoli, spinach, goldfish, and bites of mommy’s go lean bars. He loves and drinks tons of milk and enjoys making cow sounds whenever we take the carton out of the refrigerator.

Getting ready for night night is the best part of the day. Max and mama snuggle and watch Blues Clues before we make the rounds to turn off the lights. Daddy is in charge of making sure dino-blankie is heading upstairs with us. I hold Max’s hands and try to get him to actually walk up the stairs instead of just floundering his legs like a crazy man. Max then runs for the fan and picks it up like “strong man” and grunts and shows how strong he is. He gets one binky to suck, and one to hold for good luck. (I think we’re breakin’ the binky habit for our birthday.) Kisses for mama, kisses for dada, family hug and down he goes. Night time prayer and lots of love.

What a beautiful time two is! I hope we remember it forever!

Long time... no blog

2010-02-01T16:40:00.001-08:00

I am sooo far behind on updating our family blog! It’s February and I haven’t even posted about Christmas! We had an awesome time visiting family back in Massachusetts. Max loved hanging out with his cousins and getting lots of special attention from them. We also had a blast visiting Auntie Lisa at the Little Gym. Max got to play with a bunch of little kids, which he loved. We only wish there was one close to home. We also went to the New England Aquarium with Grandpops Bob. That was a very special, great time. Grandpa Dave took us to a fun Christmas show with all kinds of mannequins displaying Christmas scenes … that was fun … except Santa scared Max. LOL

January has been a blur! Mama has a new job and it’s sucking up all kinds of time. It’s all good, just have lots to learn. Now that February is here … it’s time to start thinking about Max’s birthday party! He’s almost 2! Can you stand it?

SANTA!

2009-12-03T04:42:00.000-08:00

Max went to see Santa at the Creek yesterday. He, of course, was hesitant … so we sat on the side of the room and watched Santa with other little kids first. Then we got up the courage to wave to Santa. He came over to try to let Max know Santa was nice and was talking softly to him. Max even was brave enough to give a high five and a fist bump to Santa. But, when it was time for Max to sit on Santa’s lap …. Uuuhhh…. No way! He put the vice grip on Mama. So, we sat in the chair and Santa stood behind us. This was the first picture taken. Right after, Max burst out into tears and held his arms out for Daddy. Poor little guy was scared to death. I could feel the death grip and him tremble. So, we ended that experience pretty quickly. LOL. I guess every kid gets to be tortured by scary Santa in their lifetime. It’s a right of passage.

Great Friends

2009-11-21T12:16:00.000-08:00

Our favorite part of the week is always a playdate with Chloe. The mama’s like hanging out too, so it’s really perfect. This week Jenn and Chloe came to our house. Max was in the mood for coloring and lots of “ring around the rosy”. That is his new obsession; I thank Jenn for teaching it to him! I don’t think Tommy plays it often with Max, so it’s always the first thing he wants to do with me when I get home. So funny and sweet. Anyway, we love our time together and are so lucky to have such nice friends.

Coloring is fun!

Can I have your binky?

Great Friends!

Max random cuteness!

Snow!

2009-11-18T19:39:00.000-08:00

We had a light dusting of snow recently, just enough for Max to get familiar with the fluffy white stuff. He couldn’t really get around on his own last year, so this is a much different experience. He had a great time pushing his truck and/or stroller around the drive way. He gets a little OCD about it; don’t know where that comes from. Anyway, at first, his gear was a little sparse. We had to wrestle him down to bundle him up so he could continue with his mission of pushing anything with wheels around the driveway in circles. Our little boy! He’s just a crack up to be around these days!

1st Haircut

2009-11-07T16:40:00.000-08:00

Max had his first haircut today. He cried a little bit, but all in all, he did very well. No buzz cut or anything extreme. Just trim off the bozo curls that stuck out. You can see that he was a little tense in this pic. He looks great. So grown up, our little boy!

Artwork

2009-10-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

Max is learning to enjoy crayons and drawing. His artworks, of course, are master pieces. Luckily he hasn’t tried to eat the crayons or draw on the walls … yet! I’m sure that is just around the corner.

Halloween 2009

2009-10-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

We had a fun time at the Little Creekers Halloween party. It’s always a crack up to see all the munchkins all dressed up; Max was a tiger. We had been practicing our ‘roars’ for days, but he got some stage freight when there were a lot of people around. He found a cool pumpkin mask on a sick that he liked playing peek-a-boo with. That was probably his favorite part. The candy would have been his favorite part, but we didn’t give him any. I know; we’re so mean. LOL.

Happy Feet

2009-10-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Max got to play with his BFF Chloe yesterday. It was great fun because we haven’t gotten together in a while. He taught Chloe one of his favorite things to play: “Happy Feet”. So dang cute!

Autumn Bliss

2009-10-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Fall is in the air! It’s beautiful!! We’ve had a great weekend, playing outside in the crisp air, running around in circles by the garden and endless games of “I’m gonna get you”. Family fun at its finest. Max is so big and fast, that often times Tommy and I just look at him like, “WOW! Who is this little boy and where did our baby Max go?” We’re so proud of him and love how much he makes us laugh every day. It’s such a blessing to have such a happy, safe and healthy family that fills us with such joy! Life is good.

Grandpa's Birthday!

2009-09-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

Grandpa has been visiting us this week from Corpus Christie. Max is having fun chasing him and making him read his favorite books. I don’t think Grandpa seems to mind though. We were extra excited to be able to spend his 78th birthday with him. Tommy made us all a wonderful dinner and then we had cake for Grandpa. Max wasn’t sure what to make of the candles and us all singing. He was looking at us all kind of funny.

Grandpa also brought some old family photos with him. Those were really fun to look through. Especially when you see his baby pictures; Max looks sooo much like him! It’s crazy! I guess Max is a Rowell, through and through … and those are some good genes.

Max's favorite activity

2009-09-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

What is Max's favorite thing to do? Watch videos starring ... MAX! He's our little ego maniac. I have to say, it comes in quite handy. Changing a diaper and Max is a wiggle worm? Turn on a video and he's obsessed with watching and laughing at himself. Pretty dang funny. He has now learned the sign for "please". So, he stands in front of the computer, points at it, and makes the "please" sign. Oh, well ... at least he'll be a polite ego maniac!

Max and Jax .... Max's first ice cream cone

2009-08-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

www.jax-creations.com

Max and Jax got to meet for ice cream! I got to meet Jackie's new precious boy, Charlie too. What a darling. I just wanted to cuddle him up.

Max was very serious at this ice cream shop. He had Jackie dancing on the sidewalk trying to get him to smile. It was fun for passers by too. :)

Jackie is such a wonderful photographer! I can't recommend her highly enough. Check out her web sites and see her art!

http://www.jaxcreations.blogspot.com/

e

www.jax-creations.com

cha cha changes ....

2009-08-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

such a happy guy

tough guy look

Max is changing! He's growing soooo fast! You can see the little boy in him coming out and the baby fading away. That went too quickly. But, he just keeps getting better and more fun all the time. He loves to give kisses, dancing, running in the yard, chasing the cat, etc. He is now tall enough so it's not just turning the light switch off, it's on too! On, off, on, off, on, off ....

Other favorite past times include: dumping the dogs' water dish outside, climbing on furniture, putting rocks in buckets - dumping them out and starting all over again, turning on/off TV/Dish, pulling all the books off the book shelf, rearranging furniture and trying to plug/unplug all wires and cords. Completely obsessed with watching videos of himself. Funny stuff!

He's got some serious molars coming in so he's always got his fingers in his mouth. He's taking it all pretty well, although he has woken up the last couple of nights. which is unusual. Hopefully he's feeling better soon.

Other than that, it's been the best summer ever! We have another visitor coming out soon ... Grandpa Tom from Corpus. We can't wait for him to be here!! We're hoping to pull off a painting project before he arrives. There ought to be some good blog posts on that! Are we crazy to try to pain the downstairs with a 1 1/2 year old? Probably!

playing at the lake with Daddy.

Exploring the yard.

Grandpops is a great playmate!

2009-07-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Max is having a wonderful time with all the visitors this summer. Grandpops is in town this week and having a “big” playmate around is lots of fun!

Max is also learning how to give kisses … just when you think he couldn’t get any cuter! He hasn’t learned to pucker yet, so he just comes after you with a big wide open mouth. Pretty funny site.

We went to the Ice House in Hope and had some great pizza, but the highlight was the bongos they had. Max and Grandpops were getting their groovy on and I think Max has got the rhythm going!

Summer guests: Part I

2009-07-12T13:17:00.001-07:00

We’re having summer guests and it’s awesome!! Our families live so far away that we get really excited when it’s time for visitors. There was some great coordination to get Grandpa and Mema out here at the same time the Glendenning Family came through town. Candy, Andrew, Liam and Logan stayed with us for a few days, visiting from Redlands, Ca. They were pretty happy to have some cool weather and a soft bed to sleep in between camping trips.

Candy had a trunk show for her artwork, “Candied Fabrics”. We had a bunch of friends over, some wine and yummy snacks… it was a great time. It was also great fun to hang out with their two darling boys. Max really loved checking out his cousins and seemed pleased to have more “short people” around.

Tommy to Max to city beach with Candy and Logan. Max was still a little nervous of the water, but let Tommy put some on him with his hands. Progress.

Max loves checking out Grandpa and his beard too. He was a little stand off-ish at first, but he’s warmed up quite a bit and has been enjoying being silly with Grandpa. Mema, as always, is a huge help. She made some of our favorites: spaghetti with meatballs and potato salad. (not to be eaten at the same time.) She hops right in to clean up dishes or do laundry. I think I’ll keep her and not let her go home. LOL

4th of July

2009-07-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

We just had a total blast walking in the 4th of July parade in downtown Sandpoint. Coldwater Creek had a group walking and it was fun to join in. We got to hang out with Uncle Brian and even saw Max's best friend, Chloe! It was super fun ... So much fun for Max, that he slept through most of it.

It really could have gone either way ... 90 degrees? ... nap time? I figured he'd have a melt down or crash. I much preferred the nap! We had Daddy on back up patrol with emergency diaper bag. He was prepared to rescue Max if he flipped and decided he was over being in the parade.

Christmas in June

2009-06-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Miss Linda went through her darling son, Julian’s things and sent THREE boxes of stuff for Max! The boxes were filled with awesome clothes and all kinds of fun toys! Max was having a blast going through the boxes, flinging clothes around, trying on hats and playing with his new toys. It was like Christmas all over again. Thank you Linda, David and Julian for blessing Max in such a great way!! He will get tons of enjoyment out of all his new loot! Love you!

He's a shredder!

2009-06-28T17:17:00.001-07:00

Max has these moments where he's totally into shredding the phone book. We generally like it because he's quiet and in one place so we can get something done for 5 minutes. He'll sit in the corner, pull out the phone book and rip out a page. Then he'll start tearing the page lengthwise into long strips that he just makes skinnier with ever tear. He can spend up to 20 minutes in his confetti manufacturing process! We always pounce on the opportunity to have free hands and clean up the mess later. Just nobody ask me for a phone number, we probably don't have it anymore! :-)

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

So you're probably wondering, "where is the father in father's day pictures?" ... Well, our gift to daddy was Max time with mamma so he could work on the vegetable garden.

Max and mamma had fun: a trip to CDA, running around in the yard, playing outside, and of coarse ... a photo session.

Happy Father's Day, Tommy! You're an outstanding father and the unconditional love and patience you show in taking care of Max every day is the biggest blessing to our family! We love you more than words could ever express!

2 great new things … Dancing and Praying!

2009-06-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Max has discovered DANCING! What fun! He just starts busting a move when he hears music, sometimes from the radio, sometimes from his toys. He gets even more enjoyment out of it if we dance with him!

Every time I think, he’s just as cute and as fun as he could possibly ever be …. He does something like this that just makes him even more of a joy!

Max dancing to Tobymac

Max and his prayer partner

Our friend Daphne gave Max this great prayer doll that he has just now discovered. Max LOVES him! He goes around pressing his belly and smiling while the doll recites the prayer. He’s learning to say, “Amen”. The other night, I put him to bed with his prayer partner. Needless to say, that wasn’t the smartest thing. I heard this prayer over the baby monitor for about an hour. Just when you would think he was sleeping, you’d hear the prayer start up again. It started to get a little creepy. LOL. But it sure is precious to see him get so happy when he hears the prayer and his version of “Amen”.

Come Sail Away

2009-06-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

Ok - not a sail boat ... but a boat none the less ...

We had all kinds of fun this weekend, including taking Max on his maiden voyage on a boat! Jennifer and Chloe invited us to take a cruise on Lake Pend Oreille. Pretty adventurous for two moms and no boys to help hold the babies!

Jennifer is a boat master and I was super impressed with her skills. It was a beautiful day and really cool to be out on the lake. Come to think of it, it was my maiden voyage on Lake Pend Oreille too.Max was a little over heated with the cheap life jacket that mama bought him. We need to exchange it for one that breathes better; Max was a little inferno! Once we got cruising, the breeze helped mellow him out. You can tell from this pic that he looks a little flush.

Jennifer was very well prepared with snacks and some beer and wine. But because we were juggling babies, we didn’t get to partake in cocktails. I guess boys come in handy sometimes. Next cruise, we’ll have to bring the Dads!

Thank you soooo much Jennifer! It was great fun and we can’t wait for our next adventure!

and the winner is? Max with a head butt!

2009-06-09T08:04:00.001-07:00

There is nothing Max loves more than wrestling on the floor with Daddy! Sometimes, Max even wins …. even if it’s a low blow head butt at the end of the game.

Art from cousin Kendyll

2009-05-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

Cousin Kendyll made this great picture for Max! He LOVES it!! We hung it on his bedroom door. Thank you, Kendyll! We love and miss you. Can't wait to see you at Christmas!

North Idaho for "pool"

2009-05-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

I think we might start playing the wash board and spoons over here soon!

Memorial Day 2009

2009-05-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

What a perfect weekend! The weather was warm and sunny and all was beautiful in Sandpoint! We got a lot of stuff done around the house and did some relaxing and playing too.

Max got the chance to try out the cool bike trailer that a friend loaned to us. He was a little hesitant about the helmet, but seemed to enjoy the ride, even on our bumpy dirt road. I think he'd really dig a cruise along a nice smooth bike path. We're gonna need to invest in a bike trailer for ourselves.

The helmet is black with flames...very cool! And, because Max has the biggest head in the world, it's a helmet that is for a 5 year old! We tried on 3+ and it was too small for his melon! So, the next size was 5+! He's gonna be so smart!

Bookworm

2009-05-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

Max is at such a great age. He makes us laugh all the time. He’s always got some new thing that he’s fascinated with. His latest is how much he loves books. He’s got two that are his favorites: “Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?” and “Where is Baby’s Belly Button?”. He will come running up to you with one of these books in his hands and make you read it over and over again. He knows it well enough that he knows when it’s time to turn the page. He also has a part that he’s not so fond of that he tries to skip every time. It’s so cute; I can’t stand it. Our marvelous Max!!

Thank you Auntie Cindy and Shannon and Diana for the great books!! :-)

Springtime in Sandpoint!

2009-05-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

Spring time has finally hit Sandpoint! The grass is green, the flowers have their buds starting and all the natives have pink skin because of sunburn and being exposed after the winter hibernation!

Max is so enjoying running around in his yard. Late yesterday afternoon, he was running around, no pants and barefoot. He loved the cool grass on his feet! I think we just need to let him run even more so that he crashes hard and bedtime is easier! LOL.

The Stair Master

2009-05-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Max is the Stair Master!!! He just LOVES to turn the light on and off …over and over and over again!!! That is generally followed by him scooting up the stairs with extra squeals of delight if you’re chasing him. Then, he lays flat like a board and slides all the way down. He could do this for hours if we let him!

How did he get so big?

2009-05-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

WOW! I just look at Max and wonder how he became so BIG! It seems like he’s growing every day; I just can’t stand it! He’s grown so much and has more energy than I have ever witnessed in my life. I have a hard time keeping up with him sometimes.

We’ve been watching Fergus for Uncle Brian. Max has become very comfortable around him. We’re trying to teach him that “patting” the dog is different than taking your hand and slamming it on him over and over. Luckily, Fergus is very sweet and tolerant. Max also has a hard time resisting pulling on Fergus’ beard. But the funniest thing is how Max watches Fergus’ nub (tail) wag back and forth. He’s fascinated with it! He stares at is and starts shaking his head in time with the wags … just before he reaches out to grab it! I think Fergus will be very happy when his daddy gets home!

Making new friends

2009-04-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

We had fun making new friends yesterday. Val came over with Dallen and we had a great time playing and getting to know each other. Dallen is 1 year old today; happy birthday Dallen! So, Max and he are very close in age.

At first, Max was a little hesitant and was a bit clingy to mama. But he warmed up pretty quickly as he saw Dallen diving into the toys and have fun! Dallen knows how to party, where Max has to overcome a bit of shyness. It’s really good for Max to branch out and start hanging with other little kids. It’s good for me to make friends with other Moms too. So, I think we’ll all end up being very good friends!

Max videos

2009-04-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

Some fun videos.

Peanut butter!

2009-04-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Max has finally experienced the finer things in food ... PEANUT BUTTER! Yes, Mommy's favorite has been passed down to the next generation. I'm really happy he likes it, because it's probably one of the better things I can make to eat! LOL! The menu is slowly growing! Yay!

Signs of spring

2009-04-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

There are finally signs of spring! The snow is all gone in our yard and the grass is green, at least where Tommy has de-thatched. It’s warm enough to hang out in the back yard and play after work. And Max has found two new, very interesting activities: Playing with the grass and opening and closing the sliding screen door! That one is a HUGE hit! But then again, anything that opens/closes, opens/closes, opens/closes …. Over and over again is always a big delight for Max. He’s got this new loud fake laugh that he’s busting out too. Makes it all even funnier! It’s going to be a super fun spring!

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-11T12:33:00.001-07:00

Max had his first Easter Egg hunt today at Memorial Park. He was more interested in watching all the other little kids that picking up eggs. He picked up one egg, and wanted to give it away to a little girl. Such a flirt! It was small town fun at its finest, even though it was all over in about 10 minutes.

Saturday ... in the Park ... I think it was the 4th of July ...

2009-04-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, not the 4th of July ... the 4th of April ... and I'll stop singing now.

Spring is finally in the air! Finally! We went to the park today to enjoy some of the sunshine. It was a beautiful day and it was fun to get outside and play. Max got some swing action going and really enjoyed himself. He's got such a great giggle! (video to come) I can tell we're going to have a blast on all kinds of adventures this Spring/Summer.

Max also had his maiden voyage on the slide! The milestones are everywhere. :-) He wasn't sure what to make of the slide at first, but after a couple of times going down, he was totally diggin' it!

Max and Daddy ... BFF! :-)

*click on pictures to enlarge

Walking like a drunken sailor.

2009-03-31T06:27:00.000-07:00

Max is practicing his walking. He’s getting really good, although, at times, looks a bit like a drunken sailor. It’s sooo much fun! Now that the snow is just about gone (minus the random dustings just to tick me off), Max is going outside and practicing his walking too. Makes me nervous when he falls on cement.

Anyway, as you can see, he’s on FIRE! Doing great! I have visions of him running around the yard this spring! God help us! Hee hee hee!

MAX IS WALKING!!!!

2009-03-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

WOW! MAX IS WALKING!

He’s been taking a couple of wobbly steps here and there, but when we got back from CA, he busted his move! Of coarse, the cameras were all still in the luggage … but I got this last night. He’s doing a great job … and he’s soooo proud of himself! We’re tickled too!

California Dreamin'

2009-03-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful trip to Ventura! It was so great to be back in a “hometown” so to speak. Just awesome to see great friends and share laughs. Max traveled very well … although he was sick a bit and was fighting a fever. We think it’s probably teething. Considering, he was a trooper!

It was great that Amy let us stay at her!! What are best friends for? Loved hanging with her and Max’s Godmother, “Auntie Becky”. We always look forward to sharing time with our close friends. It was a bit of a whirl wind, trying to get a visit in with all the folks we love and miss. But we did our best!

As much as we loved the fine weather, killer food and wonderful company of friends … it’s always the best to come home. And we have reaffirmed, we love our little town of Sandpoint!

Max Stats

2009-03-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

Max had his one year doctor's appointment yesterday. 24.7 lbs (75%). 32" tall (95%) and the noggin? Still above the 95% at 19.5"! All in all ... a very happy and healthy little boy! That's right, little boy ... or toddler ... he's not a baby anymore!

*photos from http://www.jax-creations.com/

Getting ready to walk

2009-03-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Look at the little man go. It's gonna be just a short time before he's running circles around us!

Max and Jax ...... Creations

2009-03-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

WOW! So Max is one ... 1!! We're still not used to that. So, it was time to go to Jax Creations to finish up our "baby package" and get Max's 1 year pictures. It's always awesome to see Jackie as she is just a lovely person to be around. She also never disappoints when it comes to her photography. It could help that I love her subject matter so much ... But seriously, he work is amazing; she does a great job of capturing Max's personality.

She posted a sneak peak at the photo session on her blog. There are going to be so many cute pictures, I'm going to have a hard time choosing!

Thank you, Jackie! We love you and can't wait to meet you new baby, "potato" in June!! :-)

Let them eat cake ... or not ...

2009-02-23T05:01:00.000-08:00

Max isn't thrilled with his bday cake.

Max's 1st birthday party

2009-02-22T08:04:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful time celebrating Max's first birthday yesterday! We had great friends over to join in on the fun. As always, we are so blessed with so much love! Thank you so much for joining in on our joy for our Marvelous Max!

I was so excited to give Max his first taste of cake. Max, on the other hand, wasn't very interested. Once his hands got covered in frosting, he was upset. So, we cleaned him up and gave him his favorite ... graham crackers!

There is a ton of food left over, so come on by and have some lunch!

Another fine creation from Auntie Candy

2009-02-18T16:51:00.000-08:00

Auntie Candy made Max this awesome birdie mobile for Christmas. (yes, we're just getting around to hanging it!) Max LOVES his birdies! He stares at them and tries to reach them. It's such a bright, fun addition to his room ... and matches the killer family tree quilt that Auntie Candy made for him.

Thank you so much, Auntie Candy! We love you!

getting closer

2009-02-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

We're getting closer. Today, Max actually chewed and swallowed his graham cracker! It's the little things we celebrate! It's a step above biting and drooling it out all over the place. LOL ... Oh well, it's progress. Soon he'll be gobbling up the big people food.... we hope! Too cute though, eh?

Broccoli Power!! - the video

2009-02-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

For your viewing pleasure! He's great until the broccoli breaks in his mouth! LOL

Broccoli Power!!

2009-02-03T05:36:00.000-08:00

We’re trying to get Max to eat more “people” food. He seems to really enjoy biting into things, but isn’t quite sure what to do when the food is actually in his mouth and he should be chewing and swallowing. He generally ends up chewing and drooling the food right out of his mouth.

So far, it seems his favorite food is broccoli! Another way he is just like his daddy! Max will quiver with excitement and hoot and holler over his broccoli. It’s quite funny to watch. He starts by sucking it, then biting it. But once a piece breaks off into his mouth, he gets a little concerned and isn’t quite sure how to handle it. (I’m working on getting a video up on youtube; it will make you laugh for sure!)

Max and Ava

2009-01-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Max had his first play date with Ava! She is so beautiful! Angie, Ava's mom, and I worked with each other at Coldwater and were also in the same birthing class together. Max is about 10 days older than Ava, although she is already walking! They had fun together ... and once again, "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" was a big hit!Thanks so much for our playdate, Ava. We can't wait to hang out again!!

This is just random cuteness of Max and his tubbies. He is such a giver and wants to share his rubber duckie!

as Grandpa Dave says, "Old proverb, To share one's rubber ducky, is the mark of a great human being. "

It doesn't suck to be Max!

2009-01-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

Max got this great stool in the mail from The Barrett family. He loves it!! He can stand up while leaning on it and he likes to take the letters out and bang them around. It's funny how much he digs it. He's having a blast!

Trekking

We took Max's new snow suit that he got from Grandpa out for a spin yesterday. Little Mister was toasty warm and loves being out in the fresh air.

Ready ... Set .... GO!

2009-01-05T05:57:00.000-08:00

Well, the game is officially ON! Max is pulling himself up on furniture and crawling all over the place. He’s so fast too! I can only imagine how much harder it’s going to be to keep up with him once he’s walking. I guess the bright side is, I’ll never sit down again and maybe I’ll finally lose that baby weight … seeing that he’s gonna be a year old soon! *sigh*

The child locks and the gates are going up. One of the good things with all the new found exercise is that Max is sleeping through the night and later in the morning. All that working out takes it toll … or … it could be the cold he’s fighting. We’re hoping the sleeping through the night thing is his new pattern.

Max and Kendyll

2009-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is Max playing with his new found friend, cousin Kendyll.

Max's Indian Call -- Playing with Grandpops Bob

Christmas 2008

2009-01-02T05:55:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic Christmas! We went to Massachusetts to visit family and had a blast! Tommy’s dad came in from Corpus Christi to spend the holiday with us. It was wonderful for Max to have all his grandparents with him. He also got to meet Grandpops Bob, various Aunts and Uncles and a truck load of cousins. His favorite was Kendyll who he took a shine to.
Travel there was tough. Our flight out of Spokane was delayed quite a bit and we missed our connection in Vegas. So, we did the next best thing … flew into Manchester, NH and had Mema and Grandpa pick us up at 2:00am Christmas morning. Max was an angel baby and didn’t melt down until we got to NH and after 18+ hours of travel, he was entitled.

Max had a good time meeting all the new people, although he was a little overwhelmed with 30+ people wanting to hold him and being in a totally new environment. He’s also got 4 top teeth coming in and fighting a cold. So, he was a little clingy to Mom and Dad. So, the only part of the trip that wasn’t perfect, was pawning Max off on grandparents so we could sleep. He wasn’t having that. But, that’s OK. Although Mema might not agree. She wanted some more Max snuggle time.

We had a FANTASTIC day with Grandpops in Boston. We took Tommy’s dad out for some sight seeing and great food at Quincy Market. We also had a great worship service at Grandpops church. Max had a great time leafing through the hymnal with Grandpops. That was a very special day. It was also great to see Great Granny Rose and Ryan!

We also got to see some friends that we’ve been missing – The Ranalli family! Boy, it sure was great to see you guys and to finally meet beautiful Nicholas! Carol and Vinnie, The Silvernails (I can’t believe how big the boys are!), The Barrett family, Julian is a stud! … and too many more to mention! We are so blessed with wonderful friends and family!

I just wish we had more time to visit with everyone. It went by way to quickly! We love you and thank you for making Max’s first Christmas so special!

Max and Mommy

2008-12-11T05:41:00.000-08:00

I've gotten comments that there a lots of pictures of Max and Daddy ... where's Mom? Well, Mom is the crazy lady behind the camera taking 90 million pictures! As my dad says, Max will be the most well documented baby on the planet!

So here we are ... me and the joy of my life! I can't even remember how I thought I was happy before he came along. Between my angel boy and my terrific husband, I am the luckiest lady in the world! What an amazing family!! When God answers prayers, He does it in a B I G way!

9 months!

2008-12-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

Max is already 9 months old! Hard to believe! He went and had his check up on Friday and he grew 3 inches in a matter of a couple of months! I thought for sure he would weigh about 97 pounds because he feels like that a lot of the time ... but alas, he is 30 1/4" tall (95%) and 22 pounds (70%) . The noggin is still above the 95% at 19 inches! He's got a very big brain!

We did some trekking in the neighborhood this weekend and Max just loves being in his backpack riding around with Daddy! He was bundled up in his patagucci from Auntie Becky; so he was toasty warm and enjoyed being outside.

SANTA!!

2008-12-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

Max met Santa and it was pretty successful. He cried a little bit, but we managed to get a half smile out of him. Then we made the rounds and said, "hello" to all our Creeker friends. It was a good afternoon and left Max pretty tired.

Thank you Coldwater Creek for having this great party for the Creeker kids and letting us meet Santa!

Commando Crawl

2008-12-02T05:05:00.000-08:00

Max has been doing the "commando crawl" for a couple of weeks now. I thought for sure he'd be into a "real" crawl by now. Anyway, his new trick is that he can pull himself up to the sitting postition from the crawl. Everyday, it's something new!

Max and Chloe

2008-11-29T20:22:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got Max a play date and it was a big step up from B.O.B (boy on box). Chloe is the most beautiful little girl and I think Max has his first crush. She's only 6 days older than Max so they have a lot of fun playing together. I think Max was just thrilled to see another baby and know that there are more of "his kind" out there in the world. It was a lot of fun to watch the two of them interact and engage with each other. I could tell Max was really enjoying himself.

Jennifer, thanks so much for having us over. It really was a wonderful time; we look forward to seeing you when Santa comes to visit the kids!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

Max, before he ate his sweet potatoes ... then we needed a costume change because he was a mess! I also had to change my clothes because he decided to blow raspberries while having his mouth full. Very nice... LOL

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! The food was amazing and I'm about to pop! Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, potato casserole, squash, cranberry sauce, rolls, peanut butter pie, and pumpkin pie! I'm sure I'm forgetting something!

It's always fun to see Max being dressed in "big boy" clothes and not in his jammies. He looks like such a little man. I can't stand it! He got all gussied up for his first Thanksgiving; he knew he was having guests and wanted to look his best. We had Misti, Virginia and Loren join us for dinner; Gina make a guest appearance and brought the wine (which we all really appreciated!) Brian even came to give us good cheer early afternoon!

Luckily there were a lot of hands making this meal happen because I don't know how someone could do it and watch a baby too. Thanks, Misti, for coming over and helping me stuff the bird and watch Max so I could take a shower. And to Tommy, who was up until 5 am chopping and preparing the ingredients. And Virginia who brought the horse devours. It really does take a village. ha ha ha

We have blessings beyond belief and have an incredible amount to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.. the best family... fantastic friends.... taking a moment to recognize that felt wonderful.

Max was super social and had a great time hanging out with all the friends. He's such a happy guy; he just makes everything more fun.

After all the friends and playtime; Max crashed hard. We're hoping it's all the way through the night. *fingers crossed*

Snugglin' with Uncle Brian

2008-11-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

Max had a big date with Uncle Brian this afternoon. Tommy and I went out to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe a year has gone by already! It's a blur; that's for sure! Anyway, Uncle Brian was cool enough to come play with Max so we could have a "date". It sounded like they had a great time together ... until Max got tired and a bit fussy. Brian had to walk him around the house to keep him mellow. By the time we got home, Max was crashed on Brian's chest, looking very content, snuggling with his favorite buddy!

Thanks again, Brian! We luv ya!

Gifts from Aunties

2008-11-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

This is the car that Auntie Cindy and family sent Max for Christmas. He thought B.O.B. was fun, the car is even more fun! Truth be told, we still have the box because Max still loves B.O.B. ... but I 'm working on a play date for him so he can hang with a real baby!

Auntie Amy sent these super cozy jammies to Max! I LOVE the feet! Just had to give her a shout out and say thanks for the cozy PJ's ... Max loves them and they make it even greater to snuggle with him.

Jax Creations ... she's done it again!

2008-11-15T11:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, Jackie is officially my favorite photographer! She took some photos so we can use one as a Christmas card. It was a tough session for Max, as it was his nap time. So he wasn't his normal happy go lucky little guy. But, we only need one good one for our Christmas card!

Again, if you are in the Sandpoint area and need a photographer for family photos, weddings, etc ... you MUST see Jackie!

http://www.jax-creations.com/ax-creations.com/

The boy that lives on the box ...

2008-11-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

Auntie Cindy sent Max an early Christmas present. It's this great rider toy that converts to grow with him. I'm sure Max will get many hours of fun logged on this bad boy. He's already having a blast with his new friend ... the boy that lives on the box. He keeps doing his commando crawl over to his new friend ... yelling all kinds of things at him ... and then touching his face and talking more to him! Max's first imaginary friend ... the boy that lives on the box! We shall name him, BOB (boy on box)

Maybe he does need some more play dates with other little babies! LOL!

Max says, "Mama" .... well, sort of

2008-11-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

Now, I realize he doesn't associate Mama to me ... yet ... but it still makes me feel good! LOL

Finally... the Jumperoo won it's first battle. I was letting him jump around like a mad man, when suddenly, it became very quiet. Never a good sign. Little guy was passed out in the jumperoo!

Max was having some fun wearing Daddy's hat that Auntie Becky gave him!

First Halloween

2008-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

Max had his first Halloween ... and much to many people's dismay, he did not get any candy! He did really well considering it was nap time and he was really hot in his dino costume. He looked super cute! I'm sure I had more fun showing my pride and joy off to my friends at Coldwater Creek than he did attending the party .

He couldn't wear the dino hood because his head is just too darn big! Mr. 98% of the noggin! It was funny to see other babies the same age with normal sized heads. Made me really think he's got a big one! Oh well, just means he's going to be really smart!

tubbies and two toofers

2008-10-26T17:30:00.001-07:00

Here is a fun video of Max having a tubby. He just loves to splash around! He made quite the mess today ... soaked the counter, the cabinets, the floor ... LOL ... but we were both cracking up. He doesn't even want to come out because he's having so much fun. But, I figure its time when he's all pruney!

Wow, dem toofers sure do come in fast! Max has two toofers that are quite visible now. He chews like he's a puppy and now when he nibbles on your fingers, it can hurt. Time for the chew toys ... like a rawhide bone? aaahh... no... just kidding.

This was Max at 2 in the morning last night. It was a little cold and his two toofers were chattering, so I wrapped him up in the dino blankie Auntie Cindy gave him while I made him a bottle. He looked too darn cute not to take his picture!