Merry Christmas!

Well, the countdown to Santa has finally come down to 1. Emma has been patiently working on counting backwards for the last month and is so excited for Santa to come to our house tonight. (okay, I am too, I will admit it)



Tonight will be spent getting for Christmas day and packing to leave for Warroad on Friday morning. Tyler is making a quick trip to his Dad's house to do Christmas with them and then heads back up to Pine City on Christmas day with Grandpa Ray, Uncle Jeff, Vanessa and Grandma Sharon.


The weather is looking like it will cooperate so travels should be good for all. All the presents are wrapped and all that is left to do is set out a plate of cookies for Santa and a few carrots for Rudolph.



We wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy your time with loved ones. I know that I am looking forward to soaking in all the cute smiles, excited eyes and exclamations of the gifts that they knew Santa would bring them (oh, and I'm looking forward to 11 days off from work, that was on my xmas list.)

Happy Holidays!

Dear ol' Gunner...

I thought since Gunner was one of the stars on our Christmas card this year that I would add a little insight to the personality of our dog on our blog.

Here are a few pictures of me trying to rest on the couch after the kids were in bed. Gunner, LOVES to curl up next to anyone. Most nights he is my foot warmer while I sleep and yes, during the winter months, I let him. Kirby on the other hand does not enjoy his dog's love for him and will kick him off the second he attempts to jump up on his side of the bed.

As you can see, he is pretty much laying right on top of me and doesn't have a care in the world that he's in some awkward position.


Here he finally gets comfortable which means that I had to move so he could be comfortable.

Gunner turned 5 years old this month. He is a really, really good family dog. Emma and Logan are constantly dressing him up, taking away his chew bone and whapping him on the head and Gunner just takes it. Tyler will get in one of his 'moods' and decide that he needs to wrestle Gunner and Gunner plays along while still remaining tough. I don't think we could ask for a better family dog.

Happy Holidays from Gunner........

Happy Anniversary!

Dec. 14, 2002: A winter wonderland wedding was planned. Ice candles were made, snow on the ground was anticipated and a cape to wear for the cold weather was rented. Reality: 60 degrees, the sun was shining that day and there was not an ounce of snow on the ground. It was still a beautiful day, the goal was accomplished and the night was danced away.

Fast forward 6 years:
Dec. 14, 2008: A dinner date is planned with baby sitter ready. The snow starts early in the day, the rain starts late afternoon and the temps slowly drop to somewhere around 5 degrees. Laundry, house cleaning and entertaining the children occur. The call to cancel the babysitter goes out, take out Chinese food is brought home. The 6th year anniversary is celebrated at home, with the snow and wind blowing outside, and cards are exchanged after the children are in bed. Happy Anniversary!

Flashback to Christmas last year.....

I just ran across our family photo from Christmas last year and thought I would add it to our blog. I always think it's so interesting to see how much you can change in a year, especially the kids! The anticipation of Santa coming is slowly growing at our house. Emma thinks that the more snow we get, the faster Santa will arrive.

We hope you all are enjoying getting ready for the holiday parties, exchanging of gifts and planning out when you will be able to spend time with family and friends.

Logan's song.

Well, Emma had her 30 seconds of fame and the feedback has been that the video is working for some so.....here's Logan's claim to fame!

He has created his own school bus song....turn up the volume and listen closely.

Welcome......snow.....

Well, I suppose it was going to happen sooner or later huh? Emma, Gunner and her Dad enjoyed a few minutes out in the snow yesterday afternoon. One trip down the hill in the sled, one trip around the house being pulled in the sled and one snow angel and Emma was ready to come in. I enjoyed all the action through our dinning room window, that was close enough for me.

Emma's Thankful Song.

Okay-something new for our blog! I am going to attempt to put on a video of Emma singing her 'I am thankful' song. I hope it works, it's pretty darn cute!

Wedding Bells before Sleigh Bells

Last weekend we married off the last of the college "roomies". It's disheartening to think that this might be the last hurrah for us as a group. Sure, there will be hunting or fishing plans in the future but we realize that there won't be many more chances like this for husbands and wives, buddies and pals, to cut loose on this scale. That is, of course, unless we make reasons to gather. Make reasons to celebrate. Make reasons to run to the liquor store and by some Rum so that the ladies dance and smile the night away.

A couple of days past Thanksgiving, Sean and Jessi's wedding showed me again that I have a lot to be thankful for. My friends are there to laugh at the goofiness that my wife shrugs off with a grin. Although hard times may be falling all over the land, our group is healthy. Comfortable. Optimistic. Brent can still sit and talk about paddling a canoe until his arms fall off and Tommy and Paul will listen. BUT Brent can also swap stories about raising babies and we will all listen just as intently. 'Mom's to be' sat at the table and gave off that special glow of expectant mothers while the other Moms reveled in their own children's accomplishments.
The Groom's dad kept a close watch on Table 17 - anticipating some college days party of old to erupt. When he realized that we had tamed our outward braggadocio but maintained our upbeat look on life, I'm sure he was at ease. His eldest was taking the vows of matrimony in the presence of friends - friends that are happy. Friends that are experienced. Friends that are thankful.

We didn't get much face time with the Bride or Groom. It'd be selfish to expect that on such a big day for them. I probably would have just cracked a joke and given a hug. Offering up worldy advice at an event like this always seems so corny anyways. But now that I've got a moment, I offer them this - Love each other. Love your time together. Love your time apart. Communicate, whether verbal or non-verbal, but communicate always. Be positive - more like Tigger and less like Eeyore.

Which leads me to my TITLE : "Wedding Bells before Sleigh Bells" - Next sunday (Dec. 14th) Michele and I will have been married for 6 years. My buddy's wedding helped remind me that those have been the best 6 years of my life. On the outside I must come off as a fella that thinks of football and muskies most of my days. But I am here to tell you that My Wife consumes as much of my mental space today as she did when I first fell in love with her back in Bemidji. I shouldn't need a reminder of how much I love her but when the reminders come like they did at this wedding, I feel like a love sick puppy all over again - Struck by cupid with an endless supply of arrows. Michele is breathtakingly gorgeous. The bride is supposed to be the prettiest girl in the room - well this time, I beg to differ. My wife is a knockout. Her gentle touch on my hand during the ceremony nearly made my heart leave my chest. I was so proud. We may be getting older but proved that we can still make a pretty mean dancing pair. Having Michele on my arm completes me. If she was a FISH - I hold her up and take my picture with her. She's a trophy - I would never let her go though.
I love you Michele.
Happy Anniversary - 1 and a half weeks early.
K

Oh Christmas Tree oh Christmas tree........

This year we decided to find a local tree farm and cut down a family chosen Christmas Tree. In the past, we have just gone to Menards and took a chance on which bundled up tree looked like it would be a good one. Last year we bought a tree from the boy scouts in Pine City up by the local movie rental store but it doesn't look like they are selling tree's this year. So, the Friday after Thanksgiving we loaded up everyone in the SUV and away we went!



I really enjoy having a 'real' tree in my house for Christmas. I have many fond memories of my family and our annual adventure of driving wayyyy out in the country and chopping down a Christmas Tree. Someday I'm sure we will purchase an artificial tree and be 'green' but for now, I can sleep at night knowing that I've started some young memories for the kids and that maybe some time down the road, they will look back as fondly as I will. (I will make up for cutting down a perfectly good tree for my enjoyment by recycling even more.)


There were many opinions available that day. Papa Ray was up this weekend and deemed himself the expert I think and of course I have my own picture of the perfect tree and then there's Kirby and Tyler. Emma and Logan were too busy getting lost in the forest and didn't feel they need to vote.

Once the tree was found, Kirby and Tyler worked on cutting it down and eventually it got put up on the SUV, paid for and took a nice trip down the free way at 70 miles an hour to our house. A very easy way of getting rid of all the loose needles I might add......

Most years I have some sort of 'theme' in mind or color scheme I plan to use. This year I am proud to say that I let go of my control and just let the kids decorate the tree as only children can. Tyler and Papa Ray handled the upper portions as Logan and Emma heavily decorated the bottom half.



It was a fun night and the Kirby household is now officially decorated for Christmas and ready for Santa to arrive.

Speaking of Santa... Emma only asks us on average about 4-5 times a day when he is going to be at our house and Logan has developed the habit and saying 'I want that' for every toy commercial thanks to his big sister. Emma is learning 'Joy to the world' and 'Away in a Manger' for her preschool program and Logan is enthralled with the ornaments on the tree. Every night he goes over to the tree and admires his work.
Happy Holidays!