Sending Christmas Wishes to Afghanistan

A Message From Santa

(http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/Nvqqo8ple8VrxJwBujoBmw)

Decorating for Christmas

 

 Austin as a big help with the trees this year. He was very excited to see all of his special ornaments for the tree in his bedroom. He added the finishing touch with a giant wad of ribbon at the bottom of the tree. I think it looks prefect, don't you?

  

We tackled the big tree early the next morning. (Or maybe it was in the afternoon and we were still in our PJs. Who knows.) We like to wear gloves while fluffing the tree in the Kiefer house. No artificial pine tree scratches on these hands!

 

I think he got a bit bored towards the end. He was more interested in decorating his grill than the tree!

 

All our hard work paid off...Ta-da! We're ready for Santa!

Thanksgiving {2010}

Our Thanksgiving was very quiet this year. We headed to Sparta for lunch with the FerFer's. Austin was an such a good little boy. He even took a nap while we were there - something I thought he'd NEVER do!

 

We headed to Lynn and Dave's for a yummy "Brupper" on Thanksgiving night. Austin had so much fun playing with the big boys in Stefan's room. He has all kinds of stuff Austin couldn't wait to get his hands on. 

This year we are thankful for memories, family, and how lucky we are to have both. 

Count your blessings instead of your crosses; Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean; Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth; Count on God instead of yourself.

~~Author Unknown~~

Lighted Parade

The Red Bud Chamber added a lighted Christmas parade to their Holiday Happenings/Deer Fest. I wasn't hip on the idea of watching Christmas lights a week BEFORE Thanksgiving, but it ended up being a really cute little parade. The number of floats were perfect for the cold weather.

 

 (We can't go anywhere without at least one car or truck. Tonight we hauled "my red truck" and "my FerFer car" to the parade)

 

We headed to LoLo and John-John's for tasty appetizers after the parade. We stuffed our bellies, warmed our toes and watched Austin perform his first ever rock band concert. He was really getting into it, as you can see...

 He ended the show by rocking the violin guitar and singing us a little ditty...

 

As  everyone knows, our lives changed forever shortly after we left LoLo's that night. I look at these pictures and see happy people. People untouched by tragedy. People who don't know how lucky they are. I know that we'll be happy again someday, but I also know we'll always have a hole in our heart that will never be filled. Thankfully we have our little Rocker to help us (and make us) carry on. You can't hide from the world when you have a two-year-old constantly pulling on your sleeve! I'm sure CC wouldn't want it any other way!

Jingle Bells

 

(I apologize in advance for the crick in your neck...because I know you're going to have watch this over and over again!)

Almost 29 Month Check In

Austin,

Just an update on what you're saying and doing at almost 29 months...

Mommy and Daddy's bedroom is the Con-dooooo. He asks to lay in the Con-dooooo every night before bed.

You say "I do" instead of I did.
Austin: I saw a snowman
Mommy: You did?
Austin: Yeah, I do!

You now call a combine, a combine, not a binding!

You still sleep with a paci and woobie. Now, instead of just asking for them, you'll tell us you NEED them

You still think your last name is FerFer.

You can count to eleven and sing your ABCs - when you want to.

You are obsessed with anything with wheels. You'll get attached to different cars, trucks, and/or tractors for days at a time. Sometimes it feels like all we do is search for that missing blue car or red tractor.

You go potty on the big boy potty when we put you on it...but other then that... you could care less!

Sometimes you like to be alone. You'll say, "Mama, go kitchen" or "Dad, watch TV in con-doooo" when you want to be by yourself.

You're still taking a 1 - 2 hour nap each day.

You say you're "busy" when you're dizzy.

You remember A LOT.

You love to color. Drawing cakes (circles) is your favorite.

You love cell phones and computers. You're always asking to "check something" on them.

You could play with Play-Doh for hours on end.

Your favorite sayings include "alright" and "okay, I try it!"

Your imagination is coming to life. The other day you told me a baby calf lived in my ring box.

Rural King is still your favorite place to go.

You say "I missed you today" when I come home from work.

You say "oh no, my sock broken" when your sock starts to fall off.

You've visited the "two minute" chair quite a few times in the past few weeks.

You hold onto your matchbox cars so tight. You've even started to ask us to blow on them when they get too hot in your hand.

Thank you, Austin, for being a source of happiness for everyone around you! We need your shining smile more than ever before!

Happy almost-29-month birthday! Love you!