Christmas 2008

Happy Boy on Christmas!

Noah was a very happy boy as he got an accessory to his Geo trax toy. It was fun to watch Noah get all lit up by Christmas this year. The energy and his happiness made the season bright!

The Swede in Him comes out!!

For the love of Pickled Herring!

Pickled herring is a popular delicacy in Europe and Nordic cuisine. Most cured herring uses a two-step curing process. Initially, herring is cured with salt to extract water. The second stage involves removing the salt and adding flavorings, typically a vinegar, salt, sugar solution to which ingredients like peppercorn, bay leaves and raw onions are added.
In Scandinavia, once the pickling process is finished and depending on which of the dozens of classic herring flavourings (mustard, onion, garlic, lingonberries etc.) are selected, it is usually enjoyed with dark rye bread, crisp bread, or potatoes.

Hanging stockings: Noah's View

Coming home from Nana Nancy and Papa Jack house tonight; we told Noah that we had to hang the stockings up for Santa Claus.

Noah said: Yes! Santa is going to need our stockings tonight............ He can put them on because it is really cold out and he will be warm............ He needs to be warm when he brings presents to my house......Right? Right MommyDaddy?

Well how can you say "No" to that logic?

Kristin and I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. Stay warm.

A bit cool outside

Cool weather is starting to settle in to the area. Along with a a fresh coating of 6 inches of snow will guarantee that we will have a white Christmas.

Thank you Uncle Tom & Katharine!

Noah, Steven and I had a wonderful time with Uncle Tom and Katharine this evening. Noah thought it was very exciting to visit them in Minneapolis, especially driving the truck through a snowstorm to get there! As usual the food was delicious and the company very special. Noah thinks Uncle Tom is very entertaining and Katharine knows all about how to handle a spunky little boy. Grandma's are a VERY big deal to Noah and he decided that Katharine was wonderful Grandma material. Hmm...I wonder if she does overnights!

Helping Uncle Tom open his present

"Uncle Tom, you're a funny guy."

Noah had some nice cuddles with Katharine, and was fascinated by the fire in the fireplace.

Noah the Baker & Expert Cookie Maker!

Checking to make sure the mixer is doing it's job


Helping scrape and measure things

Very talented sprinkler

The final Masterpieces



So proud!

Noah's prayer book

Noah likes to read his prayer book every night.

'night 'night Noah

More Noahism's

Noah has really become even more verbal (if you can believe that) and his Noah isms are Becoming more frequent and hilarious.

He latest and frequent answer to a question if you as him to do something is
"Oh course I can"

He told Kristin after she did something for him "Mommy, your a genius!!"

Typical situation: First thing in the morning before coffee:
Noah states
"I'm Thirsty"

OK "Noah here is your milk" Kristin says

"Oh Thank you Mommy!!!" "Mommy you are the best Mommy in the whole world"
"Your the best"

Somehow mommy doesn't need as much coffee.

Tumbling Class

Noah just completed a tumbling class that mommy had signed him up for to help get some of the cold weather wiggles out. While he loved class and had a blast, mommy's blood pressure would increase each time they were there. Let's just say a room full of 3-5 year old with more energy than they knew what to do with, was not exactly relaxing. Especially when the liveliest one is your own son. After an important lesson was learned the hard way (left class early and puppy was taken away), Noah became much better at listening to the teacher and doing what she asked him to do. Otherwise he would have quite an elaborate choreography of his own going on. Too many wiggles! But Noah loved every minute of it and made a good friend, Elliot, from the experience. Since Elliot's mom and sister also go to the YMCA, we now see them there! The two are good buddies with loving hearts and LOTS of energy to chase out of each other.

More Tumbling!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

All the Chrismas traditions are such fun for Noah this year. He happily dives in and joins us in all our fun and and efforts. We've already made more cookies than I care to think about. But he loves the process and then sharing them with friends and family.

This past week we decorated our pretty Christmas tree. He was SO excited about all the ornaments and wanted to play with them all. A few had to be patched up before we saved them, but that will make for good stories down the road. For some reason there are a ton of John Deere ornaments! Noah was good about helping place the ornaments on the tree, even the tractor ones. The tree was bit lopsided with all the ornaments at one height, often times with 3-4 on one poor branch. Somehow it was the prettiest tree ever. And of course mom eventually moved them around a bit.

Cutting down the Christmas Tree

Noah and family did the annual chopping of the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Noah tried t o help Daddy drag the tree out, but the uneven ground tripped him often, much to his giggles and delight.

The Tree is in the house now awaiting decorations.

Thanksgiving Pies!!

Noah is becoming a great helper in the Kitchen!

Here he is making a Blueberry pie with his Daddy for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Looking back at halloween

Noah sure did get into Halloween this year.





Kristin entered him in a costume pageant this year in Anoka, the "Halloween Capital of the World." He modeled the fun John Deere tractor costume Nana Nancy had made him last year. This was one serious competition. He didn't even place! We think the judges were biased against John Deere and favored the kid in the Farmall tractor:)



He also had fun carving a pumpkin with Dad




His costume for trick or treating: He was an astronaut, a costume he picked out and Nana Tractor (Scherger) sent him. He thought he was pretty cool.





Afterward, when we asked him what he liked best, it was passing out the candy after MOM got tired of trick or treating. Can you believe he barely ate any of his candy!!!!

Noah "isms"

Noah has some "isms" or words that only he understands and uses.

Lately he has been struggling with the concept of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Some of his word choices have been.

"lastday"

and my favorite.


"Nexterday"

Noah's latest photo shoot

Here is a sample of some of Noah's Latest Photo taken by the very talented Mandy Birdwell in the early fall.

http://mandybirdwell.typepad.com/photoblog/

Mandy was able to secure a farm barn site for the shoot. Noah Just loved it of course as it came with a John Deere Tractor!

Noah's little baby face is growing up into the energetic little boy he is.

Fall Fun for an Active Boy!

On a very unseasonably warm fall day, Noah got to have some fun running and jumping in a pile of maple leaves in the front yard.

The trees every year are getting bigger and so are the leaf piles. Color here is almost peak with next weekend will be it for fall color.

We still have not have a frost, but that is always subject to change soon. Winter is on the way. We will enjoy our colorful fall while we can.

More leaf pile fun!

Noah's Photo Shoot

http://www.mandybirdwell.typepad.com/

The above link is to a sneak peak of the photo shoot that he had this early fall.
Noah loved the attention and was starting to pretend to be a real model toward the end.
The theme and pictures no doubt fit his personality.

Blessing of the 3 Year Olds

Yesterday at our church, Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka, the 3 year olds were all Blessed by the congregation and Pastors. When the children are 3 their Congregational Godparent's relinguish their responsibilities to the Congregation and Sunday school program. I remember last year watching this and thinking Noah would be up there the next year. I was quite certain he would not behave. Well, despite being a little noisy waiting in line to go into the church, he was a perfect angel! No nose picking, running around, or talking. (He's on the left side of the above pictures, in the yellow and brown outfit.) When the entire congregation raised their arms as a part of the Blessing, he decided to join in as well. What cooperation! It seems like just yesterday when he was about 3 months old and up their getting Baptized. I still see clear as day Pastor Johnson holding our pudgy Noah up in the air for all the congregation to see and welcome. We are thankful every day for having found Zion.

Crazy Bike Rider!

Someone caught on quick! The HotWheels bike was purchased off Craigslists back in late June. Noah was thrilled and would jump on, with no clue how to pedal it. At some point after he learned to pedal his trike, he became afraid to sit on his bike for fear of tipping over. Well, the other day when a big group of neighborhood kids were over on their bikes, Noah decided he wanted on HIS bike too. After a couple practice runs to learn about the brakes and such, he's pedaling fast around the whole neighborhood as if he'd been doing it all summer. We're going to have to bike with him in order to keep up! I think we'll soon head to one of the local parks that has bike trails.