Just Because...

...I haven't posted anything in a while I thought I might put some stuff down for the heck of it! Not much has been happening in the Striley household this month, we've been busy just living day to day life, getting back into the boring routine after the chaos of the holidays.

Doug is beginning his bike training regimen with vigor, and getting very excited about the days being longer, sometimes taking an after work ride. I think he's excited about getting back into the groove after having a break over the holidays. His first race is in March, and it'll be here before we know it!

We are planning a few small home improvement projects including doing a vegetable garden this year. We've begun preliminary prep, even though its a bit early we have absolutely no idea what we are doing so we want to be well prepared. I am so excited about being able to grow our own produce. I mean, have you been to the grocery store lately? Veggies are so expensive, and usually go bad sitting in our fridge because I buy a ton thinking I want to stalk up. How nice will it be to go to the backyard pull a few tomatoes and some green onion out of the garden throw em in a salad an voila! Yeah! I'm getting excited just typing about it! Hee hee!

#2 is growing nicely (and so is my belly). We get to find out if we are giving Ev a little brother or sister on February 4th, so stay tuned for further info on that! No, we don't really care what the baby is, both have advantages. All I care about is that when it comes out I don't ever have to be pregnant again!

Everett is growing more independent every day. His new favorite thing is going out to the car by himself when we are getting ready to go. Usually there is a detour down the driveway or spin the wheels on daddy's bike but he usually makes it. Its pretty cute. He also loves to go on the swings and slide at the park. I can't believe what a toddler he is turning into. His walking has turned into speed walking that I know will turn to running in no time. He does a lot of talking and I'm sure he understands exactly what he is saying but we have no idea, so far we haven't had any discernible words.

Here are a few pictures of Ev from this month's adventures:

Eating an entire banana, not an uncommon occurrence

SWINGS!

Ridin the horse...

Deciding to hate the horse

Christmas Wrap Up (Ha! Get it?)

Let me start by saying I am so blessed to have such a beautiful, loving, fun, and HUGE family! I thought growing up that my family was big... and then I went and got hitched to a boy with an even bigger clan; well, that's when things tend to get out of hand! So here is the low down of our Christmas events...

Ugly Sweater party... yes, that is a kitty on my shirt, we should have won!


Christmas Adam (or Christmas Eve Eve) was spent shopping and baking my head off, I don't know why, because I just ate all my goodies. Then out for a girls night drink (Diet Coke for me thank you) with my sister, cousin, and friend... this was the extend of the holiday "fun just for Emily with no work involved". Oh, and onion rings.

Christmas Eve was spent pondering the whereabouts of my Mother in Law who made the snowy trek down from Portland (She should have had a sled dog, but the Subaru seemed to do the trick). Just before the Christmas Eve church service started we got a call that she just made it into town. Yeah!! That was great news! After church we headed to my parents house for corn chowder and the first annual Cousins Gift Exchange. It went OK, next year I will make sure its not last minute! Everett also received his first pair of Christmas pajamas, a tradition in my family that we want to keep going for him.

Uncle BJ, Aunt Lisa and Ev in his jammies

Yeah it's Christmas! Everett woke around 7am (I was up earlier but had to lay in bed because there was no way I was going to look more excited than my kid! But I was) He immediately spotted the big yellow dump truck that Santa left him... He thought it was pretty cool, and fell in love when daddy put him in the truck and gave him rides! After our small present exchange between Ev, Doug, G-Ma and I we got started on breakfast... oh yes, I decided it would be fun for everyone (22 people) to come over for breakfast. My Martha moment quickly faded as people piled in my tiny house and the eggs wouldn't bake!! I slowly turned into a shreaking Martha monster and poor Doug has not left yet. Kudos to him. It all turned out and I hope people enjoyed the food and company. After a short break we headed over to a quiet pre-dinner visit at my parents house then headed to Doug's sister's for dinner with the Striley clan. Thankfully we ate fairly early so Doug, Ev and I were home by 7:30 and I'm not kidding in bed asleep by 8:30.



Friday was the big Nanny's Kids Christmas party and my cousin Carla's 40th birthday! The party was awesome, the kids had fun the grown ups had fun. Carla wore a tiara and was 40 and fabulous (NOT over the hill, that phrase was banned from the party, you would have been stabbed probably).


The rest of the weekend was spent at home with a sick baby... I think all the excitement just wore him down poor kiddo. On the mend now though!

Looking forward to an exciting 2009! Lots to expect, and be thankful for in the coming months.

Everett meet Santa

It's really strange that we are now in "seconds". Everett is celebrating his second Christmas this year, he had his second visit with Santa, he is ripping ornaments off his second Christmas tree, he received his second stocking (because the first one was a babies first Christmas stocking). This year is much more fun than last year, and I'm sure the fun will multiply until we have to start buying Wiis and cars and crap like that.

I thought I'd do a little "then and now" for you all to reflect upon, since I know my child is the most important thing in all your lives... haha... I suppose this is more for the grandmas and aunties.

If we don't see you, we wish you all a Christmas filled with the gifts of love, peace, family and laughter.

Love you!

Then...

...and now

Then, the failed Christmas card photo shoot...

...and now, the failed Christmas card photo shoot

Then, angelic Santa baby...

...and now, helpin dad chop down the tree

The Great Tree Adventure - or next global warming documentary

This is Doug's latest creation. I thought we were being primitive that day so please, picture me with movie worthy hair and makeup on, thank you.

I'm One Today! Ev's B-day party

I won't go on and on about Ev's birthday party this weekend... It was so much fun, and so much work! Next year, pizza parlor all the way! Here are some pics of the day:

Opening presents with wonder (or fear?)

NOT eating his cake... what a boring kid!

Cheese!

Evy and Papa, chillin before the guests arrive

We also went Christmas tree hunting this weekend and were able to get really high since there is no snow! We got a great tree, and mostly had a lot of fun on our adventure... Doug took some great video and I'll post it as soon as its ready :)

And then there were 4!

Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone! We had a beautiful weekend up in Portland with Doug's mom and aunts and family... We ate way too much, laughed pretty hard, and laid around lazily for 4 days. It was perfect :)

We have a LOT to be thankful for this year. We just found out that we are expecting a new addition to our family! #2, as we affectionately call it, will be joining us on or around June 23rd. So that is our big news, sorry to those of you that feel this official announcement is a little impersonal, it is pretty difficult to spread the news on an individual basis.

Ev will be turning one tomorrow! I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone. He is now walking all the time, has going on 6 teeth, says mama and dada, and what I swear is "that". He is also developing quite a strong will, so that should make for an exciting year! AH!!

Here are some pictures to update everyone on our November adventures!

Out to dinner at Rockbottom Brewery with our P-Town friends and soon to be fellow parents

Doug makin the gravy
Grandma and all the aunts

Ev on T Day, He wore the hat for about 5 minutes and I think thats a cat toy he's chewing on.

Our lame attempt at a self family portrait

A couple of our professional family pics from this year

Its a Bird! It's a Plane!

Halloween is definitely better with a kid! We had a great day, starting out at the Ashland parade... always a sight to be seen! After the parade we headed home to pass out candy and then do a little Trick or Treating of our own. I felt pretty silly lugging an 11 month old around to take candy he will clearly not be eating, but once that first Butterfinger was dropped I was hooked! We ended the night at the Pres. Church's Harvest Carnival; it was so down home I felt like I was in a movie. It could not have been more perfect.

Superman and Dad at the parade

CANDY!

Ev and his cousins, Indiana Jones and the Beauty Queen

The next day we headed up to Grants Pass for a Cyclocross race in the pouring rain. Here's a pic of Doug after the race! Needless to say, that afternoon we bought Everett his first big winter coat, poor baby was cold!