The Knoebel Kanoodles

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

Beach House Post

2011-08-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

We had the time of our lives in June at the Beach House in NC. Here are some of the highlights:

Allie put herself down for a nap

Schroeder Sister Reunion, minus Kate

2011-08-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad K Visit the Holy Land

2011-04-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

For accurate chronological order of Mom and Dad's visit, please look at this post from bottom to top. I'm going to bed.

We had an awesome visit, by the way! Tulip Festival, trip to Moab, and trip to Idaho for Easter. Sorry, no images of tree pruning, trailer staining and building, or eating out for every meal. We sure love Mom and Dad and had a great time!

Allie's Birthday

2011-03-11T10:05:00.001-08:00

Allie had a fabulous third birthday!

Grandma made the requested Rainbow Brite cake. It was her first use of fondant. I would say...quite successful!

Las mananitas. Opening presents first thing in the morning. Too bad she peed on her new birthday outfit before the surprise party.

Our neighborhood friends joined us for her surprise party. Mom took her out to buy pizzas while we decorated. She was a little shocked, but recovered nicely and partied heartily.

She got the royal treatment: being fed her own birthday cake.

And...Brandt:

And...the Cinderella Ballet:

2011-02-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

Note to self: Put scissors away.

After 3 tries to blend her misfortune, she actually looks kinda cute.

Here's a picture of Allie before being unsupervised:

Here's what I found after putting Brandt to sleep (absence of approximately 10 minutes):

I think she looks so cute! She reminds me of Ramona Quimby on the cover of my old edition.

The sunroom

2010-12-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

Images from start to almost-finish. We still need to finish the trim and install the new ceiling fans. But at least we can use our stove now!

Finally...the new house

2010-10-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

I think I've been prolonging this post because the house still needs lots of sprucing up. But, I made some promises that I must keep. So, here is our house...in the midst of unpacking, minor renovation, and future projects.

This house is in the middle of Springville, about a 10 minute walk from my mom's, yet boasts large, mature trees, creating a private cottage in the woods. The house was built in 1947.

We plan on cleaning up the yard quite a bit in the spring.

Nate's shop, complete with wood shed in rear.

The quirky thing about this house is that the legal entrance is the back door. We are still searching for a remedy. We're open to ideas.

We have 6/10 of an acre. Here you can see the garden area.

Here's a shot of the overgrown orchard just beyond our property line that we are attempting to acquire.
I'm not sure what's up with the spray paint on the garage door. Our garage has doors on both the north and south sides. I'm not sure about that either. There's a bonus room about the garage that is finished. I forgot to get a picture of that, but we're planning on turning it into a dance studio, complete with a ballet bar.

The house came with a neighbor girl.

This is unfortunately not my kitchen aid. We're just babysitting it for Carrie while she's off doing the hula. (I've been keeping it very clean, Carrie. And the kids are scared of it, so they won't be breaking it.)

After we paint and replace the floors in this room, it will be ours. This door will lead out to our future hot tub:

And now, the sunroom. Cute, right? Well, not cute enough for us. It seemed a little too rustic. Unfortunately, I don't have any "after" pictures because we haven't quite reached that point. But, here are some pictures along the way:

I stacked this wood pile (oh yeah!!),

while Nate planted our 10 fruit trees.

I thought this picture was funny. The girls were trying to watch a movie, but Nate's router was too loud.
My siblings may recall a similar picture of me. She's ravishing in her Barbie t-shirt!!

Thanks for enduring the long post. We look forward to visitors at our new house. MA friends, please know how homesick we are for you. But we are also surprisingly happy here in Zion.

News Report

2010-09-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Edie got her ears pierced and started preschool.

Allie has been three weeks without her nomeo (pacifier).

Brandt is a blonde.

Brandt is 4 weeks old!

2010-07-01T20:04:00.001-07:00

Spring line 2010

2010-06-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

This is how I kept myself busy while waiting for Brandt to get here.

(I made the blue one, not the pink)

(nightgowns)

And I've put the sewing machine away for awhile.

Brandt Alexander Knoebel

2010-06-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

Baby brother was born on June 3, 2010 at 4:01 am in the Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, UT.

He weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. and measured 19.5 in. in length.

We've never seen anyone able to urinate so well.

Here he is a week before arrival:

Just after arrival:

With cousin, Baby Norah:

At home:

At 5 am our first night home:

We adore this boy!

Allie likes him too, we just haven't captured her in a picture just yet.

I'll post more pictures soon.

A Quick April Update

2010-05-03T22:27:00.001-07:00

Hiking the Y:

Edie and Allie would stop every 5 steps to take a gander...and I didn't mind one bit.

We made it!

A visit to ID to see baby Norah, the newest cousin!

Bridal Veil Falls with the La Pierre's:

Wally...before and after the haircut (given by Nate):

Working in the yard:

Feeding the ducks at Salem Pond:

Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point:

Baby Norah's blessing day with her beautiful Mom, Carrie:
Baby Boy No Name Knoebel (should be arriving in 5 weeks):

Nate is 30!!

2010-04-11T22:14:00.001-07:00

Let it be known how much I love Nate, as I'm actually posting on the blog again in honor of him.

Nate is a stud, as everyone knows...especially Jason.
Hardest worker I've ever seen.

Coolest Dad ever.

Maniac in the kitchen (homemade tamales).

Spreading his engineer-ness to the whole world.

Beloved by mankind and animalkind.

HAPPY 30th!
I love you.

Edie

2010-02-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

Edie is a princess

Who is learning to do lots of new things,

And makes her parents very proud.

And now Edie has a new look.
Woo-woo!

(We saved the braid)

Family Fun

2009-10-12T20:50:00.001-07:00

Making a mess

Making another mess.

At the airport waiting for Wally

Seeing Wally's crate

Edie did her own hair to go to the park:

I think it looks marvelous. She even remembered to comb.

And, she put on her own shoes (on the wrong feet).

1500 lbs. of pumpkin

Ring Around the Rosies

A room in transformation

2009-10-12T20:41:00.001-07:00

Nate is installing windows as I type. You can see the huge difference in this picture.

We're not quite done painting the trim, but you can see how beautiful this section is.

Nate also installed new sconces above the fireplace. We just need to finish the trim, paint the radiators, and replace the furniture and this room will be finished!

We're expecting...

2009-09-22T21:16:00.001-07:00

A NEW PUPPY!!!

A little over 3 months in review

2009-09-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

We fixed our camera! So, here's our update:

Pictures of our camping trip in NH over the Independence Day weekend -

Edie did really great on the way to our campsite! I was so surprised she walked by herself the whole way AND was pleasant to be around. She refused to take a step the next day. So...Nate carried his pack (including all the heavy equipment) AND Edie. It was supposed to storm that whole weekend. We got a few sprinkles, but didn't see the storm until we were loading up our car. Whew!

Pictures from our trip to Stowe, VT for the hot air balloon festival -

summer randomness -

Wells at swim lessons

BFF's

After a long night of hair pulling - it's how she shows affection

An action packed visit from Carrie and Tyler
Ariel - made by the clown at Nate's company picnic
(love the seashells!)

Pioneer Day Activity -

The new house!!

Lobster from our generous new neighbors!! They have a trap in Gloucester and have given us close to 15 lobsters!

One day, Nate decided to take out our kitchen floor. We were so excited because we found the original wood floors underneath!

Then, Linda told us that the old linoleum could be toxic - so we closed off the kitchen and tried to take make the best of a nasty situation.

We were no longer happy.
Nate had to take out the wood floors and replaced it with a subfloor to get by for now.
So much for the wood floors!
Sorry for our absence. We'll keep you posted on all our upcoming house projects.

Knoebel Family Reunion: Corolla, NC

2009-07-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

What an awesome family vacation last month, full of sunburns, beautiful beaches, good food, and lots of dirty diapers!

Midnight hair-pulling

Allison, Elyse, Kenley, Brynn, and Edie watching Dora

Matching dresses made with love from Grammy

Regen's birthday cake; Edie and Great Grandpa

Allie and Uncle Matt

This is how Kenley spent the vacation...sick and immobile, poor thing!

Here are some funny pictures of our sleep-deprived kids.

Another first for Allie

Book of Mormon Stories

2009-06-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have served in Nursery, you are familiar with the blank faces and locked lips of the children as soon as the music starts playing when singing time rolls around. Why is that? You make a fool of yourself attempting a high energy rendition of Popcorn Popping or Once There Was a Snowman with the only response being unblinking eyes and slight drips of drool exiting the corners of their little mouths. I assume most toddlers are just like Edie and can't keep from singing all day long while at home. What's so different in Nursery?

Yesterday, her Nursery teacher expressed some frustration about this idea. They taught Book of Mormon Stories, complete with headdresses, only to find that the only lips moving were their own.

Well, I just want Terry, Debbie, and Alyssa to know that their labors are not in vain. Last night, I asked Edie to sing the song (with no prior personal instruction) and this is what she sang:

Aren't toddlers the best?

It's Official!

2009-06-12T14:31:00.001-07:00

Well, it's mostly official. We're nearly homeowners!! We found a lovely house in Lynnfield that we adore! Closing date is July31st.

Here are some pictures from the listing website:

Visit from Mom

2009-06-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

So, this picture has nothing to do with the following post. I just thought Allie looked pretty cute.

Mom took a red eye into town in May and we got started on all the local action right away. First stop was Fisherman's Beach in Swampscott. We met all our playgroup friends there for the afternoon.
A shark ate all of the children's legs. It was unfortunate.
The next day we ventured downtown determined to complete the entire Freedom Trail with two small children.

We had fun blowing all our money on street performers. Edie's still a little confused in this picture after watching the statue behind them move.

We almost quit after a tour of Old Ironsides. Although not pictured, Nate was in attendance and rallied us to persevere. I'm happy to say that we did, in fact, accomplish our goal.
Sunday we had a wonderful family reunion with Matt and Hannah, Andrew and Tina, and Chad and Mary (with accompanying children). Sorry no pictures!

Edie and Allie kept mom busy playing and reading.
Monday we walked the Minuteman Trail and discovered the last remaining Red Coat.

The kids were good sports.We ended the day at Walden Pond. I'm not sure what got into us, but we actually walked the entire perimeter and found the remains of Thoreau's cabin.

Mom and Edie made great cookies! Oatmeal Peanut Butter, my favorite!

Brave ol' Mom encouraged us to take MBTA downtown to the aquarium (so we wouldn't have to pay for parking). We had so much fun! Edie loved it! Not sure the other riders loved it as much as we did.
By the time we made it to the aquarium, the girls had fallen asleep.
What a fun trip! We all slept very well at night...even mom, who took the sloping couch. Edie and Allie miss their Grandma Ducky. It sure was a treat to have 2 mom's around. I'm pretty sure that's how family life is designed to be.

she's getting it!!!

2009-04-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Allison started taking off today! It's so fun to watch her excitement and pride in her new ability. She's just been walking all day...everywhere! She definitely wasn't doing this yesterday.

You'll notice in the beginning of the video that when she tries to start crawling, she starts shaking her finger, which is how she says, "No, no"...because she knows what her mom will say!

A Tribute to My Ball and Chain

2009-03-06T07:40:00.001-08:00

Today is March 6th, the 4 year anniversary of my first date with Nate. Many of you were on that date. Let me call your minds to an evening of Tepanyaki, policemen, and rockets...in that order.

But, the real magic started about a month before when we were reunited at the Wash Hut.

A power from on High had messed with our means of cleaning our clothes, which led us both to the aforementioned laundromat for the first time in our lives at exactly the same time. It had been about 7 years since our last interaction, so it took us awhile before we recognized each other. When my roommate and I parted that evening, I remember telling her, "I think that was for a reason." I felt an Almighty hand in that experience.

So, I did what most people would do in that situation: I called on the powers of the stalker-net (and he did the same). He nearly joined the Robinson Family water polo team and we also met briefly at my apartment. And then, on a memorable birthday, I received a phone call from Nate inviting me on a date for that Saturday. I was taken aback by the official date because of a girlfriend that I seemed to recall him being committed to.

That Saturday, March 6, 2005, Nate and I went on our first date. No one else found much success that night, except for maybe Jason and Heather, as they were already married. But Nate and I hit it off. He was all I ever wanted. And...he later broke up with his girlfriend. Love you, Nate!

A Wash Hut proposal

A Toxic dance

Happy Birthday, Allison!

2009-02-11T12:15:00.001-08:00

We love our Allison! Here are some pictures from her first year.

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

And, a Happy Birthday to our friends Eliza Hodnett and Melissa Dieter!

How we are surviving the winter...

2009-02-10T14:54:00.000-08:00

Girls Day In

2009-02-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

We were honored to have Tallie over last week, as her parents were busy with the delivery of their new son. We spent the day playing princess, much to my exhaustion.

Edie relishes the Belle gown; Tallie enjoys the beverage of choice: chocolate milk; Allison takes the cake, I think.

Belle, the Beast, and Tallie chat over Princess Milkshakes.

Manicure and pedicure enter their vocabulary.

Cookies (that should've taken 20 minutes to make) are completed in 2 hours.

Lunch
Yeah right...princesses don't eat cookie dough for lunch! They dine on "wet shrimp and nacaroni shells"!!

Thanks for playing, Tallie! We had so much fun! And I hope your brother will not put a damper on your princess play.

In other news, I started sleep training T-Rex today.

I've nursed/rocked her to sleep since she was born - a complete opposite of Edie's experience. And I think it's high time she learn how to put herself to sleep. It's not going well so far. I'm trying the Cry Yourself To Sleep Method. Let's just say it's about 5 pm and she hasn't napped yet.

Wish her luck!

allison's first haircut

2009-01-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Adios mullet!

sooo cute!!

2008-12-17T13:06:00.000-08:00

I think my favorite thing about this picture is that their real eyes are about the same size.

*Foam eyes courtesy of the MacDonald family

Thanksgiving '08

2008-12-11T14:06:00.000-08:00

We'd like to introduce our blog readers to the newest addition to our Family:

the TV stand.

Nate used not one single nail on this project. He's quite the skilled woodworker.

We've titled the table The $1,000 TV Stand, as the purchases of some necessary tools were required for completion.

Soon after construction, we ventured on our cross-country road trip to PA and IN to visit the Knoebels and Smiths.

We discovered that Adam has been using some shady potty-training tactics with Jack

Grammy's surgery was successful, but watching her endure the aftermath was painful! Nevertheless, we're sooo excited for her!

Soon after, we drove 10+ hours to Indiana. We received some terrific news only 1 hour prior to our arrival that Silas had gotten a job! Not just any job, mind you, but an awesome one managing the assembly of diabetic kits! We
celebrated every day we were there by going out to dinner.

My personal favorite was Skyline - moment of silence for all you OCMers.

Ana also brought her work home.

We enjoyed a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. Nate made a lemon meringue pie from scratch. Ana made everything else. Oh, Ana's friend made rolls and potatoes...and Ana made everything else. Oh, Linda made a delicious broccoli casserole, but didn't serve it until the next day...and Ana made everything else.

Which brings me to the biggest reunion of our trip:
We saw Linda and Heather!!!

Linda is my Dad's sister and Heather is her daughter...so my Aunt and cousin.

I haven't seen my Aunt since I was 13. We'd talking about getting together for so long; it was great to finally catch up and reminisce.

Here are all the kids:

It was sad to say goodbye, but great to know that the Smith family can now make online purchases guilt-free. Congrats again, Silas.

After returning to PA, the Knoebel fam met Santa Claus at the mall. We waited in a line that was surprisingly not too long. As soon as the family in front of us exited Santa's lap, Edie RACED up to him and screamed, "I WANT A BALL!!!" Well, Santa didn't know what to think because he usually gets to ask first. So then, they didn't really have much to say.

And Allison, well, she didn't want anything, because she's just perfect.

Edie's most favorite activity of our entire trip was riding the merry-go-round with Grandpa. He took her twice.

Now, on to Christmas! Happy Holidays everyone!

Papa John came to town

2008-11-17T18:50:00.000-08:00

My dad flew in from Idaho on Oct. 30. He could only stay for two days, so every moment was action packed!

First, we visited the Minuteman Museum and walked the trail.

It was a beautiful day!

This is supposedly the exact location where Paul Revere was stopped by the British on his run.

After lunch and shopping in Concord, we visited Walden Pond. I love this picture. My dad looks just like Thoreau.

This is a replica of his cabin.

That night was trick-or-treating, and of course we dragged my dad along! We were hoping for a costume, but I guess after 60 it's not acceptable.

The next day we ventured downtown to walk to Freedom Trail. We made a quick stop at the carousel and park at Frog Pond.

Lunch at The Oyster House and shopping at Fanueil Hall.

We eventually made it to Mike's Pastry and got one of everything...so good!

Two days with no naps was a little risky, but the kids did great! Edie almost made it to the end of the trail.

That night we played with play-do. Nate made a Red Coat. Edie made a blue mountain. I made a turkey and a ballerina and Dad made a boy rolling a ball.

We had a blast! We slept REALLY well those nights: utter exhaustion.

Hope you can come again soon, Dad!

Kanoodle Turkeys 2008

2008-11-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

Allison: The slug

Edie: Ballerina

Mandy: Miss American Turkey
(In honor of Carrie)

Nate: Richard Simmons Sweatin'

We calculate that in 10 more years, we will have approximately 73; in 20, we'll have 143.*
*Calculations require our children to continue turkey construction even after high school graduation.

Fall Festivities

2008-10-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Ward Halloween Party

"Shiver me timbers! My mom 'as made me a cross dresser!"

(Sorry, you'll have to watch this video while laying down - I took the video sideways.)

scarfing down worm-filled cupcakes

(An American Family)

Nate's Work Party

Ian and Edie bond over candy

candy and crafts at SSCI

Clifford visits Stoneham Library

How we get around town when Nate takes the double stroller to work
(in the trunk).

Edie and Nora

Edie's swoons and stares at Clifford's signature in her book while Nora screams with delight. You should've seen the other kids too! Clifford is such a dreamboat. Can you blame them?

FYI
This year I made:
1. Tutus
2. Flowers for Edie's hair
3. Allison's pirate shirt, eye patch, belt, and shoes
4. Nate's mustard cap
5. An i love N8 shirt, which I'll have to post later
(Look Ana, I can be crafty too)

Nate made his own mustard costume - AWESOME!!!
The coolest thing is, he made it at the church, 20 minutes before the party started! He's such an engineer!

And no, I didn't make the hotdog...I borrowed it from my neighbor.

Please, positive feedback only.

Breaking News...2 weeks late

2008-10-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

Dinky Nomie O., the beloved lifelong companion of Edith Jane Knoebel, died Saturday, October 11, 2008. Formerly known as binky, Dinky Nomie O. received its new, endearing title nearly one year after beginning its devoted relationship with Edie.
Dinky and Edie spent every day together. Not a nap or night went by that Dinky did not selflessly aid its companion drift to sleep. Dinky spent most of its life in Edie's mouth, as well as some occasional moments on the floor and other various germ-infested locations. Dinky served as a friend, bribe, and comforter.
You will be missed.

View here for highlights from the funeral:

Edie seems to have recovered quickly. We thought nights would be a nightmare. But, she has taken the loss like a man. She hasn't even turned to fingers or thumbs.

She has asked about what the binky will grow into. I think she's hoping for a binky tree.

Topsfield Fair

2008-10-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

Oops.

I Made Tutus

2008-10-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make one for Edie, for Halloween. But I ended up with extra tulle, so I whipped one out for the little one too. They were fun to make, so I'll probably end up making one in every color.

In other news, she has started pulling herself up on things, such as this bed, the oven drawer, and the stairs. Hmmm.

Allison REALLY likes to wear her tutu.
(Edie took this picture - Genius!)

I tried to make it so she could still get around.

When Edie finishes her chore chart, she's getting a new leotard - which we were going to buy for her anyway...for Halloween. It's good to make her work for things, right.

All this ballet get-up is making me want to live my dreams through my daughters. I've been daydreaming of them as professional ballerinas all day. Better get crackin'!

Funny Videos

2008-10-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

Ian and Edie were supposed to be sleeping when Joe and Jen came over to watch the VP debate. Needless to say, there was no sleeping.

This is what happens when Edie skips her nap.

Funny Pictures

2008-10-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Edie drew this triangle all by herself and was so excited to show me.

Playing dress-up with all the new clothes from Mei-Li

Dress-up, continued

Nater-tot (Edie took this)

Speak no evil

Hiking in style

How Edie eats a donut

When Jack slept over

Spot visits the library

Twins from head to toe

apple/peach picking

2008-09-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

Well, we succumbed to the local agricultural tourism scam in hopes of embracing the coming season.

Edie REALLY loved it, as you can see from the following video:

So, we gave her some fruit snacks to calm her down and it seemed to work.

Allison was perfect, of course, except for consuming some grass.

Edie took this picture of Nate. He seems to frequently talk on his cell during family outings. But, in this case it was good because he was getting apple advice from his expert father.

Unfortunately, the apples turned out to kinda be gross, so Nate's mom helped us make and can applesauce. So much fun!

The peaches, on the other hand, were delicious! Expensive and delicious!! I tried my hand at freezer jam and failed miserably. But, we can always use it as peach syrup :)

Tangs, con't

2008-09-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post these from the trip. Aren't they cute!

A trip to Bangor, Maine with Jason and Heather Tang

2008-09-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

Jason (Nate's ex-roommate) and Heather flew in from HI to visit Jason's parents in Bangor. So...we tagged along. And we're glad we did because we had a pretty darn good time!

Here's us with the 4 kids. One's still in the oven.

This is Bangor's claim to fame: Stephen King's house

Notice the spiderweb ironwork.

Jason's mom charitably offered to watch Ashlyn and Edie while the rest of us drove to Bar Harbor. They apparently had a memorable time at the park, library, and grocery store (the favorite activity being screaming down the aisles driving a truck grocery cart).

Meanwhile, here's Allison waiting for her lobster.

And Nate - BFF

We later got real ice cream.

Cadillac Mountain
where Megan Lindsay and I watched the first sunrise of the new millennium.
I didn't get any pictures of Jason's parents, but they are pretty awesome.
They shared all of their ancient family Chinese food recipes with us, as well as some newer vitamixer ones.

In closing, here are Ashlyn and Edie being best friends.

FYI: Jason is a sportscaster on Oahu. That's why we're still friends with him - because he has an impressive occupation.

We miss you, Tangs!

Carrie got married!!!

2008-08-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

sealed 8-8-08

Kanoodles are #1

no alcohol was present at the reception

jess, dad, and mom

Edie the sweetie

josh, kate, and little kai'a venture to the mainland

jess, dad, and mom

the wind was messing up my hair

Carrie battles the wind

should we be smiling or freaking out??

Springville Art Museum

Carrie with nieces:
Edie, Kalia, Allison, Kai'a, and Maddy

Mom made this dress

"Summer of Knoebels"

2008-08-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

As the back-up (with everyone on a fun vacation but me) I'm filling in once again, to give you the "Summer of Knoebels". This post is huge and probably a bit of a sensory overload. However, I figure nothing can be worse than Mandy's last post with that wonderful picture of me "front and center". At this time, while we are on the subject, I would like take a moment to publicly apologize to those seeking pictures and videos of cute kids only to find my sorry self again and again for over a month.

Well enough of the chatting, as I'm sure you are not here for my commentary. I present to you the "Summer of Knoebels".

I figure a picture of my beautiful wife is always a good place to start.

That was one of our first radishes from the garden or "small jungle". Edith really likes to try the vegetables although she says that they are all "too spicy". She does a good job propping up her sister.

These plants are all now twice this size and fighting for a good spot of sun. Other than gardening we have kept ourselves very busy with ...

camping trips (actually sleeping with 15+ ticks in this case),

picking (or eating) strawberries,

learning that our last name is not "Kanodo" (over some strawberry short cake of course),

learning to use the camera (this is one of my favorites),

playing the guitar to "twinkle little star" (which should always include a dramatic ending),

visiting Grandma K

and Grandpa K,

riding the famous "Hiawatha" (which I discovered has a fake paddle, what a childhood let down),

learning not to be scared on cool rides at Knoebel's Grove,

visiting Grandpa K's animal hospital,

making friends with cousins,

dancing with Dad,

learning to sit,

screaming in the car (with broken air conditioning),

camping with Tally (Dora lanterns are the best for exploring),

and watching cool hot-air balloons at 6:00 in the morning (after a restful sleep with two crazy kids in a two man tent).

This concludes the "Summer of Knoebels". I hope that I have been able to make things up to all of you (you don't need to scroll down any further).

Beach

2008-06-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

This one's for you, Jason.

We've been to the beach 3 times so far this season. Love it!

TRIP ONE:
Rockport, MA

TRIP TWO:
Rockport, MA
(We were too chicken to try a new beach when Nate's parents came to town.)

Let's just say Edie was occupied all night with these clam shells.

TRIP THREE:
Good Harbor Beach
Gloucester, MA

*Sorry, no pics. But, we did bury Allison in the sand and shape her legs like a mermaid tail. Some sand was consumed.

We went with the Malstroms, the Bishop's family, so I was able to ditch the kids and show the world my body boarding skills (don't really have them).
Edie hated the water at first; she pretty much hated anything that involved not being safely tucked away in my arms.
Somehow, Greta worked her magic and soon she and Edie were playing like sand crabs in the sand and water.
Later, I caught Edie kneeling in the middle of the beach and saying, "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the beach. Thank you for the water. Thank you for the sand. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

I guess that meant she liked it.

Garden

2008-06-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

Our friends, Mike and Stephanie, had the most fantastic garden last year. We were envious all summer long. So, this year we decided to try our hand at gardening. We've been experimenting with different techniques so that next year it will be even better.

Here are some of our tiny seedlings: beets, cubanelles, poblanos, anaheims, sunflowers.

Edie's nursery leader had them plant these peas at church. It got so big that we've had to transplant it twice. We finally took it outside and now it's not doing so hot (see video below).

We're sharing this plot with our neighbors. It's small, but we hope it will do the job.

Here's our botanist.

Recent footage.

You can see how much our pepper plant has grown in comparison to the one we left in the plastic. Don't worry, the runt has made it's way to the garden.

We are loving it so far. We can't wait to get those tomatoes off the vine and into our mouths. Edie is fascinated too by the growth...and worms. She's great with a watering can as well.

June 4, 2008

2008-06-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

Our Allison is
3 months old
today!

Allison's first road trip

2008-06-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun on our weekend trip to PA over Mother's Day weekend. It seems like I never get enough pictures though to cover all the details. We got to finally meet Elyse and spend time with Matt, Regen, and Kenley, who were visiting from WA. Jon came up from State College too. We're really looking forward to the time when all the Knoebel boys move back home ;)

Can you tell which baby is mine? Neither can I.

Grandma K., Mom K., and Nate enjoying a delicious cookout.

Mini Nate, Mini Matt, Mini Jeremy, and Dad K.

I love this video!!

The kids played so hard they couldn't keep their eyes open...

and neither could the dogs.

As a final note, Nate was injured at the family baseball game and received three stitches. As of now, he has fully recovered.

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED:

Sheepie Hair Cut

2008-05-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

We attended the annual Gore Place Sheep Shearing Festival at the end of April. Here's our report:

We call this video "I like your hair cut!"

This is the Gore Mansion built in the early 1800's by Governor Gore in Waltham, MA.

Edie got to plant some sunflower seeds.

Her favorite thing, however, was to watch the "horsies running".

My favorite thing was to watch the rebels marching. Nate wasn't quite as impressed as I was.

There was also a magician, kettle corn, live folk music, a dog show (collies), and homemade strawberry ice cream.

So we think our kids are cute.

2008-05-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Best Friends Forever

To appreciate the beautiful New England springtime and to revive a hardworking man spending day after day in a windowless cubicle, our family has started a weekly hiking tradition.
Here's Edie.
(There were no bugs harmed in the making of this video.)

This video could probably make even the most hardhearted heart melt, were it not for the obnoxious baby talk of yours truly. Try to look past it and capture the essence and beauty of a 2 month old's smile.

Our good friends, the MacDonalds, came over the other night. Here are Max and Edie playing house, I guess.
Edie's up with the baby again.
P.S. This is her NEW TODDLER BED! She off the floor now!

Party Central

2008-05-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

Our party started with the arrival of Jess on April 1 from Provo (P-town, for all you locals). Can you believe she looked like this just after her red eye flight? She makes me sick!

We did things like go to Walden Pond,take a tour of Salem
(We found this witch tied to a pole. Can you believe they still do stuff like that?),

visit the Friendship replica

and lighthouse

(It was so windy on the way back it made us cry! Can you see Jess's tear?).

Then the party REALLY got... exciting. The kids came! They brought Ana too! Their family actually drove here from Fishers, IN!

Here's our photo shoot with Maddy, Kaden, Kalia, and Edie after Jess had cut everyone's hair:

We got to walk half of the Freedom Trail and get Mike's Pastries.

And, of course, we visited the Water Show.

And the kids played and played and played. We had a blast!

One night, Nate headed off the first annual Boat Race...or should I say Battleship Showdown.
All the kids (and Nate) designed and made paper boats.

This is Nate's:

I'll let you watch and see what happens.

How many of you think cub scouts is the perfect calling for Nate?

I'm so proud of myself for finishing this post. I've been meaning to do it forever! We're so glad Jess and the Smith's could come! And now we know our way around the area a little better, so if any of you are thinking you'd like to come this way, we can show you around!

It sure us quiet at our house now :(

Oh yeah, and Jess got a comb stuck in Maddy's hair during General Conference.
Nate had to cut it out.

Edie Ballerina

2008-04-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Kalia checked out a ballerina book from our library when she was here. Since then, Edie has taken quite a liking to the art. Here she is performing her version of the chasse, pirouette, and arabesque.

And here is Allison performing her version of the chasse, pirouette, and arabesque.

And here are the performers in their twinner outfits.

Potpourri

2008-03-18T17:31:00.001-07:00

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR SHARING THIS TIME WITH US! We just wanted to share some pictures and video from the past two weeks. It was hard to decide what to post because we're...well...both indecisive.

First, let's compare newborn pictures of Edie and Allison. Although their eyes are closed, they have definite similarities (hair, face shape, chubby arms, etc.)

EDIE (2 wks.)

ALLISON (1 1/2 wks.)

Mom and Ana were both able to come out. They've totally spoiled Edie with attention. And they've read...

and read...

and read.

Edie and Allison are already best friends. They play together all the time...supervised.

Edie likes to poke and prod at important things like Allison's eyes or body slam her when giving kisses.

Mom got the girls cute matching outfits so we tried to play Sarah Ward and have a photo shoot. This is the best we could do:

We need help, Sarah!

And now for some videos:

Edie being cute.

We'd like to dedicate this next video to our friends Mike and Stephanie (who've also recently welcomed a new one into the world):

Thank you for the recipe! Please note that Ana ate and thoroughly enjoyed the egg rolls. They were delicious!

Allison waking up from a nap.

More, more water show.

This is Ana and Edie dancing. Please note that no other spectator was dancing. Ana was very bold.

Then, Edie wouldn't rest until everyone was dancing.

Edith Meets Allison

2008-03-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

Allison was born yesterday (March 4, 2008)! As any self-respecting father in such circumstances I have assumed the position of backup blogger.

Things could not have gone smoother at least from my point of view. Mandy spent most of her labor sewing a new blanket. Her contractions got strong just after our 1 mile hospital commute which naturally took about an hour as we debated important issues such as whether the camera was packed and where Edith should sleep. After our arrival, Mandy was given an epidural and her water was broken which really set things motion.

At the next visit (40 min later) the doctor asked "are you ready to have this baby". Neither Mandy or I believed him until he got out his equipment. Four pushes later (one of which was a laugh) Allison came out like she had been greased with butter. Mandy was walking around in no time.

In the meantime Mandy's mom flew into town (who was gratefully picked up by Mandy's cousin Chad). As for Edith, she had the slumber party of a lifetime with her friend Nora. Apparently the two of them would not go to bed for all of their giggling and song singing. Later the next morning after a sad (and emotional) parting with Nora (and Nora's toys) Edith met Allison.

I taped the occasion

Edith likes to count toes if you can't tell (three, four, six, nine, ten...). Note that Edie found the emergency cord (and of course set the alarm).

We are so grateful that everyone is healthy and that Allison is finally here!

Does it get more fun than this?

2008-02-24T19:38:00.000-08:00

Edie's learning to count. She's getting pretty good at it. This video shows Nate's incredible cinematography skills, as well as Edie in her early counting stages. I'll dialogue it for you in case you can't understand what she's saying:

Nate: You wanna count?
Edie: count
Nate: Can you say "one"?
Edie: see, see, ok
Nate: Ok, say "one"
Edie: "three"
Nate: "two"
Edie: "three"
Nate: "three"
Edie: "four"
Nate: "four"
Edie: "roar" (which is her way of saying 'five')

Jess got Edie these finger painting tools for Christmas. She loves them! We have a wall covered in original Edie artwork.

A BABY SHOWER

2008-02-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

I just have to say that the ladies in the Lynnfield Ward are spectacular! On Saturday, my friends Liz and Emily threw Cat, another expecting mother, and me a baby shower! It was so fun to get together with all the ladies and eat chocolate and talk about child birth. What more could anyone want?

Mandy and Cat
(due 6 days apart)

This is Liz with her two girls, Abby and Samantha. The party was at their house. They made the most delicious chocolate desserts, as shown above, and also had the house decorated in cute pinks, browns, and whites.

Decadent chocolate heart-shaped brownies topped with peppermint whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and nuts... Need I say more?

Chowin' with the ladies

Some people even got things for Edie! This doll, from Pam, was to help Edie not feel left out. She takes it with her everywhere!

We had so much fun and I can't believe how nice everyone is out here. It's the next best thing to being with family.

Flan

2008-02-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

One night, Edie and Nate made flan from scratch! It was the most delicious flan I've ever eaten. Here's the recipe if you're interested...or just ask us and we'll make it for you!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup and 1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 13 oz cans evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. You will need 6 ramekins or other specialty flan cook ware and a large baking pan to put them in.

Pour 1 cup sugar in warm pan over medium heat. Constantly stir sugar until is browns and becomes caramel.

Quickly pour approximately 2-3 tablespoons of caramel in each ramekin, tilting it to swirl the caramel around the sides. Reheat caramel if it starts to harden.

In a mixer or with a whisk, blend the eggs together. Mix in the milks then slowly mix in the 1/2 cup of sugar, then the vanilla. Blend smooth after each ingredient is added.

Pour custard into caramel lined ramekins. Place ramekins in a large glass or ceramic baking dish and fill with about 1-2 inches of hot water. Bake for 45 minutes in the water bath and check with a knife just to the side of the center. If knife comes out clean, it's ready.

Remove and let cool. Let each ramekin cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. Invert each ramekin onto a small plate, the caramel sauce will flow over the custard.

(It was late, which explains the heavy lids)

Valentine's Day

2008-02-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

We should've taken a video of Edie saying, "Happy Valentine's Day!" It's so cute.

I made her a pillow out of some leftover tricot and embroidered her name and a pink airplane on it. She was so excited about and still won't get in or out of the crib without it.

Edie and I made a candlelight dinner for Nate of swiss chicken, asparagus, and lemon rice. I put her hair in sponge rollers and put her in a very cute dress. It's ironic that sponge rollers make her hair straight instead of curly, but she looked very cute! I also finally got out of my pajamas for the first time in days to surprise Nate.

After dinner, Nate took us to Jordan's Furniture store to watch the water show. We also got some ice cream and looked at furniture. A truly romantic evening.

Edie can't get enough of the water show. Good thing it's free.

This is me on Valentine's night, 37 weeks along. Doctor says so far nothing is happening and I have a long road ahead of me.

LOTS OF LOVE!!