Christmas is coming....

Doesn't every family have their version of this picture? At last, we have ours, and I am not the least surprised at the outcome.

Yahoooo! Halloooooween!

Halloween was as excellent as the kids were hoping! Nora got to wear her costume to school on Wednesday, where they had a little party and did a performance of three poems they memorized for the parents... very cute:


Halloween night we stuck to Brett's tradition of pizza for dinner, and then hustled the kids into their costumes to get their picture with the firewagon before it got too dark:

So there you have it, the most themed/ coordinated Halloween we might ever, ever have.

The day started rainy but it was clear for trick-or-treating, so they had a really good time. When they got back, both had chilly cheeks so we brought them in to warm up while we waited to see if we'd have any more trick-or-treaters... it was very slow this year.

The potato chips were a big hit... Nora keeps telling people she got her "own" potato chips!

John luckily loved his costume... he wore it the entire night.

Hope you all had a nice time last night too, and that November is off to a great start.

Love to all-

The Huffmans

READY FOR ACTION

The fire engine is ready for Halloween service. Next time we'll get a picture with the fire fighter (Nora) and dalmation (John). Nora is still looking for someone to dress up as a house on fire.

- Brett

Firefighters!

The much-anticipated trip to the Fire Station FINALLY happened today! We saw lots of great firefighting equipment (trucks) and gear, but skipped the live burn they were doing across the street (even though a firefighter assured me it wouldn't be scary) because both kids were kind of spent by the time they were starting the demonstration. Here are a few pics:

Fire Chief Nora in the back seat of the pumper truck

Hose target practice... with the only female fire fighter I saw there! So glad she was there, as Nora was seeming to not believe me when I told her women could be firefighters, too.

Tower Truck #1

Tower Truck #1 - that ladder is so tall... the thought of climbing it was making my knees wobbly! Thank goodness there are men and women brave enough to take on Fire and Rescue.

Here's hoping that the only times we're ever this close to these trucks is on open house day, but we're all glad to know that the firefighters are always ready to help our family if we ever did have an emergency.

Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries! :)

Adios, September

I still intend to post pictures from over the summer, but for now I'm just going to move on with current events! This week Nora had her first field trip to the apple orchard. It was also our first blustery fall day, so we snagged some hats and sweaters and hit the road (John was allowed to come along).

We started out in a barn w/ mini-benches where the kids learned about how an apple grows (incl. the role of the bees-- a little positive PR for bees), then went on a tractor ride out to the orchard where we picked 2 apples by twisting, not pulling them, from the branch (a lesson Nora really took to heart and has repeated anytime she talks about going to the orchard).

The rain held off while we came back, took a class picture outside and headed inside for apple cider and donuts. Check out the apple shirt she made with her class to wear to the orchard!

She had a blast, and John liked it too since we were either moving or eating.

The next day, Nora came with me to the dentist for her first visit. I went first, and our hygenist did an awesome job of explaining everything she was doing to Nora. They also had a very nice conversation, which I couldn't participate in while my teeth were being cleaned! By the time it was Nora's turn, she and Lilly were the best of friends and Nora hopped right up into the chair. She got her teeth counted (20!), then polished (w/ grape paste), then flossed, and then got the fluoride, which is now a really sticky paste that gets painted on the teeth. Lilly was impressed w/ Nora's swishing skills, Nora was impressed w/ Mr. Thirsty (the suction tube) and a great time was had by all. She got a sweet new toothbrush and even got to pick a prize out of a box at the end. And so we welcome Fergus to the family, her new little scottish terrier.

John is busy too, walking like a champion. He doesn't crawl any more, and is getting quicker on his feet every day. He also gained a little height and/ or a little extra arm strength and is now climbing up onto everything but the couches. He has absolutely no fear, so I have a little extra now as I've caught him standing on chairs and on the ottoman several times already.

They're still getting along well, in spite of John's ability to get into almost everything now. Nora has taken to putting toys she wants to keep from him up on shelves she can barely reach or behind the couch cushions, but otherwise does a good job of sharing... most days.

We'll post again soon!

First Day of Preschool

I almost forgot my password to log on to this blog... it really has been a long time! I have loads of pictures from over the summer and will try to pick out a few, but most immediately, here are a few pictures from Nora's first official day of preschool. She did great! She was so excited to go, so excited to be taking her backpack (thanks again, Alison!), so excited to take in her "homework" (we were given a piece of construction paper to decorate with her name, a photo and stickers to be made into her snacktime placemat - I think every butterfly sticker she recently received from Gen are now on the placemat), so excited to be wearing her dress -- overall, so excited. I thought she might get derailed when one of her classmates started crying and grabbing onto her mom at the last moment, but Nora waved to us, walked around her classmate (who was already being comforted by the teacher) and straight into the classroom!

first day of preschool

John went with the flow pretty well today... Brett took the day off and so John was just glad to have Daddio around. Mr. Bubs seems to be fully committed to walking now... he's tottering all over the place, but still very wobbly. Sometimes I see him stomping along at a pretty regular, but slower pace, and other times he comes running through the room trying to get back his balance when it's just getting away from him! He's drooling like a fiend, so we're watching for more teeth. As usual, though, I can't tell if teeth are coming until they're already here.

I love spaghetti sauce/ this is what I would look like as a redhead (eyebrows)

I'll try to post more summer pictures soon since we've missed pretty much all of it!

Goodbye, Grandpa Kenrick

James F. Kenrick, Sr.
1924 - 2009

James F. Kenrick, Sr., died peacefully at his home in Dearborn, surrounded by his family, July 23, 2009. He was 84 years old.

Mr. Kenrick was born August 9, 1924, in Detroit to Patrick and Mary Kenrick. James attended St. Gabriel’s Elementary School and Holy Redeemer High School in Southwest Detroit.

He graduated in the summer of 1942. Dad survived a serious automobile accident that same summer. He was in St. Joe’s Hospital for 35 days, 23 days of which he was in a coma. After his recovery, James enlisted in the US Army in March, 1943. However, the injuries from the auto accident led to an Honorable Discharge later that same year.

James went on to work various jobs until the age of 25 when he started his own business, Warren Family Farms (better known as Kenrick’s Catering). The business thrived for 29 years until he sold it in 1979. Later that summer, in order to fulfill a lifelong promise to his wife Joyce, James moved his family to Ft. Myers Beach, Florida, where they resided for seven years. Missing his children and grandchildren, James and Joyce moved back to Dearborn into a house across the street from their favorite church, the Church of the Divine Child.

James and Joyce were happily married for over 61 years creating a legacy of 12 children, 37 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Mr. Kenrick is survived by his loving wife, Joyce and children, Mary (Ken) Baker, Patricia (Larry) Yavello, James (Julie) Kenrick, Joseph (Cyndi) Kenrick, Grace (Dave) Lucas, Marguerite (Rick) Petersen, Tim (Sheri) Kenrick, Harold Kenrick, John (Ellen) Kenrick and Gerard (Angie) Kenrick. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jason (Laura) Covitz, Teressa Covitz, Sarah (Brett) Huffman, Genevieve Yavello, Andrew Yavello, Clare (fiancé Nate Thornton) Yavello, James F. Kenrick III, Rosemary Kenrick, Christopher Kenrick, Patrick Kenrick, Emily Kenrick, Rachel Kenrick, Ian Kenrick, Hannah Kenrick, Michelle (Scott) Schommer, David Lucas, Garrett Lucas, Maria (Eric) Beller, Katelyn Petersen, Kenrick Petersen, Maggie (Tommy) Doherty, Emma Petersen, Lauren Petrillo, Patrick Petrillo, Robert Petrillo, McKenzie Kenrick, Keegan Kenrick, Kelsey Kenrick, Connor Kenrick, Logan Kenrick, Mitch Kenrick, Mallory Kenrick, Daniel Kenrick, Evan Kenrick, Marissa Kenrick, Max Kenrick, Mick Kenrick, great- grandchildren, Ryan, Ashley, Sean, Jake, Kai, Lucas, Madeline, Nora, John and Ryder, sister, Anna (Al) Wood, and sister-in-law Josephine Kenrick.

Mr. Kenrick is preceeded in death by his daughters, Joyce and Gemma Kenrick, sister, Madeline (Jack) Maxwell, and brothers, Jack Kenrick, Don Kenrick, and Pat (Frances) Kenrick.

Funeral Mass at Church of the Divine Child, 1055 N. Silvery Lane, Dearborn, Monday 9:30am. Visitation at Voran Funeral Home, 23701 Ford Road, Dearborn, Sunday 3-9pm. Prayers, Sunday 7pm. Interment in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield.

Memorials appreciated to Angela Hospice, 14100 Newburgh Road, Livonia, Michigan, 48154 or Muscular Dystrophy Association, 36520 Grand River Avenue, Suite 102, Farmington Hills, Michigan, 48335.

Happy Birthday, John!!!

NOW PLAYING:
John Patrick Huffman - YEAR ONE
Starring John Patrick Huffman as himself.

REVIEWS:
"A non-stop action thrillride." - Detroit News
"The only movie likely to top Transformers this summer." - Autotrader
"He just peed on me." - Sarah

March Madness

more March Madness?

I really wanted to get a picture of Nora in her fancy winter coat and "peek-a-boo" gloves, but kept forgetting. Michigan, though, obliged w/ one more snowy day in April to provide an accurate background for the picture!

Nora surprised us by being VERY interested in the Easter Bunny at the Easter Bunny Breakfast. She couldn't get enough of this guy.

Easter

I love this bunny!

Statue of Liberty... with an attitude

just about washing the new seed away w/ close range watering

first hotel stay

on the Toad Hunt at the Henry Ford Estates... missed Toadatopia by a day or two (yep, that's a Goonies wristband Nora is wearing)


still had a nice Nature Walk on the grounds of the Estate

So, April kind of got away from me... but I'm getting the jump on May. I'm always hopeful that I'll post more than once a month, but I can't make any promises. I know if you're peeking in on the blog, you're pretty much looking for pics of the kids, so here you go:

We all headed outside as soon as the weather started improving

Nora hugging the "baobob tree," ala Jules the cat in "Hug Time"

Nora helping me push John (I'm off to the side), right before she stepped a little too close and took a swing to the face. Ouch.

John slowly accepting the idea of chewing food... extremely skeptical at first, but he's getting a lot better now. We rounded the corner this weekend and he's really doing quite well eating baby food with texture (minimal texture).

He is crazy about cups... particularly ours. He's dumped beverages on me a few times when I thought the cup was out of his reach. He's getting very good at drinking from a sippy cup (throws his head back so that the cup is vertical), so hopefully we'll be moving towards cup drinking more and more soon.

Nora is an excellent helper... though sometimes she's helping when I don't realize it. I opened the dishwasher to load it with dirty dishes to find that she'd put her sippy cup (still fully assembled) inside).

Nora and Brett decked out in MSU stuff for the final games of March Madness (she's wearing an old shirt of Andy's... still way too big for her)

Working in the yard w/ Dad

Safety first... though with John getting the ride, it seems he should be wearing the helmet

At the very end of March, my cousin Michelle and her family welcomed their new baby girl, Madeline, and a week later, we showed up to say howdy, too. Michelle has a magic camera that always takes great pictures of her kids, so she took some of mine while we were there. Her son Lucas was gracious enough to share his high chair with John while we visited with him and his little sister (he and Nora were best buds, but unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of them together).

Nora and Madeline

I know those last few are sideways, but I'm out of time... I'll try to fix them next time I'm on. I have pictures from Easter/ April on the camera ready to be loaded onto the computer (the camera is sitting right here, hooked up!), so I'll try to post more later tonight/ tomorrow. For now, as always, thanks for thinking of us!