Kenya Walking w/help

Kenya prefers to be upright and walking along things or behind her push toy. Here is a quick video of her in action.

I am a busy, busy girl!

Kenya loves the dishwasher and today she figured out how to climb onto it.
She is a busy girl who loves to explore and follow her big brother whenever possible.
She keeps us ALL very busy!


I blogged about Noah at this busy stage. Just click the link below to see it.

Click here to see Noah at this busy stage!

I might be back...

I am thinking about blogging again? Don't hold me to it but I am going to try. I like looking back at the way I was able to document Noah's 1st few years of life. I often look back to remember dates, events, etc.
Things have changed to this "Blogger" and I need to relearn how to post, etc. So this is  my test to see if it worked :) Maybe I will be back again real soon...and maybe not?

Table Talk...

I am not very good at writing stories but I want to share this one with you...
These are photo's of my Grandma Bev's dining room table just back from being refinished. It was bought by my Grandparent's in 1970. It was a big purchase for them and my Grandpa Harry was very proud of it! He died of a heart attack in his 40's and us grand kids never had the privilege to meet him. We were given the table a few years back by Grandma after she had downsized to a smaller home. We of course were grateful for the table as we just moved into our current house and had space for it.
 After many years of loving use the table was in need of refinishing. Cory and I had many conversations of how great it would be to have it refinished and surprise my Grandma. So shortly after Christmas this year we decided it was time and we found someone who would take on the task. We also decided that it would be really great to give it to my parents as my Dad grew up around this table and memories of his Dad would for sure be remembered. 
Yesterday Cory was able to deliver it out to my parents while they were gone and we arranged supper with them there last night and invited Grandma Bev to come out as well. When I got out to the house to see it myself I was floored at the transformation to say the least! It was stunning and more beautiful then I had ever thought it would be. Mom and Dad knew we were having it refinished but clueless to the fact we were giving it to them. When Grandma walked in she didn't notice the table but we had her sit down to take her boots off. She said "did you get a new table...this looks just like my table...is this...is this my table"? She was so excited and said it looked just like it had when they first brought it home. It was PRICELESS! Maybe someday it will make it's way back to our home again but for right now I think it is right where it should be. May the memory of my Grandpa Komestakes always be remembered around this table.

Grandma Bev & Grandpa Harry's Table
Refinished

 

Grandma Bev

My parents

Grandma and Dad

Before

Before

Here is a link to the guy (Ron Synstelien) who refinished the table. I would highly recommend him! www.ronsrefinishing.com

Meeting Devon! Our newest Nephew.

My sister (Dessica) and brother-in-law (Shawn) have added to their family!

This is Devon Dre Veum

 This is our first time meeting him.

We now have 16 nieces and nephews!

Noah now has 16 cousins to keep track of.

Noah loved holding Devon and often asks if he can go visit the "beums".

Which is how he pronounces "Veum".

Merry Christmas!

Noah has a new pet...

...meet Hermie the Hermit Crab and his brother Wormie.

Hermie is the football shell and Wormie is the baseball shell.

 My grandparents brought them home from Texas this past week. So they have traveled far to get here and now I hope I can keep them alive.

I am creeped out a little and need to warm up to them a bit. Noah is not afraid and loves to hold them.

Easter Flash Back...

Easter 2010

Easter Day we attended an Easter Brunch at the Bigwood Event Center in town with some of the Reinertson side.

They of course had the typical "Easter Bunny" roaming around. Noah and Malorie were the only ones that would stand by it.

No one wanted to look at the camera and when they did my camera was too slow.

Noah wearing his new swimsuit that he received in his Easter basket. Growing up my parents always had our new suits for the summer in our Easter baskets. I decided to carry on the tradition!

Push-Ups or Push-Ems?

Cute story to share with you... We have been attempting to get fit at our house and have been watching the Biggest Loser this year. Cory said the other night "come on Noah lets do some push-ups". Noah replied with "o.k. Daddy I'll get them for us" and he then ran to the freezer. Noah thought push-ups were a yummy snack to eat, like the Schwan's "Push-Ems." Which he was right because we call them "Push-ups "not "Push-ems". Which is what his Daddy said, "Push-ups". Which we have in our freezer. Which brings Noah to the freezer to get some "Push-ems because his Daddy said "Push-ups", Right? Well Cory had to give him a lesson on how to do a push-up and not eat a "Push-up". He wasn't sure about this new push-up thing? But now he will tell us in the evenings "lets exercise like the Biggest Loser".

Then the "Push-Ems" come after the push-ups which is what we really call "Push-ups"!

Has this confused anyone? Not Noah, he always knew what he wanted!

"Snow" Fun!

We had a fun day playing outside at the lake yesterday. Noah loved being pulled behind the snowmobile. My parents also came out to play but had some trouble with the sled. Always an adventure when the two of them try to do something together! Bright out...sunglasses anywhere? Noah also loved being on the snowmobile and lasted along time outside. Maddie, Nevaeh & Mareyn being pulled behind a snowmobile. Bodin turned 3 yesterday! We (the Komestakes side) all ended up being at the lake yesterday so we had a little celebration for him. It was "snow" fun!

Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year...

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! We have been gone for too long. We have had a great Fall, Christmas Season, and now looking forward to a New Year ahead of us. Cory had a full fall season with work. Noah decided it was time to ditch the diapers this past September, we got a lot done to our house and I have been busy keeping up with Kids everyday. I have 2 + Noah everyday but had 2 add-ons for 5 weeks or so this fall. Whew...that was non-stop busy. Noah was the oldest at 3, two 2 year olds, a 10 month old and a 6 month old. As far as our home renovations go we were able to re-rock the front, added new garage doors, did some spray insulation in the basement and garage, Cory has the house almost all sided and added new soffit and fascia. We will have lots more painting to do this summer but looking forward to seeing the finished project. We had some Woodpecker trouble this summer and fall. They have pecked at the old siding since we bought the place but with re-doing everything we really didn't want holes in the new siding. Thankfully the cement board siding doesn't suit their taste. But there are still places not finished where they look for their next meal. To make a long story short we actually had one fall into it's pecked hole on our house and was lodged between the outside wall and the inside sheet rock. No joke! Cory worked until dark that day and had to set up lights when he got home and tear open the house. The woodpecker flew out just skimming his head, he jumped, I screamed and Noah had some great entertainment. Well one of our Christmas traditions is to buy new ornaments each year. We try to look for something that reminds us of the past year, etc. So I thought it would be so great to find a woodpecker ornament for Cory. But who would have a woodpecker Christmas ornament to buy? No one, right? Well,do you know I actually found one! It was the perfect find and now he will never forget the year of the Woodpecker's!

I got the Pillsbury Dough Boy...Noah always tells me

"your a good cooker, Mom"

Noah got the M&M guy...his favorite treat to share with Cory.

Eating Christmas Day Brunch in the living room.

New sweatshirt for Cory and hat for Noah. Cory is a big Gopher Hockey fan.

It was so nice out Christmas Day and the "big storm" never came

to our house, we just had a lot of nice new snow.

Noah is always willing to help out & he loves being with his Daddy.

Salsa!

My Dad and I planted a garden in our backyard this year in hopes that I could can some salsa.

Good thing my Dad also planted a garden at his house because mine was not as successful.

We have gotten a few things out of it but it has a poor location for sun light. Most of my tomatoes are still green and being eaten now by the slugs. Dad however had great success with his tomato plants. Today my Grandma Bev came over to teach me the art of canning. She has canned many things in the past but never salsa. So it was a learning experience for the both of us. Overall I believe our day of canning was a success. The taste test has yet to be but they sure look good.

Thank you Grandma for helping me and teaching me how the canning process works. It was a fun day! I hope our efforts will result in great tasting salsa.

Birthday Surprise!

Yes the balloon says "Happy 30th Birthday" and yes it is not until the 25th and yes I am embracing my 30's. My "monthly girls" kidnapped me Friday evening. They prearranged with Cory to "fib" a little. Cory told me that I was to be ready by 6pm and that he made a reservation at Mabel Murphy's for supper. He also informed me that he had to go look at a house quick and he would bring Noah with him, then come back to pick me up. So he left, I finished getting ready and waited patiently for him to come home. Meanwhile the "girls" were on there way over to surprise me. I was on the computer when I heard some distant screaming (I mean singing) of the song "Happy Birthday". I go to the door and there they were! They took me to Bugaboo Bay in Alexandria. We had such a fun night! I love my "monthly girls"! Thank you so much Keisha, Nancy, Cassandra, Larissa and Hallie! We missed you girls who couldn't be there. Grandpa Lyle came for a visit this weekend too. They all had haircuts Saturday night. Lookin' good boys! Before... After

Cory, his Dad and Grandpa Virgil went fishing

and caught some Catfish or "kitty fish" as Noah called them.

What an ugly looking fish.

I hope they taste better than they look.