Fun with Grandma and Gramps...

Grandma and Gramps Kozel came out to Colorado to visit and we had a great time! We got to celebrate a belated Thanksgiving and even a little early Christmas together. Christopher got to read lots of books and play with cars and trains with Grandma and Gramps (they must be exhausted!).

Excited about the Christmas tree...

Thanksgiving Morning

The Evergreen Kozels wish you and yours a happy and fulfilling Thanksgiving.

Here in Evergreen, it's more of the same good stuff: Circles and Water.

Helping Dad...

While Brian (outside) was finishing up some demolition on the side deck, Christopher (inside) decided to "help" by doing a little hammering also.

Who needs toys to entertain you...

...when you have a cabinet full of pots and pans at your disposal?

He spent a solid 3o minutes stacking, arranging and rearranging them as I carefully danced around him while getting dinner ready. Worked out pretty well, actually.

New hat day!

We love new hat day around here - thanks, Grandma Kozel!

We took it out for a walk right away...looks like it's a keeper!

Pumpkin massacre...

We cut apart our pumpkins today (which we never got around to carving for Halloween - oops). We're going to try our hand at pumpkin spice muffins, made with fresh pumpkin, for breakfast tomorrow. Pumpkins are baking in the oven now. Christopher was a big help - lots of "eewww" and "yucky" and "gross" from him as he squished pumpkin seeds between his fingers. For a kid that doesn't usually like dirty hands, he dug right in. By the time we were done, Christopher had orange hands and socks matted with pumpkin seeds on the bottom. Yum!

Mmmmm...crayons...

Oh, sure...it looks like an innocent coloring session...until he looks at you and you realize he's also been snacking while coloring.

Like my namesake...

Perhaps my future is in computers?

Hint, hint...

I'd like a sled for Christmas, please.

Thirsty Bear

I could hear him in the living room talking to the bear, saying "wa wa? more?" and making slurpy noises with his mouth as if the bear were drinking from the cup.

Halloween 2009

Around here, they do "Trick-or-Treat Street" in downtown Evergreen, since it's hard to do a lot of door-to-door trick-or-treating. He got lots of comments on his lion costume (thank you, Grandma Kozel!). He even gave out an occasional "ROAR" to people walking by while trick-or-treating. He seemed to have a really good time (and apparently loves M&M's and Twix).

Playing in the snow!

Christopher's 1st real outing in the snow. He had a hard time moving in his snow suit at first...like a scene out of "A Christmas Story." Even got to do a little sledding at the neighbor's house.

10-22-09

After a long hiatus, it's time for another "Christopher's World." Just shy of 19 months and chatting up a storm these days. He particularly likes to repeat the last word he hears (note to self: if going to say a swear word, put it at the beginning of the sentence). Christopher loves going for walks and pointing out each and every ant, pine cone and rock along the way. You can understand why it takes a good hour to walk to the mailbox and back. He's busy learning his colors and loves to read books. He's also had his first chance to play in the snow and seemed to think it was a lot of fun. Good thing, because there's going to be plenty more of that soon.

10-22-09 pics

"Donkey ride" - His first (and I'm going to guess, last) donkey ride at a local "Cider Fest." Doesn't he look amused?

"Helping" - Such a big boy, helping Dad to pick up all the pine needles from the driveway.

"Snow" - Oh yeah, snow! I can make a snowball to throw at Mom (again)!

"Kiss" - The adorable drool-covered face he makes when he wants to kiss you.

"Spaghetti" - His new favorite food (this was chicken cacciatore). Who needs utensils anyhow?