Happy Birthday Henry!!

We now have three Christmas' down and only one to go! Daryl was getting so used to opening presents that he kept asking us every morning if he could open more.

Had to tell him that Christmas is not normally a two week affair but I don't think it sunk in!!
We celebrated the 25th with my brother and his family, Santa did find Daryl at his cousin's house but for some reason left Daryl's presents in the car. ;-) Dad had to go retrieve them before we started opening.

He got more track and another Thomas the Train and he played with that along with a battery powered drill for most of the weekend.

Daryl also learned how to wrestle with his cousin Henry. Its pretty funny because D is over a year older than Henry but Henry is as big as him and loves to just fall on Daryl.
It was funny at there house but last night while I was watching TV D kept body slamming me! That was not fun!

Day after Christmas it was Henry's first birthday! He got to open a whole new pile of presents while his cousins looked on with awe, I'm sure they were wondering how he got two piles of presents!!! Too bad Henry was not fazed and after opening a couple he was DONE! He just wanted to play with his Chicken Dance Elmo and Electric Book.
He had a yummy Elmo cake that his Grandma Becker made for him. It was white cake for the Elmo and Chocolate cake for the sheet cake part. It was SOOOO Good. Henry just liked to lick it! Silly Boy!!

Merry Christmas Eve

Hanging out with the Stiles' this Christmas Eve. Daryl has had a lot of fun playing with his cousin Henry and Henry's toys!

Uncle Asa had to work today so we got to babysit Henry and he was a great baby. He napped twice and the first time everyone took a nap!

We keep telling Daryl Santa is coming tomorrow but he is still not getting it. That's OK because when we went and looked at the Christmas tree today he said, "Wow, that's REALLY nice!"

If we could all get so excited about just the lights it would probably be a lot less stressful of a holiday!

The surprise project I mentioned in my earlier post was 13 felted pouches for the women in my office! They took me two months to complete and were totally worth it. Everyone loved them! Sometimes when you knit a gift you don't know if the person you are giving it to will realize that not only are you giving them yarn transformed, you are giving them hours and hours of your time. These ladies totally got that! I'm already thinking about what I might make for them next year :)

Peace to everyone tonight and if you are blessed like Meerpohl Manor is make sure to say a prayer for someone else who might be needing it!

Merry Christmas!!

Tis the Season

Daryl has had his first Christmas of the season. It was a great time with family and Daryl got some special toys he is really excited about. He got some great books, some big boy underwear, a tent and some tools! He was so excited about the tools he slept with his hammer last night.

He has also been fixing EVERYTHING in our house. A little tap with his hammer and whatever he is working on is fixed :)

I made Daryl, Dominic and Carter Christmas shirts and they were very well received. Those boys crack me up! I do think Ashtin was a bit jealous so I will be on the look out for the perfect pattern for him next year! or not...he's kinda big! LOL

Right now I am still working on one more big project for Christmas and if I get my blog all taken care of I should finish it tonight. Can't post any pictures of the special project tonight but later this week for sure!

Hope everyone is having a great holiday! I know we are!!

Pride Cometh Before The Fall

I have been making great progress towards Christmas. I've only missed one advent service (an improvement over last year). All our presents are bought and wrapped, minus just a few that I'm making. Even the homemade gifts are on track to sail to the finish line.

Kelly and I have kept to our December budget and have not overspent a penny. We have been doing our monthly budget for two years now, spending every dollar on paper before the month begins. We were getting pretty high on the hog about it.

Well the way only fate can, it slapped us upside the head today. Our car (the upgraded one) has been giving us fits with the steering. Being our handy selves, Kelly tried to fix the power steering instead of paying the shop $300 to do it.

Hindsight we probably should have just paid it. More precisely we are going to pay it because whatever is wrong, we couldn't figure out with the help of friends and google.

Anywho the budget will probably be up in smoke even after all the careful planning, this is life. That is the conclusion.

And next month we will do the budget again, because that is our plan forever!

On a happier note Kelly turned 32 on Saturday. I had to work in the morning but then we went to his parents house for a feast of epic proportions. It was YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY. Kelly also had his cake with pudding in it that he says he only ever got on his birthday! It made him very happy. Today after Church Daryl and I took him to Coldstone for some Ice Cream.

Happy Birthday Honey! This house and life would not be possible without you. You are my personal handyman, mechanic, accountant, life coach, and dreamboat! Love You!

Away From Home Camp

Hello, I hope you all enjoyed the guest blogger last week. I think he did a fine job. Sometimes when I'm a little stressed Kel likes to ask what he can help with, he always tries to wiggle out of helping with the blog but if I'm really tired he will do it. He is good to me like that. awwww :)

This week I got to step foot on 4-H campgrounds for the very first time. I was in 4-H when I was a kid but my parents always "forgot" to let me know they had a summer camp! I was by no means mistreated as a child, I'm sure that with Church camp, basketball camp and Girl Scout camp I would survive my summer. Turns out they were right!

I do think 4-H camp would have been one of the top camps because the campground is amazing. The history of the land it is on and all of the fun places make it truly unique. Not every camp can boast that its pool is filled with water from a natural spring. Yeah its cool like that...

So I had a two day conference for work there this week and Kelly held down the fort while I stayed up to late watching a card game and then slept in a bunk bed. I ate in a cafeteria and was in small group workshops, this may sound awful to some but it was actually pretty cool. It reminded me why I wanted to work with 4-H and that's because every once in awhile we get to act like kids again. And that's pretty fun!

Wanted to post the newest song in D's repertoire. Its Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I'll let you know when he know more than the first verse!

Christmas Preparation

Daddy here. Mommy's taking a bath to try to recharge her Christmas spirit after working her part time job today. She had plenty of spirit after church this morning, but it faded with the cranky shoppers.

Daryl has been loving everything Christmas. Since the lights went up on the house and the tree up, he wants to "see Christmas" all the time now. When we drive down the road and he see lights on somebody's house he says "Christmas" then sees one without lights and says "no Christmas". He was a big help putting up the tree, and really likes to see the lights turn on. So far, he's been real good about not messing with the tree.

Of course Daryl has been his silly self, as always. The other day he kept wanting his pants around his ankles. He was running around the living room and kept falling down and could only take three inch steps!

The one adult part of Christmas that Daryl hasn't been able to help with is getting Christmas cards ready. We're part way done, and should have them in the mail before long. If being married and being parents didn't already make us adults, sending out Christmas cards sure does! It had to happen sometime.

We're staying busy trying to get everything ready for the Christmas celebrations. They'll be here before we know it!

Giving Thanks

On Thursday the manor traveled to have a Thanksgiving meal with family. Kelly has a very large fun family and I love them all. I've always felt like a part of them even when I was first meeting them.

Daryl's Turkey shirt was a hit and I even got a request for one in Christmas trees from one of my adorable nephews. I'm starting on that right away! :)

There is not enough room on my blog to list all I'm thankful for but I will get the big stuff out of the way!

My Husband and Son (The two cutest guys in the world)

My family Korf, Stiles, Moreno, Meerpohl, Ramirez , Meeker, Harter, Wasko, and everyone in between!

My Faith

My Home

My Dog

My Pre lit Christmas tree that my husband took me out to get in the middle of a blizzard! Its Awesome!

My Job

My Co-Workers (Past and Present)

My Yarn

My abilities to create even if I can't sing!!

My mostly positive attitude

My Schools (Elks, Trojans and Jayhawks!)

My open mind

and My country and those who protect it!!

Jayhawks, Turkey Shirts, Legos, and other Randomness

Been sooo busy I have been neglecting the blog. Sorry bout that! Went to the KU game on Saturday. Grandma watched D so Kel and I got to get a little wild. And for us that is very mild!! LOL

Kel's best friend Doug and his super fun girlfriend Breanna were in town from San Diego for the game. I was glad to introduce her to Jay and Jade Garden Chinese.

On Sunday I worked on the finishing touches of Daryl's Thanksgiving shirt. He is all ready to eat some Turkey in his Turkey shirt!

We also went to the library on Sunday where Daryl built the largest tower he has put together to date. I only helped him with the last four blocks. I was super proud!

Tonight we went back up to the office to play with Addison while her mom was in a boring old meeting. We had much more fun NOT sharing toys and playing with all the fliers in the office. Having a great time this fall and I don't even mind that its going to get cold this week. We have been spoiled and we need some snow!!

Famous last words....

Lastly, earlier this month I knit my first thumb gusset. I was super happy with it and my fingerless mitts that were for a gift.

ummm OK

It is funny when little kids get their own voice. They say things without being prompted and they make their own decisions. Lately all D's decisions have been decided with an ummmm and either an otay or a definite no. Its really cute, at least he is thinking about the question!

This last weekend I had my first 4-H achievement night. I think it went really well. I don't think a lot of people think about what makes an event run (I know I didn't) but I worked on the twenty page program for over a week and I didn't even do one part of it.

It was worth all of the work and it was fun to interact with the kids, who on most days are just names on paper. They are silly and doing great things in the community. Achievement night celebrated that.

My side project has been sewing some flannel jammies for myself. I finished them tonight! They are a little big but with jammies it doesn't matter. They are for inside the house only. I like them so much I think I'm going to try another pair and try and tailor them a little more since I know the pattern now. We shall see!

No Whammies!!!!

This last weekend Kelly and I didn't see each other a lot. I have started my seasonal holiday help again in retail. (Lord help me with all the women with their d*** coupons) The best part about being seasonal help is just when you think you can't work another day , early January, you don't have to!
Also last weekend a co-worker of mine had a big birthday so we celebrated by taking her to the casino. I've only been to the casino once before and I lost ALL my money so I only took $15. I don't think you can have any skill when you are playing slot machines so I know it was all luck when I won $280 on penny slots!
I immediately got in my car and left. When I showed Kelly and Daryl what I won, Daryl did the money dance for me. It was really funny!
With that all done I have to decide what to spend my lucky money on. Maybe boots.....:)
Starting to get hot and heavy with holiday planning. Can't wait to put up the pre-lit tree we bought day after Christmas last year!!

Company and Halloween

So, I said I would put up pics of my mailman ASAP. Please focus on the P of ASAP. Posting pictures was not possible before today because I left my beer out Saturday night.

I went to bed and didn't worry at all that I had half the bottle sitting on the side table and slept peacefully.

I even woke up with Daryl the next morning with no concern.

Then all of a sudden I was worried, stressed and had concern. Because Daryl spilled my beer on my laptop.

Yikes!

All is well now except the touchpad that is basically the mouse is not working. So I had to wait to post pics until I got a real mouse with a USB port. But enough about me and my computer woes. Here are the pics!

Daryl went trick-or-treating with his cousins Carter and Dominic. Carter was a very good "Woody the Sheriff" and Dominic was a Zoo Keeper.

They all had a good time.

Thankfully, Daryl has no idea how much Candy he has because I haven't showed him! He hasn't had any since Sunday.

That is a good thing!!!

And Daryl did not Vote but he did get a sticker. I didn't tell him to put it on his head but I guess that's where he though it should be!

Bag Lady

I did it! I finished Daryl's Halloween Trick-Or-Treat bag. And...Get This...Halloween isn't for FOUR DAYS!!! I don't even know who I am anymore. :) On a normal project I would be doing it at midnight the night before I needed it with Kelly shaking his head asking me "Why didn't you just buy it?"

Ha to him!! I'm on top of it, I finally figured out that Halloween and Birthdays always happen at the same time every year! (I still don't know how Christmas happens without me noticing)

This bag is lined and was from a panel. I bought it for 70% off after last Halloween at Jo-Anns. So its a double win because again Kelly says I never use that stuff I buy at Jo-Anns. DOUBLE Ha to him!!!

OK enough gloating I'm going to bed.

First Game

Daryl went to his first KU football game this weekend. We went to the customary Triangle Tailgate too but he has been to those since he was eight weeks old! He had fun playing with all of the tailgate games and fetching guys their beverages from their coolers!

The Hawks are in the middle of a season I'm sure they wish was over, but I thought they looked like they were trying hard.

People had doubted that by the scores of the past KU games but I saw for my own eyes that the kids are playing hard and just look like they are behind the curve.

Buck up everyone, it'll be bad I'm sure when we play Nebraska and MU (Mu** Fizzou!) but I've got a lot of Jayhawk pride to last me thru this year until they get better! And they will!!! :)

I should be sewing right now. I'm going to make Daryl's trick or treat bag, but I haven't been feeling all that great today so I'm bumming around. Maybe when Kelly is home I will have more motivation to work on it!

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween and I will post pictures of my mailman ASAP!!!

Henry Henry Henry

Henry and his mom came and visited us this week! We were so happy to have them. D and Henry have been playing so nice and D can not stop petting Henry's head. For some reason he likes to feel the peach fuzz up there!

I've been working really hard on Kelly's sweater. Don't know about the Christmas deadline but I'm still trying!! Still on the back :(

Mmmmmm Cupcake

Today was cousin Dominic's First birthday party. Daryl had a lot of fun with all of his cousins but the highlights were playing football, eating cupcakes, and playing with all of Dominic's new toys!

I made a little sweater and matching socks for the Birthday boy and I think he really liked them. I really like the Tiny Top Down pattern I used because it is knit in the round and has no front or back. Just a really good pattern for little ones.

These were my first little people socks and I think they turned out really well. Because of the yarn they were not identical twins but that's OK!

Saturday Kelly and I witnessed our friends get hitched at their home. They are getting married married in Mexico but they had to do the marriage licence part in the US, so that was fun!

Other than that we had a pretty chill weekend and I think Henry is coming to visit this week. So We are all getting really excited about that!! Yeah Henry!!!

What A Weekend

One reason Kelly never gets to work on the house if probably because we are rarely all here! This weekend was no exception. We went out to our friends' house Friday night for good food and good times. They have a daughter a little younger than Daryl and its fun to watch them play. Daryl also got to sit on the tractor. He could have got a ride but when they started it up for him he got scared. :(

On Saturday Uncle Bri and Aunt Nik agreed to take D for the day so Kel and I could meet Momma Rosie for lunch and planning in Salina. She likes how Kel and I do the Dave Ramsey debt plan so much she wanted to get her budget started to. So we took the laptop and met halfway and got a lot accomplished. Then of course I went and got some yarn. No big shock there. :) It was purple yarn so that is a little shocking. :)

On our way home we were discussing how long we could wait to put new tires on the car when one blew out. Thank God we were not thrown across the road and were able to pull off. We had a doughnut tire but no jack so they Highway assistance came and assisted us. We told him we were thankful for the job he does and he let us know he was thankful for people that needed him (job security).

We were on the side of the road for about 40 minutes and that is why you always have some knitting with you! Don't worry I had my Monkey Sock.

So today, Sunday, we got two new tires on the car and went to the pumpkin patch outside of Lawrence. Brooke, Eric and Addison joined us and we let Daryl lead the way as he was an expert on picking good pumpkins. That was one of the things he did with Uncle Bri and Aunt Nik on Saturday.

Its been a great weekend but I'm ready to put on my jammies and stay in for awhile. Its not even 5pm yet! Hope everyone is enjoying the weather, it was a little hot today for my taste. Hope that doesn't mean I will get a blizzard for Halloween!

Singing the Song in your Heart

This has been an interesting week at the manor. We upgraded in car (sorry still no pic, but I'm sure everyone knows what a Taurus looks like), Daryl got some type of rash and I baked. All things that do not happen regularly.

Think D might be allergic to some type of soap or wipe (its mostly in his cheeks) but we haven't pin pointed the cause yet. It is something that is around though because it comes and goes about daily.

Posting a picture of my finished Monkey sock so I can prove I am making progress. Might just wrap this project this week, we shall see. I should hurry on them because I have convinced Kelly I need a new pair of brown shoes to show them off properly. I think he bought it!

Also putting up a picture of D singing. He doesn't do it around other people and it is just too cute not to share.

On the lawn, we don't need to mow yet, we'll leave it at that!

Sweet Green Fields of Victory

Kelly couldn't be more pleased. As I'm sure I was this proud of myself when I made a baby Kelly has made a lawn. Yeah!!

On another note I finished one orange monkey sock and have casted on its sister. We also got a different car this week after the cutlass broke its coils. Stupid coils. We have a red Taurus now and upgraded by ten years. :)

Will post pictures when we get it shined up like a new penny.

Can't We All Just Get a Lawn?

Kelly has been working so hard on replanting the grass. I think it was a little bigger project than either of us anticipated. It took him two good weekends and one day of annual leave from work to get the ground worked and seeded. Then of course two days later we had a hard rain and it washed away his seed in spots.

He spread some more seed this morning and we are just waiting. It should sprout this week but we'll see. Its been really cool and all the rain who knows! Next time I say we get sod!!

So Here is the before picture and hopefully the after will look somewhat like a golf course. :)

Daryl and I went to Family Fun night at our church tonight. He had a lot of fun running around with some kids that were in grade school. They were playing tag and were nice enough to let D run around their feet and not knock him over. It made their tag game a little more interesting!

On Friday morning for the first time D told me "Bless you Mommy", after I sneezed. I was caught off guard and it made me smile all day! He is getting so smart!!

OK, off to finish the laundry and then knit a little. Perfect end to a perfect weekend!

Jealous?

Went to the Kansas State Fair on Sunday to pick up the 4-H exhibits. Was only there long enough to eat some fried food, pick up exhibits and get one kick-butt license plate. Jealous?! :)

Thanks to Alicia and her fam for helping us with Daryl! Our family is the best!!

A Little Less Wise

Daryl really likes to wear daddy's shoes. But he does not like anyone else to wear them. Just ask Grandma Meerpohl when she tried to borrow dad's sandals. Daryl was not having any of it and she did have to go get her own shoes! Too funny!


Kelly had a wisdom tooth pulled on Tuesday. He didn't get put under to do the procedure as the Oral Surgeon thought it would come out easily. The surgeon did have to do a little more pulling than he originally thought so Kelly was pretty sore.


I was going to post the customary puffy face photo but really with Kel's full cheeks you can't really tell he's swollen!


Poor Guy! He was given some pretty good pain meds and while he was on those I took him shopping and got him some new work pants and an outfit for myself! I need to save those leftover pills for when I would like to shop again, they make him so agreeable!!


I have been so taken with a secret knitting project this week that it has thrown the man Christmas sweater schedule off. I don't know if I'll have the back done in September. Boooooo!! There are just too many loved ones in my life and I want to wrap them all up in wool! I think of it as being able to hug them all day! So right now I have four projects on the needles, five that need to be casted on soon, and more patterns just brewing. This could mean trouble!!!!


I blame Karen, Jaime and Steph for telling me socks are really not that hard and so much fun to knit. When I got obsessed with socks it was all over! Its all your fault Karen, Jaime and Steph!!!!


If I could just get knitwear designers to stop making patterns that would help. That way I could just knit all the patterns I already have and not get distracted! :)

Party, Party, Party

Wrapped up a busy weekend recently. Got to celebrate my friends with a wedding shower on Saturday for Jaime and her bachelorette party, then had a baby shower for Melissa on Sunday. Doesn't sound too busy till you know the first two parties were in the Wichita area and the last party in Kansas City! It was all fun and totally worth it!
I missed my boy and man, but they were busy too. Daryl played at Grandma and Grandpas all Saturday and dad tailgates and worked in the yard.
There is no rest for the Manor and we like it that way, most of the time!
Started some great knitting this weekend also. Cast on one new project and worked on Kel's sweater.
I finished a birthday hat for bro-in-law Brian so I decided to cast on more projects! When will I learn!!!
Still need to finish my sock and start its sister. Will save that for another day, I'm ready for bed!