Christmas 2009...

we're back from holiday travels & wedding travels and all that fun stuff... it was a great time, but we're happy to be home now for awhile.

i'll get some photos posted of the last few weeks. here's the first batch from our little family - decorating the tree, Naomi making cut out cookies with Grandma Holsopple and the kids opening presents.

Levi gets his walk on...

those of you who said this weekend that Levi would be walking soon - he decided to give it a whirl today. here we go!!!

(pay no attention to the sharp objects in his hands. oops! they have been put away grandmas!!)

a tribute to her favorite trio

if you aren't Tyler, Craig or Caitlin you may not totally appreciate this. if you listen carefully she attempts to insert their names into "if you're happy & you know it."


(i just got cables for our new computer which is why all the videos are coming today...)

on the phone again...

throwing seven kinds of smoke...

well, yesterday was one of those days that makes me think - wow! i am so incredibly glad that i get to stay home with my kids! Naomi had me cracking up most of the day. She was seriously on fire - really i don't know where she comes up with this stuff.

here are a few highlights, which probably won't be quite as funny, but i'll do my best to share them...

• we were eating breakfast and Naomi looks up at me and says, "would you like a salad and two diets?" (i tried not to be completely offended.)

• we were playing in the basement and she had her crayons all lined up and i bumped them (big mistake!) so i started picking them up and kept knocking them down so i said, "nuts!" so she repeated over and over and over, "oh my nuts! oh my nuts! oh my nuts!" (until i could compose myself and suggested that she say "oh my goodness" instead.)

• we were reading books and i started to leave her room and she said, "hey little lady, you want to come back in here?" (little lady?!?!?)

• we have a little deal going on that she gets this baby (which she named potty baby) when she starts using the potty regularly. the baby is sitting up very high on the shelf in the bathroom. we were talking about potty baby yesterday & she told me "she's just up there relaxing." (i think she's going to be relaxing up there for a very long time.)

• i threw her poopy diaper in the garage & when i came back in she said "will the garbage man throw up?" (fair question.)

and as it goes - today of course was a new and less amusing day. but it's good to have those yesterdays.

(she's wearing one of my old flower girl dresses in the photo. fun dress up!)

not very impressed

with the book


or the kisses.


but it's fun anyway. (pardon the cheerios you can see in Naomi's mouth.)

what to wear... what to wear...

one of Naomi's newest joys in life is picking out clothes... not for her to wear, but for me to wear. pretty much she wants me to wear this purple sweater all the time. so today i told her that i wasn't going to wear it. when i came back in my room, she informed me that if i wasn't going to wear it then she was.

perhaps someday we will share clothes. but today it just made me smile.

my my my...

i really should be ashamed of myself here. i am a complete disgrace to bloggers everywhere. it has been so long since i have posted. apologies. i'd like to blame it on the fact that Naomi & Levi have just been keeping me so incredibly busy. so we'll go with that.

we are well here in the Schlegel household. we've had some colds & mild flu, but nothing that has stuck around long. Peter has started wrestling once again, so we'll see what that season brings. Naomi is 2 going on 12. so that is a joy some days and not so much others. Levi is almost 9 months and is crawling and pulling himself up and getting into everything! he is very much boy - so much different than Naomi was. it's fun to see the two of them starting to enjoy playing together - though they certainly have their moments.

and as for me, well... i have been home for nearly a year now and i would say that i enjoy nearly every day. it is a larger test of patience and choosing battles than i think i ever would have imagined. but for now, i am quite content. i will do my best to be better at sharing some of our tidbits here.

today we spent much of the morning outside enjoying this amazing fall day! we played on the swing set. and Naomi & i carved a couple of pumpkins while Levi crawled around and tried to eat the leaves laying on the deck (and then his pumpkin). hope you're all enjoying the day!

summer... flying by!!!

here's a little glimpse of what the Schlegel's have been up to this summer. It seems to be flying by all too quickly!

Levi is almost 6 months old! Peter loves these pictures, if you can believe that.

The official Schlegel brother/sister look.

We spent a week in Nebraska and Naomi had a great time with cousin Sam.

And as always - safety first. Helping dad mow lawn in the backpack with the bike helmet on.

sum sum summertime!!!!

i sat poolside for quite some time this afternoon. it's a rough life. :-)

Naomi likes to make sure Levi's hands are full of toys.

He just kinda goes with the flow. You reading that look..."whatever big sister."

Naomi wanted to me to "take a picture of us!!" while she was holding Levi today. Everyone was pretty cooperative, which is quite amazing.

birthday & dedication weekend

The last weekend in May we had a birthday party for Naomi (june 7) & cousin Luker (june 10).  And Levi was dedicated on May 31. Much of the family was here so we just had a big party! Aunt Deb supplied the perfect cakes and cookies. Rick & Craig led the crew in building a new swing set for Naomi which was also a big hit. We had a great weekend and could not have asked for better weather!!

the birthday party.

the cakes

digging in...

Naomi is not so sure about Luker's Gator

Oma & Levi taking in the party...

swing set construction. (the morning of)

Naomi had to wear her boots "just like Craig" (and aunt Deb has bed head.)

Levi's dedication

Peter sang to Levi, and of course Levi looked up at the perfect moment.

Levi and the grandpas...

Naomi is a bit obsessed with Craig and insisted he comb her hair before church.

obsession continued... she has the attention of two of her favorite boys.

sooo......

it's a good thing i'm no longer selling websites and trying to convince people that they need to buy a blog and keep it up to date! cause wowy i am doing a bad job at that!! in any case, we are well. Naomi turned 2 on Sunday. how crazy is that! i will try to get some recent photos up of Naomi & Levi, but for the moment I'll let you enjoy this video of Naomi on her new swing set that she got for her birthday!!

kate & naomi.

ben, jules & kate came over one night and as you'll see the girls really enjoy playing together. and of course, we enjoy watching them!!

singing. loudly.

usually when we try to capture some of these precious singing moments, Naomi isn't real cooperative. she did let us get a couple little numbers on tape. enjoy. 

spring break in NE and Easter candy...

cousin Joe & Levi


always the smiler these days


Naomi having a chat w/ uncle Jay


swinging on the BIG swing


Naomi & cousin Sam


it's totally normal to eat the ears and... forehead off your chocolate bunny...


my baby girl is getting so big!