Storytime at the Library!

Thursdays are Wee Read Storytime at the library. Today Kelly got to bring her best friend Sophia to the program with us. (While Molly stayed home with Grandma & Grandpa). Kelly and Sophia are both the same age and act a lot alike....they are "best friends". It was fun to see them interact with one another and play together. They both had a lot of fun!!!

Kelly & Sophia reading books on the storytime carpet......waiting for storytime to begin!

Kelly & Sophia both finished there puzzles at the same time!

Kelly & Sophia working on a puzzle together.

Sophia & Kelly at the computers

At the end of every storytime, there is a craft project. Here Kelly and Sophia are coloring and making a bird (since birds fly in the wind....and WIND was the theme today!)

From walls coming down...to windows coming out!

Brian took off work a little early today so that he could help my Dad get the big sliding window out that used to be in our TV room. All the windows are now out of the TV room and shop as we are upgrading to a bay window and french doors.

Brian & Dad carrying out half of the window.
The sliding glass doors are GONE!

No windows in the shop either!!!

While the guys were working, and Molly was sleeping, Kelly enjoyed time on the swingset!

(SLIDE FUN!)

And the BIG swing!

Playing in her clubhouse!

Playing on the floor

Molly is playing more and more these days! :) She is starting to hold onto things, if you put them in her hands. Kelly LOVES making sure she has TOYS all around her when she is playing on the floor. The blanket she is laying on was made by one of my swimmers moms (Chris Nugent). Molly is surrounded in blue & gold......a future Wahlert swimmer???

Molly....all smiles this morning!

Kelly playing Peek-A-Boo with Molly

Molly....surrounded by toys....thanks to her BIG SISTER!

Daddy's Girls = Hawkeye Fans

Kelly is at the stage right now where SHE needs to pick out what clothes she is going to wear for the day! Today, she wanted to wear her Iowa Hawkeye cheerleader outfit!!! Well....it just so happens that I have Kelly's old Hawkeye cheerleader outfit from her first Halloween....and it fits Molly right now. I couldn't pass up this photo opportunity!!! Daddy happened to be wearing a Hawkeye shirt today too!

Daddy's Girls = Hawkeye Fans!

Kelly & Molly wearing there FUN Iowa Cheerleader outfits!
Daddy and his two girls!

You be the judge.....

Here are Molly & Kelly's baptism pictures........both in the same dress at 2 months old. You be the judge.....how similar are they???

Molly (2/7/09) & Kelly (8/21/06)

COUSINS

A couple weeks ago, when my brother and Katie were home for Molly's baptism, we got their pictures taken! My mom normally does this once a year...and since Molly wasn't in the picture from the summertime, it was a great time to get the kids pictures taken together. We thought we did REALLY well....all 4 kids in the picture.....not crying....and most of them smiling too!!! :)

Daniel (1 yr.), Kelly (2 1/2 yrs.), Benjamin (3 yrs.), and Molly (2 months)

A record breaking swim season!

Last night we had a little ceremony at the Loras Pool....honoring Tabby and Alyx for their school record breaking season! The former record holders were both able to be there too!!! Trudy (Henkels) Hancock held the record for the 200 Free & 500 Free and Sarah (Burbach) Harris held the record for the 200 IM. This was the end of my 10th season as the Head Coach at Wahlert and we didn't have any school records broken until this year....when we had three!!! :)

Former AND Current WCHS record holders!

Trudy (Henkels) Hancock, Alyx Nugent, Me, Tabby Temperley, Sarah (Burbach) Harris
Tabby & Alyx celebrating their record breaking season!

A tent for Molly!

Kelly and I have been making "tents" for awhile now......rounding up all the blankets, couch cushions, and pillows that we can find. Today, Kelly thought that she would make a tent for Molly. It was cute! While Molly was on the floor on her kick and crawl playmat, Kelly surrounded her with everything she could find to make a tent for her baby sister! (Molly didn't quite know what to think!!!) Then Kelly tried to get in the tent too! These two girls are going to have a lot of fun together when Molly gets a little bigger!

Kelly's tent for Molly!

Kelly & Molly in the "tent"!

Molly.....not quite sure what her big sister is doing to her!!!

Cereal necklace

Well.....the re-model project is back in full swing today! My dad was out at our house (with his friend Tom Becker) at 8:30 a.m. They are going full force again today.....which makes my job entertaining Kelly and keeping her out of the mess! (...and of course I have Molly too!) They are pulling out old insulation right now and it is a cloud of dust right now! Anyway, we learned to make cereal necklaces at the library Wee Read program awhile ago and my aunt reminded me of that yesterday.....so Kelly and Mommy made a fruit loop and cheerios necklace! Kelly had fun.....and she strung all but about 10 of the cereal pieces on the necklace all by herself!!! She had fun and did a GREAT job!!! Our library Wee Read program starts back up this week Thursday!!! I'm sure we'll learn more fun things to do during this LONG WINTER!!!

Kelly stringing her cereal necklace.

Kelly eating her cereal necklace.

A day off.......

Yesterday (Monday 2/16) was a day off from the re-model project. The girls and I spent the day at Grandma and Papa Mulgrew's house. Grandma Jackie had the day off from school for President's Day so Kelly spent the day playing with all her cousins.....as Grandma was babysitting for the day! I was able to leave for a little bit to get groceries and run a few errands. When I came back, this is what I found: Papa Mike painting Kelly's fingers and toes and Molly sleeping on Grandma Jackie. It's nice to say......my daughters didn't miss me!

Papa Mike painting Kelly's fingernails.....

....AND TOES TOO!!!

Grandma Jackie holding Molly.

All tired out!

Brian's had a BUSY week.....working M-F until 5:00 and then coming home to work on our re-model project.....and then comes the weekend, where he has worked on the house all day and night. Needless to say, he is very tired! While I was putting Kelly to bed, I came out in the living room to find Daddy and Molly asleep too! It's 8:30pm and my family is all SLEEPING!!!

Molly and Daddy sleeping on the couch. Yes, it may look like Molly is uncomfortable, but she loves laying on Brian's legs in this position! It always puts her to sleep!

Snow angels to Swimming.....

Well.....it's only been a week of re-modeling and I am already trying to think of things to keep Kelly occupied and out of Papa and Daddy's way while they are working. We have spent a lot of time outside....blowing bubbles, sidewalk chalk, playing ball, riding her tricycle, etc. She wants to be as close to Daddy and Papa Mike that she can. I try to find fun inside things to do.....but it has already been a LONG winter and you can only do some things so many times.......

color, paint, Play-Doh, puzzles, read books, stickers, etc. etc. etc.

Today, while Molly was sleeping, Kelly played in the snow and made snow angels. She didn't want to come inside.....and Molly was awake.....so I told her we would go SWIMMING!!! I got out her goggles and she hopped in the bathtub! Of course we didn't have any bubbles, because then it would be "JUST A BATH!" If anyone has any other ideas.....please pass them along!

SNOW ANGEL!!!

Kelly loving her goggles in her POOL!!!

Playing in the pool.....(aka, bathtub!)

All TANGLED up.....

Molly got ALL TANGLED UP today! She moves her legs so much that she got herself STUCK on her play mat!!!

All tangled up in her kick and crawl aquarium play mat!

Molly loving her play mat.....(look at her smile in the mirror!)

Walls are COMING DOWN.....

It's been almost a week now.....and walls are COMING DOWN at the Snyder house! We started our re-model project on Monday 2/9 (the day after Molly's baptism).....and are hoping to finish by the middle of June (for Kelly's 3rd birthday party!) We already have A LOT of walls down!!! Here are a few pictures of what has happened this past week!

Standing in the corner of the shop....looking into where the TV room was. The window you see is going into our kitchen.

Standing in our "old" TV room, looking into the shop. Most of you know that you had to step down to get into our TV room.....and then there is another step down to get into the shop. My Dad is raising the floor and putting heat in both rooms to make them part of our living area.

I am standing in our "old" TV room....looking into where the shop used to be....soon the two rooms will be our new BIG living room!

Brian and Dad cleaning up some ceiling tiles.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! I took the girls to Dubuque for the morning and afternoon today.....since Daddy was working on our house re-model project that we started this week. The girls spent some time at Grandma and Papa Murray's house, while Mommy got to go out to lunch with Katelynn (my little sister through Big Brothers, Big Sisters). It was nice to be able to talk and catch up with Katelynn at lunch, and then we headed over to my mom's house. We spent a few hours there, so Katelynn could see the girls.....and play with Kelly! It was a nice afternoon!

Kelly playing with her "Baby Sister Molly!"

Katelynn with my two girls!

My mom and I with the girls (Molly was sleepy!)

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles!!!

The weather this week has been really nice! :) Too bad we're supposed to get 3-5 inches of snow tomorrow. We have been able to get outside a little bit....take a walk, ride Kelly's tricycle, play with sidewalk chalk, and Kelly's favorite....BLOW BUBBLES!!!

Sitting on our front steps blowing bubbles! Blowing bubbles is so much fun!

Watching the bubbles fly away!

3 Generations

3 GENERATIONS!!!

We were able to get a picture of my mom, my two girls, and I this weekend!!!

Molly's baptism

Molly was baptized today at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Dubuque....the same church Brian & I were married and Kelly was also baptized there too. Deacon Bill baptized Molly....we were very happy he could share in her special day, as he was a special part of our wedding day as well. Molly did GREAT.....she didn't cry when she was being baptized or carried around the church by Deacon Bill. She fussed a few times, but nothing major!!! After church (and a lot of pictures), everyone came back to our house. It was a wonderful day with family and friends!!!

Deacon Bill holding Molly with her parents & godparents!!!

Mommy, Daddy, & Molly

Deacon Bill baptizing Molly.....she didn't even cry when he poured the water over her head!!!

Molly with her godparents.....Uncle David (Brian's brother) & Aunt Staci (Emily's sister)

Grandma & Grandpa Murray with Molly

Grandma & Grandpa Mulgrew with Molly

Grandma & Grandpa Snyder with Molly

Our family after Molly's baptism

Kelly enjoyed giving Daddy kisses when we were standing at church.

Our family at home with Molly's cake...it said "God Bless Molly" in the middle of the cross.

Molly all happy in her swing when we got home!

Our attempt to get a picture of all the cousins.......(they're all "IN" the picture!!!)
I told them if they wanted cake and ice cream....they had to sit on the couch and get there picture taken....it worked for about 5 seconds!
(L-R) - Isabella (7 yrs.), Molly (2 months), Peyton (7 yrs.), Racquel (1 yr.), Brice (3 yrs.), Jackson (3 yrs.), Logan (5 yrs.), Landon (1 yr.) Benjamin (3 yrs.), Daniel (1 yr.), Kelly ( 2 yrs.), & Helena (2 yrs.)

12 COUSINS....all 7 years old & under!!!