Toby Mac!

A wonderful weekend was capped off on Sunday with an early birthday lunch for Hunter at Red Robin and the Brandon Heath / TobyMac concert.  After church we went to Sports Authority where Hunter picked out the most awesome new baseball glove!  He seemed a little confused as to why we were telling him that this was his birthday present...I think he was a little bit sad, thinking maybe he wouldn't get any presents on his birthday, but there is a possibility that he will.  :)

Then to Red Robin, where Aunt Kris, Uncle Kev, Nana and Papa all met us.  Hunter said he just wanted the birthday sundae, not the singing...but that doesn't fly in this family.  Ha!  So we had the singing and the balloon and the sundae and all of that.  He tried really hard not to smile.  That must be a 9 year old boy thing? 

It was chilly standing in line waiting for the doors to open for the concert, but we kept busy by laughing at what people were wearing...I know, I know...making fun of people at a Christian concert sounds funny to me too, but seriously!  It's like you just want to say, "Excuse me, but did you put that on on purpose?" 

We found some good seats, then Coop noticed that a little boy in front of us had a new pair of TobyMac drumsticks.  He proceeded to whine about how we "needed" to take him to buy a souvenir.  I'm positive he feels like he is entitled to a souvenir everywhere we go because my dad actually does buy him something wherever we go!  I gave him a piece of candy instead.  LOL!  Meanwhile, Hunter started to act a little weird.  He put his hood on and jammed his hands in his pockets like he was bored. 

House of Heroes was the little opener band...they were good.  Brandon Heath followed, and he was awesome!  He has a really great voice, and it was fun to see the looks on the boys' faces when they realized they knew most of the songs.  Coop proclaimed, "Hey mom!  They play these songs on K-LOVE!"  Next came intermission, or "halftime" as Coop called it.  At this point, Hunter actually perked up, but only because Dave told him he'd buy him some popcorn. 

Then the lights went off and the countdown began.  2:00 flashed on the big screens in neon green lights...and counted all the way down to zero.  We were all on our feet screaming and going nuts!  Well, everyone in the arena except for...you guessed it...Hunter.  I tried to get some good pictures, but I have a really bad camera.  So I just decided to take it all in and try to remember it.  It was so fun watching Coop dance and clap and wave his hands in the air.  He grabbed my cell phone and started waving that too.  He was all-smiles the whole time.  Hunter waved Dave's phone around for about 2 seconds.  The ONLY point that I saw him actually smile was when he looked across the aisle and some old ladies were dancing around and waving their hands in the air and shouting.  Hunter poked me and pointed them out and we both laughed really hard.  :) 

There is just something about that music that gets me excited about Jesus.  I mean, TobyMac is a self-proclaimed 'Jesus Freak', so why can't I be one too?  I have a feeling it's not the last time we see him in concert...let's hope next time ALL of my family will enjoy it!  Ha! 

Merry Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas! I told myself I wouldn't say it, but my goodness…hasn't this year just flown by?! God has been so good to our family this year – I just have to share the highlights with you all!

We like to say Coop (age 5) is in his senior year of preschool. While he could care less about learning his letters & numbers, he loves his friends in his class. I think he gets his "social butterfly" nature from my dad (or possibly me – ha)! Coop played t-ball this summer and made a double-play in his very first game! The kid lives and breathes baseball, and we can't wait to see how that talent progresses in the years to come. He is a huge fan of WWE wrestling and John Cena…he never misses an episode! He has 3 wrestling rings and lots of action figures and acts out all the matches. Coop loves being outside and helping Daddy on projects around the house. He keeps us on our toes, but he is such a blessing!

Hunter (almost 9) is in 3^rd grade and is December's Student of the Month at his school! He never ceases to amaze us with his vast knowledge on every subject and his dry sense of humor. With a brain like a sponge, he is always quoting random facts that he has read in a book. He played 1^st base in Cal Ripken baseball and continued playing soccer this year. He improves and learns more every season. Hunter loves his PSP video game! He is also a great big brother…his patience with Coop is very admirable. He spends many afternoons in the backyard pitching balls so he can practice his pitches and Coop can practice hitting. Many times I find myself thinking, "Hunter is one of my best friends."

I think it's safe to say I have had one of the BEST years ever! It is truly a blessing to be able to stay at home with my boys. I also watch a 2 ½ year old little girl during the school year, and she is just wonderful…the daughter I never had. In June, I got to go to Vegas with my sisters and a few of my cousins…we had a blast! We also enjoyed a camping trip to Ocean Park with family and friends over the 4^th of July holiday, and 2 days at the Great Wolf Lodge! And of course, those who know me understand that I live for softball season. I am Dave's biggest fan and the boys & I travel with him wherever he plays. So many fun memories are made out on the softball fields, plus I get a great tan!

And then there is our hero…Dave. As I like to say, "Everything's better and more fun when Daddy's home!" He loves the snow, and took a couple of snowmobiling trips to Halfway, OR. When that was over, he started softball again – his team took 4^th place in the state, and they also won several other tournaments! He helped out on the boys' soccer/baseball/t-ball teams too! But the most exciting news of this year has been his new job. In August, he started at Hanford as a planner/scheduler. He really likes it and enjoys doing something different. He still owns his business, so he is pretty busy, but he takes such good care of us and we are so thankful for him!

We are also thankful for the birth of our Savior, Jesus! We know we would BE nothing and HAVE nothing without Him. We hope all of you, our friends and family, will let Jesus fill your hearts with much joy and peace this Christmas season and throughout the coming year. We love you all!

The Kleinow Family – Dave, Ali, Hunter & Cooper

December...

It's been good so far! I think this is the earliest we've ever gotten our tree up, but it's beautiful and it makes me happy. Another thing that made me happy was that the house got a good dusting since I couldn't just put up the decorations on top of a layer of dust (even though the thought did cross my mind)! I have appreciated each time it has snowed, and also each time it has melted. :)

What has really ticked me off, though, is this year's Christmas card.  The picture I chose is not the best, in fact neither Dave or Hunter is smiling.  To top that off, I ordered 125 of them...and am now debating whether to send it out or do a completely different one.  Just thinking about it makes me have a headache, so enough of that...

Aunt Kris came over and we made some AWESOME sugar cookies!  The little ones, we just called "dippers" - we just dipped them into the tub of frosting and ate them in one bite.  We came to a quick understanding of why mom does this only once or twice a year...it takes forever!

Hunter's Christmas program this year was different than any other one he's ever had.  It was held at the middle school gym and his 3rd grade class actually wrote a song about elves and performed it with Buck & Elizabeth ( a couple who travel to different schools and do assemblies).  In the picture, he is third from the right.  It was fun...Cooper loved it! 

Coop's class is having their program on Friday, so stay tuned for those pictures.  I am positive it will be hilarious...Coop + a stage + an audience = hilarious. 

Thanksgiving at Rockaway Beach

Our trip was SO fun and relaxing.  The view from our house was absolutely beautiful...such a gorgeous sight to wake up to every morning!  We spent every morning sitting at the dining room table drinking coffee and watching the waves.  The boys INSISTED they saw whales, hammerhead sharks and sea turtles through the telescope.  :)

The house was big and comfy.  My Uncle Ruben and his wife Denise, my cousin Stephanie and her kids Kellsye, Sydnie and Rylin all came to Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.  As you can see in the picture, Dad made the mashed potatoes.  :)  It was so fun to have them there with us!  We had a coloring contest and watched a whole days' worth of football.  We also got to drive into Tillamook to visit Dave's grandpa Kleinow and his aunt, uncle and cousin.  It was a long, full, fun day spent with family - absolutely perfect. 

 

On Saturday we drove into Seaside for a little "adventure", as the boys called it.  We went to the outlet mall and did some Christmas shopping, ate lunch at El Mariachi Loco (our favorite Mexican restaurant in Seaside), rode the carousel and of course we had to go to the arcade!  Papa bought the boys some more stuff at the toy store.  Everywhere we go, Papa buys his grandboys something special.  Hunter ended up with a bag of marbles, a koosh ball shaped like a pig and a package of glow-in-the dark stars for his bedroom ceiling.  Coop picked out a rubber snake, a 'Cars' die-cast car and a harmonica (which had to be confiscated once or twice).  He left the snake in Nana's pillowcase and scared the daylights out of her.  :)

I have not stopped thinking about our trip since we got home, and every time I think about it I thank God we got to go.  There was a time not too long ago where we could not go anywhere for more than a weekend because of Dave's job.  Now that he has a different one, he can take more time off!  We are already talking about renting a bigger house next Thanksgiving, that way we can invite more people! 

I love my family and I love my life.  Thank you, God, for these blessings!

A Day in the Life of Coop

Coop's favorite movie of all-time is 'Cars' - or "Lightning McQueen", as he refers to it.  Almost every day after we drop Hunter off at school, Coop asks to watch this movie.  After I put it on, he soon starts to drag out a lot of toys...mainly his HUGE collection of die-cast Lightning McQueen cars and a few airplanes.  But recently he's been asking me to bring out our big cardboard blocks, so I spied on him to see what he was up to.  See for yourself...

You see, everyone is at the big race.  You know where Lightning, the Dinoco King and Chick Hicks all race at the end?  This is Coop's version of the movie.  He watches it and acts out every part.  He really has an amazing mind.  The kid is smart.  His imagination runs wild!  He can't recognize letters of the alphabet or tell you what number that is on his flashcards, but he can set up this entire racetrack using blocks and place each one of these cars in just the right spot.  Oh, what joy he brings me!  Look at that proud smile.  :)



My mom.  She is one tough lady, I'll tell ya.  This picture was taken at Coop's birthday party, two days after her ankle surgery.  Doesn't she look good?  Well, it's been almost a month since her surgery.  And even though she's had some really hard, rough days God is good and has shown mercy on her through it all.  She continues to get stronger every day, and I've noticed that she has gotten more confident in what she can do, and her determination level has increased as well!  Praise the Lord!  She may not know it, but she is setting a wonderful example of how to take a disappointment such as this, and just leave it in God's hands, trusting His will for her.  I have gotten to spend a lot of time with her the past month.  Our visits have been fun, and I've enjoyed letting her depend on me for a change!  We have also enjoyed watching as much HGTV as we want! 

And I MUST give credit to my Dad!  That man has worked harder around the house than ever in my whole life, and he's doing it out of sheer love.  It's the kind of love I always knew was there, but never really noticed until now.  He sure has a servant's heart.  It is so funny to see him rinsing the dishes before he puts them into the dishwasher, because it "bugs him when people just load them all dirty with caked-on food and stuff."  And he scrubbed the microwave last week too - haha!  Anyone who knows him knows that he is a pretty social guy, and it's been hard on him not to be able to go here and there and visit with people whenever he wants.  But he is exhibiting the perfect picture of Christ's love towards my mom, by serving her and taking care of her and I am supremely PROUD of him.  In fact, I've never been prouder of either of my parents than I am right now. 

Mom keeps telling me "thank you".  And I keep telling her, "This is what family is for, Mom."  And that's what I truly believe - family takes care of each other.  I am truly blessed to be a part of THIS family...

First Days of School - Already?!

Without too much grumbling or groaning, the boys are starting to settle into the school routine again.  I think it is harder on me than on them, actually.  I am so used to having them here, chatting about this and that and making fun plans for the afternoon or the next day.  Luckily, Hunter is really enjoying his teacher this year, which is a huge blessing since last year's teacher wasn't at all what we expected.  3rd grade...wow.  He is just growing up too fast! 

Coop is back at the same preschool as last year, but he is going different days, different hours and with one different teacher.  He is taking it hard, and he has been known to follow me around the entire morning asking me not to take him to school, but once he gets there he is okay.  Needless to say, I've been doing A LOT of praying for him!  I'm pretty sure it was a good idea to keep him out of kinder this year...we both would have been crying the whole year!