Time with St. Nick

We decided to skip the Mall Santa this year and instead paid less to have Drew with sit with Sears Santa.  For $10 we got several creative poses with St. Nick and Drew got to announce what he wanted for Christmas.... a V Reader.

Please excuse the cell phone picture of the actual picture - the flash disturbance on Santa's beard.

We really liked the creative shot!  And for the price we couldn't beat it - even with a Groupon.  So before Thanksgiving we had the obligatory time with Santa pose finished without the line!

Another First for Drew!

It's been a while since Drew's experienced a first - well this holiday weekend, he had one.  His first trip to the movie theater!

After the preschool luncheon we took Drew to his first big screen movie to see Happy Feet 2.  He had a great time, but he was a little wiped out by the early wake-up and his Thanksgiving feast cooking.  So I think he was fighting to stay awake in the dark theater.  He said he had a great time though and has been reciting movie quotes all weekend.

And he's busy telling anyone who will listen all about his first movie.  I guess he's proud of it.  Does that mean we have to go back and do more?

So Much to Be Thankful For...

We have so much to be thankful for this year.... and our Thanksgiving festivities started early this year, with a lunchtime feast put on by Drew's preschool.

I love handprint artwork!  This one says...

This isn't just a turkey,

as you can plainly see.

I made it with my own two hands

which are part of me.

It's made with lots of love especially to say,

I hope you have a very 

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

After school we took Drew out for a special afternoon and evening - which I'll save for later blogs this week - and then on Thursday we went to my Mom and Dad's new house for Thanksgiving Dinner.

My niece Kady and I - she was having fun with Drew's Mobigo.  My sister Lisa was home sick.

The Family - L-R: Uncle Doug, Grandma, Dave, Kent (Rana's Dad), Matt

And we were blessed to spend the holiday with my cousin Jodi!

Family shot

The Newlyweds freshly returned from their honeymoon

GG and her Great-Grandchildren, Kady and Drew

Drew and Adrina posing for the camera

And guess who likes black olive fingertips?  Kady!

It was a great night and it was wonderful to spend it with the family. 

We were even insane enough to go Black Friday shopping - but we skipped the midnight sales, and ventured out at 4:30am and were wrapped up by 8:30 for breakfast (with an extra stop for a present for Daddy and Drew).

VIDEO: Get Your Gobble On

Here's a little song from Drew to help you get your gobble on tomorrow...



And here's an encore... of another song...



I love the songs he comes home singing from school!

Paying His Way

On Sunday Drew was playing with my phone when he asked me to get him some new games. He found one he really wanted - Team Umizoomi - but it cost $1.99 so I said no. We're cheap and mostly get him free games since he wants them so often.

When I explained that he couldn't have it because it cost money he excitedly said he had money!

He pulled $1.10 off his bookshelf... funds that he had yet to put into his piggy bank. I thought that was so sweet that he was willing to buy his own app.

Needless to say, being the good parent I am, I diverted his attention and he forgot about the app.



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Matt and Rana Tie The Knot

It was a busy weekend for us - as my brother married his girlfriend of three years on Saturday!  The short engagement didn't mean there was anything short about the wedding - it was BEAUTIFUL!

All three of us were in the wedding again - yes that's two this year alone.  I was a bridesmaid, Dave a groomsman, and Drew a ring bearer.  Enough about the chatter... here are some pictures I snagged from my cousin Jodi who was the official unoffical photographer....

L-R: Lisa, Me, Rana, Denise (bride's friend and Matron of Honor), Adrina 

 

L-R: Lisa, Me, Rana, Adrina, Denise

L-R: Lisa, Me, Rana, Adrina, Deinse

Matt and Grandma

Uncle Matt & Drew the Ring Bearer

 

L-R: Dad, Lisa, Matt, Mom, Kady, Grandma, Me, Drew, Dave

L-R: Wes (bride's Brother-in-law, Dave, John (Best Man), Matt

Drew and Adrina walking down the aisle

 

Kent (the father obviously) and Rana

 

Sand Ceremony

 

All the Koch's: Dad, Mom, Kady, Lisa, Rana, Adrina, Matt, Me, Drew, Dave, Grandma

 

The new merged families:

L-R: Kent, Michael, Grandpa, Tom, Jan (bride's mom), Dane, Wes, Jess (bride's sister), Denise, Rana, Adrina, Matt, John, Drew, Dave, Me, Mom, Dad, Kady, Lisa, Grandma

VIDEO: Can You Smellllllll What the Rock Is Cookin'

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but my husband was a WWF/WWE fan.  His favorite character wrestler was the Rock.

Apparently the Rock made a pit stop back to the world of wrestling, taking a break from his acting career.  So Daddy seized the opportunity to show Drew who he was.  Dave's little "mini-me" instantly took over...



He did another one after "Boston" with our city... what a ham.  I can't wait to see my boys tonight!!!!

VIDEO: Rocky vs Elf

For more than two years Rocky has been Drew's hero.  He impersonates Sly every chance he gets and even draws pictures of his idol...

For those that can't quite make it out... Drew is on the left in "jail" and Rocky is on the right "busting him out".  He made that at pizza the other night.

Then on Sunday Dave sent me a new video of Drew watching his new favorite movie - Elf.



I despise Will Farrell, and therefore hate watching his movies. But Drew seems to take to his crazy antics. Figures.

Baby Steps

While I was working this weekend in Southern California Dave sent me a shocking new picture of Drew.

While the fact he's eating wouldn't shock the typical person, because it was a vegetable was surprising to this Mama.  Yep he tried celery with peanut butter!

Dave said he only had 2-3 bites before he was "full".  But he tried it and didn't gag.  Baby steps...

Running to San Diego....

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to run 475 miles this year... an average of about 9 miles a week.  This past Saturday I surpassed my goal... running 478 or the distance from my house to San Diego (where I am working through Thursday).  In fact I have run a little beyond San Diego which is only 474.26 miles from my house....

So now it's my mission to get to 525 by the end of the year...

I have done several races this past year and I'm currently training for my next Half Marathon at Disneyland at the end of January where I will meet up with some of my friends.  But yesterday I decided to sign up for a couple of additional races to finish out the year.

First up, will be the Turkey Trot 10K at a nearby city on Thanksgiving morning.  I've wanted to do this run since I heard about it two years ago, and I finally got the courage to sign up this year not for the 5K, but the 10K.

I need to work off that Turkey dinner!

And then in December Dave and I are doing our annual Bah Humbug Run.  Last year Dave pushed Drew thinking he would just walk the 5K route, but he ended up running it - you can get the recap of that race here.

Well this year I'll push Drew in the jogger and Dave will try and break some personal records by running the race, intentionally, and hopefully avoid the week of sore stiff legs that he had last year. He has already started training and is looking forward to crossing the finish line. 

I asked Dave if he wanted to do the Turkey trot with me, and he said he didn't figure he'd be ready in 2 weeks vs the 4 he has to train for the Bah Humbug run.  Rookie...

Here's to a healthy holiday season in our household!

Drew's Pizza Art

Last night we went out for pizza and they gave Drew some paper and crayons.



Sure I wrote I love Drew (upside down I might add) but then he did it himself WITHOUT asking how to spell either mom or dad.




Love that kid!

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VIDEO: My Hero Rocky

Last night we happened upon a Rocky Marathon on AMC and you know Drew... he can spot (or shall we say hear) a Rocky movie from the other side of the house.  We were also notified that Rocky is Drew's hero.

This was the Original Rocky and the training session... Drew had to do as Rocky was doing.  Situps and Push-ups.

But then the famous climbing the stairs scene.... wait for the kicker at the end when Drew breaks character.

Training With Mom

I may have just finished my first 1/2 Marathon, but I have another on the horizon. Drew on the other hand just likes to train with Mommy.




That was this morning after I came back from a 5 mile run. (my first run in over a week thanks to the sinus crud).

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Hangin' Around

I mentioned earlier this week, school was out on Halloween, so Drew had to join me at the office.  While it started out rough in the end he did fantastic!




In fact at one point he had everyone in the office howling (and I'm sure he'll hate me later in life for telling this story)...

But when we were coming back from McDonald's with our lunch, he was so upset because his "ookiepook" was moving around.  (his ookiepook is what Dave grew up calling his "manhood" and has passed that on to Drew).  So we're walking back into my office with Drew shoving his hands down his pants so he could straighten out his "ookiepook". 

He kept growing more and more upset saying it won't stay still... and at one point crying that it was stuck to the side of his leg.  My coworker and I were trying our hardest not to laugh out loud - and my boss (the only man around) didn't hear the conversation at first.

I tried to help Drew...errrr.... adjust himself, but apparently I wasn't helping matters.  I asked my boss what should be done.  Needless to say, Drew figured things out for himself, minus a few laughs at his expense.

We called it a kind of early day since he was starting to get impatient with being at the office for so long.



He was so anxious to leave he even offered to drive home.  His latest thing is to climb into the front seat to try and "drive" Jean Grey - the name of our car.

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So Long, Farewell...

For those that know us, you know that from 2nd grade until I was in 7th grade we moved every year... almost like clockwork.  Not just your move around the block or to a city, but across country - Minnesota to California.  Well in 1989, my parents finally found a house and stayed put for 22 years, but now they're saying So Long Farewell to the old.... and hello to their new house.

On Sunday we helped them out of their old place and into this "palace".  It's HUGE and it has a lot of characteristics of my dream home - look at that front porch!!  We told my parents we're happy to throw our parties there anytime... they need not be there if they don't want to hang out :)

The inside was a mess with boxes and furniture everywhere, so I didn't take any shots so as not to ruin the surprise.  Let's just say we're excited to have sleepovers in our own "wing".  Oh and with my addiction with Pinterest - I could have a field day decorating the inside!! (yes I'm a tinge jealous).

Double Dose of Costume Parties

We had a double dose of costume parties on Saturday - first up a birthday party for Drew's friends Mason and Troy.

Drew and Mason

That would be Dave and I in our kid friendly costumes helping out.

Rocky attempting to break the pinata - he didn't.

And then we went home and got ready for the adult version of the costume party - when all the birthday kids went home.  Parents could bring their little ones but it was for the most part an adult only party.

Get it?? Deer in headlights!  We won for most original costume.

Brian... er... Brianna.

And Greg, the girly SF 49er or my politically incorrect interpretation queer 49er.  He and Dave loved to pretend they were the Deer and Queer in Headlights every time I went outside for a beer.

Hey Yo... Trick or Treat

Um, in case you haven't noticed... Drew was going to be Rocky Balboa for Halloween.  We started the day at work and he trick or treated at my co-worker's desks (I provided the candy).

We came home from work early since Drew had had enough and relaxed for a bit before getting ready for the real thing.

Daddy joined us for a few homes, then had to get to his thing... scaring the neighborhood kids.

He said there weren't as many kids this time around.  Either they moved away or perhaps they decided to hit up different neighborhoods.

Drew had a great time in the beginning but after about an hour (and one candy drop-off) he was finished.  I think it was the other scary house in the neighborhood that had a coffin with a monster trying to get out.  His costume was a hit though!  Everyone thought he was just a boxer until he turned around and they saw the "Balboa" on his back... then they would all yell out something.  Drew even did a "Yo Adrian I did it" once for a couple of ladies.