Weekend

Last Friday night, Maddie had a date with one of her "boy" friends.......and both sets of parents.......and both siblings. I think that's how all of her dates should be FOREVER! We all went out to dinner and then to the movies to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks. The kids had a great time. Maddie and Andon sat right in between Matt and I and Derek and Lisa sat right behind them so they had to behave themselves, haha! All joking aside, they really are good friends and get along so well together. They both used to be so shy but are really coming out of their shells. Kynzie did great at the movies again. AND she only had to go to the bathroom once this time.

Saturday we enjoyed the day with the girls. Went to the library and hung out at home. That night was our turn for "Date" night. The Lake's came over and watched the girls while Matt and I went out. We ate at Casa Ramos then went to Natasha's and met up with another couple. Once again, we had a great time. I am so glad we decided to start doing these dates nights, they have been wonderful!

Sunday after church we decided that we would go sledding at Jones park. After searching all over town for snowsuits and sleds, we finally got the supplies. Then, after another 45 minutes of trying to get the girls dressed in their gear, we were finally ready. We met the Temeyers there so the kids could go down together. Andon was taking turns giving the girls rides down the hill. Maddie did great! She even went down by herself several times without falling off. Everytime Matt or I tried to go down with one of the girls, we ended up crashing and one time poor Kynzie did a face plant in the snow with me landing on top of her. After that, she decided she wanted to go home and go potty! I took my camera so I could get some good pictures of the girls coming down the hill and when I went to take my first picture, I realized that my memory card wasn't in there. Dang, so no pictures this time. We still have plenty of snow on the ground so maybe we will get to go again this year.

School Snow Days

Last week was another short week for Matt and the girls. It was so cold here that they cancelled school on Thursday and Friday. So, Matt and the girls got to stay home while mom still had to go to work. I love those days where I have to get up and get ready while everyone else is still cozy in bed. But the thing I love even more than that is coming home on my lunch break to a house that has been throttled. Kitchen is wrecked, food out everywhere, toys and clothes strung out all over the house on every level and this is the best....girls are roaming the house doing whatever they want while dad is on the computer! Gotta love it! Oh yeah and then you walk in the house and the first thing they say is, what's for dinner?

Girls New Game

We got the girls a Vtech Smile gaming system for Christmas and it is so funny to watch them try and play it. Maddie actually understands the games and how they work but Kynzie just likes to hold the controller and pretend. Notice in the video how Maddie does all the work and then tells Kynzie, "Good Job Kynzie." Such a big sister!

Kynzie Relaxing

Kynzie relaxing in our bed after a loooong week of activities!

Family trip to KC

Friday morning came pretty early for Matt and I but we managed to get up and get around and leave for KC at about 1 pm. We met mom and dad, Jamie and Amber and the boys at BETO junction and headed on to KC. We made another stop in Olathe at the Mall and did a little shopping while the kids did a little playing. After the mall, we were able to check into our hotel. This is what the girls had been looking foward to!!! We got everything dropped off and somewhat settled in and decided to head for Zona Rosa for a little shopping and dinner. Wow, it ended up being dinner. We kind of got lost and then lost again and I think maybe lost one more time. Stupid Mapquest!!! But.....we eventually found it and ate at Tomfooleries for dinner. After dinner we headed back to hotel for some swimming. This is what the girls had really been waiting for.



Saturday morning, everyone was up and eating breakfast by 9:30 am. After that, it was time for CoCo Keys, NOW this really really was what the girls were excited for! The kids had a blast and I think the adults had fun too. Amber and I tried out a waterslide that was pitch black and freezing cold water. Then I got Jamie to go with me and somehow he managed to get thrown into the cement slab and scrape up his shoulder. I can't believe I forgot my camera in Emporia. I think mom was able to take some pictures though. After swimming, it was nap and rest time for the kids and Matt, game time for dad and Jamie and shopping for us girls. We decided to head back to Zona Rosa because this time we knew EXACTLY how to get there. Yet somehow we managed to get lost AGAIN and take about 45 minutes when it should have taken about 20. Shopping was cut short by Matt's texts that they needed us back at the hotel. Only for us to come back and realize that Matt was the only one that had wanted us back. Maddie quickly spilled the beans that the guys had let Hooper fall off the bed and Kynzie fell off the table. At that point, I think we realized maybe Matt was right to call us back. haha! We decided to stay at the hotel for dinner since it was so bitterly cold outside. After dinner was swimming for us and the girls and the rest decided to spend waaaaay too much money on stupid games at the arcade. After that, we got the kids to bed and guys had to have their fun at the casinos. Sunday came too fast! It was wake up, pack up and check out. We headed to Lee's Summit to Paradise Park with the girls and the rest of the bunch headed home with a sick baby Hooper. We got back to Emporia about 6 pm and managed to get all unpacked and settled in and ready for the work week ahead!

Week after Christmas

The week after Christmas was such a fun and relaxing week with Matt and the girls. When we returned to Emporia on Saturday, we returned to about a foot of snow on the ground and even bigger snow drifts. On Monday Matt was very anxious to get the girls out and play in the snow. He decided to pull them on our "sledd" behind his truck while driving up and down our street. I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant to let him do this but after seeing the smiles on the girls faces, I knew it was worth it. They were both holding on for dear life and having a blast. The neighbors driving by were giving him some funny looks but he kept doing it until the girls little fingers couldn't take it anymore.

Before they went out in the snow

Kynzie trying to wave and hold on at the same time

Maddie having a blast

Kynzie hanging on for dear life!

On Tuesday, we had to go back out and play in the snow again. Matt started building a snowman until Kynzie decided to be Kynzella and knock it over. Maddie and I decided to build our own snowman. I had not built a snowman since I was a little kid. It was kind of fun to get out and play in the snow. Maddie was pretty proud of it.

That night we decided to take the girls to "The Princess and the Frog." We had been telling Maddie that we would take her to see that movie sometime over break. We weren't sure how Kynzie would do during the movie but she ended up doing great. We got a big popcorn and pop and that seemed to entertain her through the entire thing. Although she did have to take about 10 bathroom breaks......and always during the good parts too. Matt was too involved in the movie to take her so I was always the one that had to leave. It was a really cute movie though and I'm glad were all able to go and watch it.

By Wednesday I had finally recouperated from the time we were gone and got the laundry caught back up and house cleaned and organized again! That night Matt and I had a crazy moment as parents and decided to take the girls bowling at 9 pm.....they had leagues until then. The girls had a really fun time with this. Even Kynzie was able to carry the little 6 lb. ball up there and roll it down one of those ramps. They had the bumpers on their lanes so I'd say they both did better than their parents :)

Thursday was spent in the kitchen getting stuff ready for that night and weekend and also packing up suitcases AGAIN! Just when I felt settled back in, we got the suitcases out to pack up for the weekend. That night we went over to Welch's for New Year's Eve and brought the girls with us for dinner. About 7:30 pm I ran them home and gave them a quick bath and met the babysitter at our house. We spent the rest of the evening at Welch's while the girls got a good night sleep so they were ready for another long weekend.

Family Christmas's

Wowzers what a Christmas break we have had! We started off a day earlier than we had originally planned because of the "bad" weather we thought we were going to get in western Kansas. Got to Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Joe's house on the evening of the 22nd. Wednesday night Matt and I left the girls with Grandma Debbie and met dad at the new casino in Dodge. Matt won almost $200 and I broke even.

Thursday for lunch we met in Dodge again to see Grandma Alice along with aunt Katie, uncle Tyson and of course miss Kali. We ate a turkey dinner and the girls got to play in Alice's empty apartment and break it in right with all their paints and playdough that she got them :)


Had to take a picture of the crack!

That night we met at the club for the Castaneda family Christmas. Dad beat me in the first wii bowling game and then I smoked him in the second surpassing my old record with a new one of 244. Maddie learned how to wii bowl and turns out, she loves it and she was really good too. I wish I would have gotten some video of her bowling. It was like speed bowling with a twist and twirl added in there. I'm surprised she didn't break out the kartwheels. After a fun night out there, we headed to Coco and Grandma Coco's house in Burdett.

All the second cousins playing with the legos

Maddie bowling with the wii

Christmas Day morning, the girls got up early and immediately wanted to go swimming in the hot tub. They really didn't care about the presents, just the hot tub. But we managed to talk them into opening presents first! They were santa's little helpers handing out all of the presents to everyone.....mostly themselves! After that, Grandma took them both for a swim while the rest of us layed around and watched Coco get lunch ready! We ate a great lunch with Grandma Glenna, Rollie and Marie. After that, it was time for the "big" kids to play our white elephant game. I think everyone was pretty happy with what they got, even if their original gift got stolen a time or two :). After that it was laying around and watching the girls play with all their toys.

We headed back to Kinsley that evening for yet another Christmas with Grandma Tootie, Aunt Tammy and Uncle Monty. It was the same thing over there, sit around and watch the girls play with their presents. Oh yeah, and opening a bunch of lottery tickets that were no good.

Let's see...Saturday we got up and around and headed back to Emporia about 1 pm. We had to make one stop at the outlet mall in Newton. Once we got home, the girls were so excited to open up all the presents that we had gotten them. Out of everything we got them, the umbrella's were definitely the favorites!

Sunday was all about sleeping in and trying to organize a house that had just been hit with a thousand new things! It's always great to go see everyone but there's no place like home!