Snowlanta 2015

Its now snowjam this year. I think the city of Atlanta learned a big lesson last year. Instead we are on the safe side. Rain - school is canceled, Sleet - canceled, Snow - canceled. Whether it even happens is besides the point. If there is a hint of the idea that a flurry may hit the ground, everything is canceled.

What does this mean? It means my kids will be staying home for the 4th day in a row tomorrow. Not the mention the 2 days they were off last week and we never even saw a flurry.  At least this week we got some flurries. Granted, it only lasted about 4 hours and melted... the kids were still able to have a lot of fun.   The first picture is at 7:30am and the kids looked out the window and saw snow on Tuesday morning. They never came inside again until lunch time.

Hannah's highlight was catching the snowflakes in her mouth. Such a novelty in the south.

Drew, typical Drew, goes head first down the driveway. Why not sled on slush and cement?

Next up, he said it was "his dream" to drive his 5 aka ATV in the snow and do wheelies. So guess what, we have wheelie marks and mud circles in our grass. Awesome.

Hannah has some fun sledding down the driveway as well. Then decided to sled down the hill between our neighbors house and ours.

Did you say snowball fight? Guess what happens when you tell kids to have fun but don't throw it in peoples faces because the snow is really wet and heavy. They do exactly opposite. They throw it in each others faces, then there are tears, then there is revenge. A bunch of boys and girls ended up later morning at the Jaillets house in a big snowball fight. The 6th and 7th grade boys won. Lots of crying girls.

Day 3 off of school, here is Lila and Hannah from tonight pre snow ball fight with Drew and pre sleepover at Lila's cause school is canceled again tomorrow. It's raining outside people. Raining.

Tomorrow I am hoping they actually wake up to real snow so they can have some fun as I am pretty sure this is the last of it. 2 weekends ago we were taking a bike ride wearing tank tops and shorts, and now snow. Ready for spring!!

2015 Atlanta Hot Chocolate Run

Our first ever family run! This is my second time running the hot chocolate race. The first time I did the 5k with some friends, and this time I did the 15k while Todd and the kids did the 5k along with our friends again.  Getting up at 5:15am on a Sunday morning with 28 degree weather was not easy.   Drew popped right out of bed, Hannah on the other hand was not happy about it.   It was cold, and early, and we were all tired, but we made it!!

Runner #1 - Drew. Not a lot slows this kid down. He was for sure the youngest participant and couldn't had been happier about being there.  This won't be his last race.

Our unhappy riser finally got her mojo and had a great time. Especially when she saw her friends there!!

Todd and the kids were taking some selfies while I was running my heart out.   I missed a lot of the fun since I started earlier than them and finished later than them... they were already done with their treats and I was finally done with my 9.6 mile run!

Here are the happy hot chocolate goers! They had different stations along the run where you can get chocolate marshmallows, tootsie rolls, strawberries and more. I only stopped once at mile 8 for one strawberry marshmallow. My stomach was growling and I was starving!  The marshmallow did nothing to help that, but at least let me enjoy my last mile and a half!

I am just really happy that we were able to do this as a family. I love having all of us together to do something that is fun, healthy, and helps promote fitness while getting rewarded with a little chocolate too!! :)  In 4 weeks I have a half marathon in seaside, fl.  I am soooo sore today that I am hoping I can go another 4 miles when the day comes!  Need a few more long runs to get my legs used to it. Argh!

Weekend Fun!

We had another action packed weekend as always. Friday night with really crappy weather we were able to spend time with Uncle Jeff while he was in town for work. It was a quick dinner but we were so happy to see him.  Good food and good fun with the kids. Drew was crying in the car on the way there that he was starving. I thought he was just tired until he ate about 4 meals worth of food!  So happy we got to see Jeff, thanks for spending time with us!

Saturday morning (pic below) Hannah and I headed downtown to pick up our goodie bags and racing bibs for the Atlanta Hot Chocolate 5k and 15k. Todd and the kids did a walk/ run 5 k with some chocolate in between, and I did the 15k.  I will update pictures of the race soon !
 Above is Hannah and Lila before their tennis match on Saturday on a gorgeous day! It was Lila's first match and Hannah's second. They lost 0-4, 0-4.. but they did their best and the other players were really, really good. Lila has got herself one heck of a forehand, and hannah has a good back hand. Soon they will get their groove on our there. Win or lose, they are fun and cute matches to watch while they learn to keep score and learn when to call the ball in or out!

Hannah's 1st Tennis Match

Hannah had her first tennis match last weekend. Girls doubles and Camden was her partner. It was SO cute. The parents are not allowed to be involved and talk to them. Watching them figure out how to keep score correctly and make line calls was entertaining.   Overall, the girls did a great job. They lost the match, but looked great out there. Most importantly, they had fun and that is what matters.

Hannah was a little timid at first, by the end she was going for some good shots and better at her serves. I can't wait to watch her play this weekend too. I will get some better pictures this time!

Happy 8th Birthday Hannah!!

Happy 8th Birthday to my sweet little Hannah!!   I still can't believe I have a second grader, an 8 year old, a little girl, who is growing up so fast right before us.   Hannah has had a great last year, and I know the year ahead will only be that much more fun.   Hannah still loves tennis and discovered soccer this past year. She is playing again int he spring as I think she actually surprised herself in how much she ended up liking it. In Hannah style, she starts each new thing she tries timid and unsure, finds her place, builds up some confidence and starts to make some progress. She is never one to jump right into anything, with her things take time as she warms up to it.  By the end of the soccer season she was finally getting aggressive, knowing where to go and stand and was a good little defender.  We can't wait to watch her this spring.  

2nd Grade has had a rougher start that we would had liked for this year. She has a new teacher that is more strict that she is used to. More rules, harder topics, and more school work. Hannah was in tears for the first 8 weeks of school. She is finally in a groove now and getting much better grades and working hard at improving her report card. We are really proud of her for all the progress she has made this year and how much she has grown up.

Hannah's world right now evolves around play dates and her little social life. There doesn't seem to be a party she doesn't get invited to by all her little friends. Hannah is liked by everyone and seems to get along with just about anyone, even though she has her favorites. Her and Lila have "BFF" written all over little papers throughout the house and are practically sisters. Hannah asked the other day if we could get Lila a drawer at our house for sleepovers and playdates since she is here so much. It made me laugh. They are adorable together and Lila is an energetic little girl with a lot of personality that is a really positive influence on Hannah.

Hannah is still a good big sister to Drew. While she gets frustrated and tells us she wishes she had a sister instead, I know she really loves her little Drew. She laughs at him all the time and his crazy silliness gets her out of her shell a lot. They either play together really well, or just not well at all. But when they are playing well together... it is pretty darn cute. And even though she won't admit, I know she loves him to pieces as she is really protective over him


I look forward to the year ahead. She is growing up so fast and I know I need to cherish the next few years as they will fly bye. I am going to blink and have a teenager on my hands, and then, well ... yikes.

Hannah, we love you more than words can express, all the way to the moon and back. You make us smile, laugh, love and wonder with your strong yet timid personality. Being your mom and dad is truly the heartbeat of our lives. We love you our little chicken :)

Love,
Mom, Dad, Drew & Murphy

And then... we had her birthday party!! At her request, a magician and 10 or so of her best little friends from our neighhorhood and school. Hannah said it was the best party of her life. After the magician, and pizza, and candy and cake... she had Lila, Lucy and Sophia spend the night. Happy to say, everyone got along great and they were a ton of fun.  Whispering, giggles and laugher until 2:30am!!

Here is Maddie and Hannah watching the magician!

The party goers + Drew.

At the end he made each kids quite the balloon sculpture/ hat. They loved it!

Here is Anita on the left, then Lila and Sophia. Anita also lives in our neighborhood. Lila and Sophia are also good friends as they were in class together last year.  Sophia was a trip... full of personality and as sweet as they come. We loved having her at the sleepover. She made us laugh all night.

No party is complete until you have a bunny in your living room.

Drew had a ninja turtle outfit made from balloons. Even a shell that is not int his picture, it was pretty cool.

Hannah was dead set on having this cake. She has been looking at it at publix all year. Wouldn't you know it, when it was time to eat cake, she passed. Way to busy to eat. With all the leftovers she still has not had a piece of her own birthday cake, I didn't even know that was legal? :)


Another year, another party... Steinemann holiday season is now over. Back to weekends with a little more relaxation :)

Steamboat Springs - Kourkoules Family Visit 2014!

Right after christmas we headed to Steamboat Springs, CO to visit out forever friends the Kourkoules family. We missed them so much over the last year and could not wait to get some Kim, Jason, Eleanor and Ben time!! We had a ton of fun on our trip. Spending time with the Kourkoules family was the priority. We didn't care if we ever left the house, we just wanted our together time.

The kids managed to get their snow time in along with playing with Eleanor and Ben. Jason pretty much built a sledding hill in their front yard for the kids. It was perfect, and the kids had such a blast sledding in the powder perfect snow.

There was A LOT of snow, a lot. I forgot what it was like to have to dress in so many layers to go outside. We left Atlanta in 65 degree weather and woke up in Colorado with record low temperatures at -24 degrees. Whoa, cold ! But, the sun was shining and the kids had a blast.  A little chill didn't stop the sledding and tubing.

Drew didn't have any fun at all, can't you tell? ( yes, I am being sarcastic)

These pictures aren't in any particular order.. the one above is me and Kim on New Years Eve bringing in the new year with fireworks, skiing and torch lit ski hills and just plain old fun.

Trying to get a family picture at -15 degrees out. Ugh, cold! WE had just returned from dinner on top of the mountain with amazing views of Steamboat and the mountains. There was BBQ, and country band, and a dance floor. Yes, the kids danced their little hearts out, it was super cute!

And here is Eleanor and Hannah, friends since birth, literally. They are just so darn cute and pick up right where they left off. Eleanor has turned in to quite the little ski bunny. One day Hannah will have to teach Eleanor all about the south and the beaches and southern style life while Eleanor teaches her all about skiing and Colorado life. So fun how much they can learn from each other while growing up so differently.

Best picture we could get of these 4 while really cold and tired!! Brrrr. Eleanor, Hannah, Ben and Drew!

Green screen picture before dinner going up on the mountain. Todd will have to photoshop the swiss alps in the background for us :) Kourkoules and Steinemann reunion!

With out a doubt, Drew attempted skiing in Kim and Jason's front yard on the sledding path. We didn't want to deal with renting skis, passes etc when it is so busy during the holidays, and the cold weather. Drew gave it a whirl though wearing Eleanor's skis and did great. I think he would get the hang of it pretty quick!

Not to be forgotten, Drew's highlight of the whole trip. He got to ride on a mini snowmobile all by himself. Seriously, in heaven. It was at saddleback ranch where we went tubing. It was supposed to be $2 per lap for a ride. Drew just kept going and going and going. Todd was yelling for him to stop and he would just look at him, smile and keep on going. $28 dollars later, Drew had his fun. It was pretty cute to watch as I knew he was in heaven on that thing.

We had such a nice trip, and so many more memories made with Kim, Jason and their beautiful family. I SOOO wish we all lived in the same place again. They are truly our forever friends that we are so lucky to have in our lives. I love the comfort, the laughs, the familiarity, and the understanding of each other when we are together.  We are trying to get them out to Atlanta for their spring break. Hoping to see them again soon!!! Miss them already. Thanks Kim and Jason for an awesome time!

Merry Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas ( a little late again)! We had a very busy and fun Christmas this year!! The entire Steinemann/ Wikstrom family came to Atlanta to celebrate together. We had a great time and I think was the first time we have all been together since Todd and I's wedding.  

Christmas Eve we went to church at Mt Bethel. It was a really nice christmas service with the kids choir and kids singing and participating. I think everyone enjoyed it. Here is the gang at Church minus Ashley and Alex who arrived later in the evening.

Here is Andrea, Grandpa John, John, and Todd. I don't know that I have a picture of them together since our wedding as well. We are all ten years older, definitely showing our age but hanging in there!

Here are all the cousins on the Steinemann side of the family. As you can see, Drew and Hannah are by far the youngest! There is Drew, Sean, Hannah, Ashley and Drake. Drake is a senior in high school this year and will be graduating soon. He was accepted at Auburn so we will see if we are all cheering for the Tigers with him in the fall.

John and Sean, Father and son. They drove to Atlanta together and I think they bonded on the way with some good stories from their drive :) Sean works for the golf channel doing social media, a golf lovers dream job!

And here is the Wikstrom Family! Cash, Andrea, Ashley and Drake. Yes, Drake is really really tall!!

Not the best angle, but here is Ashley and her super nice boyfriend Alex. They make such a great couple!

And here is photo after Santa came, and before the kids got up in the morning. Stockings were filled, presents under the tree and excitement filled the kids. It was a great christmas with so much going on these were about the only pictures I took! We all opened family presents christmas eve and then Santa gifts in the morning for the kids.   We had a great christmas dinner, and the next day we all went to the college football hall of fame, then back to our house to watch the UCF bowl game. Todd set up the screen outside with a fire going and wings. Kinda a perfect football night. I on the other hand think I fell asleep at 9pm that night along with the kids and missed some of the fun. But the sleep felt good and was a perfect ending to a long day.

I hope everyone had a blessed christmas as well did this year. The kids got a lot of things on their wish lists. Drew got his night vision goggles along with his big foot search and rescue kit ( uh huh). He also got lots of army guys, legos and some new shoes and a sweatshirt. Hannah got american girl stuff, lego friends, mi worlds, and a kids sewing machine. They are all set to have a busy and active winter playing with all their new toys! They are lucky little kids.

Elfie's Arrival - Christmas 2014

Ellie arrived this week, flew in right after we got our Christmas decorations up. He showed up in a snow filled hurricane with a letter.

The kids were most excited to learn that Elfie also likes to Snorkel. They were so excited about Elfie and loves how silly he is. The kids got right to work making their christmas lists right after reading their Elfie's letter. Drew's list include : Army stuff, army trucks, big foot squaching gear, and a sports stuff. Hannah's list included: American Girl things, candy, a treehouse for the backyard fully decorated, and games for the new xbox.

Not sure that Santa will being that treehouse, but I think the rest of their lists are pretty manageable for the kids as long as they are good :)

We will see what else Elfie gets into and keep y'all updated.

Happy Thanksmas 2014

We had a great Thanksmas this year! Thanksgiving + Christmas = Thanksmas in Ohio with the Dice family. The kids get so excited about this each year and talk about it all fall! They love spending time with their cousins, aunt, uncle and grandma and grandpa. With Hannah's tears the morning she left, I think Grandma and Grandpa know how much she loves them and loves going to Ohio.  I am happy that everyone gets along so well and Drew isn't biting Lucas anymore :) 

Kiddos in front of Grandma and Grandpa's tree.

Hannah beyone excited to get "coconut" the american girl pet she has been asking for for months now.

And who knew some frogs would make a little boy so happy. Look at that smile on his face??!??!

Grandpa was content with his vodka tonics and Murphy to keep him company. I think Murphy got so much love from Grandpa he turned his allegiance over to Grandpa by the second day we were there. Wherever Grandpa went, Murphy followed :)

The kids got an xbox one from Grandma and Grandpa and they are already having a blast with it. It is funny to watch them play and get it all figured out. Super fun!!

The kids got two of Ohio's finest while we were there, Skyline Chili and Bill's donuts.. and Grandma's cooking. Nothing can beat it.   When I was driving Hannah to Jeff and Nikki's she quietly asked me from the backseat if coming to Ohio remind's me of my childhood. It was really cute. I told her of course it does. I think about being a kid, the things I did, the friends I had, all the simplicity there was 25 years ago versus today.  She told me she thought Ohio was really peaceful because she likes the farms and the big yards that each house has. Sometimes I forgot what a dense area we live in now and how different it really is.   I love that Hannah is getting to an age that she understands that and thinks about it. She later followed up with saying, "Mom, I think sometimes you are really weird, but I also think you would had been a funny kid and we would had been good friends" That is probably the nicest compliment that Hannah has ever given me :)

Merry Thanksmas everyone! And thank you to the Dice's for making it so wonderful!!