The Family Kreil

CRAZY!

2011-08-11T14:51:00.003-06:00

Well, the last three months have been a crazy, wild ride! I'll be sure to post about it as soon as I find the time to breathe. In the meantime, here's a little photo of Maddox from this morning. He was exploding caps with a metal hammer. Could there be any activity that screams, "I'm a boy!" more than this one?

Kreil Family

2011-07-14T21:40:00.002-06:00

Dash Gregory Kreil

2011-07-01T16:03:00.003-06:00

It is our immense pleasure to announce the arrival of the newest Kreil!

Dash Gregory Kreil was born on May 3, 2011 and weighed a whopping 4lbs 13oz! He was adopted into his forever family on May 14th!
Maddox and Daddy meet the baby and we finally choose a name! (Dash went nameless for three days until Daddy and brother could come see him. Until then, Mommy was just calling him Peanut and Schnicklefritz.)

The Kreil brothers

Mommy meets her son for the first time! It was love at first sight.

Gym Rat

2011-05-11T11:34:00.003-06:00

Maddox-Man has been taking gymnastics classes for about a month now and he loves it! His coaches do a great job of keeping all the kids moving during the class, so Mommy is pleased with the amount of energy expended!

Below are some videos from a few different classes during the last month.

Last week, Mad's coach promoted him from Embers Level 1 to Embers Level 2! Maddox was very excited, and we even got to take a trip to McDonald's for a celebratory ice cream cone!

Passover and Easter

2011-05-11T11:10:00.003-06:00

Last month, because we are religiously confused (or just because it's a good lesson for our kids on their spiritual heritage) we rounded up the crew and celebrated Passover and Easter.

In previous years, my Passover lamb was palatable at best (and that's being kind). This year for Passover, I turned the lamb responsibilities over to Mark, the master chef, and the results were delicious.

Will and Maddox happened to be wearing vests for church on Easter morning. I've always thought they looked similar, but that day they could have passed as brothers.

Not sure what's up with my kid's pose here. Weirdo.

Checking out this year's haul with Aunt Alicia and Austin!

A Day With The Dills

2011-04-13T15:54:00.003-06:00

We recently drove up the mountain to Running Springs to visit Erin and Graydon for the day. There was still quite a lot of snow on the ground, and Maddox had a great time hiking in the snow...until we got back to the car and he realized how cold he was.

We took Clubber and Sophie up there with us. With no leashes and free run of the mountain, they thought they had died and gone to heaven.

We are so glad these two moved back to California!!!

All the Kreils (puppies included) warming up at the Dill's mountain house!

We Belong In A Zoo

2011-04-13T15:10:00.009-06:00

Last month, while Jeff was on Spring Break, we took a little day trip down to the San Diego Zoo with our friends, Chuck and Lisa. The weather cooperated beautifully, making it the perfect day to enjoy with the animals. (And by "animals" I'm totally referring to Chuck and Lisa.) We stopped a very nice family and conned them in to snapping this photo for us. In chatting with them, we found out that they were vacationing in San Diego from Eagle River, Alaska! It's a small world after all. Wait, wrong park.

Just standin' around like some pink flamingos.

Monkey see, monkey do.

While we were diligently trying to decipher the map and figure out where to go next, Jeffy was being very helpful by laughing at us and taking pictures.

Why does my kid look like he's about 8 years old in this picture? Excuse me, I need to go have a good cry.

We finished out the day with a visit to the Corvette Diner, a 50's themed restaurant complete with costumed servers and an arcade. Jeff had a Peanut Butter Burger, in honor of the King.

And Maddox and I split a chocolate shake in honor of my taste buds.

A Boy and His Dog

2011-04-13T15:06:00.002-06:00

A Letter to My 4 Year Old

2011-04-08T16:10:00.002-06:00

Dear Maddox, We recently celebrated your 4th birthday, and I thought I should take the time to jot down a little bit about who you are at this moment in time. Maybe someday you will read this little online scrapbook of our family, and my memories of you will flood your heart. To put it simply, you are the summation of personality! You can tell the longest stories known to man (and we love to hear them). For about a year, you wore a cape every moment of every single day, from the time you woke up to the time you finally fell asleep. I never realized how much I would miss that cape when you grew out of that stage. I love how confident you are just to be you. For the moment, your world revolves around Superheroes! You assign Superhero roles to us all the time. Mommy is always Wonder Woman (a dramatic upgrade from reality for which I will be forever grateful), Daddy is always Green Lantern and you are always Hotman or Bokathor. Only you know whether you are Hotman or Bokathor on any given day, but it is imperative that we address you by the correct one! You are kind and compassionate and I just love your heart. Your energy is overwhelming! When you grow up and you get that amazing energy pointed toward one goal, you will be an unstoppable force! My prayer every day is that you will grow to be a man who loves God. I sure am proud of the little man you are today. Love, Wonder Woman

A Few Recent Photos

2011-04-08T16:04:00.001-06:00

2011-02-25T10:14:00.002-07:00

Last week, Greg, Becky, Jaxon and the soon-to-be-born baby moved to San Antonio, Texas. We're more than brokenhearted, but we are excited for the Young's to find some new opportunities in the land of the southern drawl.

Every day, Maddox asks if Jaxon is coming over to play, and I remind him that Jaxon lives in Texas now. So every day, Maddox asks if today is the day we are going on the airplane to Texas. Unfortunately, no.

So, the boys have been talking to each other on the phone recently and this morning, I helped Maddox write a letter to his best buddy...

Stolen Goods

2011-02-17T15:32:00.003-07:00

Since the double whammy of a lost camera and a crashed hard drive, I have no recent photos to share. So, I did what every desperate blogger would do. I stole some.

I pilfered these pictures from Amanda's blog. They were taken at our most recent church playgroup meeting. Notice the prized Christmas gift on Maddox's feet. We're getting a lot of use out of those puppies!

When It Rains, It Pours

2011-02-17T14:45:00.003-07:00

I hate technology. (Yes, I recognize the irony of that statement as it's posted on my Internet scrapbook.)

Technology lulls me into a false sense of security, as if everything that has ever been stored is retrievable. But it's not. Exhibit A: my laptop hard drive. You know, the hard drive I stored all my photos on for the last year. Crashed. Gone. Blank.

One might suggest that I invest in an online backup tool like Carbonite. I do have an online backup service! On my desktop. Oops.

The technology gods must really be angry with me because I also lost my camera. I realize that can't really be blamed on technology in general, but it makes me feel better to heap the culpability on something other than myself.

So, first things first. If you have any relatively recent photos of my family, please send me a copy. Don't worry. Maddox's baby photos are safe and sound. Secondly, Maddox's 4th birthday is coming up! And since I just bought a new camera, I'll have photos to share soon!

No Fear

2010-11-06T17:45:00.003-06:00

Isn't it annoying when parents brag about their spawn and act as if their kid is some kind of child prodigy?

I know. I totally think so too.

My offspring jumped off the big rocks at the Caruso's house over the summer. Those would be the tallest rocks behind him in this photo...

He must have done this 20 times while we were swimming. He's 3.

If there were a bumper sticker that said, "My 3 year old can swim laps around your honor student," I would totally have it on my car. I just thought you should know.

Our Little Band of 3

2010-11-05T18:07:00.004-06:00

Disneyland (40 Inches Tall!)

2010-11-05T16:35:00.003-06:00

Last month we enjoyed a very wet day at the Mouse House! Mother Nature poured on us sporadically and, although we spent much of the day drenched to the bone, we had a great time! There were a few very special things about this trip...
...Cousin Ashlea skipped school and rounded out our little crew...

...Daddy had the day off work (Hallelujah!) and spent the whole day with us!!...

...Grandma and Grandpa were in town! They hadn't been to Disneyland in nearly 15 years...

...and...

...MadMan finally made the 40" mark and was able to go on Thunder Railroad, Splash Mountain, and Soarin' Over California!! And he loved them all!!!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-05T16:28:00.001-06:00

Happy halloween from the Kreil's and the Batman!

Maddox Says...

2010-10-01T20:08:00.002-06:00

When Jeff comes home from work, Maddox runs to him with understandable squealing and excitement. Jeff always scoops him up and says, "Let me go greet my wife."

Tonight Jeff came home and Maddox squealed, "Daddy! Mommy's in the kitchen; go greet her."

Last Trip to Buellton

2010-09-04T10:32:00.002-06:00

Dan and Carmen are getting ready to pick up and move to Arizona, so we made one last trip to Buellton to visit them before they go. They will be spending the month of October here in Orange County before moving on to Arizona.
Of course, we had to pick some blueberries because it's a Buellton tradition.

We've enjoyed visiting Grandma and Grandpa in Buellton, and we can't wait to see what adventures await us in Arizona.

Seth David Hoggard

2010-09-04T10:08:00.003-06:00

Seth David Hoggard made his grand entrance into this world on July 7th! He weighed in at 7lbs. 10oz, practically preemie size compared to Mandy's other kids.

Mandy was going for the distinction of having all three of her boys born on the same date. Nolan and Evan were both born on July 6th, 9 years apart. Two years later, Seth almost made it into the club, but he took his sweet time and arrived on July 7th.

Before leaving for the hospital, a very pregnant Mandy threw a little birthday party for Nolan and Evan.

The cousins, minus Seth who was only a few days old. I guess you're not allowed to ride on a tractor until you're at least a week old.

Instead, Seth snuggled me and took a nap. It's a rough life.

Summertime ... And The Livin' Is Easy

2010-08-13T20:56:00.002-06:00

Last month while Maddox and I were in Oregon for the birth of my newest nephew, Seth (photos to follow), Jeff had surgery to reconstruct the ACL he tore playing football. His recovery is going well; he's even walking without a brace most of the time now. He's almost ready to get out there and play football again!

Meg Brooks Changes Her Name

2010-08-13T20:40:00.002-06:00

I was so blessed to get to serve as Meg's Matron of Honor when she officially became Meghan Huffman! She looked absolutely beautiful on her big day and I was proud to be a part of it.

The Way to San Jose

2010-08-13T18:12:00.002-06:00

In early June the Kerchies and the Kreils drove up to San Jose to attend the lovely wedding of Steven McGee and Stephanie Nichols. The wedding was awesome and the best part was that it was in a beautiful park so Super Maddox got to run around in his cape and play with sticks!
Erin came from KY for a visit!

For the trip back down to So Cal, we decided to take Pacific Coast Highway...

...and stop for some hiking in Big Sur.

Hiking in Pasadena

2010-08-13T18:04:00.001-06:00

Part Kid / Part Fish

2010-08-13T17:58:00.001-06:00

Iron Man Doesn't Need a Pacifier

2010-08-11T15:58:00.002-06:00

Well, the day finally came a couple of months ago when Jeff decided that there would be no more pacifier. I was perfectly happy to let Maddox keep his pacifier until high school graduation, but I think that's called bad parenting.

There was a certain Iron Man helmet that Maddox had his eye on for quite some time. In actuality, he begged for it every time we went to Target, but once I saw the $39.99 price tag, I stated unequivocally that he would not be getting that helmet, and that we would make him an Iron Man helmet from a cardboard box and some red and gold paint. I went on to remind him that his life would be so much different if he had been born to rich parents, but he was born to poor parents so he would suffer along with the rest of the world. I may have thrown in something about poor kids in Uganda not getting Iron Man helmets.

Anyway, seeing a prime opportunity, Jeff told Maddox that the coveted Iron Man helmet cost money and pacifiers, and Maddox was willing to pony up the "sa-sa".

Off they went to Target, where Jeff paid the cashier money and Maddox paid the cashier a Ziploc baggie containing his last 4 pacifiers, which equated his entire life savings. And he happily strode out of Target with a giant talking helmet on his head.

It wasn't until bedtime that night that Maddox experienced a major case of buyer's remorse. I'm sure you've heard parents tell you that they had more anxiety about giving up the pacifier than their kids did, and that the kid asked for it once or twice, and then moved on with their life.

That did not happen here.

But, it's been a couple of months and the emotional damage has healed enough for us to have survived. And we're still pacifier free.

A Visit With The Fam

2010-08-11T14:41:00.003-06:00

It's always very difficult to find a day and time that works for the Kreil family to get together. Between the 5 adults on this side of the family, there are 2 that work nights, 2 that work days, and 1 that sits around and files her nails all day.

But the stars aligned one day back in May, and we were able to get together with Uncle Andre, Aunt Tanu and Grandma Tina. We enjoyed dinner at King Harbor and played at the boardwalk arcade.

Playing Catch Up

2010-08-11T14:35:00.003-06:00

We've been a tad busy over at the Kreil house, so I'm just now getting around to posting this photo from Mother's Day. Little Man and Daddy made me a beautiful birdhouse!
Nothing in the entire world makes me happier than being this kid's mommy!

A Little Discussion

2010-06-17T13:36:00.002-06:00

Today during lunch, after noticing a little too much chatter at the table, I asked Maddox if he and Jaxon were eating their fish. He replied, "Well, we're having a little discussion about the robots. The robots are very important. We can eat when we finish our discussion."

Kid needs to work on his vocabulary.

Hogwart's Graduation

2010-05-22T18:25:00.003-06:00

This was the first year that Professor Kreil attended the Moorpark College graduation ceremonies, looking very official is all his regalia. His hood is gold and red, the colors of the school from which he got his Masters Degree, but he maintains that it's because he's in the House of Gryffindor.

Not You, Jenny. Another Jenny.

2010-05-14T14:27:00.003-06:00

Maddox has a couple imaginary friends. We don't see him playing with them, but he is constantly telling stories about hunting tigers and other adventures he has with these friends. Whenever he tells these stories and I ask with whom he went tiger hunting or robot shooting or superhero flying, the answer is always the same...

"My friends Michael and Jenny. Not you, Jenny. Another Jenny."

When I'm Not Home

2010-05-13T15:17:00.003-06:00

Desperately Seeking Shower

2010-05-05T20:45:00.004-06:00

Last month, we had the extreme pleasure of participating in the Irvine Mud Run, a 3.5 mile run with all kinds of obstacles and mud pits!
Maddox is showing off the boo boo he got on his knee before the race. His pitiful face would suggest a broken limb or an amputated appendage, but it was really just a microscopic scratch.

I know Jeff looks fairly clean here, but his heat went well before mine, and he finished the race about half an hour before I did, so the mud was dried and caked on him. He made sure to dive into the mud pit, so he was covered from head to toe.

The muddy buddies... Alicia, Jenny, Michelle and Amanda Robinson. Isaiah Leslie, Jeff and Mad.

After the race, there was a kids' mud run! Parents were allowed to run with their kiddos if they were too little to run on their own, so Jeff volunteered to go into the pit again. Here they are warming up at the starting line.

Daddy and Maddox off and racing...

...into the human car wash...

...and straight into the mud pit...

I think it's a new annual tradition!

Easter 2010

2010-05-02T22:47:00.005-06:00

Maddox had the monopoly on Easter this year because he was the only kiddo around. He was very happy to eat as many hard boiled egg as he could for a couple weeks!

Someday when we look back, we will always fondly remember when Maddox was three as the year when he wore his cape every single day. Every. Single. Day. His individuality is actually one of my very favorite characteristics!

Buzz Had The Shrimp

2010-05-02T22:28:00.002-06:00

Buzz Lightyear took a little trip to Red Lobster to visit with his Grandma Great...

Granny Mammy was a good sport about the whole thing. I'm not sure she was expecting her great-grandson to show up in full costume, but she handled it with grace.

Come to think of it, most interactions with Maddox are best handled with a little grace.

Go Angels!

2010-05-02T22:23:00.000-06:00

Spring Break

2010-04-01T12:21:00.003-06:00

Jeff had some time off this week for Spring Break, so we took off for the weekend and went up to Buellton to visit the grandparents. It was a grand time of tomfoolery and shenanigans.
Showing Grandma how it's done on the golf course.

Maddox spent a little time helping Grandpa with his work. Maddox said he was taking measurements, and that everything he measured was exactly 245.

Maddox and Daddy up to their old tricks.

We went to see some miniature horses, and I decided that we should buy one. It can sleep in the bathtub and roam around the living room. Jeff didn't agree.

Maddox got to meet Josephine, a little colt born just two weeks ago.

The Kreil family ready to chow down on some sushi!

The sushi chef brought over a bowl of whole prawns and taught Maddox how to break the heads off and shell them. Maddox ate the whole bowl.

(FYI - Maddox regularly wears the cape and the goggles, and says he's Aquaman. He's not short on personality.)

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-04-01T12:15:00.003-06:00

Great news! Spring has sprung around here and we have a new camera to capture all the magic ... like this beautiful flower blooming in my patio!

3 Years Old

2010-03-22T13:10:00.004-06:00

Time sure does fly by! I simply can't believe that Maddox is 3. It seems like just yesterday that I was trying to train him to sleep through the night and play gently with the dogs. (Okay - we're still working on playing gently with the dogs.)

On Mad's birthday, we had a few aunts, uncles and cousins over for a little birthday dinner and strawberry shortcake. Maddox made out like a bandit with lots of new toys!
Maddox and Uncle Andre opening Grandma and Grandpa's gift, while they look on from the computer.

Skyping with the grandparents.

It was time to trade in the tricycle, so Mommy and Daddy got Maddox a new big boy bike.

The Kerchie's made sure Maddox got plenty of new weapons for his arsenal.

Opening more presents, and thoroughly enjoying being the star of the show.

Here's a video of Maddox learning how to ride his bike. As soon as we get a new camera, I will record him riding now. It just took a couple days to really figure out how to get those pedals moving, and now he's an expert!

We are humbled every day that God has given us the privilege of being this amazing kid's parents! Maddox is pure joy! Happy 3rd birthday, Buddy.

Sneaky Leprechauns

2010-03-17T15:29:00.003-06:00

Even though I don't have any pictures to prove it (we still haven't replaced our camera), we have had a great St. Patty's Day today!

Maddox woke up this morning and instantly started bouncing on his bed asking if the sneaky leprechauns had played any tricks on us during the night. As a matter of fact, they had! Maddox found green milk at the breakfast table this morning and green jello in the fridge. His lunch apples even had magic green sprinkles! Those silly leprechauns got us good.

It Was A Good 8 Years

2010-03-13T11:47:00.003-07:00

It had a good run, but the camera we bought over 8 years ago finally bit the dust. By the time it died it had no front panel, just an exposed lens. It was a sad, pathetic sight, but it still worked.

When I told Becky of our camera's unfortunate demise, she was less than sympathetic. I believe her exact words were, "It's about time. That thing's been on its last legs for years."

The sad departure occurred right before Maddox's 3rd birthday, so we are waiting to get some pictures and video from Andre's camera because you have to see this kid ride his new bike!!

We are shopping for a new camera now, but in the meantime, here's an old video of baby Maddox to hold you over. Please notice (a) how fat he was (b) how blond his hair gets in the summer (c) how fat he was (d) my favorite part that comes in the last second of the video!

Current Events and Politics

2010-03-08T10:05:00.002-07:00

This morning, Maddox and I saw a clip of President Obama on TV. Maddox said, "Hey! We know that guy ... Tiger Woods!"

Something tells me the First Lady wouldn't appreciate the implication.

King Josiah

2010-02-22T14:35:00.002-07:00

Yesterday in Bible class, Maddox got to play King Josiah, the child king of Judah who began his reign at just 8 years old. He's been telling me all day, "King Josiah says don't worship idols, only worship God."

I just keep waiting for him to run around the house smashing everything he considers an idol.
Sorry about the picture quality. This photo was taken on a phone and emailed to us later. But, you can just make out the cutest little Josiah ever.

A Rite of Passage

2010-02-01T15:12:00.002-07:00

Two years old is a big milestone in our family! It's the ripe old age when Daddoo's grandchildren can start drinking "coffee" with him. Drinking coffee with Daddoo is all the rage!

My parents got to come visit us for Christmas, and Maddox drank coffee with Daddoo every morning.

The "coffee" is really just a handful of M&Ms in a mug with just enough coffee to melt them, and filled the rest of the way with milk. It's essentially hot chocolate, but don't tell Maddox.

I drank coffee this very same way with my great-grandmother, and the tradition continues.

No Santa Torture This Year

2010-02-01T14:45:00.003-07:00

Judging by the pictures from the annual Kreil - Young visit to Santa for the last two years, it is abundantly clear that sitting on Santa's lap is akin to child abuse in Jaxon's mind.

But not this year...
This year, both boys sat on the big man's lap and told him just what they wanted for Christmas! It was quite an accomplishment!

Diabetic Domicile

2010-01-30T15:33:00.004-07:00

Where did the tradition of making gingerbread houses come from? Are they supposed to be tiny candy houses for Santa's elves to live in? What's the connection to Christmas?

Because, honestly, it makes me feel like the evil witch who tricked Hansel and Gretel with her candy house. (By the way, when I was a kid, I totally would have gone home with an evil witch if she promised me I could eat her candy house. To me, it's worth the risk.)

Despite my psychosis, we decided to make a gingerbread house with Maddox this year. Just so you know, I avoided making comments about any tiny witches living in the house and luring unsuspecting children to her sugared abode.

A short pause in construction in order to snack on the building materials.

Okay, you hambone, back to work.

The finished product! If you know of any miniature witches that need a place to stay, give us a call.

Remember Me?

2010-01-30T15:26:00.004-07:00

Welcome to the blog that time forgot. Or maybe the blog that I forgot.

You wouldn't know it by looking at this blog, but our family actually did celebrate Christmas this year. In honor of our holiday celebrations, I would like to post these obnoxious pictures...

If Sophie had any self-respect, she would be humiliated. In fact, I'm a little embarrassed for her.

But not embarrassed enough to keep them off the Internet.

Pretend City

2009-12-14T16:31:00.002-07:00

Pretend City might just be the coolest place on the planet. Alicia and I took Maddox on a particularly rainy day last week for some indoor fun.

Christmas at Darth Vader's House

2009-12-13T23:03:00.002-07:00

That's a Storm Trooper Blaster in the Christmas tree. It's there for easy access in case the rebel forces are stowing away in Santa's sleigh.

Now I (almost) Know My ABCs

2009-12-11T22:25:00.002-07:00

Kreil Guys

2009-12-11T16:47:00.003-07:00

Disclaimer: I don't usually fix my kid's hair like this. It was really windy.

J-Dog is 3

2009-12-11T16:18:00.001-07:00

We went to Jaxon's third birthday party a couple of weeks ago. It's really hard to believe that Jaxon is already 3. It's even harder to believe that Maddox is just a few short months behind him.

Happy Day of Turkeys!

2009-11-26T18:40:00.004-07:00

Today I am very thankful for the plump little turkey who sacrificially gave his life for the benefit of my caloric intake. He was a brave and delicious soul.

Sushi!

2009-11-16T14:00:00.002-07:00

These pictures are from last month when Dan and Carmen came down for a visit and we all got to go out for sushi. I know I talk about Maddox's adventurous eating habits all the time, but I just can't believe the things that kid will eat. He sat there that night looking around the restaurant, holding a large chunk of raw salmon and biting into it like it was an apple.

Surfin' Lombard

2009-11-13T11:45:00.002-07:00

Last weekend, Jeff and Vince took a road trip up to the San Francisco Bay area to go to the Cal / Oregon football game. Vince had never been to San Francisco, so they made some quick stops to see the sights.

Jeff got to see Aiden, an old training client, who now attends Cal.

Car surfing down Lombard Street. I'm sure there's some sort of clever caption for these photos, but the best I can tell you is that it's just the type of thing that Jeff and Vince do.

Buzz, Take 2

2009-11-12T15:31:00.003-07:00

Considering Thanksgiving is two weeks from today, I guess it's about time I posted the rest of our Halloween pictures. I'm nothing if not efficient.

Maddox was Buzz Lightyear. Again. Becky called me from the Goodwill store to tell me that they had a Buzz costume and a Woody costume for $10 each. So, it was time to ask the Man. The conversation went something like this:

Mommy: "Mad, do you want to be Buzz for Halloween? Or do you want to be WOODY?! You like Sheriff Woody!!"

Maddox: "I want to be Buzz."

Mommy: "But you were Buzz last year. Don't you want to be Woody? He wears a cool hat and has a holster! You should be WOODY! There's a snake in my boot!"

Maddox: "I want to be Buzz."

Now, I'm not one to be a buzzkill (you should know that I'm proud of myself for that pun), so I got him the costume. It may be a cheap, used costume from Goodwill, but at least it's not hand-me-down pajamas this year!

Next year we'll plan on being something else. Maybe.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-02T10:58:00.004-07:00

Here's a picture from part one of the Halloween festivities. On Friday night, we got all dressed up and went to a costume party with friends....
From left to right: Connor Doucette, William Gash, Leila Young, Maddox, Carson Leslie, and Jaxon Young.

More pictures from Halloween night to follow...if I ever find my camera. Oops.

Probably My Favorite Picture

2009-10-22T15:52:00.002-06:00

I know it's just a picture of Maddox and Jeff in the attic, but I fell in love with this photo the minute I saw it. It's Mad's face. I just have to squeeze it.
In an unrelated note, I thought you would like to see Maddox's little perch where he likes to hang out and read books. I must have 10 different identical pictures. I'll save you the agony, and just post 2.

The KercheDill Union

2009-10-20T15:58:00.006-06:00

On August 17th, our dearest Erin Kercheville was wed to our dearest Graydon Dill. It was probably the most unique ceremony I have ever attended, and it ranks up there on a short list of my favorite weddings. Maddox made an adorable ring bearer, and did a fantastic job reigning in his explosive 2-year-old energy. Without further adieu, here are lots of beautiful photos from the wedding of the century!
Erin looked stunning in a lovely dress that she and Alicia handmade.

Alicia also made her mother of the bride dress.

Pappaw lifted up the happy couple in prayer...

...and cousin Annabelle passed the time in prayer by curtsying in her flower girl dress. Too cute!

Maddox held very still for the whole ceremony, but during the vows, he was getting a little antsy. So, Timbo gave him the whole bag of bribery candy and sat him down. Look closely behind the groomsmen. Need a closer look?...

A quick snapshot of Mandy and Ted. Just so you know who produced these yahoos...

35.

2009-10-20T15:52:00.003-06:00

Happy 35th birthday, Hubs! You know you are the best thing that ever happened to me!

Still in August...

2009-10-18T15:42:00.004-06:00

Any visit from the cousins and the grandparents just wouldn't be complete without a day at Disneyland. Of course, Maddox thinks any regular old week wouldn't be complete without a day at Disneyland.

Maddox showed Daddoo and Nolan a thing or two about Buzz Astroblasters!

Sorry about your recent decapitation, Daddoo.

Remember when Disney canceled the Electrical Parade? Jeff does. Considering he was working Guest Control when everyone on the planet came to see the final performances of the most successful parade in Disney history, he remembers that summer well. And now it's back. And he did all that work for nothing.

Pre-Wedding Entertainment

2009-10-16T15:17:00.002-06:00

I realize these posts are all out of order, but Maddox will be up from his nap any minute, so I just don't have time to care! I promise we will culminate with the big wedding day!!

The weekend of wedding festivities also included a day at the beach. Lucky for us, a pod of dolphins decided to come celebrate with us as well, so we got to swim with them! It's the only time I've ever seen dolphins so close to shore and it was very cool.

The happy bride with her adorable flower girls.

My sweet cousin Kelsey and me. The poor southern folks from Kentucky just couldn't handle our cold California beaches. Admittedly, they are a little cold, even for those of us who are used to it.

Back at home, Evan got to spend some quality time with Mammaw.

And Maddox entertained Aunt Teri with his creativity. Hilarity ensued.

More to come...

Rehearsal

2009-10-16T14:42:00.004-06:00

The day before the Big Day, everyone met at Lantern Bay park for Erin and Graydon's wedding rehearsal.
Maddox helped Alicia make all the announcements and keep everyone on schedule.

Then he and Nolan took a quick practice trip down the aisle as official ring bearers.

"And if you stand still for even a fraction of a second, Timbo will give you candy."

The bride-to-be and one happy daddy.

Those are some cute ring bearers and flower girls!

Annabelle and Maddox instantly fell head over heels. Some of the romance may have been sharing a large bag of candy for their performances in the wedding.

Evan spent some time working on being cute. I think he does a fantastic job!

After the rehearsal, we all walked down to a pizza joint for some dinner.

Erin and Graydon made Maddox the happiest kid in the world by giving him a pair of binoculars as a gift. They've been pretty much glued to his face ever since.

Jam Session

2009-10-16T14:39:00.001-06:00

There's nothing like a little jam session in your pj's with Daddoo!

Starting Back In August

2009-10-16T14:26:00.002-06:00

Back in August, before the great KercheDill wedding, the family spent a day hiking out in Pasadena. Most of us had a great time. Poor Abby said she doesn't mind hiking, but it's just all the walking she doesn't like. Hmmmmm.

The Gang's All Here

2009-10-16T14:18:00.003-06:00

Our little group of friends has really exploded lately with the recent baby boom at Canyon. Our shindigs have gotten a lot noisier recently!

Up And Running!

2009-10-16T14:02:00.002-06:00

After a couple of shipments back and forth from AT&T, and world summit negotiations about the price of a stinkin' modem, we finally received the correct equipment, and we are up and running! I have a ton to post, so here we go...

Modem Down. Send Help.

2009-10-10T19:07:00.002-06:00

My modem is dead. What did we do before the Internet? We should ask Al Gore. I have so much to post to the blog, but I will have to wait until my Internet access consists of more than bumming a few minutes off the Kerchie's computer.

Manual Dexterity

2009-09-02T22:07:00.003-06:00

This won't surprise you, but I have never heard my Dad use "baby talk" in my life. He speaks the same way to a tiny infant as he does to his doctoral candidates.

This video is quintessential Daddoo. This is how my Dad once played with his children, and how he currently plays with his grandchildren. It's the same way my Pops (my grandpa) talked with me, and anyone who knew him is not surprised in the least. It's sweet and endearing and perfect.

This one's a keeper. The video and the Daddoo.

Hey! Look What I Found!

2009-08-27T16:38:00.003-06:00

It is a common occurrence in our house for me to "lose" my shoes. This involves a frantic barefoot search around the house that takes place about 2.7 seconds before we are supposed to walk out the door. Once I have searched the dishwasher and the trash can, and I am already scolding Sophie and Clubber for eating my shoes, it dawns on me to look one last place. Lo and behold, Jeff has carelessly and recklessly put them away in the closet. How am I supposed to find things if they are always hiding where they belong?

Up until recently, I thought we had misplaced the pictures from our trip to Buellton last month. I was really bummed because I knew we had gotten some cute shots of Mad with Grandma and Grandpa. After looking in the dishwasher for the missing digital prints, I decided to look in the July, 2009 folder on the computer. They're always in the last place you look.

The fam picking blueberries.

Maddox showing Grandma all three berries that actually ended up in his bucket.

A little sugar for the grandparents...

The Kreil's, the Kreil's, and the Snook's out for Grandma's birthday breakfast.

Pismo Beach

Surf and Sleep

2009-08-27T16:22:00.002-06:00

It is a rare (and celebrated) event when Maddox falls asleep in the car. That is, except when coming home from the beach. The sun and surf are the perfect mixture; he ALWAYS falls asleep on the way home from the beach. And when we get home, he always finishes his nap in the lawn. It's the perfect ending to a fun day.

One Last Hurrah

2009-08-20T18:49:00.002-06:00

Jeff's summer at home is officially over. He's been back to work for a couple of weeks now, and we really miss him. Just before he went back to the daily grind, he spent a day climbing Mt. Baldy with Jay and Sandy.

Dear Husband,

Thanks for working incredibly long hours and driving an insane number of miles so that I can stay home and eat BonBons in my bare feet. It's been nice knowing you this summer. Keep in touch. See you next summer.

Love, Wife.

Childhood Memories Confirmed

2009-08-19T18:17:00.002-06:00

I have always had some sort of vague, nagging memories that Disneyland had other rides besides Buzz Lightyear, Pooh Bear, and the Jungle Cruise. But for the last few years, I have only seen these three rides. It's as if some little two-year-old I know has an insatiable desire to shoot Zurg. Weird.

However, when the Hoggard's came to town a couple weeks ago, my faint childhood memories of Disneyland were confirmed. Aunt Alicia (aka Superwoman) met us and took all the kids home for bedtime, so Mandy, Ted, Jeff and I were able to stay until the park closed! Turns out, Disneyland has all kinds of rides requiring the participants to be over 40 inches tall! Who knew?!

Someday, I hope to once again experience this Disneyland phenomenon. But for now, I am satisfied with Buzz, Pooh and "the backside of water." Especially when I get to ride them over and over again with my little blond Disneyland buddy. Another advantage: I am an expert at Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters. If I don't get 300,000 points, I'm disappointed in myself. I wonder if I can put that on a resume someday.

Hang 10

2009-08-19T18:00:00.004-06:00

It's been a long process, but we finally have Maddox's big boy room ready for him to move in!! About 6 months ago, I caught wind of a used bed being sold for $100. The quest to furnish Mad's room on the cheap commenced! Knowing I had plenty of time before the critter needed to upgrade from the crib, I was able to take my time and find some great deals for the room.

A $10 Hawaiian comforter and pillow ... a few surf themed decorations from eBay ... a hand-me-down surfboard from a dear friend ... a hand-made beach step stool from Uncle Ted ... and voila! Mad's beach room is finished.

Now that all of our summer house guests are headed home, we will be transitioning Maddox to his big boy room soon! That should be interesting. I'll keep you posted.

A Few More Camping Photos

2009-07-23T16:11:00.005-06:00

Camping at Mission Bay

2009-07-23T15:17:00.004-06:00

Every year for the last five or six years, Becky and I have been making plans for Kreil / Young vacations. And every year for the last five or six years, Greg and Jeff have put the kibosh on our plans. In no uncertain terms, they have told us we're crazy. In all fairness, it could be because our plans include the husbands taking lots of time off work and spending thousands of dollars to gallivant around Europe or the Bahamas. I'm just guessing here.

But, we finally stumbled across a plan that we could all get behind. CAMPING! So, a couple weeks ago, we loaded up the cars and made our way down to Mission Bay in San Diego.

(This post has a lot of pictures! And, just so it's easier to follow along, I offer the following disclaimer: No matter how Blogger decides to arrange my pictures, the teacher in me will not budge on the grammar rule that captions go under pictures. If it's confusing, I apologize. Take it up with my college language professor.)
Maddox and Jaxon required very little coaching before they got the idea of roasting marshmallows. Before long, they assumed that we served marshmallows after every meal.

The campground had a nice big playground for the boys. They enjoyed this perk the first day. After that, they just wanted to go to the beach.

Mad tried s'mores, and passed. He ate the chocolate out.

Maddox and me enjoying glow bracelets. (By the way, the grammar rule states that "Maddox and me" would be correct in that context. Have I mentioned that Jeff hates being married to a teacher?)

Taking a little nap in the tent.

Sorry it's so dark. If you enlarge the photo, it's kind of fun to see how the heat from the fire warped the image.

Happy campers!

We had a lot of fun one morning when we rented a little surrey with a fringe on top. We peddled around the campground singing the only verses of that song that we knew from "When Harry Met Sally."

Eating lunch after a hard morning at the beach.

The dads took over dinner prep one evening and served us burgers, baked beans and corn on the cob.

We took supplies for mini devotionals with the boys every day. Just about every devotional included stickers, so they were thrilled. We did one lesson about where God lives, and now the boys will tell you, "God lives in Heaven and in my heart." Too cute!

Maddox had to tell Daddy all about his devotional craft.

One last photo right before we went home to recover from a week of fun (and do laundry)!

A California Summer

2009-07-22T13:01:00.004-06:00

Whenever I talk to my mom on the phone, I'm always sure to describe how rough my life is. I need all the sympathy I can get. The other day when I was chatting with Kimbo, I was sitting in a chair in the shady backyard with my feet in a kiddie swimming pool while Maddox and Jaxon splashed and shot me with water guns. The hardest part of my day was fishing grass out of the pool with a cup. Feel sorry for me.

Around here, we have a hectic schedule of baseball and swimming. That's about it. Well, we threw in a little finger painting, just for a change of pace.

Late is Better Than Never

2009-07-21T21:27:00.004-06:00

Last month, Maddox and I took a trip up to Spokane to visit Marmie and Daddoo. Northside church of Christ hosted a Ladies' Day and invited my mom, my sister and me to come present. They hosted a very successful day, with about 95 ladies turning out. I think I only put a few of them to sleep.

Maddox and I spent a lot of time on the airplane stringing beads onto pipe cleaners to make bracelets for 900 of our closest friends. Anything to pass the time.

Here I am in costume performing a skit Mandy and I did in which we played southern coffee shop waitresses.

A few photos of Maddox and Marmie at a park in Spokane with an historic carousel.

Here are Maddox and Marmie playing baby dolls the night before we left.

A Little Bit of Everything

2009-06-25T22:34:00.003-06:00

Just a few fun photos from this month...

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

2009-06-25T14:02:00.004-06:00

A few weeks ago Uncle Vince treated Jeff and Mad to an Angels' Game! Maddox was very excited and made sure that he and Daddy took their baseball gloves just in case one of the Angels' sluggers hit one into the nosebleeds.

Batmen

2009-06-25T13:55:00.003-06:00

Should the plural form of Batman be "Batmen" or "Batmans"? And did the real Batman ever use a Light Sabre? And does it make the aforementioned Batmen less tough if one of them is wearing his mommy's flip-flops on the wrong feet?

Just For Fun

2009-06-25T13:46:00.002-06:00

Jeff has spent hours and hours over the last few weeks scanning old photos onto our computer.
I was trying to figure out if Maddox looks more like Jeff's kiddo pictures...

or mine. But, I think I've decided he's a nice combo! I'll say he favors his father. Lucky kid.

How Do You Spell "Overcommitted"?

2009-06-23T18:50:00.002-06:00

Well, good news. I'm not dead. We're alive and kicking over here! I just managed to get myself way over-scheduled so I had no time to blog or breathe. Tonight is the night for blog posts. When we get home later tonight I will start the many posts I need to do. Stay tuned!

Goopy Eyes

2009-05-18T17:43:00.002-06:00

The first indication that something was wrong was yesterday morning when Maddox cried all the way to church. He usually loves going to church, but yesterday, he started asking us to take him back home as soon as we walked out our front door.

A nice, sympathetic mommy would have turned that car around and taken him home for a day of pampering and rest. I'm usually more of a "rub some dirt on it and get back in the game" kind of mom, so I ignored him. Oops.

This morning he woke up with green goopy eyes. Time for a doctor visit! As soon as the doctor walked in the exam room this afternoon, Maddox announced, "I have goopy eyes. I need medicine to make it all better." Turns out, Little Bear has pink eye in both eyes, a nasty fever, and an ear infection.

So he did get some medicine to make it all better. Three medicines, to be exact. And, as retribution for the fact that I ignored his pleas, I also made him a strawberry-banana milkshake and let him have his pacifier all day. I'm not sure if this is enough to get me back in the "good mom" column, but it's a start.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

2009-05-09T14:13:00.002-06:00

Mommy,

Daddy and I love you very much! I thank God for blessing me with a strong, sweet, courageous, caring, loving Christian mommy. Thank you for putting Daddy and me first... and always doing it with a smile. I hope you enjoy your gift! You deserve it!

We love you. Maddox and Daddy

Mother's Day is now easier since Maddox is older. Finally I can get a second opinion on what to get Jenny. Here is a little background on the Mother's Day video. Maddox is sitting on a massage table at a local day spa and, since it is a women-only facility, the really nice girl offered to take him back to show Mommy what she was getting and wish her a Happy Mother's Day. He was such a champ. The bag next to him is Jenny's gift card for an hour long massage.

Video-Palooza

2009-05-07T15:48:00.009-06:00

Sorry it's been so long since I posted. Jenny Marrs got me hooked on a Christian fiction book series so it's all her fault! (This is also my excuse for the dishes in the sink and the clothes begging to be ironed. Jeff is upset because he has no clean clothes to wear to work, but I gently remind him that there are children in Africa. And that I need to read these books.)

One of my many talents is passing the buck. It's a God-given strength.

Enough about my prowess as a housewife. Bring on the videos...

I like this next video because, even though Mad wasn't successful right away, you get to see his tenacity and his training. He keeps looking for the step and rolling over when he can't find it. Plus he has a great burp at the end! (Another one of my strong suits is maturity.)

And some videos of Maddox and the man wrapped around his little finger...

uh-oh

Summer Clothes Swim Test

2009-04-23T16:11:00.005-06:00

This is Maddox's last week in swim lessons, so yesterday he swam in summer clothes. It makes a lot of sense to train kiddos to survive in the water in their regular clothes and shoes because they might not always be in swim gear if they fall in the water.

Video 1: This was the first time Maddox had ever been asked to jump into the water and he loved it! I love that he is being taught to jump in without relying on anyone to catch him. Please disregard my cackle; I was just really excited for him.

Video 2: First, you'll see Maddox being trained to swim to the stairs. Then he does a "popsicle" simulating and feet-first fall into water. Then Maddox is flipped over into the water. He has been trained with all kinds of entries into the water, some of which can be very disorienting, but he always manages to turn over and float.

Video 3: Conrad helps Maddox simulate a fall from the edge of the pool. Then he goes for the kicker. I must admit that watching Maddox go through these classes is not for the faint of heart. There have been many moments when I have had to restrain myself from climbing in the water and rescuing my baby from the evil torturer! This one topped the chart of heart-stopping moments for me; I actually started crying. However freaked out I was, Maddox couldn't have cared less and he handled it like a pro!

This afternoon, Mad will swim in winter clothes, so I'll post some highlights soon!

Hotter Than Satan's Armpit

2009-04-22T14:41:00.003-06:00

It's been a tad warm around here, to say the least. With temperatures in the 90's, we've been staying cool by playing in the water and eating popsicles!

This is a picture of Maddox climbing the new attic access ladder that Ted and Jeff installed. (I didn't take this picture. I was out of the house. I'm choosing to live in my happy little world and assume that Mad was 100% safe while climbing up to the ceiling.) Take a close look because that could easily be a picture of a toddler Jeff! Except he would be wearing something from the 70's.This has to be the only sport combining rollerskates and Star Wars blasters. This Roller Jedi's mommy makes him wear a helmet. I'm sure the other Jedi's made fun of him, but too bad.

Maddox and his friend, Parker after swim lessons.

Who Knew He Could Read?!

2009-04-21T17:46:00.003-06:00

This afternoon, Maddox found a novel that was laying on the couch and opened it to read it. He ran his finger under the text and looked intently at the page. When I asked him what it said, this was what he read...

"The Bible says God helps us. Gives us bowling balls. I live in California. No more monkeys jumping on the bed."

I couldn't agree more.

Hog's, Lamb and Ham

2009-04-13T16:02:00.012-06:00

So I didn't post the whole time Mandy, Ted and the kids were here, and now I am suffering the consequences! I think this post has about 30 pictures!

The Hoggard's came into town for a week-long visit and we never stopped to breathe while they were here. We had such a great time! Here's a small taste of our week...

Evan is 9 months old and crawling everywhere!!

Abby is 6 years old and generally does not dress like a milk maid. This was just the exception.

Nolan is 9 years old and spent a lot of time being a great big cousin and riding Maddox around on his scooter. (Yes, Mandy is the good parent who makes her child wear a helmet.)

One happy fat baby!

Jeff and Ted got a little time to show off their frisbee skills.

One night when they were here, Mandy and I made a Passover Feast for the whole family, complete with all the symbolic foods on the Seder plate. At the feast, we told the story of the Passover and the Israelites fleeing Egyptian captivity. Each of the traditional foods on the Seder plate represents an aspect of the story. Then we tied it all together by explaining to the kids that Jesus is our Passover Lamb! We told them about Jesus being in Jerusalem (when He was arrested and crucified) to celebrate Passover, and that it was at this feast that He instituted the Lord's Supper.

It was a great lesson about our heritage, and I think the kids really got it! I think this is going to be a new tradition in our family! But, I'll have to work on roasting lamb, because it was not my favorite.

The Seder Plate

Maddox and Aunt Teri washing their hands before the Passover feast.

Jeff trying the sweet herbs dipped in salt water.

Abby's was a little wary of the whole thing, but she was a good sport.

Alicia and Jeff sampling the bitter herbs.

Baby Evan loves Passover!!

The next day, we celebrated Easter with a little bit of bunny baskets, egg dying and chocolate eating. Not to mention the ham.

(Sorry these photos are so washed out. I'm not sure why my camera does this sometimes,)

Mammaw and Pappaw with their great-grandbabies.

Aunt Teri and Madman.

This was Maddox's first time dying Easter eggs and he loved every bit of it. Any time that making a huge mess is actually acceptable is a good time in his book.

All of Mad's eggs turned out dirty brown because he dunked them in every single color on the table.

Off for a little egg hunting...

We had a fabulous time and we can't wait to see the Hoggard's again in a few months! Check out Mandy's blog to see their pictures from the trip.

T Minus 30-ish Hours

2009-04-02T15:05:00.001-06:00

The Hoggard's will be here in about 30 hours!!! I can't wait!!!! Off to clean my bathrooms...

He's Got a Thing for Drawers.

2009-03-24T14:37:00.000-06:00

"I Swimming"

2009-03-20T10:24:00.005-06:00

Swim lessons are so much more fun this year because Maddox is such a ham. Mr. Conrad's challenge is going to be getting Maddox to stop talking long enough to swim.

Between telling Conrad about a bird he saw in a tree and yelling to Aunt Kelly to watch him, Maddox actually got a little swimming in yesterday...

3 Days Down...

2009-03-19T15:34:00.004-06:00

Last spring, Maddox was barely a year old when he started ISR lessons. Within three weeks, he could float on his back completely unassisted. Quite literally, Maddox could swim before he could walk. (See this post and this post for videos from last year.)

Here we are 3 days into his second season of ISR lessons. Maddox and Mr. Conrad have mostly been reviewing breath control and wall work, but it won't be long before they really get into the nitty-gritty again! As usual, I'll keep you posted!

Diaper Free Zone

2009-03-17T14:32:00.004-06:00

Just thought you would like to know that we are officially diaper-free! Maddox now regularly introduces himself to people by saying, "Hi. I'm Maddox. I don't wear diapers anymore." The kid airs his business to anybody!

Yep, those are his under-britches on his head.

Preacher Man to Marine

2009-03-13T15:58:00.004-06:00

Mad has had the preacher man haircut since he first grew hair, so we thought it might be time for a change. Plus, short hair makes swim lessons so much easier when he's in the pool every single day.

So, yesterday we had Becky buzz Maddox's head. Hmmmmmm. All I can say is ... it will grow fast. I really miss my little preacher.

Good Help is Hard to Find

2009-03-11T17:19:00.003-06:00

You know, you think you've done the right thing by popping in a movie and letting the electronic babysitter take over so you can take a shower. After all, when has the TV ever failed you before? But then, you notice how quiet it has gotten, so you peek in to discover that the electronic babysitter you trusted so much allowed your son to do something like this...
What's a mother to do?

Here We Go Again...

2009-03-09T15:23:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year again! In just a few short weeks the weather will be warm and beautiful and summer will be upon us. Around here, summer days are spent in the pool. And you know what that means ... sunscreen, hats, and Infant Swim Resource!!!

It's been a whole year since Maddox learned how to survive in the water! I have enrolled Maddox in a refresher course for the survival swim program that we love so much. Classes start this coming Monday, so be prepared for some serious swim-related posts!

Sad and Pathetic

2009-03-06T20:28:00.003-07:00

Today I told Maddox that his toy wouldn't work because it didn't have batteries. Anyone wondering where I shop for all my household needs?

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

2009-03-05T23:37:00.003-07:00

This is what happens when Daddy is in charge of freezing juice into popsicles and he can't seem to locate all the tupperware popsicle sticks. Look closely, you'll see a teaspoon, a spork, and a dinosaur.