The Krause Family

The Transition Period

2010-05-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

So when we returned from being on vacation for basically two weeks straight, we had a little trouble transitioning back to real life. Gone were the days of five star service and accomodations and we were back to work, kids, and everyday life. I'm not gonna lie, the first week was rough. I tried to lay out by the pool but it has been unseasonably cool, we were all purple! And my tacos were good, but nothing like my favorite chicken fajitas that I really ate every single day we were in Mexico. I was sooooo happy for the hugs and kisses that I received though- you can't buy those anywhere!

2010-05-27T23:46:00.000-07:00

The next day we swam with dolphins- something I've wanted to do since I saw the Tanner's do it on Full House back in the '90s. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and I recommend doing it! Jodi has my cd with all the pics on it so as soon as I get it back I'll update! That night we went to dinner at a nice restaurant at the Sheraton in Los Cabos and the view was AMAZING! Seriously, can you believe that I took that pic? It totally belongs on a post card! That day Daniel golfed and I took a nap, it was very low key! The next day we went into town with Jodi and Erik and went jetskiing in the Sea of Cortez! It was soooo much fun! I haven't been on a jet ski since high school! We saw the famous arch and tore it up a bit out on the ocean! Daniel was crazier than me- there was no way I was going to fall off that thing! At the very end my jet ski died and I was left stranded in the middle of the sea. No problem, except that Daniel and Erik raced off and Jodi putted back to the beach to switch her lame-o slow jet ski! I actually didn't panic and it worked out all right! Someone rescued me!! After that we got food and ate while lounging on the beach. I could've taken a nap it was so relaxing! That night was the "Hasta la Vista" party and we had a blast! There was a live band and we got our dance on!!! Even Daniel came out of his shell- seriously we were the life of the party!!! Everyone probably thought we were a little crazy, but that's okay because they were all drunk and probably don't even remember! It was the perfect ending to a great trip. I was so grateful that Daniel worked so hard to earn the trip!

LSW trip to Cabo San Lucas

2010-05-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

Cabo San Lucas is no Florence, but it was beautiful in its own way and the weather was great! Plus, we did some awesome things while we were there! First off the trip was shorter, so Daniel and I went a couple days early to get more vacay time! It was nice to be a couple again. We laid by the pool and went to the spa one day. So wonderful to have nothing to do. We also went into town and bartered for some real authentic Mexican "arts and crafts". It was so fun for me to use my spanish skills- and don't worry even after 7+ years not using them, I've still got it! On Sunday our friends got there, and we were happy to see them! That night we had a welcoming dinner which was fun and we got to meet a lot of people for LSW. The next day we went ziplining through a canyon. I was so nervous, I had to take a xanax just to relax- ha, ha. Like I had a stomachache I was so nervous! I wouldn't have done it if my friend Jodi was going along with me. She's pretty cautious like me, so there was comfort in knowing that she was there. It turned out to be super fun and I'm so glad we did it! Next time I won't even need a xanax! That night we had our fancy dinner where Daniel wore a suit and I got a new cocktail dress. It felt like getting ready for prom- it was fun to get dressed up for dinner!

April 2010

2010-05-27T23:14:00.000-07:00

Oh April, were do we begin? Maybe we should begin by telling you that we were going to go to ITALY! Yeah, doesn't that seem too good to be true? Well, it was thanks to a stupid volcanic eruption in ICELAND! Daniel qualified through work and we were going on an eight day all expense paid trip to Florence. Our friends, the NeVilles, also qualified so we were going to go earlier and see Rome as well. When we heard of the eruption we were checking the news hourly, hoping for the best. Too many flights had been cancelled and rerouted for the company to send 250+ people to Europe. It turned out we went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Doesn't sound like it even compares, huh? Well, it didn't compare but that was one of the great things about it! It was very relaxing and as Daniel put it we "didn't step foot into one stinkin' musuem!". We also went on antother trip to Scottsdale, AZ- which was fabulous! Daniel golfed at a world class golf course, while I got pampered at a world class spa! It was the most relaxing trip! We also took a cooking class at Sur la Table where we both learned how to cook some yummy southwestern cuisine. We discovered that we liked flan (yummy!) and we had a great time at the cowboy cookout. There are no pictures of that trip because I forgot the camera, but it was relaxing and deserty and we looked amazing the whole trip (ha, ha!) so you get the idea. You're probably wondering how we managed to have such relaxing trips with 3 kids, but we didn't take them!!! Betty and Cindy watched them both times! I'm pretty sure they had a great time, I know everyone survived (which is nice because now we know we can get away).

March 2010

2010-05-27T23:01:00.001-07:00

This is my month! I turned 27 this year, yikes! Twenty seven definetly feels older than 26. It is so much closer to 30. I got a massage on my birthday and then went out to dinner at the Olive Garden. That weekend Emmalee and I traveled to San Diego alone! It was a fun girls trip, although it rained and we were both sick. Like seriously Emmalee woke up the first day and had pink eye and an ear infection! I'm sure my mom was so happy to be with us! I had bronchitis and was hacking up a lung! Em's and I were a hot mess! We did finish our trip off at the Hotel Del and Em managed to poop and puke over every last outfit she had so she got a new one at a cute little specialty kids surf shop where she purchased a $50+ (I refuse to divulge how much the little Roxy outfit cost because it was too much, even for my little princess)Roxy outfit. She looked like a regular old San Diegan beach baby when we left. Oh, and the little princess got an impromptu bath in the sink of the bathroom at the Hotel Del. Of course Mom was sad to have us go, but luckily when we reached the airport we thought we were running late so I was gathering everything like a mad woman and managed to trip on the curb while holding Emmalee. She was in the car seat and I saved her by "setting" (throwing)her down so I basically landed superman style onto the sidewalk. It was quite the scene! It didn't help that in situations like that I can't stop cracking up! So instead of crying and saying goodbye we were laughing so hard! We were a mess that weekend, but it was fun! Also in March the Leprachauns came to our house, Ryan set a trap but we didn't catch one- maybe next year!

February, or around then

2010-05-27T22:52:00.000-07:00

So, our pictures are a disorganized mess!!! I never erase them and everytime I upload new pics the old ones come too. So we have repeat after repeat after repeat of pics. I'm pretty sure all of these things happened around this time, or at least it was definetly this winter. We went to Disneyland in the beginning of February with our good friends the NeVilles. The boys took lots of hikes around the ponds at our country house (with Daniel and I of course) and we went to the NeVilles cabin with our other friends the Oneals. They have two little girls, so it was fun for all four boys and Emmalee to have some more girls around. Their youngest is close to Emmalee's age and they love each other! They looked like starfish in their snowsuits! Neither girls were very comfortable! Ryan was a total stud on the sled, by the way! He would go up from very high and Dave was even given him an extra "little" nudge to get him going. Ryan thought it was awesome! Dillybug had more fun destroying the snowman that Kylee made.

Mom's Birthday 2010

2010-05-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

Mom got to come up for her birthday! Yeah, we were so happy to see her since we didn't get to see her when we were at Disneyland (which feels weird when she's only like an hour away). We had a nice time visiting with Mom and her friend Dave whom she brought with her. We ate dinner at home and did cake and ice cream afterwards. It was very low key, but that's how she wanted it. I love you Mom and am so grateful that you wanted to spend your birthday with me and my family.

January 2010

2010-05-27T22:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this is Dylan's month! He turned three this year, which is weird because it seems like he's older. Our little Dillybug is such a love. He loves his family very much and gives the best hugs! He is also the first one to get into trouble when there is a gathering, he can find it anywhere! This year for his birthday we wanted to do something extra special. Being that it is only a couple weeks after Christmas and in the middle of winter he usually doesn't get to do anything too exciting. Well, this year we took him and all our family + his best friend Carter's family to Go Bananas. It's an indoor bounce house place that Dylan just loves! Even the adults get to "go bananas". We raced down the slides, bounced, and ate pizza. Dylan was glowing the whole night, we could tell he felt so special. Watching him have so much fun let us know that we had succeeded in giving him a great birthday. For his birthday he got a new Lightning Mcqueen bike, he was getting a little too big for his tricycle. He's pretty fast on the bike and he loves riding around in circles.

Where we left off...

2010-05-27T22:24:00.001-07:00

Today was the last day of school for Ryan! I can't believe how fast that went, I blinked and it was over. I know I said I would be better at blogging, but I'm just too busy living life to write down what I've been doing. I'm hoping since schools out things might calm down here and I can pick back up. I guess for now a mass uploading will have to do. I'll start with January...

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September 2009

2010-01-27T15:14:00.000-08:00

On top of moving in September we enjoyed Ryan's first year of soccer- what a little soccer stud he was! He loved it! We loved watching it! He also had his very first Jog-a-Thon which got him extra sweaty! He ran the whole time! Also this football season was fun, I missed out on all the games but one (Emmalee definetly didn't like the games) but I was able to send my nieces off in my old uniforms to cheer on the OHS Mustangs! It was a very prideful moment for me! They were adorable, by the way!

Our Country House

2010-01-27T14:40:00.000-08:00

Once we got the hang of things at school we decided, let's throw a move into the mix! We love our little house and it will always have a special place in out heart, but we were outgrowing it. We needed more space in all areas. The very next day that we decided we needed to move we found a great house that was out in the country, but still close to town where Ryan would stay in the same school and we would not have to switch wards. The place is older, but it has more room and the kids are loooving it! Just being out here has given us so many fun memories. We have had a ton of family get togethers, feed our friendly neighborly horses and goats, taken nature walks, learned about birds and Ryan has even learned how to shoot a gun (yikes!). We love having family and friends over to enjoy our little piece of the country. It's so cute, Dylan calls it our Country House. So that is where we live, at the Country House.

Superman

2010-01-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

Every year Ryan gets an over the top Birthday party. This year he wanted to have a Superman party with a waterslide. He also wanted to invite ALL of his friends! Grandma Haney was kind enough to loan us her backyard and we transformed it into little boy heaven. I think there were 14 kids plus Ryan and Dylan. It was insane! They had so much fun though, Daniel and I felt a little crazy! Of course while all of this craziness was going on sweet Emmalee slept on the floor at Grandma's house.

August to December

2010-01-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I was really good at this and then life with three children caught up with me! I am going to do a brief overview of all the exciting things that we did last year. We had a great time, but it was crazy. I keep waiting for things to settle and then I realize that this is probably my life and I better just go along for the wild ride!

Dylan's First Day of Preschool

2009-08-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

After watching great things happen in Ryan's life once he started House of Tykes I knew that I wanted Dylan to enjoy preschool. He can't go to House of Tykes yet (he's not potty-trained), but he is going to a nice little preschool in Riverbank and a sweet lady named Kim is his teacher. He has his friend Carter in his class and he feels like such a big boy going to school. I know that he is going to just love school and he feels special.

Ryan's First Day of School

2009-08-17T14:44:00.001-07:00

I have been dreading this day for awhile. I mean sure, he already went to preschool for a year, but kindergarten is the real deal. I can't believe how fast my time with Ryan has gone. I am going to miss our time together. I'll miss the fact that somedays we all stayed in our jammies and never left the house. I really miss not waking up to an alarm clock. The boys were my alarm clock and that is sooo much better to wake up to! I know he is ready for this adventure we call education but I just know that I will blink and Ryan will be graduating. He loves school. All of his friends from church are in his class and his teacher, Mrs. Buzzini, is a wonderful, sweet lady. This is going to be a great year at Fair Oaks. Oh yeah! He is in the same room that I started my education at- isn't that cool!?

Ryan's B-day with Nana and Uncle Josh

2009-08-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

Since my mom will not be here for Ryan's birthday (she came up early for a wedding) we did a little party with Mom and Josh. Ryan thought it was so cool. He got chocolate cake and then when to Toysrus after his first day of school where he picked out a race track.

More Columbia

2009-08-17T14:16:00.001-07:00

I love, love, love the picture of Daniel with our little ones! He looks like such a proud daddy!

Columbia

2009-08-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

After our first week of school we took the boys to Columbia. We had so much fun! We started the day out with a picnic lunch(which the boys just think is so cool to eat outside). While I was nursing Emmalee the boys went rock climbing and Ryan couldn't believe how "gigantic" the rocks were. The boys struck gold when we were panning for gold and they were so proud of their huge finds. Then we went bowling and of course visited the candy shop. Poor Dylan dropped his sucker inside the store after one lick. Good thing Daddy was quick to get another one. We had a great time and love going on family outings.

Pinecrest Lake

2009-08-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

After our too late night and too early morning at the cabin we drove over to Pinecrest Lake to play around in the water. The boys loved throwing rocks and playing with the worms that we got for fishing.

The Cabin

2009-08-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

We went up for a night to our friend Jodi and Eric's cabin. It is up in Miwuk Village. The boys had so much fun! They were sliding down the hill on their bums and were covered in dirt. That's why we had to give them a shower right after they were playing. I think that picture will make for some good bribery in the teenage years, "Clean your room or I'm putting the picture up above the mantel for all to see!". I bet I will get them to do all sorts of things.

Goodbye House of Tykes

2009-08-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Ryan started House of Tykes at three years old last June. I can't believe how fast that time went by. The first picture is of Ryan's first day and the next picture is of his last day. Look at the difference a year makes! He is so grown up

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

2009-08-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

After Thomas we went to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. That was crazy! It was so busy and there are some interesting characters there. We were there with Joel, Rachel, and Lily and we enjoyed watching the kids go on all of the kiddie rides. They didn't even need an adult to go with them so they were pretty excited about that. Ryan was said that he wasn't tall enough for the bumper cars- that was a bit of a meltdown for him. The picture of Emmalee is funny because she is sticking her tongue out. She was an angel the whole time of course!

A Day out with Thomas

2009-08-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

The last time we went to A Day out with Thomas Ryan was Dylan's age and Dylan was just a little older than Emmalee. This time we didn't ride on Thomas but we did all of the activities and it was a lot of fun.

Good Times with Friends

2009-07-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

Melissa and Brock are here for the rest of the summer and we are so happy to spend time with them! Last night we went over to Lissa's parents and swam. The kids were in the pool almost all night while the daddy's played video games. Jodi, Lissa, and I went swimming too. We had so much fun, I love my friends!

Emmalee 2 months old

2009-07-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

She is the most wonderful baby that ever was and ever will be. I love her more than anything in the world. She is such a precious addition to our family.

Bums in Training

2009-07-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

We got new chairs and they came in a big box. Kids just love boxes so I brought two big panels in. Daniel and I went and watched Harry Potter and this is how we found them, sleeping in the hall on their cardboard boxes. My little bums in training.

Go Bananas!

2009-07-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

We went to this fun bounce house place called Go Bananas in Lathrop with our friends the NeVilles. It's so fun we can even go on the bounces and slides. It's nice because it keeps the kids entertained for hours and we can visit. Also it's better than the park because it's cool inside. It's a great way to beat the heat.

Emmalee

2009-07-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

Emmalee is growing so fast that she is already out of her newborn size and is fitting nicely into the 0-3 months outfits that she has. The problem is that I bought so many little skirts and things that she has to wear them all the time. I guess I thought she would be attending a lot more parties. She is just too cute though.

Pioneer Village

2009-07-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

More Pioneer Village

2009-07-20T16:19:00.001-07:00

Pioneer Village

2009-07-20T16:12:00.000-07:00

While we were in SLC we went to the "This is the Place" monument and right next to it there is a pioneer village. We had a blast and spent all day there. We rode a train, saw old houses, played with old fashioned toys, rode a pony, tended a garden, clean clothes, beat a rug, went to school, rode a pony, made a candle, and made a design in leather. We were so busy and everything was so cool. There were also teepees where you could make arrowhead necklaces, but it got too hot and we were ready to go home. Ryan played a game with a barrel round and a stick and was exceptionally good. The lady even said that she'd never seen anyone his age take to it so well. Maybe he will be a professional- ha!

Thanksgiving Point Musuem of Ancient History

2009-07-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

We took our family to a dinosaur musuem and it was so awesome! The size of the bones were amazing! I can't imagine what they must have looked like in real life. There were lots of hands on activities for the boys and they fully enjoyed themselves.

The Mayan

2009-07-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Brett works at this cool restaurant called the Mayan. It was yummy food and so cool because they had these divers jump off these cliffs into what looked like a way too small pool. It was such a cool experience. The adults enjoyed it as much as the kids.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

2009-07-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

This trip we saw a lot of temples. On this day they were doing an open house and we were able to tour the inside of the temple with the kids. It is so beautiful inside.

Salt Lake City Temple Square

2009-07-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

The first day we were in SLC Daniel, Joel, and Brett went golfing so I was at the the condo alone in beautiful downtown. We walked to Temple Square and enjoyed all of the water fountains. The temple is gorgeous and I would have to say one of my favorites. We even rode the trak back home and that was fun and convenient. Downtown SLC is so beautiful and clean and the people are so friendly. We really enjoyed our afternoon.

St. George

2009-07-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Emmalee was pretty sad on our trip from Vegas to Salt Lake City so we stopped at the St. George Temple and cuddled her a bit. Dillybug was asleep but Ryan was so happy to hold his sissy. He just loves her. He says, "I can't just kiss her once!".

Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

2009-07-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

For our last day in Vegas we met Aunt Karen and Allison at the aquarium in Mandalay Bay. That was a great place and the boys loved seeing their cousin Allison.

First Trip in a Taxi

2009-07-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

We took a taxi all around Vegas and the boys loved it! They thought that it was so cool they didn't need their car seats. We also saw a Pet Comedy Theater show that was pretty cool. All of these cats and dogs were trained to do things like push a stroller around and do a tight wire. It was pretty cool, the boys really enjoyed themselves.

Circus, Circus

2009-07-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Our first night in Vegas we spent at Circus Circus. It was a nasty place, I didn't feel clean even after a shower. We played in the arcade and went inside the indoor amusement park. The boys had a fun time but I was happy to go to the Venetian for the next night.

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

We spent our day at the beach. We made sandcastles, played in the water, and ate hot dogs- it was all very American. I came away with a lovely burn that I am still peeling from, it's just lovely.

Nana and Emmalee

2009-07-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Mom and Emmalee have a special bond. Emmalee loves her Nana!

San Diego Temple

2009-07-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

After we went to the aquarium we went to the temple. It is such a beautiful temple and the boys loved running around the grounds. We also saw our old apartment and checked to see if our old bikes were still there- someone must have figured out the combinations because they were gone. It's only been like seven years!

Scripps Birch Aquarium

2009-07-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Instead of Sea World we went to the aquarium. It's a fun little place that is right by UCSD. The boys liked seeing the sharks the best.

Go Padres!

2009-07-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

We took in a Padres game one afternoon. They were losing which was a bummer, but we all had a good time and I love Petco Park. We left early, which I was glad to because we heard that they postponed the game for an hour due to bees. Anyone who knows me knows that that is like a nightmare for me- I hate bees!

Bringing Mom home to the Beach

2009-07-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

The day Mom got home from the hospital we took her to the beach. It was so fun. The boys played in the water and us girls just laid out in the sun(that was behind the clouds).

Seaport Village

2009-07-20T12:39:00.001-07:00

In downtown there is a cute little village with all kinds of shops that we like to visit. We went there with Darin, Catherine, and Calee. Mom was in the hospital for the first four days of our trip, it was hard for us to do anything without her.

Road Trip

2009-07-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

So we loaded up the minivan and did a road trip. We saw San Diego, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City. We had 10 suitcases, two totes, a cooler, a swing, and a bouncy seat. The boys watched movies and enjoyed the sites while Emmalee preferred to scream in the car- she prefers to be held. Emmalee and I ended up flying home from Salt Lake City while the boys continued home on the road.

Emmalee 6 Weeks

2009-07-20T12:31:00.001-07:00

She is growing like a weed! I can't believe how much she looks like her brothers.

House of Tykes Graduation

2009-06-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

Ryan's Graduation was on May 30th, which was my due date. I was happy that I wasn't in the hospital and that I was able to bring our little baby with us. The House of Tykes put on the cutest little graduation, complete with real cap and gowns. Ryan and his fellow graduates sang God Bless America, Friends Forever, and a goodbye House of Tykes song. They also said the Pledge of Allegiance. I didn't even know that Ryan knew the Pledge of Allegiance. Then the teachers said what they thought each student was going to grow up to be and what that student said they wanted to be. Teacher Lilly shocked us by saying that Ryan is her quiet one. She also said that he is very athletic and will probably do something with sports (Daniel was proud of that one). When asked, Ryan said that he wanted to be a superhero. Congratulations Ryan! It's off to kindergarten now!

Two Weeks Old

2009-06-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that she is already three weeks old. I took these pictures last week so she was just two weeks, I'm already behind on my pictures. We love Emmalee so much and can't believe we ever didn't have her in our lives. The boys literally kiss her 1000 times a day and Ryan said, "She makes me feel magical." I'm not sure what that means, but she is pretty wonderful.

Bringing Home Baby

2009-05-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

We were so happy for Emmalee to come home. Now we get to enjoy her and all that comes with having a newborn at home- sleepless nights which are more tiresome when the boys wake up at 6am. We're all a little tired but she is so wonderful no one cares.

More of Emmalee

2009-05-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

Here's our first family photo and one of Emmalee before she went home.

Ryan and Dylan meet their new Sister

2009-05-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

They've been anxiously awaiting sissy's arrival. When the time came to meet her they were in awe. Both boys got to hold her and they were so gentle with her. Ryan loved how small her hands were. He was so cute, he was a little teary-eyed when he held her. Emmalee completes our family now, we are all so happy that she is here.

Everyone loves Emmalee

2009-05-28T23:10:00.000-07:00

Emmalee got lots of love from her grandparents!

Emmalee

2009-05-28T23:05:00.000-07:00

She's just too cute! Daniel and I were on cloud 9 right after she was born- we finally have a daughter!

Emmalee Ann Krause

2009-05-28T23:00:00.000-07:00

She's finally here! Her Birthday was May 19 at 6:07 AM. She weighed 8lbs 6oz and was 20.5 inches long. Emmalee was my biggest baby! She is such a sweetheart and we are all in love with her. Emmalee was born on my Papa Gil's birthday, three minutes before he was born. We spelled her name Emmalee in honor of my nanny Emma and my Papa Gil (who's middle name is Lee). Really I haven't put her down for very long. I don't want to set her down for anything.

Field Trip

2009-05-28T22:53:00.000-07:00

Ryan's school went to the Stueve's Organic Dairy Farm for a field trip. They got a big Storer bus and Ryan was so excited that he rode on a bus that had tvs and a bathroom. They saw a brand new calf, went on a hayride, saw chickens and got to get eggs, and had a picnic lunch. Ryan had a great time and I enjoyed watching Ryan enjoy himself.

Funny Faces

2009-05-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

The boys love making funny faces at mealtime. They say, "Look over there" and then this is what they do.

Babymoon

2009-05-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

In April we decided to go out of town one more time before our little baby girl came. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay. It was absolutely gorgeous! The most beautiful place we have ever stayed at. We had so much fun. The day we got there Daniel played a round of golf while I drove around in the golf cart. I was wearing the blanket like that because it was freezing- like 50 degrees with a fierce wind. I was wearing capris and a t-shirt. Daniel is nuts on the cart, he drove me through some trees and then my blanket got caught in the tires and almost sent Burrito Crystal rolling onto the rough. That was the first time I had been golfing and it was great, I really enjoyed watching Daniel. If you look in the first picture that is Daniel standing on the green with the ocean and our hotel in the background. It looks like a castle in the background. It was so cool they had a bagpiper play at Sunset. We also went out to a yummy dinner and I got a massage the next day. This was a great trip and I'm glad we did it.

What Dylan Does During Games

2009-05-28T22:33:00.001-07:00

I know I've put up pictures of Ryan at the Tee ball game but Dylan was at every game too. He wanted so bad to be out there with his brother, daddy, and papa. He loved cheering on his brother and loved sitting with him on the bench waiting for Ryan to go up to bat.

Ryan at Bat

2009-04-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

Last batter gets to make a homerun, so this was Ryan's big chance. He gets so excited. He's still working on the bases, notice he decided to take a short cut after second base, that was just too much running. This was, as you can see a very exciting game.

Fish Park

2009-04-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

After opening day Ryan's games have been on a real field at Fish Park. He is really starting to understand the game, it is so fun to watch him. He is always cheering everyone on- must get that from his Mom. He's so lucky to have both his dad and papa coaching- he even calls them coach at the games.

Easter Dinner

2009-04-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for my sweet sister in law Tennille who hosted everyone during the Easter vacation, I was just not up for it. She had everything looking so cute and we had a very yummy dinner, pot luck style. We also went on an Easter Egg hunt and the kids had fun playing with each other. It was a great way to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, with our family.

Easter Cuties

2009-04-24T16:02:00.001-07:00

Our boys were quite dapper for Easter, I swear they are both looking more like Daniel everyday.

Easter Morning

2009-04-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny came and got the boys some fun treats.

Dying Easter Eggs

2009-04-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

Tennille was brave enough to have us all over to dye Easter eggs. Ryan had so much fun, he's really crafty but Dylan didn't like the mess- he decided to just hang out

Ward Easter Party

2009-04-24T11:01:00.001-07:00

After the rodeo parade our ward had an Easter party at the park. There was an egg toss, an egg race, an easter egg hunt, and even the Easter bunny showed up. Ryan enjoyed all of the festivites, but Dylan stuck on to Daniel like glue because there was a giant bunny hopping around. I'm sure he was wondering why no one else seemed to mind. There was a 9 egg limit and Ryan collected more than that. When his Primary President asked him about the extra eggs he said, "They're for my brother."

Rodeo Day Parade

2009-04-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has lived in Oakdale knows that the rodeo parade is a must in April. This year's was particulary long, but the boys loved it. They loved all the horses and their favorite were the Shriners clowns with the car that split in two.

Park with Cousins

2009-04-24T10:47:00.001-07:00

This Easter we had Daniel's whole family together so we did lots of fun things. One night we went and hung out at the park. All the cousins get along so well and have a great time together. It's a little crazy because there are 12 kids in all (our baby will make 13) and only ten adults but we like crazy!

Krause family baseball practice

2009-04-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

One day we took the boys out to the park to play baseball. Ryan was cranking the balls pretty far and Dylan was just learning how to hold the bat. We can't decide if he is a lefty or righty so he was batting both ways. This family loves baseball!

Openin Day

2009-04-24T10:37:00.001-07:00

Opening day was a hot one, but that didn't stop the Jaxx from having a great game! The boys were very enthusiastic and had a great time. We are enjoying going to the games and watching Ryan start his baseball career =). Ryan always has the largest fan base, thanks to all our family who are out there supporting him.

Train Musuem

2009-04-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

The last time we went to the train musuem in old sacramento Ryan was 2 and Dylan was just a couple of months old. We decided that the boys were at a perfect age to go and have a great time. They loved seeing all of the big trains and going inside them. Their favorite part was playing on the train tables upstairs though.

Tee Ball

2009-03-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

Ryan has started to play tee ball. His coaches are Daddy and Papa Kurt. Ryan is the littlest guy on his team, but he shows some real potential. My biggest challenge was keeping Dylan out of the practice (I don't know how I'm going to accomplish this). Daniel's biggest challenge was getting the boys to stop dogpiling everytime one of them caught the ball. Daniel said that it was a little more challenging then he thought, but that he should have known better having twelve 4,5, and 6 year olds playing baseball for the first time. Ryan loves it and loves his coaches, he was even calling Daniel "Coach". After the practice Ryan and Daddy had a little baseball pow-wow about all the things they loved about practice. This is going to be a great season- GO METS!

Kite Flying

2009-03-19T09:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we went to the park and had a picnic dinner and then flew kites. Dylan and Ryan each had their own kites. I didn't think Dylan would be able to fly his own, but he was a natural. It was the cutest thing watching Dylan run happily with his kite flying behind him. He was going through all of these trees and his kite luckily didn't get caught. Ryan wasn't having as much luck as Dylan and it was taking a while for his kite to get up. He also got his stuck in a tree and he yelled, "Oh, man! It's stuck in a stinkin' tree!".

Spring is Here!

2009-03-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Spring has finally arrived and we can come out of our winter hibernation, which makes all of us very happy. We've been going to the park everyday and the boys are just so glad to run around and enjoy the outdoors. I am so happy that we can go outside and get all of their energy spent.

Really, you were watching them?

2009-03-19T09:40:00.001-07:00

Daniel has been giving the baths to the boys everynight (unless he's working) and they love Daddy's baths because he lets them stay in there forever and is just way more fun. On this particular night he started the bath and then got on the phone. He thought the boys would wait for him to get them ready, but boy does he not know these kids. He called me into the bathroom and this is what I found.

Cookies that I would never hand out to friends and family

2009-03-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

I decided to make peanut butter cookies for family home evening one night and the boys really wanted to help. As I put on my apron they went and grabbed their aprons, I couldn't say no. They were very hands on and even though we washed their hands I would not hand these out to anyone but our little family. I'm pretty sure Ryan coughed on them at one point- yum! Regardless, they were still delicious and it was a great time.

1Box+2Boys=rainy day fun

2009-03-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

There was a good week that we were stuck inside and things got crazy at times with these wild men. I found a box in the garage, got out all of our stickers, markers, and other craft supplies and let them go to town with their box. They played in it all day. I love that they are so imaginative.

Bye, Bye Diamond

2009-03-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

When Daniel and I lived in San Diego we wanted to get a kitten. There is a kitten shortage down there so it took us three months to finally find an available kitty. When we saw Diamond we knew she was the perfect kitty for us. We adored her. When we would come back and visit Oakdale, she would make the trip with us- we didn't want to leave her alone. We bought her treats and toys and played with her everyday. Then we had Ryan and Dylan and Diamond was not so fond of all of the love and attention she was getting from them. It got to the point that people didn't even know we had a cat because she would hide out in our closet all day until the boys would go to bed. Then she would come out and cuddle on our lap to watch some tv. She also slept on the end of our bed everynight. She was a good cat. We kind of became disenchanted with having a pet once we had the companionship of Ry and Dillybug, but we would have kept Diamond until the end if it wasn't for the fact that the boys were having several asthma attacks a year and the pediatrician finally said that the cat had to go. It took us awhile to find someplace for her to go, but we finally found a pet rescue that did not euthanize. We didn't want her to die just because the boys are allergic. I cried like a baby when we dropped her off- weird, since I didn't particularly feel a strong connection with her anymore. I did get a little reminiscient and remember all the good times we had together. Ryan was sad and Dylan kept saying, "my kitty gone". Then Dylan kept going into the closet where she would sleep all day and say, "kitty die". I don't know why he thought she died, but I explained that she has a new home with her kitty friends. So, this is my tribute to Diamond, a great cat that gave us the best seven years of her life. Thanks for all the memories!

Sweet Baby Girl

2009-03-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we went and saw our little baby girl. Let me just clarify that it is definitely a girl. We were so nervous that it was going to change on us. We also discovered that she is quite stubborn (I have no I idea how that could be?!). She was sleeping with her hands over her face almost the whole time. She would peek out for a second and then go back to hiding. She has the cutest pouty lips and just a sweet little face. We are so excited for her to come!

Family Pictures

2009-02-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Here's the most recent picture of our family- only a few more months until we add our little girl!

Movie Night

2009-02-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

On Saturday Daniel and I painted the hallway. We had to finish it after we went out to dinner for Grandma's birthday so we put a movie on for the boys. Ryan has been wanting a tv for his room and Daniel came up with a great idea. He put our portable tvs on the bunk bed and they had their own little theater. They loved it and sat there pretty well, we were able to finish painting.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

Traditionally I make dinner for Valentine's dinner, but this year we went to the Elder's Quorum Dinner at church. I decided to do breakfast instead, which I think will be our new tradition. I set everything up and made waffles with strawberries. I still put the candy on the table, so the boys pretty much had candy for breakfast. They loved it and they loved that they got little presents too. I was so lucky to have three Valentine's! Daniel asked me, "Do you mind if I don't wrap your present fancy?" I told him I didn't mind and expected a gift bag or something, but that was just too fancy so he used paper grocery bags- very classy. We had a great Valentine's.

We love to see the temple...

2009-02-23T10:41:00.001-08:00

The next week after our zoo trip we decided to go to with Daniel to work and then visit the temple in Oakland. Funny, but his appointment cancelled again. We had to make a couple stops at some schools for Daniel and then we visited the temple. That was quite an experience. That day it was pouring! Walking around did not seem to be on the agenda. We all got out of the car and went inside the visitors center. I was holding Dylan, and although it was pouring down rain I thought it was interesting that his pants were wet. Well, we had a blow out diaper! I had to change him but it was not your usual diaper change. All of his clothes were stained and he had to get his bum washed in the sink (isn't motherhood glamorous?). We had to leave and go get him some new clothes so Dylan walked out of their in a diaper and sweatshirt. We were quite a group! Ryan was being crazy too so they must have thought we were crazy. So, $50 later at Baby Gap (the closest store to the temple) we returned and had a great experience there. They had a nice exhibit on families and it made me feel so grateful for my sweet little family. I'm so happy that I get to be with them forever! After walking around the visitor's center the rain subsided and we went and walked around for a few minutes. All in all I would say it was a great trip, definitely memorable.

The Oakland Zoo

2009-02-23T10:31:00.000-08:00

Since the beginning of the year Daniel's been working in the bay area. One day we decided to go with him and visit the Oakland Zoo. It worked out nice because his appointment cancelled so we got to spend the whole day with him. The boys LOVED the zoo. The last time we were there Dylan was just a baby and Ryan was about Dylan's age. The enjoyed all of the animals. Their favorite exhibit was the penguins. Daniel and I enjoyed them too. It was fun to watch them race in the water and then they would jump up. It had all of us laughing.

Things Ryan does instead of going to bed...

2009-02-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

We are having quite a time getting Ryan to bed at night. He usually falls asleep around 10 or 11 every night. We don't know what happened to him, he used to go to bed at 7 or 8. We have tried everything! Here are some pictures of what Ryan does instead of sleeping. Coloring is one of his favorite things to do. We finally took out his desk because it was such a temptation.

More Disneyland

2009-01-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here's our the rest of our pictures, we can't wait to go back!

The Blue Bayou

2009-01-26T11:29:00.001-08:00

This was the best food we ever had!

Lightning McQueen and Mater

2009-01-26T11:23:00.000-08:00

Dylan could not believe that he was seeing the real Lightning McQueen and Mater. He even gave it kisses. The boys said that this was their favorite part of the trip.

Mom's Birthday

2009-01-26T11:10:00.000-08:00

In case you were wondering what to do for your birthday, may I suggest Disneyland? We had a blast! It was raining, but we weren't worried about the boys getting sick, because they already were! We had breakfast in bed and got up and got ready. We went on a couple rides, watched the Aladdin show and then went back to the room for a nap. While the boys and I napped Mom and Daniel went on rides and shopped. They had a great time- we call this the Cougar portion of our trip because Mom was getting some looks for being with Daniel. Once we woke up we went to the Blue Bayou for dinner. This was Mom's first time so she was excited. We had the best dinner ever there. I highly recommend it! She also got a birthday cake and we sang to her. After that we rode some rides and then went back to the hotel to go to bed. It was a great day, we were sad to have it end. The next day we woke up, got ready and headed home. I am going to have to say that this was our best trip to Disneyland ever. We stayed at the Grand Californian and we will now never be able to stay anywhere else. It's beautiful inside, the service is awesome, and the proximity to the parks is wonderful. We can't wait to go back! So, even though we were majorly sick and it rained the whole time, we had a great time!

The start of our trip

2009-01-26T10:57:00.000-08:00

We had been planning to go to Disneyland for Mom's birthday for a few weeks. We didn't tell the boys because we wanted to surprise them (and Ryan asks every hour, are we going yet?). The day before we were supposed to leave Ryan woke up with a horrible cough in the middle of the night. I woke up with a sore throat, runny nose, and achy body. I wanted to beat this so we rested all day and had lots of water. On the day we were supposed to leave Ryan, Dylan, and I woke up sick. I was having ear pain that had awoken me in the middle of the night. We were slowly falling apart. We were already packed and ready to go so we decided to go pick up the boys inhalers on the way out and try to get going. I went to the Kaiser pharmacy and picked up their prescriptions. During the wait in line I broke out into a cold sweat and my vision got blurry. I felt like I was going to pass out. My doctor couldn't see me so I ended up having to go to the emergency room. We left our house at 9:00 and ended up leaving Modesto at 1:30 having already spent over $300 at the er and pharmacy. As we were getting closer to Disneyland it was becoming apparent that both the boys were going to need to see the doctor. Once we got to the hotel we checked in and then went to doctor's appointments for the boys. Ryan had a double ear infection and pink eye! Dylan had an ear infection in one ear. So, the boys and I were all on antibiotics and were feeling less than wonderful. How were we going to make this trip memorable for more than our outrageous medical bills? The pink eye was just disgusting, none of us wanted Ryan to touch us and we were all sharing a room! Not to mention we had spent over $500 and we hadn't even gone to Disneyland. Read on for the fabulous ending to this tragic story...

Take me out to the Ballgame!

2009-01-26T10:51:00.001-08:00

This is Ryan's first year of baseball. We had sign ups last Tuesday and Ryan is beyond excited! We went and got him all of his gear and Ryan felt so special. It was very sweet. I can't believe how big he is getting!

Dylan uses the Potty!

2009-01-26T10:46:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about Dylan's interest in the potty. He's not going much on it, but he's figuring out that you're supposed to use it. On this night he told Daniel that he had to go poo-poo and Daniel sat him on the potty where he went! This was one of those proud moments that parents are blessed with, he's growing up!

Dylan is 2!

2009-01-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? Dylan is becoming his own little person and he is so much fun. He is talking pretty well and has a lot to say. He loves Cars right now and even knows the names of them. For his birthday we had family over for cake and ice cream. Dylan got some cars, race tracks, and we got him a bounce house. The bounce house has been my saving grace (they're bouncing right now!). We set it up in the garage and the boys get their wiggles out without having to get all bundled up!

Luke and Ryan

2009-01-26T10:22:00.001-08:00

On New Year's Eve we went to the Murdoch's and got to hang out with Lissa and her family. Ryan and Luke were very happy to see each other.

Best Friends

2009-01-26T10:02:00.000-08:00

Ryan and Dylan are best friends. Dylan thinks that Ryan is the most awesome kid in the whole world and is his little shadow. It's so fun to continually watch their friendship grow. Don't get me wrong though, there are some pretty good fights that I get to referee, but for the most part they really just have fun together.