Our Boys in Blue

 Jakob won a drawing for another set of Royals Tickets but this time they were primer and in the Diamond Club. It was very VIP!

 So we called up Hattie and Justin and we were off! We got to sit at a table, right behind home plate and we got free food, which is always and huge bonus! 

Taking a hot dog to the next level!

 I was never a baseball fan, but now that I understand it more going to games is super fun! We sit, chat, and watch a game!

The Royals won but the best part was spending a fun VIP evening with these crazies! Such a fun night!

Uncle Duke Comes to Visit

Life has been hard for Jakob lately. He has a big test coming up and he is stressed. Since work is so busy and when he's not at work or studying he is at home with his little people it leaves very little time for friends, or alone time, so I decided to surprise him and fly out his bestie Uncle Duke for a weekend. Everything was very hush hush and he had no idea. Duke was flying in on a Friday so I told Jakob that we had dentist appointments and to take the day off. We cancelled our plans to attend a gala and I told Jakob that I had already planned a surprise date night for him. Everything was working out according to plan and then Jakob asked me what time we would be done our dentist appointments. Apparently he had to go back into work in the evening for a team meeting and they had already purchased his ticket to the Royals game. Well that just wasn't going to work. So I had to tell him my plan... two days before Duke got there. He was still super excited but I was so sad that I wasn't able to surprise him.

The kids were SOOO excited to see Uncle Duke!!!! They chased....

... and played Go Fish (several times)...

... and had tea parties...

... and juggled...

.. and wrestled! Duke is great with the kids. 

E has a total crush on Uncle Duke and wanted him to hold his hand wherever they went.

They Duke and I went on our very first hot date... to the same Royals game that Jakob was in a box at... only we sat up in the nose bleeds. Our section was a ton of fun! 

Then Jakob came and got us and we went into the box. Heaven forbid he let us commoners in with them ;). I wasn't a fan of the box. The seats were so, so and when you were inside you couldn't see the field. The diamond club was the best in my opinion. 

The boys came home and got their old school Nintendo on.

The boys went nerding and then we had some BBQ. It was such a fun weekend and we were SO glad that Duke came to visit! We have missed you friend. I'm pretty much the greatest wifey ever! ;)

2015 Highlights

2015 seems like a blur! So much happened from crazy and adventurous to happy to sad. Here is a recap of our year. (As a side note, a lot of these pictures are of my Dad and while they are not the most memorable things of the year these are my last memories of him and so they mean that much more to me which is why he is in a lot of these pictures.)

1. My polka dot family. I just love these dresses and the boys ties that match! SO fabulous!

2. Ethnie potty trained. She was so good and we were so happy to have one less child in diapers! 

3. The park at the zoo. If you asked me what was the one thing I remember most about Nashville, hands down it would be this park. The kids just LOVED it! 

4. All of the crafts and creations E and I made! So much fun!!

5. The Ice storm that shut the city down and we just couldn't understand what was going on. So beautiful. People in Nashville are just not able to handle snow and ice. 

6. My Dad coming to visit us on his own and helping to make this cake. We used almost every piece of frosting!

7. Ethnie's frozen birthday party. 

8. Going to Nashville Predator games. Oh how I wish we had a pro hockey team in KC!!!

9. Going on this shopping spree with Daddy at Khols. We found SO many deals and He walked away with 24 sweaters, 10 or so ties, a few pairs of pants and a few treasures for Mom and I. It was so much fun!!! We had a BLAST!

10. Trying to do something fun every day. It was a lot of prep and planning but the kids just loved it. I should start doing things like this again!

11. Easter 2015

12. Our family photo shoot. I just love every one of these pictures! 

13. Jakob making his way into the LDS gospel art book. Brianna did such a good job painting him!

14. Jakob graduated from Vanderbilt with his MSF! SO very proud of him!

15. We packed up and said goodbye to Nashville (so sad) and we went to Vegas for a few weeks while our belongings moved to our new home in KC!

16. Awesome Mommy Moment of the Year: With in 24 hours Manfred had split open his eye playing on a trampoline, dumped cleaning chemicals all over himself as we were about to mop the floor before we left our house for the last time, and then he clocked his head on the corner of the wall while Aunt Kammie was playing music for them to dance too. Poor Manny. So Sad!!!

17. We spent a few perfect weeks in Vegas while we waited for our things to move across the country!

18. MAN NIGHT!!! Duke won the cup. 

19. Mom and I got free tickets from Missy and we got the VIP treatment as we went to see Annie at the Smith Center. We had so much fun!

20. Not a highlight. Great- Gramma Palmer returned home to Grampa Palmer and her Father in Heaven. 

21. Jakob started his new job at Tortoise! So excited for him to be doing EXACTLY what he wants to do! 

22. Oma and Opa come to help us unpack in KC.

23. Opa building Duke's busy board for his birthday.

24. I just love this picture! We have it framed. Daddy acting like a kid, and E loving being along for the ride!

25. Not a highlight. My Dad also returned home to his Father in Heaven. We went home to Canada to lay him to rest.

26. Tobler Family Reunion in Utah. It was so much fun!

27. Our last trip to Vegas before Duke turned 2 and needed his own seat to fly. 

28. Ethnie singing 'You are  My Sunshine' in Pa's band. 

29. Hot Lava

30. This little man turned 2!

31. Our first black tie gala. Very fancy and very formal. We had a great time!

32. We went to the Renascence Festival in KC so much fun! We will go kid-less next year!

33. We went curbside hunting with the girls! I still get giddy thinking about it! We were the masters of making things fit!

34. Went went to a few Royals games. (World Series Champions!!!!!!!)

35. Another black tie affair that was themed 20's Night!! It was so much fun to get all dressed up!!!

36. After hours of pulling staples and a few drops of blood I recovered my very first wing back chair!! It was SO much fun!!!!

37. Oma came back to visit and we went to the pumpkin patch. I also started watching Gretta a few days a week. 

38. Our year of multiple costumes. 

39. Our favorite Gala was the performing arts event. So fun!!

40. Dad and Chad came to KC for the BYU football game! It was so nice to have them!!!

41. We went to Houston for Thanksgiving and we had SUCH an amazing time!!!!

42. Our second Renn Fair for the year was in Houston and it was HUGE. We had a blast despite the rain and chilly weather!

43. Family Christmas Card picture taken by my sister Janet. Thanks love!

44. Back to Vegas to see STAR WARS!!! It was sooooo wonderful to spend time with friends!

45. We had a mini Christmas in Vegas. We were very fortunate to be able to spend the holidays with so much family!!

46. Christmas in Canada

 

47. Visiting with my sister Melanie. Totally one of my favorite highlights of our Christmas visit in Canada. 

48. And that's a wrap for 2015! What a fun and busy year. We got to go so many places and spend a TON of time with family. We have been so very blessed and we are looking forward to seeing what 2016 has in store.