happy new year!

Bailey

Is it here yet?

Bailey

How about now?

Bailey

Squirrel?

Bailey

Wake me up when it gets here.

Happy New Year!

Year In Review

WHAT A YEAR!
There is one word that sums up this year for me and Tony, and that word is BLESSED. I was blessed beyond measure with an uneventful and perfectly healthy pregnancy. We both were blessed with beautiful, healthy, strong daughters that have given us a new reason to be better human beings. We were blessed with challenges that taught us many lessons and made us stronger. We were blessed with loving family and friends who gave us unconditional support. We are filled with gratitude and thank God daily for these blessings.
I am a much different person now than I was just a year ago. I have learned things about myself I never knew. I never knew how much love my heart could hold until February 17th; I never knew how strong I could really be until February 17th; I never knew that I could fall deeper in love with my husband for giving me these two beautiful girls; I never knew that a five minute shower would feel like heaven; I never knew that a trip to the grocery store by myself would be a luxury; I never knew how much I would come to hate washing bottles; I simply never knew how much I would love to stay in on a Friday and Saturday night and just relax with my family; and I never knew how much I would change and how much I would love the change.
Tony and I wish that 2010 will be a year full of hope and blessing for you and your family!
...year end picture review...
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Looking for to another year of fun memories!

going, going, gone

Have you noticed how many gadgets that were essential items in 2000 are mostly non-existent as we head into a new decade?

Fax Machines. I actually had a designated phone number for this gadget that I had to pay an extra $30 a month for. Several times a day I would send and receive documents using this device. Toward the end of its existence in my home office, I mostly received spam through it. That’s when I cut the cord and sent it to the dump. Now I have room for a cute charging station to charge my gadgets.

Landline. In 2008 we eliminated this once and for all. It’s now cell phones all the way, with each person having their own specific number.

Dial-up Internet. Remember the sounds that used to make? Sounded like aliens landing in the room. You can still listen to it here if you’re feeling nostalgic.

Handwritten Letters and Christmas Cards. You remember the ones that arrived in your mailbox outside? This year, for the first time, we sent out digital holiday cards, and saved a bundle in postage. We received exactly 20 Christmas cards in our outside mailbox this year. I'm very glad some have continued with this tradition.

Film Cameras and Film. With digital cameras and phones, the only film you’ll see around here is on our windows (and possibly a roll or two in the back of the freezer).

Telephone Books. Even though trucks still deliver these things in our neighborhood, if I see them coming, they don’t deliver to our house and haven’t since 2005. If they sneak them in, they're quickly thrown in the recycling bin (the books that is). I can search for any business or person on my phone or computer. I can even map out their exact location and take a look at their street. Scary!

Encyclopedias. Some of you are probably not old enough to remember these. People actually sold them door-to-door. They took up large amounts of space on bookshelves. They’ve been replaced by Wikipedia. People also did research in books like encyclopedias in libraries. Lately it seems when I go to the library, there are more people sitting at computers than browsing the isles of books. When my daughter does homework, it’s now Google she goes to first for information. I do still check out plenty of fiction and non-fiction books at the library though. You can’t beat this free resource for entertainment.

Classified Ads. These have been replaced by Craigslist. And their service is FREE. We’ve successfully sold many of our old gadgets through Craigslist in the last few years.

Checks. I rarely write checks anymore. Between debit cards and online bill paying, my checkbook doesn't get out very often.

Wires. So many wires used to be strung throughout my office. My new computer actually has just one. The mouse and keyboard are both wireless items that I can use across the room if I want to.

Here’s the newest gadget in my office...

red Swingline

It’s a Swingline.

“And if, if they take my stapler, I will, I will set this building on fire.”

(a line from one of my favorite movies from over a decade ago, Office Space)

Koehler Family Christmas I

Koehler Klan!
Mommy and her girls in their cute Christmas outfits!

Daddy and Ellie!
We all had a very nice Christmas, the girls were so lucky to have three first Christmases, one at Emma's, one at their home, and one at Grandma Mar and Poppi's
So Special!

Christmas with the Koehlers II

View The slide show below to see our fun Christmas day events!

(just click the arrow)

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Ready for action !

Little O now also kitted out with protective head gear (may come in useful even when not on his new scooter). Will not be long before they are both racing each other down the path.


Career revelation

Whilst visiting some friends over Christmas, it soon became apparent that Little O was unlikely to find fame as a musician.....


Die Hülle meiner Puppen - The skin of my dolls

Da ich immer wieder einmal Anfragen über die Qualität und Herkunft meines Puppentrikots bekomme möchte ich hier näher darauf eingehen.

Der Puppentrikot den ich seit Jahren zur Herstellung meiner Puppen verwende stammt ausschließlich von Laib Yala Tricot AG aus der Schweiz. Alle Rohstoffe stammen aus ökologisch geführten Betrieben, werden bei Laib Yala Tricot AG verarbeitet und tragen das Öko-Label der Schweizerischen Textilindustrie. Dieser hochwertige Puppentrikot entspricht dem Öko-Tex Standard für Kinder und Babyartikel, ist extrem robust und wiederstandsfähig, hat eine wunderschöne Oberfläche und hält einer langjährigen Bespielung meiner Erfahrung nach am besten stand.
Sometimes I was asked in the past what kind of doll skin I use and if it is approved in accordance with the Oeko-Tex Standard 100.

The cotton interlock fabric I use for my dolls is made by Laib Yala Tricot AG from Switzerland. It is a very high quality fabric which is used and approved since years for the purpose of Waldorfdollmaking. This fabric is very resistant and allows a long lifetime of the dolls I make. This cotton interlock fabric is approved in accordance with the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, Class 1 certification. The Oeko-Tex system ensures that the textiles, which have passed the tests and been certified, do not contain concentrations of substances that could be hazardous to human health.

Christmas Morning!

SANTA CAME!!!!
The girls loved the fire truck that Santa brought their cousin!


New cloths and New toys! YEAH!

Present Paradise !

The dynamic duo were both overwhelmed with the generosity of Santa and family alike.

Favourite toys included Little T's CD player and the scooters that Santa brought for both Little T and Little O. Helmets were soon obtained after this and now there's nothing to stop them....




A little furry friend has also become a firm favourite!
Introducing Henry the hamster...


Excitement grows....

Little T and Little O both seemed quite excited with the imminent arrival of Santa. Mind you, with the behaviour displayed at church on Christmas Eve, we were all surprised (and relieved) that he came at all. Perhaps it was Daddy's mince pies left out to entice him that did the trick !!!!


Christmas Eve 2009 in The City!

We have been going to San Francisco on Christmas eve ever since I can remember. My dad would take my three brothers and me to the City on Christmas eve day, so my mom could get ready for Christmas eve dinner and to host Christmas day. Even though we are all grown up now and have our own children we still go to San Fransisco, we simply cannot give up the tradition. The city is so beautiful during Christmas season.
We took the BART train over there and the girls did great.
Our first stop was in the Hyatt Regency Hotel to see the huge Christmas Tree and their famous Christmas village. From there we walked the streets and shopped through the Embarcadero center.
Aiden loves his uncle Tony!
and Ellie absolutely loved riding on Daddy's back!

Lola got the royal treatment form her Uncles. Mark carried her all over the city, Matt made her laugh and below, Shaun fed her her bottle!


Haven, Athena, Auntie Mo, and Ellie

a lot of walking....

Auntie Katie and Ellie almost asleep

Off to Union Square! Auntie Missi, Aiden, Uncle Mark

Poppi and all his Grand kids.
Thanks Poppi for such a fun day in the City.

Frohe Festtage - Merry Christmas!


Schlafe nur, himmlisches Kindelein,
Mondsichel Dein Wiegelein,
Sonnenglanz Deines Bettchens Flaum,
Sterne singen in Deinem Traum.

Herbert Hahn

First Plane Ride!

Off to grandmother's house we go... I was very anxious to take two 10 month old babies on a plane ride by myself, but our girls did great! Model Babies! All cute and ready to go!
Ellie all ready too!
Emma was a huge help in the airport, our flight was delayed an hour, the girls needed a lot of attention and it would have been almost impossible to do it on my own. Thanks Emma!

Just about to board and Ellie is so excited but Lola had fallen a sleep already, Ellie will have to fill Lola in on the pre-flight action.


Below is what my girls did for most of the flight, when they did wake up they were satisfied with Cheerios and didn't cry at all! What troopers!

We made it, safe and sound! Grandma Mar was there to greet us!