Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Our Christmas Card!

Hello All,

Nick and I decided to do our Christmas Card in an E-mail this year to save on postage. We hope you all enjoy it even though it is not "real" mail.

This year is very busy for us. Nick is not only working more than full time at Zamzow's, but he is also going to school full time through Steven Heneger's. He does all of his work online, and that is good because he would not make it to class very often otherwise. He is majoring in Business and accounting. He will go on to get his MBA after this, so hopefully he will be done with school in December 2012. We are all excited for this to happen.

Windy stays busy with Nolan in the day, and then she heads off to work in the eveing. She loves every minute with her precious little man. He is a lot of fun. They go to the library a lot and they try to play outside when it is not too cold outside.

Nolan continues to grow right before our eyes. Many of his pants are too short for him, but still the waist band is too loose. He says new words every day, and he runs around the house like crazy every day. He loves to play with other children. Often we babysit our cousin Layla, and he is so sweet with her. He also goes to his cousin's home (Nicole,) and he is able to play with her children. He just loves to watch his older cousins and learn from them.

We are quite happy and healthy this year, and we do hope the same for you all. May the Lord bless you all this Christmas and Holiday season, and know that we love you all!

Love Always,

Nick, Windy, and Nolan Darrough

New Moon Premiere

So, all week long I have been really sad that I wouldn't be able to go to the "New Moon" Premiere since I work until midnight, and I didn't think I would find anyone willing to go with me so late, etc. I had discussed it with a few people at work, and it just didn't seem like it would work out at all. I was so bummed as I wasn't sure when I would be able to go (I still haven't seen the newest Harry Potter movie yet):). I thought maybe I could find someone to watch Nolan for a matinee on Saturday, or maybe there would be a late showing on Friday night after work (people usually don't have to work the next day and they may be more willing to go.)

Anyhow, Suzie was talking to me at work around 8pm, and she mentioned how sad she was that we couldn't go. I agreed, and then we just kinda looked at each other and said lets see if we can find tickets. So we did. We easily found tickets for a 12:20 am showing, and this brightened up our night so much! I was practically singing. (Okay, so I did actually sing just a little bit.:))It's so funny how something little like this can excite me so much. I think it must be because I rarely do anything outside of family and work.

There was one catch. I don't get off work until 12am, so that would mean I would have to hurry and drive to the theater, and I would still be wearing my scrubs. Suzie and I just decided we didn't care. She gets off at 11:30 pm, so she would go and save us some seats if it was packed. Lucky us, we were both able to get off at 11:30! I was sooo happy. We drove together to the movies, and then we sat for about 30 minutes until the movie started. We didn't even have to stand in the freezing cold or wait in lines!

Anyhow, here we are just outside our theater before we found our seats. I'm so cheesy I had to get a picture of us! I felt very much like a little teeny bopper, but it was fun and so worth it!
After all the waiting and the previews, we were so ready for the movie! It was so good! I loved it! Of course it pales in comparison to the books, but really it wasn't bad at all. I can't wait to see it again! If anyone wants to see it with me again, just give me a call. I'll see if I can find a sitter!

So here is my ticket stub just for kicks and giggles. Also, I know I'm so weird for blogging about something so silly, but I can't help it!

Halloween 2009

So, Halloween was fun this year! Nolan still has no idea what it is, but it was fun none the less. We did go to the pumpkin patch and chose a few pumpkins. Nolan loved it. He would see a pumpkin and just go up to it and pat it or try to pick it up even though it was a million times bigger than he was. He's so dang cute and fun now!
Here Nolan and I are riding on the little cow train. Nolan loved it, but my legs barely fit in there. He was just smiling the whole time! It was really cute. I can't wait to go back next year! The day before Halloween, Nick's mom (Nana) had a work party, and we were invited! We dressed Nolan up as a monkey (I think very appropriate as he is a little monkey), and we headed on over. Nolan was very impressed by the little blow up figures, and the stairs were fun to climb as well. They out some dry ice in the water fountains and made the place look so fun for the kids. It was really a lot of fun. He really wasn't interested in pictures at all, so we didn't get very good ones.

Here Nolan is with his Nana. He was very excited about the little tape measure he got in his little hands. Also, the bell was fun to play with.

Here Nolan and I are going to Great Grandma and Grandpa Mairs' House. This was the first and really only house he went Trick or Treating at. We met up with a few of the cousin's here.
Here's the little monkey after Aunt Tiff gave him some chocolate. He was pretty stoked about that!
Nolan is hanging out with cousin Koen here. Koen was Peter Pan. He looks just like him, don't you think?
Nolan is stealing all the camera attention from Cousin Brooklan (Tinker Bell) and Koen. It really was pretty cute though!
Oh, this one is a bit better. Cute Tinker Bell, eh?
Nolan has just arrived at Meme and Papa's (Nick's Grandparents) house. They were not there, but he did find their pumpkin, and he was enjoying playing with it and trying to pick it up. Silly monkey!
Over all, we had fun, and I can't wait till next year! Maybe we'll have to dress up as a family. I will have to work my little brain to come up with something good...;)

October 2009

Well, Nolan is talking up a storm now. He is so cute. We sing "Old MacDonald" a lot at our house, and now he sings e-i-e-i-o. It's too cute. I'll also say just random things, and then he'll repeat them. When I make animal noises, he does his best to mimick me too. He is just such a happy, fun kid (most of the time).

Recently, he will not let me feed him anything. He has to either eat it with his fingers, or he has to eat it himself with a spoon or fork. He's not so good at this, but he still persists. It is cute, but it can get frustrating sometimes. What can you do?

Anyhow, here is the little man eating some spagetti and breadsticks with his own dipping sauce. It is a struggle to get him to eat anything, so you have to be creative sometimes. Dipping his food in stuff is a big help, but it is also quite messy. Just ask Dad...
Some other cute things he will do now are collect toys. He used to just run around the house with his hands full. He never has enough room in his hands for all the toys he carries around, so they are always falling on the floor. One day I decided to teach him a little trick. I got the little basket/hat you see below and showed him how to collect all the little toys and place them in there. He was so excited. He continued to collect all day until his basket was too full. He has upgraded to larger boxes and baskets now. He just makes me laugh. Her you see Nolan cuddling with his daddy. This doesn't happen too often as he is too active, so we enjoy every moment we can get.
Well one day after giving Nolan a bath, his little toes were quite cold, so we decided to put some socks on. Well this was the first pair we found, and he gladly let us snap this picture. They didn't stay on too long.
Nolan is one little boy that loves to be outside. We just put him in the stroller, and head for the park quite often. He loves to swing, slide, and run around like crazy. This is him watching the other kids run around. I have so many pictures of him like this, but he is always just so happy at the park or outside.

He also just loves to go "bye-bye". He knows what it means to put his shoes and coats on. He is also getting a bit better in his car seat too. He has never been a big fan, but I think he now understands that the purpose of the car etc. is to go to a new place. We got Nolan some new BSU gear, obviously, and I just had to show him off in it. The sweatshirt is really quite large on him (4T), but this leaves room to grow! In the BSU gear below, The shirt you see on Nolan is from last year (3-6 months), but we made due with it again for this year. We got some hand me down pants that matched the shirt but no new shirt. You can't really tell, right? Also, I know he shouldn't have the binky, but sometimes he will just find one sitting around, and so in the mouth it goes. I think we'll have to work on this...One exciting thing to mention is that my little brother Tyson left for his mission to Oklahoma City, OK. I'm very proud of him. He seems very happy. We will of course miss him a lot, but we know he is helping others where ever he may be.

Here you see Tyson and I after his Farewell. Won't he make a very handsome missionary? I'm not biased at all either. ;)

I also wanted to get one last picture of Tyson with his little Stud Muffin Nolan. (Tyson has nicknames for all the nieces and nephews.) Nolan of course wants the camera and to run around like crazy, so he didn't want to cooperate too well at this point. Nolan and I went lunch with a good friend Kellen. She is going to school at OHSU, and we hadn't seen her for so long. She is from Kneya, and she is a crack up. I love her. We all miss her a lot at work, and we think she's crazy for going into Nuclear Physics! Whatever though!

Everyone below is from work. The back row from left to right are: Cheryl W., Jeanine K., Kellen T., Suzie R., Me and Nolan. The front row Left to right are: Kaitlyn (Kellen's cousin), Sara (Suzie's daughter), and Dianne V. This is such a fun group a friends. I love ya all!
Last but no least, here's a picture of my little angel sleeping. I took this picture the night before I ran my 1/2 marathon. I love him. He's the best thing that's ever happened to Nick and I.

My Half-Marathon!

On October 4, 2009 I ran/walked my very first half-marathon (13.1 miles). It was a very cold rainy day, but it made for some good running. I'm super proud of myself. I ran (jogged) the first 6 miles straight, and then after that, I walked through the water stations and alternated between walking and jogging. It really wasn't so bad. It actually seemed a lot easier than you would think. My run time was 3.20.17. It's not really good at all, but it was my first. I'm sure I'm just going to get better and better.

I was sore the next few days, but like I said before, it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I figured it would be much worse because I could feel my calves starting to tighten around mile 11. I'm very happy how my body reacted to it, and it just makes me think that I was made for this or at least endurance type sports. I can't really run fast, but I can run for a very long time.

So, the picture below is of me before the race. I'm all bundled up ready for the run. It's so funny during the race you just see people peeling off their layers. Many people just throw their cloths on the side of the street so they don't get slowed down. Me, I just tied my jacket around my waist, and struck everything else in my pockets. I'm cheap that way I suppose.

This is my favorite picture. This is Nick and Nolan before the race. Nolan doesn't really have a nice warm jacket, so we just zipped him up in Nick's jacket. So cute and cozy. He was good about this for a little bit, and then he wanted to move some more. I guess I can't blame the poor kid.
The video below is of me running through the finish line. I was so happy. There were a lot of people there cheering me on, so it was very invigorating. It ws so nice to have both Nolan and Nick there for me. I love you guys! I have to thank Tiffany, Koen, and Brooklan for coming too. Although I didn't see them there, they did wait for me for quite a while. I'm so glad you all stopped by afterwards. I love you guys!

This is me and my little man after the race! I was soaked through. It never stopped raining. on the bright side, it kept me pretty cool (meaning I didn't get overheated). I think it was better to run in this weather rather than hot summer weather.

So, here are my wonderful running shoes. I will have to get new ones before I run my next marathon though. I did get some pretty bad blisters on the tops of my toes of all places. I even had to pop a blist that sat right underneath my toe a few days later. So weird. I think I will go to a place where they specialize in these kinds of things to get my next pair of shoes. I have no idea what to get or what will work for my type of flat foot.

My next 1/2 marathon will be May 2009 The Great Potatoe 1/2 marathon! I'm super excited to beat my record and do a much better job! Let me know if any of you want to run with me. If I can do it, you all can do it too!

September 2009

Well, September is the month that Nolan has really started to cruise around without any assistance at all. He is so happy about this. I'm happy as well, but a little sad too. My little boy is growing up so fast!
Below you can see how happy he is to be walking all by himself! I'm sure he feels like he's free!

One day after Nick got done with work, We decided to go to Kathryn Alberson Park. Nolan loved the freedom. I just let him roam and be free. We went for a long walk around the park, but since Nolan is walking now, he prefers to push the stroller rather than be pushed. Too funny!
Here are Nolan and Layla so sweet together again. Nolan is so good at entertaining her (most of the time). I'm so proud of him!
We also got a really cute video of them together. I hope you enjoy this you all!

One thing that I did this year that is a first for me is can some peaches with my Mom. I cut pretty much all of the peaches, and then mom showed me how to can. It doesn't look too hard, but I don't know if I could do it without her. I think I need to learn these things a bit better, but where is the time? i guess if it's imprtant to me I will just have to make the time, right?

August 2009

August was a fun month. Nolan and I had quite a routine during the day. First, we got up, got dressed and ate a quick breakfast. Then we go out and water the garden. Once that is done, we go for a jog. I will either go jog around the track at one of the high schools near by (easy to figure out how far I've run that way), or I will go for a jog to the library or grocery store (much more varity and Nolan doesn't get so bored).
Nolan is pretty good at all of this. He loves being outside. He loves playing with the hose and getting wet. Often when I jog at the high school, there is a water fountain they use for the whole track team, and I will run Nolan's little feet through each little water station. He just laughs. It makes me smile...
Anyhow, here is Nolan getting ready for our jog. He decided he would rather ride in the basket in back on this day. It was so funny when I saw him here. I just had to take the picture.

Anyhow, Nolan started walking this month. He does it, and he doesn't realize he is actually walking at first. When he does realize it, he almost always will immediately sit down or grab onto something. In the next two pictures, I was trying to convince Nolan to walk over to me. He loves to touch any buttons even those on the camera, so it wasn't too hard to convince him. Usually he does cheat by holding on, but he's getting better.
At the end of the month, Krista went back to school, so occasionally, Nolan and I watch Layla. He is pretty cute with her (most of the time). He will just give her kiss after kiss. It is really quite endearing.
Another thing Nolan enjoys doing while Layla is here is stealing her swing. He stays entertained in there for a good 30 minutes or so. It's so funny to watch.
Nolan gets better and better with his words all the time. He tries to repeat what we say, and it is just so cute. I can see his little brain working so hard sometimes. He is just so smart!

Oregon Coast Vacation

So, after the family reunion, Nick and I decided to get a place on the coast. We got a small cabin in Lincoln City just a couple hundred feet from the ocean. It was wonderful. Ryan and Krista wanted to stick around the coast as well, so we invited them to stay with us. We had lots of fun, and Nolan got to spend a little time with his baby cousin Layla. She is so precious!

The first day there, we went to the Marine Science Center, and then we met the rest of my family at the Aquarium in Newport. This is always so much fun, and the kids really enjoyed all the animals.

This first shot is of Nolan and I at the science center. We are exploring the anemones, sea stars (not starfish), and many other tide pool animals. I think Nolan just wanted to splash a lot, so we didn't do this too long.



So, here we are in the "petting zoo" area at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Uncle Tyson is with us here to help us exlore. He's such a funny guy. It's fun to see how the "little kids" in your life grow up. It's funny to see their personalities, etc. come to be. I'm so proud of him. He's such a good uncle to all the neices and nephews too. Love you Tyson.


Nolan's cousin Brooklan had so much fun with Nolan pushing him around and playing with him. I can't wait for him to get just a little bit bigger, and then they will really start interacting much more. I love these kids. Life is just so much funner with them around.

By the time we finished the tour of the aquarium, Nolan was getting a little antsy, so we sat outside waiting for the others. We saw the biggest fattest squirrel ever. It was a little funny, but after I thought about it, it made me a bit sad. The poor squirrel was so fat because humans had been feeding it sooo much nasty human food. Poor thing will get heart diease and die soon no doubt.

On a happier note, Nolan found my sun glasses, and he decided he wanted to wear them. He's just so cute. I love him!

So, the next day we went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory! My favorite. I love their cheese, and I love their ice cream even more! Since Ryan, Krista, and Layla were staying with us, they decided to come along for the ride. I'm so glad they did. We had a lot of fun. So here we are at the factory....

I'm not quite sure why we didn't get any pictures at the ocean. I'm a bit sad about that. I'm sad too we didn't fly our kite like we usually do on the coast. We'll have to do it next time. Nolan will just be big enough for that, so it will be a big treat! Since I don't have one of me, Nick and Nolan, here's one of our roomies...

The same day we went to Tillamook, we also went to Moe's chowder house. As always the chowder was delicious. I think I over did it with the fried shrimp and fish, and so I got sick that night. My body was telling me not to eat fried foods anymore. I rarely ever have fried food, so it must have been a shock to my body. I did not feel too hot the next day, so I just stuck around Lincoln City and took some really long, relaxing walks. What could be better when you're on the coast?

Ryan and Krista went to Newport that day, and on the way back, they brought us some crab. My favorite! So delicious. Next time I want to catch my own crab though. Thanks Ryan and Krista!

Finally, the time came to leave our comfy vacation spot. It was both sad and happy. We were ready to get back to our routines, but we would miss the fun time together as a family.

Of course on our way home we had to stop at Multnomah Falls. I love it there. A couple of years ago, Nick and I took the historic highway, and we visited most of the falls along I-84 and the Columbia River Gorge. So pretty, and the Vista House above the Gorge is so fun to see as well. There's a lot of history to it all. We always have to stop and go for a walk at Multnomah though for sure. I love the scenery and vegetation of the area. I love the green everywhere. I could easily live here during the summer months!

So, while we were in the gift shop at Multnomah, I found a cute little monkey hat, so I had to put it on Nolan. It was a bit large for him, so we didn't end up getting it. It was sure was cute though.

I think next time we go to the coast we'll have to make a day of just hiking around the falls on the Gorge. I can't wait already. Maybe I'll have to plan a trip for the Spring or Fall for a change in the season. Who knows!