Tis the Season...

Wow! My last post was November 3... Really?!? Where did the last two months go? We've had wonderful adventures and fun-filled days this holiday season, which I do plan to do a little blogging about. I still haven't posted Halloween Birthday Bash pics! Perhaps next week when I'm "home" after Christmas.

In the interim, I thought that I'd post our Christmas letter and a couple of the wonderful photos that came out of a photo shoot of the girls with our favorite photographer, Shalista, in Pierre.

Happy, Happy, Merry, Merry, Christmas to all! We are so blessed!




Christmas 2009

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
-- Ferris Bueller

Ferris Bueller was right. Oh my, was he right. So this holiday season, as Ferris Bueller suggests, our family is making an effort to “stop and look around” and celebrate the moments and memories of 2009.

Life moves pretty fast. Life moved—literally—for our family in 2009. We have a new address—3158 Sheridan Boulevard. This year we said goodbye to our first home and hello to our "forever house.” We bought our first home as newlyweds focused on our careers, our travels, our interests. We did a lot of growing up there. What a difference 5 years makes—we opened the door to our new home this year still focused on our careers at MLA Dentists and the University of Nebraska Foundation, travels and interests, but mostly focused on our girls and all the adventures that their growing up will bring.

It is amazing just how quickly the girls are growing up. We celebrated Emme's fourth birthday and Sutton's second birthday this year with a Halloween Birthday Bash complete with family and good friends in costume, lots of treats and a few tricks. Miss Emerson is enjoying all that comes with her preschool class and being a "Frog" this year. She is one of the girliest girls you'll meet. Within minutes of arriving home most evenings, she trots out of the playroom in a dance costume and dress-up shoes pushing a baby stroller or looking for her favorite purse. However with that being said, if there is talk of a football game at the stadium or on TV, Emme is all over it. Her daddy is particularly proud that she can talk not only Husker football (she will amaze you with her knowledge of player numbers, positions, injuries, etc.), but football in general with the best of them. She's also enjoyed swimming lessons, tumbling, dance and tennis lessons this year.

Not to be outdone by her big sister, Sutton is also mastering the art of walking around the house in dress-up high heels. Her outfit of choice upon getting home for the day typically involves fairy wings, her favorite hot pink tutu and a crown though. Sutton made a big move this year from our beloved La La's house to Little Kingdom. We miss La La a lot, but are loving having the girls at the same place and Sutton has great affection for her teachers and friends at Little Kingdom. Sutton loves playing with Emme, Sesame Street, dancing, and like her father and her big sister... she is a talker! Miss Sutton is also a singer. We hear regular renditions of everything from "Tomorrow" to "ABC's" to "The Gambler" (Don't ask :)). She is the life of the party, loves to laugh, is fearless and funny, by her own admission is her Papa Doug's girl and cannot wait until she can "go into dance class with Emme."

I read recently that “parenthood is the state of being better chaperoned than you were before marriage.” Clearly as evidenced above, Travis and I are very well chaperoned. Thankfully for us, this year was also one of fun travels—chaperoned and unchaperoned! Travis surprised me with a fabulously unchaperoned Valentine’s trip to New York City where we enjoyed Wicked and Jersey Boys on Broadway, window shopping and sightseeing, amazing food and just walking around the City together. We also enjoyed a fabulously chaperoned family vacation to Hawaii with Grandma and Papa Osnes and Uncle Drew as well as a few trips back to Kansas and South Dakota this year. The year would not have been complete without a good number hunting and fishing excursions for Travis also. I am happy to say that I also sneaked in a very fun girls trip this year.

Life does move pretty fast… This holiday season, in addition to making an effort to "stop and look around" and celebrate the moments and memories of this past year, we don't want to miss this opportunity to let our family and friends know how much you mean to us. We hope you will do the same!

All best wishes to you and yours for a joyous holiday season and wonderful New Year!


Travis, Amber, Emerson Jules and Sutton Grace Antholz

More Cake?

Although we are still recovering from the girls' Halloween Birthday Bash (post and pictures to come), we are up and at 'em this morning because today is Sutton Grace's 2nd birthday. At 10:50 am on November 3, we were doubly blessed when Sutton made her entrance into the world.

She spent her 1st birthday in the hospital with MRSA, so undoubtedly her 2nd birthday will be better than the first! As a preview, Sutton was already singing the Happy Birthday song to herself in the car on the way home from Little Kingdom last night and yesterday when we asked her, "Who's birthday is tomorrow?" She happily shouted, "Sutton's Happy Birthday!" Pure Joy!

So this morning before the sun comes up and we head off to Little Kingdom and to work, we will light two candles, sing Happy Birthday and yes, we will eat cake for breakfast (again)!

Tell us how you really feel...

Sutton's reaction to the fact that the Antholz Adventures October posts predominately feature her big sister.

Frog of the Week and Freckles

Each child in Emme's class at Little Kingdom has the opportunity to be the "Frog of the Week," which technically spans three weeks :) During that time their pictures and some information about them is featured on a bulletin board at Little Kingdom and they get to host Freckles, the class mascot.

We are just finishing Emme's Frog of the Week run and I thought you might enjoy the little poem and pictures that we put together to include in the journal that accompanies Freckle on his journey with all of the Frogs. I wish I could also have posted Emme's artwork that added some flair to the pages of our journal entry, but this will have to do. I hope you enjoy this as much as our little Frog enjoyed hosting Freckles.

Emme and Freckles
On October 2, Freckles hopped in his bag.
He headed home with Emme Jules and her family that day.
They ate fruit snacks, watched Sesame Street,
and in the toy room they played.

A trip to Memorial Stadium, they watched the Huskers huddle.
Every night they were together they so loved to cuddle.
Freckles joined her for swimming lessons and Husker volleyball.
You can even see an attempt at a family photo for the wall.

On Emme’s special day, they awoke to a party.
Freckles helped sing Happy Birthday,
He is such a smarty.

During their 3 week adventure fast friends they became.
Emme wishes all of the other Frogs and Freckles exactly the same!

Emme's 4th Birthday Recap

October 20 has come and gone. We are left some fun photos and memories of the day. Please excuse the bedhead :) We've decided a VIP family only party immediately upon waking birthday morning will become an Antholz family tradition. Emme was a little overwhelmed by it all, but came around eventually. Sutton on the other hand was ready to PAR-TAY, and as you can see, dig into the cake which probably shouldn't surprise anyone. The party was followed by breakfast together at the venue of Miss E's choice. This year it was Bagels and Joe. Then it was off to Little Kingdom with her cheerleader cookie cake to share with her classmates. When I arrived to pick the girlies up at the end of the day, Emme proudly sported her birthday crown on the playground and recounted how much fun the day was. We ended the evening with swimming lessons.

Today's the Day... The 4th BIRTHDAY!

October 19, 2009

Emme: After I sleep today will it be my birthday?
Mommy and Daddy: Yes, when you wake up tomorrow it will be the day
Emme: YES (Fist pump for extra effect)

October 20, 2009

Today is the day. Our baby is 4 and is still fast asleep. The balloons are hung in the kitchen from the ceiling fan and strung out all over the floor. The cookie cake (the first of the day) is set out on the table with 4 candles ready to be lit. Her birthday presents are waiting on the table. The one she will be most excited about is a scarf. Yes, you read that correctly... scarf. She's been asking for one for weeks... apparently all the cool teachers and kids at Little Kingdom have them :)

She is so excited. So we are so excited. Like I'm sure every parent wonders, this morning as I set out the cake and hung the balloons, I wondered how four years can pass so quickly. Last night we were telling her that it was four years ago at that moment that we were heading to the hospital to get ready to meet her... she was a little confused by that, but at this point I imagine the story is mostly for us :) Quite frankly, while some days that night before we were blessed with Miss Emme feels like a million years ago, most days it feels like it was just yesterday.

We had absolutely no idea what joy, fun, and love one little being could bring into our lives. So today, we celebrate! And oh yeah, we'll eat some cake too.

Party at the Pumpkin Patch

Emme has been counting the days to her class field trip to the pumpkin patch in Roca. Last night, when we told her that the day would be here when she woke up, we got that awesome fist-pump and loud whispered "YES!" She was excited for the pumpkin patch, but probably just as excited for the van ride there and being able to take her lunch to school.

So, our baby bounded out of bed this morning and dressed herself. She came downstairs for breakfast fully accessorized--pink knee high boots, yellow bow in her hair, and wait for it... wait for it... Yes, a pink and purple feather boa. She told me that she couldn't go to the pumpkin patch without a scarf :)

You know what... I totally let her wear the accessories. When you look good, you feel good, right? And at the end of the day, no one knows who might be hanging at the pumpkin patch waiting to discover the next big thing in fashion! I only wish I could have gotten her to agree to a picture. She was in too big a hurry to get out the door.

October... Let them eat cake!

Life as we knew it changed in ways more amazing than we could have ever imagined this month 4 years ago! And so, we eat cake...

Ghosts of Octobers Past

It's official. It's October and it feels like fall. The girls are are eagerly anticipating all that October has to offer--the pumpkin patch, Boo at the Zoo, Emme and Sutton's Halloween Birthday Bash that will take place on Halloween and split the difference between their birthdays. We have conversations daily about what they will be... fairies, cupcakes, unicorns. Round and round and round they go. Where they'll stop, nobody knows!

Turning the page of the calendar to October has got me thinking about the ghosts of Octobers and Halloweens past...

Silly Sally Day

The letter of the week this week is "S." Emme was thrilled when her teacher, Ms. Cari, shared that Wednesday would be "Silly Day" and the kiddos could dress as silly as they wanted, do their hair as silly as they wanted and just be as silly as they wanted. So Tuesday night we started talking about how Emme wanted to express her silliness today. She knew immediately that she wanted to wear her go to dance costume with her pink boots and put six ponies in her hair. The pink and gray leggings were a last minute addition.

Our Silly Sally literally danced down the stairs this morning and happily posed for pictures with Sutton, who did a little dancing herself. It made my heart happy to see the twinkle in her eyes and watch her put together her perfect silly outfit. My hope is that her confidence and individuality carries into her elementary, middle school, and high school. Heck, I hope it carries into the rest of her life!

Hotwheels Heartbreaker

Sunday = Fun Day

When Daddy headed out to golf today, the girls headed for the Children's Zoo. Where else would we possibly go?!? We had lots of fun (the usual--horses, goats, sand play, jungle gym, etc.) and I'm happy to report absolutely, positively no meltdowns. No wonder Sunday = Fun day!

Goodbye Summer... Hello Huskers!

Saturday marked the season opener for the Big Red! Daddy and Emme enjoyed all the game day fun at the stadium, while Mommy and Sutton enjoyed it from the couch in the company of good friends Megan and Miss Harper. Emme insisted that she and Travis stay until the very end and according to all reports, loved every minute of it! Regardless of where we sat and how long we actually watched the game (Sutton and I only made it through half-time :)), we all donned our red and have some pics to prove it.

Fishy Fun

One of the fun things in our backyard at the new house is a lovely little pond. We've added a little life to the pond in the form of ten small fish. We had Pink Baby, Monkey, Poplar, Morrow, George Brett, Pinky Dinky Doo, Mommy, Daddy, Emme and Sutton. I'm sure you're shocked to find out that Emme came up with the majority of their names and also shocked to find out that we've only actually lost one so far!

Sutton is the kiddo most interested in the fish. Every morning and evening, she makes sure to spend a little time oohing and ahhing over them after feeding time.

Yard Work

Travis is all about the yard these days, however, he's leary to accept help without knowing exactly how qualified they might be. So, recently he put the girls to work to test their skills. Who knows, someday he might let them near the grass with their rakes?!?!

Happy and You Know It!

One of my favorite songs to sing with the kiddos is "If you're happy and you know it..." This is currently one of Sutton's go-to songs as she likes to clap her hands and stomp her feet.

This picture just makes me happy. And yes, I know that it's sideways, but it's 4:30 a.m., I'm headed out the door to San Diego and I needed a little "happy" as I leave for a business trip! Hope it makes you happy too.

Tootsie Pops

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? I imagine that you're wondering what this has to do with anything. I often ponder the same type of question, but mine has to do with photos of our girlies. How many photos does it take to get a good pic (two smiling faces looking in the same direction, etc.) of the girls together!?!?

We thought we'd see on Saturday before we headed to the fair... I'm posting them all and will let you decide. I'm still not sure how many photos it takes, but sure enjoy looking through them.