Gabe's First Night Home

What a night! I think Josh and I were both still in shock of becoming parents. Heck, it still hasn't sunk in and we have two children now! Will it ever sink in?!?

Bed Hog

Gabe was, and still is, a bed hog. I don't know how many times Josh and I have had to rotate him 90° so he's not taking up half of the bed!

Big Smile

Here Gabe was about three months old. What a happy boy he was and still is!

Born Fisherman

First time we had Gabe out fishing. Didn't catch much, but this one was definitely Gabe-sized! Gabe was five months old.

Bugs Baby

Gabe after one of his many baths wearing a cute Bugs Bunny towel (I don't think he cares for it all that much:). He's a little over 2 months old here.

Bulldog Gabe

Gabe had many funny facial expressions that kept us laughing. Here he is on his first day home wearing what we affectionately refer to as his "bulldog" expression.

Gabe and Bunny

Just a cute picture of Gabe and his stuffed bunny:) He's about eight months old.

Gabe's First Veggie

Gabe trying his first veggie - squash. He loves it now:)

Going Swimming

Josh and I are taking Gabe swimming for the first time at Tioga Beach in Grand Rapids.

Like Father, Like Son

Josh getting Gabe started early on honing his computer skills:) Gabe was about seven months old.

Pig Face

One of Gabe's many facial expressions. This one we refer as the "pig face".

Vikings Rule!

One of the youngest Vikings fans, Gabe sporting the purple and gold. He even has his own touchdown dance (which he hasn't been able to show off much these last couple years...).

Renaissance Boy

Josh and I love going to the ren fair. This big character was walking around one time and we convinced him to hold Gabe. He makes Gabe look soooo tiny!

Mini Gabe

We bought this little costume for Gabe at the ren fair. He's so cute!

Little Santa

Gabe's first Christmas, thought he would look cute in a Santa hat. He is:)

Battle Wound

I took this pic while Gabe was napping (and dreaming about boobie as indicated by the tongue:). Gabe was learning how to walk and did a face plant on the cement driveway. Poor Little Man!

Butt Shot

Gabe's cute little butt (future blackmail material:). He's about 13 months old.

Buzzing Gabe

The first year we took Gabe trick or treating in our neighborhood. Notice his little stinger:)

Gabe Helping Dad

While Josh was building one of many computers, Gabe wanted to help out. He's saying, "Yup! Everything looks good in here, Dad!"

Gabe Turns 1!

Gabe's first birthday party:)

Going For A Ride

Gabe going for a ride in Papa Skip's van. Those spots are calamine lotion on mosquito bites. He's about 14 months old.

Hello!

Gabe waving hello!

Holy Red Sweatshirts!

Christmas 2004

Messy Gabe

This was a common site when Gabe was first learning to eat solids. Fortunately, he's much better nowadays:) He's about nine months old.

Trouble

This is what happens when you turn your back for just a minute....Gabe's about 15 months old.

Up Close

Close-up of Gabe, what a cutie! He's about eight and a half months old.

Gabe Turns 2

Gabe enjoying a little cake and ice cream on his second birthday.

Gabe Loves Bubbles!

Gabe has always been a water baby and still loves water to this day! He loves bubbles, too (but who doesn't, right?).

Gabe and Daddy Share a Bath

Gabe was kind enough to allow Daddy to join him in his bath (and even let him play with a few bubbles, too!).

Angel

Doesn't Gabe look like a little angel here? Most of the time he is, then there are other times...

Captain Gabe

Gabe sitting in the captain's seat on our boat. Doesn't he look like a natural?

Gabe's First Bike

My brother, Scott, and his family bought Gabe this bicycle for his second birthday. Once Gabe learned how to pedal, he was zooming around!

Cute Little Michaela

Michaela was just a few days old here. She was a little jaundiced, but very cute:)

Holding Hands

I just love the way that Gabe is grasping her hand and she is looking at him as if to say, "I got the best big brother ever!".

Chest to Chest

Josh holding Michaela in the hospital her second night in this big world. She loves sleeping on his chest like this to this day.

Gabe Welcomes Michaela Home

First thing Gabe wanted to do was hold Michaela as soon as we stepped into the house.

Clean Michaela

Michaela after one of her baths.

Cool Chica

Michaela wearing Gabe's shades last Christmas.

Cowgirl Michaela

Michaela wearing my hat, what a doll!

Easter 2006

Just a picture of me and the kids on Easter.

Gabe Turns 3!

My, how fast they grow!

Elmo Gabe

Gabe in his Halloween costume. Scary, ain't he?

Family Vacation

Me and the kids on our family vacation to the Wisconsin Dells.

Going Home

Michaela ready to go home from the hospital.

It's Super Gabe!

Thanks to a cool present last Christmas, Gabe has an alternate identity, Super Gabe!!

Kissable Michaela

Looks like Michaela wants a kiss:) She is about 2 months old.

Look Out Below!

In November 2006 we went on a vacation for a few days to the Wisconsin Dells. We stayed at the Atlantis Hotel in one of their Neptune Suites and spent many an hour playing in their indoor water park and the jacuzzi in our room. This is Gabe coming off of one of the water slides in the park.

Looking Like Burt

Michaela went through a stage of sticking her tongue out a lot. My mom, dad and Grandma Helen said Burt Mickle always walked around in a similar fashion. That's our silly girl:)

Lumberjack Michaela

Michaela likes to dress up. One of the times we were at my parents' house, she saw my dad come in from working on wood wearing his hat and gloves. So, naturally, Michaela wanted to try them on:)

Meowing Michaela

Michaela's first Halloween. She makes a cute little kitten!

Michaela's Butt

We have one of Gabe's butt, so why not one of Michaela's butt:)

Michaela's First Bath

Michaela's first bath at home. Look at how tiny she is!

Mmmmm, Squash

Michaela trying her first veggies, squash.

Pig Face 2

Gabe doing his pig face now;)

Nature Girl

Michaela getting her first taste of grass. She's seven months old.

Fall Girl

While raking last fall, the kids loved playing with the leaves. Michaela was about eight months old.

Fall Guy

Gabe had a blast with all the leaves!

Pretty Baby

Michaela in her Easter dress. She's about two and a half months old.

Pretty In Pink

Michaela dressed all in pink, a cute little outfit my parents gave her.

Santa's Little Helper

Michaela's first Christmas Grammy Linda bought her this adorable little dress. She looks like the little elf that she is:)

Sharing a Bath

Michaela's taking after Gabe when it comes to water. I think she loves playing with it just as much as he does!

Silly Girl

Michaela looking very cute and very silly!

Sitting in Papa Calvin's Chair

Gabe and Michaela rocking in Papa's chair (Grammy Linda in there, too:).

Sleeping Michaela

Michaela catching some much-needed z's. She's about three weeks old.

Water Slide

Gabe climbing up the slide at the water park at the Atlantis Hotel in the Wisconsin Dells.

Wolf Feet

Gabe wearing the wolf slippers that Papa Skip gave him.

A Day with Thomas

This was taken at the train station the day we met Thomas the Tank Engine.

Awesome Big Brother

Gabe is a great big brother and gives rides to Michaela on his tractor.

Camping

We took the kids camping for the first time this year and they loved it! So, every now and then we set up the tent in the house and sleep in it:)

Cowboy Gabe

The kids just love my hat! Doesn't Gabe look like a natural:)

Enjoying A Summer Day

Michaela loves being outside. Gotta love warm summer days!

Fireman Gabe

Last summer the Minnesota Zoo sponsored a Child Safety Day. The Apple Valley Fire Department had one of their trucks there and Gabe was in heaven!

Fisherman Gabe

Last fall Gabe was practicing his casting. He's pretty adept at it now and ready for this year's opener!

Friends Next Door

We are very fortunate to have great neighbors across the street who happen to to have kids the same age as Gabe and Michaela. We play with them quite often:)

Gabe's Buddy Thomas

Gabe loves Thomas the Tank Engine! So, when Thomas was in Stillwater last summer, we brought Gabe to see him.

Halloween 2007

For Halloween Gabe was Elmo and Michaela was a Renaissance Princess.

Holding Hands

I just love this picture, they're in such close proximity and they aren't fighting:) Bill Cosby had it right when he said, "Parents aren't interested in justice, only peace". So, when Gabe and Michaela are getting along, we truly cherish the brief moments:)

Kids With Grandma Sherry

We always go up north for Christmas, so we always have Grandma Sherry over so the kids can see her. Here they are during her visit.

Little Red Wagon

One of our many activities in the summer is heading to the nearby play ground. The kids love riding in the wagon, so what better way to get there!

Look Out

For Gabe's third birthday, Papa Skip gave Gabe this really sweet John Deere tracker and trailer. Gabe has put many miles on that thing! I'm surprised that we have any grass left in the back yard!

Meeting Bob the Builder

One of the many trips to the Children's Museum introduced us to Bob and Pilchard.

Michaela Turns 1!

My, how the time flies! Michaela's first birthday came fast.

Riding With Papa

Papa just loves to spoil the kids. Go Papa, go!!

Water Boy

We love to go swimming at Fort Snelling State Park (even though the lake is populated with man-eating sunnies:).

Weeeeee Michaela

I don't know who loves water more, Gabe or Michaela. Michaela sure looks like she's enjoying herself:)

Easter 2008

Mom, Papa, Grandma Helen, Gabe and Michaela:)

Fall

Hard to believe, where'd the summer go?!?

Family Vacation: Wisconsin Dells

Last year we took a vacation to Wisconsin Dells. The kids had soooo much fun, we went again this year and stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge. We highly suggest this place if you want to take your kids somewhere that has lots to keep them happy:) They have an indoor water park, arts and crafts for the kids, indoor play place, game arcade, bedtime with Wiley Wolf, etc.

Four Generation (Stefani's Paternal Grandmother)

Finally got a four generation with both kids:) Included: Michaela, Papa Calvin, Grandma Helen, Stefani, and Gabriel.

Fun With Static Electricity

Looks like she stuck her finger in a light socket, but all she really did was rub her head against the tent (a few times:).

Michaela Turns 2!

Can you believe it, Michaela is two years old...where does the time go!

One More Easter Picture

This turned out to be a great shot of Grandma Linda, Papa Calvin, Gabe, and Michaela:)

Sleeping Angels

Our two little angels:)

Summer

Just some pics from a few of our summer excursions:)

Gathering At Mom and Dad's

Pictures of my immediate family taken at Mom and Dad's when Rita dropped off Patrick and Ricky for the summer. Just think, if it wasn't for MamaDoo and PapaDoo, all these people (besides them, of course) wouldn't exist...:)

Get Together As Billi's

Every summer Patrick and Ricky stay with my parents for a couple of months. When it's time to head back to Michigan, Rita drives to Minnesota and we all meet up at Auntie Billi's for some great food! Oh, and being together is fun, too:) Thanks to Billi for being an awesome auntie and letting us use her place and for feeding us:)

Grandpa Floyd, the Kids and I

Grandpa Floyd, Gabe, Stefani, and Michaela. I'm not sure, but I think Grandpa Floyd is my oldest living relative...someone correct me if I'm wrong, please:)

Hitch Hiker Thumbs

Grandpa Floyd always gets a kick at comparing out thumbs and seeing how they curve. Just a little giggle between he and I:)

Me and Grandpa Floyd

I got up to see my Grandpa Floyd this month. He lives up in Tower, Minnesota, so it's a long drive! He's my paternal grandfather and he's turning 97 this November!

Mickle Family Reunion

Been a few years since we had had one of these, so it was a nice surprise when my cousins Alissa, Tony and his wife Candy planned one. It was held at Tony and Candy's house in Superior, WI. Thank you for all the time and effort you put in to get us all together again:)

Costume Contest

The stable where Kyan calls home, the Triple S, has a fall fun day where they have all these horse and rider games (egg in spoon, red light-green light, musical stalls, barrel racing, etc.) and a horse and rider costume contest. Over the past couple years of going to the Renaissance Festival, I've been putting together a gypsy costume. So, why not make one for Ky...it's a work in progress:)

Horse Women

Here I am with my mom and aunt doing what we love - riding! The horses, at the time this picture was taken, belong to Auntie Billi June and are very sweet boys (not to mention beautiful!) :) Now, as you know, Kyan is my guy!

Kyan Pepper Head

Kyan head shot.

Kyan Pepper Left

Kyan left side.

Kyan Pepper Right

Right side of Kyan.

So It Begins

The first summer Billi and I rode together, she on her grey arab Solitaire (Soli) and me on Kyan.