Penrod's Play Pen: December 2009

Videos from Thanksgiving

Some cute videos from our visit in New Hampshire.

Tyler and Chase play with a box....

Kayleen's grandma dance and all the boys dancing....

Chase being a show off with Tyler. Not sure why it posted all grainy. Oh well.

Such Boys!

Thanksgiving in New Hampshire Part Two....

So we made our trek home on December 5th and man was that a LONG day! When I got to the airport in Boston they told me that my flight was delayed due to the weather (it had started to snow out there and there was bad rain and wind as well in some places). So they told me that I wouldn't have much time at all to catch my connecting flight. So I ended up getting transferred to another flight with a different airline. When I went to check into this flight, this also ended up being delayed and I would miss the connecting flight for that one as well. So we yet again got transferred to another flight that put us in Phoenix at about 9:30. When I finally was able to get onto this flight it actually left on time and I made the connecting flight with time to spare to get us dinner. The last flight was delayed about an hour while we were on the plane. They had to get the plane de-iced. We got really lucky with both of these flights though. They weren't very full and we had empty seats next to us. So Chase behaved a WHOLE lot better this time. AND he actually slept for about and hour and half because he was able to lay down on the seats next to us! Well, we didn't end up getting to Phoenix until almost 11pm which was 1am for us. Of course my luggage was lost. It ended up being on the second flight that I got transferred to. We stayed in a hotel that night and didn't get in until after midnight. We didn't end up getting to sleep until 1am (3am for us). Poor Chase (and me) was exhausted! Not a fun day at all! We spent the next day at Kylann's uncle's house and got home later that night. What a relief it was to sleep in my own bed and be home. Chase slept great too!

On to more pictures.....

My sister and I met up with one of my oldest friends, Mary while we were there. I've known her about 17 years. I wish we could have hung more while I was there. Mary's 7 year old daughter, Emma took the picture. Not bad for her age.

Emma and Mary Gordon

Playing with Grandpa Johnston. I think my dad looks like a little kid here. So cute!

Grandpa made popcorn and boy did they have fun eating it! Chase was scared of the popcorn machine though. It was kind of funny.

Oh the light switch. The kids fought over this a few times.

My mom had a brownie decorating kit so we let Tyler and Chase use it.

Chase didn't do much with the brownie, but for some reason he loved to eat the flavorless paint. Odd child.

Grandpa Johnston and Chase

I put my dad's headphones on him. He loved it!

My youngest brother, Kevin. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see him much while I was there.

Cute Lily looking out the window

One of his favorite things to do while we were there, take the ornaments off the tree.

He had a blast playing with Tyler's ride on toys.

Bath Time!

Poor Ezra didn't have much fun with all the splashing. I didn't get very good ones of him. :o(

Tyler had a blast dumping water on Chase

Videos to come....

Thanksgiving in New Hampshire...(long post)

So on November 19th, Chase and I made the LONG trip out to Merrimack, NH to visit my family. He was meeting his Grandpa Johnston, Uncle Jay, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Jamie, Aunt Kayleen and his cousins, Tyler, Lily and Ezra (plus extended family too) for the very first time. Plus Grandma Johnston hadn't seen him since he was a month old. It was a surprise for Grandpa and Aunt Kayleen so we were excited for that.

Let me tell you that I do NOT recommend traveling on an airplane with a "Chase" and being over 5 months pregnant! He was a HUGE handful and did not want to sit still at all! I don't blame the kid, but I would have at lease liked for him to stay occupied for an hour or so. The first flight out there wasn't so bad as it was shorter and we had some really nice flight attendants who took him for a little bit and let him roam around the aisle. Oh and he decided to take his only nap that day right as we were landing and of course woke up right away when I got him in the stroller. So the entire day he only got 10 minutes of sleep. The second flight was not fun at all!! We had a flight attendant who either had a stick up her rear-end or seriously did NOT like her job! As I took Chase to the restroom for a changing she told me that we could not be in the back area and we had to move. OK, first of all it's right by the restroom. Second of all, with the other people that were also waiting to use the restroom, where the heck were we suppose to go?! Then again at one point I had to let Chase walk up and down the aisle to keep him busy since he was so restless. The attendants were serving drinks at this time so he was only on one side of the aisle (not bothering them at all might I add). Well, Chase walked up behind this lovely little attendant and she gave him the dirtiest look! I was so mad! Then after a couple minutes she came down the aisle and said, "Honey, I'm gonna have to ask you to sit down. He can't be walking down the aisles." OK, but it's alright for adults to do it, the seat belt light was not on and it was alright on our first flight with the same airline, so what's the problem? Obviously this woman did not have kids and did not like them. I was just a bit bugged.

Anyways, when we got to my parents house I led Chase upstairs to my dad's room and let him walk in. My dad gave him a weird look and said, "Is that Chase?" Then I came in. He was so surprised and so happy to see us! It was great! When they picked Kayleen and Ezra up that Saturday, I had stayed home. So when they all gathered in the living room and Kayleen left the room for a few minutes I snuck in and sat down. When she came back in, she said, "Umm, hello!" She was totally surprised. It was so hard to keep it from them, but it was fun.

I didn't do a whole lot while I was there due to the fact that none of us had very much money. We did see a couple movies and one day we took the kids to Fun World. It's an arcade type place with a play area and some fun little rides and stuff. Chase didn't want to leave. Though you can't tell by the pictures.

Come on Chase! At least look at the camera.

He LOVED this firetruck! He went on it about 6 times!

He thought he was playing.

He was terrified of this ride the first time I put him on it.

He was clutching onto whatever was in front of him. I guess he thought he was going to fall or something.

Ty had a blast!

Oh and Santa (my dad) came to the house two days while I was there. I guess the kids were being good. Chase did great. It didn't really faze him at all actually. Lilly and Ezra were both terrified. Tyler did well too. He got on Santa's lap and showed him the "Toot, toots" (trains) that he wanted in an advertisement.

I think this is so cute.

An attempt to get all the cousins on Santa's lap.

Lily and Ezra did not like this one bit! LOL...poor kids.

Grandma comforting Lily from scary Santa.

A couple days before Thanksgiving, my Grandpa Kaiser came with his wife, Alice, along with Aunt Charlene, Uncle Richard, my cousin Sheri and her two kids, Hailey and Jared. It was so good to see them again! I wished I could have met up with them again while I was there.

Grandpa Kaiser and Alice

Mom, my niece Lily, my nephew Tyler and my cousin's son Jared. Jared had a blast with Tyler!

My brother Jay, Jared and my cousin's other kid Hailey. We ordered Billy's Pizza. Yum! Is that place good!

Aww! Siblings! My mom and Uncle Richard.

Sisters! My sister Kayleen and my sister in-law Jamie

I have so many pictures! I think I'm gonna have to make a couple of posts so you guys don't get too bored. Here are a few group shots of all the cousins.

So cute!! Tyler, Chase and Lily had to watch Grandpa as he was vacuuming. Look how skinny Chase's booty is compared to them. I swear, I do feed the kid!

All the cousins together! Chase Penrod, Tyler Johnston, Ezra Tressler and Lily Johnston.

We gave them all dum-dums to keep them sitting in one place. Worked for a little bit but then they got restless.

I got to spend my birthday out there with my family. And here is chase eating my birthday cake being a cheese! He very rarely does this so I'm glad I got these shots.