Top 11 of 2011

2011 was definitely not a boring year for us. We started big and ended with peace and joy. Here is a quick recap of our top 11 events

1. Matt turned the dirty 30!! Don't worry we celebrated with a sweet 80's party and big hair.
2. We celebrated Grandma Wanda's amazing 89 years of life. Her craziness is missed daily.
3. I accepted a promotion with T-Mobile, and 3 days later AT&T announced they would acquire our company.
4. We sold the majority of our furniture and things and ALL OF US moved to Seattle!!
5. Matt turned from a graphic designer to stay at home dad.
6. Isaac figured out potty training (beware he still struggles with aiming and focusing while peeing)
7. Took Isaac to his first Mariners game. The best part was a parade of the field, and watched the game in a suite. We were living the good life that day.
8. Isaac started preschool and continues to out smart us.
9. I won $2500 smackers playing BINGO!!
10. Matt was hired full time with the Bureau of Education and Research.
11. We realized that we no longer had to make plans on hopes and dreams of something to pan out. It is an amazing feeling to have security in our lives.

When I began this post I assumed I would struggle coming up with eleven things, but I have at least eleven more things I could include. We had a lot of time celebrating life with friends and family. This year has been one of the most fulfilling years. I have loved all of the unknowns and ending the year with an amazing future in sight.

May your 2012 bring you the joy and fulfillment our 2011 did for us.

Happy New Year!!

Kimmy

It's ok, You Can Be Jealous

I know I would be if I didn't get to hang out with these handsome guys.

Tis The Season

School

Early to bed

Preschool

Teacher Bree

Eager learner

Many new friends

Barn

Eat at snack time

Recess

Conversation with Ike:

What is your favorite thing about school? Eating snack

Who is your teacher? Miss Bree

What is your favorite indoor activity? Color

What is your favorite thing to learn? Counting

What did you like most about today? That I was the counter

Who is your best friend? I think Ryan is

He is learning tons and loving life. He usually informs us that his favorite part of the day was going outside, but we can not play on the swings. This is going to be a fun year learning with Ike.

Team Swine-O's

Saturday Matt and I with four other friends endured the Dirty Dash. Dirty: yes indeed you get dirty. Dash: Lies. All lies. There is no dash about it. Well except for the first five minutes when you are on adrenaline and excitement from the race. We scaled walls, tires, some weird metal object I assume is for farming, we went up hills, down hills, through tunnels, through mud puddles, pounded a beer , and last but not least bounced down the longest slip and slide I have ever seen. We had a blast. Our next race (October 1st) will include fire and capes. We can't wait. Anyone want to join us? Seattle Hell Run, check it out!

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince Said it Best

Summertime...

Seattle Life as we know it.

This blog was intended to keep friends and family up to date with all our doings, but I have been busy enjoying life with my husband full time and showing Ike the city. Seattle has my heart, and as great minds say "Home is where the heart is". So without further ado a glimpse into our house and home.

Can it be? Ike is 3!!

Things to remember and know about Ike:

• Total infatuation with Thomas and trains.
• Favorite food is quesadillas
• Favorite color is blue and black.
• Favorite animal is Frankystein.
• Loves to get a laugh out of you with rolling his eyes and making goofy faces.
• Will break out into fake hysterics over nothing while asking you isn't that funny?
• No longer wears diapers.
• Is never tired, just ask him.
• Frighteningly good memory.
• Squeezes your guts out with his hugs.
• Gives a great head butt.
• Loves to eat, but best of all loves to eat fruit and vegetables.
• Has a dang good vocabulary, and loves to learn.
• Pretty sure due to the fact that he loves to learn, is freakishly smart and enjoys vegetables he is not really our child.
• Has one of the biggest hearts in the world.
• Has no rhythm but loves to dance and sing.
• Is afraid of EVERYTHING.

Ike you are the coolest kid ever and we love you more than words can say. Happy Birthday Buddy!!

Guilty.

The past few weeks I have been one major Debbie Downer. I'm not going to lie there have been some lows the past few weeks, but I have had every chance in the world to remember all the good I have going on in my life. I have had the chance to spend some amazing days and nights with my friends and family, more snuggle time withe my Ike man and a light at the end of the tunnel for our move to Seattle. I woke up today realizing I'm trying to live life in the future instead of living and enjoying the present. So if you were impacted by my oh so wonderful mood the past few weeks I apologize and promise to make up for it with a humorous photo from my past. (Who can't laugh when they see someone with two broken arms?)

Things to look forward to this week: Baby shower with some amazing friends, runs with my favorite Pandora stations, girls night out, playing trains with Ike, and nightly phone calls with my main man.

Backseat driving.

Ike comes from a long line of backseat drivers and tonight only proves he has joined the ranks based on this conversation: "Oh now! Keep your eyes on the road or we will get hit by a car. If I get hit by a car I will cry" Thanks buddy I will be sure to keep us safe while we are out and about.

Deep thoughts

I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it.
Jack Handey

I'm pretty sure this past year has been one big joke that I don't understand. Here's hoping clarity and understanding will find the Tolman's sooner rather than later.

You know you have great friends when...

They continue to dance with you when you look like this and remind you to empty your bladder mid dance. I can't wait for the next Pellman night out!

It only took a year.

A year ago I was determined to run a half marathon, and after many thoughts, ideas, and attempts I finally completed that goal. I was poor at training and when I mean poor the most I ran was 6 miles, and that was about once and after that I was inconsistent with any sort of training. I had many excuses not to do it, but I had some great friends who believed I could and held me to it. The best message and motivation was from Sara Redhead with "You are a strong committed woman who will kick this race in the balls. Go Kimmy!" Well City of Trees I kicked you in the balls!! Thank you Team Truffle Shuffle for your help encouragement and persistence to get me out there.

Dirty Dash

September 18th is Idaho's first mud run, and I can't wait to participate. Who would want to pass up the chance to run 6.2 miles in mud while on lookers throw water balloons at you? So when you see me on 9/18 I will look something like this...

Stickers

Ike sure does love stickers.

Happy Father's day

Matt you deserve a medal for all that you do for your boy and I. We appreciate all that you do for us and I know it is killing you to be away. Thank you for being the best dad a son could ask for and the best husband a gal could ask for.

It's been a while.

Well it has been a long time since my last post and hopes are I will be better about keeping this thing up to date. So to fill you in on the past 9 months of our lives. July = Quick trip to Utah for the 4th where we watched a Baseball game, fireworks, hit the zoo, and relaxed with great friends. August = Hells Canyon backpacking trip. We had planned a 5 day trip with 27 mile round trip total but due to the weather it turned into a total of 30 hours and 17 miles total. It went from sun and wind to down pour rains and wind followed by my face blistering into a disaster. Still had a great time with the Garrison's and the Russell's. September = 6 years of marriage celebrated at the Jason Mraz concert. Wow six years! October = Yet another move. Well kind of. Matt was offered a contract job with Nordstrom again and we decided to take advantage of the opportunity and worked out a deal with Mike and Heath to let Matt stay with them. The 3 month contract has turned into a 9 month contract and a lot of flights back and forth to Seattle. I'm not complaining about the time in Seattle, but being a single mom and hearing Matt's sad voice when he talks to Ike is a killer. Thank god for our awesome family that has helped out in so many ways to make this all possible. Fingers crossed we will have an idea of moving or not this summer. November = Thanksgiving and lots of food. December = Christmas with lots of family and friends. The highlight being the midnight bike ride through the neighborhood with Jess and Jackie. I love how the holidays bring out the kid in everyone. January = another year older for Matt and an adult weekend for Matt and I in Seattle. We finally made it to the EMP and Scifi museum. Matt was amazed with all the cool junk and I was just happy to be there to celebrate with him. February = Just a boring winter month. March = Another year older for me and another great weekend with my boys. I can't forget March was the month of illness for Ike and I. Flu, colds, ear infections, and bronchitis. That is a summary of the past nineish months. As for April it is starting off the right way Matt and I get a whole week together first him in Boise than all of us in Seattle for a little bit of time. I'm hoping I will be able to keep up on blogging more and use this as I get out and take more photos with my new camera. So keep checking back.

New hobby helps me get Seattle bound!!

The other day I was re-informed by a coworker that I needed to find a hobby. I completely agreed that I needed to find something other than work to focus on. So today with a trek to the new library I found my new hobby. I'm going to train for and run a half marathon within the next few months, and a full marathon within the year. I have never run a competitive race. I have always been a good runner just used it for the purposes of soccer, but now I'm going to put myself to the ultimate test train and run a marathon. So the training begins July 19th with race day 20 weeks away on November 29th. The best part is I get to race through downtown Seatown. I'm really excited for this race and can't wait to push myself and feel the joys of competing in a sport again. I also want to compete next June in the rock and roll marathon in Seattle where they have bands at every mile marker. Man this is going to be a great hobby. I realize it is not going to be easy and I will have to push myself like never before, but if I do this I get a trip to Seattle so its a great incentive to make it happen. Wish me luck and I will keep everyone updated on my progress.

Isaac survived his first year (and so did I)

I can't believe it but Ike turned one a week ago. I can't believe how much he has grown and how quick the year went by. I spent time today going through his clothes and cleaning out his closet and it was amazing to see how small his onsies once were and to remember how calm he once was. He is walking and if he could have ran first he would have. He is so smart and figures things out quickly. He has figured out that the dog door is a great resource of freedom, and the stairs are a blast to play on. He is starting to talk and I realize more and more I have to watch what I say. We do need to teach him how to be gentle, and can be a little aggressive with other kids. The other day at the doctors office he attacked a couple kids to give them hugs but due to the aggressive nature he ended up pushing them down. The kids were sadly much older than Ike so I think I might have raised a bully. A bully that gives frighteningly aggressive hugs and kisses. I will display a video of Ike on attack and you all will understand. Plus who can leave out pictures of him destroying his cake.

Some cute ones of Ike

Here are some latest pix of Ike. He is 9 months and counting, I can't believe he is that old already. The crazy kid is a crawling fool and I think he will be walking in no time. He already walks along the furniture and lunges from coach to whatever is near. He loves going up the stairs and then diving headfirst to the bottom. He has discovered how a dog door works and lets just say what could have turned out a disaster some how was just a great adventure for Ike. I unfortunatly didn't get a picture of his adventure to the great outdoors. You forget to snap those things when your child is sitting on the frozen patio after escaping the warm indoors. The other thing he loves is to attack the camera whenever it comes out so the majority of the pictures are close ups and contain drool. Just one of those things only a mother can love and will spare sharing the real drooly pictures. 

We had our friends Patti and Issaia come visit us from Seattle this past weekend and we had a freaking blast. We had a chance to go out to dinner just adults and let me just say that was much needed. We also had fun tubing up in Garden Valley, ID and that was a ton of fun. Patti and I were a bit nervous at first but soon realized that the 6 inches of mud in the parking lot was avoidable with a little quick move in the parking lot, the inbred sleeveless worker wasn't as scary as he looked, and the slopes weren't as brutal as they looked. Well the Uggs didn't make it, we were very soar the next day, and Matt of course hurt something, was the hero of the day, and has some cougar that would do him in a heartbeat. It is hard to beat tubing and beers, but later that night was a great game of Apples to Apples, drinks, cigars, and Sex and the City movie. It was a great weekend and can't wait until they come back for their next visit. Here are some pix from our fun weekend.