The Adventures of Marley and Jack

I Relent...

2009-06-17T17:40:00.001-07:00

Chronicles of Momnia is not exactly a great substitute for relatives, friends, etc.looking for updates on our family. Grandma just wants pictures!

And, so, I started a new blog on Tumblr that links to my Facebook. It's more soundbyte-y than the past two blogs I've done for the kids. But, with two kids, a blog, and a blossoming writing career (yippee!), it's what I got time for.

So, enjoy!

http://chroniclesofmomnia.tumblr.com/

A New Blogging Day

2009-05-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

So, as religious as I've been over the last four years of updating this blog, I think it is time to bid adieu. Well, sort of. You see, I've decided to taking my blogging life in a different direction. Since the end of last year, I've been writing all my thoughts, fears, frustrations, joys, and more on Chronicles of Momnia, which has a decidedly more realistic (sadistic?) spin on parenting a young family.

So, feel free to visit me, Travis and the kids there. Not as many "aren't we perfect" pictures, but I promise you'll be entertained.

xoxo

Forever and a Day...

2009-03-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

it has been way too long since i updated the marley and jack blog...excuses are a-plenty...trip to thailand, birthdays, other blogs, freelance jobs...i could go on.

i have some free time this morning (read: i don't feel like working) so i am getting down to business. the last time i updated the adventures of marley and jack was before the holidays. since then, we've had a trip to thailand, two birthdays, and of course cute moments galore.

so, let's start with christmas. it was jack's first christmas and we spared no expense. flailing economy? pshaw. we also managed to get out our annual christmas card, much to travis' chagrin. i still can't believe i got him to play along...

we started off the two-day holiday celebration with christmas eve dinner at our place.

christmas eve at our place...

then, we had early christmas morning with the kids. marley got a princess castle from santa and jack got some balls to throw around. (one-year-old boys are shockingly easy to please.)

christmas morning...

got balls!

we then moved on for present extravaganza #2 at grandma and grandpa's house later that morning.

yeah! more balls!

i'm not takin' these suckers off...ever.

we capped off the holiday with dinner at jeeka's with pops where we were greeted (and when i say, "greeted" i really mean "shocked") by a duo of stuffed animals. i used the term "stuffed animals" loosely because when you think of a stuffed animal, you typically think little cuddly stuffed bear -- not life-size animals you can ride.

just a girl and her...zebra...

every christmas i think there's no way the grandparents can outdo themselves and every year...they prove me wrong.

next up? a trip across the world...

Before Things Get Crazy...

2008-11-23T17:42:00.001-08:00

i thought I'd update the blog w/ some new fall pics before the craziness of the holiday season hits...

october we had halloween. marley -- inspired by our trip to colorado -- was an elk. i also had a mommy milestone this halloween -- making a costume for the first time. i mean actually sewing something with a needle and thread (even if it was just some fur fabric). marley wore that costume four times -- yes, i said four times -- in one month. we attended two halloween parades, had one halloween birthday party, and then went trick-or-treating.

jack's costume got lots of reaction. you can't dress a baby up like pancho villa and not expect reactions.

jack also has had some milestones this fall. the boy -- 10 months old now -- is worming. i'd like to say he's crawling, but he doesn't really get up on all fours. instead, he keeps his tummy to the ground while moving his arms and legs furiously forward. kind of like doing the doggie paddle on dry land. he has become quite efficient with his worming and we're wondering if he'll ever feel the need to crawl. he's also got six teeth now and is pulling himself up whenever he has a chance.

he says "mama" all the time -- especially when he really, really wants something. no "dada" yet, but it's no secret who's his favorite in the house. the minute travis walks in the room, no one else exists. this is actually a nice little switch for me since marley as a baby wanted no one except mommy.

he is a joyful, smiley little guy. really easy to make laugh. but, he's starting to get some spunk. marley's discovering she can't snatch toys away from him anymore...

speaking of marley...after a little adjustment period, she is loving her preschool class. she does apparently have one nemesis, though -- a little girl named sophie. sophie and marley got off to a rough start, apparently butting heads over space in a play tunnel. but, i'm happy to report, it looks like the two girls have resolved their differences and even shared a doll during the last class.

this is the face she makes when she talks about sophie.

marley also got involved in the 2008 presidential elections. she got an "i voted" sticker and even got to stay up late and watch returns.

hangin' with my party peeps...what you said history is unfolding before our eyes?

the past couple of months have also been filled with trips to museums, the zoo (taking an animal class with our buddies scott and mac), and birthday parties.

now we're just gearing up for the holidays AND our big trip to thailand. marley already has so many questions and is so excited about the plane (i think she is the only one excited about the plane).

but, it is football season and you can't really live in this house without getting into some 'skins. so, here marley is...showing the love.

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Rocky Mountain High

2008-10-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

just got back from an awesome trip out west. mommy got to re-live her grad school glory days, grandma got to see the rocky mountains for the first time, daddy got to catch a pretty decent-size trout...and that's just the adults!

the flight out was great. everyone was mellow and in good spirits. no serious meltdowns, i'm happy to report.

when we arrived, we immediately headed out to the mountains for a three-day stay in estes park. at 7,500 feet above sea level, we were all pretty much stunned by how inefficiently our bodies process oxygen at sea level. travis went for a run a couple of times and came back looking like a deflated balloon.

still, the rocky mountains are sweet, sweet, sweet. we fished, hiked, saw elk...

does holding these long sticks mean we're really roughin' it?

the gals

the guys

smores, smores, smores

who says i can't be a true fisherman with a barbie fishing pole?

we ended our trip with a two-day stay in denver for a wedding (mommy's friend kristy). we even got to eat at mom's favorite greasy spoon -- pete's kitchen!

and, i'm sticking in a wedding picture because kristy was such a beautiful bride!

more colorado pics here and here and here.

Fall is Here, Hear the Yell. Back to School, Ring the Bell...

2008-09-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

we felt the first nip of fall today...just cool enough to wear a jacket. marley has started school and jack has his first teeth (almost four).

we did have a blast of heat for our september visit to see thomas the train in the heart of dutch country. we got see and ride thomas in all his glory. picture hundreds -- no thousands -- of fanatical preschoolers clawing at each other for just a glimpse, a glance, a peek of their beloved...thomas!

so, i'm including a picture of thomas here for those of you who knew me when...it's a good gauge as to how far i've gone down the kiddie hole -- a complete free fall.

i am also including a picture of marley, myself and the one-and-only sir topham hat. he left us both speechless.

i repeat...speechless...

we also celebrated travis' 32nd birthday with an adult night out at our favorite sushi spot. but, then the next night we celebrated with the under-four crowd. marley decided that she wanted her daddy to be "king" for the day. and, what do kings wear? crowns of course.

a side note: marley has also mastered the scooter and her bike (with training wheels of course). go marley, go!

more thomas pics here.
more back-to-school & scootin' pics here.
next up? the rocky mountains!

Future Prom Date?

2008-09-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

this pic was too cute not to share...jack with joy's baby girl, parker.

Summer Lovin' Happened So Fast...

2008-08-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

summer always goes by too fast. we spent the last few weeks frolicking around the beach, hanging around the neighborhood, spending time with friends and family, and just enjoying the last moments of summer.

first up was a few days away at the beach with grandma and grandpa. what a great time to get away for a bit... mommy is starting a new chapter and leaving circle boutique after four years. back to writing and editing i go! sad to leave my little business, but even more excited for a.) freedom and b.) relief from stress. next on the agenda...really make a go of this freelance thing.

first, though, it's time for a little fun in the sun at the beach.

more beach pics here.

we also had jack washed of his original sin. we all got dressed up, went to church, partied with some holy water, and ate tons of food afterward.

"come on jeeks. let's get this show on the road."

"who's that guy holding me who looks like he's ready to throw down with the next churchgoer who crosses his path?"

we also got to sneak in a visit to the horses down the street from our house...nothing gets marley going like a little quality horse time. jack also loves a little nuzzle here and there.

jack had his first bike ride too. he didn't love the helmet, but his sweet sister gave him a shoulder to cry on...and he promptly passed out.

and, of course, some obligatory "aren't they adorable" shots of our two.

and, one last run through the sprinkler!

more pics here.

hope everyone had a great summer! next up...school, thomas the train in pennsylvania,
and colorado!

Friday Night Lights

2008-08-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

here's how we spend a typical friday night around these parts. my how times have changed! by the way, at the end there, in case you can't make it out, that is "One, two, three...mighty mouse!"

Hangin' Out

2008-07-15T19:16:00.001-07:00

summer is always a fun time to get together with friends. here marley is with a couple of her adorable school buddies, sara and lina.

Ocean City, Smocean City

2008-07-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

we spent a week in the outer banks, north carolina with travis' family, soaking up the sun (and wind), flying kites, riding boats, playing in the pool, and lounging, lounging, lounging. first, though, we tackled what was supposed to be a six-hour drive.

we left our house around 10 a.m...big mistake. everyone was on the road and everyone seemed to be headed to the outer banks. what was supposed to be a six-hour drive, turned into a grueling eight-hour exercise in maintaining one's sanity. jack and marley were great. marley chatted the whole time; jack slept much of it. travis and i were a different story. lucky for the kids, we managed to keep our temper tantrums under wraps. but, there was plenty of pouting to go around.

we finally got there and boy was it worth it! the house was four floors so each family got to have their own floor. marley had her own room with bunk beds! jack had his pack 'n play in the luxurious walk-in closet next to marley's room.

the beach was just over two sand dunes by our house. we got plenty of exercise hiking over those dunes!

the first day was a bit overcast and windy -- perfect for daddy to try his hand (again) at kite flying. we've had some issues with kites in the past, but travis is teaching marley a valuable lesson in perseverance and determination. and, we're so happy he stuck with it because this time, that baby went up...and stayed up! go daddy!

the beach was a blast. marley has gotten over her fear of ocean waves and was running straight for the water...without any hand-holding from mommy or daddy!

we even visited the cape hatteras lighthouse -- the largest lighthouse in the nation for all you lighthouse collectors. we were hoping to be able to go up with marley, but, alas, you have to be something like 42 inches tall. the ranger was nice enough to let us (with a very bummed-out three-year-old) go into the lighthouse entry so we could at least look up the stairwell.

next on the vollmerhausen activity agenda? boat time! the four of us spent some qt out on the water.

and, of course, what beach vacation would be complete without a family kayaking expedition? marley lost interest really quickly and the whining started. we tried to paddle and ignore it for a while, but it's really hard to ignore nails on a chalkboard. so, we abandoned ship and headed for nap time.

"poo! i want off!"

"yay! we're paddling back to shore!"

we also got some r&r by the pool and in/around mommy and daddy's bed.

"isn't this book just fantastic?"

we capped off our trip with some fourth of july fireworks. everyone else stayed in, but marley, travis and i ventured off to see some lights. let me just say there is nothing quite like watching fireworks sitting on a beach. marley even got into it and she's been known to freak out over fireworks.

all in all, the perfect family getaway. we didn't want to leave!

mommy and daddy looking just a leeeeetle rough in this self portrait, but i could just eat those two in the middle!
more outer banks pictures here and here.

Lazy Summer Days at the Pool

2008-06-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

we're officially in pool season and loving every minute of it.

jack is already loving the pool and marley starts her swim lessons next month.

next up...outer banks at the end of the month!

Memorial Day In OOOOOO.CEEEEE.M.D.

2008-06-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

jack got to partake in sand, sun, and water, ocean city-style this past memorial day weekend. we spent tons of time on the beach where marley and travis (mostly travis) set to work on digging a man-size hole for the kids to play in. as you can see in the picture above, they're having a blast -- especially jack.

note to self: infants do not like being dropped in large sandpit holes on the beach.

there was also a large pool of water that had gathered on the shore that people had made into some sort of makeshift river. marley kept wanting to play in the bacteria pond, which kept making me want to just rub anti-bacterial wipes all over her.

we also got in tons of quality family time just horsing around our place.

i can fly!

a tribute to daddy's favorite band.

we visited assateague and got to actually pet some of the wild horses the area is known for. and, for anyone who knows marley and her love of all things horses...this was a real treat.

the adventures didn't stop when we left ocean city either. on the way home, we found ourselves with...a flat tire. travis had just gotten a flat tire a couple of weeks ago and used the spare. so, no spare. but, on the bright side, we got to ride in a pickup truck, which marley loved.

it took us five hours to get home instead of the usual three. but, all's well that ends well.

more memorial day pics here.

Last Day of School

2008-06-05T19:42:00.001-07:00

what better way to spend your last day of school then with your favorite stuffed animal buddy? marley capped off her first year of school with a teddy bear parade. or, in her case, a stuffed kitty parade.

of course her proud parents (and grandma) were there to cheer her on!

the parade started off pretty subdued -- three-year-olds walking in a circle with their homemade shoebox "carriages" for their little buddies. then...guess who decides to take it up a notch? you guessed it. pretty soon, three-year-olds were running full-speed ahead in circles.

just keep your eye on the bright pink skirt.

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ultimate parent photo-op...too bad the lighting was a bit shady -- no pun intended.

Easter at the President's House

2008-06-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

jack and marley got to sport there finest duds for the white house easter egg roll this year. mommy's business partner, dinah, and her husband tony invited us to join them for the event.

first, they herded us into one of several large tents near the white house. when our group's turn came, we were shepherded to the white house where we encountered...craziness! we're talking cartoon characters everywhere, an easter egg roll, live iguanas, live giant porcupines and more! marley was taking it all in with a sort of "what the f'" look on her face. she did get a pic with curious george, though, which made her day.

jack had a blast too as you can see here.

and, we have a framed picture of our family in front of the white house, which we waited about 45 minutes in a line to take (yes, i said 45 minutes).

more easter pics here.

Mommy's Girl

2008-06-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

I'm Free!

2008-03-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

marley turned three ('free' to her) this past saturday, but the celebrating started the week before and continued on.

everything kicked off with a visit from pops who was going to be out of town for the big birthday bash. so, he stopped by for a special birthday visit the weekend before, bearing the coolest gifts of course. among the various gifts, marley and jack both got baseball gloves, which travis is already breaking in.

it then continued with special birthday animal cut-out cookies and juice at school on thursday and a special day with mommy on friday.

marley had her her done; we bought a new birthday party outfit; we got our picture taken with the easter bunny; and finally we met daddy for a special party-of-three birthday lunch at el mariachi. we ate marley's favorite -- black beans -- and the wait staff capped off the lunch by singing happy birthday.

the big event was saturday -- 15 kids losing their minds at our house. one of marley's favorite cartoons is dragon tales so we created a little dragon land party. kids were going nuts -- overtaking the bean bag toss, jumping on marley's new mini-trampoline, accosting the balloon twister, and holding hostage aunt jeeka who was running the hat-making corner.

needless to say, the party was a smashing success. marley spent most of the time camped out in the corner with aunt jeeka doing what she loves best -- coloring.

jack spent most of the party in and out of consciousness. he also got to hang with his new cousin riley who came to visit from new york city. here they are catching some much-needed zzzzzs after the festivities.

we had a blast, but decided this may be the last in-house birthday for a while. chuck e cheese anyone?

more birthday pics here.

Hittin' the Slopes

2008-03-19T19:08:00.001-07:00

marley had her first ski lesson a few weeks ago when we spent the weekend in deep creek. with her beaming parents looking on, she learned to maneuver in a circle in her skis, push off one ski, and even go down a small hill!

you're technically supposed to be three-and-a-half to hit the slopes. marley was just a few weeks shy of her third birthday and we figured, hey, she's tall for her age.

girlfriend rocked it out for about an hour before declaring that she was cold and had had enough.

jack slept the entire time in the bjorn, wrapped in about fifty layers.

we stayed at travis' old boss' beautiful house right on deep creek, which had a killer fire place. perfect for snuggling!

we also got in a few pretty sweet games of air hockey. and, mommy and daddy got to hang in the hot tub after the kiddies hit the sack! aaaaah, heaven...

it snowed on the way to the house and also part of the following day so the lake was completely covered. besides skiing, we got to have some fun snowball fights and make snow angels.

the last time travis and i stayed at the house was about five years ago. we brought a bunch of friends and spent the entire weekend playing drinking games and sleeping past noon. we just laugh about how these two little buggers have changed our lives and wonder what in the heck we did with all that free time?

more deep creek pics here.

Coming out of Hibernation

2008-03-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

it was a rough first six weeks for our new little guy. at five weeks, jack caught a bug and had a temperature of 101, which sent us to the emergency room and got us a hospital stay for two nights. luckily, all the tests (meningitis, flu, etc.) came back negative. just a cold that he'd have to work through.

then, after a couple of weeks of nonstop fussiness (out of character for that mellow baby we brought home from the hospital), he was diagnosed with reflux -- a very painful stomach condition common with babies. the pediatrician put him on baby antacid and immediately, we got our mellow, happy little guy back.

so, with all that drama out of the way, it was time to emerge from our st. andrews lane cocoon!the first step: have friends over.

marley enjoyed herself thoroughly with various pals over the last month: ella (friends mike & lauren visiting from chicago), mercedes and tonito (mommy's business partner and her kids), isaac and madeline (friends shira and dan), and, of course her best chloe o' gonzalez!

we're headed to the "zoo"!

hangin' with isaac and madeline.

marley & chloe: budding artists

aaaaaaah!

AAAAAAAAAH!

meanwhile, jack has been slowly emerging from his sleep marathon and treating us to smiles, coos, and even the start of a few giggles.

warning: the following video is recommended only for grandparents.

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next on the agenda? skiing at deep creek!

Mommy & Daddy's Bed is the Place to Be

2008-02-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

Hangin' out on Mommy and Daddy's bed before...

...bedtime!

Zzzzzzz....

My Baby Brother

2008-02-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

this one is from when jack was about two weeks old. marley loves her little brother. all she wants to do is hold, feed, kiss, and love him. i'm guessing the perpetual concerned look on jack's face stems from all this "loving." he's learned really quickly to flinch when he hears her coming his way.

when the two are in the same room, my job is to become a human fence -- blocking any potential jabs, pokes, "pats" (i use the term pat extremely loosely), etc. that big sis has for little brother.

how many times a day can i say "gently" to my three-year-old? we're working on at least 50.

more pics of the dynamic duo here.

Ice Princess

2008-02-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

amidst nonstop breastfeeding (mommy and jack), the grogginess of sleep deprivation (mommy and sometimes daddy), daily temper tantrums (marley, mommy, and daddy), and poopy diapers galore (jack), we hit up the local ice rink this weekend and marley got to try ice skating for the first time.

thanks to marley's best pal, chloe, for letting us borrow her skates!

the morning started off a little sketchy when daddy -- who hasn't hit the ice in about 20 years, but assured mommy he knew what he was doing -- went for a quick round by himself to acclimate himself. after watching him stumble around the ice in the most unstable fashion, he came back to scoop our toddler. against my better judgement, i let the two out onto the ice while i sat with jack and watched.

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mommy (who took ice skating lessons as a kid) ended up taking over for a little bit while daddy sat with jack.

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needless to say, marley loved ice skating and can't wait to go back. and, travis did get better after a few rounds too! jack also enjoyed himself -- sound asleep in his stroller the whole time.

more skating pics here.

One Month: Who's Who?

2008-02-02T13:51:00.001-08:00

i guess their clothes give it away!
jack vollmerhausen at one month -- 9 lbs, 8 oz and 23 inches
marley vollmerhausen at one month -- 8 lbs 10 oz and 21 3/4 inches

more one month pics of jack here.

Ringing in the New Year

2008-01-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

so, 90 percent of people's guesses on whether we were having a boy or girl were on the money...at 1:53 a.m. on january 1, 2008, jack denis vollmerhausen joined our family. he was the second baby born in 2008 in montgomery county. we even had the local paper come out and do a story on us. go jack!

check it out on the gazette website here.

he also came out making a statement of sorts. his hand was pressed up against the side top side of his head and what should be the first thing the doctor, travis, and nurses saw as he came out? ol' jack flippin' everyone the bird.

we spent one night in the hospital and they they let us out. we've been home for about a week-and-a-half now.

life with jack is chugging along nicely. we are amazed at what a different sort of baby we have this time around. as many of you know...marley came out of yelling her head off and proceeded to continue for about four months straight.

in fact, she's STILL telling us what is what!

anyhow jack mostly squeaks. when he does cry, it's only when he's hungry. he even smiles when we sing him twinkle, twinkle little star.

as for marley, she is loving her little brother and her new role as big sister. she wants nothing more than to hold him, feed him, hug him, and give him endless kisses.

check out more pics from jack's first week at home here.

happy 2008!