Sawadee

The Shabu in 4D

2012-02-09T11:04:00.001-05:00

Jeff and I took Kai with us today to get a 3D/4D Ultrasound of the Shabu. Kai was fascinated at first, asking what each picture was. The Shabu was a little uncooperative, keeping his hands in front of his face for much of the time. We did manage to see his little face and he looks so cute! He's got chubby cheeks and a double chin and his lips are full. Still can't say who's eyes he has but he did suck his fingers for us and stick out his tongue. Can't believe we still have 8 weeks to go before we get to meet him!

Tails and Roe

2012-02-06T22:48:00.001-05:00

We asked Kai what he wanted for dinner tonight: Sushi! He scarfed down his two crab stick sushi and ate the tails off of the fried shrimp rolls. He then asked, "what's that?" pointing to the fish roe. He then proceeded to scrape all the roe off of the rolls, saying "crunchy!" as he gobbled them down. I'm not sure if I should be horrified or proud!

31 Weeks!

2012-02-03T17:24:00.001-05:00

31 Weeks!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

I'm 31 weeks pregnant with the Shabu today and I think he's dropped a little this week. Feeling good still, only 9 weeks to go now!

Wonderful Day!

2012-01-26T13:57:00.001-05:00

Wonderful Day!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

I am having a wonderful day of prenatal pampering! Jeff treated me to a prenatal massage and facial at Seventh Wonder Day Spa, flowers and some super cute outfits for the Shabu. Now we're heading to the beach to meet Lisa and Jamison for lunch. What a great day!

Beach Park Playdate

2012-01-22T20:42:00.001-05:00

Kai and I met up with Vonn and his Mom for breakfast this morning at the Metro Diner. We then went to the Sunshine Park out near the beach. The boys had a great time playing in the sand box, slide and swings. Kai also discovered a cool standing chime station that played music. What a fun adventure!

Symbiosis

2012-01-20T20:22:00.001-05:00

Symbiosis
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Kai and Isla have a somewhat symbiotic relationship and here is a perfect example. I found him sitting on her back today, using her for a bench, while eating his snack. She was more than willing to tolerate it as long as she got all the popcorn he dropped. When the popcorn was gone, so was Kai's "bench."

Dr. Andy

2012-01-18T23:06:00.001-05:00

As you may or may not know, Kai has been battling a rash in his scalp and torso for about 6 months now. We have seen his pediatrician and a dermatologist twice without any resolution of symptoms. Then I found out about Dr. Andy Margolith, the semi-retired, nationally known pediatric dermatologist, who is here in Jacksonville. Dr. Andy now works a few days a month at the Health Department. Although it has taken almost a month, we finally got an appointment!
We saw Dr. Andy and he was awesome! He spent 45 minutes with us, examining Kai, taking skin and hair samples and explaining the diagnosis and treatment plan. He confirmed our diagnosis of eczema, refuting the other dermatologist's diagnosis of psoriasis (made without examining Kai's skin!)
I am overjoyed that we finally have a diagnosis and treatment plan, but I am even more proud of Kai! He was an awesome patient! He let Dr. Andy, his partner and two medical students examine him without a complaint. He answered their questions and let them take samples, cooperating wonderfully. He was such a big boy, I am just so proud of him! I really hope this treatment plan works so he can finally stop itching!

Sunshine Park

2012-01-16T22:39:00.000-05:00

We got Kai all ready to go to school this morning only to find out that there was no school today due to the MLK holiday. So we decided to go on a little adventure. We drove out to the beach and took Kai to the Sunshine Park, which he loves! He had a great time on the playground and then we walked along the fitness trail. What a beautiful day back in Florida!

Heading Home!

2012-01-15T15:27:00.001-05:00

Heading Home!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Back to Jax!

More Cousin Fun!

2012-01-14T21:55:00.001-05:00

Kai and Darien continued to have fun together today. Here are some pics from this evening...

The Princess

2012-01-14T21:50:00.001-05:00

Today Bill, Jane and Jen went to a memorial service for a longtime friend. Before they left, Kai saw Jen in her dress and he said, "Look, Aunt Jen's a princess!" Sweet boy ;)

Family Picture

2012-01-14T21:00:00.001-05:00

With most of the Owen-Gehring family here, we were able to get a family picture for the first time since 2010. Don't worry Chris, we'll photoshop you in! :)

Penguin Party

2012-01-14T20:54:00.001-05:00

Aunt Jen had a special matinee showing of her amazing slide show from her recent Antarctica trip for the boys this morning which culminated in a special gift: a stuffed penguin for each boy!
Tonight before bed when asked what was his favorite part of the day, Kai said, "I liked watching the penguins with Aunt Jen." He then proceeded to tell us what Jen had taught them earlier in the day: "penguins use their wings to swim" and "they slide on their booty in the snow" Well, he was certainly listening!

Fun with Aunt Jen

2012-01-13T23:31:00.001-05:00

Jeff's Step-sister, Jen arrived tonight from Michigan and the boys were thrilled! They immediately pulled her into their "Fort" to show her all their treasures. After dinner they had her doing somersaults for them and Jen managed to teach Kai to finally do one. They had a blast playing with her!
Later when I was putting Kai to bed, I asked him what was his favorite thing today and he replied enthusiastically, "Somersaults with Aunt Jen!"

Into the Woods

2012-01-13T23:14:00.001-05:00

After naptime today I went with the guys for a walk along one of the trails behind Bill and Jane's house. The boys loved riding in the sled and going on an adventure! We saw deer tracks, crossed a little bridge and even had to do a little trailblazing when we were unable to cross an area due to ice.

Hot Fire!

2012-01-13T23:12:00.001-05:00

Hot Fire!
Originally uploaded by jsgehring

The boys were in awe of the fire that Pops started tonight, and they wanted him to "start" it again when the flames got low.

7 Months!

2012-01-13T23:01:00.001-05:00

Today I'm 28 weeks pregnant with our little Shabu, marking the 7 month point and the start of the third trimester. It's flown by so fast, I can't believe we're heading into the home stretch. I'm feeling good, just losing some of my flexibility in reaching my feet. Here are a couple of pics, still need to post a pic of me crammed into my ski pants, Lol!

Last Lesson

2012-01-13T22:54:00.001-05:00

Today was Kai's last ski lesson, and he had a great time! Greg had him making turns around cones and holding a hula hoop out in front of him to keep Kai's arms forward. Kai made Greg play "Cars" with him with Kai pretending to be "Lightning McQueen" and Greg being "Mater" as they skied down the hill. After his lesson, Kai made a snowman with his Nonny. This has been a great experience for Kai and will hopefully tide him over until next year when we can all ski again!

Scary Drive

2012-01-12T22:39:00.001-05:00

We drove up to Gore this morning as the snow was still coming down. Unfortunately the roads were still icy making it a little nerve wracking. We made it up without difficulty, although very slowly. Luckily, everything had been plowed by the time we headed home!

Snow!

2012-01-12T22:35:00.001-05:00

It finally snowed here in Queensbury! We took the boys out to enjoy it this morning before heading off for Kai's ski lesson. They had a great time making snowballs, snow angels, and riding in the sled. Their Pops even built them a snowman. Look for a video montage soon!

Breakfast Show

2012-01-12T09:11:00.001-05:00

Breakfast Show
Originally uploaded by pegehring

We awoke to a blanket of snow! The boys are enjoying watching the snowplow in the street this morning during breakfast. Big Trucks!!!!

Walking Together

2012-01-11T22:29:00.001-05:00

Kai was excited to have his cousin Darien join him in the snow. Today was Darien's first time on skis and he did well learning to balance. Kai wanted to help, so walked along with Darien for encouragement. The plan is for both boys to take a lesson tomorrow, as long as the weather cooperates...

***Remember if you get this post in e-mail format, you must click on the "Sawadee" link at the bottom of the page to go to the blog directly to see the video***

Trucks

2012-01-11T21:57:00.001-05:00

The boys are continuing to have fun together. This evening they chased each other around on all fours pushing along their trucks

Ups and Downs

2012-01-11T21:55:00.001-05:00

Kai did a great job at his ski lesson today and even went up the J-lift with his Instructor 3 times and skied down. So after lunch we took him out for a couple more runs, but Kai had a little tumble on the last time down and scraped his chin. He was alright, got up and wanted to go ski again. That's my boy!

Reunion

2012-01-10T22:30:00.001-05:00

We were joined this evening by the West Coast Gehrings: Todd, Ladan and Darien. The boys were so excited to see each other and hit it off again. They played dinosaurs, trains, wrestled, built with blocks and colored together, all before bathtime, where the fun continued. Looking forward to some crazy snow fun tomorrow!

Snowman Starter

2012-01-10T15:30:00.001-05:00

Kai has been wanting to make a snowman for weeks now and even got his Nonny to give him a little carrot to use for the nose. So this morning before he would start his ski lesson, he insisted on making a snowman with his ski instructor. Kai then put the carrot on top!

Gore Skiing 2012

2012-01-09T23:26:00.000-05:00

Today was our first day back up at Gore Mountain, here in upstate New York. Although there is little snow in the general area, Gore has been hard at work making snow for skiing. Although I can't downhill ski this year, I am enjoying watching my Kai learn and have fun in the snow.

Here's another quick video of Kai and Jeff skiing together!

***Remember if you receive this in e-mail format, you must go to the blog directly to see the video. Click on the Sawadee video at the bottom of the page***

Ski Lesson Video

2012-01-09T23:15:00.002-05:00

As promised, here is a quick video of Kai's first ski lesson.

***Remember you must go to the blog to see the video! Click on the link at the bottom of the e-mail***

<br><br><br>***

First Lesson

2012-01-09T20:51:00.001-05:00

Today was Kai's first ski lesson up here at Gore Mountain. Although reluctant initially, he was soon sliding down the practice hill with his "elephant trunk." His Ski Instructor, Greg, was very patient and did a great job, even when Kai decided "let's make a snowman!" in between slides!
I'm putting together some video now...

Snow Adventure

2012-01-08T22:00:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Queensbury yesterday to find there isn't any snow! This is the first time we've been up here in winter when it's been this warm (30's) and there hasn't been much snowfall yet. So we went for a walk today on one of the local bike trails to find some snow for Kai. He loved exploring the area and scooping up little bits of snow and throwing snowballs at us. Kai had a great time leading the expedition, directing his Nonny & Pops to multiple of road explorations. There may not have been much snow, but what an adventure! :)

27 weeks with Shabu

2012-01-07T23:58:00.000-05:00

We are in NY today with the plan to have some winter fun. Petra is 27 weeks now with the Shabu. We will post lots of posts this week, so we hope you enjoy.

Riding' in Style!

2012-01-07T14:22:00.001-05:00

Riding' in Style!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Kai's enjoying the flight: DVD with headphones and snacks, nice!

Up and Away

2012-01-07T13:39:00.001-05:00

Up and Away
Originally uploaded by pegehring

I got a new phone yesterday since my old one wasn't working, so look out for a bunch of posts to come!

We're heading out again, flying out to upstate NY....here we go!

Dance Party

2012-01-03T16:25:00.000-05:00

I went to pick Kai up from school on the first day after the holiday break and they were having a dance party. Well, some were dancing, but Kai and his friends, Ethan, Aubry and Wyatt, were moshing! They would run and tackle each other laughing all the while. The other kids were just trying to stay out of the way! They were having such fun that it was hard to get Kai to go home.

New Year's Eve Party

2011-12-31T15:58:00.000-05:00

Kai went to his first New Year's party! Well, kinda. His friend, Vonn's birthday party was at the park today. Kai had a great time playing with his friend, Ethan (of "Baby Ethan" fame!) and eating pizza and cake. What a great way to end the year!

Cheers! Happy New Year!

Mixin'

2011-12-29T23:21:00.000-05:00

I have an awesome kitchen assistant! Look at the look of concentration as he mixes the blueberry pancake batter. Chefdom, perhaps?

Shaving

2011-12-29T22:38:00.000-05:00

Kai is really enjoying the new shaving kit he got for Christmas!

Holiday Swim

2011-12-27T23:15:00.000-05:00

Although school is out for the holidays, Kai still has swimming lessons. He's progressing nicely, really enjoying his time in the pool with Miss Melissa. We hope to get some videos up soon...

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

We've had a great Christmas! Mary Ann and Mike joined us for the day and after opening gifts, we enjoyed our traditional German dinner: Sauerbraten, Red Cabbage and Potato Dumplings. Mary Ann brought Londoner Schnitten, a German bar dessert, that was delicious! Thanks to all our family and friends for all the wonderful gifts and well wishes, we are truly grateful to be so blessed/lucky! Merry Christmas to all!

Our Bridge

2011-12-23T22:55:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite things about our neighborhood is that we live on a peninsula that can be reached by a lovely old drawbridge with great views of the city. Unfortunately the bridge has been under construction for months now, which we recently learned will continue until February. So on our recent play date with Vonn, we let the boys check out the bridge since no work is being done on it now (guess that's why it won't be ready until February!)

Mushroom

2011-12-23T02:52:00.001-05:00

Jeff and I were having lunch in the park with Kai the other day and were asking him what he thought we should name his little brother. We began making suggestions to see what his reaction was to each ridiculous choice:
Me: "How about peanut butter?"
Kai: "That's silly!"
Jeff: "How about Baba ghanoush?"
Kai: "No, that too silly!"
Jeff: "What about Chanterelle?"
Kai: "No, that's a mushroom!"
Huh?!?
Jeff and I were both shocked; he really listens to us! Maybe the dream of gourmet chef-dom could be a reality after all... :p

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Beach Park

2011-12-21T22:45:00.000-05:00

When Mom's away, the boys will play! Jeff took Kai on an adventure to find a playground in Jacksonville Beach that he had heard about. Kai had a great time and from the pics, I can see why!

Luminaria

2011-12-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

We got together with our friends again this year for the Luminaria, an event in our neighborhood where everyone lines their sidewalk/property with luminary bags. People rent flatbed trucks, horse drawn carriages, decorate their vans and trucks and parade down St. John's Avenue. There is music, Santas, people throwing candy and all the Avondale shops stay open. So we went to the Kiseljack's house for an appetizer party then walked down to the parade route. We had a great time, maybe next year we'll get a truck....

Do It Myself!

2011-12-18T12:10:00.001-05:00

Do It Myself!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

This morning Kai insisted on dressing himself. He told me, "I do it myself Mom. Go back to your room!" He was quiet in his room for a while then comes in beaming, "I told you I do it myself! I just need help to buckle up." He was right; shirt and jeans were on correctly, socks matched and shoes were on the right feet. Wow, now if he could just master the pooping on the potty, we'd be in business!

Isabel's Dance

2011-12-17T22:09:00.001-05:00

We went to the Florida Ballet's production of the Nutcracker tonight. Our neighbor, Isabel, was an angel in the performance and was wonderful! Kai got to stay up late and sat through the whole performance without a problem.
We waited after the show to see our little ballerina. Kai was so excited to see Isabel but turned shy when she came from backstage. We gave her his rose anyway ;)

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My Little Thai Boy

2011-12-17T14:49:00.001-05:00

We went to Tuptim Thai for lunch while out running a few errands. Kai ate his entire bowl of chicken and rice soup, a stuffed wonton, some of Jeff's Tom Kha Gai and my red curry chicken and rice. Then, he finished off his lunch by eating the carrot flower garnishes. Wow, I think he may loved Thai food as much as I do!

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Our First House

2011-12-17T14:42:00.001-05:00

We made our first attempt at a gingerbread house today. Jeff helped me with the structure and Kai had a great time decorating. We were channelling Ms. Ruth, who made amazing gingerbread houses each year at her bakery. Hope we made her proud!

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Baking Buddy

2011-12-17T14:22:00.001-05:00

Kai is my baking buddy this morning. He helped crush the peppermint and sprinkle it on top of the chocolate cookies. He's such a good helper!

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Choco-stache

2011-12-16T00:21:00.001-05:00

Kai had hot chocolate for the first time last night at Michelle's. However, tonight he requested it cold. So he got cold "hot chocolate" in his new Mickey Christmas cup. Let me just say Kai really enjoyed it but the end result was amusing...

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Escape from Bed

2011-12-14T23:36:00.001-05:00

I came home from my night shift this morning to a very quiet house. I crept up the stairs and found Kai still asleep, but not in his bed. He was lying on the hard wood floor in front of the door with his pillow, blankets, Flake and several books. Poor thing! Not sure why he was out of bed, but he was sure sleeping soundly!

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Swimming

2011-12-14T23:30:00.001-05:00

Kai had another great swim lesson yesterday. He loves wearing the goggles and using the "marshmallow" to practice kicking. He's doing a great job of putting his face in and floating on his back. We're so proud!
Hope to post some videos soon!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

23 Weeks

2011-12-09T23:48:00.000-05:00

23 Weeks
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Heading out to the UF-Jax EM Holiday Party with Jeff. Forgot to get a pic of us both though :(

A Run in the Park

2011-12-09T23:30:00.000-05:00

It was so nice out yesterday, we took a walk to Bettes Park near our house. Isla loved running around off leash and Kai loved chasing her!

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Blue Bamboo

2011-12-07T23:35:00.000-05:00

Jeff and I finally made it out to Blue Bamboo for date night. We had some tasty stuff: starters of Lettuce Wraps and Duck Wontons; entrees of Katsu Vietnamese Tra Fish and Shrimp and Scallop Stir Fry; and Thai Tea Cream Brûlée and Mandarin Orange cake for dessert!

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Chicken Nugget Playdate

2011-12-07T23:30:00.000-05:00

Kai and I went to Chick-Fil-A for a Playdate with Vonn and his Mom. Kai was too excited about playing to eat much. He climbed to the top of the indoor playground telling Vonn, "Come on Vonn, I'll hold your hand" when Vonn got too scared to go further. Too sweet!

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Dessert!

2011-12-06T19:29:00.001-05:00

Dessert!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

We went to Biscotti's for lunch before heading to work. Kai was mesmerized by the dessert case.....mmmmmmm!

Tree's Up!

2011-12-04T21:19:00.001-05:00

Tree's Up!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

After two attempts, finally got the lights and half the decorations on with only a few ornament casualties. We'll finish it up tomorrow while Kai's at school.

Seats Out

2011-12-04T21:03:00.001-05:00

Seats Out
Originally uploaded by pegehring

We took the middle seats out of the mini to allow us to haul the Christmas tree the other night. However when Kai and I got in the next morning to go for breakfast, he was distressed by the missing seats.
"Where my brother gonna sit? He needs to sit next to me!"
I assured Kai that by the time his brother comes, the seats will be back in. After all, we are procrastinators, but not that bad! ;)

Just Like Dad

2011-12-02T18:10:00.001-05:00

Just Like Dad
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Kai insisting on eating his beans and rice tonight "like a big boy!" Just like his Daddy

22 Weeks

2011-12-02T16:33:00.001-05:00

22 Weeks
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Despite pink eye and a cold, I'm finally sporting a baby belly!

Bacon

2011-12-02T00:56:00.001-05:00

I called home during my shift the other night to check on Jeff and Kai. Kai asks, "Where are you, Mom?
I answer, "I'm at work."
"Why are you at work?" he asks.
"I gotta bring home the bacon," I answer.
"We got bacon Mom, I saw it in the fridge. Come home!"

I guess that's what I get for using an euphemism with a 3 year old!

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An Out

2011-12-02T00:50:00.001-05:00

Kai and I were talking about his upcoming little brother and the conversation went like this:

Kai: "Mom, where's my brother?"
Mom: "In my belly, honey"
Kai: "He's in your belly?"
(I nod)
"How's he gonna get out?"
(he walks around me)
"Where's the door?"

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Eeeeeeeeeeek!

2011-11-25T22:06:00.001-05:00

Eeeeeeeeeeek!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Kai was sitting at his artist table tonight drawing. Here's his spider, pretty good, huh?

In the Middle

2011-11-25T19:45:00.001-05:00

In the Middle
Originally uploaded by pegehring

When I got home from work today my Mom, Joel and Leora were watching the LSU football game. Kai saw everyone sitting together and had to join in the fun, insisting on sitting between Unkie Joel and Gammy.

Happy Thanksgiving....

2011-11-24T14:56:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving....
Originally uploaded by pegehring

...From the Duran/Gehring feast!

Pre-Feast

2011-11-24T01:13:00.001-05:00

Today was another busy say here at the Gehring B&B. Jeff's Mom, Mary Ann, left to go back to Tallahassee and my family arrived to join us for Thanksgiving. So in preparation for the turkey day feast tomorrow, we all went out for sushi along with our friends Lisa and Jamison. We had a great time at dinner and had a lot of yummy sushi (4 platters to be exact!). On to the feast...

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T Ball

2011-11-24T01:07:00.001-05:00

We took Kai to Cortez Park down the street from our house today to use his new t ball set that he got for his birthday (thanks Lohrengels!). He loved hitting, fetching and throwing the ball. We had a fun time! We'll post some video soon...

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Savannah Sunshine

2011-11-20T23:23:00.000-05:00

We tested out our new SUmV (Sport Utility mini Van) with a road trip to Savannah. Kai and Mary Ann appeared to enjoy the sweet amenities of the back seat :) We had lunch in Forsyth Park and then enjoyed watching Kai play on the playground and ride his Scoot bike (thanks West Coast Gehrings!). It was a nice test of the new ride

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Zoo Party

2011-11-20T22:50:00.001-05:00

Kai had his first birthday party with friends at the Jacksonville Zoo. There was lunch, cake and ice cream and a visit from some special animal friends. We then went into the Zoo for a train ride. It turned out great and I think everyone had a great time! More pics to come soon...

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Road Trippin'

2011-11-20T12:57:00.001-05:00

Road Trippin'
Originally uploaded by pegehring

We are driving to Savannah, GA for a day trip. Kai is watching the Cars DVD in the back seat and Jeff and I are listening to the Jags game in the front via Bluetooth from my iPhone. Ahhhhhhhh, technology!

Happy Birthday!

2011-11-18T22:20:00.001-05:00

We had a great day today celebrating Petra and Kai's birthdays today. I think Petra was happy driving her present home.

My Phone

2011-11-18T14:42:00.001-05:00

So you all may have noticed a paucity of blog posts as of late. This was due to the fact that my iPhone has recently stopped letting me take or access any photos or use my blog program. This glitch has also affected the ringer/ vibrate function, causing the phone to annoyingly vibrate at random, day and night. After two visits to the Mac store without any luck, Jeff spent several hours working on it and it looks like it is finally working! We'll see if this lasts, but I am glad to say that I'm finally back up and running. Now to catch you all up on what we've been up to...

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Calling All Party Animals!

2011-11-10T17:45:00.001-05:00

Calling All Party Animals!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Kai's birthday is next week and we are planning on some fun with his friends at the Zoo. Wish you all were here in Jacksonville to join us!

Gourmet Meals

2011-11-09T23:40:00.001-05:00

While at the beach house with Bill and Jane, we were treated to some wonderful fresh seafood meals. Jane made Mussels with Wine Sauce last night and Fish Chowder with Potatoes and Bacon for dinner tonight. Delicious!!!

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Games with Pops

2011-11-09T23:36:00.001-05:00

Kai loves playing games on our iPhones. He recently figured out how to play Angry Birds and enjoyed showing it off to his Pops.

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Beach Fun

2011-11-09T23:34:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Fort Pierce just in time for Kai to spend some time at the beach with his Nonny. He had a great time!

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Test Drive

2011-11-09T23:32:00.001-05:00

Test Drive
Originally uploaded by pegehring

We needed to drive down to Fort Pierce for a quick visit with Nana and Poppop while Bill and Jane were down there. So Jeff had the idea of renting a minivan so we could test it out on a road trip. We rented a Toyota Siena as it is a close second compared to the Honda Odyssey. The two vehicles are very similar and Kai loved the large DVD screen. Jeff and I loved the wireless headphones so that we didn't have to hear the movie!

Reading

2011-11-07T20:48:00.001-05:00

When we picked up Kai from school today all the kids were inside due to the rain having some quiet time. They were all sitting around "reading" books. We found Kai and Ethan sitting on the little couch reading together.

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Rainy Day Fun

2011-11-07T20:40:00.001-05:00

Rainy Day Fun
Originally uploaded by pegehring

As my beloved Nissan Pathfinder is now over 10 years old, we have decided to replace it. With the new baby coming I wanted something roomy but safe. We were planning on looking at the Kia Sorento and the Honda Pilot today. The weather was miserable when we got to the Kia dealership, so just looked at the interior briefly and then left to get out of the rain. Luckily the Honda dealership has vehicles in their showroom, so we spent a little more time. Jeff suggested that we look at the Odyssey, the Honda minivan, as well. Although I was completely opposed, after looking at and then test driving both I must admit, I am a little intrigued. Any thoughts?

18 Weeks

2011-11-07T10:39:00.001-05:00

18 Weeks
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Still not much to look at, but I have been feeling the Shabu moving around for about a week or so now. We're going for our anatomy ultrasound later today, so wish us luck!

Just Like Pops

2011-11-03T23:34:00.001-04:00

We went for sushi last night and Kai enjoyed trying the different sushi rolls. He made us laugh in the end by picking out the fried shrimp from the roll ends and insisting on eating the whole piece, tail and all- just like his Pops. Kai's comment, "Mmmmmm! Crunchy!"

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Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T22:01:00.003-04:00

I know many of you are eagerly anticipating the costumes. So here we are with the dogs. Isla in her "Boo!" Ghost shirt and Schatzi in his pirate hat, complete with parrot.

Trick or Treat!

2011-10-31T21:55:00.000-04:00

We had a nice evening with the Smiths tonight. We went next door for pizza and then all headed out for trick or treating. Kai was funny, copying everything that Gabriel did. He kept up with Isabel and Gabe running from house to house and even used good manners thanking those who gave him candy. It was a fun night and Kai came home with quite the haul! Happy Halloween!

Halloween Parade

2011-10-31T10:07:00.001-04:00

Kai had his school Halloween parade today. He was a little nervous walking around so many people he didn't know, but managed a few "Ahoy"s and "Arrrrrgh"s by the end. After the parade we all went back to the classroom to change and play.

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School Picture

2011-10-29T18:03:00.001-04:00

School Picture
Originally uploaded by pegehring

I got Kai's school picture yesterday. When I looked at it, I immediately started laughing. His teacher, Mrs. Ludwig, says, "You could always do retakes." No, I think this is classic Kai!

Special Guest Lunch

2011-10-27T23:26:00.001-04:00

Kai was very excited as Nonny and Pops stopped in for a quick visit on their way down to South Florida. We had a delicious thai dinner with them at Taste of Thai last night. Then we all went out for lunch together after we picked Kai up from school. Kai had fun showing them his toys and dinosaur train while we waited for our pizza.

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Teamwork

2011-10-25T19:47:00.001-04:00

We worked as a team tonight to make our dinner. I made a Creamy Tomato Soup and Gruyere-Thyme Grilled Cheese sandwiches. Kai and Jeff made Halloween cat cookies for dessert. Yummy!

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Monday Night Football

2011-10-25T01:33:00.001-04:00

Although we were a little late since Jeff worked this evening, but we made it to the Jags vs. Ravens game for Monday Night Football. The game was fun, although frustrating at times. The halftime show was cool with fireworks and a laser light show. The best part was the win at the end if the night. Go Jags!!!

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Lasagna

2011-10-23T19:26:00.001-04:00

I was off today and was feeling very domestic. I did laundry, put away all our suitcases from the trip, cleaned the kitchen and straightened up. I then decided to make lasagna from scratch. I used a new recipe from Cooksillustrated.com and it came out delicious! Now to clean the kitchen again......

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Quick Soup

2011-10-22T21:14:00.001-04:00

Quick Soup
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Soup and salad were on the menu tonight at Casa Gehring. I made a new soup from Cooking Light's 20 Minute Recipes: Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp. It was so tasty that I forgot to take a pretty pic, so this is of my second bowl! Yummy!!!

www.myrecipes.com/recipe/bacon-corn-chowder-shrimp-504000...

Spooktacular

2011-10-21T23:39:00.001-04:00

Spooktacular
Originally uploaded by pegehring

We went to the Spooktacular at the Jacksonville Zoo tonight with Kai's friend Vonn and his parents. We tested out Kai's pirate costume and think it worked well! The kids had a great time, too!

15 Weeks

2011-10-19T06:34:00.001-04:00

15 Weeks
Originally uploaded by pegehring

The not-so-flattering-camping outfit, but here is the 15 week photo for the record!

Earrings

2011-10-18T00:21:00.001-04:00

Earrings
Originally uploaded by pegehring

Kai took my earrings off of the counter yesterday and put them on himself. Early Halloween?

Facial

2011-10-18T00:09:00.001-04:00

The other night before bed, Kai was playing with his stickers and decided that they would look best on Jeff. He insisted that they be put on in a very particular way, "Don't take 'em off Dada!" Jeff was very patient and even got some exfoliation with the sticker removal. Who knows, maybe Kai will open his own spa!

Made It On Board!

2011-10-17T16:10:00.001-04:00

Made It On Board!
Originally uploaded by pegehring

As you may or may not know, my wallet fell out of my purse Friday night while at dinner with Todd, Ladan and Darien in Berkley. We had to cancel all the credit cards, checks and lost a bunch of cash as I had just gone to the ATM. So then the concern was: how am I gonna fly?
Luckily I made it through security today and am happy to say that we are on our flight!

Road Trip

2011-10-15T02:59:00.001-04:00

We left our campsite early this morning with plans to drive to Mount Tamalpais in Marin County for a final hike. This area is beautiful and was the location of the Gehring pre-wedding hike that we made with Jeff's family. As we were driving we realized that we are both really sore, so made a change of plans. We headed over to Napa instead! Although not as exciting as usual since I can't drink, we still enjoyed a nice lunch at Fume' Bistro, one of our favorites. The have the best calamari: flash fried with a polenta and cornmeal crust with a spicy chipotle aioli for dipping. Kai loved it, too! We also enjoyed the heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad and a wood fired margarita pizza. Delicious!

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Our Reward

2011-10-15T02:48:00.001-04:00

Our Reward
Originally uploaded by pegehring

After our hike yesterday we went back to camp for a much needed shower. We then decided to reward ourselves with a dinner out! We went to the Restaurant at the Big Sur River Inn, which has deck seating along the river. It was lovely! We each had a burger and fries and relaxed listening to the sounds of the river.

The Big Hike

2011-10-15T02:43:00.001-04:00

So yesterday was our longest hike of the trip, 6.5 miles on the Tan Bark Trail. We had previously been doing 3-3.5 mile hikes, but felt adventurous as this particular hike was supposed to be really cool. We started at 600 ft of elevation and climbed to 2000 ft at the summit. The scenery for the hike up was beautiful: redwood trees next to a gurgling stream, with ocean views peaking out through the trees. It was amazing to see some of these trees that had charred outer bark, but were still thriving despite the fire. We made it to the top, to the "Tin House," a ruin of an old house destroyed by fire, where we enjoyed the view and had our lunch. The way down was much faster since it was along a fire road, but the grade was much steeper. We were then able to let Kai walk a bit since the trail was much wider, which he loved. The views here were also amazing: turquoise ocean and blue sky. The final mile of the loop took us along highway 1, probably not the safest, but definitely the flattest part of the hike! We made it back to the car, exhilarated, but exhausted.

This morning we are both sore all over, but still glad we made the hike. We had big plans to do another hike this morning, but I will think we'll take the day off and rest instead!

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S'Mores

2011-10-14T01:30:00.001-04:00

Each night after dinner we enjoy the fire a little and make S'Mores. Kai likes his a certain way, "Not smooshed Mom!" He wants the graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate separate on the plate uncooked. He then proceeds to eat each in turn. We we ask him why he doesn't want it warm he states, "It too messy!" Good enough!

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Secret Beach

2011-10-14T01:25:00.001-04:00

After lunch we took a drive to let Kai get a nap in and decided to look for Pfeiffer Beach, which can be tough to find as the entrance is hidden and unlabeled. We lucked out and found the entrance and when Kai woke from his nap, spent some time exploring this beautiful area. It is one of the few areas with a true beach here in Big Sur and it is known for it's unique Rick formations and the purple sand that stripes the beach. We last came here over five years ago with Isla and Othello before we moved to Florida.
Kai loved exploring and playing on the beach. Look for more pics when we get home ad Jeff took a bunch!

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