Sheep, Sheep, Sheep, Sheep looking at me....

Gavin read us a bed-time story last night and it cracked us up. I raced for the camera! We are cracking up at how he holds the book, and of course the enthusiasm of his reading. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odnJ1RhtV0w

Bedtime

This video was from earlier this month but thought I would share it because it's so cute! Gavin wanted to hold London for bedtime stories. London loves these miniature picture books and was "reading" it to Gavin. On the page he has it opened to there is a horse on one page and a fire engine on the other. Notice London barking at the book, because that is what a horse says - right?! Like I said, this video was from earlier this month. He now has it figured out that a horse says neiiiigh, but so does a sheep.

Sportsmen

The boys love throwing balls, swinging a stick and apparently practicing wakeboarding on the couch! We captured them playing together in the living room over the weekend - London playing lacrosse (or just getting dizzy) and Gavin wakeboarding standing on a book on the couch (because the cushions bounce better than doing this fun sport on the floor).

In case you can't make out their words....London starts out saying "cheese" because that is what you do for a camera. And Gavin tells us that he is "wakeboarding to Daddy's boat".

Sold! To lucky number 7!

Most of you know we have had our house on the market for ~2 years. We put it on the market before we even got pregnant with London knowing that we wanted to start building a house on a lot that we purchased in a golf course community a few years ago. The past 2 years we have been through 3 realtors, millions of showings, open houses and foot-traffic through our house. Which also meant that our house had to be kept clean every day! That part was trying at times especially with two little boys and two full time jobs on the side. Aside from the painful moments, we also have a few funny stories; like the lady that wanted to bring her dog with her through the house as she previewed it. The kid who puked in the hallway during an openhouse. My pain pills from my c-section going missing. Me nursing London in the backseat of my car in the driveway during a few showing when I was on maternity leave. A realtor locking the neighbors cat in our house thinking he belonged IN OUR HOUSE. Oh the memories! ;)

Seriously, we do have very fond memories of our home. It's the only home Gavin and London have known. We will miss our little old house on Beverly. Which brings me to the subject line of this post. After 6 offers fell through, the 7th contract went through and we sold our house, closed last Friday 5/20 and moved into an apartment while we wait for the construction of our new house to be finished. We anticipate that we will be in our apartment through the end of the year and will probably be making a transition into our new house somewhere around the first of the year. Maybe we will ring in 2012 at xxxx Cxxxxx....we will cross our fingers. Our new permanent address is
xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx
Austin, Texas 78730
Please update your address books accordingly. We have a mailbox there and plan to just have our mail go to the new house rather than the apartment.

For those of you in Austin who want to find us, however, we are living at the Gables Westlake by the 360 Bridge and have a great pool. Come by for a dip this summer!

Best place to work - Austin

Scott's company, Bazaarvoice wins best place to work in Austin....again!
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/05/11/bazaarvoice-sailpoint-win-abj-best.html

Good clean fun after a good hard rain

Well treated Mommy

Yesterday was a fabulous Mother's Day! My boys spoiled me with pastries at Upper Crust Bakery following church, then a spa day complete with massage, facial and pedicure. Then we enjoyed splashing in the pool in the 100 degree heat in Austin. I couldn't ask for a better family or a better way to spend my day! I love you, Scott, Gavin & London!

Happy House

We are so thrilled that our plan to build on our lot in Riverplace is finally happening. We still haven't sold our current house, but we are moving ahead with the hopes it will sell at just the time we want to move out. We can only dream.....

So we closed on our new construction on 4/15 and the bulldozer was there to clear the lot right around Easter. We had a family picnic out at our lot that night so we could catch a glimpse of some heavy machinery. Unfortunately they did their work all in one day and took the bulldozer home with them, so we just picniced in the dust.

Today, however there was a BUNCH of dirt delivered to level out what will be the backyard. So Scott and the boys played hookie to go watch the dump trucks and have yet another picnic (breakfast this time) in the dust. THEY ALL LOVED IT!

 
Here is the mesmerized crew....

I am going to ask a guest blogger (Scott) to write a post with more details and more fun (if you are in to tractors) really soon. Stay tuned!

Playing

Sharing a video of each boy, just being a boy.

Gavin: Loves playing with his lacrosse sticks and throwing anything, not just balls. In this video he decides that a small beaver toy needs to be chucked across the living room.

London: Is starting to act like a boy and less like a baby. Here he pushes his tractor and makes a tractor sound with his lips. How do boys know how to do this? I had to learn at the age of 30+ to make this sound and apparently it comes naturally to boys at a very young age.

B-day and Baptism pics

Our February family pictures are posted at the link below. Pictures include London's birthday, the boys baptism and the boys stay with Nana T while we went skiing. Enjoy!

https://picasaweb.google.com/joslen.koester/2011_February_London_BDAY#

London's first steps

Leading up to London's birthday he was taking about 4 steps at a time, but preferred to crawl. The girls at day care would tell me he was taking more steps than that, but he had yet to prove it to his family. Last Tuesday following his one-year birthday he really started walking! I caught it on video as he was headed to the backyard (where all of the toys are). He was pretty determined to get there! Since then we have counted up to 35 steps at one time!! Go London!!

Skiing

Scott and I have been lucky enough to ski twice this year. I haven't been skiing since February 2008 before I was pregnant with Gavin, so it was a treat when Scott surprised me with a trip to Vail in February for a Valentine's treat. We only came away with one picture since we forgot the camera and we broke Scott's iphone camera on the slopes. This one Apres Ski picture is our only proof of Vail. (Thanks to Leelee and Poppy for staying with the boys!)

Vail:

This weekend we spent in Tahoe with Bazaarvoice (Scott's company). They had a retreat for the sales team and their spouses and Scott was lucky enough to be invited since he support the sales teams (doing product strategy and development for them). We had a great time! Thanks Bazaarvoice! Thanks Nana T for watching the boys this time.

We are so anxious to get home and see our sweet little boys!!

South Lake Tahoe:

Our sweet 1 year old!

We can't believe London turned 1 on Saturday! Leading up to his birthday he still seemed like a baby. But Scott and I agree, on his birthday and the days following he seems like he grew up! I guess that is what birthday will do to you. His personality has always been so delightful and fun, but it seems like a little spark was lit and he has been on fire! He started walking on Tuesday (up until then he was taking 4 or so steps but not taking off like he is now). I will post a video soon. But first things first. Here are a few of his bday pictures and his gift from Mommy & Daddy, a backyard splash table.

Happy (almost) Birthday, Sweet Baby London!!!!

London's b-day is tomorrow!!! I can't believe he is going to be one! But I really can't believe that it's been a year of not being pregnant! HA!

London received an early birthday present this morning. A new table to share with Gavin for all of their fine dining experiences.

He also wore a birthday outfit to school today and took treats to his teachers.

We love you London!

This weekend the boys will be Baptised

For those of you coming to Austin this weekend we hope you will join us on Sunday morning to witness our boys baptism. We will have brunch following church at 11:00-ish.

We are so happy you are all of part of Gavin and London's life!

Please join Joslen & Scott Koester
to witness the baptism of our sons
Gavin Brody
&
London Adler
Sunday, February 27, 2011
9:30am
Tarrytown United Methodist Church
Austin, Texas

Children are a heritage from the Lord
Psalms 127:3

London's First Haircut

London had has first haircut on Saturday. Even though he doesn't have much hair, the little that he has needed to be trimmed. The stylist even commented that we were there to get rid of the Donald Trump comb-over look! Ha!

Before:

Haircut in action:

Snow!!

Yeah, I know, it's been AWHILE! I can't believe I have abandoned our blog since early November. Well, I'm back, and I can't promise it's the last time to slip off the wagon....but it is a new years resolution to keep this little blog up-to-date and since it's February it's probably time to have those new years resolutions start kicking in!

We are experiencing winter in Austin! What fun! It snowed this morning and the boys went out to play in it. They both looked so cute all bundled up in layers, coats and mittens.

So the snow is the fun part! The not-so-fun part of the 20 degree temps is the frozen pipe under the kitchen sink! Thank God for husbands and hairdryers! Scott made his way into the crawl space and thawed out the pipe before it could burst. So all is good and warm in our household!

xo
joslen