Sweet Snuggles

Here's the precious little bundle who rode along this morning while I did laundry, worked on grades and lesson plans, and fixed and ate lunch.

A Year of Blogs

Here are the first posts of each month of this year.

January - Happy New Year - Hanging out with Dave's parents who were here to visit

February - Date Night - A fun night out

March - Snow, Southern Style - Building a snowman with a daffodil for a nose

April - In a Baking Mood - Making English muffins and cheesecake squares

May - For Your Viewing Pleasure - Random pictures of the kids and Dave

June - Home Again - Home from our trip to Tampa to visit Phillip

July - Blogging Live From My New Laptop - Finally got a new laptop after mine died

August - Home Again - Home from our trip to Canada to visit Dave's parents

September - Duet - Caleb drumming while Dave plays piano

October - Look Familiar? - Alexa wearing an outfit my mom made for me when I was little

November - Menu Plan Monday and Other Stuff - Weekly menu plan (duh), a Publix trip, and slamming my finger in the van door

December - Fun and Not So Fun - Little People nativity scene and a flooded backyard

Christmas is Finally Over

Dave's parents arrived from Canada on Tuesday, and we opened Christmas presents with them yesterday. We opened presents with Uncle Phillip on Thanksgiving days, and my kids have opened presents roughly 78 times since then. But, Christmas 2009 is finally over; we just need to take the tree down. Here are some pictures of our final celebration.

3 weeks and 2 1/2

Jordanna is three weeks old today, and Alexa was 2 1/2 yesterday.

Christmas Day Fun

We normally open presents at our house on Christmas morning and then head to my parents' for round two of presents and Christmas dinner. A few years we have even spent the night at their house. But this year, I offered to have Christmas dinner here since my mom had already hosted two big family Christmas parties. We got up and opened presents in the morning, just finishing before my parents arrived. We feasted on bacon quiche, homemade cinnamon rolls and fruit for breakfast. Then we opened presents from my parents and played for awhile before we had chicken lasagna, Caesar salad, bread, and cheesecake for lunch. Once my parents left, Alexa, Jordanna and I were able to get a good afternoon nap. It was a great day!

Alexa's new tea set. Jordanna hanging out with Mommy.
Caleb's doctor kit.
Alexa's princess markers.
Playing with some of their new stuff while Mommy works on breakfast.
Opening their BIG present from Grammy and Gramps

The aftermath.
Caleb playing with his new cartridge game.
Bouncing on the trampoline.

My Three Monkeys

Christmas Eve

We went to my parents' house today for lunch with my dad's side of the family. I forgot to take the camera, but I did get some pictures of the presents the kids got once we got home. My great-aunt brought the kids hats from her recent trip to China. My Aunt Susan and Uncle Paul got them monogrammed backpacks, which are SO cute. Here they are modeling their new jammies and their presents. Alexa is also holding her new Dora tennis shoes that came in the mail today.

My Aunt Jennie and Uncle Rick got the kids playdough, which is always a hit.
And here's our tree with all the presents waiting to be opened tomorrow.
And all 5 stockings for our first Christmas as a family of 5.

Christmas Fun

We have a Christmas tradition of getting the kids new jammies, which they get to open on Christmas Eve. This year they all got matching red monkey pajamas. I let them open them this morning so that I could wash them in a load by themselves today.


Generally, I put Christmas presents under the tree as I wrap them. But I didn't feel like listening to Caleb ask me if it was time to open presents yet every ten minutes for the last month. So the presents stayed upstairs in my closet this year. The kids helped me bring them down this morning.

My Favorite Little Stinker

I was working in the kitchen yesterday while Alexa played quietly in the sunroom (which I can see from the kitchen). Or so I thought. Until Caleb came running in to tell me that Alexa broke my computer. And he was right. She was in the process of removing several keys from the keyboard of my laptop. Suffice it say, I don't think she will ever try that again. Fortunately Dave was able to get all the keys back on, and my laptop is in working order again.

Beautiful Baby Girl

Merry Christmas...

...from our family to yours.