Happy HOHOHOlidays!

What a wonderful Christmas we had!! Our Christmas celebration started, as usual, with the beautiful Christmas Pageant at our church. This year we were joined by my brother Mike, sister-in-law Lindsay, and nephew Marek from Colorado...a special treat!! Another treat was that Alix was an acolyte in the pageant...otherwise known as a candle carrier. Marek said it best when he said, "Awix, you did a willy willy good job in the pageant". And that she did...she carried that candle like a pro. After the pageant we all trudged through the snow to gammy and gampy's house. The whole gang assembled to eat, drink and be merry. It was a new experience for us...more than one child in our midst. A lot of commotion. I don't know what people with lots of kids do...have a headache maybe?!?! It was a joy to see the kids faces as they opened each present. Anna's favorite seemed to be her baby doll that reall moved and cooed. Alix didn't get too many big gifts...they were all awaiting her arrival on Christmas. Once the kids went to bed the adults got to play the dice game/number game/no rules game. Lots of fun gifts were in the pile--everything from a pineapple cutter to a underwear!! It's amazing what you can buy for $15 ;) WE all went home tired, and full, and happy. It was, as always, a truly magnificent Christmas Eve!!

Christmas Day brought stockings and Santa gifts...Alix finally got something fun (Wii and Rockband 2) and we went crazy rockin' out when the family came over for brunch. It was a lazy morning of family and fun (not without a few tears and a little hollering, but that's a different story for another day)...and we couldn't have asked for a better way to start off Christmas Day. Later that day Alix left us :( to go to her dad's house, and we took a nap before heading to the Penz side of the family. There we had an delicious meal, good conversation, and a dog fight. Do not worry, no dogs were harmed in this tale ;) Every Christmas needs a little excitement and we got ours. It didn't overshadow the wonderful day spent enjoying family though!! We always feel so blessed when we can share holidays with all parts of our family.


Christmas Day Fun

Anna playing with her new top...it makes her giggle EVERY time you spin it!


Grandpa Ed and Anna looking at all the fun captured on film


Steve and the girls on Christmas Eve


Everyone gets a turn...this time it's mom and the girls


nana (great grandma) and her great grand kiddos


Gammy and Alix


Alix and Marek getting ready to open a gift...Alix loves her little buddy!



Anna and her sit and spin...she decided she wanted to play with all her toys while she sit and spinned


Anna all dressed up and ready to go celebrate Christmas Eve!!


YUMMY! Let me at it!


Anna and her "real" baby


Auntie Lynn and Katy sittin' back and enjoying the night



Christmas Morning
Eating some brunch on a lazy Christmas Morning



Alix and Marek rockin' the drums


Trying to get a stocking picture...Anna wanted none of it, but Alix held tight ;)


Alix on Christmas morning...waiting patiently to open gifts


Our Family Rockband...we ROCK!

Razzle Hollidazzle

We took Anna to her first Hollidazzle parade this past Thursday. We have tried to go every year for the past few and find it a "fun" family tradition to carry on. Sometimes our "fun" includes tears over wearing fluffy snowpants that are just not cool, other years it includes the fun of peering over 5 rows of other on-lookers because the weather is so nice and we are late, and some years (as in this year) it includs a 1.5 year old who does not like to sit still, had a short nap, and was up past her bedtime. We arrived on time...despite a disagreement in the car about which way to take. We found spots right up front, on the curb, and spread out our blanket to sit on. We let Anna wander around the street (don't worry, it is closed off) while Steve and Alix went inside to get us some hot coffee/chocolate treats. All seemed to be going well. Then...the parade started. Seems like that should be where the excitement really begins. But for Anna, it was where the excitement ended. She did not want to sit still...she writhed, squirmed, squealed (not with delight)with all her might trying to get free. When she didn't get her freedom the tears started. Luckily, just at this point along came the lights...she froze...and stared...and with open mouth quietly watched the float. Until there was a break before the next float. Then she started to squirm, squeal, make a run for it again. Then more lights...awe, quiet, and open mouth. Then break...squeal, writhe, cry. And repeat 10 or so more times. Good "fun" times that we'll remember for a lifetime. I'd show you all pictures of it, but unfortunately to add to our fun the camera was out of battery so all we have are fuzzy, dark pictures from Steve's camera. Enjoy...

HoHOHo

Anna had her second visit of her short life to Santa this past weekend. Last year she smiled away. This year she was not a fan of the big hairy man in the silly suit...no matter how hard he tried to entice her with his bells and belly laugh. After a while of eyeing him from a distance, and holding on to mommy and daddy with a death grip, she would finally get close enough...with daddy (the elf) to sit next to santa so we could grab a quick photo. I think deep down she really wanted to love him, you can almost see a smile on her face ;)

Long Time No See

I have lots of excuses, but little time, so I'll just promise to be better from now on and get on to business. A LOT has happened since I last blogged--namely Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Nana's 95th birthday. On top of that we have also started getting ready for Christmas...which is right around the bend. Here are some wonderful pictures to start you off...everything was so long ago that I'm not sure I can even remember what to say about it all, so captions will have to suffice. We'll work ourselves backward...

Our annual girls cookie baking madness. OK, it wasn't really madness since most of us cooked ahead of time, but it sure was fun. Here are some cute shots of the kids and ladies.








What was suppose to be our annual go out and cut down our own tree adventure turned into our go to the tree farm, be told that the cut your own is closed, and then pick one out of the lot adventure...not quite the same, but It actually worked out pretty well, since as you can from Alix's red nose she was not feeling well. Luckily we found about the most perfect tree that you can imagine. It's a siberian fir and smells wonderfully fragrant and a little bit citrusy. Later that night we ate some pizza and decorated the tree. AS you can see in the last picture it was all capped off by an Anna meltdown...




















Thanksgiving at Gammy's...oh, so yummy!



Nana turned 95 and had a grand party with all her friends and family. She enjoyed sharing memories and connecting with those she loves. It was a great day!







Pumpkin carving and Halloween...what is there to say?! Alix enjoyed going to a Halloween party as a Hippie with her new Middle School friends while Anna, a pumpkin, settled for a trip around the neighborhod with her Daddy.






This is Anna all bundled up and ready to go running with MOmmy and Daddy.



Basketball in her future?! If Auntie Amy has anything to say about it.



Just pure cuteness...if I do say so myself ;)