December Highlights

 December was a really busy month around here.

(Duh, was it NOT busy for anyone??)

Also, blogger decided that I had used up my picture space and I needed to "buy" more.

Which I didn't do and didn't have time to figure out.

But now for some reason, I can upload photos again?

I don't get it, but I'm not complaining.... 

Anyhow,

I am going to do some major overhauling to my blog.

It's kind of a New Year's Resolution.

I say kind of, because, well, if I don't get to it - life goes on. :)

Obviously, you can see I made some cosmetic changes.

Which has involved a lot of online research and even making minor HTML code changes.

Which is more than I was hoping to bite off as a New Year's Resolution....

Anyhow, 

I am hoping to change the name.

AND,

I am hoping to blog more than once a month.  :)

For now I am going to drop a photo bomb of some of our Christmas fun!

 Here goes!

 Chloe had her first preschool concert.

She sang very sweetly but pretty much refused to make eye contact with us the whole time! :)

But isn't she just cute as a button?

 Carter had his kindergarten concert.

He - on the other hand - very happily waved, and waved, and waved some more to me! :)

Very sweet.

The kids made their gingerbread house with Daddy.

Daddy happens to be the gingerbread house decorator extraordinaire around here.

 Christmas Eve Eve....right before church on Sunday.

 I love it when they all get along and act lovey toward each other.

 In the past month, Carter also lost his first two teeth - as you can see from the gap there!

 Chad takes the kids on a Christmas Eve morning hike every year.

This year's hike was cold and muddy - just the way they like it. :)

 Stopping for a snack break.

Traipsing through the woods.  Even Chloe is quite the hiker!

I love this tradition because I get a little peace and quiet to get some last minute things done!

 And here we are on Christmas Eve ready to go to church.

 Evidently we kept Carter up too late.  He passed out while watching the Charlie Brown Christmas show that night.

 The tree after Santa arrived.  ;)

 Kids with their stockings.

 For Chloe, this was a year of all things girly..... lots of princess stuff...

 

and lots of doll stuff.

And for Audrey, it was the year of Lego Friends stuff!

Carter continues to enjoy building things like Knex.

He got this perfect solar system shirt from his grandparents!

He received this globe from my parents....he also loves maps and geography and world landmarks.

Every  year I take the kids to the dollar store and have them pick out gifts for each other.

Carter picked these sour patch kids (candy) for Audrey.  It was a hit, and he was very proud of himself. :)

I love how on Christmas the kids are all best friends. 

They like each other most of the rest of the year, but on Christmas they just LOVE each other.

 I got a donut maker for Christmas.

I think it's great!

The kids were all excited and ate these donuts, but I think they were a little disappointed that they didn't taste just like Dunkin Donuts.

"Umm, kids, you kind of have to dump them in a vat of liquid lard and deep fry them for them to taste like Dunkin..."

A few days after Christmas we surprised the kids with a trip. 

First we took them to a hotel about an hour away that has an indoor waterpark and they swam and splashed and had a blast, and we spent the night.

Then we headed up to visit Chad's sister's family in Buffalo.  We had not planned on going this year, but a few weeks ago they invited us and we decided to go.  So glad we did.  It was a really fun and (don't take this personally Smith family)....a much more relaxing, less chaotic time.  That being said, we did miss the rest of the family!

 We decided to head to Niagara Falls in the midst of a 3-4 inch snowfall and trudge around and see the falls. 

 The foggy falls.

 Brrrrr, I'm cold just looking at these!

I was at Niagara Falls with Chad B.K. (Before Kids) on a nice spring day and it was a quite different experience.  Just a little.

2 families, 7 kids.  I think we've done our part in being fruitful and multiplying.

We came home in time for New Years Eve and our annual exciting trip to Chuck E. Cheese with our neighbors.  We know how to party here on our street!

Now it's  back to school and back to our routine.

After the past few weeks, I'm ready for it!