New Year's Eve

Getting ready to toast to 2011 with the Strandbergs. We managed to sneak the girls to bed!
Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo.

The kids goofing off. They are all livid right now because they are starving and we made them pose for another picture.

One of my New Year's resolutions was to be more timely with my blogging. Hmmmmm.... it is Feb. 9th and I am just now posting new Year's Eve. I just don't think it is going to happen.

New Year's Eve was spent with our friends, the Strandberg's from Copley. It was unseasonably warm so we visited Wildlights at the zoo. The adults enjoyed it and the kids complained (well at least our kids did) about being hungry the whole time. So we skipped out early, headed to City BBQ for dinner, and then back to our house for games. The kids had a great time acting crazy while the adults could hardly keep our eyes open for Ryan Seacrest to ring in the New Year. I have never liked New Year's Eve very much. It was nice when the kids were younger and didn't know what it meant to be able to stay up until midnight. We could celebrate at ten and be done. Those days are long gone.

Christmas 2010

Taking the dog for a Christmas Day walk.
All cozy and watching the Sound of Music - BEST movie on Earth!!

The 3 layer birthday cake for Jesus made in the Easy Bake Oven. I could have made a REAL triple layer cake faster than it took to put together this lovely (and so tasty!) creation!!

Brooke and I getting ready to break in the Easy(NOT!) Bake Oven! Now I understand why I never got one as a child even though I am stilled a little scarred by it! Thanks Mom:(

Luke trying out his new bow and arrow.

Andrew with his gift of an Etrade account. Every 11 year olds dream, right? Ha! Ha! A dream for Andrew. After much research he decided to invest in Cisco Systems.

The long wait on the staircase as we all get our cameras ready. Yes, there are pink streaks in Brooke's hair. She made me put them in when she woke up. Don't ask - I have no idea why!

Dad getting ready to read Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Brooke holding up her new sister's gifts.

THE LOOT. For Luke - a bow and arrow and a new game for his DS.
For Andrew - Robert Griffin III Baylor jersey (which he wore the entire break)and the computer game Civilization.

For Brooke - Easy Bake Oven and a pink DS.

For all three - a new Wii game

Trying to capture how beautiful this church was but my camera is not good enough.

Baking with the girls.

OSU stadium

Game faces.

Outside at Schmidt's - so yummy!

It was our first Christmas in our new house and it was wonderful. It was also a white Christmas which always makes it more festive! My parents came to visit and we spent another season making fun memories. Some of our activities included going to an Ohio State basketball game, eating at Schmidt's (a German restaurant we love) in German Village, ice skating, playing games, going to see "Tangled," cooking and eating great food, watching football, attending Christmas Eve services at a BEAUTIFUL church built by the Amish constructed to look like a barn, opening presents, enjoying each other's company, and did I mention eating! Most importantly, we loved celebrating the birth of our Savior.

This year the boys wanted cell phones and an Xbox. They got neither!!!! I told them well ahead of time I will never make Christmas about buying the ridiculously expensive latest and greatest in electronics. I will have to say that they are offended by rabid materialism at Christmastime, but it doesn't stop them from wanting to participate! And I want to start a movement against buying kids cell phones in elementary school - ridiculous!! They still made out ok in their opinions. The highlight for us was watching Andrew's face when he opened up the book on money management for kids and then finding in its pages an envelope that detailed his Etrade account Matt set up for him. (And yes, this is what he wanted for Christmas!!!) It was priceless! He spent much of the day researching stocks to invest in and much of the break reading the Wall Street Journal. I can't say I have met another 11 year old like him!

Ice Skating

Macy getting in on the action.
Brooke taking her ballet moves to the ice.

Andrew taking a shot.

Luke looking professional.

Matt so happy to be playing hockey with his boys.

Brian taking the girls on a spin.

Brooke and Kate getting ready to ride.

It started snowing mid December and stayed well below freezing long enough for the pond in our neighborhood to freeze over. The pond backs up to a family with five kids who all play hockey. So we were in for a treat since they shovel the snow off, test the ice to make sure it is safe, and keep it smooth for skating and playing hockey. They even set up spotlights at night! Matt bought the kids skates and they had the best time skating and playing hockey over Christmas break. I haven't found skates in my size yet, but had fun sliding around. One of our neighbors even got his four wheeler out, hooked up a sled to the back and took the kids on rides. I LOVE having free, fun, and physical entertainment right (almost) in our backyard!! It makes winter so much more fun and enjoyable!!

Video of the pond.

Cats

Our old neighbors from Copley came up for the weekend and Elizabeth and I took the girls to see the musical "Cats." The girls had fun getting dressed up and going to the theater. So did I! It was Brooke's first big theater production and she did great! I played the music for her each night before she went to bed and that seemed to help her understand the story. I am looking forward to our next theater trip to see the ballet, "Cinderella."

Thanksgiving

Uncle Brian with Brooke riding Amelia's pony.

The girls getting ready to ride the pony.

Our bowling field trip.

Thanksgiving Day with the family - minus one who couldn't be there. Thanks to Chad and Denise for hosting!

The boys getting ready for target practice.

Grandma's princesses.

Showering Lexi with love.

Brooke wanted to hold Lexi ALL THE TIME - surprise, surprise!!

Another Thanksgiving spent in St. Louis. As usual, we had a wonderful time being with family and it was made extra special by meeting our sweet, new niece, Lexi. She received lots of attention and we loved her hairdo! So that makes 7 nieces and one nephew for us. Now that we are two hours closer we only had to drive 8 hours instead of 10. That two hours less makes a big difference!

Circleville Pumpkin Festival

Getting ready for the monkey ball tournament. Can't explain it, but it was fun!
Brooke was glued to Rachel's side all weekend!

Making it rain leaves.

This would have been a great picture if my eyes were open.

I don't even eat fried food, but had to try the fried oreos ( who comes up with this?!). The first bite was good, but that was enough. For whatever it is worth ( which is nothing!) now I can say I have tried fried oreos. I would have loved them as a kid when I couldn't eat anything surgary.

We had to try the fried twinkies, too!

Family pic in front of the winning pumpkin.

The wonderful Chapman-Smith family we wish we still lived behind:(

They were sooo excited to pose for another picture!

I love these kids!

Maybe we will try this next year!

Pumpkin Pie eating contest. The boys wondering what they have done!

Wating for the signal...

And they begin...

This is when Brooke turns to me and says, "This is disgusting - I can't watch."

I am so glad my daughter is offended by slovenly, uncouth, and uncivilized behavior.

Maybe I am doing something right - although I did encourage my boys to participate so that cancels out that theory!


Luke showing us how much he has left. Andrew looks like he is going to town, but faked it the whole time and has really eaten only one bite!!! We weren't surprised.

I almost forgot to include the pictures of our trip to the Pumpkin Festival in Circleville, Ohio. It is the tradition of our good friends, the Chapman-Smiths, go every year and this year they invited us along. We had a wonderful time watching the boys participate in the pumpkin pie eating contest, looking at all of the pumpkins, breaking my rule of not ever eating fair food, playing monkey ball, hiking, and simply hanging out. A perfect fall weekend!!