Thanksgiving 2011

 Our new niece, Allison.

 Lexi getting a kiss from Brooke.

 Luke cuddling with Ainsley.

Grant calls Andrew and Luke, "My Boys."

So I am realizing that for the first time ever we did not get our annual family picture at Thanksgiving. Instead we did formal family pictures which took the place of the casual one.  But since I don't have those I can't upload them.  So here are four measly pics of only a fraction of the cousins. Every year when we go back to St. Louis there is a new baby cousin for us to meet.  This year it was Abby and Brian who welcomed their third girl into the world, Allison Bendick. As always we had a nice time being at home and spending time with family.  Too bad I didn't capture any of it!



Luke on the big ice at Columbus Blue Jackets stadium.

 After his debut gettting to enjoy the game.

 Luke defending his goal.

 His team getting ready!

Luke practicing his goalie position.

Luke's hockey team was chosen to play in between the first and second period at A Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game.  His team played each other and Luke played goalie. They only played for about three minutes but it was such a highlight for Luke. I wasn't sure how he was ever going to make it through the school day he was so excited for the night.  He couldn't wait to tell his teacher and classmates all about it and he declared it one of the best days of his life.  This was Luke's first year in Hockey so for him to be able to skate in the big arena was extra fun and special for him. 

Trip to the American Girl Doll store in Chicogo

 One of my favorite parts of the experience.  The dinner was so much fun and they had lots of special treats for the dolls.

 Brooke at the hair salon with her doll.  Yes, it is a big reacket but soooo fun nonetheless!

 Elizabeth and me!

 Meghan had had enough walking and decided to sit down and meditate in the middle of the sidewalk in Chicago.  Pure comedy!

 Notice the blonde doll and Asian doll in the background.  The girls noticed it right away and couldn't believe it.

 Brooke giving herself a spa treatment during dinner.

Matching hairstyles!

Brooke had been dying to go to the American Girl Doll store for  awhile.  I decided to take her as a gift when she turned 8. Brooke has loved dolls since she came out of the womb.  Dolls have been such a big part of her life and her favorite doll ever has been her American Girl Doll who is named....American.  She calls her 'Merican' or 'Mers' for short.  She got Mers when she was in kindergarten and her love for Mers has never waned.  It makes me sad to think there will come a day when she won't play with dolls anymore.  I just can't stand the thought.  So Elizabeth and I packed the car and drove to Chicago and had a wonderful weekend.  They were at the perfect ages and we did the whole American Girl Doll experience and we had a fabulous time roaming the streets of Chicago. I LOVE that city!!  Hands down the girls' favorite part of bieng in the city was going through the revolving doors.  We couldn't keep them out of them.  They also walked the streets like they owned the city and had been big city girls all their lives.  I hope to get one more trip in with Brooke before she outgrows it and we can't wait to take Kewogo as well. 



Beautiful Fall Day at Hocking Hills Park

 Admiring the view.

 Our family minus Andrew.  He was on a scout camping trip.

 Luke and Brooke - my nature lovers.

 Brooke being a goofball  skipping stones.

I am so happy we have this beautiful treasure just an hour from us.

We had lived here for over a year before we visited the beautiful Hocking Hills park.   It was so lovely and peaceful and we enjoyed a perfect fall day.  There were lots of hiking trails and Macy was in heaven.  You can rent cabins there which we plan to do sometime.  There is also a zipline but we didn't do it this visit.  Andrew actually came here for a boy scout campout later in December and loved it.  We had such beautiful hiking trails all around Akron and loved to spend time exploring them so we were thankful to discover this scenic area.



Brooke's 8th Birthday!!

 One happy girl!

 About to enjoy homemade pizza with her friends.

 She wanted a pink cake of course.

 Playing with the barbie hair salon which was one of the only things she wanted this year.

Adoring her older brother Andrew!

Brooke loves her birthday and starts planning it several months in advance.  This year we kept it simple with 2 friends for homemade pizza, a movie, and sleepover.  I had decided that this would be the year I was going to take Brooke to the American Girl Doll Store in Chicago.  I made an invitation for Brooke and gave it to her the morning of her birthday.  The trip included going with her best friend, Meghan, so she was doubly excited.  She had a great day and I love the kids' birthdays because it is the one day when they are guaranteed to be extra nice to the birthday child.  Such sweet harmony.  Happy 8th Birthday Brooke!



Krissy's 40th Birthday

Krissy looking beautiful at 40!
She is not afraid of 40!

Fun and high spirited Shani and Krissy!

Enjoying the beautiful Four Leaf Towers in The Galleria.

It took us forever to get in this pose, well it took me forever to get in this pose because I just don't know how to do it. We were trying to imitate all of the young girls who do this pose. It is everywhere. Traci had it down and had to teach me how. I never got the head tilt quite right. I am so not cool.

Our view of Houston from Four Leaf. It seems like forever ago I lived there.

Roomies forever!!

Out to dinner in a charming area of Houston I had never been to before.

Ready to tear up the place at Howl at the Moon Piano Bar.

We made Krissy dance on stage to Pour Some Sugar on Me. She was awesome!

Me dancing to Hey Soul Sister with "Dancing Mary." She was the life of the party!

We had so much fun cruising downtown in the souped up Minivan!!

Trust me - we were too cool in the Honda Odyssey!

In front of Buckingham Palace
Taking the Royal drive in our "Bentley."

This year the trick or treating was really about survival of the fittest, or who could run the fastest throughout the neighborhood. I LOVED watching about 10 boys sprint through yards at full speed. I kept calling out to them to remember their manners. I do not think I was heard.

The Royal Couple with a sweet ballerina, and a grim reaper, and Jason. Definitely the Royal family gone astray!

The crew this year!

Paying homage to our WORLD SERIES WINNING SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS!!!! So exciting!!! We were thrilled!!

Dinner of Mummy Dogs.

Tombstone cupcakes!

As I was glued to my TV last April 29th watching every bit of the Royal Wedding, (yes even the boring parts), I knew right away what our Halloween costumes would be. Luckily, Matt is a great sport and will wear whatever I give him. I remember my mom waking me up in the middle of the night when I was 8 years old to watch Diana and Charles marry at Saint Paul's Cathedral. We taped the wedding on an audio tape with my black tape recorder. I kept that audio tape for a long time and would listen to it again and again. I can still hear Diana saying Charles' name wrong during the ceremony, "Phillip Charles Arthur George" instead of Charles Phillip Arthur George. I remember standing in Saint Paul's Cathedral in London while in college, experiencing the awesomeness of it while relecting on the wedding I had watched take place there.

I remember my teary eyed dad coming into my room when as I was home for a weekend visit to St. Louis as I was planning my own wedding, telling me that Princess Diana had died.

So it was very meaningful to be able to watch another Royal Wedding, this time with a daughter of my own who was one year shy of the age I was when I watched.

I think Kate Middleton is such a breath of fresh air in our saturated culture of trashy celebrities who are famous for acting like morons. She is graceful, classy, kind, tasteful, elegant, smart, and beautiful. Who wouldn't want to be Kate for a day?! Or least for one Halloween night. I found a dress on ebay that was a replica of hers. I couldn't believe how many people asked me if it was my wedding dress. First of of all, do you not pay any attention to detail? Don't you know what Kate's dress looked like?? I am wearing her dress!!! Her veil!!! Second of all, the ebay dress cost $30 and looked like it! It was huge on me and I had it pinned in several places and it really looked dime store. We had a fun time playing royalty and once again we had a beautiful Halloween night. I wish I could be Kate every year.......sigh.....