January 2011

We had a wonderful start to 2011 -- first, we got to have lunch wit our dear friends, Aaron and Julie Fenton (miss you guys!) and then we had a week long visit from our sweet friends Tyler and Jamie. The kids still ask when they'll be back to play again!

Noah got Thomas the Train Uno cards for Christmas from Uncle Caleb and Aunt Lauren. The kids love to play this game -- and it's actually fun for Luke and I, too!

Abby is enrolled in gymnastics at the YMCA. She looks forward to this EVERY week! This is her favorite....



 ...jumping into the big foam pit from the trampoline!



Christmas 2010

We spent Christmas here in Florida this year. It was nice to not have to travel over the holidays, but we really missed being with our families! On Christmas Eve, we took the kids to Busch Gardens. We were given season passes as a gift, so it's a super-cheap-but-still-tons-of-fun day for us! The kids love to go! 

Christmas morning is always exciting for the kids. This year we saved almost all the presents the kids got in the mail for them to open on the big day. The received gifts from grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors and friends. So they had MOUNTAINS of gifts.

 

Happy first Christmas to our little Ju Ju!

 Here are the kids all dressed up in the Christmas outfits. This is the best I could get. : )



December 2010

December was a fun month for us! The kids definitely have a better understanding of Christmas -- there was a lot of anticipation this year!

Here the kids are with their "Reindeer Dust".

Noah's train obsession continues.....

We have started having family movie nights every month. The kids get to cuddle up with their popcorn and we rent a movie from redbox. They LOVE this tradition!

Julia doesn't think it's too bad either.

Noah was soooooo looking forward to putting the star on top of the Christmas tree!

There have definitely been some adjustments as we moved from Ohio to Florida. One was the warm weather at Christmas time! It was definitely strange walking into the grocery store, seeing the decorations and hearing Christmas music while sweating. Don't get me wrong -- it's nice! Just very different.

We took the kids to the boat parade. This will be a fun tradition we look forward to every year! All the boats were decorated in lights and playing music while they motored up and down the canal.

Here are my kiddos, getting SO big!



November 2010

Ummm.....so apparently I'm really bad at this whole blogging thing. I keep telling myself I'm going to stay caught up, but I never do. Thanks to all of you who remind me!

So here's what we did in November. (It's a good thing I have the pictures -- they help me remember!)

Luke grew a beard, which I didn't like at first, but now I'm definitely a fan. : )

Noah finished soccer and was in a school program (he was an ark "builder").

We also went to Missouri over Thanskgiving.

Who am I kidding? I don't really remember what we did -- despite the pictures! Nonetheless -- that was our November!

Halloween

Here are some pictures from our annual pumpkin carving night. The kids start out excited, but putter out after a few minutes. Noah had NO interest in scooping out the slop, so he stuck "Mr. Potato Head"-like face pieces on his.

This is Luke's night to shine!

Abby doing her part. : )

For the big night, Noah was a conductor. (That's his wagon under the train.) Abby was a ballerina, and Julia was a bumblebee.

There was a fall festival at a local church with free games, a bounce house, and pony rides!

Abby LOVES dressup these days!

 My parents came down for a visit so they could trick or treat with the kids. They got lots of snuggle time with Julia since she loves to be held!

We went to the beach. Julia had fun playing in the bucket of water!

.....and then Abby wanted her turn.

 .....and Noah, too!