Happy New Year!

Another year has come and gone.  It was a great year for our family!!!  Our family milestones for this year......

• We added a cute, pudgy, lovable, PERFECT little girl to our family.....baby MADDIE
• Mike passed his radiology boards
• Mike accepts a job with the MSK department at Barnes
• Peyton started Kindergarten
• Jack learned to read
• Peyton started soccer and basketball
• Peyton made her first goal and first basket
• Took the kids to Six Flags for the first time (bought season passes and went LOTS)
• The kids and I took a road trip to Iowa to visit some friends
• Peyton and Jack were in Tony and Kristen's wedding
• Jack started a new school
• Jack had his first "real" play date of his own
• Maddie started going to childcare at the "Y"
• I got a new car
• Mike got rid of the Del Sol
• Peyton learned to ride her bike without training wheels
• I turned the dirty, 30

Sounds like we have LOTS to be thankful for.  What a blessed life we live!!!!  Here is to 2013 in hopes of it being as good as 2012 was to us!

Even though it's only 10:45......CHEERS!!!  I will not see midnight.....see ya in 2013!

All about Maddie

This post is for Maddie.

Just a few pics of her and Daddy playing tonight.

I could eat this little girl up.....

Over achiever....

In this case, being an over achiever is not all that great.  It took some hard work.....BUT, I managed to gain 5 pounds this holiday week.

So here's to 2013 and getting the remaining baby weight + holiday weight G.O.N.E!!!

Looks like I'm back at it tomorrow, gonna be throwing some bows at the gym to get some equipment from all the New Years Resolutioners!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Rudolph

Here was a quick video I shot the night before Christmas.  The kids were getting ready to for bed and this is what we heard from their room.  So I grabbed the camera quick to try and get the audio.  It's pretty funny!

and finally.....Christmas #5

We headed out to the farm for the weekend.  We have not done that in quite some time, in fact, I think Grandma Farm might have been pouting a little bit about it......either that or she just wanted to keep reminding us that Maddie doesn't really know where the farm is.  HA!  Anyway....we went out there and had Christmas with all the cousins and Aunts and Uncles.  Fun times had by all.  The kids loved getting more presents and they loved being back at the farm.  The next day Mike took them down to the creek, but they didn't last long.  It was FREEZING!!!  It's not as fun riding the mule and throwing rocks in the snow as it is in the summer!

Uncle Ron, always ready to hold a baby

everyone getting ready to open presents......
these three boys, too cool for Aunt Jess' camera

there we go...these two look a little more happy to be getting ready to dig in

Jack can't wait!

This he claims was the best present of ALL!!  Clone Wars III for the Wii

Veterinarian, Peyton

ready to rock some music

Barbie + Water......messy fun

Maddie had to save her gifts for the next day, she
got too tired and had to call it a night

Owen, Dawn, Ron

Buddies

Maddie, happy with her present the next day

and this is what a five mont old looks like after a week of Christmas

Christmas Celebration #4

And the fun continues......

Christmas night we headed to Grandpa Friedman's house.  We ate LOTS more food and enjoyed MORE presents.

Jack was so, so excited to get the green light saber.  This was the present he wanted most of all.....this one was the one discussed on Santa's lap!  He hit the jack pot and was in heaven.

The kids got good and spoiled and Mike and I got good and fat.  Life is good!

my lense was foggy from being outside in the cold...BUT Jack opening "the" present!

Darth Vadar mask!

Peyton checking out her goods

Peyton, the present passer outer......examining and making sure
her job was finished

TEN dollars!!!!  This girl LOVES money!

Juli and Jeff loving on Miss Maddie

One happy girl

Celebration #3.....Santa's Workshop

Peyton got to take some money to school to go shopping at Santa's Workshop.  I sent some money with her and told her she could pick out something for Jack and something for Maddie.  She was then a bit pissed when she realized she didn't get anything out of this deal.

HOWEVER.......she managed to find a way.  She came RUNNING out of school that day with a big smile on her face saying she had one dollar left so she bought herself a bracelet!  HA!!

She was very excited to give Maddie and Jack their presents.  She gave them both a stuff dog, but they were a little different.  I think Maddie and Jack both, liked their gifts!

Checking out his puppy......he actually likes it A LOT!

A hug for Peyton for picking him out the perfect gift

Peyton is holding the one she got for Maddie
Happy days!

Santa Came to TOWN.....Celebration #2

Peyton made sure to leave Santa a glass of milk and some cookies before she went to bed.  During the day we called the "North Pole" to see where Santa was.  One of his elves informed us that he had departed and would be at our house in St. Louis around 10:00 pm.

The kids woke up Christmas morning and Mommy, Daddy, both Grandmas, Mark, Grandpa Farm, and GiGi were all here to watch them open their "Santa" gifts.  The kids had a great time!!!  Peyton got an art desk with TONS of supplies and Jack got lots of Star Wars stuff!!

After the kids tore thru all of the presents we came upstairs and ate our selves sick!!!  I officially feel disgusting from all the food we have ate in the last few days!

Christmas morning is by far one of my most favorite days of the year!!!

Maddie and Daddy just getting down stairs to get the party started

checking out all the loot

they think they must've been pretty good

a little air hockey action

teething and a cold on her first Christmas....poor baby!

Princess Peach DS game

Jack showing Grandma and Grandpa his new nerf gun

checking out some of his Star Wars garb

One happy boy to receive a gumball machine

pretty new scarf.  always wanting to wear a scarf like mommy

now that's an art set!

another gun!!

his favorite toy......

LOTS of Star Wars guys

Grandma and Peyton learning to weave some pot holders

Grandpa checking out his geriatric present

and even the baby was a good girl.  she got some new toys too!

Christmas 2012 - Celebration #1

We started our Christmas celebrations today.  Grandma Jeanne's and Mark's family Christmas was today.  We got to see all Mike's aunts and uncles and cousins.  Everyone had a great time chatting, and the kids especially had fun playing "rob your neighbor."  Peyton also had fun playing the game sequence.  To top it all, it was actually a pretty nice day, so Scott, Lisa, and I took the kids down to the park.  I'd say all in all....it was a GREAT day!  Good company and good food......

just getting started with playing "Rob Your Neighbor"

the baby also having fun, even if it's not playing the game

opening the prizes from the game....I'd say all the kids got plenty!

happy with his prizes

just getting started with the mean game of Sequence.....
Lisa, Judah, Mercedes, Peyton, Scott, Nathan, and GiGi  

Scott helping Peyton with her "strategy"

Jack skipping on the game to play with his new Batman toy

Maddie skipping the game to play with her Grandma