What more does she need?!?!?

She's got a head AND foot rest.....what more does she need?!?!?

Gus wants to GO

When Gus knows we are all getting our shoes and coats on and getting ready to go, he gets super excited and starts jumping on us.  He wants to go so bad.....but he mostly doesn't get to go.  Annie use to always go with me to drop the kids and pick them up from school, and she LOVED it, but once we got Gus, they have to stay home most of the time.  Gus ruined the fun!!!  He tried to jump out of the car with the kids, so it's a rare occasion when I have the energy to deal with that and invite them to go with me.

Here he is, begging Maddie to take him with us....if it were up to the kids they'd go with us ALL the time!

Maddie and Molly....BFF's

These two girls are so, so funny!!!  They want to be together ALL.THE.TIME!  Every half day they come flying out of school with an agenda.  They are two peas in a pod.  Molly, like Maddie is the youngest (of 4) in her family.  She is a happy go lucky soul just like Maddie.  They are always on the go and wanting to be together.  When they get to the house, you never really see or hear from them unless they are hungry.  Any little dispute they have, they work out amongst themselves and they move on......

I went out the other day to tell the it was time to go to school and pick up the big kids and pass Molly back to her mom.  They were out there having party (in single digit temps....didnt stop them), in their car with their babydoll and purses......now, look at this picture and fast forward 11 years, when they are 16!!!!  :)

They sure do have fun!!!!  Girlfriends are special!!!!

Lazy Day

These single - negative temperatures are for the birds!!!  Nobody (dogs or humans) want to go outside.  I don't even want to travel far in the house without a blanket.  The fireplace has not turned off, besides to go to bed in weeks!  TOO cold!!!  When I plopped down on the floor with a blanket, the dogs decided to join......

New Years Day Swimming

The kids wanted to go to the Lodge to swim on New Years Day.  We managed to rummage the house and find all of their swimming things (not Maddie's favorite goggles, which she was peeved about!!!), and headed to the pool.  When we got there Maddie knew like 4 different families (my social butterfly), Peyton even commented, "how does Maddie know SO many people?"  Well, because Maddie is not shy, Maddie doesn't forget anybody, and nobody forgets Maddie!

They swam, jumped, slid, snacked, and shot hoops for HOURS and then we came home......

Farewell 2017

We went out with a bang in 2017!!!  Peyton was suppose to have a friend over and we were all suppose to go to Jack's last soccer game of his tournament and then head to the Riggio's for a New Years party......well, about 2 hours before Jack's game, I called all the kids upstairs to do their laundry.  Jack just kept laying on the floor by his pile, instead of working on it.  He them claimed he had a headache and asked me to take his temperature.  Sure enough.....102 fever.  We had to make a quick phone call to the Riggios to let Staci know that Jack would not be playing in the soccer game and we would not be making it to the party either.  Peyton's friend decided not to come either, just stay clear of all the germs.....can't say I blame her.
Jack took a nap and never had a fever after that......weird.  So, instead, we were all home and in bed by 11:00.  Not a bad thing either......

2017 was good to us.  What a blessed life we get to live, that I try to never take for granted!!  We have been blessed with great health, kids, families, and friends......with all of that, we should want for nothing.  Cheers to 2017 and praying for a just as good 2018!!!

Bathroom Concert

Doesn't everyone have music and dancing concerts in their bathroom and in their underwear????  NO???  Only the Friedmans......

A great start to BBALL season

Peyton's CYC team and her Knights team both had a great start to the season.  Both teams played in a pre-season tournament and won both of them......hopefully both teams can keep it up in 2018!

Baby it's COLD outside!

BRRRR....we've had a week of frigid temperatures.  Feels like we are living back in Iowa.  Getting below zero at night and only making it in the single digits during the day.  Makes it SOOOOO hard to get out of bed.....brrrr, brrrrr, brrrrr......

Just looks COLD out my bedroom window!!!  Gus isn't too interested in getting out of bed either.....

Jack and Annie aren't sure they want to get up and out either.....

Gussy says, "PLEASE, let me back in there!!!"

TAKE ME TO THE BEACH!!!!

Christmas

Christmas....what a great Christmas we had!!!  We all woke up, looked at all the presents Santa had brought, looked at the big mess Daisy had made with the gingerbread houses, and then waited for the Grandparents to get here to start opening gifts.
I think it would be extremely safe to say, the kids were thrilled with all their gifts.  The finished opening everything and then we sat down and ate breakfast.  Once breakfast was over, the grandparents stayed a little longer and then they all hit the road.
The kids continued playing (Jack and Mike disappeared downstairs to a new game for HOURS!!!!!).  I went upstairs and took a nap.....when I returned downstairs, the tree was already put away and all Christmas decorations were down!!!  And Maddie and Mike were sound to sleep on the couches.  I went ahead and went back upstairs and continued my nap, so that I didn't interrupt anyone else nap.  :)

What a great, lazy day!!!!  Never got out of my PJ's.....that is PERFECT!!!!

Maddie's highlight gifts:  orbeez spa, hatchimal, hoverboard, and squishies
Jack's highlight gifts:  popshot, hoverboard, drone, metal detector, and a Diablo (video game)
Peton's highlight gifts:  phone and hoverboard

Christmas Eve at the Melting Pot

This year we actually had no where to be on Christmas Eve, and it was actually quite relaxing and liberating!!!  We spent the day at the house, watching it snow out the window, and then we got dressed up and headed to the Melting Pot before Mass.  The kids had never been.  They all enjoyed the "experience", the all loved the cheese and chocolate, and only Jack really cared for the meat.  But he loved it.....he ate ALL his chicken and tried some of Mike's different meats.
I was happy as a clam as well....they now have a vegan menu, including vegan cheese and vegan chocolate.  SO GOOD!

In these next two pictures....can you see the teenage years gearing up......

mmmmm.....chocolate lipstick, the BEST!!