Viz Christmas/New Year Tournament

Peyton played in the Viz tournament this year that I played in when I was younger.  They made it to the championship game.  The championship game was played on New Years Day.....good way to ring in the New Year!  They played Holy Redeemer.  They are always fun to play for a few reasons.  They are REALLY good, they are undefeated for the last couple years and we play them CLOSE (overtime a few times close), but have never been able to beat them yet.  It's also fun as Peyton has a few friends on that team.  A friend from her Knights team, whom she also happens to do swim team and tennis with in the summer too (hence, one of her best friends), another girls she swims and plays tennis with in the summer, and then a girl that is on her SLSG team.  SOOOO.....kinda fun competition for a couple reasons.
Onto the game......another fun, competitive game, but StP came up just short again.  But it was still FUN!!

 Peyton plays basketball, and Maddie makes her name out of slime on the bleachers......

New Year's Eve

We didn't really have much planned....we decided at the last minute to go to the Riney's house.  Peyton decide not to go cause Sam wasn't going to be home and she wasn't really feeling that well.  So we went for just a bit.  The kids played downstairs, we had a couple drinks and played some cards, and were home and in bed my midnight.....and no pictures to document the wild night either.....HA!!!

2018 was good to us.....hoping for a fun and healthy 2019!!

CHEERS!

Christmas

The magic happened again!!  We all went to bed and when we woke up there was a tree full of presents!!  Grandma and Grandpa Farm, Jeanne, Mark, and GiGi all came to see the excitement.  The kids opened all their gifts and then we had breakfast.  Everyone was happy and now everyone had full bellies too!!
All of our guests went home, the kids played and played, mom took a nap, and dad put away all the Christmas decorations.....shew!!!  Busy, fun day!!

Peyton's big presents were an apple watch and unlimited data for her phone....such a teenager.....

Jack's bid presents were a wrestling game for the xbox and a wrestling stadium with guys (Maddie AND Jack enjoy this one!!!)

Maddie's big presents were a Barbie Dream House and the Big LOL surprise.

Gus enjoyed his Christmas gift too.  Didn't leave that duck all day....I'm sure Annie would have liked a turn, but I'm pretty sure he didn't give her one....

Christmas Eve

Mike worked most of the day Christmas Eve.  The kids and I played with their presents from the farm the night before.  I taught Peyton how to use her new hair straightener and the two little ones and I figured out the new laser tag and ran around the house and played that.
The girls and I then prepped dinner for that night.  Grandma and Grandpa Farm were going to come down.  We were going to head out and play top golf and then come home for a "fancy" dinner.  In our house, that just means dinner in the dining room with he china, but the kids love it!
We went and played golf, came home and ate, the girls gave us a dance routine show, kids and grandma and grandpa went to bed, and mom and dad still had a lot of work to do......

Christmas Festivities Begin.....

Off to the farm we go, for our last holiday there.  The kids were tired and cranky and chirping before we even made it to the highway.....luckily halfway there, it got quiet and looked like this.....phew!!!

It was a packed house, lots of noise, lots of wrapping paper, and lots of people.  Usually lots of dogs too, but we accidentally forgot ours!!!  We got half way to the farm before we realized we forgot them.  Then we couldn't remember if they went outside with us and just didn't get in the car or if they were still in the house.  We had to text our neighbors and they confirmed that the dogs were nice and warm in the house.  Goodness!!!

Mike and Gus

And to think, Mike acted like he didn't like Gus and didn't want him in the beginning......I'll let you decide, but I'm pretty sure they are pals!!

Shaw Park Ice-Skating

This was a first for us.  We've been indoor iceskating several times at Kirkwood and we've been to the outdoor rink in Forest Park, but we've never been to the outdoor rink at Shaw Park.  So we gave it a whirl.  It was good.  Way less crowded than Forest Park and closer, but it was fun to be outside instead of inside.  Although the kids kind of disagree.  They like being warm inside.