The Start of a New Year

The start of each year, we get to celebrate our absolute favorite person in the whole wide world!  Ryan celebrated his 38th (are we really that old!?!?) birthday a few times.  First we celebrated with YiaYia, Papou and Auntie Kate the weekend before his actual birthday.  The kids LOVE helping open presents!

After a quick trip to Dairy Queen (because who needs birthday cake when you can customize your own ice cream creation just down the road!?) Auntie Kate and I did our own version of karaoke (in the safety and comfort of our own home).  I'm certain the rest of the family was highly entertained the rest of the evening.  And to think, no alcohol was consumed...we're just that wild and crazy!

One of Ryan's presents was a gift card to Gander Mountain so we went after church the very next day.  While we waited for him to make his selections, the kids entertained themselves.

Ryan sent me this picture on the first day back to school after Christmas break.  She already looks tuckered out but man is she a cutie!!!

Ryan asked for a puzzle or two and quickly got to work.

He got brownies for his actual birthday (because who needs Dairy Queen twice in one week!?) and received some help with the candles, too!

He got more puzzles!!!

And a GoPro for all of his kayaking adventures!   You can tell he was excited, right!?

This is what happens when our child consumes chocolate after 7:00 p.m.  She's still wide awake at 9:30 p.m. - on a school night...

Ryan is a master puzzler-piecer.

Maverick had a low-grade fever, snotty nose and cough the following weekend and ended up missing a couple of days from school.  It all worked out however, Phoebe had an "ice" day and got to stay home as well and Ryan got to work on another puzzle while we shared our days between home and the office.

This past weekend, we headed to Princeton to celebrate our last Christmas and catch up with GG, Great grandmother Wallis and Nana and Papa.  We also got to celebrate Ryan's birthday one more time!  

Nana made the kiddos warm, snuggly blankets that they've put to great use since we returned home.

Phoebe finally got her "wolfie" that she's been asking for since Thanksgiving.

We tore up GG's house!

We took advantage of the sunshine and warmer temps.  While the girls did some shopping, the boys headed to the cemetery to check on Grandpa Ray.

Phoebe found a furry friend (the kid is a bug magnet!).

After Nana and Papa left Sunday morning, we stopped to visit Mary Helen.

And no trip home would be complete without a stop at Boot City!

We inherited a popcorn popper from GG's basement and tried it out after school on Monday.

The kids were enthralled!

What's better than freshly popped popcorn as an afternoon snack!?

Christmas 2014

We had a slightly rough start to Christmas break with Phoebe.  I think this is just foreshadowing our future with a pre-teen and by the looks of it, I can certainly wait.   In the mean time, we chuckle at our little drama queen and pray that we raise her right.

Christmas Eve we went to YiaYia and Papou's church and then came back to their house for dinner.  After a minor puking incident due to chugging milk and choking on a piece of bread, we attempted to get some pictures.  As you can see, Maverick would not cooperate with Auntie.

This pretty much sums up life with Maverick these days, full speed ahead!

He did briefly pause for a picture with Uncle Steve however...

Upon returning home, Phoebe sprinkled her reindeer food (with glitter) so they'd be able to easily find our house later that night.

Before heading to bed, the kiddos got to open two presents.  Their ornaments (Elsa and Olaf).

And their pjs.

Keeping with tradition, they had to wait at the top of the stairs until we gave them the green light.  You can see they were having a hard time staying at the very top...

1-2-3...Go!

Santa was pretty good to ALL of us!  He even brought Ryan new boots!

I was pretty excited about Phoebe getting her very own Bible this Christmas.  The fact that it was in her favorite colors is just icing on the cake!

Not to mention they offered embossing in tie-dye fashion!

I think the sleds Santa brought have futher jinxed the snowfall we have yet to receive here in Indiana.

One of the most amusing toys the kiddos got in their stockings were these ball poppers!  

Fun for everyone!

Phoebe will tell you here favorite gift were her roller blades!  We spent a good hour riding around the basement after breakfast!

Sneaking a cookie before heading to GGMa's and GGPa's house!

The ball poppers were a big hit in Anderson, too!

Maverick helping his 89 year old great grandmother open her Christmas gifts.

Attempting a second-cousin photo.

Phoebe has discovered the art of the selfie!

The next day, YiaYia, Papou, Uncle Steve and Auntie Kate came over to continue the Christmas celebration.  Uncle Steve gave Maverick this fort construction set which was quickly set up as an igloo!

Once all the presents were opened, creativity ensued with the empty boxes.

Ryan has been having fun videotaping in slow-motion...

We had to try out a few games and puzzles.

With the warm weather still around, we headed outside to try out the roller blades (which apparently every kid under the age of 7 in our neighborhood also got)! 

She was a pro in no time!

The boxes continued to provide entertainment days after the holiday.

Phoebe bought a Nerf bow and arrow set with one of her gift cards and has been getting lots of practice in the basement.

Phoebe has been asking to go ice skating so we coordinated with Auntie Kate to hit the ice!  Phoebe was SO excited!

Taking a quick break.

We shut down the place and got to watch the zamboni clean off the ice!

New Year's Eve, the kiddos headed to YiaYia and Papou's house to ring in 2015 while we headed out to dinner and saw the movie Unbroken.  

YiaYia joined us for our annual New Year's Day lunch at Shapiro's downtown.  We're excited to see what God has in store for our family in 2015.  May He bless you and yours in the coming year!