i love everything about christmas trees!

i love the hunt, the adventure, the trek, the christmas music, the smell, the lights, the ornaments each with their own story, and there is nothing like snuggling on the couch with only the tree lit up!! it was a beautiful snowy day with big flakes! cutting down the christmas tree is one of my favorite traditions we have. we had a blast. . zero meltdowns and so much fun and we found the perfect tree! this day always marks the beginning of the christmas season. . .
emery was amazing we did not bring a backpack or anything and she trudged through the snow as happy as can be. she is such a tough little cookie.


on the way home we always have to go a little out of our way so lucia can see the biggest blow up snowman ever. . .
let the christmas season begin!

thankful 2010

we had the most wonderful thanksgiving. . . we desperatly needed some family time with nowhere to go. we have had the craziest fall. i went back to work half time teaching, coached volleyball and continued tutoring. aaron has been super busy at work. the boys have had such a great fall with football, soccer, second grade, piano and taekwondo. lucia loves preschool and emery has adjusted well. we have been blessed to have two gals live with us again and grampy and grammy help us all the time. the kids are always at home with someone who loves them! i am home by 12:30 everyday. we have been looking forward to thanksgiving to just be home and be together. it was a great day of cuddling, movies, cooking, eating, hot tubbing and games! grammy and grampy were here and uncle bryan came for dinner. i took way too many pictures of the day forgive me. . . i just could not stop snapping pictures. . .it snowed all day it was so beautiful. . . there is nothing like hot tubbing in the snow.
the table this year. . .my mom always knocks the ball out of the park with the table setting.
lulu added to the decor this year with such a darling turkey.
this morning emery was so precious. . . i think she was just so excited we were all here cuddling in the living room just being together. she kept hugging and kissing the boys. it was the sweetest thing we have ever seen. i love this picture of her and kinkade watching the macy's day parade.
so sweet. . .
a pyramid in the living room. .happy and healthy kids . . so thankful.
these two of the most special bond with each other.
our sweet baby girl. loves the hot tub! i got a little carried away taking hot tub pictures. the snow made it so fun!


my favorite dish at thanksgiving cranberry sauce!
the pies! aaron made the pies this year. . .what a guy!
the girls ended the day with rudolf the red nose reindeer. after the girls went to bed we all watched "elf" what a great movie. i love listening to the boys laugh during this movie. let the christmas season begin! off to cut down the tree tomorrow. love this time of year.
grammy brought a table gift for each one of the kids. . . silly bands and wind of toys. emery got a flip it monkey and was in aw!
enjoying her dinner.
we went around the table at dinner and said the top three things we were all thankful for. . . i love to keep a record of each year. here it goes. . .

mommy - family, healthy kids, a great volleyball season

daddy - great smart fun kids, i don't always get what i want, a thoughtful fun wife

keagan - kinkade, his bike, grammy

kinkade - his sisters, brother, and grampy

lucia - mommy, daddy, brothers, and my sister

grammy - 4 great grandchildren, christmas decorations,

grampy - great cross country season, grandkids, wonderful wife

we are so blessed. . .

big fat greek birthday

here are our big eight year olds! i am way behind posting their birthday celebration. we had a great day celebrating keagan and kinkade. they chose dinner out at Azars a small little greek restaurant in town. here they are showing off their birthday mario shirts for school!keagan with his new globe!
kinkade studying his science experiment.
they were thrilled with their gifts. . . . love this picture of them together.
papa and grandma sent the boy's twenty dollar bills . . i have never seen them more excited. they could not believe it. i guess they have never had twenty dollars. . .
we had so much fun at dinner with uncle bryan, grammy and grampy, the boys godparents' pat and patty, and of course janny and ryan. . . all the boys biggest fans!they requested tres leches cake. it has become the family favorite!lucia can't get enough of ryan! i love this picture of them together.
when we were at dinner grampy wrote an "ode to the boys"

aaron lead everyone to the tune of 'hey soul sister'
ode to the boys by grampy

chorus -

hey hey keagan and kinkade (to the tune of hey soul sister by train)

you are turning eight and that is great

one! was fun crawlin, bawlin wettin, spittin droolin. . .

repeat chorus

two! walkin, talkin, sulkin, feedin self. . .

bathtubbin, school bus mornins

repeat chorus

three! diaper free, back yard free, no more plain ride free. . .

trikin, leggoin, tonkin

repeat chorus

four! mrs. b, front yard free, volleyball practice with mommy,

gymjamboree zoomin in berryland

repeat chorus

five! cool guys, midway guys, no blanket in school guys, wrestling king of the couch, friday night movies. . .

repeat chorus

six! bumblebee baseball, high five through the smoke, lake place likin, poggostick jumpin,

helpin little girl feedin

seven! ball teams. . ball teams every shape of ball teams, boogie boarding, bikin, dynamite youtubin, green belts black belts polka-dot belts, keagan recital practice practice practice until it sounds soooo good!

repeat chorus one last time!

we love you boys so much. . . you bring us so much joy! we are so proud of you!

halloween was a hit!

these two little girls of mine LOVED halloween. they had a blast all day. our small group came over for a party then we hit the neighborhood to trick or treat. we thought emery would stay in the wagon but no way this kid went to every door. she went into the houses only a few times. she would push her way through the legs of the group and put out her bucket then say "gock you!" when they handed her the candy. so cute!

we can't get over how adventurous and independent this little girl is. she wants to do everything the big kids are doing. i wish i would of gotten pics of the whole group. . we had a lot of little kids. the boys were very helpful and patient with all the little ones. after we came home they went out for big kid trick or treating!
lucia was a star also! grammy made darling halloween outfits for the girls. i love the leggings with fun halloween ribbons! they are almost exactly the same size now. . . . sisters this is a whole new game for us. . . man they are feisty with each other!!!