Happy 4th Birthday Hannah!

This year, Hannah's birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day! November 26...my baby turned 4 years old. I can't believe I've had her in my life for FOUR years already! It's just going by so fast!

From this:


Then this:


And next:

At three:

And now she's FOUR???

After a big turkey feast with the family, we celebrated by singing Happy Birthday to Hannah as she blew out the candles on the cake she requested. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and cherries on top. ??? Whatever...it was HER birthday. :)

So as not to disappoint, we loaded the cake up!

Hannah's 4th birthday present was her very own first 2-wheel bike with training wheels. She wanted a purple one...with sparkles.

The kids had a ball cruising around in the street on their bikes and scooters. Even baby Ethan was trying to keep up!

Hannah LOVED having her cousin Makenzie in town for her birthday celebration!

Here's a picture of Sunshyne, baby Ethan, Makenzie, me, Mason and Hannah!

On the Saturday following her birthday, we all headed over to Bounce U for the PARTY!!!
The place is really cool and the kids loved jumping their brains out. Here's Mason taking a swing at the "air T-ball". I think he has great form for a 2 year old! :)

My friend Katie's kids are pals with my kids. It's a beautiful thing! :

Happy Birthday my beautiful girl!

The Polar Express

On December 13, we drove up towards the Grand Canyon with the kids to ride The Polar Express train to "the North Pole". We were so lucky! It snowed the night before and even while we were driving up there! We froze our tushes off (well, mostly I froze my tush off)...but the kids were super excited and loved playing in the snow (for a minute, until their hands froze)


All bundled up in their pj's...ready to board the train!

Family picture in the nice WARM train!

Hannah loves her daddy!

After the story, "The Polar Express" was read aloud on the train and we reached the North Pole, an announcement was made that Santa was ON THE TRAIN!!! You can see the anticipation in Hannah and Mason's eyes as they craned their necks to see Santa.

Mason was really excited....he could hardly contain himself!

And Hannah couldn't believe she was actually gonna get to talk to Santa!

He really was a sweet jolly old man...who was nice enough to not only hang in there long enough for my camera flash to fire...but he also handed each kid their very own bell. Just like the story.

After staying overnight near the Grand Canyon Railway that evening, we woke up in the morning, had breakfast, and enjoyed the heated indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi at our hotel. On our way home, we couldn't pass the chance to check out the Grand Canyon Harley dealership and let the kids play in the snow a little more!

Merry Christmas 2009

This Christmas was the most fun I've had since I was Hannah & Mason's age. To be able to re-live the excitement of Santa thru their eyes is so exciting! Naturally, we used Santa as a threatening mechanism for about a month prior to his arrival. I'm not quite sure the Easter Bunny will have the same effect. :)

My dad flew in from St. Louis the week before Christmas which the kids LOVED! He's so high energy...which goes quite well with my children. They played non stop! Papa made a homemade kite and flew it in the park with them, he played hide and seek for hours, and he even baked with the kids! Jim and I left my dad with Hannah and Mason one afternoon while we went for a Harley ride. When we returned, the kitchen counters were filled with rice krispy treats, cupcakes (decorated with m&m's), sugar cookies, pudding, and Jello!!! You would've thought somebody smoked a bowl while we were away! LOL (oops, did I just say that outloud?)

Here's my dad with the kids as they set out milk and cookies for Santa...and upon Hannah's request for the second year in a row: a pickle for the reindeer.

One tradition we have in our house for Christmas (besides new Christmas pj's opened on Christmas eve and Orange Rolls on Christmas morning)...is that the doorways leading to the living room get wrapped too! This way, if little ones wake in the middle of the night, they can't see anything that's taken place under the tree! In the morning, the kids get to TEAR thru the paper like at the start of a football game...and they LOVE IT!

This year, for some reason, the wrapping paper on one of the doorways came off. At 8am, Hannah comes TEARING into our room and says, "MOMMY! DADDY! Santa came! And I got a new doll house!!!! Santa Came!" She was frantic! Well, we got up, taped the wrapping paper back up and let her tear into it anyway. :)

We got Mason a train set this year...and it was a big hit. It circled under the Christmas tree...and at the push of a button it sounds "ALL ABOARD!"

Not too bad of a mess (although this is AFTER all the wrapping paper and boxes were thrown out)

Later that day, we all went to my mom's house for dinner and more presents. Even my dad joined! It was so much fun seeing Jackson rip into the gifts right along side Hannah and Mason. The cousins really adore each other and have a blast whenever they're together! As you can see below....

Hannah...dishing out some love to her Nana.

We bought Jackson the "Let's Go Fishing" game which was a big hit!

For the second year in a row, the adults participated in a white elephant gift exchange. The gifts are good ones! Set at $75-$100, we're always excited to see what we'll end up with! My dad received scratch off lotter tickets (he's still not a millionaire though), my mom got a really nice camping chair, Jim got a gift card to a liquor store so he could buy a keg for his new kegerator, and I got a gift card to Southwest Airlines!

Here's a picture of Stacy choosing her own gift! A gift card to a salon and day spa!

We always try to get a picture of the cousins together when we can...this was the best one!

Merry Christmas!!!

The last three Decembers

A look back in time....Hannah and Mason growing up.


December 2007

December 2008

December 2009

Friends Forever!

I can't believe I almost forgot to post these pictures! While we were on vacation in Illinois, we had a get together with all my best girlfriends, their hubbies, and ALL the kids! Katy was nice enough to host the party at her house...so there was plenty of room for the kids to run and play!

Friends for most of our lives....Lisa, Anne, Jenny, Me, & Katy!

Wow...how we've multiplied! 9 kids between the 5 of us...with another boy on the way!

The kids were having a DANCE PARTY!!! :)

Hannah insisted on taking a "tubby" with Jami...the girls played so well together!

Hannah's birthday on Thanksgiving!

This year, Hannah's birthday fell on Thanksgiving! Sunshyne, Chris, Makenzie, and Ethan came from California for the celebration and turkey of course! We sang happy birthday to Hannah and gave her the present from us. Pictures from the party on Saturday will be coming soon!

Hannah's choice: Chocolate cake with cherries.

Hannah really wanted a purple bike with sparkles for her birthday.

Baby Ethan was cheering Hannah on as she learned to ride.

Hannah, Mason, Ethan, and Makenzie having fun on Thanksgiving!

Hannah showing how old she is now! My baby is FOUR???