Let's Go Skating!!

We decided to do something different on Thursday, so we took the kids ice skating in downtown Raleigh at Winterfest 2010. The rink was small and full of crazy kids and people, but it was a lot of fun!

Here are the two munchkins sporting their skates.

Madeline did great, but she had the advantage of some rollerskating under her belt!

Isaac did great too, but it took him a while to figure out how to stand up at all.

Daddy and Uncle Mark did a great job helping him learn!

He was already better than his mother has ever been at it just being able to stand on the ground with the skates on!

It didn't take long to get tuckered out with all the hard work on the ice, so after a break at center ice, we decided to call it a day!

Our little snow bunnies...

It was another fun adventure with Cousin Madeline!! And they were all smiles to hear lunch at McDonald's was to follow! Chicken Nuggets for ALL!!! :)

Fun with the Family!!

Oma, Opa, Aunta, Uncle Mark, Madeline and Audrey all spent the week with us in Wake Forest. It started out with the great snow on Christmas Day and the fun just kept coming after that. We spent the day playing in the snow...we ALL loved the snow.

We started round 2 of potty training. Isaac was potty trained when we got back from Thanksgiving, but something happened between going back to school and getting sick that reversed that. So, "Potty Boot Camp Aunta" helped us tackle it again. And I'm happy to report that he's doing great and even asked to go to the potty this morning!

We had a night of homemade sushi...Isaac even tried a little before deciding he'd much rather just perfect the chopsticks first!

We ate sweets and treats!!

And our snow family began to melt and lean...

And we played...

And we remembered what it felt like to have nothing to worry about but play doh!

We had a great time together, enjoying the kids, enjoying the company, and enjoying the food. I couldn't have asked for a better holiday. (Okay well maybe it would have been a bit better without the cold Isaac and I seemed to spread to everyone else. But even with the germs it was a great week!)

Let it Snow!!

The Christmas Evening Snow turned into 8+ inches!!! The kids (young and old) had a great time playing today. But before snow time, we still had presents to open!! That's right...we still hadn't opened the presents from Oma and Opa or Aunta and Uncle Mark!! Oma and Opa hit the jackpot with their gifts this year...Aunta told them they'd be a jinx, but she was wrong!! The kids opened Oma and Opa's gifts to find brand new snow suits, gloves, and snow tubes inside!! Does it get any better than that on a snow day??

The kids in their new snowsuits...

My snowsuit on the other hand, did not fit so well!

(39 weeks pregnant tomorrow!)

View of the snow before it was touched...

Isaac enjoying the snow...

Madeline eating the snow...

Family fun in the snow. (I'm pregnant, but I'm not going to miss out on the fun!)

Audrey even went out to enjoy her first snow!

Daddy & Isaac sledding...

Brian, Mark and Opa spent all morning working on the snowman family. Here we are with the ENTIRE family!!!

The 3 little munchkins warming up after being outside...

Isaac got a brand new camping sleeping bag too.
He napped in it and is sleeping in it tonight in his bed too!

Wow has it ever been a great day! Snow days are so much fun and this one was EXTRA special!! It's been a long time since I've enjoyed one with my whole family.

Our First White Christmas!

The snow started late on Christmas, but the important part is that it started!! It was the first white Christmas Isaac and I have ever seen!! (Granted Isaac's only 2, but I on the other hand am not and I am SO EXCITED!)

Our two best buddies sat together on the porch and watched the snow start to fall...

Then it turned into goof-fest!! These two just crack me up!!

And little Audrey stayed in the nice warm house and wondered when her playmate will finally make his/her appearance! Any day now Audrey, any day!!

Merry Christmas - 2010

We had a very busy, but very fun Christmas Day! Isaac actually slept in a little bit and didn't wake up until almost 8am! (we won't be getting used to that on Christmas morning I'm sure, but it was a nice gift to mommy & daddy!) We sat and read the Christmas story from Isaac's children's bible. Then we moved on to the stuff that's a little more exciting to a 2 year old...presents!

Isaac was all too excited about his first drum set! I know people think we're nuts...new baby on the way so buy the 2 year old drums...great idea!! But let me just tell you...drums are in tune!!! Buckets, pots, pans, lids, etc are NOT in tune and as lovely as they sound....the drums are a definite step up!! And to see him play his new drums...it's just so much fun!!

I mean, doesn't he look like an expert already??

He got a couple other small things from Mommy and Daddy...

Lowly Worm even helped unwrap a couple...

At lunch, Nana and Boppa came back up (they were here at the beginning of the week for a visit too)...and I think they must have had a tractor trailer load of presents!! They just kept bringing them in. Isaac got all kinds of great stuff...

Here is the gang unwrapping all the presents...

A shot of the excitement of Christmas Day...
(I love this face)

Because of the weather forecast....WHICH IS FOR SNOW!!!!
Oma, Opa, Aunta, Uncle Mark, Madeline and Audrey came up a day early to make sure they got here before the snow. They only got into a little trouble playing while we were making dinner. Madeline found Oma's purse...and her lipstick! She did great putting it on don't you think?

We enjoyed a nice family dinner before Nana and Boppa headed out to beat the weather. It's great to see how our family gets a little bigger every year! Next year we'll add one more!!!

It was a great day with lots of fun and excitement and WAY too many toys! I think we might have to put an addition on the house to hold them all. We all enjoyed having everyone together for the holiday!

Christmas with Ra-Ra and Cindy

Because I am roughly one week from my due date, we will not be traveling for Christmas this year! Everyone is coming here to see us. Not a bad plan...it means no time in the car this Christmas! Our Christmas festivities started this morning (Christmas Eve) with breakfast and presents at Aunt Ra-Ra and Aunt Cindy's!! We had a great spread of pancakes, hash brown casserole, eggs and bacon. Delicious!!

Then it was time for Isaac to open his presents. He did great...meticulously unwrapping the entire box, removing every piece of paper, before he opened the box. Ra-Ra and Cindy have a knack for picking out some of the coolest outfits for him and they didn't fail him today! He got some jeans, sweatshirts, an NC State outfit and an awesome "Best Big Brother" shirt.

Here he is unwrapping his boxes...

After those boxes, were opened and out of the way, Ra-Ra & Cindy told him it was time to cover his eyes as they had one more thing for him. He was so cute closing and covering his eyes until the told him to open them. And when they opened, this is what he saw...

He absolutely loves his new tractor!!! It's WAY too big for the house, but we maneuvered it around so he could play with it all day. He's become quite the expert at all the levers and handles already. If we could just get him to pedal instead of making us all push!!

Isaac is so blessed to have such loving people in his life to spoil him absolutely rotten!! Thanks so much Aunt Ra-Ra & Aunt Cindy for making our little boy feel so special!! Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Jonathan and Kathryn!

Our next door neighbors moved home to San Diego in the spring, and boy do we miss them! It's always exciting to get a package or letter in the mail postmarked from Southern California. On Friday, a box came with some Christmas surprises including the best peanut brittle in the world, a Chargers hat for Isaac and some wrapped gifts that went under the tree for Christmas morning. Isaac immediately took the hat, put it on, and wanted to take some pictures for Jonathan & Kathryn!

So, from Isaac to Jonathan & Kathryn: Merry Christmas!! We miss you!!

And Mr. Raccoon is doing great!!
(Mr. Owl is currently guarding the clubhouse, but Mr. Raccoon somehow made his way inside!)

He even gets to play a special roll in the nativity...

We hope you guys have a great Christmas!

(Happy Birthday to Jonathan too!!)