Merry Christmas

Send Christmas cards

Decorate tree

Hang stockings

Put up lights

Run to Walmart

Wrap presents

Run to Kohls

Wrap presents

Make treats

Eat treats

Run to Walmart

Make more treats

We all do it . . . and it's exciting and fun and stressful and exhausting.

This year, we decided to start a new tradition with Pinky. . . Rather than taking all of our gifts for each other back and forth, we decided to open them before we left for the holidays.  So, we decided to make it a birthday party for the KING!

Here's a look at the first Birthday Party for Jesus at our house:

Wouldn't be a party without hats!

Check out my new apron from Auntie Sharon!

A potty chair!

"Cute football"

 

Thanks for the presents!

Had so much fun, she tuckered out before ice cream!  
(But after she sang all of the words to "Happy Birthday" to baby Jesus!)

It was so fun to watch Pinky give and open presents this year.  Everything was "cute", and fun, and exciting for her.  How joyful to experience Christmas with a child full of joy!  

Happy Birthday, Grandma J!

Bella woke up singing "Happy Birthday" this morning . . . .

I wonder if she knew it was a special day????

December 11~ My Grandma J's birthday

We love and miss you Gram!

Happy Birthday! 

The "good ol' days!"

Both of my grandmas

After my sister's wedding.

The background of this picture is the wedding quilt she made us.

Grandma's Girls ~ July 2008

Thanks for the memories, Gram!

23

Could it be? 
Is it true? 
Will Pinky REALLY be 2 in a month? 
Where did the year go? 

We find ourselves in the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the Christmas.  We are anticipating trips to see Santa, Christmas programs at church, visiting our families for Christmas, and ringing in the new year with the ones we love.  And of course, we're still enjoying cheering on the Bison Football team! 

At 23 months, Pinky has officially tipped 30 pounds on the scale.  She's outgrowing most of her 24 month clothes.  She's become much more particular about what she eats . . . but still loves cheese!  She asks for cake and cookies, and even pumpkin pie, but she doesn't actually eat these treats.  Ice cream, on the other hand, is always a hit.  And a new favorite for our girl is lefse!  In fact one of her first 6-word sentences was:  "I eat the lefse all gone."

She's starting to become more interested in "tea parties", playing pretend, and a personal favorite, hide-and-seek.  Pinky hasn't quite caught on to the part of being quiet . . . she does great until someone says "where's pinky?" and she'll yell out "right here!" with such excitement!  So fun!  Hide-and-seek also allows us the opportunity to practice counting to 10 several times each night.  She's almost got it mastered! 

Decorating the tree.  Dec. 2011

Evidently it was a pretty tough job! 

Hot chocolate and cookies with cousin A after the
Holiday Lights Parade.  Nov. 2011

I wish we could bottle this excitement and joy and sell it! 
We'd be rich!

So much to be thankful for!

Well, we have all survived a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with family!  Before it gets away from us, I wanted to write down some of the things we are thankful for this year:

• Our health
• Our jobs
• Our home
• Our church family
• Our friends
• Our neighbors
• Our almost finished garage!
• Our God who loves us unconditionally
• The beatiful fall weather
• Our bright-eyed and bouncy little girl
• Our families both near and far
• Lefse

Almost at the end of a 6-hour lefse rolling marathon!

Pinky-approved of the final product!

As much as Pinky is talking these days, she isn't quite ready to tell us what she is thankful for, but if I could guess, these are a few of the things I think would be on her list:

• Wrestling with daddy
• An abbundance of snuggly blankets
• Numerous plush friends, especially Lamby, Puppy, and her new Mingo
• Reading books with mommy
• Crackers, crackers, and more crackers.
• Suckers
• Her friends and teachers at school
• Blocks
• "Mumic"
• "Angy birds"
• Cousins to play with
• Grandmas and Grandpas to tease
• Hugs to share
• Kisses to blow
• Buttons to push (on the remote and phone, but she's learning that mommy and daddy have them too!) 

"I pay Angy Birds, daddy?"

Coloring with Uncle Charly

Thanksgiving Day, 2011
Beautiful fall day! 

"Fall"ing into Fun

Where has the time gone?  We've been busy the last couple of months!  Pinky has been growing like crazy and continues to amaze us with her growing vocabulary.  Last Saturday we heard her request from the kitchen:  "I want some coffee, daddy".  We were still counting the words on our fingers when she added:  "I want some apples too." 

Here's a quick look at some of the highlights from the last couple of months: 

• 1st Haircut:

Such a big girl!!!  ~ Aug. 2011
2 months later, she's about ready for another trim!!!

• Picking Apples in the Backyard:

"I got it!" ~ Sept. 2011
We're enjoying pies, sauce, crisp, and "slinkies"!

• Fall Harvest at "Our Farm"

Taking a rest in the pumpkin patch!  ~ Oct. 2011

Our last trip to Blue Bird Gardens for the season. ~Oct. 2011

Picking carrots.  ~ Oct. 2011

• Visits with Grandmas and Grandpas

Tea time is the best time with Gramps!  ~ Sept. 2011

Grandpa GB is so funny!  ~ Oct. 2011

Grandma, is that you?  In PINK?  ~ Oct. 2011

• Miles for Max

So blessed to have a wonderful church family!  ~ Sept. 2011

We were proud to take part in the first annual 5K supporting
Pinky's daycare and the local hospital!

• Bison Homecoming

Along the parade route.  Go Bison!  ~ Oct. 2011

• Leaves, Leaves, Leaves!

Enjoying a beautiful fall day!  ~ Oct. 2011

• Time with cousins

Playing at the park.  ~ Sept. 2011

So much fun at Auntie's house!  ~ Oct. 2011

With cousin Sam and Gucci at their new house. ~ Oct. 2011

Bed time stories.  ~ Oct. 2011

• Snuggles

Ready for another Bear's season! ~ Oct. 2011

Still fascinated with phones . . . esp. if they play "mumic" ~ Oct. 2011

All snuggled in for a Sunday nap!  ~ Oct. 2011

• School  (Pinky has transitioned to the toddler room since our last post!  She's doing great and loves playing with her friends!) 

Sports Day at daycare.  Go Bison!  ~ Oct. 2011

Wacky Wednesday at Daycare! ~ Oct. 2011

• Stats:
• 30ish pounds
• Size 24 month clothes (with some 2T shirts!)
• Loves to eat meat, cheese, and cookies!
• Talking in 3-5 word sentences. 
• Loves to play with babies, blankies, stuffed animals, puzzles, colors and sticks.
• Loves "mumic", especially music videos.  And she's starting to sing the words to several songs including "Happy Birthday", "Jesus Loves Me", "You are my Sunshine", and "Johnny Appleseed".
• Talks herself to sleep most nights ~ this can be quite entertaining to listen to!

The days that counted

Well, we've officially entered back into the routine of work and daycare.  Although, I wouldn't say we are actually IN the routine yet . . . mornings come to quickly and nights just aren't long enough!
Our last week of official summer vacation was busy, but relaxing!!! Here are some highlights:


Exploring NDSU's campus on a sunny Sunday afternoon:

Practicing her "touchdown" pose . . . aka "so big!"

Pinky couldn't get enough of the flowers!  They were gorgeous!

Outdoor adventures:   (I didn't get a picture, but I actually spent an hour reading in my hammock one afternoon!  It's possible I may have dozed off, but I guess we'll never know!)

Playing at the park

Checking out the old cars on "cruise night"

Trip to the zoo:

Petting the goats with Grandma

First ride on the carousel

Topped off with Lunch at DQ!!!



 Making memories:

Helping mommy make dinner!

"Last Hurrah" bbq in my sister's "starter home".

We've had such a good summer.  It's sad to see it end.  Although our official "vacation" is over, we have lots of hot summer weather left in the season to enjoy.  We treasure our time together as a family . . . and our time with extended family and friends!

Monday morning . . . back to work and daycare.