Up North Winter Fun!

We went Up North to my parents cabin after Christmas. It is one of my favorite times of the year!MaKayla is waiting for Daddy to take her on the snowmobile.

December 28, 2009 - MaKayla and Daddy going for the first snowmobile ride of the season!

Noah is waiting patiently for his turn for a ride.

Daddy gearing Noah up for his ride. Noah didn't like having the helmet put on but once the snowmobile started he was fine.

December 29, 2009 - One tuckered out snowmobiler!

Papa reading Noah a book

Papa and MaKayla enjoying an evening snack of cereal.

December 30, 2009 - MaKayla rode with Daddy on the snowmobile to Lake Tomahawk where the ladies meet the men for some downhill sledding fun. After sledding we all went to lunch for some good fun and to warm up. Afterwards, MaKayla wanted to ride with Daddy again. She rode all the way back to the cabin. This was the longest ride (45 minutes) she has ever been on and she did great! She told Daddy, "Go Faster". Glad I wasn't around to see what was going on.

December 31, 2009 - Nana and MaKayla are making my birthday cake.

Kota the Dinosaur

December 26, 2009 - This is Kota the Dinosaur that Noah was given for Christmas. We didn't get him out of the box on Christmas so the pictures are late. Kota is really cute, he moves, roars, sings. Unfortunately, Noah doesn't like it when he does any of those things. I think he will get used to him with time. This picture was taken before we turned Kota on. Now he won't get that close to him.

Noah is brave right now but I wish you could have seen him when we turned Kota on. I got some really good deals this year for Christmas with my coupon maddness!

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Happy Birthday Jesus! If it weren't one for you we would not be celebrating this wonderful holiday! May everyone take some time out of today and throughout the year and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas! And the stockings were all hung by the chimney with care, in the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

MaKayla ran up to our room screaming that Santa Claus had come. It was so cute to hear her pitter patter through the house screaming with excitement! Before we went down stairs, we sang the Happy Birthday song to Jesus and talked about the true meaning. MaKayla was so cute about telling the story of baby Jesus. Afterwards, we went downstairs to get Noah and sing with him and then we were off to see what Santa had brought. MaKayla found her stocking right away!

Noah was happy with his trucks and didn't want to be further bothered by presents.
Santa brought MaKayla a Princess miniature castle and dolls

MaKayla loves horses!

Noah sporting his new Skidoo hat

MaKayla has been asking me to make her a Tinker Bell blanket and of course I did.

Mr. Hop Hop and Eek the Mouse

Time for a story

Andy bought a helmet for the kids to wear snowmobiling this year.

Andy and Noah wearing hats

MaKayla with her Princess Vanity

Good-Bye Baby Bed!

MaKayla has refused to sleep in her bed for awhile now. She prefers to sleep on the floor in her sleeping bag than in her so called "baby bed".

This is the jeep that Aunt Vickie and Uncle Nick gave to Noah

Hello Big Girl Bed

The kids cribs/beds turn into a head & foot board. All we had to do was buy a mattress. We wanted to wait until Christmas to give it to her. She didn't care for the bed tent and asked us to take it down the following day. I think she like the openness of her big girl bed.

Christmas Eve

December 24, 2009 - We normally spend Christmas Eve at my Dad's and Step-Mom's. We were planning on traveling back to Illinois for the day but the weather changed our minds. We had a lot of freezing rain and the roads were a sheet of ice. We ended up spending the day together in doors and had a very relaxed and enjoyable time. In the evening, we went to church which was a real treat because we normally go to a service a day or two before. It was nice to be able to reflect on what Christmas is really all about. The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! I hope everyone was able to spend some time reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas!Here is a picture of us sitting at the fireplace. This is the best I could do with a timer.

My little handsome man!

My beautiful Princess!

MaKayla and Noah loving each other!

A Visit With Santa

December 23, 2009 - Andy and I took the kids to see Santa. MaKayla was so excited but when she got up there she was really shy. She whispered to him that she wanted a Princess Barbie.

Christmas At My Mom's

The weekend before Christmas we went back to Illinois to celebrate with family. As you can see from the pictures below that we went to my Mom's. We also went to my Grandpa's and Andy's Sister's but can you believe I forgot my camera at my Dad's. I could kick myself! December 20th, 2009 - We went to my Mom's house for Christmas. This was my first time seeing everyone since we have moved. We had a very nice visit! Here is my Grandma with MaKayla.

Noah and MaKayla waiting patiently for present opening time.

My Brother Markus, Me, Noah and my Brother Michael. I bet you would have never guessed that they are twins.

4 generations: MaKayla, Me, my Mom, My Grandma

14 Inches of SNOW!!!

December 9, 2009- We got close to 14" of snow today. I like snow but that is a lot! This is what we saw when we opened the garage door.

Noah is walking in the path that Daddy made with the snow blower. The snow is so tall he can't go anywhere else. *Note: a bonus of snow!

The trees laden with snow! They are beautiful!

I stuck a measuring tape in the snow to record the inches on our driveway.

MaKayla had a hard time getting anywhere to explore.

1st Snow of the Year!

December 4, 2009 - We had some light flurries before today but nothing that really stuck. Today the kids looked out the window and begged to go "outside". They still wanted to play with their summer toys.

We went up and down the street with the jeep and scooter.

MaKayla had to get a little taste of the new snow. I have to teach her about eating clean snow!

December 8, 2009 - More snow today! It was so pretty outside! Andy pulled the kids around the yard on the sled. MaKayla was a frozen popsicle when she came in so she went straight to a warm bath.