Macys 2011

Every year it's tradition to go to Macys (or Marshall Field's as I will always know it to be) and have lunch under the big tree.  This year was fun (and a bit tricky having two new babies with us.  Thank goodness for an expansive furniture floor where two nursing mothers can find some privacy!)

The "big" cousins had a ball running around and chasing each other.

And the "little" cousins had a ball talking baby talk and being dressed alike (thanks to my mother-in-law).

I usually love to take lots of pictures and get all artsy, but with two kids in tow it wasn't happening this year. I'm not sure I even got a proper picture of the tree!

This is Nathan and his cousin Jake.  Nate just adores him (as you can plainly see!)

At least I got some cute pictures of all the cousins together.  We don't see them often enough.

One of the best photos of the day-the Queen Bee with her grandchildren.

The day went by too quickly and we were out of time before we knew it and had to head home so Ryan could go to work.  However, we were happy to have carried on a tradition, spent time with family and made some memories!

Some that didn't make the cut

Here are a few goodies from my attempt at the "perfect" Christmas card photo. 

Okay, one out of two ain't bad. (And I'm sorry but even when Lucas is crying he is just so. darn. cute!)

But Moooom, we don't waaaaant to!

Maybe if we act sleepy we can get out of it!

Okay, get that camera out of our faces already!

What? I have to touch him?

Got a couple decent ones in the end.  One year I am going to do a Christmas card with just the outtakes!

Christmas Day

I am overwhelmed with the amount of pictures I've taken-and not blogged about-since Christmas.  

Christmas morning was just the three of us.  And as much as I love to spend time with family during the holiday, this is my absolute favorite time.

And then the chaos begins.

But it's good chaos.

There was music,

(Nate is on drums at the table)

dancing,

 yummy ravioli, 

(Ryan is the official taste tester to see if it is ready)

and a whole lotta love.

Singing Happy Birthday to baby Jesus

(As you can see, 

Nate still doesn't like singing

Happy Birthday)

Christmas Eve

Christmas eve is spent with my family.  We had a busy schedule this year, too!  Family arrived here at 10:30 and we started with opening presents (yay!  the best part first!) went to church, opened more presents, made dinner, ate dessert and played with new toys.  Whew! Here are some pictures from the day's festivities.

Our family Christmas tree, my very pregnant and very happy sister, Nate opening a Wonder Pets gift, Ryan and Nate going through his stocking, my mom opening the picture my sisters and I had taken for her (Becky, next year we are coming to you-Sears was a horrible experience!), my sister Valerie showing off her snowflake earrings, Tim opening the funniest book he'll ever read, and Nate playing with one of the many, many, MANY new toys he got.

I tried to be fancy/formal this year with the table setting.

Highlight number one of the night: Nate got an Amtryke bike from his Grandpa!  

Highlight number two: the drum set he got from Aunt Gina and Uncle Tim.  He had been playing the air drums for some time and was so excited to get a real set!

Highlight number three: Getting Tiffany earrings from my dad!  

The best part was just being able to spend this special time with family and preparing and enjoying a meal together.  It's so nice to have my sister and brother-in-law home!  Hard to imagine next year there will be two little ones opening presents!

And here is Nate on Christmas morning, trying out his new bike.  It was the first thing he asked about when he woke up. He's had fun riding it all over the house and is getting stronger and faster every day.  Once spring gets here he'll be out riding with the big boys in the neighborhood!  Thanks, Grandpa!!!

Christmas Tradition No. 2: Ravioli

This was another tradition started by my husband's family

they're Italian

So every year, we pre-make ravioli

for Christmas dinner

The boys help by rolling the dough 

(I have to give my husband mad props here

because he was the only adult male

who helped us women-folk)

And the Little Red Hen,

er, I mean my wonderful Mother-in-law

did what she does best

and folded, cut and forked

(and did a lot of bossing us around, too)

Love ya, mom!

It really was a team effort

(Even these two little cuties helped!)

And there was some fun, too

a little dancing

and some friendly taunting

(mostly due to having Bears AND Packers fans

and someone mentioning deep-frying

a turkey on Christmas)

and behold!

the yellow bowl was present!

Several hours later we had a couple hundred

ravioli in the freezer for Christmas day.

The best part?

Ryan's 87 year old Grandfather is the official taste tester

and gave them two thumbs up! 

Family Portrait

It's rare that I get these. Heck, I forgot to get a picture of the three of us on Christmas. And Thanksgiving. And probably several other important holidays.

Anyway, enough about my forgetfulness.

This was a random "shoot". It was a Sunday morning, we were up and dressed for church when Nate's special buddy, Carolyn called to say that the roads were horrible (it had been snowing all morning) and to just stay home.

Perfect time to try out my tripod and take a family pic. Here are some of the outtakes:



Testing out the light





Daddy love



Ryan trying to be funny (but look at that adorable smile on my little guy!)



He's going to kill me for this one


And the winner:



Not exactly sure how I got Nate to actually look at the camera, let alone smile. I think it was the blinking light from the timer. I'm pretty sure it'll never happen again though! Good thing I have a blog to document these kinds of things.

A Kismis Powdee

Nate was so excited about this-he kept talking about the "Kismis Powdee" we were going to.



It was at an old roller rink, so there was plenty of open space for him to get around. He loved it!



Gramma came, too.





He made ornaments,



played basketball,





and saw Santa. He wasn't so sure about him-I'm not sure he even really looked at him. We don't really do the Santa thing anyway-meaning we don't go through all the hoops to tell Nate that he is real. We just treat him as a kind of fun Christmas character.



He had so much fun! We'll definitely do it again next year!

Merry Christmas!

And happy birthday, Jesus!

We hope your holiday is filled with family, love, laughter and grace.

Thanks be to God
for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas

Everyone said it would happen. That Christmas would be so much more exciting with a little one around. And they were right!




We had a fantastic holiday, spent with family and friends (as well as a little too much food, sweets and wii playing). Nathan was more interested in ripping the paper this year but not much else. Except this new toy.



I can't even imagine how much more fun it will be as our family grows. And my sisters start having kids (ahem, yes I am talking to you, Regina!) Well, I can sort of imagine. Paper flying, kids squealing, toys singing, people laughing, and pure happiness all around us. Can it be Christmas everyday?

Two of the same

Our first Christmas living together we bought a big tree. Our moms gave us ornaments from our childhoods to decorate our tree and I was excited to intermingle them together for the first time. As we were pulling out ornaments we realized we had two of the same ornaments. The exact same. It was a really wierd moment, and no amount of thinking could conjure up where each of us aquired them. My only guess is that we got it in girl/boy scouts and the troop mom was the same for both (I think I might even know who it is-I recognize the handwriting and she had a son and daughter our age). So, now it has become tradition that each year as we decorate the tree we look for these exact same ornaments and find them a special place on the tree next to each other.



We also have two "Baby's First Christmas 1980" ornaments. They aren't the same but we're still not sure which blongs to who. Or whom. Whatever. I think mine is the one with the girl on the horse and his is the one with the teddy bear. Moms, could you help us out on this one?





Thanks.