New Year's Eve

We decided to have a little get-together at our house this year to celebrate New Year's Eve!  We had 2 families come over to join in the fun, and the kids played together and decorated sugar cookies as they awaited the new year celebration.  We watched the ball drop in NYC on Eastern time, blew out the noisemakers, and said our goodbyes just before midnight.  I'm hoping we can do this again next year, it was a blast!

We are ready to begin a fresh new year tomorrow and we look back on 2016 with gratitude for all the great memories that were made and all the blessings that we were given.  We wish you a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas 2016!

We had a wonderful celebration of Christmas!

Christmas Day started bright and early, of course!  It was still dark when the kids came bursting out of their rooms and ran down the stairs.  They began with their stockings, and Erik and I joined in.  Eventually, we all made our way to the living room and began to open Christmas gifts.  Cassie was most excited about her Amazon Kindle and a new hatchimal; Gavin was excited to open a hand-held gaming toy and Anki Overdrive, a toy car racing system that utilizes artificial intelligence to make the races come to life through a special app (it's kind of confusing!).  Tyler was excited about new hot wheels toys and trains!

Later that afternoon, we headed out for Christmas travels. We headed first to Clarendon Hills and had a wonderful Christmas evening with the Browns!  We played with Grandpa's under-the-tree train set (always a special favorite pastime), exchanged presents, and had a fabulous Christmas dinner.  Grammy's meal has become tradition -- Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, green beans and her special jello dish - we look forward to it every year!  Some portion of people around the table even tend to compete on who can eat the most Swedish meatballs...Grandpa usually wins.

The kids adore the special train that runs under the tree!

Grandpa is the top train engineer...he knows just how to make it take the curves without coming off the track.

Tyler got a fun gift that he loved - Peppa and George Pig, stuffed animals that fall over laughing when you press them - he was joining in the fun.

Cassie loved this Harry Potter book that opens up like a gobbling monster when you press on it!

Gavin loves this Star Wars drone!

The Christmas Table

The kids' table!

Grammy's delicious Christmas dinner

Mmmmm...the dessert spread!

Our final stop was in Brown County, IN where we meet up each year with the Reder Family, at Big Sky Cabin.  We enjoy a few days of leisure, hiking, baking, card games, board games, knitting, shopping and exchanging gifts.  Since we aren't able to get this whole group together more than a couple times a year, we pack in as much fun as we can.

Lounging with cousins!

Sweet Ellie and Tyler

Going for a nice hike by the lake

There are dozens and dozens of sugar cookies!

Knitting lessons with Aunt Shannon 

Card games with Grandpa Reder

Pizza night!

Snuggles with Grandma Reder

A shot from the stairway; ready to begin the kids' gift exchange

The sorting hat from Harry Potter; Cassie believes she'd surely belong in Gryffindor.

Grandma and Grandpa Reder prepare a lovely Christmas dinner

Next, the adults hold a gift exchange

I'm showing Gavin the family tree map that Grandma Reder filled out for me by hand, by request!

There's usually a strategic, complex board game that begins late in the evening...

We all enjoy a day of shopping in downtown Nashville, IN.

Some group photos!  All 16 of us...

Just the Reder cousins...

Family photo on the front deck of Big Sky.

Christmas Is Coming!

Preparing for Christmas is a big part of the fun of the season. We have been enjoying every moment!

The kids love this special book we received from Grammy and Grandpa Brown a few years back.  It's a recordable book- they recorded their voices reading the Charlie Brown Christmas story.  The kids listen to it year after year.

Breakfast with Santa at SFX!

The kids had fun helping me decorate the house.  This is our Dicken's Village.

The tree is trimmed...

I love having these skaters; I grew up loving them and now my kids do, too.  And this rotating tree plays pretty Christmas music as it turns!

The warm fireplace.  Peace is always top of mind this time of year...

At SFX Church for the grade school Christmas concert.  The kids all did a great job!

Decorating cookies to give to neighbors!

Tyler and his buddy James at the SFX early childhood Christmas show

(They were adorable little singing angels!)

Cassie performed at the SFX Irish Dance Christmas Ceili, a great night as always.

Christmas Eve Mass 

Leaving out milk and cookies (and carrots)!  I wonder what the morning will bring...