Project 365 Complete! I did it!!!

Dec 24th

Merry Christmas from the cabin!  All the cousins (except the baby who was napping) from my side.  We haven't had a picture like this in four years (three kids were not born yet!).  So fun seeing them all together.  We did the cousin exchange and the adult gift exchange on Christmas Eve.  It was a fun afternoon enjoying family and eating Mom's yummy lunch.  We stayed until the evening before heading home to get ready for Christmas morning.

Dec 25th

Merry Christmas!  All the boy cousins on Christmas morning at our house.  We work up (kinda) early and had our families little Christmas.  Santa paid a visit and presents were opened.  Pumpkin was thrilled with her purple monkey and Sweet Pea was just happy!  Then the in-laws arrived and it was time for more stockings, the adult gift exchange, more presents, and a delicious home cooked breakfast.  It was a wonderful Christmas and was fun for everyone!

Dec 26th

On Christmas morning G received a text message telling our family to quickly come out to his parents house.  At first we were a little concerned something was wrong. . it was just a present under their tree with his father's and his name on it.  As the opened it, there were John Deere items. .  .in the garage there was this!!!!  It's a John Deere 1944 Model B tractor.  He was shocked!  His mom was so pleased that they had managed to completely surprise him- not easy considering we live on the same property!  It was quite fun watching him try to start it. . .no starter on this baby!  He has to hand start it- could be a good workout!

Dec 27th

Reading a book to her puppy!  He will be a very smart little puppy!

Dec 28th

We had a great cousin trip to the zoo!  The 7 big cousins on my side went to the zoo together and had fun afternoon.  We enjoyed our lunch inside the zoo and visited lots of animals.   I pictures of the four little girls on this lizard, but this was our first chance to get a picture with the big cousins on it!  Can't wait to go again!

Dec 29th

Sweet Pea putting her baby to bed!  She covered her up and was singing her to sleep.  My girls are very into playing pretend and take turns being the baby, dog, cat, anything they think of!

Dec 30th

Family fun day!  We spent the afternoon at Boomer's playing miniature golf, driving go-karts, and playing in the arcade!  I don't know if I have ever laughed as hard as I did watching my girls golf!  They had so much fun.  Pumpkin "wins" on every hole!  Sweet Pea gave Daddy her golf club and said "I don't need this!" and then used her foot to kick the ball!  Pumpkin "accidentally" lost her ball in a garbage can.  Such a silly afternoon.  Pumpkin got to ride in a go-kart with Daddy and thanks to some misbehaving junior highers got a second ride!  I can't wait to go back someday!

Dec 31st

Sweet Pea told Daddy when he got his tractor "Too big" and refused to ride it.  Usually she would want to go back to the house since it is pretty noisy.   It is a big tractor- the seat is at my eye level.  He convinced her to take a turn and after the first turn she was smiling.  Daddy loves that her girls love riding with him out back.  Next year I'm sure this tractor will look much different. . .stay tuned!

p365- Loving leaves, bikes, our puppy, and a sweet baby

Dec 16th
I think he is trying to hide from Sweet Pea!  His head kept getting farther and farther under the couch!

Dec 17th

We have several very large trees with very small leaves.  They are gorgeous- I absolutely love them!  They provide us with great shade and make our home feel so cozy.  G however has a difference of opinion. . .he spends about 4-6 hours a week during the fall raking, blowing, and cleaning the leaves out of the yard.  The girls decided to "help" him today.  I don't think he appreciates their helping very much!

Dec 18th

Such a beautiful day we had to go outside!  The girls had fun riding their bikes in the front yard.  Isn't she just precious?

Dec 19th

I honestly do not know who took this picture or why . . .I'm guessing it was Pumpkin.  I like that it shows our stockings. . .every year people comment on G's. The story is that when we first got married and were looking for stockings he wanted the biggest stocking we could find.  I found a great website that had BIG stockings.  As we were newlyweds and broke I couldn't afford their biggest stocking so I ordered their second biggest stocking!  When I ordered stockings to be our family stockings he refused to change his!  Oh well!  And no- I do not fill his stocking!  Usually just the toe of his stocking has stuff in it! haha

Dec 20th

Best friends!  He has accepted her as his playmate and will go to her if she is around.  He knows she will be fun to play with!  I'm trying to teach her to leave him alone when he is on his bed. . .I don't think it is working!

Dec 21st

Kicking it old school!  You can't really tell from the picture, but she is listening and reading to a book on cassette tape!  The tape player in next to her on the floor and she is listening to Peter Pan!  My sister gave us these books and tapes- so much fun!  No iPod or fancy technology needed!

Dec 22nd

Waiting for Santa!  I don't know what prompted her to make her bed under the stockings, but it sure is cute!

Dec 23rd

Cabin Cousin fun!  Pumpkin and her baby cousin had fun playing under the pool table.  He loved being under there- I think he is going to be a fort kiddo!  This was our first day at the cabin and we had so much fun playing with cousins and getting ready for our Christmas celebration!

p365- Christmas is coming!

Nov 25th

A fun cousin day at Pumpkin's favorite park!  Love these little monkey's climbing up the slide.

Nov 26th

The girls have discovered their pajamas Or "fuzzy-wuzzies" as Sweet Pea calls them are great places to hold their favorite stuffed animals.

Nov 27th

The girls helped decorate the tree this year with very little input from Mommy and Daddy.  Most ornaments are on the bottom and they get moved almost daily!  We love our family tree with memories in every ornament on our tree.

Nov 28th

Happy Birthday to my dad!  We had a family dinner at a local pizza place and then took family photos.  This will be the first Christmas in about five years where we are all together!  It's going to be noisy and a little crazy!

Nov 29th

Craft time!  We picked up little paint sets at the dollar store and the girls had fun creating with them.  I love how creative they are!

Nov 30th

She bundled herself up and fell asleep in my bed!  We love her little free spirit and the fun outfits she comes up with.

PeekaBoo Santa!

On Saturday we went to our photographers house for Christmas pictures.  Last year I LOVED our pictures from this session and it was so much fun!  As soon as she announced she was having this photo shoot I knew we had to do it!  This year was a little different. . .instead of Santa coming out to see the kids and have them on his lap, he would be behind the tree "peeking" out at them.  This way she hoped more kids would be happy and smiling since Santa would not be there to scare them.  Sounds great. . .unless you have Sweet Pea! 

Sweet Pea has had pictures done in this studio since before she was born, but needs time to warm up usually.  Unfortunately this shoot did not allow enough time for her to warm up, and I think her assistant also threw Sweet Pea.  So we did our best and this is what we got!  Not bad for a mini session!  And as always lots of fun memories!

Miss Pumpkin  (she had no idea Santa was back there!)

This was the only way I was going to get both girls to have a picture with Santa!  While we were sitting, Santa knocked something down behind us, making a big noise.  Miss Sweet Pea discovered him, but Pumpkin still did not know what it was!

Yes I am a mean mom!  I couldn't resist the screaming baby picture!  I am hiding behind the trunk on the floor and my hands are still around Sweet Pea trying to calm her down.  She again saw Santa as when she arched back she could see him!  The entire time I'm laughing behind the box since the photographer and her assistant are trying so hard to get Sweet Pea to be happy and to smile! 

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family!!!