Christmas Eve Morning

We got to spend Christmas Eve at home just hanging out, it was great. We had some friends over in the morning for breakfast and spent the rest of the day together. So much excitement about Santa coming and what he would bring.


Making cookies for Santa :)


Riley opening a present on Christmas Eve...Dance with Dora on the Wii, so much fun!


Keegan and his Polar Bear book (also came with a puzzle and polar bear).


Riley and Jamison :) Riley just cannot get enough of Jamison, she thinks she is just great and could just sit and hold her for hours.

Riley's Earrings

On Friday Riley got her ears pierced!

She has talked about having earrings off an on for many months, but never anything too serious...well, this past week something changed. Everyday last week she talked about it and kept telling me that she wanted to go that day and I would say maybe tomorrow and we would move on. Well, by Friday she really wanted to go so we went for it. I think on the drive there I was trying to convince myself it would be ok, because she was very confident. She did great! When we got there she picked out her earrings and surprised us by picking out red, but that was great because that is her birthstone. She got up in the chair and sat perfectly still while they cleaned her ears, marked them and then did it!! It took a couple of seconds for her to process the painful side of it; she cried a tiny bit and then was all smiles. She is just so excited to have earrings and just loves to show everyone. (All the picture from that day are on Matt's phone, so for now here is a close up for all to see.)

Decorating Christmas Cookies

Last weekend we went over to a friend's house to decorate Christmas cookies; it has become a fun tradition. Riley really enjoyed decorating the cookies and she saved 2 for Santa. Keegan was not so into the cookies so he enjoyed playing outside.









As this fun day came and went we were quickly reminded of this time last year. It was cookie decorating day last year that Riley became sick and sent us on quite the journey to close out 2011. We are so thankful that this year has been much different for her. We are so excited about getting ready for Christmas and definitely feeling blessed that we are all home (under one roof) and healthy this year :)

Breakfast with Santa 2011

We had breakfast this morning with Santa and worked on getting a decent picture with two kids...










Finally, one that turned out pretty good.


I was not so concerned about the picture taking, it was just fun. Santa still makes Riley very nervous, but as soon as we got home she told me she LOVES Santa!?! I have finally decided that it really does not matter what pictures you get because that is the memory and the moment how it was. Not to mention the not so great pictures make for a good story later.

Riley's Christmas Program

Riley at her Christmas program this past Monday. There is not much cuter than 3 and 4 year old kiddos singing Christmas songs - they were so cute.



Riley ready to go to school for her Christmas program...looking beautiful in her sparkling red dress :)


Keegan, all ready to go.


A picture of me taken by Riley before the Christmas program.


Riley wanted to take a picture of everyone, so that meant getting Matt washing dishes.

Flower Girl

On November 5th good friends of ours, Carl and Emily, got married and Riley was the flower girl. She did a great job and had a blast at the wedding.


So beautiful :)


Matt and Riley just before the reception.


Our little dancing queen! We had a hard time dragging her off the dance floor when it was time to go.

Happy Halloween

Field Trip Fun

Last week Riley's class had a field trip to the pumpkin patch and I went along. Wow, a morning with that many 3 year olds is exhausting...I don't know how their teachers do it. We had lots of fun though. We went on a hayride, fed the goats, checked out the pigs and chickens, decorated a pumpkin, went through a maze made of hay, bounced around and most of all Riley had lots of fun with her friends.

Fun times...

Just some pictures of the kids playing outside the other day!!

Keegan's Glasses!

Keegan got his glasses a few weeks ago :) On the first day I did not think this transition was going to be very easy...if I put his glasses on he would scream and cry and then if I even came near him with them he would run away. The second day was a little better; he would wear them for 15-30 minutes at a time. Then a good progression started and now he wears them all day with no trouble at all. Not to mention that he is just too cute for words with them on!!

Our baby is 2!

It is so hard to believe that Keegan is already 2! In so many ways it feels like it flew by and in other ways in seems like we have been moving in slow motion. Keegan has taught us a lot in his two years and continues to keep us on our toes. He is truly an amazing little guy :)

Riley the Photographer

On our last day of vacation we realized that we did not have one picture of Matt and I together. We put Riley up on a chair and showed her how to use the camera! It is not the best picture due to lighting, but I think she did a good job.

Playing on the Beach

The kids had tons of fun on the beach this time around. Keegan loved the water and to just cover himself in sand. Riley loved everything...water, sand, playing and running. We even attempted to make a sand castle; I am hoping our skills will approve over the years. Overall just WONDERFUL!!