Florida Vacation

We were once again blessed to be able to go on vacation the sunny south! We very much enjoyed our time there and were not eager to come home to the cold and snow.  The weather was really nice, the one day it was gloomy and cold we went to the Miami Sea Aquarium.  We drove this year, due to the cost, the kids did really well.  I took so many pictures, it is hard to even pick which ones to post, so if you don’t like to look at pictures, you may as well stop reading now, because there are a lot of pictures coming.

Brrr!                                             Mary painting Kate’s fingernails
 
Giant ice cream cones                    Sand Castle Fun
 
A competitive game of Dominoes      Reading Books
 
Lincoln didn’t want anyone to see he was sleeping, so he put the book over his face.
 

Morning snuggles with Grandma        The park
 
Oh, these kids.

Diving off the board       Finding shells with Grandpa
   
Popsy and Grams
 
Thanks to Grandpa Curt, Creighton was always in the shade
 
Lincoln did not nap while we were on vacation, but one night while waiting for someone to dress him for supper he fell asleep.
 

 

 
                                                 The mushrooms were a little salty this night. :)
  
 
On another note, today is our 8th anniversary.  :)

More Christmas :)

Christmas Eve day and evening we spent time with Mike’s family.  Dad R cooked up some delicious prime rib.  We were thankful he could be with us this year (last year he had the flu), but we missed Greg, Max, and Nora.  Mike and I really enjoy that we have the two extremes for family, the “big” family with 7 siblings and the “small” family with 2 siblings.  It’s really fun to be able to enjoy the benefits of each.  Here are a few pictures:

These 4 were dressed up.  Kate was the “princess” – Elisabeth was “Princess Kate’s maid” – Silas “The Horse” and I’m not sure who Hope was. :) 
      
Every year the grandkids act out the story of Christ’s birth – We had two rounds this year, Kate was Mary the first time and an angel the second.  Seth was “Jesus” and did a great job. :)
   
Singing Christmas Carols     

 
Lincoln got a fireman outfit

Kate and Lincoln got a giant book of Curious George stories and U. Phil soon had quite the crowd listening to the stories.


A family shot before church on Christmas morning


A few snapshots from our family Christmas
 

The 26th we were with my family.  It was fun to be together and a bonus that it was not snowing and the boys got to stay all day!  Hooray!

Look closely at the middle picture, Tessa is struggling to open the gift from Dad that is in a plastic cup and wrapped in newspaper and duct tape.
  
Mom found a whole bunch of GeoTrax stuff for Lincoln on a garage sale, he has hardly stopped playing with it since he got it.  Creighton LOVES to watch football.  He is sitting in one of the new chairs the kids received as gifts watching the game.  I shake my head.
 
After gifts Kate and I went outside and played in the snow.  Check out my lovely snow attire, mostly borrowed from my parents assortment of leftover clothing. :)
 
Creighton is THRILLED to be hanging out with Kate. :)

Christmas Round 1

Kate and Lincoln looking at books together. 

 

We had round 1 of our Christmas gatherings last weekend.  We started with Christmas with Mike’s Grandma, Lydia.  It was at the Community Center Room, near the Eureka Nursing Home where she lives.  She got all the great grandchildren a stocking of goodies.  I think I heard someone say there are 23 great grandchildren, with two more expected in the spring of 2011.

 

Creighton, Lincoln, and Kate with their stockings.

   

Our niece, Nora, with her Mom.  Could she be any cuter?


Next we went to my Grandpa and Grandma Kaiser’s Christmas.  I didn’t take many pictures at all and the two I took are awful, I must have left the camera on a weird setting. 

 

 

Lastly, Sunday we headed to the Red Rock Bar and Grill in Morton to celebrate Christmas.  Dad and Mom rented a small room and the gym for the evening. 

 

Today Kate and I finished up (or started and finished maybe is more accurate) our Christmas wrapping.  If you get one wrapped by her, well, it’s the thought that counts, not the presentation, right?  :)  She also arranged the gifts under the tree.  What a helper, ahem. :)