My Favorite Time of Day

... is when Mike comes home from work!  Monday eve we just played in Peter's room for a while.  Mike often holds Clove like a baby and Peter wanted to... so Peter sat in Mike's lap so he could hold Clove.  Can you tell we have a great cat?!  She totally just laid there!

And I am calling Monday, 1/4, the day Lily could officially sit up!  Isn't she just adorable?!  Look at that sweet smile.

Another favorite thing is clean babies!

New Years Celebration & VT Bowl Game at the River

First item of business after arrival was setting up for the VT Bowl Game.  There is no cable there & just a small little TV.  So Mike found a free satellite dish on craigslist and Tim brought his flat screen TV and Direct TV box.  Things started off a little dicey with big questions about whether it would actually work.  But as you can see from this pic, there were some BIG GRINS on their faces as they got it working.  Tim is coming back from a high five in this pic- thus the funny looking R arm.  So we enjoyed watching a VT victory on ESPN.

The younger fans...

And the youngest guests...

Chris & Kristy also joined us (but once again, no pictures of the adults).

We had as good of a time as you can have with 2 little boys (who are very pumped to be together) and 2 sweet babies, who we wouldn't trade for the world.

Let's just say we were up long before the sun rose each morning... :)!

Christmas at Our House

We finally did Christmas at our house on the Monday eve after Christmas.  I thought I'd be bummed about the delay but it was actually just fine.  We don't really get a ton for each other and its the first year we really bought anything for Peter.

Here is our living room & tree before Christmas, before any of our gifts (for others and our family) had been opened.

We gave Lily some gifts so it would seem more "fair" to Peter. 

She'll start cereal soon so that was one of her gifts!  :)

She also got a new book... Peter is really reading it to her in this pic. 

He was saying "duck, walk, boots"- so sweet!

Peter got a piano.  Mike and my mom have these grand schemes of Mom giving us the piano from their house for Peter.  Have you seen how small our house is?  So this was my attempt to delay that... 

He is sooo affectionate lately and will give me lots of kisses!  I love it! 

I know it won't last forever so I've been getting lots while I can.

I got a pitch fork... hopefully for composting (tho I am not totally convinced that will happen in a neighborhood but I'm up for trying it). 

I also figure a pitchfork is just a good thing to have!  I'm excited about it!

I love Peter's smile in this pic.  They had gone out together to buy it.

one more pic of the adorable girl...

Thank you, Jesus, that you came to dwell among us and save us!

Vacation Outtings

I can't believe I am even posting these pics- we look so pasty white- it is WINTER!  :)

We were so blessed that Mike was off the week b/t Christmas & New Year's.  I was esp spoiled b/c he took care of Peter a lot!  On Monday, they did a repeat of their early summer trip... this time they headed to the Science Museum.  Mike said Peter was so excited to see the bus coming toward them & had a fragile sorta laugh- maybe a combo of excitement and a little fear but then turned to all happiness after they were on the bus.  :)

and our little sleeper fell asleep on the way home...

That afternoon, I headed out to the mall with Lily to spend my gift card from Kathy & Ski.

Christmas Day and Beyond

We woke up Christmas Morn at Maw & Paw's house!

I am realizing that Mike and I totally don't get pictures anymore-
there wasn't one of the two of us. :(

Here are some pics of the cuter, younger ones...

Peter got a new puzzle set--- it includes a school bus, his fav!

Maw & Paw also gifted him with a scooter, a fat monkey, clothes, etc.

(For the record, my parents started off as Grandma & Granddaddy but with those being so hard to say, it occured to me that he could say "Maw" so I quickly renamed

my (country-living) parents for him- funny, huh? 

I think they like it :) but I have promised we'll return to Grandma and Grandpa!)

Lily got a new pink bag...

Gifts from Nee Nee...

Peter is introducing his horse to Lily's new baby doll...

We enjoyed a fun visit from my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Henry...

Can you tell that they adore Lily? (& Peter too!)

adoring grandparents....

Thanks, Mom & Dad!  We had a GREAT time!

Christmas Eve

We had an amazing Christmas all around!  I certainly felt well loved by each of our parents!

We generally spend Christmas Eve Day at Kathy & Ski's. 

This year we opened presents first...

all the kids & spouses went in together to get K&S a new lamp.

We gave them this card/ collage to go along with it... saying they make our days

"merry & BRIGHT"...

and they really do- they are SO generous, kind and helpful to all of us- I am so thankful for them!

(I am just learning Picasa, blogging, etc- as I'm sure is obvious- and I was pretty excited about the collage so I had to post it.  You can't see all of it unless you click on it.)

Kathy opening the package...

Lily got a cute colorful outfit from Gram...

Peter got some scissors- I can imagine what damage they could do- so they are well hidden up high and we'll save those for play time with an adult!  :)

Of course, each little one got multiple other gifts- just sharing a few here...

talented Aunt Becky sent Lily Bug this lady bug shirt- love it!

Kathy made us a delicious brunch of "Egg Stuff", fruit and bread- it was wonderful!!

After our morning & early afternoon at K&S's, we headed home for naps and then they met us at church for the 4 pm family service.

Later that eve we headed to my parents house!

I need to remember to put something in the crock pot for next year :)- it was the second year in a row we ate fast food on Christmas Eve... I do love fast food but it doesn't seem like the romantic Christmas Eve meal in my mind!  Thank you Kathy and Ski- we loved spending the day with you!

"Disturb us, Lord, when

We are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ."

Sir Francis Drake