Catching Up

I can't believe we are already almost through January.  I have spent the majority of the month either working or helping the kids with their VERY INVOLVED projects.  I feel like we haven't been able to do much, but do we have a few pictures. 

       

On New Years Eve, the kids went biking with Alex's dad and the cousins.

     

     

   

We went to a New Year's Eve party at a friend of Alex's.  We had a great time.  There was a trampoline in the backyard that the kids jumped on for at least two hours.

   

New Year's Day, Alex took the kids ice skating at White Water Center while I took down all the Christmas decorations. 

    

     

We were promised a few inches of snow, but got a light dusting a week and a half ago.  They canceled school over this.  

      

   

    

LuLu turned one! 

    

     

Alex had a curling tournament in Wisconsin this weekend so his parents were able to help with the kids.  They had to take them to school on Friday and to curling on Saturday.  We met up for lunch at Optimist Hall. 

    

    

Harper's team won their game Sunday morning.  Harper scored another goal!  I missed the two games prior to this due to calls, but Harper scored in the last game too!

    

      

After the game, the kids and I went to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.  The kids loved it!

   

     

       

     

    

    

    

   

    

    

    

    

    

      

Three Christmases

We had a wonderful holiday season and topped it off with three Christmases!  We started the celebrations with a Christmas Eve dinner at the Scheer's condo.  The condo was beautifully decorated for Christmas.  We had a delicious raclette cheese dinner followed by birthday gifts, cousin presents and Christmas Eve gifts from Nanna and Grandad.  It was a perfect Christmas Eve.

     

The beautiful table!

    

        

So merry!

     

     

     

    

    

The smoking men out on the porch were festive.

     

     

      

       

Christmas dishes!

     

Happy birthday Grandad!

       

     

     

      

When we got back home, the kids wrote letters to Santa and left out cookies, milk, carrots and string cheese (added by Harper).

     

      

Santa came!

       

         

This was Lu's first Christmas season.  She has been confused by all the plants indoors, presents and candles. 

     

    

    

My favorite view

      

Merry Christmas!

    

They were excited!

     

They read Santa's letter and a book from Santa.

    

   

The book was all about Lu.

     

      

     

      

      

Ethan was psyched for his vet set!

       

Still confused...

     

Lu got presents too!

   

    

   

The kids' big gift from us was American Girl / Boy Dolls.  They play together with these for hours.

        

    

After presents, we had special pancakes.

      

Ethan's snowman looked a little evil.

    

     

     

The kids spent the day playing with toys.  They loved this 3d doodler!

     

Night vision! 

      

Alex is ready for the Charlotte FC!

   

       

Michele and Dave came over for second Christmas.

    

Harper got a grown up suitcase!  Ethan received an American Girl Doll!  We had gotten him an American Boy Doll, but the clothing and accessories for boys are very limited.  We thought it would be fun to have a girl too.

        

       

Alex and I made a whipped goat cheese appetizer.

    

Gingerbread trifle 

    

Truffle deviled eggs

     

I had froze rosemary and cranberries in the bottom of our cups to make cute Christmas glasses.

     

     

     

We had Christmas dinner at our house.

     

    

     

Merry Christmas to all!

    

Lu loves her fish.

      

We tried a new pizza place in Camp North End the day after Christmas.  It was delicious!

   

    

We ate all of it - every last bite!

     

      

Friday night, the kids and I headed to Cary for Christmas number three.

       

Poppy and Gigi had the best tree I have seen in years!

      

    

          

    

    

    

     

    

     

Lisa and Matt came with the cats too!

     

We had our regular Christmas morning breakfast, my favorite.

    

     

      

I had to make the cheese dip again.

      

Lisa and the kids made Christmas cookies.

    

    

Ethan held Tullie.

     

     

    

Ethan held Templeton.

    

       

      

Ethan got scratched!  Maybe he will not hold the kitties in the future.

    

The kids just love playing with their new toys.

      

     

Teresa and Jeff came over for dinner.  I made a chocolate orange posset.  It was delicious!

   

Grandma made a pumpkin pie.  I had been dying for pumpkin pie!

   

Perfect!

    

We played bingo.