Christmas 2011

 Getting ready to see Santa at the mall with some friends.  It was not a success.

 Headed to Christmas Eve Mass. No nursery during the service meant Charlie was doing gymnastics on the kneelers/pew while Maggie proceeded to pass out :)

 Is this the cutest knight costume ever? Now Charlie can be the handsome prince when the kids play dress up.  Thanks Aunt Jess and Uncle Brendan!!

 Matching jammies from Auntie Julie

 Just what I wanted!!

 ANIMALS

 Roar

 Hanging out at Nana and Papas the day after Christmas

 Our favorite soon-to-be-married couple

Maggie was a big help during the rousing game of charades led by Aunt Erin

O Christmas Tree

Two weeks ago we went out to Laingsburg to cut down our first ever real Christmas tree.  After years of using our artificial tree, I finally convinced Rob to get a real one.  We stopped at Tom and Becky's house before heading next door and had a very special visit with the family.  Maggie drank hot cocoa with Becky and demonstrated her Irish dancing skills for Tom.   The kids loved seeing the animals and riding in the big tractor pulled wagon to find our tree.  Maggie even helped Rob cut it down.  I am so excited to begin family traditions that will continue as we celebrate Christmas in Michigan for years to come. 

Merry Christmas everyone!!

 Checking out the animals at Peacock Road Tree Farm

 Riding in the wagon to pick out our tree

 We found it!

 Rob handled the saw and Maggie helped tip it over :)

 Brrr! It was pretty windy and started to rain

 Decorating our first real Christmas tree ever!!

Merry Christmas

First Snow

See Charlie? Isn't this fun?

 Its not so bad Maggie, and the snow is great for eating!

 Here Charlie, let me help you with your mittens!! OK, time to go inside!

 Sun peeking over the trees

 Lucy LOVES the snow

 and I LOVE our backyard on snow days! So much room to run around!

Winter has arrived! We got our first snow right after Thanksgiving and it was a wonderful 8-10 inches.  The kids were so excited but Charlie only made it outside for about 10 minutes before he ripped off his mittens and decided he'd had enough.  That was, of course, after 30 minutes of getting them bundled up.  We got a little more snow this morning and I am remembering how slippery it can be, especially in our neighborhood.  Maybe we will be sick of it by next month, but for right now I am really loving our first winter back home. 

Thanksgiving

Playing in the backyard before the feast

 The Thanksgiving group (Claire took the picture)

 Tech tots

 Grumpy

 Curly girlie

 Charlie pretending to skateboard.  Not really, but it looks like it right?



Halloween

 SAFE Halloween in downtown EL

 Maggie and her friend Lucy loving the candy!!

 Carving pumpkins with Dad

 Pirates getting ready for adventure

 Trick or treating with cousins in the old neighborhood-so much fun!!

Fall

We have obviously been so busy these past few weeks, where are all my posts!! So a little update on everyone:

Rob is enjoying his new job and we are so glad to see him a lot more than we used to!! He is also loving all of the fun work he has to do now that we have such a big yard. Who wouldn't love driving that John Deere around and building bonfires though? He ran the Lansing City River Run Half Marathon with Jess last month and finished with a respectable time :)

I am meeting lots of great girls, thanks to Maggie's preschool and a local MOPS program! I am still sad sometimes and miss our Army life but being in Michigan during the fall (FOOTBALL SEASON) has been so exciting and fun. We have been able to see the Spartans play, watch the marching band practice before home games and tailgate. I am still struggling with what I should be doing/involved with here but am just trying to focus on my number one job and savor these quickly passing moments with Maggie and Charlie.

Maggie is doing well in Preschool and I am thrilled with the program she is attending. The teachers are so sweet and it is such a caring and fun environment for her to be in. It is amazing as ever to see her brain growing and she is really interested in letters, pirates, dress up and riding bikes with the neighbor kids these days.

Charlie is running, climbing and jumping all over the place. He is still not talking that much but has picked up lots of signs (as have we) thanks to some DVDs from the library. His favorite sign is "candy". He LOVES playing outdoors and follows his big sister everywhere. He is such a sweet little guy!!
We have been very busy with lots of visitors, already seeing Dad, and both Emma and Bridget twice since we moved in. The kids also got to spend a fun weekend with the Crowes while Rob and I were able to see a movie and have a date night at Lansing's Oktoberfest with Brendan and Jess. We are so glad to be able to see them and the girls frequently and of course, my Mom! She has dinner with us regularly and the kids couldn't be happier to see her! Oh, and Maggie is requesting I mention her awesome racing in the Dino Dash at MSU. She is so proud of her medal and we had a great time being active with some friends!

Ready for Preschool!