1.21.2014

T4 Christmas

Christmas morning we opened presents just the 4 of us :)

The tree had magically been stocked with presents overnight!

Melissa was sadly quite under the weather :( 

The kids opened their stockings...

Brody found 2 Thomas trains in his stocking (well technically Harold the helicopter and Jack the tractor) and he was pleased!

We had to urge him to keep looking in his stocking! 

A new Lego Friends mat to put her Lego creations on...

Brody tried out some more of his new train friends...

and there just seemed to be more and more!

Melissa got an AmericanGirl card-making set...

I opened my present from Melissa, she had made us beautiful matching bracelets!

Kitty flats for our cat lover!


Lego Friends Heartlake High set...

Brody received a 5 stall Roundhouse for putting his trains to sleep :) 

Melissa's present to Dad was this cute Lego Santa...

So much to play with... it was hard to get him to open more presents!

His beloved Cranky the Crane!

These next 2 pictures were taken a few weeks later. Dad & Brody enjoy making tracks all around our living room! What a lucky boy to have a Dad who builds such cool (and truly realistic) train lines!

Another present to the kids was this clear window bird feeder. It took a few days but come chickadees have discovered it and it is really neat to watch them stop by for a snack :)

1.20.2014

Stobbe Christmas Gathering

Time to get caught up on Christmas pictures!
Here are a few from the Stobbe (my Mom's family) gathering.

Melissa thanking Great Grandma Stobbe for the AmericanGirl Scrapbook set...

Brody thanking Great Grandma Stobbe for a Dino Switch & Go toy...

Melissa shared a few songs with everyone on her recorder...

1.05.2014

Photo with Santa

We took the kids to see Santa at our new HighStreet Mall back in December. We figured it was time to update the Santa picture we have of Melissa as a baby! Brody was a bit nervous but stayed on Santa's knee and we were able to get a cute picture ;)


(Melissa on left - 7 months)

12.23.2013

Christmas Dance Recital

Melissa once again made us so very proud at her Rock'n Christmas Eve Recital. She was in a tap dance trio of three little elves dancing to "We Need a Little Christmas".
 





  
Final dance, taking a bow :)






A few new (similar) pictures supplied by a professional photographer:
 




Decorating the Christmas Tree

This year it was so special to watch the kids decorate the tree together - it was Brody's first time :) He got really into it once he figured out what was going on! 

A brief appearance of Brody wearing his Santa hat...







Melissa declaring a "Snowball fight!" with my snowball ornaments ;)

 
 
 


Home sweet home for Pepper under the tree! 
I wonder if he remembers this spot from other years?  

Melissa also enjoyed decorating the kids special fiber-optic tree...