Christmas Picture 2008

This was our Christmas picture this year. I took the easy way out and just had the kids in it. I also made it black and white so that I didn't have to worry about matching the kids clothes. It was hard to just get a good shot of the 4 of them all looking at the camera and happy, but I think we managed it. My goal is to take a real family picture this next year. Hopefully in the summer when we are all nice and tanned from many days on the lake :)

Hulk Hands

Christmas Day 2008

The scene after Santa came

Ethen in his Christmas P.J.'s A almost 10 year old in footed jammies. LOVE IT!

Luke playing Santa

The family Christmas morning

We enjoyed Christmas at home this year. Grandma Bergen spent the night and joined us for Christmas morning. It was a fun, relaxing day with everyone being happy and playing nicely for the most part :) We had a yummy feast that will need to continue to be eaten for the next few days since we have so many leftovers.

Hulk hands, Luke's favorite gift

Much needed new shoes

Lil' Paisley being coy

Finally she got her Easy Bake Oven!

Gingerbread houses and Nativity plays

12 Amazing Years

Today marks 12 years of wedded bliss! It has been a fun ride and we have had a lot of experiences in the last 12 years I could have never imagined. Scott is an amazing father to our four children and works so hard to take care of all of us. I love you, and wonder what the next 12 years will bring :)

Thoughts of my three year old

Luke: Owwwwww, waaaaaa
Mama: Oh did you bite your tongue?
Luke: Yes, waaaaa
Mama: I'm sorry; you need to chew more slowly.
Luke: That is why I shouldn't have a tongue!

I had to write this down before I forgot about it. It was soo funny and he was completely serious.

Children's Christmas Party

Scott's office had a children's Christmas party! They had Santa there to take lots of pictures with. My favorite is always the screaming baby picture, but Paisley had the death grip on me and so I am in it too. This Santa did not want to take a screaming baby to hold, but he was a great looking Santa! There was Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph walking around and she was terrified of them too and had me holding her almost the entire time, but she was happy to get close to the balloon making elf and get herself a blue dog. The other kids got huge candycane balloons. It was a really fun little party for the family and they even bought all the children great gifts! Luke got just what he wanted - TRUCKS! And he kept saying it over and over even on the drive home.

The elf balloon artist

Paisley with blue dog balloon and Luke still holding onto his food plate

Phoebe getting her face painted

Phoebe's finished work of facepaint art :)

Our many Santa pictures!!!!

Letters from Santa

Phoebe and Luke received letters from Santa in the mail yesterday! They were both sooo excited, but wondered why Ethen didn't get one. Ethen said it was probably because older kids already know to leave out cookies for Santa and what to do so He just sends them to younger kids. I thought that was probably right :) I only have a picture of one of the letters here because Phoebe took hers to school with her; I am sure she had to show everyone! One of the letters said someone had sent Santa a letter telling him how good they had been. I am sure this was probably Nana so thank you to Nana for getting Santa to write personal letters to the kids.

A Birthday

Scott had his 36th birthday on the 9th and we celebrated family style with just the kids and Grandma over. I, however, kept forgetting how old he was and only had Phoebe put 35 candles on the cake and didn't realize it until later that evening. Must be because he looks so young still :)


Paper fruit made by Phoebe
That many candles make a lot of smoke!

Christmas Cookies

Grandma Bergen got a new kitchen this week! She upgraded to some beautiful granite countertops and a stone backsplash. We went over to take in all the newness and she had all the dough ready to bake some Christmas cookies with the kids. They loved that and I love her new kitchen :) No better way to feel homey and holiday than baking cookies with grandma. These pictures even turned out better because everyone looks festive in the red shirts, and we didn't even plan that!

My View

This is my view of Paisley most mornings. She has crazy hair that is hard to get under control most days and even if I do get it to lay down it usually is a mess after a nap or something. Alana I think she may end up with your hair, which would be awesome! But during baby growing put phase it is pretty funny. She is quite the ham in her carseat. I tried to catch her doing some of her faces, but that was hard to do while driving so this is the best I got.

A Bear Award

Ethen worked really hard this past year and earned his cub scout Bear award. He also earned a few arrow points for all the electives he did as well (like 20). It was a great night of awards for him and in Jan. when he turns ten he will join the Webelos group. As a side note, Ethen is getting really tall and seeming so grown up these days. I think he will outgrow me in just a couple more years - maybe less. I'm not that tall so it won't be hard to get taller than me, but it is sad to have him getting so grown up. I probably shouldn't be thinking about him going off to college just yet, but it seems to be going by way too fast.