Merry Christmas!!

This was the first year in our ten years of marriage that we've spent Christmas at home. It was wonderful to wake up on Christmas morning and celebrate with the kids. Avery woke up at 4:30 and then every hour after that. We told him he couldn't open gifts until Alia woke up. He was so excited he was running laps in our bedroom. While he waited for her he put all of his presents in a pile. Alia was taking too long to wake up, so I had to go in at 8 am and get her. When she saw me she asked if Santa was still at our house.


Even though Avery was so excited to open his own gifts, he sat down with Alia and helped her open her first gift.


Avery's Samurai castle had a secret surprise. Someone at Target put a couple of train cars in the door of the castle.


A few weeks before Christmas Avery and Alia spent an afternoon "making" us gifts. Avery asked that we open them early and I quickly agreed since I was beginning to lose a few things around the house.


Surprise! Avery and Alia's learning clock.


Alia 2 years 10 months
Avery 5 years 5 months






Singing Happy Birthday Jesus! It was a fun celebration!

Christmas in Platteville

Last Thursday we packed up the van and left for Wisconsin. This is an annual trip for us and one we enjoy. Call me crazy but I love spending that much uninterrupted time together as a family. The kids did a great job playing and they never once asked if we were there yet.


Before heading out of town, we went to Avery's school program. Avery was one of the three wise men, his gift was myrrh.


Like most places, Platteville didn't have any snow and the kids were not happy about it. They woke up on Friday morning and found a few inches on the ground! The snow only lasted a day but it was the perfect amount for them to play in. When Alia noticed it was melting later in the day, she yelled, "No, I don't want my favorite snow gone!"


Avery spent the whole time outside finding me large snowballs to throw at Scott.


On Saturday we headed to my aunts for the annual cookie bake. This year Susan got all of the girls an apron.


We made Oreo snowmen.


Alia loved helping and did a great job.


We just dipped oreos in white chocolate and marshmallows in chocolate. Avery didn't help until it was time to taste them.


After the cookie bake we made gingerbread houses. Alia's gingerbread house was layers of frosting, sprinkles and graham crackers.


Avery really enjoyed making his house this year. I liked the licorice chimney.


On Sunday we went to Grandpa Wunderlin's 90th birthday party.


Dad and his new puppy Abigail


The cousins, excited to open their gifts


Cassie, Amanda and I


What a cute present.


Both decked out in cute, red sweaters


Bama and Cassie bought the kids a kit to make vehicles out of fruit. Avery is showing his mean ninja face because he made a ninja car.


This is how she looked on the way home with an hour left to go. She actually fell asleep with the book on her head. When she saw the picture she said it was her towel.


This is how Avery looked the last hour. He played with the camera and took this picture.

Alia's first haircut

It was a normal lunch hour; I was fixing lunch and Avery and Alia were playing in the basement. They were down there for about ten minutes when Avery comes running up saying that he was announcing the Princess whose hair he fixed. I was thinking, cute they were playing dress up. Alia comes running up and this is what I see.......


Yes, that is a handful of hair. Avery thought it would be a lot of fun to cut her hair and Maia's. He said she needed it cut because it was in her eyes. She is now left with a nice spike in the front of her head. Okay, this is not how I expected her first haircut to turn out! My first reaction was to cry! I just kept thinking it's Christmas soon, we are going to my Grandpa's 90th birthday to see a lot of people and it took 3 years to grow it to where it is now. Oh well, at least I'll have a good story to tell them when they are adults and I can laugh about it then.

Atlanta Christmas Parade and Breakfast with Santa

Santa came over to say hi during breakfast. Here he is asking Alia why she was so friendly and happily waving to him from across the room and then shy when he came over.


Alia was able to sit with Santa this year without crying. I think it is because she really wanted one of the stuffed toys he was going to give her. Avery is laughing because Santa was messing with him. When Santa asked what he wanted he said, "Umm......." So Santa said when he goes down the chimney he is going to stand in front of the tree at our house and say, "Umm......" for Avery's gift and then leave.


She wanted to get a spray on tattoo but changed her mind half-way through. I could tell she was getting nervous because she started to bite her lower lip.


There were a lot of neat floats this year and quite a few cartoon characters. Alia loved seeing Priscilla the pig again and Avery loved the Star Wars guys.