Kurt's wedding.

This past Saturday was Kurt (Bob's friend since highschool) and Joung Sun's wedding reception in St. Louis. They were married in Korea in September (Kurt is stationed there for the army). It was a great night out without the kids. Bob and I even got a hotel room since the reception was about a 40 minute drive from our house. Bob's mom was so nice and brought the kids to the hotel in the morning and we took the kids swimming in the indoor pool. They had a great time swimming and are both improving so well.

Bob and Addison went ice skating.

The day after Christmas Bob took Addison ice skating for her first time. He was so excited to take her and Addison loved every minute of it. Bob's friends Steve and Kurt were in town and were all going ice skating for Steve's birthday (a tradition every year). I think the high was in the low 60s which made it for a great day to go ice skating outside. Hopefully me and Lucas can join them next time. While they were ice skating, Lucas and I went to the library, a little shopping and to dinner at McDonalds (so we also had some quality bonding time).

Kurt and Steve took a turn holding Addison's hands.

Doesn't Bob look so proud.

Bob said she was skating on her own a little too (very very slowly).

How cute!!!!!

CHRISTMAS!!!

Wow, Christmas was sure fun this year with the kids. Each year it gets better and better as the kids are starting to understand more. We kept busy as usual but it was great to have all our family events here in St. Louis and only worry about local travel.


We started off with Christmas Eve at my parents house with all of my Mom's side of the family.

The 4 of us.

Lucas with Santa (aka my brother).

Addison with santa. They did much better with sitting on santa's lap at my parents house than at the mall.

Christmas morning at our house.

Addison was THRILLED to get the TinkerBell movie.

Lucas loves the tricycle (he has to share with Addison though).

Addison was also so happy for a Sleeping Beauty barbie.

Now Lucas has a straw sippy like his big sister.

After our Christmas morning with the kids my parents, Kevin, Nicole and Avery came over for brunch and to exchange gifts.

The proud grandparents!!!

After a long morning we then headed over to Bob's parents house for Christmas dinner and another gift exchange.


The 3 girl cousins (Molly, Katy and Addison).

Our family picture.

Bill, Linda, Molly and Katy

Shawn, Holly, Tyson and Brendan

The women (all with our wine).

The men.

Merry Christmas!!!

Not our best idea.

We (actually Bob) came up with the idea for the 4 of us to go to a Blues game. Bob and I have a 10 game package and we just got 2 more tickets for last Sunday's game. We (actually Bob) thought it was a good idea since the game was at 5pm and he was excited to take Lucas to his first game. It did NOT go well. Despite all the snacks and junk food for the kids, they would not sit still. Addison was ok, but Lucas was a wild man. He did ok for a few minutes here and there but we left after the 2nd period. Bob and I were sure not having any fun and the kids were crazy. We said we would try again in maybe 5 long years!

Here is an attempt of me taking a picture myself of me and Addison.

The proud Dad and his 2 little hockey fans before the game started.

They sat still when we first got there.

Rewind a few weeks.

Our newer laptop was being fixed for awhile and I didn't have access to some pictures from a few weeks back. So, I wanted to rewind and just share a few.

Me and the kids decorating our new Christmas tree.

An attempt at a family picture from Thanksgiving. As usual the kids were not interested in getting a good picture.

Me and Lucas eating Thanksgiving dinner.

Me and Addison relaxing on the couch one day. (Wow, I am in every picture this post). I guess Bob took the pictures for a change).

Not much is new.

Other than getting ready for Christmas, not too much is new with us. Bob took a day off last Friday and we took the kids to see Santa (that did not go well) and then we took the kids to Monkey Joes (that did go well). As usual they had a great time there and loved that their daddy was there with them.

Last weekend Bob's sister Holly came over with her boys. I tried to get a picture of all of them and this is the best I could get. Oh well, at least our Chritsmas tree and stockings are in the background of the picture.

Thanksgiving weekend.

We had a pretty good Thanksgiving weekend. It was just so nice to be at home, not traveling and have Bob home for so many days. My parents came over for brunch on Thanksgiving day and then we went to Bob's parents for dinner. It was great to watch all 6 grandkids running around (all 5 years old and younger). Friday we spent the day putting up our new Christmas tree and lights outside. It was so nice that day, in the 50s. The kids LOVE Christmas decorations and lights. Each holiday with them gets more and more fun!!! We spent the rest of the weekend just enjoying some family time. It was nice.

I wish I had more picture to share from the holiday weekend, but our newer laptop is giving us trouble and I don't have access to all the pictures I just took. I am just thankful we have our old lap top while we wait to get our other lap top back in working condition.

Here is a cute picture from the other day when my friend Julie came over with her kids. They were all dancing in the family room and Addison and Lucas held hands and did some dancing together...so cute!

This past Sunday we had our first snow fall. It was just a dusting of snow but the kids got very excited and Bob took them to play in the snow while I was out to lunch with some friends.

Here are a few pictures from Thanksgiving that my sister-in-law Linda sent me. We were getting ready to leave and all the kids were in their pj's.

Lucas was smiling with some yummy Thanksgiving day food in his mouth.

The 4 big kids eating at the kids table. I heard Addison asking them what they all wanted for Christmas!

A few random updates.

The kids have been sick for the last week and a half or so with a cold (they are just about better now), so we have been pretty much stuck inside. Addison had her last dance class today. She could have stayed in the class until May but I just felt like she has so much energy and seemed limited in what she could do in dance class and at times even seemed a little bored. So, we are taking her out of the class and are going to enroll her in gymnastics beginning in January. I think it is going to be much more "her." She can already do somersaults and likes to pretend the curb outside is a balance beam. She also LOVES to run so maybe running or soccer will be in her future. I can't wait to start Lucas in some kind of class but we will wait until he is about 3 as well. Lucas is doing great though. He is obsessed with the ABC's song and can even sing the first few letters and a few others. He loves to play with blocks, cars, trains and anything involving his sister. Watching them play together is beyond amazing! Addison now knows her street address and knows that she was born in Chicago and knows just about everything to do with all the disney princesses!

We are anxious to put up our new Christmas tree this weekend and are really looking forward to seeing Christmas lights with the kids. The holidays are going to be so much fun this year!


In between being sick, Bob took Addison (along with his parents) to the Rams vs. Bears football game this past weekend. Addison had a great time and I know Bob loved taking her. We are going to take the kids to a hockey game soon (it will be Lucas' first game). He can already say hockey!

Addison painting (an indoor activity while the kids were sick).

Lucas saying cheese for the camera while painting (I am so glad it is washable paint).

It was daddy's idea to let them crawl into the coffee table. Nice one Bob.

Bob took this picture a few weeks ago. For obvious reasons we now own a leaf blower.

Lucas is a big boy!

Well first of all, here are some pictures from this week of our sick kids. Both the kids have a cold. We have been stuck inside the past few days and I have been trying to get creative with inside activities and have had a chance to do some long overdue organizing and cleaning.

Other than Lucas still wearing diapers and not talking in full sentences...he is basically a big boy. We are nuts and moved him to a twin bed already (he is 19 months old). We moved Addison to a twin bed at 17 months (we needed the crib for when Lucas was born). We had great success with Addison and moving her so early, so we took a chance and moved Lucas this past weekend. He has been doing great and loves his new bed!!! We switched the kids furniture, Lucas got Addison's bed and furniture (which was Bob's when he was a kid) and Addison has my bed from when I was a kid). So, here are their new beds................


Addison's room will be getting a princess make over as a Christmas gift from my parents (new bedding and some decorations).

Lucas' big boy bed!!!