Happy 2011!!

Happy new year, a little late. But better late than never, right? The end of 2010 was a busy time for us so just getting around to catch up now. There were all the holidays and a lot of birthdays. The end of October of course is Halloween and we went to a church not to far from us to their festival. We met a few friends up there and the kids had fun playing the games. Emily did the cake walk and won a cake too:








Some of the kids going on a trian ride:

The first of November was Dylan's birthday, he turned 9 (where as the time gone?). He asked if he could have a skating party but wanted Uncle Tyson to take him there in his Corvette, so here they go:

Dylan with some of the friends at his party eating pizza:

This falls soccer season was good for all the kids. Emily's team did great, they lost a few but won a lot and had fun while doing it. Emily dribbling up the field:

Emily and a team mate trying to get the ball from the other team:

At half time her team being silly:

Emily going around other team:

After the end of season tournament:

Emily's team after getting their medals at the end of season tournament:

Emily with 2 of her friends after their last game:

For their end of season party we went bowling and then they got their team trophies, here they are with their awesome coach:

The boys had a great season going 9-1 during regular play and then winning their area playoffs and making Eastern district . They finished 6th out of 12 teams at Eastern district going 12-2-1 on their season. We are very proud of how hard they worked this year. Here are some of the pictures from the last few games. Dylan:

JT making a stop as goalie:

Dylan:

JT (goalie) ready to make the block:

Both boys (Dylan far side and JT orange #7):

The boys getting their area trophies:The boys with their 1st place trophies for their league and their 1st place trophies for area:

A picture with their trainer Brendan Keyes:

After a long season we celebrated and the kids got another trophy:

With soccer done (sort of now the boys are playing indoor and its almost time for spring soccer to start), we were able to get ready for Christmas:

Some good friends invited us to go out to a Christmas tree farm one afternoon. There were alot of activities for the kids to do, like rubber duck races:

We walked through all the trees, but Todd didn't find one he thought was right for us, but here was the one Emily wanted:

They had a neat little pond to fish in, I think every kid caught a fish, so that is always fun:

There were also these pedal cars:

The boys noticed this little football field as soon as we drove up and couldn't wait to practice kicking field goals:

Todd and I with the kids (Emily was pouting because Todd wanted to go look for a bigger tree):

Even though we didn't buy our tree there, we had a great day with some great friends, thanks for inviting us Julie and Mike!

We came home and went and got a tree like daddy wanted and started decorating it:

Here is our little family in front of our tree 2010:

At school the kids had a little Christmas sing along with some little skits. JT didn't want to do it but Dylan and Emily did, Dylan singing:

Emily:

Dylan during his skit:

Emily saying her lines (her and Dylan were in the same skit):

After the sing along, it was time for class parties, JT in his class:

Dylan with his classmate and her little sister:

Emily's class did a book exchange:

Then they were released for a two week break.

One evening we went to the same church as we did on Halloween as they have a Christmas train ride.

We met some friends up there and got our tickets and then had to wait, the kids were getting a little antsy:

So Todd went and bought them cotton candy:

Melissa and I were enjoying the cotton candy too:

Then we finally got called for our turn:

All the lights and deocrations were pretty and the kids had fun:

After riding the train one last picture before we left:

And Grandma waited all that time with us, she is a brave one:

The weekend before Christmas we celebrated with Todd's side of the family, first with Mimi and Popsy, starting with breakfast:

Then presents:

Emily in the outfit Popsy picked out for her:

After lunch we met with the rest of Todd's family as some were in town:

The newest addition to his side of the family:

All the cousins had fun playing together, the girls in the sand pile:

The boys playing football:

Then it was present time:

Then on Christmas Eve, we celebrated with my side, here are my kids with their cousins from my side:

Emily got a pottery wheel from Grandma and Grandpa and wanted to make something that night to leave for Santa:
Here it is:
We had a very blessed Christmas spending lots of time with family and loved ones and hope you did too!

Todd was going to have to work New Years Eve so the day before that was a nice day so we took the kids fishing:

Both Todd and I's fishing license had expired and didn't stop to get a new one so we just let the kids fish so we goofed around:

My handsome boys:

It was a beautiful day on the water with my wonderful family, but nothing was caught all day.

On New Year's Eve Todd had to work, but we had gotten some fireworks so the kids and I had just a few people over to help pop them, before the fireworks show started some of the kids played Just Dance:

Then it was time for fireworks:

I know Todd hated having to work and miss poping the fireworks, but think the kids had fun and Tyson, Don and Tim had fun lighting them off.

Then it was time for JT to celebrate his 11th birthday. We gave him a few choices as to what he wanted to do for his birthday he didn't want to have a party so we went to dinner with family at his favorite place, here they are singing to him:

The end of the year there were a lot of birthdays so want to wish a LATE happy birthday to, Alyssa, Dylan, my dad, Cassie, Amanda, my mom, Chris, Michelle, Mary Alice, Linus, Saliah, JT, Irish, my father in law, Mike, Vanessa and Sarah. Hope yall had a great birthday. Coming up this month want to wish an early happy birthday to Charla, Tina and Hank! Hope yall have a wonderful day.

If you made it all the way to the end, you are brave! Hope everyone else feels as blessed as I do to be here in 2011. Look forward to all the things this year brings.