Lizzy's 7th B-day Party!

For Lizzy's 7th B-day party, we went to Chuck-e-Cheese's to celebrate. She had 10 girlfriends come and they had a great time. It was a lot of fun, but by the end of the party, there were a lot of people in there and when parents came to pick up, I was having a hard time finding their kids!

Concentrating hard on her game!
I wouldn't say Lizzy was thrilled to stand up and sing with Chuckee, but she was a good sport!

Waiting to play a game with some of her party guests.

Chuckee with all of Lizzy's friends.

As the birthday girl, Lizzy got to get in the ticket blaster where tickets blow all around you and you try to catch them. Thankfully a bunch landed on her head and got caught in the crown because they were hard to catch!

Mmm....cake!! Happy 7th B-day Lizzy!!!

Children's Museum

One day over Christmas break, I just wanted to get the kids out of the house for awhile, so we went up to the St. Paul Children's Museum. It was sad to realize that they are getting a little too old for this, but they were good sports and still had fun playing at the museum!

Taylor hiding in a tree trunk with some kind of animal.
Luke scaling a rock wall.

Lizzy the turtle!

There was a specail exhibit on Japan.

Taylor and Luke making bubbles.

Greg, Malee and Mason's Visit

Greg, Malee and Mason came to visit for a few days in January. It was sooo fun getting to see Mason again and seeing how he has changed in the last few months. Such a cutie pie! It seemed like their visit went way to fast, but I think they were ready to get Mason back home and on schedule.

Uncle Greg, Luke, Taylor and Liz.
Taylor and Mason

Such a sweetie pie!!

Malee, Greg and Lizzy

Luke and Mason (notice Luke's handsome new hair cut-finally got rid of that long hair!!)

We celebrated Lizzy's B-day one of the nights they were home with appetizers from the Hubbel House and cake!

Lizzy and Mason-even a little laugh for us!

Mom and dad had some family over one of the nights to see Greg and Malee. Here is Lizzy and cousin Abby. They've only met a few times, but had a blast being silly and playing hide and go seek!

Kelli getting a little baby practice!

We had taken out cat, Jack, to mom and dad's when Liam was visiting over Thanksgiving and dad liked him so much that we just left him there. :) We had to take him back while Mason was staying at their house and he obviously missed Jeremy despite Jeremy's lack of love for him. Dad missed him though and came back to get him as soon as Greg and his family were gone!

Taylor and Uncle Greg

Grandpa and grandma and all of their grandbabies. (we'll have to get another picture in a few months when they add one more!)

Proud grandma!

Cousins!!

Taylor's First Band Concert

Taylor and her friedn Kate getting ready for their first band concert. They are both playing the oboe, which is what I played in school. Before they left for the concert, I had to show them a picture of my friend Sara and I before one of our first band concerts. We had to wear black and white, not fun, colorful dresses and I think my blouse even had shoulder pads. They got a kick out of that! That had a great first performance and were fun to watch.

Taylor and Kate

Late Night Snowmen

One night over Christmas break, the temperatures warmed up a bit and when I went out to get the mail, I realized we had SNOWMAN SNOW!! It doesn't seem like we have had much snowman quality snow this year, so we just had to get out and build snowmen. We were out until almost 10, making snowmen and having snowball fights which was a good thing because we ended up getting rain later that night and the snow turned into a crunchy, dirty mess after that!

Christmas Morning

The kids were up bright and early this Christmas morning-before 6:00am!! We tried to hold them off for a bit, but their excitement on Christmas morning is catchy!

Taylor, Luke and Liz with some of their gifts from Santa.

Taylor on Christmas morning.

Luke got a new Vikings Jersey and a Packers punching buddy. Good combination for him. ;)

Luke got an X-box and some games from Santa which he was thrilled about!

Lizzy and Taylor both got American Girl doll "stuff" and clothes from Santa. Lizzy loves to play school and got a little school desk for her doll.

After opening presents, grandpa and grandma Stucky and uncle Christopher came over for breakfast and to play games. By 1:00, we were ready to get out of the house for a bit and went to see the new Narnia movie which we all loved! Perfect day of family, food and fun!!

Christmas Eve at Grandma Margaret's

I'm a little late in blogging-hard to believe Christmas was already a month ago! Unless we've been in California, we've always spent Christmas Eve at Jeremy's grandma's house with almost all of his dad's family. The number of great-granchildren continues to grow each year and Margaret's house is just a little fuller every Christmas, but somehow she manages to fit us all in and makes a wonderful dinner. The kids love this time with all of the 2nd and 3rd cousins and look forward to visiting grandma on Christmas Eve.

Taylor, Liz and Luke all dressed for Christmas Eve service and then heading to grandma Margaret's.

For as long I've known Jeremy's family and for long before that, when Jeremy and all of his cousins were young, Margaret has done a "program" on Christmas Eve. She has printouts of songs that are sung together every year, some of the kids will share something that they have prepared and then grandma reads the story of the birth of Jesus from the bible.

Auntie Sara directing the singing. In this picture, I believe she is trying to get everyone to participate in the 12 Days of Christmas!

Uncle Galen and some of the great-grandchildren.
The program would not be complete without the reading of the Night Before Christmas!

Ama and baby Kirk-one of the newest great-grandchildren welcomed into the family.

Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma

The kids wore uncle Christopher out!!
Playing Hands Down with grandma.

Taylor and grandpa working on brain teasers.

Daddy and Luke

Taylor and grandma

Helping grandpa open his presents.

Merry Christmas!

Loving up Uncle Christopher!!

Update on Lizzy's arm

Lizzy got her "Packers" cast off a few weeks ago and they pulled the pins out and took a few more xrays. Her arm is healing but there wasn't enough new bone growth to go without the cast, so they recasted her for a few more weeks. She got the second cast off after Christmas and is doing really well. She still doesn't straighten it out all the way but is stretching it a little more every day. She is supposed to avoid some activities like sledding for a few more weeks until her follow up appointment, but is coping well.

The two pins that were in Lizzy's elbow.

Cutting off the "Packers" cast.
Deep breath-and out come the pins!