1st Outdoor Adventure

We finished out our Christmas Celebration by taking Bryndel sledding for the first time.  Hadley appropriately called it her, 'First outdoor adventure!'

It was a hit!  She loved it and her big sisters found it equally as fun to watch her :).

Christmas 2013

It was a wonderful Christmas at home!  We were blessed with good health this year (everyone but Piper was under the weather last Christmas), and we took full advantage of playing hard All. Day. Long. God is so good.

Kyle had a special surprise for me Christmas morning... and a surprise it was!  A beautiful piano in the back of his truck!  We are so excited to think that the gift of music is now in our home. 

And Bryndel has already dug right in :).

Christmas Eve 2013

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve at home just the 5 of us.  Highlights included candle lit songs at church, twirling in Christmas dresses, and having a sister sleep-over!

Bryndel was pleased as punch to be wearing a fancy dress like her big sisters, but she was a tricky one to snap a photo of!

Celebration

This weekend was quite the celebration!  A whole crew of Andersons and Pearsons came down to congratulate Paige on receiving her nursing degree and graduating with honors!  It was a bittersweet moment for us, as we have absolutely loved having her here in Eau Claire over the past four and half years, but we are also excited to see what God has in store for her now.

Hard to believe Piper had just turned 1 when Paige began in September 2009. The girls have really grown to love Paige like a big sister.

This was during the spring of her 2nd semester.  Hadley had just turned 3 and Piper was 18 months. 

While Bryndel has only been blessed by having Paige here for a little more than a year, she has grown to love Paige in her own way.  You can see by the tentative look on her face, she is watching Paige very carefully to make sure that she is not suddenly going to be her babysitter, ha!




Hadley & Piper could not have been more thrilled to have the 'after party' back at our house!  How special to have their cousins at our house! 



We capped off the afternoon by celebrating Christmas with everyone. Merry Christmas and thanks for making the trip down to spend the day with us!  (FYI~ its a piece of cake and even fun to throw a party when Kim & Kara 'cater' it for you, ha!)

MN Christmas 2013

We spent a wonderful winter weekend in MN celebrating the birth of Christ with the Graham Family.  There was plenty of laughter, and cookies, and presents, and games, and secret santa, and did I mention cookies?! It was a blessed weekend.

Bryndel wasted no time getting some love from both Grandpa and Grandma, who she loving now calls, "Ba Ba." 

And was happily joined by Asher soon there after! She was NOT so happily held for the annual group photo in front of the Christmas tree however...













~Asher 2, Savannah 4, Hadley 7, Bryndel 1, Kenzie almost 3, Jeremiah 6, Brooklyn 8, Cylas 1, & Piper 5~

And while these two little silver beauties look pretty serious, the present opening brought plenty of smiles. 

Two sweet little matching cousin buddies ready for bedtime,  and three sweet little cousin buddies right back to playing first thing in the morning!

 

Bryndel thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu PJ dance party in Grandma & Grandpa's bedroom the next morning, as well as learning how to throw a ball to Cylas.

We finished out the day by visiting Great Grandpa Jerry while recovering from hip surgery.  The kids loved seeing him & Great Grandma Joan and even sang Christmas carols while there.

And despite the cool temps, we were all able to take in some spectacular Christmas lights just across the street!

On Sunday morning, Oma & Opa came out for a special visit before we headed back to WI.  What a wonderful and blessed Christmas in Minnesota!  We love you guys!

It's Beginning...

to look a lot like Christmas around here! Whether it's your very own tree decorated exactly how you like it,

Or helping with the 'clean up' of sugar cookies,

Or learning how NOT to take ornaments off the tree!

Wordless Wednesday

Early Christmas

The girls & I spent a wonderful 'Christmas' morning with our sweet friend Cyndy yesterday.  The girls look forward to each one of her special visits, and by the time Cyndy left on Monday, I think Bryndel was looking forward to her next visit as well :).  As usual, she spoiled us all, and the girls had a blast building legos that she had brought for them.

Thanks again, Cyndy!  Your gifts are much more than paper, plastic, or store bought.  We love the time you spend with the girls.  Merry Christmas! 

Thanksgiving 2013

We spent a lovely Thanksgiving up North with Kyle's family over the holiday weekend, and crammed in all sorts of fun.  For starters, we got to feast on Auntie Kim's delicious Thanksgiving dinner! The girls adored being with all of their cousins as well ~ pictured with Paige...

And were treated to a surprise visit from their Alaska cousins, Cole & Tyler! 

Bryndel soaked up all of the auntie and cousin love as well. 

Friday brought on some serious Christmas crafting thanks to Auntie Kara! 

Then on to the girls' very first Lorie Line Concert.  It was the perfect ladies night out! Pictured below with cousins ~  Ava, Brooke, Sydney, & Paige

Thanks for the special night out, Grandma A! 

While hesitant, all three 'little' girls did go up on stage for the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' extravaganza!  Piper was just tickled that both she & Ava were geese-a-laying :). 

And Hadley was a 'lady dancing' but needed a little help from none other than Lorie Line herself to fix her tutu! 

To top it off, Hadley was also stopped by Santa on her way off the stage to answer a few questions on the microphone; including "Were you mad that your tutu fell off?" 











The girls finished out the weekend with a little horse/pony back riding with Ava & Sydney.

And some hunting with their dad.  Whew, what a great weekend.  We have MUCH to be thankful for!