Good-bye 2011...

January.

February.
March.

April.

May.

June.

July.

August.

September.

October.

November.

December.

well look at me go

So I think I'm caught up for December (except my fave post...the Best of 2011 is still to come) and now I have to go make some french onion dip so we can head out to celebrate NYE with friends who (like me!) think the best way to ring in the new year is with old school junk food and a round of Friends Scene It. I think Joey would approve.

Happy New Year!

Can't find Henry?

Check here:

In between the fridge and wall. Good spot to hide from all the craziness here.

Christmas Day.

Then we head to Ed's parents to do more presents and stuff ourselves on yummy food all day.

First look at the tree.
the aftermath.

He gets more goob-ery each day.

We just relaxed all day...and watched Tangled (I'm somehow the only person who hadn't seen it and I loved it). And then we sit down to a giant ham dinner and eat till we can barely roll out of there.

The girls always get matching pjs...it may be Jemma's favorite part!
We headed home to tuck in the kids and take down our tree and then I sat down with my leftover cinnamon roll and my new cookbook!

Merry Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning!

Ed gets up early Christmas morning to make a fire and hot chocolate (and really cause he's too excited to sleep) and the kids come snuggle me in bed at 7:00. And then we wait, really quietly, for the first sound of "Joy to the World" and we run out!

Starting with stockings....I love stockings!

Lots of helpers for Henry!
And then everyone tries on their new gear!

This goob always cracks me up.

Chrsitmas morning is the best morning of the year...cozy, silly, sleepy, joy-full.

Christmas Eve.

Me and my cuties after the Christmas Eve service.

Henry's wearing his new Coug sweater from my mom...cute but not exactly Christmassy--that's what I get when Ed gets him ready.
Ava and Kirsten in her new dress.

Dinner.

That's Ed's pile of king crab. Everyone gets to pick their favorites so a plateful of pizza for Henry:

and Jack had his clams:

And then after dinner, we sent the kids off for visions of sugarplums and I did this:

While Ed did this:

And then we watched "Love Actually"--my favorite Christmas movie! I love Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve morning.

This one loves my Henry.
Waiting patiently to open.
We do the kids' presents first and then send them off to play with their new toys and my mom's craft supply and then we pass out the grown-ups' goodies:

And then we have a yummy brunch and head home to put away the first batch of Christmas presents. Then everyone takes a long nap!

Eve of Christmas Eve

Party!

Reading the Christmas story.

Presents!

This one loves her uncle Joe.

These two.

Watching Garfield's Christmas...and then because that wasn't close enough:

Jack snuggled in for more.

We always end with a movie for the kids and (of course!) Bingo for the grown-ups.

I love this shot...Kayte's reading, Ben's glued to the tv, Jemma's honking Ava's nose, and Sara nd Jack are snuggled in tight. The Sawyer kids had the flu and missed out but they recovered in time for presents in the morning!

Pre-Christmas Pause

My boys and the Wii.

Happy Christmas!

The party has begun.
See ya in three days when we come up for air.

Pizza and a Christmas movie

Jack hauled out the table and chairs, Jemma set it, and Ava added the flowers in the middle. I like these people. A lot.

Enjoying a little Christmas break of his own...

Jemma Jane

Earlier today Jem was my baking buddy and a very enthusiastic decorator. Then shortly into her nap she was crying and miserable:
So I brought her out to cuddle on the couch--she was feverish and dry heaving (thus the sheet and bowl) and I started to panic just a bit about a sick Christmas. But after giving her a good look-over, I realized she was having an allergy attack--swollen face, runny nose, itchy tummy--thanks to the cashews in the Christmas popcorn she was stirring (and apparently eating in the above picture). After a dose of benadryl:

she rallied nicely for dinner and gave us a lovely rendition of "We wish you a merry Christmas" and "Joy to the World"...her two favorite songs.

Fish Night.

The boys cooked dinner the other night--Jack had these lovely trout from ice fishing to fry and Ed made some cajun blackened steelhead. Yum.

Henry.

My baby is growing up! He spends most of his time trying to keep up with the other three, particularly his big brother (who has already taught him all sorts of gun and truck sounds). He gives hugs (seriously tight squeezes) and big open mouthed kisses. He rarely speaks (besides "Dada") but the other day he said "Ava" crystal clear and surprised us all. He loves pizza and can eat at least two full size pieces but other than that he has a pretty small appetite. And you can pretty much always find him walking around with the Wii remote or this golf club:

And to think last December he was here:
So it's safe to say this year we're overwhelmingly thankful for our funny, curious, healthy little man!