On New Year's Eve Eve we went up to Hanover to celebrate Christmas for the final time.
Two hours after our arrival Grayson mastered the rocking horse, all by himself.
The next day we went to the Miller Family Christmas Extravaganza. There may or may not have been a little cousin lovin' going on.
Nice solar flair, Grayson!
Beautiful, beautiful girl.
We enjoyed lots of good Miller home cooking.
Christmas shenanigans...again.
Gray has a sweet spot in Grammie's heart too.
But so does Ilana!
The kids and Paul took a walk in the woods, can you spot them?
We tried out new hair styles.
And basically just enjoyed ourselves...again!
(this is what was going on behind the camera to get the last picture) :)
Were all Christmased out by the time we got home!
While I'm battling a cold/flu and trying desperately (and we think unsuccessfully) to spread it around the family, we're slowly getting ourselves settled - as in we're finally doing laundry again. More pictures and non-Christmas related memories from our trip east to come!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Part 2: Christmas in Annapolis
Christmas afternoon we flew to Annapolis and arrived just in time to close out the Polk Family Christmas Extravaganza.
Once we recovered from that, Grayson got lots of good lessons in how to play "dump truck"...
Paul and I went for a walk on the golf course, just the 2 of us (yes, we do exist!)...
Ilana really enjoyed bath time in Nonni and PopPop's BIG bathtub...
we all learned what a Tag Reader is...
spent lots of time hanging out...
and basically just enjoyed ourselves!
Once we recovered from that, Grayson got lots of good lessons in how to play "dump truck"...
Paul and I went for a walk on the golf course, just the 2 of us (yes, we do exist!)...
Ilana really enjoyed bath time in Nonni and PopPop's BIG bathtub...
we all learned what a Tag Reader is...
spent lots of time hanging out...
and basically just enjoyed ourselves!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Part 1: Christmas in Evanston
Our Christmas this year was a three part celebration: at our home, in Annapolis, then in Hanover. It was a bit wild. Here we go...
We decided to do stockings on Christmas Eve. We flew to Baltimore Christmas afternoon, so we needed to lighten the load on Christmas morning.
Many more pictures to come!
We decided to do stockings on Christmas Eve. We flew to Baltimore Christmas afternoon, so we needed to lighten the load on Christmas morning.
| The stockings were put on the back of the couch with care. |
| One of my favorites of my little man. |
| Ilana "poofing" Daddy. |
| Moses: the dog of eternal hope. |
| All stockinged out! |
That night we went to church. I love our church. We have communion every time we worship, and it was especially wonderful that evening. Emmanuel. God with us. Praise the Lord.
| The scavenger hunt this year led her to the crayon pouch. You never know where you'll find Jesus. |
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| Long-awaited labor of love: the quilt. She loves it! |
| My payment. |
| Even Gray was pretty excited about Rapunzel's tower. Little Man, you have captured my heart! |
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| Putting it all together to play with for just a few minutes until we flew east to see the grandparents! |
| Another one of the quilt. |
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Lincoln Park Zoo Lights
To say we're enjoying our camera is a major understatement.
While we're trying to figure out how to BE back home (after 10 days away it's taking some adjusting to get back to "normal"), I promise Christmas pictures and stories will come, but for now enjoy pictures from our outing to Lincoln Park's Zoo Lights in early December with our neighbor. It was just the moms and their oldest girls (who also happen to be best friends) - what a fun night!!
Life in Chicago is getting FUN!!
While we're trying to figure out how to BE back home (after 10 days away it's taking some adjusting to get back to "normal"), I promise Christmas pictures and stories will come, but for now enjoy pictures from our outing to Lincoln Park's Zoo Lights in early December with our neighbor. It was just the moms and their oldest girls (who also happen to be best friends) - what a fun night!!
| Ice sculpture - Ilana was not a fan. I think the chain saw scared her. |
| The lions were trying to sleep. |
| As close as they wanted to get. |
| We really had to convince them to have a good time. |
| Dinner with just the 4 of us was actually really nice! |
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| The princess was a big hit. |
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| Probably my favorite from the night - I love these girls! |
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| After spending over $5 to ride the carousel, Ilana just wanted to sit on the bench. :) |
Life in Chicago is getting FUN!!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
May your days be merry and bright
These days we're waiting. Waiting for the day that we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We're filling our days with reading books, playing with the Christmas toys that only come out once a year, decorating our tree (yes, our fake one thanks to our destructive little boy), being crafty and counting down. Oh, and enjoying our sweet puppy before we leave him to visit family back east.
As you can probably tell, we got our DSLR in the mail last week. We're really enjoying using it and getting some decent pictures already - even though we're just scratching the surface of this camera's potential. Yes, the out of focus and in focus sections of each picture are intentional. I know some people want faces to be in focus every single picture, but sometimes other things are more important in a picture, in my mind.
I made our tree's star this year. Last year we finally retired our lighted angel tree-topper. She was a hand-me-down and I think someone dropped her, more than once. I found the directions for the star here and I am so tickled with how it came out. I love it so much I might just make a tradition out of it.
Ilana made her first tree ornament in Sunday School - an angel. I love where she decided to put it on the tree.
When we were visiting our friends in St. Louis we had a great playdate full of crafts and cookie decorating. We made a miniature manger with a baby Jesus and wrapped him in a cloth. Ilana loves to take care of her baby Jesus, even though he is almost microscopic.
I'm thankful for these quiet days.
For good friends.
That this area is finally starting to feel like home, especially at this nostalgic time of the year when everyone seems to yearn for home.
For the anticipation and excitement in my kids eyes when I plug in the lights on the tree.
That Ilana is growing up to be the sweetest, most thoughtful little girl I know.
For a husband who offers to help by making a casserole when the tasks of an evening seem overwhelming to me.
For the Christmas music in my ears.
Wow, I love this time of the year.
May your days be merry and bright, too.
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