Family Day in the Windy City

This year we spent Family Day in Chicago.  We had the best time!  We enjoyed a trip to American Girl, The Shedd Aquarium, shopping Michigan Avenue and most of all sharing some special family time together.
Chinese New Year fell the day after Family Day.  Lily Grace woke to the  Year of the Horse and a traditional Red Envelope. 
It's hard to believe that we have been home from China for 7 years now.  Every day is a blessing and as always, we give thanks to God for our family.

Lily Grace couldn't wait to get to the American Girl store.  She brought along LG to get her ears pierced.  (Yes, they do that!)

All went well with LG's ear piercing and both she and Lily Grace were all smiles afterwards. 

Even Daddy couldn't resist posing with "The Girl of the Year," Isabelle.  (Ha!  You are a great sport Matt.)

We visited the Lego store and Lily Grace was so excited to see this life-size sculpture of Olivia from Lego Friends. 

We had a great view during our lunch at the Shedd Aquarium.  

We saw the most AMAZING 4-D movie at the Shedd.  "Sea Monsters," really came to life as we were sprayed with water, enjoyed sound affects and even enjoyed vibrating seats. 

Lily Grace loves dolphins and I loved watching her walk around with her camera trying to capture them.

Thanks for the pic Gracie!

Lily Grace was actually afraid to get too close to the glass of the shark tank. 

Our hotel room was on the 39th floor which made for a great view.

In China, red envelopes are given to children on Chinese New Year wishing them a prosperous new year. 

Gracie was happy to find $10 and 10 RMB inside her red envelope.

FU- good fortune

Celebrating in Chicago

Family Day 7 Years Later

And I thought Connecticut was cold and snowy but.......

The girl can work a snow shovel and we actually have to USE our snow markers here in IN.

both of them...

...completely unaffected

The wind is blowing so hard today that it's created little dunes out of the foot of snow in our backyard.

Coming from the south, this is NOT what you are used to seeing and I never even saw it in CT.  Check out that windchill.  Lily Grace managed herself a snow day from this one for both today and tomorrow. 
Snow days from school don't come easily here.  
Life just moves on.  When is Spring???

Happy New Year!!!! 2014

Happy New Year!  I hope this finds you all ready for a new year.  We've enjoyed the past couple of days celebrating and making memories. 
Scott, Kathy, Lily and Max came to visit and help us ring in the new year.  We have had so much fun!!!!  This was our first time to meet Max.  He was so funny and kind. (and has "the best" model pose around- hilarious!) We can see why his parents speak with pride when they talk about him.  
We enjoyed dinner out, long conversations, staying up until midnight for two nights straight (even the girls managed to hang in there), a girl's day of pottery painting and shopping, a boys day touring Matt's plant and learning about wire (ok..I bet our day was more fun), fireworks, a major snowball fight in the basement and several hours of air hockey that lead to a championship.  Congratulations Max!  
The best part of this New Year's celebration was celebrating with friends who each time they come feel like family.  Friends who see you all put together and in your pj's and could care less either way.  We feel very blessed to live so close to one another and again thank God for this blessing.  
And the girls....oh those two girls.  They have played their hearts out and just as they started their little lives together, this year they started a new year together and that is pretty special.  Kathy and I just said this morning how amazing it is that seven years later here  we are celebrating the beginning of a new year together.  Thanks be to God!
Thanks again "L" family for the memories and laughs.  We'll see you next year!!!!!
Rather than post several pics of this and that over the past days, I'll leave you with a few pics that depict how this visit went, beginning to end.

T-tam!!!!!!  Hurry Back Y'all!

Merry Christmas!

Our latest Nutcracker from the Nutcracker Ballet.  LG named him Greenburg.  

Baking a Red Velvet cake with a mermaid. 

Bob Elf left us a Christmas Eve breakfast along with a letter from Santa granting Lily Grace a very special wish.  She was allowed to open one gift from under the tree early.  

After preparing breakfast, apparently Bob needed an elf bubble bath.

Her early gift was a much hoped for Lego Friends Dolphin Cruiser.

This year Santa got Red Velvet cake.

So excited to have Saige and her horses.

Much of Christmas Day has been spent laughing and playing.  Too bad Santa didn't leave this downstairs in the game room.  Daddy has a big job ahead of him. 

Merry Christmas!  Thanks be to God!

Christmas Card Outtakes

Each year we plan for the perfect Christmas card and each year it's a huge relief when it's printed and in the mail.  Here are a few funny outtakes on our way to the mailbox.  

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Christmas Cutie

cute in her curls

Holiday Fun

Performing her annual Thanksgiving Day job- the mixing of
 the cornbread dressing. Yes....she washes!

Even Molly got to enjoy some turkey, apple and carrots. 
 No...she doesn't wash, but she is patient!

As always, the day after Thanksgiving, we decorated and put 
up our trees. (wrestled with  lights!! Right Matt?)

We woke to this festive banner and the first appearance 
by our elf, Bob.  Lily Grace was beyond excited!!

Reading her arrival letter from Bob explaining that he 
had left donuts and a Scavenger Hunt for our family.  We 
had to follow clues to find 5 ornaments hidden around the 
house.  We had so much fun!

Following the clues and notice Molly put herself
 in the mix, sniffing out the clues or more likely, 
what is on the counter she can get in to

We had a great time hunting for ornaments and 
yes... we enjoyed the donuts too

On Sunday morning, Bob had left us a decorated chandelier 
and a Gingerbread kit.  We had a great time as a family 
decorating our Gingerbread house after church.

So excited to visit with Santa.   

The holidays are upon us and we are having a cold but wonderful time.  
Thanksgiving brought with it flurries of snow, yummy food and family time together and even a lost tooth.  We had a great time and have so many blessings to be thankful for.  We even managed to see Santa over Thanksgiving.  
The trees are now up, (three this year with the addition of our Jesse tree), Bob our elf has started visiting, the Christmas card picture has been taken, the gifts are wrapped and we are joyfully awaiting the birth of our savior.
As I type this post, snow is steadily falling.  It's a mere 17 degrees outside and it truly is a most wonderful time of year.  I hope your family is enjoying the season and staying warm.  Thanks be to God!