Like Father, Like Son

Gabriel is getting more and more like Mike everyday, in the technological sense that is. He knows how to work our iPhones, the computer, and is even getting good at playing tennis on the Wii! He can't quite swing the racket at the right time to hit the ball yet but I am sure that is not far off. What he can (and has done a lot) is call people. Grandma Kathy and Grandma Teresa get the most surprise calls. I walk in the living room after a few minutes and he is talking about who knows what. Last week he even thought it would be a good idea to call Mia's school. I finally put a passcode that you have to enter before the phone will unlock so hopefully that will cut back on my outgoing call log.

Breast Cancer Awareness Week

Last week Michigan Center School District had Breast Cancer Awareness Week. They had a different "theme" each day, the kids payed $.25 a day and they could dress according to the theme. Mia's favorites were mix-match day & pajama day! 

The kids also had a coin drive to raise money for breast cancer research. Mia had decided a while ago that when her piggy bank was full she was going to give it to a charity. It was not quite full but Monday she emptied it and took all her money to school.

"The Cousins" Sleepover

Over Christmas break Mia had her cousins Ryan and Emma over for sleepovers.

First it was Emma's turn. We went to Grandma Chloe and Papa's house to hangout with Uncle Rob visiting from Germany and the rest of the gang. The first thing Emma said when I walked in the door was "Is it time to go to Mia's house yet?" she was super excited to be having a sleepover. We didn't get home until late so the girls pretty much just went to bed. But that didn't matter cause it was a sleepover! In the morning I made waffles for breakfast and the girls headed up to Mia's room to play. Until Grandma Chloe and Aunt Cora came to take them to see "The Tale of Despereaux" part of their Christmas gift from Aunt Cora and Uncle Dave. Mia was so excited to see the movie, she had just finished the book and started to read it to Emma for a bedtime story the night before.

After the movie Grandma and Aunt Cora dropped Mia and Ryan off for his sleepover party turn. After a lot of playing school in Mia's room we ordered a pizza and wings and had movie night. In the morning it was waffles for breakfast again and back to Grandma's to drop Ryan off so he could head back to Lansing.

Two Year Anniversary!

Ya this post is late but oh well...

On December 16th, 2006 Mike and I had the PERFECT wedding. And for our 2 year anniversary I had the PERFECT surprise planned. This is how it was going to work...

Monday December 15th I was going to get Mia off to school (she was going to stay with Grandma Chloe & Papa) and drop Gabriel off at Grandma Nancy & Papa's. Then come home and tell Mike to get in the van, no information about anything. I had made reservations at Chateau Chantal, a Bed & Breakfast/winery located on the Old Mission Peninsula just north of Traverse City. 

What happened you are asking, why did I say "had a plan" and "was going to". Gabriel was in the hospital with croup :( poor baby. So we did get our night away, but not the one I had imagined. But one night in the hospital and Gabe was back to his happy self. 

Christmas time WAS here

I have been trying to get this post up for some time now. Then we (yes we all) got THE FLU! But now all is well and I AM going to get this post done. This was a WONDERFUL Christmas! We got to see a lot of family that we don't get to see very often.

Aunt Cori and Uncle Paul came home for 4 days! I really did get spoiled seeing my sister so much during the spring and summer, and I was so glad they got to come home. EVERY year ALL of my life we get together with my mom's side of the family for Christmas Eve. It was so great to have Cori and Paul (for the first time) there with us this year. 

Another thing I do every Christmas Eve is get the kids new Christmas jammies, but this year I decided to TRY and make them. I picked out some super cute blue flannel with snowmen for the pants. First I cut Gabriel's pants out (I really did it!). I was super excited because I have never been good at cutting patterns out (they are never straight). Next on to Mia's pants, after what seemed to be another successful pattern cut out I took a closer look and found out, I CUT TWO right legs. :( I went back to JoAnn's for almost a month with no luck looking for more of the flannel. It is a good thing I have an Awesome mom (who by the way made both my sister's and my own wedding dresses). I took my two right legs and the rest of the flannel to her house and Mia got her jammies. By that time i just let Grandma sew the rest of the stuff. They turned out just how I wanted.




As always Christmas was a whirlwind of a day. We woke up and found out Santa not only thought of the kids but brought the whole family a Wii! Wow Santa, I am not sure the chalk board that we got Mia and the chair for Gabriel can quite measure up to that. Next year you might wanna tone it down a little. Oh and, Gabriel was so cute looking in his stocking!

Next it was off to Grandma Kathy's for Christmas breakfast, she makes eggs benedict every year (yum). Mike and I even got to take a nap after breakfast. 

On the way to my Dad's house for Christmas we stopped at Grandma Chloe's to take Mia so she could spend the day with her dad. We stayed for a little to watch the kids open their gifts and headed out. We met up with Cori at my Dad's house and spent some good down time making bouncy balls (a gift my brothers got) and watching movies.

The next plan was to go back to Ron & Chloe's house to hang out the rest of the evening but by the time we left my dad's house it was already past Gabe's bedtime and Mike was also worn-out. I dropped the boys off and went to Cook Rd on my own. Ron made the kids catapults and got them A LOT of ammo (ping pong balls & squishy soft balls) so of course we had to have a full out catapult launch in the living room! At around 9ish everyone headed home after a long day of good food and great family fun. Everyone but me :) I stayed until 11:00 playing canasta with just Ron & Chloe. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful holiday.

Santa Face Cookies

Grandma Kathy has a Christmas tradition that started when she was a little girl, her Aunt Joene used to make "Santa Face Cookies" every year. When Mike was in kindergarden Kathy started her yearly "Santa Face Cookie" extravaganza. Last Saturday she started cutting cookies at 7:30. We got out the door at 9 and still arrived in time to help cut out the Santas. Mia is becoming quite the helper, she made the eyes, mouths, sprinkled the hats and put most of the coconut on the beards. I am so glad we can be a part of this tradition, I know it is something that Mia will remember forever.

Christmas Countdown

Only two weeks until Christmas Eve already. I thought I was doing good starting my Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving (not something I normally do). We put our tree up last weekend (last year I think we got a tree the weekend before Christmas) and even got it decorated. We decided to use Nickie's artificial tree this year, it fits in the little space we have perfectly. I didn't want to put the tree in the living room this year because I'm afraid Gabriel would try to climb it. One thing I wanted to find this year was a Christmas countdown something, I found one in a magazine that I wanted to make but guess what, NO TIME. But I did find one at Target on sale for $20 that I love.