January -- RANDOM

I didn't get pictures taken during Christmas, but here is the figurine we bought for Kyle. 

And here is the group of all of them.....

The new year started off with some excitement for our neighbors.....they had a chimney fire. No damage or anything, but Kraig got a bird's eye view of two fire engines and the fire marshall's car.

Kraig had another party to go to....at Pump it Up again.  This time, he didn't even wait for us to get our shoes off.  He took his off and he was gone!

And the 2010 ice storm....I had to go to work, so I asked Chris to take some pics for me.  I love ice/snow in the trees... I think it's so pretty...not the havoc it wreaks, but it is pretty to look at.

Random December pics

Just some random shots/events from December.....

December's Home Depot project.....

A wagon...

And Santa....Kraig surprised us by going to have his picture made, not once but twice!

Last year we bought a family ornament at a kiosk at the mall....and decided we liked it enough to do it each year.  We waited a bit too late to go this year in that the selection wasn't as great, but the benefit was....

we got one free.

My  mom bought these for her grandchildren....she got two because there were no ornaments with space for 10 names.

this one is for the 8 living grandchildren

and this one is for the 2 angel grandchildren...

Just laying around.....

the pillows on the floor are from the back of the couch....they are his "comfy's".

Kraig and Christopher....

All bundled up for the cold.....

Family Fotos

We took some homemade family pics....

Nina, Christopher and Kraig

Chris and I....

All of us....

Nina and Kyle....

Merry Christmas!!!!

Kraig woke up at just after 7AM! 



Christmas morning traditions....breakfast of pigs in a blanket (aka little smoked sausages wrapped in crescent rolls).  This year we also had donuts from Dunkin Donuts (picked up when we went to the cemetary yesterday) and Chris' sweet rolls (canned biscuits baked in a pan of melted butter and syrup, then flipped over onto a plate.  Nuts can be added as well.)

We also had Christmas Candy....I thought it made a cool display.  Kraig just liked having easy access to the m&m's.

And of course Santa's plate...my mom found a kit that had snickerdoodle cookie mix and this plate.  I guess Santa liked the cookies, since they were all gone!

Daddy Santa...distributes the gifts this year....

Kraig opening his gifts.....

The train has a funny story....we had gone to Gordman's for a couple of things and my mom picked up this train for Kraig.  She passed us in the store and Kraig saw her....and the train.  She told him it was a pet toy.  I just knew he was going to say something about that when he opened it,but he surprised me and did not.

Christopher opening his gifts....

He knew what this was before he ever tore the paper....and had guessed prior to Christmas that we had gotten him one, but we never confirmed.

And Nina (and Kyle)...they ended up getting 2 cameras, so they were gonna each take one.  We also got her a memory card.

Kraig's favorite pastime.....firetrucks and emergency vehicles.

And of course we went back out to the cemetary.  Here's my boys....Kraig and Kyle.

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve is always spent going out to look at Christmas lights.  As we drive around during the month, we notice neighborhoods that have lights, so we tend to have an idea of where we might want to go on Christmas Eve.  Unfortunately, this year, we didn't stay out too long. 1--Kraig does not like the dark....no matter how much he loves the lights (and he does), he likes the dark much much less.  2) It was raining. and 3) It was cold.  Nuff said.

I didn't get many pictures, and the ones I did get were blurry or so spotted with rain drops I couldn't make out what it was supposed to be.  There were several very very nicely decorated homes.  It's always neat to see what the "theme" is for the decorations...ie one year it was the white icicle lights, another the gingerbread house trim lights, another the spiral trees and reindeer.  Often, those themes carry over from year to year.  My personal favorite this year were the kind of crystally-glowy kind of lights and the red and green decorations.  Several houses had garland around their porches or bannisters with red bows and white lights or wreaths in each window with a red bow. 

This is the one good picture I was able to get.

Then of course comes the gift wrapping.  This year, we had help, though I think that offer may be rescinded for next year.  Nina and Kyle came over to help us wrap, and they ended up doing most of it.....

It's a little blurry, but I like the glow effect.

It's hard to see in the pictures, but we went by the cemetary and turned the lights on Kyle's wreath as well.