Happy New Year!!!

We were invited over to the Leggett's house for New Year's Eve. Pizza, "snacky" foods, and games were on the agenda. Kylie and Kamrynn were especially excited as they knew tonight was the night they'd get to exchange their Christmas gifts.

Kylie opening her present from Kamrynn.... Baby Annabell's bed.


I think she likes it!!!!


Kami opening her present from Kylie... Baby Annabell!!


Sooo happy to have Baby Annabell!!!


The girls!


After dinner, we played the new electronic Life. So much fun!!! Tyler and I liked it so much, we got one for ourselves!! Then the boys hit the new PS3...


Kami tried so hard to make it all night. She BARELY made it until midnight... I think her eyes closed the same time the ball dropped!!!


She woke up a little too early the next morning, so Tyler had her cuddle with him... next thing we knew she was out again!!!


Happy 2009 from our house to yours!!!!!!

Christmas!!!!!!

***DISCLAIMER: This post is going to be LOADED with pictures!!! There were so many greats one, I had a really hard time narrowing it down... there were at least a hundred more that you don't see here! So I apologize in advance, but I hope you enjoy our Christmas morning!!!***

It was finally Christmas morning!!!! This year, thankfully, the kids slept in a little more than the previous year. In 2007, we heard the kids (well Caiden and Madi) get up around 3:30 AM.... needless to say we sent them straight back to bed. They did much better this year, and woke up around 6:30ish. They were so excited to see that Santa had come and had eaten their cookies. Since they are always super excited and cannot WAIT to open presents, we always let them go through their stockings and open Santa presents right away.

Caiden and his new "Army Truck"


Madi so excited to get the "Kit: An American Girl" movie.


Kamrynn and her "iPod". She loved Madi's mix stick and was so excited to have her very own!!!


Madi not too thrilled with her new video game. It's a Wii game and we don't have a Wii. "Santa messed up," she said.


Or did he......


Woohoo!!!! A Wii!!!!!!!!


After we opened Santa presents and Tyler and I got some coffee, we proceeded on with this rest of our Christmas gifts. For the first time, Christmas actually lasted awhile! Madi was our "Santa" and she got one present for each of the kids and they all opened their presents together. Then she'd get another one and after that was opened, the whole thing would start again! It was nice to see them actually taking the time to really look at, and appreciate what they got before moving on to the next present!

Caiden with his new snuggly Wall-E blanket! Thanks so much Aunt Agnes & Uncle Peter!


The girls with their new cozy blankets! Thanks again Aunt Agnes & Uncle Peter!



Kami loves her "Fancy Nancy" books!!!!


New Magic Tree House books!!!


Madi's "Julie" American girl book collection is now complete!


Me & Madi with the necklace she made me for Christmas.


Tyler talking to Kami about his new Ping Pong paddles to go with his new Ping Pong table!!! So much fun!!!


So excited over "Kung Fu Panda". Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!!!


Kami checking out her new clothes. Yep, I think they fit!!!


Madi enjoying our traditional Christmas breakfast... Cinnamon rolls!!!


Surveying the damage.....


Kami and Tyler creating Kami's "Mii".


Madi helping Kami "bowl". Thank goodness for wrist straps!!!!


"Hmmmm..... what should I try first?"


Boxing!!!!


Kami listening to music on her "Mix Stick".


I hope that you and yours were as blessed this Christmas as we were!!!!

Christmas Eve PJs

A tradition in our family that started way back when my sister and I were kids, and maybe even when our Mom was a kid, was opening one present on Christmas Eve. And every year that one present was.... new PJs!!!!!!! My parents get the kids their new PJs every year. This year though, Madi tried to break tradition by asking Grandma if she could have something other than PJs to open on Christmas Eve. Grandma's reply was "Take it or leave it."



Caiden got TWO pairs of PJ pants!!!


Madi's new "take it" PJs!!


Kami loves her new thermals!!


Fresh and clean in new PJs after showers. We finished our Christmas Eve night by watching "The Polar Express" before sending the kids off to bed to dream of sugarplums.

Christmas Cookies

What's Christmas Eve without Christmas Cookies for Santa?!?! We usually do our baking earlier in December, but with such a busy month we ended up making our Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve! The kids always have so much fun, and I've learned over the years to stress less, and chill more!!! I assure you that our cookies tasted as yummy as they looked!!! And I think Santa would agree!!!

Madi working hard.....


Caiden deep in concentration....


Kami debating whether or not this cookie is "done"...


I think Kami tasted as much as she decorated!!!


Finished products!!! Time for Santa to come!!!

Soccer with a Pro

A week or two after Caiden's Indoor Soccer Tournament, we received an email from Caiden's coach about a one day soccer clinic in Wilson, NC. The clinic was going to be a full day of soccer with local High School and college soccer players, as well as two pros from the MLS... Wells Thompson from the New England Revolution, and William Hesmer from this year's MLS Champions, Columbus Crew!!!!!!! We asked Caiden if he wanted to go to the clinic and of course he said "YES!!!"

So on Saturday, Dec. 20, we all headed up the road to the (very nice) Wilson Soccer Complex. Unfortunately, Caiden was grouped with the younger kids and although we could've moved him up into the appropriate skill level, we procrastinated a little too much... but he seemed to have a good time even if he didn't learn anything. And it's not every day that you can say you played soccer with a Pro!!!!

Warming up with a little morning jog!!!


Practicing his "moves"


Perhaps the COOLEST thing about the entire day was when William came over to help with Caiden's group and told everyone to partner up. Well Caiden was the odd man out, so guess who HE got to partner with! Yup!!! They practiced passing for a good 10-15 minutes and it was soooooo cool that Caiden had an MLS pro as his partner!!!


William's autographing Caiden's clinic T-shirt.


Caiden and William

A visit with Santa

Tyler's shop had their annual "Avionics Flight Christmas Party" a few weeks before Christmas. After taking a break from attending last year, we decided (or rather Tyler's bosses decided for us) that we would go and that we would have fun. At the very least, it would be a cooking free night for me... and the kids would get to see Santa! We ended up having a pretty good time and the food really wasn't that bad.

Madi snagging the final (and winning) seat in the Scavenger Hunt game!


Madi with her prize for winning the Scavenger Hunt.... $20 Target Gift Card!!!


Kami cheesing it up!


Santa!!!! Kami was sooooo excited to see him...until she was next in line. Then she started crying so we had to step out of line and remind her of how excited she was and how nice Santa was!


Mr. Too-cool with his candy cane


Caiden playing "Rock Paper Scissors". He won the first round, but lost the second!