365 Days.

I love the new year, a fresh slate for new hopes and dreams, looking back on where we have been and hopeful about what will come.

2009 WAS a memorable year, our lives and our hearts were full.

The Best: Our trip to Disney World, Our Summer Vacation, another year of being together dancing, laughing, and loving. Trevor Turned SEVEN finished first grade and started second. Breanna Turned FIVE, started talking a lot, made her first real best friend at preschool and is becoming potty trained, Lucas turned TWO , gives the best hugs and kisses and has a personality that we are still trying to become acquainted with. Josh and I both turned Thirty Five and are hopefully hanging on to our youthful glow for a few years longer.

As the year comes to an end we'll remember things like: smiling faces, lost teeth, children running along the beach and playing in the sand, laughter, the pitter-patter of little feet, swimming lessons, hugs and kisses, tantrum taming and cleaning up lots of messes. There were obsessions with sticking food in drinks and eating them,using kitchen utensils as toys and weapons, Curious George and the five little monkeys, Star Wars , the military and marathon running.

Most of all, what gets us through the challenges of becoming the parents we want to be is that we NEVER stop counting our blessings. We are truly thankful. Life is good.
Here's to 2010!

365:365

An evening with best friends, I can't think of a better way to end a year....

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Baby....it's cold outside!

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Waiting patientlyfor our turn with the Wii fit....

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undecorating. (The kids each have their own ornament boxes that they fill with all their own special Christmas decorations they will take them with them when they leave home someday)

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Remnants of christmas still FILL our home and living room (in fact nothing has been moved from it's opening spot). I'm sad it's over....ages 7,5, and 2 were the just the best.

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Joy Is......

Watching the anticipation on little faces

Seven, Five and Two

Keeping things simple

Spending time at home doing the things we love

Seeing Breanna so into everything this year, decorating the tree, opening her presents, and cuddling up to her Daddy during the Polar Express...

Remembering our own childhood Christmases and bringing that magic and those traditions into our home

Sinking out teeth into that first bite of Beef Wellington

Laughing with family and entertaining

Filling our home with the smell of Nanny's sweet rolls (and eating them!)

Believing in Santa

Sledding, playing in the snow, making snowmen

time off from school and work

Our Warm Fire

Finding the perfect gifts

Being together

watching movies

Dressing up in our Christmas outfits

Christmas Eve Candlelight services with the Children's pageant (two little lambs and a Shepard)

TRevor saying, Mom....
I'm sad it's over..." I'm sad too:)

This season...the whole thing.

Enjoy our video!

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Making Nanny's Cinnamon rolls and filling the whole house with the smell of Christmas--adding a little love and kneading by hand always makes them come our better.....

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Starting back up an old tradition that we had skipped for a few years due to the busy-ness of our lives. A Father- Daughter lunch and Christmas shopping for Mom, what a fun day!

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Our traditional glass of wine and wrapping the gifts night......

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Today: Dec. 20th

Something Savory brewing on the stove all day, baking and decorating our cut out cookies (for Santa), making "kiss" and M&M pretzels, playing outside in our 2 hour blizzard, Potty Success! Saying our prayers at church, reading the newspaper, watching football and relaxing.

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What We've been up to....

(sledding, playing, and staying warm and cozy on these VERY cold days:))

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Gosh, will I be sad when these sweet days are behind us.

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The First Gift of Christmas.......At the CASA Christmas party. The kids got to see Santa (again) and even each got a present! I never thought Our family could be a spectacle in a room full of special needs kids, but Lucas fell off a chair, hit his head on the floor and screamed for 15 mins, refused to see Santa and Breanna flipped out that we had to eat at a table with strangers. BUT, it was our first totally diaper free outing and no one had an accident!

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Boys and Mud, you gotta love it (and them!)

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Winter kids...

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Around the House:

1. Lucy cozy in her bed next to the fire and the Christmas Tree 2. The cozy Fire 3. Reflection of a Tree 4. one of two advent Calendars 5. two anf two advent calendars 6. handmade ornaments 7. the last month of our photo calendar 8. The gingerbread House 9. Kids in their jammies (love this!) 10. our Tree 11. Grandma's handmade needlepoint stockings 12. Believe 13. Our button Tree 14. Decorations on the Mantlle

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There's nothing like a little Frosty the snowman on Grandma and

Grandpa's lap:)

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Breakfast with Santa:

Lucas was NOT a fan.

Breanna (surprisingly) was a huge fan...

Trevor, is just big. He said "Mom I believe in Santa because I have seen him three times and he always looks the same." Keep believing kid:)

Also today:

The St. Nick Church fair

swimming lessons

a grandparents visit.

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We love reading Christmas books in front of the cozy fire at night.

Our Favorites this year:

Trevor: Polar Express

Breanna: Curious George countdown to Christmas

Lucas: The Grinch who stole Christmas