Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!  We are celebrating a quiet evening at home and will likely not make it to midnight this year :(  Such is the life with two kiddos who didn't sleep too well last night.  We just got back from a quick trip to Missoula where we got to see CK's cousin Laura, her husband Josh and their three kids.  We also lucked out and were able to catch Uncle Larry and L.D. before they headed south for the winter and Lyndon in between shifts at work.  Before we left today we managed to have lunch with CK's cousin Renee and her family, too.  It was a great trip and the cousins loved hanging out together.  Reese and Ava are 6 months apart so they had a great time (and also often fought like sisters :)

Asher and Ava

 Ava smiling for the camera

 This is Reese (who refused to be called Reese in this outfit and only responded to Sleeping Beauty) acting out the part so we'd all get the hint

 Notice a theme in these next two pictures?

 The kids LOVE Uncle Larry...hmmm...wonder why?

 Ava, JJ, Asher and Reese...didn't manage to get Owen but he had a great time toddling around with the other kids

 Reese and Ava playing princess castle

Christmas 2011

I hope everyone had a great holiday. We spent Christmas in Malta with CK's family and had a really nice time. Christmas is definitely a lot of fun with kids around, especially kids that are young enough to still get excited by the magic of the day as much as the gifts.

Reese and CK both got 4-wheelers this Christmas. We need to talk to Asher about drinking and driving...
CK's grandparents, Mae and Gay (95!!) joined us for the day and a poker game. Craig's sister Darlene (2nd from right), her husband Billy (not pictured) and Gay's sister (far right) also joined us on Christmas Day.
The kids and their pimped out rides
Reese mastered the art of playing guitar and driving

Lindsey and CK with their new gadgets

Steve, Val and Kaitlyn
Reese teaching Elmo how to play the bongos with her magic Dora wand
Jan looking festive on Christmas
Jennifer
Sometimes the simplest gifts are the best...Asher loves the classic hammer and "nails"...he may have gotten that from Daddy
Reese modeling her new hat and sweater from Great Nana

Uncle Steve reading Cinderella...Reese spent about an hour going to each adult and asking them to read this book to her...again and again...until she practically had the whole thing memorized

Then she decided to read it to her dolly

Reese checking out the loot before we opened gifts


At least I got one of them to smile...
Kaitlyn and her winning smile
Reese and dolly in their matching Christmas outfits
Andrew's toothy grin
You may notice that some of these pictures are of better quality than our other ones. I wish I could say it's because I have become a better photographer but really it's because Santa brought me the one thing I asked for...a new Digital SLR camera...makes even this amateur's pictures 10x better. Can't wait to see how great the pictures are when I finally figure out how to use it!

Merry Christmas everyone. Best wishes to you and your families.

Asher's birthday party

We celebrated Asher's birthday this weekend and here are some of the pictures

 Asher likes to eat with his feet on the table.  Normally we stop this behavior but since it was his birthday and all...

 Reese, of course, is always there to assist when there are just too many presents to open on your own

 She is also willing to play with the presents...to test them out, of course

 Asher's new basketball hoop was a hit with everyone

 Reese can dunk!