Jan. 1 2009 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, it's a new year people! As I'm blogging this on the 24th of January, I still cannot believe it! And yet the days, weeks and months seem to fly by so fast anymore. I am on Facebook now and have been since October. It has been such a wonderful experience, reconnecting w/so many people who have entered and exited my life at some point and now reentered, and they are in my little FB page, all cozy and where I can talk to any one of them at any give time.....it's such a small world. I am thankful to have gone to school in a small town, where, come to find out, everyone was friends with everyone!!! It's just so neat and I am enjoying it thoroughly! Other than that, we have been home a lot since the holidays, basically staying in and warm, only going out when necessary....I'm really sick of the weather and we have a ways to go.....I really wish we could live somewhere warmer w/all of our family.....maybe someday I'll talk them all in to it?! The kids are bouncing off the walls, literally and they each have had their fair share of bumps, bruises and black eyes as they bounce off of each other or, like I said, the walls. This being inside all of the time is making us all crazy!

Dec. 31 - New Year's Eve & Ryan's 1/2 Birthday Celebration

We decided to wait to celebrate Ryan's 1 1/2 birthday until after, since it falls on Christmas Day. We invited Aunt Sherry, the girls and Grandma over for a Disney Princess Waffle breakfast, Daddy cooking of course. We had lots of options to make everyone happy!

Here they are dining on my holly pottery! hehe! Gotta use it sometime huh?


Then the girls got the polka-dot tea set out for a tea party!


Here are the kids with their Joey Panda.....if you want to know the full story about this, you'll have to ask. It all started w/Daddy, back in Kindergarten...anyway, they each have one now so nobody is fighting over JOEY!


The cupcake 1/2 birthday celebration moved to Grandma's house later in the day since the kids ended up playing and napping after the big bfast. Here is Ryan getting ready to blow out his 1 1/2 candles and I didn't forget the traditional CLOWN that goes way back to Natalie's first "1/2 Birthday" celebration!


Happy Birthday to You!


Yum!


Amanda getting in the New Year's Eve spirit, at 9pm!



Grandma got the pots and pans out at 9pm for the kids to bang to bring in their
NEW YEAR, 2009!


OK, now let's watch a movie.


Wow, this is exciting!


Myself, Natalie and Scott at his colleague's annual New Year's Eve CORN DROP Party


This friend/colleague of Scott hails from New York and when he moved to IL many yrs back, he decided to come up w/his own tradition of the CORN DROP. Yes, an ear of corn is suspended in the sky and lights are aglow, music playing..it's quite a show....Scott decided Natalie was old enough to go and stay up late...she barely made it, but we all had so much fun. They had tons of food, drinks, fun for the kids....we might make this an annual tradition ourselves!


The Corn Drop


Welcome 2009!

Dec. 30 - G &G Arrive Home from Europe!

Another day off school, another day staying inside, keeping warm and trying to have fun, like baking a cake!

This is the only reason they stick around I think....lick!


Amanda takes her licks very seriously!


Ryan relaxing on the floor w/Reindeer and Joey, his Panda


Experimenting w/Natalie's hair


G&G have returned home from 2 wks in Europe for Uncle Tommy's tournament. They visited Switzerland and Italy!


Natalie made a book for Grandma as her WELCOME HOME gift, very nice!
Grandma LOVED IT!


Look closely on the pink page, that is a 'boot', Natalie's interpretation on Italy!


Giddy-up horsey!


Ride 'em cowboy!

These guys could not get enough of each other!

Dec. 27 - Play Day

Ryan poses by the fort that the kids got from Aunt Sherry. They had a lot of fun building this!

Dec. 26 - Day After Christmas, Christmas

More Christmas

Sherry, doing the dishes?! Wow! Hehe!


Scott and Austin, as well as the other 'kids' played the new Wii that Steve and Family got for Xmas!


Steve, Alivia, Ashley and Paige


Amanda enjoying the holiday treats


Austin gets in to the spirit and dresses up like a Fairy and plays w/all of the little cousins

The kids put Grandma's hair up in little pony tails all over her head. It was hilarious. Here she is peaking thru her fingers...we see you Grandma!


Ashley, getting so big


Natalie playing dress-up


Ryan looking COOL


Amanda plays dress-up too


Here are all of the cousins, playing together!

Dec. 25 - Christmas Day at G & G Catey's

Christmas Day at G & G Catey's

We arrived and the present opening started almost immediately! Barbie in the Christmas Carol DVD for Natalie, just what she was waiting for!


We gave Sidney a tea set too! Well, actually, technically, Santa brought Amanda's!


She loved the tea set! We are looking forward to some special Tea Parties!


We got Grandpa organizational accessories for his office


Gigi enjoys Christmas w/the family


Ryan wouldn't let go of his Handy Manny doll


We introduced Sidney to the Fancy Nancy craze!


Design-a-purse for the girls from Aunt Sherry and the girls - so girly!


Grandma reads the wording in the pretty matching frame that we gave her w/her Blessing Cup...tears. The Blessing Cup is something that you fill w/a beverage at any gathering and pass around and each person takes a sip and says something they are thankful for at that time. It was the perfect gift for Grandma....she had tears.....and she got it out for dinner that day and we passed it around the table and shared our blessings, some serious, some not....but a way to bond as a family and take time to appreciate the things we have.


A BIG gift for all 3 kids from Aunt Sherry and the girls


Ewww...a fancy wardrobe for their doll clothes - beautiful!


Ryan is lovin' his dancing Handy Manny Tool Set from G&G.


Chicago Bears growth chart from Uncle Shaun to Ry! Too cute!


Amanda LOVESSSSS her Uncle Shaun! And Uncle Shaun lovesssss Amanda!


Flat Screen Lite Brite for Natalie from Uncle Shaun - so cool!


Uncle Shaun and Amanda can't get enough of each other, Ryan too!


Grandpa snuggles Amanda before it's time to go....it's been a long day, but so fun!

We had a wonderful time relaxing the day away and having a nice dinner. It's been so nice having Aunt Sherry and the girls around to share all of these holidays and memories with too. Of course, having Gigi there was another special gift. We will be celebrating w/Steve, Paige and the kids tomorrow....one branch of the family is missing and I hope someday we can ALL share a Christmas together.....family is first....#1......and we wish we had everyone there, together, making memories........some day perhaps...some day?!?!