Grace hears from Santa!

how cute is this idea...I uploaded a few pics and gave some details about Grace's year and this video was made....it was easy and only took about 10 minutes. She was amazed that he knew so much about her, and that he even had pictures.

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/rCb1J-sYchJRE2YesY-Oaw

this is also interesting, Nick and I got a kick out of this!

A digital Christmas story...

http://www.flixxy.com/digital-christmas-story.htm

polar express!

The Polar Express!

Gracie, in front of the steam engine!

Santa! My children are both scared to death of santa...you can't tell, but Grace is terrified of him, she did tell him she wanted a Barbie, in a very quiet little quivering voice....

Craft time, it was so chilly, she didnt want to take her coat off to make a craft..

The North Pole...

Mommy and Maddie- Maddie was sooo sleepy, the train didnt leave til 8, which was past her bedtime, so the whole night was kind of long for lil Maddie.

Getting off the Polar Express....at the North Pole!

The Ireland fam! @ the North Pole

This was such a fun experiance, I highly recommend it. Here is the link-http://www.mcrr.org/PAGES/northPoleExpress.html#DepartureChart

It was about an hour and a half drive, but the cost was only $14 per person for the whole polar express ride, which isnt too bad.

We went on a friday- so we were kind of in a rush after Nick got off work to get there and get dinner in time. We actually ended up arriving about 20 minutes early- so we got our tickets, and hung out in the car for a while while we waited. I brought our Polar Express CD along with us to listen to and get in the mood. While we were waiting, Nick put in the CD...the first song sounds like there is a train coming from far away, and it gets louder and louder. Nick, trying to get grace excited, told her that he heard the train coming and turned up the stereo really loud. Grace, was not impressed, actually it scared her. So much that she peed her pants, all over me, and all over her jeans. I of course was not prepared for this at all!!!! I didnt bring a change of clothes for her (besides her monkey PJ's). She never has accidents, so i never bring extra clothes for her anymore. I just happend to have a pair of pink CAPRIS in the back of the explorer. I think I threw them back there last spring when she still had accidents once in a while, and I had a pair of underware in Maddies diaper bag....THANK GOD! buuuuuuuut.....the train was not heated and it was a 45 minute ride!! I must have looked like a crazy stupid mom who dressed their kid in pink capris with snow boots and a bright red sweater. Good thing we wore our coats most of the time anyways- and her boots came up to just about where the capris ended. I on the other hand, was soaked, and there was nothing i could do about it....so i wandered around the North Pole, looking, and smelling, like i peed my pants.

ohhhh the joys of parenthood. We still had a blast tho- we plan to go back next year, and i'll be sure to bring along plenty of extra clothing!

tis the season!

I believe this was the 6th annual ugly christmas sweater party, held at Joe Behmers house. I'm pretty sure Nick has worn the same shirt every year :) I didnt have anything ugly to wear, so i went with cute jammies instead, very comfy too! It was fun to get out and see everyone! It was even better to home to two sweet little girls, sound asleep in their beds....Thank god for Granmdas!of course I had to bring this wine, it was made for me! Angioletta!

Good friends, good wine, good fun :)

Technology has taken over.....

coooooookies!

Grace and I spent most of sunday baking cookies....our melted snowmen did not turn out perfectly, but we had a good time!!!

a cute lil video! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taDqKWWPDAY

Camera Clean Out!

Miss Grace has been sick the last week, with some sort of a stomach bug, we think it was from the flu shot....since she got that on monday, and no one else in the house has been sick. Here she is, taking advantage of her illness by sleeping in mom and dads bed, and drinking 7up. (doesnt look too sick to me!)

Telling us that she wants to be "lady gaga" for halloween next year....hmmm....where does she learn these things?

Maddie, playing with some toys. She never goes anywhere with out that pooh bear blankie.

Nicks band played at "centerfield" bar, in Center Point.

Some Sunday night fun, building a town in Grace's bedroom :)

Ready to do some shopping with mom!

Who knew a laundry basket could be sooo fun!

Mom and Dad, having some fun!! Thank you to Aunt Lindsey for watching the girls!!

She is such a lil poser.... :)

Trick or Treat

This picture pretty much sums up the night.... Pretty princess, cute puppy and sleepy duck.

I believe this look means "Get this costume off of me, now!"

Reading a halloween card to Grandma Crafts puppy...

Daddy and his lil duck!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!

pumpkin bars

Gather the ingredients.....
Hire a small helper to watch over them while they bake.....

Enjoy! (not only do they taste great, they also make the whole house smell wonderful!)

Pumpkin Bars:

4 eggs

2 C sugar

2 C flour

2 C pumpkin (one can)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 C oil

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

(Whole batch= one jellyroll or two 9x13 pans; 1/2 batch= one 9x13 pan)
Frosting:3 oz cream cheese

6 tbs margarine

1 tsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 C powder sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese first- Spread frosting over cooled bars

Maddie's 1 year pics

Pictures taken by Missie Lafrenz. www.mlphotography.net

pumpkin patch!

Grace's lil pumpkin she picked out!


Grace and dad, goin for a ride.


BFFs, Grace and Carsynn, playing in the corn.

Maddie, hanging out on a bail of hay.

this was a hard picture to get, three kids and a dad.