Happy New Year

Well it's been a busy year and a busy holiday season. We had a wonderful Christmas which started with a beautiful 11 pm Christmas Eve service. Normally I would go to an earlier service but Christian was singing in the choir so I waived my usual 9 pm bedtime to attend. After opening gifts Christmas morning Al, the boys and I started packing for our trip to Alabama.

On Christmas morning Santa visited Logan at his house, then he, Alyssa and Andy went to Kansas City to celebrate with Andy's family. They spent the night at Shirley's and flew from Kansas City to Birmingham the next day. The trip went well (minus a little 4 hour delay in St. Louis) and Logan got his first set of wings. Al, Christian, Nicholas, Riley and I also left for Alabama on the 26th but we drove. Poor Lex had to stay home but my wonderful friend Kerin took very good care of him while we were gone.

The trip to Alabama was fun and exhausting. We started out spending the night with my sister Jessica in Birmingham then moved on to my Mother's in Tuscaloosa. My mom reserved the fellowship hall at church on Sunday and we all just hung out, ate pizza, and relaxed. My Aunt Nancy and Uncle Eric even came down from New Jersey for the weekend.

Sunday evening my sister in law Karen, my sister Jessica, and I rounded up all of the grandkids and had family portraits made. There is nothing more fun than taking a sleepy 11/2 year old, a hungry 3 month old, and 6 other kids ages 8-20 and try to coordinate their facial expressions and positions for a decent picture. No we aren't crazy, we're just a little unwell. Anyway they turned out pretty good and of course our parents loved them.

"The Three Stooges" Christian, Kayla, & Nicholas

"The Little Ones" Summer, Dexter, and Taylor
with "The Firsts" Logan, & Alyssa

Joey's Kids Kayla, Summer, & Taylor

My Grandson Logan, and My Kids Alyssa, Nicholas, & Christian

"The Whole Clan" Logan, Alyssa, Nicholas, Kayla,
Taylor, Dexter, Christian, & Summer

My brother Joey hosted a New Years Eve party, and grilled hotdogs, hamburgers, and a few firecrackers. Everyone had a great time but my mom and I skipped out at about 10 pm to take Logan home and put him (and ourselves) to bed. I'm just not a night person anymore; I must be getting old.

Alyssa, Andy and Logan flew back to Kansas City New Years Day while Al, Christian, Nicholas, Riley and I stayed to watch the Sugar bowl (much to our chagrin). We all left for Nebraska a little before 7am on the 3rd and we got home (thoroughly exhausted) a little after midnight. We were so tired that we didn't even unload the car until the next morning. Now I am recovering from the trip and washing clothes. The fun never ends. Have a great 2009.