Merry Christmas!!

We had a wonderful Christmas season, enjoying friends, family, and our last Christmas on our own.

My parents came for a lovely Christmas Eve dinner and celebration.

 Beautiful packages and gifts.

Christmas morning Peter and I spent quiet time at home with our current menagerie family.

Christmas Kitten looking darling in her green necklace.

We opened gifts and finished up Christmas food preparations.

She got a laser mouse as well as an entire package of hair tie mice - kitty thrilled! :)

Then it was off to Schoolcraft for Taylor family Christmas!  It was a full house!

Bebe's mom and dad are so festive :)

Gifts!  What is it?!  Hoverboard!

On our way home we stopped at the mouse house for an evening of delicious food and friends.

The boys played battleship, using the Military Alphabet to make the calls - too cute!

Fabulous girls, and very eligible/excited sitters for Bebe.

We rounded out the evening with Christmas Carols led by Jacob, After 16 years, he's come so far :)

Merry Christmas to all!

O Christmas Tree Cookie

It's just not Christmas without some cookies. It's kinda like THE TIME for cookies.  This year's offering turned out well I'd say :)

Merry-hint-of-mint-Christmas!

Party Party Party

Christmas is a big deal around the ol' Gordon Food Service - it's the most wonderful time of the year!

Last weekend was our Annual Meeting and party, it was another good time catching up with friends, playing Ms. Pacman, eating delicious foods, and we saw a magician and two comedians perform!

Ooo lala! Bebe's mom and dad are looking good! :)

This week we've had carolers, ugly sweaters, and Christmas potlucks! A most wonderful time of the year for sure!

A big pop

Nope, not from Speedway, I'm pretty much off those lately. 

Rather, a big pop seems to have occurred on the front of me.

It's pretty unmistakable these days. I'm almost exclusively wearing maternity clothes, people have asked (thank you!) to touch my belly, and others, including total strangers, strike up conversation regarding being pregnant or having kids without asking if I am actually pregnant.

I had an appointment recently, everything looks great; we're SO thankful!

Full Swing

Ready or not it's the Christmas season and we're in full swing!

We've already enjoyed a lovely law office party, (at which I left my camera in my coat pocket, so you'll have to take my word on it's loveliness), a Christmas wedding, a Christmas concert, and a Christmas kids program.

I think the NE Citizens Action Group should send me a personal thanks for recruiting to the neighborhood. In these photos I'm 3 for 4...still working on Ms. Sarah :)

Congratulations Will and Anna! I count it a special privilege to be a friend of both these lovely ladies, who would have thought?! I can think of a few who didnt... ;)

 

On our way to the Holiday Pops - a most excellent concert!

And now we're revving up for another weekend of Christmas celebrations!

Turkeypalooza!

WARNING! A gazillion photos to follow! 

Mostly of cute kids though, so pick your poison I suppose :)

Both of my brothers and their families were in town for Thanksgiving. Currently that comes to 16.5 people! We packed the days and had fun! fun! fun!

Wednesday we all started our day in a delicious way - breakfast at grandma's!

 Followed by some target practice and coloring

 And a good amount of vegging

Later in the afternoon Ellen came to visit her cousin cat. She was feeding her from her hand! Too cute!

Then it was a trip to the Gardens. That place is just amazing, so much to see and do time and time again.

The evening brought more coloring and shenanigans...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cousin time and then football and coloring with Uncle Peter. She drew a 'Prce Trcey' (Perky Turkey)

 This year's spread! Yum! Another fine display of mom's beautiful pie making too.

 Photobombed!

A few evening snuggles with Grammy and Granpy before bed :)

Friday we kept the party rolling starting with breakfast at the Grand Coney, also yum!

 Thumbs up!

The whole gang! Soon to be outdated. That's been happening a lot in the last decade :)

Speaking of rolling, next it was off to bowling! SO fun! We got to bowl on the second floor!

 Everyone got in on the action!

 Grandpa, NOW what's my score?! (every time)

 Just when you thought we were done, you were wrong! Next stop was the museum!

Including the planetarium for a holiday musical show!

Ellen was using a 'Magnum-Flying-Glass' to look at coins :)

 Horse rides!

 Grace biked the streets of old Grand Rapids and Sam had a possum crawl up his arm!

 Uncle Peter got booked!

For our last dinner together we had a pizza birthday party!

Four birthdays in less than a month calls for cake! or two!

Only girls get presents though, unless you count a text, then I nailed it for my brothers too :)

Marta kinda decided walking was for her, especially if she could check out Virginia in doing so

And to wrap things up, Mos and Clara were caught sharing, even with Uncle Peter :)

And then we all took a huge nap and another week off just to recover ;)