Ho, Ho, Merry, Merry, Happy New Year!

It appears that the month of December came and went in the blink of a Christmas tree blub. We certainly packed in a lot of activity - the kids say that it was the year of three Christmases, since we celebrated as a family at home, as well as with both sides of the extended family. Here are a few highlights from the holiday fun.

 Hunting for our Christmas tree

 No snow yet, so a bike ride it is!

 Gingerbread house #1

 The little lady went for a full-coverage design

 

Saying hello to Santa 

Gingerbread house #2

Visiting the Olbrich holiday trains

Early family Christmas

Cats like Christmas too!

Relaxing with the cousins in Oregon

Decorating cookies

 

Christmas morning!

Christmas day soccer match

Goooooooaaaaaaallllll!

Ready for early-morning drive home

The youngest and oldest of our crew celebrating the new year!

Climbing the snow mountain

Ready for hot cocoa after playing outside

New Year's Day Christmas with cousins

More outdoor fun

Very sneaky, Daddy!

Drop. The. Puck.

A new adventure for our family this winter - trying out life as a hockey family. When asked what activity he would like to try this winter, Eli very enthusiastically picked hockey. Mommy (Daddy, too) are excited to have an excuse to do some more skating as a family, and it is fun to see Eli try something new. Evelyn will be starting ice skating lessons with Mommy after the holidays, but for now she has been a very supportive fan at ice hockey practice each Saturday!

Suited up and ready to go (only took two adults and 1 little sister to get him ready!)

Yay, #33!

The view from our rink-side seats

Off we go to another practice

Eli's number one fan

Three Candles on a Purple Cake

In the middle of all the fall and Halloween activities, the little lady celebrated her 3rd birthday! She celebrated with family and a few friends by enjoying a morning of purple and orange giraffe fun. On her real birthday, Mimi came to spend a day playing at the children's museum and enjoying other birthday treats.

Passing the time until she gets to open presents

Coloring giraffes

Pizza, per the birthday girl's request

Preparing to blow out candles

Second year in a row of requesting "nana" (banana) cake with chocolate frosting

Whew! Birthdays are exhausting!

A little giraffe party gift for buddies to take home

Taking the balloons for a walk

Relaxing with Grammy and GG

All sorts of purple (and orange) treats for the little lady

Birthday girl

Oh, that face!

When you are three, you get to paint your nails (purple and orange, of course!)

Making food for baby at the children's museum

Falling Back to the Blog

Hmm...so apparently we've been having so much fall fun that I forgot to take a few minutes to share some of it on the blog. Ah well, best do a little fall highlights reel before we have to switch to winter-mode.

An Apple a Day...


...is what we've been consuming since apple picking and there is still a small reserve in the basement refrigerator. The kids are becoming more skilled in their produce picking and it is fun to see them get excited about foods that they can pick (or grow - Eli's carrots this year did great in the garden and now Evelyn is asking for her own row next year!).

Ready to go fill those apple bags!

Off we go...

Post-picking fun - water pump

Feeding the goats

The Great Outdoors (One More Time...Before it is Freezing at Night)

We managed to fit in one more camping trip with our dear friends this fall. Fall camping can be the best - no humid, oven-like tents, warming up by the campfire at night, daytime hiking...as long as it doesn't dip too cold at night! The kids enjoyed playing with their buddies, eating all sorts of yummy camp foods, and exploring the hiking trails and caves. I'm already looking forward to (hopefully) another trip next year.

Eli and his log creation

The brave hikers

Steep climb to a cave

Evie and Daddy take in the view

Sweet face

Playing in the sand near the mighty Mississippi

Camping buddies

This cave is a giant sandbox

Evie and Mommy playing

Daddy tried his first ponytail

Papa's walkie talkies were a exciting addition to the camp gear

Happy Halloween!

It was fun to have celebrate Halloween on a weekend this year - the rainy day was a great excuse to stay inside and find some fun (spontaneous robot costumes with Dad, pumpkin carving on the kitchen floor, Halloween music and spooky dinner). The weather cleared up just in time for trick-or-treating. The kids are at such a fun age for holidays - excited and enthusiastic, curious and in awe.

Painting the mini white pumpkins

Painting with Cousin K

Warm, happy day at the pumpkin farm

Pumpkin joy

Big enough to carry his own pumpkin this year!

The pumpkin artist and his masterpiece

Post-farm pumpkin washing station

Ready to watch the school costume parade

There's our happy little alien

Rainy morning project - robot!

The little lady robot

Pumpkin carving

Working together

 Family and pumpkins

Ready to trick-or-treat!