Anika

We got to spend some quality time with our beloved Ani, and parents!

A....you're adorable

B...your so beautiful

C...your a cutie full of charms.

We all had a great time getting to meet Ani, open some GREAT gifts from our family members that had traveled far distances...and some great pool time! Thank you Paul and Tinti! Thank you also to Auntie Barb and Uncle Chuckie!! As well as cousin Amanda...who couldn't make it back, but still kept us in her thoughts! We LOVE you all!!!

A New Breed of Superhero

Entire performance written, directed and performed by the young Valet's!

Please note Gabi's ability to perform her own stunts!

SNOW

It started snowing around 3a.m. ~ or it was supposed to...I admit I was not UP and looking for it!
But I do know that it came down all day, and STAYED! (Will said in Iowa City it came down all day, but didn't stay!)

Isa enjoying the snow!

Brandon requested to be buried...he covered his face with his hat!Yep...Brandon licking our disc swing....

Enjoying our time outside!

Gabi, in her "happy place"

Grapes- no more!

Looking up our mighty pine~
this tree has had a rough winter!

Christmas Times

With plenty of little smokies, ham, and sugar filled presents...our Christmas Days begin at Brian and Jenny's!

Gabi is quiet?
Yep...that is candy in her hand!

AAHH....perfect children!
SUPER Perfect children...with chocolate! FYI: each serving is 240 calories.... 50 servings!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grammy and Opa's

We had an Italian theme this year...Lasagna, Ravioli, breadsticks...and veggies/fruit!


Will waiting for the time to open his present!
Grammy created a great Trivia game! She had asked our parents ahead of time for some insight on our childhood, and then we had to see if the spouses knew the answers!
This took a lot of work on her part...but we sure had a good time!



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AT HOME

Santa brought OUR LITTLE HELPERS toques (chef hats) and aprons!

Brandon got a skateboardGabi got a Barbie Vet set!

Isabelle got a pottery wheel!

Will got:

A Vader Mask!!!

This was actually pretty funny....he kept it on all day! He actually wanted to sleep in it! We would ask him a question and he would press the programmed sentences:
"Will did you turn off your light in your room?"
VADER VOICE~"YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE!"

"Will could you help your sister with her boots?"
V. VOICE~ "DON'T MAKE ME DESTROY YOU!"

Daddy is still hoping for the adult sized mask!

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We had such an amazing holiday! We got to be with our families, we were able to relax, enjoy, and eat! :)
We received amazing~ thoughtful~ use-able gifts! We truly feel blessed to have our families, and friends, and appreciate all the time and energy put into making our holidays so perfect!
We really tried to downsize this year, so not to lose sight of the holiday, and the gift of giving! Thank you to everyone who hosted, cooked, and or purchased something for our family!! We love you all dearly!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

O, O, and OH!!!

On December 8th Oprah joined Obama in Cedar Rapids ....and we were able to go, and my brother (the cool one!) and his wife joined Will and I !
The drive is usually 40 minutes...but the sleet /ice mixture started and we ended up traveling no more than 40 miles an hour...when we weren't pulled over...scraping!! (with credit cards...since I had not put a scraper in my car...yet!)

IT was worth it!

~O~

One of my favorite things that Oprah had said was:
I am not here to tell you what to think!
I am here to to tell you TO think!

~O~

and
OH!!!

(OH= Chad and Julia are expecting!! :)

Video!

Here is daddy's "playtime"...editing and adding video.
This is only 3 years old...
There are some other clips to follow soon....of when the kids 1st came to live with us...it is amazing to look back in time!

Piggy-Back Races

I cannot believe how much FUN I was having, and my shouts of "DO IT AGAIN!" This was simple hysterical!!!
The older kids were in charge of giving piggy-back rides to the younger two! The pictures are not the best ...because they move pretty fast when they are falling....but you will get the idea!

1st up..the girls: This doesn't look SO hard...right?? Well let's look and see the process involved :

Call in reinforcements: Brandon you steady Isabelle's head.

Okay..."Isabelle balance yourself-use Will's knee if you need to-Brandon your in charge of the bottom!"

You gotta get down somehow!

Maybe will Will be lighter!

BOYS!!!

This isn't so hard - is it!?

And down they go!!!

New Boots and Sawed Off doors...

It's 10:30 and we have gotten plenty accomplished for the day....
We bought new boots for a boy who takes his boots off by stepping on the back of the heel (in fairness...they were hand-me-downs.)
We also sawed off the bottom of our garage door--since the ice storm something happened to our cement that was not allowing us to open the door fully to get into the garage. So lil Will and I took matter into our own hands...we got out the hand saw and cut off the bottom of the door! Problem solved! When we phoned Daddy to tell him what we had done, he mentioned that he was going to do that as well...
We took care of it!
As well as-- My cousin's water broke this morning so we will have a new member of our family!!!

WHEW...naptime!

MR.T

We have managed to come up with some creative names for our adorable nephew/cousin.

Mr. T and T-Bone

are the common choices, yet he doesn't seem to mind!
Gabi has not really been "fond" of Trenton and ALL his attention-seeking behaviors!
(Crying when he needs something, smiling when entertaining--he's got it ALL figured out)
So it was kind of interesting when recently Mr. T was not "fond" of Gabi.
Apparently Gabi saw an opportunity to sit on Uncle A's back, while he was laying down, to start a little wrestling match...and Trenton did NOT like that she was touching his daddy!

LIFE'S NOT EASY!!!

Lessons in Snow,Fit throwing,& Birthday Gifts

What happens when you push your "older" sister down in the snow?

SHE PUSHES BACK! Lessons learned...I think!
FYI--they BOTH got timeouts for this!

Would I really take PRIDE in capturing my children throwing a fit???
Would I really post it on the blog for ALL the world to see??
Does this picture bring me some sort of "smile"to my heart??

IF you think I answered no to any ONE of those questions ....well then you must not know how TRULY sick I am!!!

At Grammy and Opa's Gabi got to celebrate her birthday and Thanksgiving all together!! She was so excited to get a costume, that she stripped right down and put the robe on!

The spell has taken over!!! Take-iss Off-iss Your-Clothes-iss!
~THANK YOU AUNTIE BARB & UNCLE CHUCK ~

Gabi (seen here as a dragon!) had been requesting this "Kitty Castle at Grandma's Wal-Mart" for her birthday, and grandma couldn't remember what exactly she was talking about...so much anticipation filled the room as she opened the Kitty Castle....we slowly convinced her it WAS the castle that she "always wanted!" She did dive in and start playing with the kitties, even sharing with cousin Ava, and big sis!

We all make mistakes!

Welcome!

I just want to mention that I am still trying to figure this whole how to put pictures on and stuff...so enjoy laughing at me now...I shall learn and make no further mistakes -- one day!

Take Care!!!
Callie

O Christmas Tree...

On the hunt for the perfect tree!

Not TOO tall this year!






Daddy has a go...






then the kids get to help...
then back up the hill!!


















The Kids love to visit the Bunnies!