Welcome to our new readers.

You must have received our Christmas card if you are visiting for the first time. Feel free to come back as often as you would like to see what we have been up too. I try to update the site a couple times a month.

Thanks to all our loyal readers. I do this blog mostly for our own purposes but your attention makes it even more important to me.

December

Even with Christmas right around the corner, we aren't nearly as busy as we are in the summer and fall. So not as much to post about. I am much more likely to stay home when the weather is bitterly cold. I guess I have been busy with stuff at home such as decorating for Christmas, hosting a soup supper, working on Christmas cards, doing some online Christmas shopping and wrapping presents.

We do make it to the important things though....

Ryan's good friend, Aiden, turned 4 at the end of Nov so we went to his swimming party at a local hotel.

Aiden's 4th Birthday

Ryan, Maddy and I swimming

Polar Express - Ryan's favorite movie is Polar Express. He would watch it all year long if we let him. I put it away after Christmas so it will be a fun and exciting again the next year. We did something new this year. We took Ryan to see The Polar Express at the IMAX theater at the Science Center. Oh wow! It was fun and Ryan loved it. He is still talking about it. To anyone who doesn't know, the IMAX theater is dome shaped so the movie is projected all around you. The next weekend we rode the Santa Express Train in Boone. It is based on the Polar Express movie. The kids wore their pj's (just like in the movie) and rode the train to the North Pole. While riding we drank hot chocolate, ate a cookie, read the Polar Express book and sang Christmas carols. The best part is that Santa boards the train to pass out his special sleigh bells.

All ready to go

During part of the ride we went over a high bridge which made it look like we were really flying

Ryan (in the red and white striped hat) up at the front singing

Santa handing out the bells - thanks for the photo, Anna.

Our gang of friends

Ryan is officially on Christmas break from preschool. He had his Christmas party at school on Wednesday. They acted on the Navitity. Ryan was a wiseman following the star to bring gifts to baby Jesus.

Opening his gift exchange present

My baby!

I was sitting here organizing photos and I came across this Photo Story I made when Ry was about 16 months old. Instantly made me cry. Where has the time gone??

Let It Snow

Well we received our first snow about 2 weeks ago then we got a couple inches over the weekend. Ryan thinks the snow is pretty fun. On Monday he was outside with Ben for about 2 hours. Didn't bother him one bit. Me, on the other hand, am not a fan of the snow. The only time I like snow is on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.

We had to go to Theisen's to buy a sled so the boys could do this....

Our land is pretty flat so the 4-wheeler is the best way to have snow fun.

We found our Christmas Tree for 2008!

We started the tradition 3 years ago of going to a Christmas tree farm as a family to find our tree for the Christmas season. I love everything about a fresh tree especially the smell. I can see us continuing to do this for many years to come. The first year we went it took us 2 hours to find the perfect tree, last year it took about an hour, this year Ben drove right to the perfect tree so it took about 10 minutes.

Aldrich Tree Farm near Belmond is where we like to go

Standing in front of our tree

getting ready to cut the tree down

Gettin the job done

Very proud of himself - he did have help though

Grandma also found her tree. It is a tall tree probably the tallest they have ever had.

Decorating

Ryan's idea of decorating is putting all the ornaments on one branch

Putting the finish touch on the top