Pacos

Gavin loves to stick his hands in his "pacos" (pockets). I just thought he looked really cute. What a big boy!

Before, During, After

I just got back from three glorious days in Miami, Florida. It was tough coming back to all this snow.
This picture was taken just before I left. Yes, that's our mailbox buried in the snow bank.
Obviously, this picture was taken while I was on the beach. It was wonderful!
This is the after picture...there is still way too much snow. I don't know why I was smiling for this picture.

Florida

My three days in Florida were wonderful and warm. I really enjoyed the time I spent with Jessie (a friend from college). It was nice to get away and enjoy a few days of the beach, ocean and sun.

Independence

Gavin has always loved choosing his own clothes. Today, he found swimwear and put together quite an ensemble throughout the day. Hey, we just make sure he doesn't go out in public on days like today.
I don't know what inspired him. Doesn't he look great?
Here, he's added his favorite shoes just because they go so well with the rest of the gear.
Oh, and the Packer pants had to be worn today, as well. Someone is going to have to teach this kid a thing or two about matching.

Birthdays

My mom and dad both celebrated birthdays this month. The boys enjoyed having grandma and papa here, helping open the presents, and eating the desserts quite a bit.

Pasta Night

We all had pasta for dinner the other night. Can you tell who enjoyed it the most?

In!

Now that Gavin says "in" correctly (it used to come out "nee"), he is into getting in to everything.

House

I found this house for Gavin and Reily dirt cheap after the holidays. Gavin loved it so much we had to bring it upstairs. His real joy is in keeping Reily out of the house. Reily's not such a big fan of that game.

Packers Fans

The picture is a bit outdated, but this was the cheering section at my mom and dad's house during the Packer/Giant playoff game. We all know how that one turned out.

One More

After everyone left to head to the reception, Ben and Kirsten had this shot taken at the gazebo outside of their wedding chapel. It's too cute not to share!

If you're just dying to see more pictures, you can visit the Medina chapel website at http://medinachapel.com/ Look for the Photo Gallery link on the left and then click on Chapel Couples 2008. There are pictures in there from another couple, but there are also several of Ben and Kirsten's wedding.

The Wedding

Ben and Kirsten got married last night. It was a beautiful wedding in a great little chapel and the reception was great--neat restaurant on the river in Appleton with great food and good company. Even though there was a lot of snow, we all made it home safely, too.
The rehearsal.

Yes, I did help Kirsten with her hair--not because I have any particular talent in this area, just because I said I would!

Kirsten and her dad.

My dad did the ceremony--this time, he did not have to pause for 5 minutes of crying.
Ben and Kristen had a friend of hers and our cousin Alex sign their wedding certificate as witnesses during the ceremony.
The kiss. And now, our family has one more. We couldn't be happier!

Appliances

Lately, Gavin's been really in to cooking. Recently, he pulled out our strainer, filled it with "cookies" (more commonly known as wooden puzzle pieces) and wanted to cook it. He even told us it was hot.
While watching mommy fold laundry, Reily found the dryer intriguing.
And, of course, the dishwasher is always a draw for any toddler.

Reading

Chris and Gavin read together every day. If life gets too busy, Gavin is quick to remind his daddy that they need to read.

Babies, babies, babies

Kelly and Kacey came for a visit. Three kids under three can do a lot of damage to a kitchen floor! We all had fun, but there were crumbs everywhere.

Our holiday season was full of babies transitioning into toddlers. Here are the proud grandpas.

New Year

My dad recently did some work on our cottage as a surprise for the rest of the family. We spent New Year's Eve there to see the improvements and enjoyed the new furnace the most!

A Few More

Just a few more December pictures to end the year right! Happy New Year...
Cozy boys, and Gavin's zoo crew.
Gavin's favorite new toy. The foos-foos, as he calls it. I think he means choo-choo, it just doesn't come out quite right.
Opening gifts at Papa's house.
Gavin watching a Christmas cartoon as we all got ready Christmas morning.
One of the first things we'll be doing in the New Year is attending Ben and Kirsten's wedding. No, they won't be wearing the tissue paper hats that day.

Playing in the Snow

We had a couple of fairly warm days this week. I went out and bought a sled while Chris got the kids ready. At least one kid was crying the entire time he was getting them ready--they just took turns between them--and it continued as we had "fun" in the snow. Oh well, it makes for some cute pictures--as long as you don't zoom in on their faces.

Christmas at Papa's

Can anyone guess what the special gift was from my dad this year??? Packer gear--though he did stoop so low as to get Chris a Vikings sweatshirt instead, knowing that a Packer one would have been a waste of money. Fortunately, he didn't find a Packer sweatshirt he thought I'd like (such an item does not exist).

Gavin loved his outfit so much that he wore it the rest of the day OVER his other clothes. Then, we decided he could wear it the next day--without another outfit underneath it, since it wasn't really dirty. The day after that, he pulled it out of the dirty clothes and insisted on wearing it AGAIN. We helped him find something a little fresher. I'm not sure if he loves the outfit that much or just the man it came from!

Christmas afternoon walk with Churchill, Ben, Kirsten, Gavin and Papa.