2009 Picture of the Year!

I am not sure how many pictures I take a year.  I am quite certain that 2009 was the year I took the most!  I love having memories- and pictures just take me back to the time & place.  Like this one of Jackson.  He is his very happiest when he is in water.  And this year was especially fun because he was able to swim across the pool- therefore, letting him be a diving board champ!  Heather captured this picture.  I missed this day of lessons.  It was fun friday.  As you can see our other champion swimmer going off the other diving board!  They had so much fun!  We are thinking about doing swim team next year (yes, my 5 1/2 yr old might be on swim team!).

This precious picture of Addison was taken by Gram at Uncle Robb's house.  She is standing in front of his fish tank.  I must admit that Addi is not very photogenic.  She either does not want to take the picture or gives this awkward smile.  I just love everything about this picture!  This was just a regular day- that I threw her hair up in a pony tail. She was wearing her "Go Dad" shirt and we had just gone to his Xterra Race earier that day. It really captures the sweetness in her personality!

Sledding!

Throughout the Christmas weekend we kept accumulating snow which made everyday a little more special and beautiful! Finally on Sunday morning we had quite a bit of snow and the flakes were still falling. So, we bundled up until Addison was screaming "I'M HOT, I'M HOT!!!" and finally got outside. If you have visited our house you know we have a great hill right out our front door. And just before it gets to the road it slopes uphill to the road. If you can miss the creek in the middle its a perfect sledding hill!

Santa brought them these snow tubes- they are the best sleds yet! Except mommy popped one going over the road the first day!

Adorable pic of Jackson my snow buddy

Addison climbing the hill back up

Uncle Robb getting ready to go down

Addison with a big cheese!

Jackson & Uncle- snow flying up on his face!

Giving Addi a big push! Nothing is too fast for that girl!

My camera fogged up- still a neat picture of me and the kids right before we started rolling!

One of the best parts about the cold!

Addison's last trip down turned into a tumble. She was enjoying Gram- and Gram was enjoying her!

Merry Christmas 2009!

This year was especially fun and I think I will say that every year till I have teenagers! Or maybe until the kids stop believing in Santa. There is something so magical about Santa! And it is so fun listening to them talk about him and getting so excited about him. He brings the best gifts....which is a bit difficult for me to reliquish rights on.... but it is so fun watching and being a part of.

We started out the day with our family. The kids woke up at 730am and began talking about Santa and they thought they "saw some lights..." but they didn't hear any bells. Then we went over to have brunch and gift opening at Gram & Grandpa's (Nathan's parents). Then we ended the day at the Figueiredo's for Christmas dinner. I made prime rib and Heather & mom made some yummy sides to go along with it. I also made my first chocolate pie- Chocolate Hazelnut! YUMMO!

Addison's Santa gift- Hot Wheel!

Santa brought Jackson a hockey table! How did he fit it in the bag?!

Addison with all her stocking stuffers- and her new snow tube.

Jackson with his loot.

Santa also dropped by Gram's house- and left more stocking stuff.

The kids & grandpa have this thing going on with this rubber snake- they hide it from each other to find in crazy places. So, for christmas the kids wrapped it up in the box to be a huge surprise.... but right before he opened it up Addison was giggling and told him it was the snake!

Addison had to help unwrap Uncles presents.

Joan has been wanting a "Nook" (Barnes & Noble's Kindle) for a long time. She has been talking about it and Joan never gets this excited about a "thing". So, Robb & us went in together and got her one for Christmas.

the kids with their zhu zhu pets. they LOVE them!

Christmas Eve 2009

Our tradition has always been Christmas Eve on the Chapman side and Christmas day on the Crouch side. So, tonight we went to my parents for our traditional Mexican meal. My mom always makes a special mexican meal- enchiladas, chili rellenos.... Every year it just keeps getting better! She told my dad many years ago when Heather & I were very little that she wanted to make traditions so she found the mexican theme idea in a Current magazine- and we've been doing it ever since! Oh, we also have chocolate eclair for dessert! That is Nathan's favorite part!

Nothing better than Christmas with family you love and Christmas traditions!

Mom reading a Christmas book she got for the kids

my love & i

the figs

my princess.

Jackson thrilled with his tank & army guys

Nana, Papa & the kiddos

our fam

my sweet boy

ashton so happy with his huey

me & my sis. my new charm necklace she gave me! I LOVE it!! thanks sister! love you!

Addi being so sweet with grandma

ashton dressed as a snowman

this is her 3rd princess outfit change

grandma & grandpa & the fave four

Christmas 2009 Day 1

The Christmas celebration began this past weekend. All the Chapman side- Grandpa & Grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins & great cousins. We had a fantastic turkey dinner, opened presents and then came the big surprise. Norma has been planning a surprise for us for months now! She would not even give a hint! We all got in our cars at 2pm SHARP and when we got out of the driveway she gave us directions! We landed at the mall to play glow in the dark putt putt golf! It was a lot of fun! The kids love putt-putt!

Addison got a HUGE box- Pet Shop. She carried the box around the house showing people what she got. It was hilarious.

Grandma & Grandpa got Jackson a REAL handyman set. As soon as we got home him & daddy put on ALL the gear and went downstairs to "work". Jackson came back upstairs with a board with nails hammered in it! He was SO proud of himself!

measuring his board.

SO happy with himself!

Pet Shop! Her pets have played games, taken baths and all sorts of other things. The boys also love her new pet shop which thrills Addison. I love watching Addison play girly stuff because she is usually playing rough boy games instead!

MIZ...

We had such a fun time watching Christine play an AWESOME game! She was the superstar of the day! 16pts, 12 rebounds and 7 blocks! The whole team played great today- and it was fun to watch.

Christine talking to Coach Stein

Truman & the boys

Heather & Ashton

"Don't Smile!!"

Surprise!!

Last night we threw a nice surprise party for my Grandpa & Norma (Grandma). My grandpa turns 80 in January (but they will be in Florida all winter after Christmas) and Norma turned 85 in September. So, we decided to give them a birthday celebration to remember! One of the biggest surprises was her daughter Kathy & son in law Ed that flew in from Dallas. It was such a fun night! Norma LOVES surprises! She is always talking about surprises and what better than to surprise her in this way! It was fantastic! Another one of Norma's passions is playing games. And that is one of my favorite things to do so I made sure we played some games last night. We played Pictionary and also Taboo.

It was a very fun night spent with the people I love the most. My family. I'm so blessed to have these two people in my life- and even better- my children's life!