Christmas 2008

I POD SHUFFLES!

Brookie's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Snowcone Maker!

1/3 of the gang at Grandma Julie's

The start of opening presents at home.

Patiently waiting for Dad to be awake enough!

Well, Christmas has come and gone for another year. It's always amazing to me that we spend what seems like forever preparing, cooking, wrapping, decorating..for it to be gone in a matter of a few short hours, but that's ok, it is my favorite season/holiday. We had a very busy, but enjoyable time with our family and extended families. Christmas Eve day, the kids just played around the house, I tried to clean, Jerod worked. We went to his parents house with all of his siblings, spouses, and our nieces/nephews, for a wonderful dinner at 5. We than played a few games, the kids each opened a present from a cousin (they draw names) as they had already opened their presents from Grandma/Grandpa and Auntie Jili. Santa even made an appearance, he peeked his head into Grandma's window around 6:30 p.m.. We were ready to leave and go home for bed by 9, Santa called Grandma's and told the kids to get to bed, b/c he couldn't come to all of their houses until they did. Christmas morning the kids made it till 6 a.m., poor Jerod, he married an early riser and got 3 kids who are also early risers!!! I told them they had to let him sleep till 7, but after I made breakfast, they woke him up at 6:45. We opened presents rather quickly, each girl got 4, their "highlight" was that they each got an IPOD Shuffle. It was then, get dressed, packed up, Daddy had to plow first, because of course it snowed again (I'm rather sick of winter and it's only December!) then it was up to St. Bay for Christmas with Papa and Grandma, my sister and her family and Great Grandma Verna. We made our stop off at my other grandparents, as it's harder for them to go out, and they enjoyed a little time with the girls. It was 11 by the time we made it to my parents, Mom was busy cooking as usual, the kids were excited to see their cousin, Jordan, I was exhausted and ready for a nap! We ate a fabulous lunch, than opened gifts.. At 2:30, I took a nap and woke up 3 hours later... Jerod & my mom had found a Walgreens as Brookie had been coughing horribly while I napped.. We played a few games that night and watched the weather as more snow/ice was setting in. I got woke up at 4:45 by my Mom the next morning, to "Taylor has a really bad stomach ache" I thought it was all the Christmas brownies she ate, but no she had a touch of the flu, as she got sick about 1/2 hour later.. Worried we all would get sick we contained her to 1 area of the house. Luckily we didn't and by afternoon, she was feeling well enough to travel home. Now it's time to CLEAN, Jerod has painted the baby's room and gotten the crib up for me (what a great husband!) I need to finish putting the bedding on. We'll work on resting, I know Jerod would like to get out on the snowmobile trails this week if possible, my niece Jordan is coming to stay with us for a few days for New Years, than it's back to work! Baby is due exactly 60 days from today, I hope it goes fast!!

Much love and a Happy New Year to each of you!

Michelle

Christmas Card 2008

So, Jerod has been asking (no kinda begging me) to do a Christmas Card the past few years involving his favorite winter sport, snowmobiling! I'm usually not such a procrastinator, but with work, some absentmindedness and being pregnant, I didn't have my cards done this year by Dec. 1st!! So we got just enough snow to incorporate all 3 of our "sleds" into our Christmas Card (Thanks to my wondeful sister in law Becky, for taking the pictures, I think it was about 10 degrees outside!!) I hope you can see this ok, I cropped it so it made it kinda small. The smaller picture is Daddy on the girls sled, and the girls standing there mad at him for hopping on!!

Have a great holiday everyone, it's coming up fast, so take a little time to enjoy all of the wonderful feelings and blessings that evoke during this special time of year!

Love, Michelle

Merry Christmas!

Holy crow, Christmas is in 13 days, where did the first part of December go??? Anyway, here's my holiday letter, and I'll post the picture from our Christmas card tonight, for all my friends/family in cyber land, I love you too, and didn't want to forget you!!
Michelle

Happy Holidays!
2008
We hope this letter finds each of you happy, healthy and excited to
conclude one year and ring in a new!
Our family is busy as ever with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Taylor (10) is in 5th grade, and continues to take pride in her school work and brought home a very good report card first quarter. She is in dance, but this may be her final year as next year will bring the opportunity to play sports, and she is leaning towards that. We are so thankful to have Taylor’s kindheartedness in our home.
Mackenzie (9) is in 3rd grade and continues to do well in school, I wish I had half of the memory she does! She is also in dance; she and Taylor are in a Tap/Jazz class together on Monday nights. Kenzie loves to dote on all of her younger cousins and her younger sister, and we are so grateful to have her sweet spirit bless us daily.
Brooklyn (6) is in 1st grade, and has endured some struggles with learning to read, but we keep plugging along and have seen some nice improvements since the beginning of the school year. Brookie dances on Wednesdays’ in a Tap/Pre Ballet class, and her big brown eyes and sweet face continue to get her out of trouble,
(more times than they should) but we couldn’t imagine life without her!
Baby #4 is due Feb. 27, 2009 and we couldn’t be more excited! The day we told the girls they screamed for joy and Taylor even cried! The ultrasound on Oct. 30 revealed this is a boy, I sure hope they are right, because if for some reason it was wrong, this will be a little girl dressed in blue and camo colors! Whatever the outcome this kid is sure to be a spitfire, as he/she likes to kick from about 10 p.m. – midnight, every night! We’ve chosen to honor some of those we love the most here on earth, and if this is a boy, he will be Charles Jeffrey after our dad’s, and if it’s a girl, it will be Charli Ann (after my dad and both our Mom’s middle name.)
Jerod is still with Packerland Transport, which now got sold to a company called JBS, I’m just thankful they kept on the cattle department! His brother Jake is now his partner, so it’s nice to be able to keep the truck so close to home, thanks to his parents who let the boys park the truck in their building driveway. Whenever he’s not working, he stays busy with hunting, tending to his small herd of cows or working
at the race track in Shawano and Antigo.
As for me, I’m busy being Mom, helping the girls with homework, reading with them, driving them to dance, appointments, etc… I’m again working at school which is a blessing, because I get to take my kids to work everyday (so to speak!)
I am excited for the baby, but nervous, I haven’t done this in 6 ½ years and just when I thought we were entering a new phase of life, it’s time to bring on the diapers, first smile, sleepless nights, first step, first word, I can’t wait!
We wish each of you nothing but love and happiness in 2009. May you feel the love of the Lord, Jesus Christ in your lives everyday.
With Love,
Michelle, Jerod, Tay, Kenz, Brook & the baby!

I'm still alive & kickin'

No pun intended, as in this is all the baby does, kick, kick, poke, kick..Many I think my insides are bruised, but it's all worth it! Sorry I haven't updated in a while (a month or so!) but my computer got a nasty virus, so I was without for a little while, but I'm back..
I'll post our Christmas card & letter to boot, next.. THANKS to Becky, my lovely, talented sister in law who came over yesterday and braved the frigid temps to help my husband get his dream Christmas Card!!
Hope your all enjoying the holidays, we have a tree up, it's not decorated, and there are no decorations up at my house yet, I better get on that!
Love,
Michelle