2016 Review

Before I start with the past pictures of this year, we let the kids stay up with us this year until midnight with friends and we had a blast!  But Arya's request was that she got to kiss her dad at midnight.  And she did :)

2016 was an awesome year for us.  Now that we've had the house a few years and Caleb's had the job even longer, this year we've really been able to take advantage and soak up our surroundings having some perfect family memories.

We celebrated a 3rd and a 6th birthday. 

We found some of the coolest places to hike

Caleb and I got 5 tattoos this year!

We got together with my entire family twice this year, once everyone in Pennsylvania and once we got the pleasure of hosting.  Hopefully this happens again next summer.  The kids have grown soo much since then.

We went to an amusement park, Arya for the very first time and Casen probably the first time he could really enjoy it.

Casen went on his first trip alone away from us for an extended period of time.  2 weeks away at camp.  

We went on a family vacation, a first for us.

Another cutie of a nephew was added to the family, Anson John.

Casen started first grade.

Caleb won 4 awards this year through the police department!

We made some great new friends and visited old friends who came all the way from California.

We added another sister into the mix when Tyler and Katie got married this October, even though it feels like she's been part of the family forever

And lastly, we had a horrible time of keeping trees upright in our yard this year.  Let's hope that goes better in 2017.

We already have big plans for 2017 and I can't wait to see where it brings us.  We have so enjoyed soaking up every moment as a family of 4.  It's so nice being complete (unless Arya gets that puppy she's been begging for.

Christmas 2

Christmas eve we went to our churches service and then grabbed some Chinese out with some friends.  Apparently they're one of the few places that keeps normal hours on those kind of holidays.  It was a lot of fun and may be a new tradition for us :)

We were out late so the kids ended up sleeping in until 830 christmas morning.  It was lovely!

Most of the gift pictures are blurry because I was trying to watch them instead of realizing the phone was out of focus

Caleb and i got both the kids tablets this year as their "big" present.  The second photo is arya jumping around she was so excited 

Casen has a great array of teams he follows, but he follows them all diligently.  For nfl he likes the patriots but also follows the buccaneers, raiders, and redskins.  But for some reason as far as college is concerned for a few years now he's been obsessed with the gators.  We have to watch any Florida gators game that's playing.

Caleb surprised me with a brand new pots and pans set.  Mine were getting old and worn down.  And this awesome jewelry organizer that I needed desperately as well as my baby koala to have on the nights he's gone to work.  Ever since we got married koalas have been special to me :)

And I will have to get a picture for next blog post of caleb in his christmas present from me.

After lunch on christmas we decided to take the kids to the movies.  We do our family stuff the week before so when actual christmas arrives we always feel a bit bored after opening presents.  Apparently everyone else also goes to the movies on Christmas because it was packed.  But we really liked doing it as a family.

My favorite Christmas memory, as I say every year, christmas eve pj's! 

I forgot to snap a picture of caleb, but he got some too.  And he rocked buying me some again this year 

Christmas 1

I think we had one of our best Christmas seasons yet.  We have had so much fun in the last couple weeks!

First, our visit North to Tyler and Katie's.  The first with them as a married couple :)

We had christmas morning with them the morning after we got there.  They opened way too fast for me to get any decent pictures, but I'm pretty sure their gifts even topped ours.

Making cookies with aunt katie

Then men working on a pie

That night we had an amazing Christmas dinner!  I needed to get a picture at the other end of the table.  It was full.

The next day we built gingerbread houses 

And made a trip to the arcade.  We all won soo many tickets

And then we went to hibachi, which was a first for for me and caleb.  We will defintely be going back.  It was a huge hit with the kids.

Chestnuts night! My favorite.

The last day we were there katie planned a big minute to win it tournament.  I didnt even get pictures of most of the games because I was too busy playing or laughing.  It was so much fun.

 And right before our drive home Tyler filled us with yet another amazing meal.  We were so spoiled and soo full when we got home.

I cannot wait to do it all again next year.  We always have the best times with them.