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I'm sure there has to be a clever title out there for this photo, I just can't think of it. Any ideas?

Go Colts!

(photos taken January 2, 2011)

Christmas 2011 Recap

Ok, so it's been almost two weeks since Christmas. Our decorations are down, the wrapping is all tossed, and we're home from our short trip to Illinois. We had a really nice Christmas weekend and have plenty of pictures to help us remember our fun for years to come. Here are a few:

Likely Kaden's favorite gift...his remote control ("that you don't have to charge") car from Marin.

Marin's most unusual Christmas present...VERY girlie flip-flops for next summer.

Kaden and mommy on Christmas Eve (it wasn't cold inside, he'd just been given a really cool hand-me-down coat from my cousins, so he chose to wear it most of the weekend)

Kaden, daddy and Grandpa plowing snow on Christmas morning. They got about 6 inches, so we had lots of white stuff to play in!

Marin and mommy in the snow. I may never has been as glad to have a pair of Carhart bibs to borrow as I was on Christmas! They were WARM!
Christmas Day with Grandma and Grandpa Steckel

Marin and her stocking at Grandma and Grandpa's house.
Marin with her brother's new magnifing glass.

This is how you'd find Kaden on and off all weekend...wearing his motorcycle helment (that wasn't even a Christmas present).

My mom with all the grandkids (ages 1, 2, days away from 3, and 4.5)

Marin's new doll and high chair

Dad and Teri with all the grandkids

Marin and Brayden...so cute together!

Dad trying on Kaden's night vision goggles...another favorite. Is anyone else seeing a pattern in what Kaden likes to do? Seems items you wear and dressing up are high among his current favorite activities. If you're ever at our house for a day, this will quickly be validated!

Visit with Santa & a Jolly Time at the Museum

Yesterday we had the rare opportunity to hit the children's museum with some of our favorite neighbors. The kids had a grand time, especially enjoying the special winter exhibit. They baked cookies, ice skated (in socks), brushed reindeer, had a (fake) snow ball fight, slide down a hill like penguins, sat on Santa's lap, and went down the giant slide. They also hit the ever-favorite dinosaur exhibit. Oh how thankful I am for a FANTASTIC local Children's museum, especially in the winter when we need to get out of the house. I'm also thankful for good friends to share the fun with us.

Marin's first time on Santa's lap. She liked it and told him she wanted a "cookie" for Christmas! So sweet!

Kaden told Santa a couple of the top items on his list (Hot Wheels race track and a Colts jersey) and Santa kept saying "and what else?" UGH! Verbalizing a laundry list really isn't something I want my children to associate with Christmas.

Marin helps brush Comet.

Kaden thoroughly enjoys the snowball fight and was sweating afterwards.

Kaden bakes cookies. Inside this pretend oven, it even smelled like cookies!

Marin LOVED sliding down this slide on her belly, like a penguin. I seriously think she went down 20+ times!

Checking out the dinosaurs on the computer.

Kaden's best dinosaur growl!

Going down the giant slide! Kaden and Marin are on the right.

Christmas at the Zoo

This weekend was our dedicated "do Christmas things" weekend. Friday night it was WARM (like 40 degrees!), so we bundled up and headed to see the lights at the zoo. Kaden and Jason have been to this for the past 2 years with our neighbors, but this was the first year for Marin and I. It was fun, but BOY, O BOY were there a TON of people! We finally decided to just stay outside (instead of trying to go inside to see anything) and look at the lights and not try to find the animals. The inside exhibits were EXTREMELY crowded and made me claustrophobic!

We were really excited (and thankful!) to get the kids a zoo membership from my Grandma Sauder for Christmas. I'm looking forward to getting to take them to the zoo many times this coming year. We love our Children's Museum membership and I'm hoping we love our zoo one just as much.

First Snow & Santa Parade

Last weekend we had our first snow of the year and it was BEAUTIFUL! It wasn't much, but covered everything and was enough for the kids to go out to play in it twice in one day! They had a ball (well, except when Marin did a faceplant in the snow and when she tipped out of the saucer sled...). We were lucky that Grandma Steckel was staying with us, so she helped me get the kids in and out of their snow clothes THREE times. In the evening we all bundled up and went to our town's Santa Parade. It was cold, but really it's an event you can't skip since it's the only evening parade in town and it's just so fun to see everything in lights.

Santa Breakfast

Saturday morning, bright and early (7am!), Kaden and I went to our second annual Santa Breakfast at the local middle school. It was great fun. This year Kaden was much more interested in the crafts and had a BALL trying out instruments at the "instrument petting zoo". He played the trombone, trumpet, marimba, gong, cymbals, snare drum, base drum, violin, and clarinet. I think we have a musician on our hands!