Christmas Eve 2009

A few days before Christmas, we had a rush of visitors come to our house in Canton. Julie's parents, her Grandpa Millett, her brother Gary, and sister Erin w/ her husband Spencer and baby Maddie. We had a full house, but a great time celebrating Christmas with everyone!

On Christmas Eve, we went to IKEA for breakfast, then we broke off in groups to see a movie - "The Princess and the Frog" and "Avatar". Afterwards, we went back to the house to get ready for our Christmas Eve festivities. Julie, Erin and Mom got our snacks ready, while Jessica planned the Christmas Eve program, with a little help from Spencer. We all got matching Disney PJs... so cute! Then it was time to put out the cookies and milk for Santa and go to bed.

Our group at IKEA for breakfast

Cute Maddie!
Logan sure loves Maddie. He tried to help with her a lot.

Mom and Erin helped me with our Christmas Eve snacks

We ate our snacks and watched "Bedtime Stories".

Logan loved hiding around the house with Maddie

Our whole group with our matching Christmas Mickey PJ's, with embroidered name. Cute!!

My cute match-y Christmas kids!

Josh and Julie

Julie w/ brother Gary and sister Erin

Gary, Dad, Mom and Grandpa Millett

We sang Christmas songs....

... and took turns playing piano.
(Jessica, Spencer, Alex, Josh, Erin, Grandma Williams)

Putting out cookies and milk for Santa...
(and carrots for Rudolph!)

Christmas Picture 2009

This is our Christmas picture this year, sent out in our Christmas cards. My cute little Santas!!

Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland

Our family spent one of our Saturdays in December driving up to Frankenmuth, Michigan to the largest Christmas store in the world - Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland. But first, we stopped for lunch at Rainforest Cafe at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills, Michigan -- It was on our way and we love a reason to stop there to eat. It's one of our family favorites.

So, after a fun, yummy lunch, we drove to Bronners... It was a gigantic store and seemed endless as we wandered around, with a map, no less. There were also wonderful Christmas displays outside. Even though it was bitterly cold that day, we wandered around the grounds looking at the beautiful decorations and exhibits. It turned out to be a really fun day that got our family in the Christmas spirit. We are glad we went!

My kids at Bronner's.

(Spencer didn't bring a coat - and it was cold!!)

Logan was the only one who wanted to be photographed that day.

(The one above this one was taken after a plead from Mom.)

Logan liked this little baby Jesus

Logan visiting with Santa.

Alex said he'd rather write a letter to him this year... that he was getting too old to sit on his lap. (..tear... sniff..)

Thanksgiving 2009

For Thanksgiving this year, our family went down to Columbus to Julie's sister's house, Kimberly Brown. Julie's other sister, Kristen Buhler and her family drove up from Florida to spend the holiday with us as well. It was fun to have all three families together for Thanksgiving. It was busy, and it was a full house, but had a fabulous time! The kids loved seeing their cousins and Julie loved spending time with her sisters. We ate a lot, shopped, played games, went to movies, and had a fun time.

Kristen, Julie and Kim in the kitchen cooking Thanksgiving dinner together.

Dinner is served!

The "big" kid's table

The "little" kid's table

Aaron and Kristen

Kim and Tyler

Julie and Joshua

Spencer, Kyle and Parker swimming at our hotel pool

Carter, Alex and Justin - the three "8-year-old" musketeers

Ethan, Allie and Logan in the hot tub

We played the game "How many people can we fit in a hot tub?"!

Halloween 2009

Here is Logan and Alex for Halloween this year --

My little convict and policeman

Fall Soccer

Alex and Logan were both in soccer leagues this last fall. They loved it and had a tremendous time! My camera has been acting up a lot, and I forgot it on their game days (#@!*), so thankfully my friend Summer, whose son, Russell, is a good friend of Logan's and was on his soccer team, brought her camera and shared these pictures of their final game. Thanks, Summer!!

Logan is in the blue cap. He loves soccer and was a pretty good player! He made a lot of goals!

Logan is kicking the ball down the field. Go Logan, go!!

At the end of the season, all of the players got a medal. This is Logan with his. That day we were also in charge of snacks (see Julie getting ready to hand them out behind Logan).

Logan, his teammates and coaches

Logan with his buddy Russell

Logan's 6th birthday - October 3, 2009

Grandma Williams stayed all week after Alex's birthday and his baptism so she could celebrate Logan's birthday with us too. His birthday was on a Saturday, so we played and had fun all day. In the morning he opened all his presents, then we went to see a movie, then on to the mall for lunch and to use his gift card to Build-a-Bear Workshop from Grandma Williams, and in the evening, we went back to our house to eat cake (well, in this case it was a big cookie).

He got an Imaginext Space Shuttle

Toy Story Mania video game for the Wii

An animatronic baby T-Rex

Logan with all his presents

The T-Rex is getting Jessica...

Logan and his big birthday cookie

The Saturday after Logan's birthday (October 10, 2009), he had a b-day party with a bunch of good friends at McDonalds. (Every even birthday year, our kids are allowed to have a 'friend' birthday party, usually on a different day then their actual birthday.) Mom was horrified to realize that she forgot her camera for the party (!@#*), so a few days later, she took a picture of Logan in the birthday chair at McDonalds (see above).

Alex's Baptism

Alex's baptism was a special one. We had a lot of family that came to join us.... Grandpa and Grandma Williams, Grandma Dyal, and the Brown family. It was a very special, spiritual day. Afterwards, we went to BD's Mongolian BBQ for dinner, and Culver's for dessert.

Alex and Dad

The Dyal Family

Joshua and Alex with Grandma Dyal

Alex with Grandpa and Grandma Williams

Cousin Carter Brown with Alex

Alex and the Brown family