My Afternoon with Anna

Thursday Anna and I got the chance to spend the afternoon together doing errands, and it was great.  Normally she naps while Charlie is at school in afternoon or we are at home getting stuff done.  That day Anna had taken an early nap, so I thought it would be a good chance to go do a few things after dropping off Charlie.  Now that she is 18 months, she is getting to be a lot of fun to spend time with.  

Charlie getting ready for school

Big girl in the booth

We left Charlie at school and headed to Chick fil A for lunch.  Normally I have her sit in the high chair to make things easier, but this time I let her sit in the booth with me.  She was so pleased!  She chowed down on her chicken nuggets, fries, and water then started clamoring to go in the play area.  There were a few older kids playing, so luckily she didn't want to stay long.

Playing peek a boo!

Then we were off to Destination Maternity because I needed a few things.  They have a kids play area blocked off in the middle of the store, which is great.  I was the only person shopping, so I dropped Anna in there while I looked around.  It is really nice that you can see the area from anywhere in the store.  Anna had a great time playing until she realized she was tall enough to get over the side and escape.  (I should have been prepared since she also realized that morning that she can get a leg over the side of the pack n play and almost flip out.)  

Playing at Destination Maternity

Look Mom, I can get out all by myself!

That put an end to our shopping trip, and we headed home.  Anna loved helping with the mail and then enjoyed a snack while I did dishes.  It was a fun day with my best girl!

Helping with the mail

Snack and cartoons

As great as our day was, Anna was happiest when we picked up Charlie.  We love watching them being best friends!

More Christmas and New Years

Our little Santa baby!

We flew back from Florida the day after Christmas.  The next day (Tues) Zach also had off from work, so we spent that morning picking up the new minivan and the afternoon unpacking from our trip.  Wed Zach was back to work, and that evening we celebrated Christmas with his parents, his sister Kelsey and her new husband Adam, and DeDe his old nanny.  Unfortunately his sister Erin and her family could not join us due to a new baby and a husband that was deploying with the Navy.

One last present from Mommy and Daddy.  The kids are obsessed with Yo Gabba Gabba since the concert

Zach's mom made a nice dinner of ham, turkey, and brisket.  Dinner was yummy, and then we quickly moved on to presents before the kids got too tired.  Charlie and Anna got lots of great stuff to play with, and Zach was really happy to get the Kinect for his XBox.  It was a nice evening with the Collins' family.

Anna opening the most fought after toy between the two, a minivan.  Aunt Kelsey and Uncle Adam did good!

Charlie with Aunt Kelsey

We had Thurs night to relax a little and start packing for our next trip!  We decided to spend New Years at the lake.  Todd, Zach's best friend from college, lives next door and was down there with his wife Ali, his son Ryan, and friend Kelli with her son Henry.  Also, our friends the Riggins stay across the lake (30 sec by boat or 20 min by car) and came down too.

Charlie down by the water

We drove the almost 3 hours down to the lake Friday when Zach got off work Friday night.  The kids played for a bit then went down for a late bed time.  Saturday morning we got a few things done, and then spent the afternoon with all our friends.  There were 6 kids aged 5 and under, and it was so much fun to see them playing.  We lucked out with beautiful weather, so the kids got to spend a lot of time running around outside. 

All the guys in the Jeep!  We are on a private road where no one lives

Ali helping all the kids run down the road

We brought them in for dinner, and then Kelli had the fun idea of letting them celebrate New Years early.  They loved putting on the hats and yelling "Happy New Year" even though they didn't totally get what was going on.  The adults had a great steak dinner (courtesy of Todd and Ali) a little later while the kids all quietly (a miracle!) watched a movie.

Kid dinner

An early celebration!

Movies during adult dinner

Afterward, we had a bonfire out back while the kids drifted off watching cartoons.  By 11:30 everyone was at their own places watching the countdown.  We are getting old!  Sun morning we spent a little more time outside with the Abplanalps and then headed back to KC.  It was a great New Years, and we plan to spend it that way in the future.  

Happy New Years!  Took this screen capture and promptly fell asleep

Tickling the kids.  Zach needs a few more arms I think

We try to get a picture of the kids on the couch each year to see them growing

Florida Trip in Pictures

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our trip that did not make it in previous posts.  We love getting photos of the kids and always end up with way too many!

Always need your "eyes" in sunny Florida

Grandpa reading Charlie his new book from Great Grandma and Grandpa Schutt

Grocery shopping for Christmas dinner

Anna wanted to be in the pool at all times

Chipmunk movie!  Charlie loved it except for the volcano scene at the end.  Then the poor guy cried to go home

Someone discovered her tongue!  She sticks it out on command now

Charlie was so pleased that he got to help pick out and decorate my parents real tree

On the "train" at the Florida airport heading towards the plane

Flying Charlie!!  Why can't KC airport put in a play area??

Watching our plane land and getting ready to leave

We were sad to leave my parents, but at least KC has been relatively warm this year.  Plus, we return to Florida again in January for 9 days! 

Christmas with Family

Christmas Eve my brother Jeff and his fiancee Beth flew down to Florida to join the family.  It works out really well since Beth's parents live just 30 minutes from my parents.  We spent Christmas Eve just hanging out with them and enjoying time with my parents.  Charlie really loved the end of the night when he got to put out milk and cookies for Santa too.

Charlie did not quite understand how exciting Christmas Day was going to be.  We had to wake him up finally

Santa came!  He drank the milk and ate the cookies

Christmas came and Anna of course was the first one up.  Luckily the tree was in a living room that she couldn't see, so we blocked her off from that area.  Anna is a total present fiend and will rip open anything she can get her hands on!  Charlie slept in on the other hand.  About 8:00 I finally got him up so we could start the celebrating.  

Awesome shark towel from Uncle Jeff

Turtle towel from Uncle Jeff

Castle building blocks from Aunt K

The kids loved all their gifts from us, my parents, my siblings, Santa, and of course Thomas elf.  Each thing they unwrapped they wanted to open and play with.  It took forever just to get through stockings!  Finally we had to move them along a little with the gifts under the tree and explain that they could try them all out later.  

A new baby doll from Grandma and Grandpa

Superhero stuff!  Somebody is moving on from his Thomas the train obsession

Christmas with the kids is so much fun!  It really puts the magic back in the day.  They are so happy and excited about everything.  They had a great time trying out their toys and spent the afternoon with Grandma while my dad, Zach, Jeff, and I did our traditional Christmas Day movie that my family has been doing for over 20 years.

A new bike for Charlie from Mommy and Daddy

Saying thanks to Santa at Christmas morning breakfast

Trying to wait patiently for more gifts to open

Later that evening my mom's parents, her sister, Beth, and Beth's parents all came over for dinner.  We did more gifts and ate and hung out for the rest of the evening.  It really was a fun Christmas!

New superhero toys for Charlie

Grandma and Grandpa Schutt trying to play Candy Land according to Charlie's rules

They got a 3D book from Aunt Debra.  They thought the glasses were great!

Grandpa Schutt watching tv with Charlie

Grandma Schutt and Aunt Debra

Grandma Schutt and Anna playing dollhouse

Totally exhausted after such a busy day!

Wii Time

We decided for Christmas to get my parents a Wii.  It served a dual purpose: they really wanted one to have for everyone to play, and it gave us something to do at night that was free.  Normally in the evenings we try to find something to do, and that invariably costs money.  We either go out to dinner or go see a movie or play mini golf.  Those are all fun, but it can get expensive over a nine day vacation.  (No, I don't ask my parents if they would prefer if our visits were shorter!)

My dad and Zach showing Charlie what to do

Charlie got the Wii figured out almost immediately

So this year we decided to go for a Wii.  It was great!  We gave it to them early since we were leaving the day after Christmas and wanted a chance to try it out.  We ended up using it every night.  Charlie had no trouble playing some of the games and really liked trying to figure out the harder ones.  Anna spent much of the time carrying around a controller and thinking she was playing.  Only problem was trying to figure out where she hid them!

Anna concentrating so hard.  She thinks she is bowling

Charlie making fun of Zach playing

My mom was enjoying it too

We had the best time watching the kids with the Wii.  Charlie kept yelling things like "Oh I missed!" "Good job Grandma!" or "You did it Grandpa!"  He felt like such a big kid playing with us.  We laughed so hard listening to him cheering everyone on.

Zach made us all Avatars.  This is me, my mom, and Charlie

Anna just loved "playing" with us

Charlie making fun of Uncle Jeff