On Christmas morning after snapping a couple photos with my phone, Andy suggested before Reese open up her “big Santa” gift, we get out the real camera…since it’s her first Christmas and all.

Oh…right…

He actually snapped most of the photos on Christmas.

While our festivities didn’t exactly go as originally planned, we had a nice Christmas. It started out at our house, where the minute Rylee woke up, she wanted to check to see how many cookies Santa ate, and whether he drank the milk or the Pepsi…because she said he’d like milk, while Andy insisted that Santa may be tired of milk by the time he stops at our house, so a Pepsi may be a better idea. {For the record, he drank both.}

After a pretty leisurely morning, we headed over to my Dad’s house for the traditional Christmas Morning Breakfast of venison, hashbrowns, omelets and english muffins, followed by gift opening. My dad’s house is where my siblings and I grew up, so it’s still very much “home” to all of us.

After that, we headed to Andy’s parents’ house where we spent the rest of our day. We opened gifts then ate a huge turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Randomly, Ry had asked them for a pirate ship. They delivered. It was a huge hit. I guess it’s a Jake & The Neverland Pirates thing…none of us have ever seen the cartoon, but whatevs.

On our way home, both girls promptly passed out.

Reese’s naps were shorties, at best. Finally Ry skipped her nap…so there was that. Reese went through 3 outfits that day due to some crazy spit up. Coinsidentally, I smelled like spoiled milk for the entire afternoon. I ate way too much.

All in all? Nice day.

Since then, Rylee has loved playing with all of her new toys and also been so nice as to “show Reese how her new baby toys work.” Though it hasn’t been officially confirmed, I’m convinced that Ry picked out a toy cell phone for Reese just so she could play with it herself.

All of these pictures are straight out of the camera because I was too lazy to do any editing.

Reese opening her “big present”. She was actually getting into it!

Nerf guns!!

Sweet Sisters.

Love this face Ry is making…

Lego time with Uncle!!!

Marking off her height at Grandad’s house!

Cuddle time with Auntie Kristen…

Opening gifts at Grandma & Papa’s house…

A PIRATE SHIP!!!!!

First Christmas as a family of four.

Just as fast as it came, it’s gone. Our day was nice. Rylee had a great day. That’s all that matters, right!?

As an adult, I’ve come to really realize, just how much Christmas is for the kiddos.

Today I’m at work and in a major holiday hangover haze.

While I did manage to remember to use our actual camera yesterday {fighting second child complex, one click at a time} I totally forgot to bring my camera to work with me to upload the photos onto my computer.

So for now, and until I’m out of my haze, you get the few I snagged on my phone.

Hope your Christmas was wonderful!!

Dear Friends & Family,

It’s kind of funny to think that what seems like not that long ago, I couldn’t wait for Christmas to get here and how looooong the days seemed to drag and now? Well, now every year I find myself wishing for just a day or two more to get everything ready. Either way, here we are, just a few days away from Christmas and less than two weeks from wrapping up another year.

2012 was a year of change, adventure and abundant blessings for our little family.

This time last year we were getting ready to announce our pregnancy to our families on Christmas. It’s hard to believe that was already one year ago. In February, we found out we were having another girl and I cried again.

In March I got the opportunity to fly down to Torrance, CA to learn more about the Toyota brand. Not long after that, our filter system took a dump resulting in Andy and a friend completely replumbing and replacing the filter system in our pump house. The good news is, if you come to our house we have excellent {expensive} water!

In April we started checking things off of our “baby bucket list” by taking a family trip to the beach. April also marked the “end of an era”, so to speak. The company I’d worked for for almost 2 years sold to a company based out of Wisconsin and I ended up being “absorbed” into one of my bosses other companies. After 6 years in the hunting industry, I made the jump to the snack food industry. There’s been quite the learning curve, but wow…what a ride!

In May, Rylee turned 4! Hard to believe still comes to mind. We also threw her her first “friend party“. Monster themed, of course. At just 10 weeks to go until the baby was due, I did a little belly-to-belly side-by-side comparison for fun.

In June, we knocked some more things off the baby bucket list…Rylee got to experience her first Em’s baseball game {complete with ice cream in a baseball cap bowl}, went to see her first movie in a movie theater and got to shoot a bow for the first time.

July {and our due date} was here before we knew it! Early in the  month we took Rylee up to our favorite camping spot to do some fishing and she also got to shoot her rifle for the first time. We welcomed Reese Kallen into our family on July 19 and our hearts have never been the same. She truly completes our family. Rylee loves being a big sister and the girls truly adore each other. {The story behind Reese’s name can be found here.}

We’ve been going non-stop ever since…

We spent nearly the entire month of August home together as a family of four. Andy & I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary by enjoying a day date of running some errands, grabbing some lunch at Hawaiian Time and watching a move. Maybe not very glamorous, but completely perfect.

Andy & I both headed back to work at the end of August/beginning of September. Andy is head teacher again this year but is also teaching PE, shop, math and Global Studies.

In October, Toyota sent me to North Carolina to experience NASCAR. In short, it was amazing. We had a blast trick-or-treating. Well…Rylee did. Reese was just kind of along for the ride.

After 3 long years of rejection {thanks to our “unique” property} we were finally able to refinance our property. With a huge weight off of our shoulders, about a month later we bought a new car! And yea, it’s a Toyota. Peace of mind on multiple fronts.

November, and now December, have completely flown by and now we’re wrapping up another year. Our life is crazy busy, but so full of love. Other than a couple of extra hours in the day, we wouldn’t change a thing. We have been blessed and we try to remember it daily.

It will be fun to see what 2013 has in store for us.

We hope your Christmas and the year to come are full of love, laughter and happy memories.

All our love,

Katherine, Andy, Rylee & Reese