Stepping into the New Year

Happy New Year everyone!  It's 2012, and our family is excited to see what is in store for us over the next 12 months.  They'll be a couple vacations, LOTS of visits to Grandma Debbie's, time spent in tractors and the combine, warm summer days in the pool, get togethers with friends, and hopefully many, many wonderful memories. 

So, our family is stepping into the new year with smiles on our faces and happy hearts (even if it means stepping into snow).  We hope you'll all do the same!  Enjoy the new year :)

Christmas at Granny and Papaw's

I was in a posting mood this evening!  Unfortunately, my mind works one way and blogger works the other.  I was posting in order (starting with Christmas Eve), but blogger posts them the opposite way.  So, we'll start with Christmas and work our way backwards :)

After Christmas at our house, we headed to Granny and Papaw's (Andy's parents) for our Christmas with them.  The kids had a great time (as did the adults)!

 Why is it my son cannot keep his clothes on?  :)  

 I'd say Ellie likes her boots!

Granny Sue looks happy!

Keep reading...there are more Christmas posts below!

Christmas Morning

Unfortunately, we didn't get too many shots of Christmas morning at our house.  Santa was very good to Ben, and Ben was very good to us (he didn't wake up until 9:30)!!!

 His Christmas ornament (Lightening McQueen, of course)!

 Just one of the many, many cars/trucks/tractors he got!

Our neighbors stopped over in the morning and dropped off a present for Ben.  It was green and it had wheels...of course, Ben LOVED it!!!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with my parents and had a GREAT time!  For the first time in three years, all of the kids were healthy.  This made for a nice evening (no one was opening presents from a quarantined bedroom).  As you can see, it looked like all the kiddos had a wonderful time!

The whole family 

My AWESOME parents!

Great picture!

 Now, THAT is excitement!

 Finally, a blue tractor :)

 Matching boots :

What an ensemble :)

Cookies at Grandma's

Let the Christmas posts begin!  This will be the first of several, as we've had many, many Christmas celebrations (and another one to come in January).  We started the Christmas weekend with all of the grandkids decorating cookies at Grandma Debbie's.  Yum, yum!!!

 Just a few sprinkles :)

 Of course, there had to be some taste testing!

 Hard at work!

 Grandma has a cute little helper!

 So serious :)

Making more icing

The finished products!

In the way of progress...

The Hoosier Heartland is finally being built, and progress can actually be seen on our drive up north (we even get to drive on it for about 2 miles of the trip).  Unfortunately, with that progress comes some loss.  Many homes along the route have been abandoned and are boarded up and ready to be torn down.  If any of you are following the local press, you'll notice that a 200 year old burr oak tree was on the chopping block as well, but thanks to the resilience of the farmer who owns the land, it has been spared.  You can read about that here.

Right in the path of the new highway is a house that everyone going north or south on 25 passes, and many may notice it's beautiful old barn (you can close your eyes and imagine what it must have looked like when it was new).  

This house holds a special place in my heart, because I remember driving by with my grandpa several years ago.  He told me, as we passed by, that his grandparents had lived in that home.  They didn't own it, but had lived there during the depression and had been share croppers.  After talking with my uncle, I learned my grandpa was actually born in this house.

Now, over the course of the years, I've forgotten many of the details, but I always remember that day with Grandpa each time I pass by.  Yesterday, on my way home to my parents, I stopped to take a few photos.  From the looks of things, I imagine the house is a few weeks away from demolition.  I'm glad I had my camera in hand.  

Christmas Vacation at it's Best!

A blanket, a pillow, and Thomas's Christmas Adventure on TV...perfect!