Emma is 4!



I cannot believe my baby is 4. It has flown by and she is so dang fun.





She is quite the poser, (clearly inherited from Dave) and loves anything girly and princess-y.




Loves, loves, loves her brothers.



We had a fun little party with the Broadbent cousins, Stapletons, and Uncle Will and ShannaHannah. Em is quite the little girl. She is witty already and knows how to make us all laugh, she is stubborn in a lot of things but so quick to love. She loves all things Princess, but can bat like her brothers and wrestle them til they bawl. She is quite the combination, and we are so glad to have her.

Sledding in Sub Zero

Although it means sub zero temperatures, that's usually the only time the roads are frozen over, and we can drag the Hoodlums behind the 4-Wheeler.



Only 2 sleds meant  that Em had to ride with a brother every time. She liked that for all of two passes down the road. Then she was shoving them off.



Milo wussed  out after the first few minutes and spent the afternoon zipped in my coat, which I didn't mind a bit.



Once Em opted out for a turn by herself, the Boyz spent the whole time trying to knock each other off.





Em soaked it all in and then tried to top the Boyz in her crashes, not even shedding a tear, and begging to go faster.





Look Ma, no hands.



Christmas Catch Up

Dylan has been killing us this month. The Santa watching thing does not work for him anymore. The first time I used this on him, he calmly replied, "I don't care. I will get a present from Nana and Grannpa Ranny, and from Uncle R and Hope, and Grandma Carol, and Jeffy, and Hannah. I am cool with 5 presents."

The second time, Dave asked him to put away his Bakugan and Dyl was taking his own sweet time. Dave told him again and got a smart answer, which prompted him to take away one of the presents under the tree. Dylan's response, "I don't care." Which prompted the removal of a second present, and Dylan's response, " I don't care Dad, Christmas isn't even about presents."

He made us laugh though, when he was super pumped about being a lamb in the nativity. He practiced his "Baaa" nonstop and took his role very seriously. I told him that he needed to sing loud and not Baa, but he said, "Sheep don't sing, they Baa." The play was great and he looked ridiculous/adorable in his sheep costume. But at the very end of Away In A Manger, just as it got quiet, my little sheep let out a loud Baa, which set off the other sheep and they quickly ended the program.

The Hoodlums all sat on Santa's lap. Dawson wants a DS, (not gonna happen. I am not quite ready for him to unplug from the family.)  Dylan, wants an orange and black cat, (not gonna happen unless we get a new Daddy too.) And Ems wants a Dora Changing Window, or whatever current commercial happens to be playing.

Christmas was lovely. They got a dog instead of DSs'.................That's a whole 'nother post.

We spent a lot of Christmas Break outside playing in the snow and spending time together. It was the best Christmas yet.

12 Years of Wedded Bliss

We have been married 12 years. There are way to many things about this guy, and this marriage to put into a caption. But I am pretty sure we both get it.



We spent our anniversary in our usual tradition. Christmas shopping, a trip to where it all began, a few days in a seedy motel, and more Christmas shopping.




And of course, a kissing picture to add to our collection. Over the 14 years we have been together, we have collected more of these than I can count. Someday I will  put them all together.




Sometimes it takes a couple of tries before the self portrait comes out just right. We were in a hurry though, not to seem like Pervs on the temple grounds.





Ka-ching! I am so glad he is mine.