And we're off!

This week Chris started his final semester at ISU,and we couldn't be more relieved about it!! He has worked long and hard, and spent many hours reading and studying when he would have rather been doing something with the rest of the family. We will all be so glad to have that time with him back again. I also realize what an accomplishment it will be to have spent the past few years going to school and working, both full-time. I know that his efforts will benefit and bless our whole family in many ways. So here's to 4 more months of sacrifices, and the unknown and exciting adventures that are to come for our family in the years following his graduation!

To Elizabeth, with love from Zipper!

Elizabeth: Thanks for thinking of me! I've been keeping busy, you know, gnawing and chewing on walls, chairs and stuff. Christmas was awesome - I got some wrapping paper and boxes to play with! I could do without the snow, though. It makes my life a little tricky, when it comes to,... well, you know. Anyway, come visit me! Love, Zipper.

Messy faces and snowy places...

Sophia proudly enjoying her first solo batch of chocolate chip cookies. I love this girl!Our winter friends are back again. These are just a few of the dozen or so that have been visiting our back yard daily since around Christmas. The more snow we get, the more deer that come. Nicolas and Sammy LOVE to sit and watch them.

Toast with jam, Pancho Villa style...

Sophia, in all her glory.

Sophia received a microphone for Christmas (thanks Grandpa D. and Grandma S.)! Here's a little clip of her practicing for the big time - I'm pretty sure I see a star in the making! ;)

Christmas eve and Christmas morning.

Of course, as I'm sure is the case with many of you, we have tons of photos from the past week, and I'm just now getting around to editing them all. After returning from our visit with family, we've all been sick, so I've just been muddling through the past couple of days. We let the kids open a present each (their new jammies), on Christmas eve. On Christmas morning, we woke up to about a foot and a half of new snow, and it continued to snow the entire day. It has actually been pretty much snowing on and off ever since. Chris returned to work on Friday and has stayed pretty busy.

Family time.

Our Christmas festivities began this year with a trip to the other side of the state where most of our family lives. We gathered at Dean and Suzanne's home for the annual Nativity presentation acted out by all the little cousins. Here's a slide show of the pictures I took. There aren't many, but a few to remember our trip, which was short. It was good to see everyone, though, and hopefully in 2009, we'll get to see more of them!