Happy New Year

The Best of 2011

Oh what a year it was

My heart is filled to the tipy top today

looking back at all of this past year in photos!

Christmas Blessings!

Christmas morning started a little earlier than usual this year.

Sam is usually so good about sleeping in. 

He has never been the kid that gets up at 5:00

yelling for everyone else to get up too

He usually sleeps til about 8:00 or so and stays in his room

until we have our coffee brewing and camera ready 

This year he woke up at 6:00, when I let the dogs out

but he stayed in bed, trying to go back to sleep until 9:00

~ he said it was the longest night ever ~
at 7:00 he was still awake and I said 
"let's get up!"

poor little thing always thinking of everyone else

even on Christmas Morning!

We relaxed and played with all of our new goodies

until we headed over to grandpa and grandma's, in the afternoon

 for more family festivities.

We enjoyed eating, visiting, playing with cousins

and eating again

until it was time to open more presents!

a beautiful mess

After we were finished here
we still had one more celebration
to get to


Matt and Toni were having chili
for all of us to visit with 
Grandpa Bob and JoAnn

I love the busy Christmas day
spent with so much family!

christmas cookies

Thank You Sissy

for letting

Sam make Christmas cookies

at your house

seriously

Thank You

so much

Memorial Weekend

... And I'm proud to be and American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me ...
                                        -Lee Greenwood


Sometimes it is easy for us to live our day to day lives
without thinking of the all the fighting that's going on
overseas

Today is a good day to remember
remember the heros
who are still serving around the world and
the heros who did not make it home

I really am so thankful for their services
...
 Our family was lucky enough to see a lot of our out of town family
this weekend

Most of our Omaha crew
came to Kansas City and
Shannon & Scott had us all over for a bar b que

so much fun for the kiddos

 Chris, Laurie, Katie & Christy
stopped in for a break in their travels to Florida
we all met at Rancho Grande
for one of their favorite meals

My cousin Chris, a Ranger in the Army,
{and one of my heros}
 has been deployed overseas
eight times
Thank God, he has fought hard and been blessed
to come home to his family
every single time
Thank God

The kids, so innocent, asking question after question
everyone so intense, listening to anything
he will tell us about his experience

so greatful he is here, so greatful he is safe
so greatful for family
...

Another piece of weekend excitement

Melissa and Shawn's baby girl arrived
Leah Diane Weaver
6 lbs 10 oz

How sweet is she!

Easter

One of my very favorite holidays ...

this year held even a little bit closer

to my heart

I wasn't sure how big our celebration would be

since Grandpa is not feeling so great

{he just finished another round of chemo}

We went to Grandma & Grandpa's

and to my surprise

he looked and felt great!

We all ate a big lunch and then

 we headed outside for the Easter Egg Hunt!

What a gorgeous day!

We all opened a few gifts and read cards

 had a few emotional moments

and relaxed and just enjoyed hanging out

with family

Happy Easter to All

Snake Saturday

It was a great day for a parade

.

a great day to spend with

good friends

.

After a few hours of Snake Saturday fun ...

it was time to take the kids home

and let the adults out for some night time fun


so we headed down to the Power & Light district
and had an amazing dinner and
amazing drinks at Gordon Biersch

our fabulous dessert ... beautiful

After Power & Light
we headed to Denim & Diamonds for
a little dancing

it was a late night out
and
so much fun!