36 hour NYC trip (part 2)

Friday night we headed to a nice dinner

(again i don't remember the name of the place - but Mario Botelli owned it)

it was fun getting all dressed up

and enjoying a nice, long relaxing, delicious dinner

we had wonderful conversation

zach led us with 3 questions:

1. what was your favorite date (or most memorable)

2. what is the most important aspect of friendship to you

3. what is a funny story that we might not know about you

it was a really special time

it was then almost midnight -

but we had to make it to serendipity for frozen hot chocolate

so we took the subway to get there

however we sill had to walk quite a way -

you had to get on the list by midnight -

so we cut it really close

but we made it!

and of course, still had to wait -

even though it was midnight

but it was worth the wait!

the next day we headed to the MET

but then when we realized it was more than we wanted to spend for the amount of time we had,

we decided to just visit the gift shop

and then walk in central park

it was such a beautiful day

so many runners out

wish i had my running shoes - because i would have loved to go for a run there

it was wonderful!

we then headed to little italy for some lunch

and then headed back!

it was so very fun

and we were so thankful that our dear friends invited us

to journey with them and celebrate with them!

what a gift!

thank you joey and dana!

we loved it and love you!

look forward to the next 30 (++) years!

36 Hour NYC trip (part one)

on friday we had the fun opportunity to go with our friends

to NYC for a quick trip to celebrate joey's 30th!

it was SO FUN!!!!!

there were just 3 couples

and between the 6 of us we have 8 kids - and one on the way :)

so to take a trip as just adults, was such a treat

and great to have adult conversation and fun for 36 hours straight!

we got into to nyc around 2 on friday and headed straight to a deli (can't remember the name)

for lunch

(after a short detour where i got sick on the side of the road - yes i threw up right there on the street in nyc for everyone and their dog to see - but i felt much better afterwards!)

waiting for our table at lunch

these were the best onion rings i have EVER had

oh.my.goodness

(i didn't even order them - but i made sure i got my fair dose of them)

after lunch we headed to the hotel to put our bags up

and then headed out to walk the streets of NYC

the guys in FAO schwartz

i love that store

i got c her first baby doll here

i thought that would be a fun gift for christmas and hold a special memory to it

jordan got his fair share of candy here as well!

(in fact he has the extras stashed in a secret place in our closet - still!)

we then went to see the christmas tree

we missed the lighting by 2 days!

it was so beautiful!

this was a really neat display they put on the side of a building

Family Fun Night: November

for our november family fun night,

we decided to stay in.

we had been gone a lot this past month -

and so it was nice to have something at home.

jordan came up with this activity and it was great.

but first i wanted to show you our thankfulness tree that

we filled out throughout the month

each morning - i would have the kids tell me what they were thankful for,

and i would write it down on a leaf

we then found some sticks to make our "tree"

and would hang the leaves on the tree

it was a great project and activity and

a great way to start our days in thankfulness

so onto our fun night

we decided to try to teach the kids what thanksgiving was about

from a historical viewpoint

so we acted out the mayflower coming to america

duncan in his "ship" looking at the seas

the bad storms that caused the ship to go back and forth

the boys on the bigger ship looking out to find "land"

once we got to "america' we had to hike around and find a place to build our house

we found the perfect spot in jaydens room :)

that is all the pictures that i have,

and sorry that they aren't that good -

but it was really fun and a great way to teach them how the pilgrims got to america

and how the indians and the pilgrims worked together!

hope this made sense!

Thanksgiving 2011

we had a wonderful, relaxing thanksgiving!

we were at the ogdens for the whole time and we enjoyed

being with them, relaxing and having fun!

i didn't take that many pictures - sadly

but i will show you what i have :)

trying to get a family picture is just plain difficult. but the above is the best we got :)

campbell & i

geoffrey & leeann

(it was so fun having leeann with us! we love it!)

don't you love this headband?

so cute - i wish i had one in every color

alice & greg

our gracious hosts who put up with the ogden gang

greg, alice, & uncle charlie

the beautiful table

we have so much to be thankful for and i am so glad that there is a season that really helps us stop and think about what it is to be thankful for!

happy tuesday!

hopefully i will be getting back into the blogging world!

Campbell: 1 year Portraits

my sweet little girl!

she is a loud, fiesty, precious little bundle of joy

she is able to hold her own with her brothers -

don't you worry :)

love how she is pulling at her bubble and it shows her precious little thighs

and this one you can see her little teeth

a spontaneous game of peek-a-boo!

this is such a beautiful capture of who she is!

we call her beautiful woman of God

we love you miss!

so thankful for all the joy and spunk that you add to our lives!

thanks for being who you are!

Duncan: 2 year old portraits & All Kids

doesn't my sweet 2 year old look like a SMU student?

i mean - goodness :)

love these pics of duncan

and how they really bring out his beautiful blue eyes

i love his feet in this one

so sweet and innocent

my sweet duncan -

we love you and are so proud of the mighty man of God that you are too!

we love that you will be a world changer just like your brother & sister!

we ended up getting just these two of all of them

campbell looks like such a chunk in this one i think :)

i just happen to have all of their clothes and i love how perfectly they matched together

love these three!

excited to add another one to the bunch :)

Jayden: 4 year old portraits

we just got the kids 4,2,&1 year old portraits in the mail!

i wanted to show them to you.

i love how they turned out!

this was the big piece we got:

i debated getting it as the big piece b/c his head is down,

but i love it!

i love his legs crossed, his sweet face looking down, the freckles on his nose :)

i am so glad i decided on it!

sweet boy

i can't believe how much they change in a year

you don't realize it until you look at the pictures and realize

wow!

there is a big difference!

we love you jayden and are so proud of you.

you are a man of God and we love watching you and helping you

develop into the man of God he created you to be!

other kids pics coming next :)