The Birketts: January 2010

Happy New Year!
2010 is gonna be a sweet one!

Chocolate fondue is our yummy tradition...
the cheese and apples are still my FAVORITE part!

Steph recommended the fried rice addition last year... and it stuck! YUM-O

Kevin, Chris, Renae, and myself... cut out early after dinner to surprise Jen for her 30th birthday! Her family was all down for the holidays... and Joel planned a fancy surprise for his OLD wife. (BTW... she hates surprises... but liked it)
We got all gussied up in black dresses and left the babies with the fondue crowd. Too bad I forgot the camera. It was nice to get out...

When we got back... the babies were sleeping... and the crew was drooling for desert!

The fruit was really the biggest hit... but mine were the sweets on sweets! A bit rich... but... you can never go wrong with 3 musketeers, brownies, marshmallows dipped in nuts (although I personally hate nuts), homemade pound cake, and YORK peppermint patties! It was crazy... but worth it!

10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!
... and then we all went night night!!!!!!!

Christmas with Nana and B-Pa

(B-Pa playing with "happy" Jacob)

(Special gifts)
... Nana and B-Pa getting a digital scrapbook of Jacob and Big sis Megan!

Megan loved having round 2 on the Christmas presents. We had such a big house full of people all week... so after the New Year... we went over and had a quiet afternoon alone with Nana and B-Pa. We got really great gifts...
Especially...

M - I - C - K - E - Y M - O - U - S - E !!!!!

We got a 3 day trip to Disney! Kevin and I are taking Megan alone for her first trip to the "Princess HOUSE!"

Thanks Nana and B-Pa for a wonderful Christmas!

Look who's going to COLLEGE!

Several weeks ago... we started off the Christmas season with our friends! We got together with Joel, Jen, Evan... Chris, Renae, and Eric. We kicked off the evening with our gift exchange... followed by Leonardos pizza... and games at the Nicolich's!

BTW... the game of things is hilarious!
Did you know... Joel's "AS-tro-naut hurts"

Baby boy's first Christmas!

"Old and Older"
... with REALLY old in the middle!
We ended the night with a Birthday cake for Chris and Joel S.
Joel turned 29 and Chris hit the big 30!

Surprise...
I got a bounce house for my 32nd Birthday!FUN FUN FUN!

I loved having my whole family together for the day! The cousins had a great time together... and thanks to all our friends for coming too.
(Steph likes to do things up BIG... Bounce house, popcorn machine, Bar-B-Q, and cupcakes too)

The slide was awesome!
Livy and the girls were flying down head first!

The little ones has no fear with it either!
Samuel and Megan took their fair share of turns too!

Shell says you have to go down on your side. It really is the best... especially if you roll down on your side. By the end of the night... the boys were catapulting us over the top head first... it got pretty silly and rough! (no bad injuries)

Zoe... demonstrating the roll!

Gregg... Doug... and Koda!

Us... not taking turns!

Together... at 32... (until Kev's b-day 33 in 1.5 weeks)

(Brothers and sisters)

The Freas Family... together for the holidays!

Jacob at Mommy's birthday party... 5 months!

"Gammie's SPA surprise"

Mom decided to send the big kids to the spa on Christmas Eve... what a treat! She thought it would be a nice way to sit back and relax together. I knew the plan ahead of time... so I turned the surprise around on her and arranged for the Birkett's to babysit the grandkids so she could come too.
She was going to babysit... and instead got to join us for a relaxing facial. It was such a treat.
Thank You Mommy... and a VERY special thank-you to Nana and B-pa for watching 7 kids for us. (you guys are lifesavers)

(Enjoying the party suite in our robes and flip flops)

"Gammie"
Mrs. Clause was done in... too tired to relax... so much yet to do!

This was Gregg's first spa experience! (In for a treat)...
"now exactly what is the correct procedure here?"

Thanks Gammie!

(post treatment... Ahh!)

"A visit to see POP!"

We headed over for a special trip to remember Daddy on this Christmas Eve. This is our 5th Christmas without POP... so hard to believe.
We miss you so much!!!!!

Pop's 7 grandkids... all here to sing him a Christmas Carrol!

Following Christmas Eve candlelight service at church... Nana and B-pa sent us home with a special gift for Megan and Jake to open. It was the Night Before Christmas story... narrated by Nana and B-pa themselves. They loved it!

Merry Christmas 2009
Jake's first Christmas morning!

Opening his very own stocking...

Made with love by Mommy!

"hmmm... what else is inside here?"

Big kids opening our Christmas sacks...

Surprise... Gammie made Stephanie a new homemade stocking too!

I made Doug's girls homemade scarves too!

Ready to pile into the presents... little Jake was fast asleep... so we started without him.

"Cousins!"

Something special for Daddy...

"Daddy's little wingman!"

Megan's BIG SURPRISE...

Power wheels... for our big girl!

She drove her cousins all around the yard... for days. What a big girl!

"Jakie" with Uncle Doug!

Gammie scored with Megan's Doll house... she loved it!
(She has already spent hours playing with it)

Yummy... the food is almost ready!

Every time B-pa cut some turkey... the slice was eaten. It took forever to get a plate full with all of us taste testers.

...testing out Steph's gravy!