Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MAY YOUR 2011 BE FILLED WITH

LIFE, LOVE AND LAUGHTER

We love having Daddy around....

"There is time for work and then there is time for play...."

Trust me....this is a quote I have lived with my whole life. My dad was notorious for saying it, and now my husband lives by it too...

And I must say, if you live by it.....great success will follow...look at my dad, look at my husband!

They both work VERY hard, and they both like to play too...

Anyways.....daddy is playing this week, and we are having so much fun!

Our week so far in pictures....

Orange Monkeys

Painting fun...

Jam session....

recreation unlimited

Christmas at the Zoo

Ethiopia talk

There has been a lot of chatter about Ethiopia and our baby lately....

Most of that chatter is coming from Garyn.

Over the past week these are a few of the ways Garyn has included Ethiopia and the baby in conversation...

- Garyn: PapPa, it's night time here, and it's morning in ethiopia

-Garyn: "Mom, why did God make it morning there and night time here? Why is it different.?"

-Garyn: While at Christmas mass, Garyn was playing with my necklace ( I wear a necklace saying "expecting from Ethiopia), talking to the baby. He said, "hello, baby."

-Garyn: Today he told Gigi to talk to the "baby/necklace" like he does....he showed her how he does it....but it has changed to "hello little guy." And this time, he kissed it.

-Garyn: playing cars with his daddy, he told Ryan they were taking a trip to Ethiopia.

- Garyn and Gianna: Tonight at Christmas at the Zoo, they both added ribbon's to the blessing tree. When the lady asked what their blessing was...Garyn replied, " Baby Ethiopia." Gigi said "Baby 'Opia."

It is amazing how fast they have embraced the idea of a new sibling. I believe Gigi has an idea....but Garyn has a true understanding. Tonight before he went to sleep, he told me that he couldn't wait to meet the baby so he could really talk to him.

It feels my heart with joy....I am so excited for 2011~

Smile...I just want to be with you...

Today's lyrics:

Smile

By: Chris Rice

My thoughts put to music....

Date Night

although they do not happen often enough....

date nights are the best!

ryan and i try very hard to go out 1 or 2 times a month, but if we can't make it happen....

we improvise!

in fact, this may be our favorite "date."

we get the 'bitch' (aka taco bell)

(it's a bitch because it is so good going down, but will make you feel like crap for the rest of the evening and usually the next morning...)

but regardless, it is still one of our favorite dates.

we get our usual, lay a blanket on our TV room floor, and watch a movie while we eat...

last night the movie pick was The (new) Karate Kid.

good movie, good food, GREAT company....

i love you ryan....

being with you makes my journey through life fun and exciting....

thank you for loving me the way you do...

Christmas with the Kennedy's

Kennedy Christmas...

December 26, 2010

The Kennedy family is constantly growing...in fact, it is getting too big to have any one's house. So for the past two Christmas', Grandma and Grandpa have had dinner catered and we all gather at Uncle Matt and Aunt Lisa's church.

It is a perfect place, the guys play basketball, the kids play in the kid zone with toys and a big swirly slide and everyone watched the Colt's game.

The kids had a blast....

Garyn and Ryker played so well together. Garyn definitely enjoyed the 'big' brother role. In fact, at one point I heard him tell Ryker, " you can just call me Uncle Garyn."

Gigi had a blast getting everyone to take her down the slide and she loved playing in the toy kitchen.

Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Karen spoiled them with lots of toys....

It was a great evening!

Day 3- Christmas Morning

CHRISTMAS MORNING.....

Yes, we had to wake the kids up....Ryan and I were awake at 7:30, patiently waiting....until we could wait no longer.....at 8:00, we woke them up!

We all gathered upstairs, yelling for GaGa and PapPap and Uncle PJ. We all met downstairs.....the kids were SUPER calm, taking everything in.

Gigi went straight to her baby changing station, then moved on to her doll house.

Garyn immediately went to Cruncher, his number one item on his list, then looked around and found a Marble maze and the XBox Kinect.

The wrapped gifts and stockings were fun to open too!

Of course, the 2nd Santa came too, GaGa and PapPap filled the entire hearth room with toys, bean bags, and clothes....

The adults also snuck time in the midst of toys, toys, and more toys to open their stockings.....Everyone received great, useful, and thoughtful gifts!

Then......more cooking in the kitchen!!!

Christmas breakfast menu:

Sausage and Biscuits

Beignets

first time making them...and I got a thumbs up from everyone....

Eggs benedict with ciabatta bread

YUM YUM YUM!!!!!!

Then we played....

and rested....

and played some more...

Christmas night, Ryan's family stopped over to look at Santa's presents and visit!

and....of course we ate again.....

Menu:

Honeybaked ham

Cherry Jello

Taco dip

brie fondue

blueberry stilton cheese and crackers

Buffalo Chicken dip

and for something sweet Ryan's mom brought homemade cinnamon rolls...

Needless to say, our bellies were FULL!!!!!

What a wonderful Christmas...sad to see it end, but anxious for the New Year to begin...

Day 2- Christmas Eve....

Probably my favorite day of the Christmas holiday...

For the past 3 years it has started with all of us going to the Fresh Market to pick up our beef tenderloin, fresh veggies, and dessert.

YUM....just walking around, the ALWAYS crowded store, is so much fun.

After we come home, the aroma of Christmas begins....

(my kitchen is definitely put to good use over the holiday)

As we were cooking, the kids opened a few more gifts, some from Nancy and Tom, and a few from my Aunt Roberta and Uncle Danny, and some from Aunt Jess, Uncle Andy, and Hudson.

The pillow pets, Toy Story Garage, and Princess Vanity were a HUGE hit....and the kids loved their Italian horns from my aunt and uncle. They placed them next to their crosses (so they could be just like PapPap, of course.) And, the Tag book, and food for Gigi's kitchen was a huge success! (Thank you everyone for making their Eve so exciting and full of gifts!)

Then they were off to the snow with 'Unc.' They made a Veggie snowman, with oranges for eyes, carrot for the nose, strawberries for the buttons....he looked delicious! The kids LOVED playing with 'Unc' outside....

At 4:oopm, dinner was served on our china and in the dining room...(it was exciting for me, because it was the first time in 5 years, we used our china and the first time in 4 years we used the dining room... it was beautiful!)

We sunk our teeth into a delicious menu:

Beef Tenderlion with a mushroom/wine gravy

Corn casserole

Fresh green beans

Mashed Potatoes

Salad with apples and Blue cheese

With full bellies, we got all dolled up and went to the 6:30 Christmas mass. The kids were very good...considering their anticipation for Santa's arrival.

When we came home, we put our Christmas jammies on, placed the cookies, milk and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer, and went to sleep ;)

Another wonderful Christmas Eve....so much to be thankful for.....