Taylor Ann is Four!

Four years ago today we welcomed our feisty little Taylor into the world on a very snowy day late in December. Today we still have a feisty little girl full of surprises everyday.

It is always a bit of a challenge to celebrate Taylor's birthday so close to the holidays and this year she requested a pool party.

A pool party is what we had and it was a great success.

Anika, Kylie, and Taylor

Kylie and Taylor

Stella and Carter surveying the baby pool.

Taylor with her new birthday bike

Merry Christmas 2009

Christmas with the Miedemas'!

Lots of good food, presents, a little rock band,

and the stomach flu.

Above is Hailey & Mariah and below is Mallory & Taylor;

Christmas at Grandma & Grandpa Vis.

Taylor and Makenna found out they had matching sweaters and all of the

girls got dolls for Christmas.

Sledding in Leota with the cousins behind the 4 wheeler on the church parking lot!

Christmas at HOME!

I made each of the kids a tie blanket for Christmas.

Carter's blanket made the picture, but not Carter.

Hailey decided to make it a Christmas tradition to sleep on the floor.

Grandma Miedema came and got stranded in the big snow storm for 4 days and celebrated Christmas Eve with us.

Carter lovin his car jammies from Jessica

Auntie Jessica was stranded in Minneapolis for Christmas, s

o she joined us for Christmas Eve too! The kids always love the Christmas pj's from Jessica.

Meet Gwen! Hailey convinced us some how that she really

wanted an American Girl doll and here she is.

This year Hailey helped with our traditional Christmas dinner: ham, cheesy potatoes, and green bean casserole.

Ice Skating

We now have a skating rink next door! Really, it is true. Our next door neighbors built a small rink in their back yard. Hailey did some skating last year at school and also did some rollerblading this summer which helped her out; she did really well. This was Taylor's firt try with skaking and she impressed everyone. Check out the video.

Resting in goal

Hailey's first try at ice hockey

Christmas at School

Taylor had her preschool Christmas program tonight! Above she is pictured with her teachers and below with her good friend Isaac from next door.

Today I had the privilege to go to Hailey's school where her first grade class put on the Christmas Story play. Hailey and her friend Ella were the angels telling the good news. We then headed to their room to create our own gingerbread house masterpiece. It was so fun! Above Hailey is pictured with the finished product.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas......

The tree is up and we have come to a point in our family that we are not worried about anyone pulling the tree down. Carter has been very respectful of the tree; it does help that the kids have their own tree downstairs that they are allowed to decorate as they wish.

The big snow storm allowed for some sledding and some holiday baking at our home this past week.

Taylor had a little play date with Jaclyn last week. They soaked one another's hair and insisted on the "off the shoulder look" with the dress up clothes. Disturbing.

Happy 2nd Birthday Carter!

My baby boy is TWO! Happy Birthday Carter!
(He was pretty lucky to have gotten an Adrian Peterson jersey from Aunt Teresa and Julie)

Carter with his birthday balloon sporting his new sweater from Auntie Ginnie

Trying out his new tee ball set from Brad and Pam

Very excited about the classic Little People car ramp from Grandpa and Grandma.


THANK YOU FOR HELPING US CELEBRATE CARTER'S BIRTHDAY!

Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving at Grandma Miedemas'
Lights on the outside of our house for the first time.

Trying on Christmas dresses

Carter in his latest pooping hide out

Surgeons At Work

Fall Gymnastics

Taylor on the bars
Taylor on the beam

Taylor on the vault

Hailey on the vault

Hailey on the bars

Hailey on the beam

The girls have really enjoyed their fall gymnastics and have really improved in just 10 short weeks. We have decided to participate in the winter session.

A night out

We had a great night out this past weekend as we were blessed to attend Jeremy and Leanne's wedding in Sioux Falls. Mom and Dad took on the kids overnight. We had a wonderful bed-n-breakfast stay at the Zobels'.