Our Vis family Christmas...................

 Our flight from Boston landed in Minneapolis at 11pm, but we were feeling like it was midnight.  The kids had fallen asleep on the plane and were rudely awakened by popping ears and sub-zero temps.  We decided to head straight to Leota yet that night while the kids slept in our rental jeep from Josh & Jodi.  I was feeling horrible and was spiking fevers with tones of chest pain from the nasty virus that Hailey had earlier in the week.  

Despite the illness, the parties proceeded as planned as all 19 of us moved in at Mom and Dad in Leota.  The kids loved their time with cousins as always while the rest of the adults strived to solve all of life's greatest problems in the living room.

Carter loves to hang out with his boy cousins and was wrestling with them whenever possible.

 Above is Mom and Dad with all 10 grandchildren....soon to be 11.

 The cousins don't skip a beat with each other.  They stay so very busy and love to mother Kensie continuously.  Three of my nieces and nephews have now passed me up in height!

Mike was struck by the virus next, followed by Taylor on Christmas day.

 Brad, Pam, and family

 Stephanie, Eric, and family

 Our very sick family......our memory of Christmas 2012

Wil, Ginnie, crabby Kensie, and baby Zobel

Our Boston Christmas...December 20,2012

 We kept up our traditional ham, potatoes, and corn meal with peppermint stick icecream with the kiddos this year!  It was a big success!

 It was an electronic Christmas for our kids this year.  Hailey got a kindle fire and Taylor an Ipod touch.  Hailey loves to read and Taylor loves to listen to music.

Carter got hockey sticks and a punching bag.

Hanging out before Christmas...........

 The first part of December seemed long for us as we were anticipating our trip for Christmas back to Minnesota.  The temps dropped outside and it was dark outside by 4:15pm.  These pictures were captured just because I thought it was cute that they were hanging together without fighting and because Carter insisted on doing some of the dishes after dinner.

Taylor learned this from a friend at school and so this is the official duet that the girls can perform together.

You're a mean one.................

The Grinch has been a favorite at our home for many, many years.  The kids love when it is time to pull out the Christmas DVDs each year.  Our favorites include: The Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, and The Grinch that Stole Christmas!  From the moment we saw the advertisements that The Grinch Musical would be put on in the theatre district downtown, we knew we just had to take the kids for a holiday treat.

 The Wang Theatre was absolutely beautiful.  The kids were glued to the show the entire time!

We were so very glad we took them.  There was a live orchestra, incredible costumes, some fright, some laughter, and lots of singing.

 Merry Christmas!

35......yikes

 Let it snow, let it snow................

 Special day spent with the family on my 35th birthday.

I think I will just stop with birthdays now

Happy 5th Birthday Carter!

 FIVE YEARS OLD

Please, everybody, look at me!

Today I'm five years old, you see!

And after this, I won't be four,

Not ever, ever any more!

I Won't be three- or two-or one.

For that was when I'd first begun.

Now  I'll be five a while, and then

I'll soon be something else again!

--Mary Louise Allen

 Harry, Carter, and Daniella

 Ryan and Carter

 Isaac, Carter, Hailey, Olivia, and Taylor

Carter and Isaac

This year was such a fun birthday for Carter.  We didn't really have a big party, but instead had a couple of play dates with some a Carter's best buddies.

He received several packages from family back in the mid-west.  He loved hearing the door ring to announce  another package being dropped off in his honor.  He saved them all for his birthday morning and they were all open by 7:45am.  He spent the next several hours playing with his new toys.  Carter had lots of phone calls/Facetime from family and friends.  He had a great day!

In the evening we took his out to the Cheesecake Factory where in the middle of the meal he announced, "I am so exhausted from my birthday."

Random

 After our dear friends left, we had the rest of the weekend to recover as a family and prepare for the Christmas season.  I did not take any of our Christmas stuff from back home, so this year we had to decorate with crafts, candy, and ornaments from Target's dollar section.

The kids did a spectacular job!

I

 Carter and Taylor have been participating in their first basketball camp at the local YMCA.

Carter is super excited and takes it very seriously.  Taylor does very well, but is embarrassed because she is the only girl in the class.

 It is hilarious to watch a bunch of 4-6 year old dribble....there are balls everywhere!

 The kids have been working on completing a bed time chart for several months now.  The kids had been having some big issues:  coming down after we say good-night, talking too much at bedtime, and coming into our bed during the night.  So in effort to use positive reinforcement, we started a chart.  

Taylor and Hailey completed theirs last week and chose to each get a bean bag from a local place called "Yoggibo"  and poor Carter has a ways to go because he continues to sneak in our bed sometime in the early morning hours.

Syrjamaki Visit!

Our Newton Ave friends visit Newton, MA.

Josh, Jodi, Olivia, and Isaac arrived late Sunday to spend Thanksgiving week with us!

 Taylor, Olivia, and Hailey before the feast

 Thumbs up for turkey!

 Marginal Way.....Ogunquit, ME

 A break at the pool

 The giant Christmas tree in Quincy Market

 The Public Garden

 Make way for the ducklings....................