Christmas excitement was higher this year and Nicole couldn't wait to open everyone's gifts :-) We had fish chowder in bread bowls and other tasty dishes for Christmas dinner and had to try and eat it all before we left for Arizona the day after Christmas.
The whistling bath hippos!
Michael will graduate this week to a bed. The crazy part will be trying to get both kids to fall asleep in the same room!
In Arizona! The kids LOVED grandma and grandpa's house and Nicole finally lost her shyness and also learned the names of every single person in the packed house!
7 months pregnant! The flight to AZ was an exhausting five hours. We had 4 suitcases, a Christmas tree for Josh & Jen, 3 carryons, 2 carseats, and a stroller. The dvd player is what saved us at all from complete meltdowns from Michael. Nicole sat in the aisle seat and loved eating and watching everyone go by. She also loved the airplane's bathroom and went three times each way (and asked to go even more than that). I got pretty tired and I was so grateful for Jim being so good with Michael!
7 months pregnant! The flight to AZ was an exhausting five hours. We had 4 suitcases, a Christmas tree for Josh & Jen, 3 carryons, 2 carseats, and a stroller. The dvd player is what saved us at all from complete meltdowns from Michael. Nicole sat in the aisle seat and loved eating and watching everyone go by. She also loved the airplane's bathroom and went three times each way (and asked to go even more than that). I got pretty tired and I was so grateful for Jim being so good with Michael! Opening presents with the Ostler family!
About to find the ball house from Joe and Megan!
The kids loved opening more presents!
The backyard was the main attraction and the kids spent hour after hour enjoying the wide open space and toys.
Nicole and Caleb played on the trampoline and everywhere! Nicole helped him empty the trash, take down Christmas lights, and just about everything else. She helped a little too much with dispensing bird seed...but the birds didn't mind.
The busy event of the year was Josh and Jenica's wedding! The girls all had homemade dresses and Nicole felt so pretting swirling around. I let her wear a necklace and she felt so grown up!
Michael had a velcro tie (genius idea!). I love this picture of my boys!
All set up and ready to go! They served huge, delicious cinnamon rolls and Nicole ate two of those as well as 3 cups of hot chocolate and handfuls of the butterscotch and chocolate chips they had out. She had a total sugar overhaul and enjoyed every second of it!
Grandpa, Kaitlin, Kiersten, and Brandon holding Dallin- all waiting for the fun to begin!
About to find the ball house from Joe and Megan! The kids loved opening more presents! The backyard was the main attraction and the kids spent hour after hour enjoying the wide open space and toys. Nicole and Caleb played on the trampoline and everywhere! Nicole helped him empty the trash, take down Christmas lights, and just about everything else. She helped a little too much with dispensing bird seed...but the birds didn't mind. The busy event of the year was Josh and Jenica's wedding! The girls all had homemade dresses and Nicole felt so pretting swirling around. I let her wear a necklace and she felt so grown up! Michael had a velcro tie (genius idea!). I love this picture of my boys! All set up and ready to go! They served huge, delicious cinnamon rolls and Nicole ate two of those as well as 3 cups of hot chocolate and handfuls of the butterscotch and chocolate chips they had out. She had a total sugar overhaul and enjoyed every second of it! Grandpa, Kaitlin, Kiersten, and Brandon holding Dallin- all waiting for the fun to begin! My little dancing sugar queen!
Nicole with Josh before the reception! Josh was so busy but still took the time to give attention to the kids. The wedding was beautiful and sweet- Josh is so smitten with Jenica it was so fun to watch them be so happy and in love! We are so happy for Josh! Jenica's family has 13 kids and we got to have some dinners & luncheon with them. Very fun! 
Post high-five fun!
Everyone in the back yard! The weather was cool, but still great for everyone to play outside.
The girl cousins played together a lot more on this trip- each year just gets better and better!
Michael trying to see if we're having more fun inside.
Nicole kept taking off her jacket so she could have more freedom to run :-)
Nicole eating a roll while watching the uncles play some Wii.
Casey followed Michael around, especially when Michael had food. The kids loved playing with this gentle and patient dog.
We had a big party with the Del Biancos! The kids kicked around a huge ball in the backyard for a while. 
Michael trying to see if we're having more fun inside. Nicole kept taking off her jacket so she could have more freedom to run :-) Nicole eating a roll while watching the uncles play some Wii. Casey followed Michael around, especially when Michael had food. The kids loved playing with this gentle and patient dog. We had a big party with the Del Biancos! The kids kicked around a huge ball in the backyard for a while. Michael relaxing (for just a second) in bliss while holding cars in each hand.
Relaxing on the couch! I was so tired from the wedding the day before and the whole week felt like I just needed a good three hour nap!
All of the kids played pin the nose on the lion and they all peeked- at their age they were a little wary of not being able to see anything. The adults all played too!
Relaxing on the couch! I was so tired from the wedding the day before and the whole week felt like I just needed a good three hour nap! All of the kids played pin the nose on the lion and they all peeked- at their age they were a little wary of not being able to see anything. The adults all played too! Kollin has a fun set of tunnels that the kids hid in and played tag in as well.
Nicole's favorite was the many cars Kollin had but she loved tagging along with her boy cousins. She calls them "her Kollin" or "her Carter."
We had a pinata and Michael gave a nice stab at the pinata but mostly enjoyed watching his cousins whack at it with a bat. I was grateful for the candy inside and also for the fact that it was the good kind of candy! 
We had a pinata and Michael gave a nice stab at the pinata but mostly enjoyed watching his cousins whack at it with a bat. I was grateful for the candy inside and also for the fact that it was the good kind of candy! Jim whacked the head off, but we tied the rope around the body of the pinata so we could get the candy out too! 
Michael's turn!
Getting as much candy as possible!
Happy with a bag full of candy! (this was better than Halloween!)
Snowball fight! Kelly got snowballs from Bahama Bucks (yes, you can buy snow in Arizona) and everyone had a great time. I figured since I couldn't really bend over and get snowballs or move very fast that I had better stay out of it! Nicole followed Jim around the whole time and totally focused on hitting him (without my prompting! :-)
Happy with a bag full of candy! (this was better than Halloween!) Snowball fight! Kelly got snowballs from Bahama Bucks (yes, you can buy snow in Arizona) and everyone had a great time. I figured since I couldn't really bend over and get snowballs or move very fast that I had better stay out of it! Nicole followed Jim around the whole time and totally focused on hitting him (without my prompting! :-) The family (sans me and Michael) went on a hike in Fountain Hills. Nicole did the whole hike and came back telling me all about sharp cactus and ducks.
They had a beautiful view from the ridge and the sky was that perfect Arizona blue!
Nicole and Kaitlin playing at the park after the hike!
Nicole eventually stood up and balanced as she rocked the car back and forth.
We had lunch out by the lake and fed the ducks.
They had a beautiful view from the ridge and the sky was that perfect Arizona blue! Nicole and Kaitlin playing at the park after the hike!Nicole eventually stood up and balanced as she rocked the car back and forth.
We had lunch out by the lake and fed the ducks. 
Feeding the ducks by the lake.
Nicole on the hike with the beautiful Arizona background.
More playground fun!
Jim picked up a duck, but it had good self defense and peed on him! Needless to say, the duck got away!
Michael ran all over and even made a break for the lake once! Thank goodness grandma was watching over him!
This fountain went off every twenty minutes or so. The wind was blowing one time and totally soaked everyone by the shore! Some automatic sensor turned it off before too long though.
Michael and Nicole riding the turtle!
Michael took a head dive into some rocks (didn't use his hands because he thought his hands in his poofy jacket couldn't work or something). Nicole also took a spill on the trail and scraped her hand. The battle scars of the trip were well worth it!
Static head! The kids were so happy the whole trip and had so much energy. Michael was wiggline around SO much his hair was everywhere!
Chicken enchiladas! Nicole liked the sombrero and we liked Michael wearing a bib!
We set up the ball pit and the kids LOVE it! Nicole even brought her blankets in to snuggle in the special atmosphere :-)
Michale loves going in and out more times than a dog begging to go outside! :-)
Nicole on the hike with the beautiful Arizona background.
More playground fun!
Jim picked up a duck, but it had good self defense and peed on him! Needless to say, the duck got away!
Michael ran all over and even made a break for the lake once! Thank goodness grandma was watching over him!
This fountain went off every twenty minutes or so. The wind was blowing one time and totally soaked everyone by the shore! Some automatic sensor turned it off before too long though.
Michael and Nicole riding the turtle!
Michael took a head dive into some rocks (didn't use his hands because he thought his hands in his poofy jacket couldn't work or something). Nicole also took a spill on the trail and scraped her hand. The battle scars of the trip were well worth it!
Static head! The kids were so happy the whole trip and had so much energy. Michael was wiggline around SO much his hair was everywhere!
Chicken enchiladas! Nicole liked the sombrero and we liked Michael wearing a bib!
We set up the ball pit and the kids LOVE it! Nicole even brought her blankets in to snuggle in the special atmosphere :-)
Michale loves going in and out more times than a dog begging to go outside! :-)This Christmas was so fun and was so packed that we missed getting so many great pictures of things like the water bottle rockets, flying kites with grandpa, the park and sidewalk chalk with grandma, trash time with Caleb, my kids springing the bird traps, all the cousins singing Christmas songs at the top of their lungs at 8 in the morning, our Wii Fit games (including me trying the tight rope and dad totally showing us how to bowl!), round robin ping pong, tons of treats made by the girls, and so much more. There were some hilarious pictures from the wedding of my kids and I hope to get those soon. We had the time of our lives!
