2012 Was a Great Year!

A lot happened this year in our house! Chris is still the manager of rehab services and treating patients in Racine. He started another season of coaching with the Tremper Wrestling Team. I've lost track of the seasons, but this seems like it could be his 9th season. He was spent quite a bit of time aboard the SS Minnow fishing with my dad this summer. They spent a lot of time sprucing the boat up and it looks quite nice now. 

I am in my 7th year of teaching kindergarten. Although this year  brought a lot of angry feelings toward teachers and the profession, I still love my job and my students and their families. I just have to keep my earmuffs on some days and remember I'm in it for the kids. I did a lot more with my photography this year and really enjoy it. I would love to get a small business up and running at some point in my life. 

Ava has grown so much and has developed the best personality. From the stories my mom tells of me when I was a kid, I think she may have inherited some of my spunk but that's what we love about her. She turned 3 in November and makes us laugh all the time. She started private swimming lessons this summer and really did great with them. We took a break so we wouldn't be running to swimming and gymnastics at the beginning of the school year but we will start lessons again soon. Some of Ava's favorite things are: Little Mermaid, all of the Disney Princesses, Team Umi Zoomie, coloring, reading books, playing outside and cake pops. 

In March we listed our house. We found a builder that we really liked and chose a house plan for our future home. The plans are done and we are very happy and excited about them. We bought a lot in Pleasant Prairie in August. Unfortunately, our house didn't sell this year. We decided to pull it off the market at the end of November. We wanted to get through the holidays and wrestling season without people scheduling showings. We will re-list in the next couple months when wrestling is over. Hopefully we will have a quick sale this time, but I don't think Chris or I are holding our breath on that one. The same day we closed on the lot we found out we are expecting baby #2. My sister has affectionately nicknamed the baby P2Z2. We soon will be figuring out where this baby is going to fit into the house. We hope you and your family have a happy and healthy 2013!

Snow Removal

Daddy got home really late from wrestling last night so we had to clean the rest of our snow up this morning. Ray was so nice; he did all of the snow for us yesterday except the driveway. I helped Daddy shovel.

Over Half Way There!

This picture was taken a little over a week ago at the over half-way marker. Since we know I'll have a repeat c-section the baby will come at 39 weeks. I've been feeling great and this baby is so much more active than Ava was! I've decided we could be in trouble when the baby makes his/her appearance because he/she likes to be awake around 7:00 and party during the night.

 The 27th we went for my routine ultrasound. I was exactly 21 weeks. We took Ava with us so she could see the baby too. She asked a TON of questions about what was happening. She thought the images of the baby were cool and first but lost interest after awhile. She seems a bit more open to the possibility of having a little brother. She is now calling the baby Mr. Fredrickson (the old man from the UP movie.) I went and bought a couple boy newborn sleepers. When I got them home she asked if those were clothes for Mr. Fredrickson. I will go back for a growth ultrasound in 4 weeks because my maternal fetal medicine doctor (Dr. M) said the baby is still weighing within normal limits, but is on the very small side. She wants to be sure the baby is continuing to grow. I am still amazed at how much things have changed since I had Ava. Dr. M. did another ultrasound when she came into the room and went over EVERYTHING with us. At the end she said, "Now you do not want to know the gender of this baby right?" I quickly confirmed we did not want to know. She very quickly took the wand off and said, "Well, I've seen all the parts I need to see and they're normal. We'll be done then!" Later that day I had my regular visit with Dr. H. She said she went over my ultrasound results and at the end of the report where gender is recorded it said, "All anatomy looks normal." She was disappointed she doesn't know the gender of the baby and will have to wait. She said typically they do put it in the report so she knows. Guess she'll be just as surprised as we are when she pulls him/her out.

Our Gingerbread Man

We ran out of time to make this cute guy before Christmas, so today was a perfect day! 

 Ava concentrated very hard to put the "gummies" on the gingerbread man. 

 All finished! She doesn't think this gingerbread man will run away like the one we read about in the story.

Lazy Winter Saturdays

This morning Ava and I woke up to the snow flying. We decided it's a perfect day to stay in jammies ALL day (yes, I'm still in mine), snuggle on the couch and play with new toys. Just yesterday Chris had Ava outside in the tiny bit of snow that covered the grass. He pulled her around on the sled and they threw snow at each other. When they came in Ava said there wasn't quite enough snow and she hoped we got some more to play in. She got her wish...although it's not a lot it was enough to shovel and freshly coat everything. She liked watching the big flakes fall.

Little Friend Outside My Window

After all the leaves fell this fall, we discovered a bird nest in our bushes. It's perfectly made and we just left it. This morning I looked out the kitchen window and saw this cardinal hiding from the snow in the nest. Ava was pretty excited to sit on the counter and watch him for awhile. 

The Pickle

Mom leading us into the living room to find the pickle on the tree.

 Proof that Chris is cheating when we find the pickle. He was holding my hands and putting his feet around mine so I couldn't get to the tree.

 Josh was the winner this year. 

 Not going to happen again next year boys!!

A Special Gift for Kaitlin and Josh

I knew Kaitlin and Josh were going to be getting engaged on Christmas Day and wanted to do a little something special for them. With some help from a really creative co-worker I had a perfect gift!

 Josh got a groom wine glass that said, "I asked."

 Kaitlin got a bride wine glass that said, "I said YES!"

Christmas at Nonna and Papa's

Christmas night we went to my parents' house to celebrate Christmas with gifts and the traditional homemade ravioli dinner. Ava got a LeapPad 2 from KK and Josh. When she opened it she yelled out, "An iPad!!" 

 Josh is hiding behind his amazing new Keurig machine.

 Ava had to help Nonna open her blowdryer ornament. 

 Maybe Josh won't have to stop at Starbucks as often now...NAH!!!

 Ava was so excited to open her socks and undies from Nonna and Papa.

 Kaitlin got a "girl toolbox" from "Dash Inc." Kaitlin wanted a tool box but really wanted it to be pink and girly. Dad had a tool box and with Josh's help they made it into a "girly toolbox" for Kaitlin. Josh painted it pink and silver and even put truck bed liner on the inside. The combined effort of Dad and Josh lead to the "Dash Inc." label.

 Ava had to help Chris open his big box. He got his air compressor back. As of what we know now, we believe all of Chris's toys have been replaced except a couple things.

Just giving Dad a gift would be too simple and would not provide enough amusement for Kaitlin and I. We always have to be a little difficult...it suits dad anyway! His first gift was a singing, moving bass ornament. He thought it was pretty funny, but didn't realize it was the first clue to his real gift.

 Gift #2...

 ..."A pair of glasses?! I don't really get it!" He continued to play along even though the glasses stumped him.

 Dad's reaction to the strength of those glasses.

 The last box had a post it attached to money that said he could only keep the money if he was able to put the clues together to tell us what the money was for. Before he even opened the money he put the ornament and glasses clues together to guess a fish finder. We let him keep the money!

 Ava got her first fishing pole from Nonna and Papa. This is my favorite picture because of the huge smiles on Chris's and Dad's faces too. I'm not really sure if the guys or Ava was more excited about that fishing pole.

 Papa got that pole ready to go in no time.

 Before we knew it Ava was practicing her casting in the living room. She said the fishing pole was her best Christmas present! 

 We had our matching jammies again this year. We all drown a little in them, but they were still cozy!

 Lovins for Ava!

 Of course a meal and Nonna and Papa's would not be complete without grasshoppers and the little assistant to help.