Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy Happy Holidays!

i worked christmas eve, but rich and i wanted to be with family, so after i got off, we immediately left for minnesota.  we got in a little after 1:00pm.  while driving so late on christmas eve wasn't our first preference, i will admit that traffic was a breeze.  i think we saw more deer than cars!  christmas went by pretty fast--but it was fabulous. my dad and mom surprised everyone by buying snowmobiles (something we have wanted for forever!), so we spent a lot of the day on those. there was also delicious food. rich and i gave each other a seattle ski trip present--best idea ever.  for new years, we went up to the twin cities and celebrated with our crazy-fun--awesome-friends-basically-family, the woodwards. i wish it was a holiday every day.

merry christmas lover!

after becca saw i got a new camera for christmas--she needed to have a pic taken, and who can blame her?!

becca boo's gift was a karaoke machine--but really it was a entertainment gift for the adults
amy and i got our men matchy match john stockton shirts. "they are scholars and gentlemen" :) ahah
my pop is pretty excited about his heat gear underarmour shirt that he will use for his cruise and for his cruise! isn't he adorable?
my beautiful and sweet grandma, elinore
laura and her boyfriend, alex (they are highschool sweethearts reunited! ahhhh :)
amy and becca takin' it easy
my michelley and my li'l levi
my amazing parents got puma a viking dress! ahah! i love it so much. when puma does her dance trick--it twirls!
thanks santa!
mickey and shells
so fun! i'm becoming a pansy though--when rich got going fast i wanted to cry.
 

what handsome gents'
jesse got skis and zac got a snowboard. aren't they so stinkin' cute!
rich is pretty proud that jesse got skis....boo! i told rich he couldn't have favorite presents...
but i secretly told zac that a snowboard is the best present you could ever ask for. he agreed with me! rock on! :) can't wait to board with this little dude!
sweet seth got some puzzles!
so did danielson! :-)
THANK you hansen family for the delicious breakfast!

  brayden man showin' his moves

my little angel, ariana

 ahhhhh!

mama, papa and baby boo
 
 mickey needs to practice his skating skills more....

rich, amy and joe racing it up.  mickey wasn't invited because he was way too slow and no one wanted handicaps....i still don't know why they are using the child chairs though....

 off they go!

faster!
 ...we may try out for the olympics

 ....and we may not...
ahhhh yeaa... we had a classic carolan and oesterle party (technically christiansen now too)
 go cute pregger mama go!
 HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! look at sarah's face!
my favorite dance to watch in the world
 magic mike men! ;)
 the gorgeous and amazing athena
michelle being a model at the lodge we stayed at for new years eve. i wanna go back!
that man in blue is all mine
craig is crazy cool. i will not say more!
this is the men getting pumped up for the new years eve tradition of running around the house barefoot in the snow!
haha this is the second new years eve tradition of running to the nearest bathtub and trying to prevent frostbite
 i love all those people! i opted out this year, but rich took my place like it was his job. i think he may be in love with our tradition more than us!?
i think we need a bigger tub...
breia, michelle and i being babe-licious!
2014? WOOAH WHAT?!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

kissy my sissy and her friend, Sara, went and partied it up at a dance.
aren't they so pretty?
on new years day we took over the church gym and balled it up!
i had no idea adam could levitate
he's pretty skilled...
...but dadders is pretty skilled too!. i'm lucky!
i love my family and friends

Monday, December 23, 2013

shake your cake shake, jake!

we have been so loved during november and december because not only did we get a visit from kelly, then kathy and paul, but shari, maddy, kevin, rach and jake all came to visit us in december! how lucky for us! we did a lot of fun stuff, but the highlight of the visit was definitely meeting our adorable, adorable, adorable, adorable nephew, jacob morrill! he is too precious to put in words, so i will let the pictures speak for themselves. aside from ogling at jake all day, we got to stay at the sheraton, swim in their high rise pool, show everyone the sites of chicago, watch the nutcracker ballet, go to a downtown christmas market, see frozen, attend church, make ugly sweater cookies, go shopping and cozy up in our little home. basically...just way too much fun! i wish we lived close because i sure love my in-law family. i'm the luckiest.
rich meeting jake for the first time! look at rich's eyes--he is so proud it is adorable!
ooohhhhh my goodness! too cuute to handle!

another special reunion
i get to hang with all these reunited hipsters!?! saaaweeeet!


these two boys melt my heart!
he always smelled amazing. rach puts some smelling drug on him. 
two peas in a portillo's pod
nom, nom, and nom. rich was impressed with rach's new feeding baby jake appetite!
fog=creepy cool photos
if he ever needs to be kidnapped/adopted, rach can call me! :)
roads on top of roads on top of roads
kev and rich on stroller duty...lookin' so fine
you may not know it, but i am standing next to the energizer bunny! i love how this girl never stops having fun! i recall an after midnight ice cream trip!
hey!

we now know why jake is so cutey pie!
on our way to lou malnattis.
we love you lou! yummy in our tummy.
sister bears and brother bear
 
the energizer bunny does crash! :)

rach is very strong

we just need kelly, makayla and daniel and this pic would be the coolest chicago pic ever!
madison=#1coolestsmartprettyorangescarfpersoniloveheralot
the bean, rich and the beanpole! :)

chi-town chicas
he makes everything look good
best friend lover forever
rich insisted on a kissing pic. ;)
before going back to the hotel to get ready for the ballet, madison insisted on this stop.  thank you madison.
we have banana pudding!!!
on our way to the ballet!
maddy will probably be on that stage someday!

rich and rach give each other e
elves, gnomes and many different magical creatures. weird but truly entertaining. i am slowly catching the vision of their fairy world, and if you look at jake in his elf hat, you will know why. ahah he is cute.

this face that madison made, i like.
rach really does put addictive smelling drugs on him. i'm a nurse and i know it.
my beautiful mother in law. thanks for helping get us all together, shari. she is awesome!
i miss little naked baby!
handsome fella
i found some ugly christmas sweater cookie cutters...
definitely the most fun i have ever had making cookies, but my family-in-laws makes everything fun and crazy. love them.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Santa is Comin' to Chicago!

to get in the spirit of christmas, we went and saw the christmas lights at the lincoln zoo. fun fun fun!