Ringin' in the New Year!

This year we decided (rather spontaneously, I might add!) to hit up the local comedy club on New Year's Eve! We got to sit in a room, have apps & "adult beverages", and watch about 8 comedians! It was pretty fun...this may just have to become a TRADITION!! Ohhh YEA!

Chad is ONE LUCKY GUY!
I think we love each other...some days are more trying than others...but SOMEHOW, we've survived!!

The boys are feelin' good!

Here are the LADIES at the end of the night...yep, we are DEFINATELY ready to ring in 2010!!

This is Paul & Michelle...aren't they CUTE!? This is the guy the kids call "Uncle Paul"!

Happy New Year everyone!! Hope you have a BLESSED year!

Birthday Party - Savannah

Savannah decided to have her very first "friend birthday party" at Chuck E. Cheese (slight groan!)!! We were holding out for a local Rainbow play station (they make kids' swing sets), but they never returned my phone call (ahem-ahem) so we had to go with "plan B"...it was actually a fun time, she got to invite 8 friends. Parker and Aiden were troopers, they kept chasing the girls around the play equipment that's attached to the ceiling.

Patiently waiting for her friends to show up!
She got a medal, a crown with tokens in it and a HUGE balloon with her name one it! She just LOVED her Princess & the Frog cake!

Here she is with most of her girlfriends! A couple of them are camera shy!

Here she is with her "best girls", Grace and Ashley. The sunglasses were in her treat bags! All in all, it was a fun party...most importantly, Savannah had a GREAT time! After everyone left and we were in the car (it was so quiet we could hear our ears ringing!), Chad looked over at me and said, "I didn't know little girls screamed so much! I wonder what will be worse...the boys and their rowdy friends, or Savannah and a sleepover!" hahahahahaahaaa! Can you tell he grew up with only BROTHERS!?! tee, hee!

Savannah's 5th Birthday

This sweet, happy, DARLING little girl is turning FIVE today...hip, hip HOORAY!! Her sweet demeanor and constant happiness/giggling/singing is contageous and I just can't IMAGINE our lives without her! We love you little Sweet Pea!! You are SUCH A BLESSING....HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!! Hugs & kisses -

love,

mom

As soon as she woke up she was excited to open presents!
Got this cute Hello Kitty outfit for Christmas!

She was so happy, she was dancing around the house with an umbrella...such a character!

Here is the Birthday Girl with her 3-D Fairies cake!! The fairies are stampers too!!

Getting some love from "the brothers" (that's what she calls them!)...so sweet!

We went to Gma Joey's since our family was still in town...cute pic of the cousins!

I even got Joey & Steve to pose with the Birthday Girl...who could resist THAT FACE!?

A pic of all the girls!

This girl is just SURROUNDED by BOYS!! tee, hee! She doesn't seem to mind though!

Aiden's 7 Year Pics

Here I sit, wondering WHERE DID ALL THE TIME GO!? My little "stinker-boy" is SEVEN! How can that be? Wasn't it just YESTERDAY he was running around the livingroom, climbing on EVERYTHING and then JUMPING with a diaper on!? Ahh...Aiden. He brings me SO MUCH JOY...and he's turned my hair VERY gray as well! He's so charming and sweet....he makes the days an ADVENTURE! I love you dearly, little man!

You can just SEE the stinker in him here, can't you? This is the way ALL of his pants look, be it jeans, sweats, track pants, kakhi's, dress pants...you name it, he's gotten a HOLE in it!! Especially on that left knee...hmmm....poor knee!

I've always loved this little red caboose we have sitting downtown Fargo...it was REALLY cold out this day though!

Charmer

Makin' Sushi!

The day after Christmas, Uncle Colby took Parker to the grocery store to purchase items they could make sushi with! Parker got a sushi maker and he was DYING to try it out! Since Colby is an "official" chef, Parker was totally stoked to cook with him...Uncle Colby is SO COOL!!

These are Parker's California rolls....yummy! He also made his own roll...he called it the Parker roll of course! It was delicious as well! Good job guys!
My handsome little man...so proud....so stinkin' CUTE! I think this new found interest in cooking is BRILLIANT!

He got to roll them in the sea weed by himself!

Christmas Day 2009

This year, we were a little worried that the weather would keep our family from making the trip to Fargo for Christmas! However, one family was able to fly in from Florida (I bet they were THRILLED about the blizzard that greeted them at the airport!), and Colby & Ilea took two days to drive from Chicago (with a LOT of harrassment from the family checking in with them to see how they were doing on the road!)...it was a BLAST having them all here for the holidays!

This is my brother in law Shane...he is playing with his son's new LeapsterII!
The kitchen table was decorated so nicely...I LOVE the wreaths!! Good job Joey!

Look at this motley crue! Patiently waiting to open their presents!

Uncle Colby is a die-hard Steelers fan!

Chad got really cool cooking spices/olive oil from a quaint little store in Chicago thanks to Ilea!

Looks like someone is happy with her gift...Waterford Crystal Pilsners!!

Santa sure has a GREAT sense of humor!!

Taking the pilsners for a test drive...

So cute...boys...gotta love 'em!

Colby & Ilea...eatin' crab legs!

You know it's a good time when the MEN are dancing in the kitchen!! OHHHH DEAR!

Christmas Morning 2009

Well, it's official...these three beautiful children made Santa's GOOD LIST this year!!

He even left them a NOTE....ho, ho, ho...MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Christmas Eve 2009

In our family, it's tradition to spend Christmas Eve with my side of the family...since having kids, it's been held at my mom's house, before that, it was at my grams & gramps' home on the lake (sure miss those times). This year, thanks to mother nature sending us a big ol' BLIZZARD, we got to see more of the family than we are used to!! It was really nice enjoying a plethera of food, drinkin' wine and visiting with family. Sometimes, I get so overwhelmed with the PREPARATION of Christmas, that by the time it comes, I'm almost too crabby to enjoy what's going on around me. This time, I made myself slow down, take a few breaths, and SOAK IN the spirit of the season!

Here are my DARLING little kiddos and the beautiful Miss Avery! She's getting SO BIG and has THE BLUEST eyes!! Look at that cute outfit (looks like she's a present!) I tell ya, my kids LOVE this little girl (ummm...so do I)!
My grandpa makes sure that the Christmas story (from the Bible) gets read before gifts are opened...Parker was VERY excited to have the honor of reading to us this year!

The way she played with the bows, you'd think THEY were the present!

Aiden was happy about his GI Joe's to add to his collection! Thanks Grandma & Emmett!

Savannah is happy about her cozy blanket and CASH! Thanks Gma Pat & Gpa Al!

Oh yea! Finally, a picture of Avery AND HER PARENTS! Brady and Angie

Parker LOVES LOVES LOVES his Snuggie!

Aiden pulled me aside and said, "Mom...did you know that I'm MAGIC to baby Avery?" I said, "no, I did not...tell me how"..he looked around and said, "Well...every time she starts to cry, I get real close to her ear and start singing to her VERY softly----AND SHE STOPS CRYING! (picture above) Isn't that MAGIC?" How cute is that! Of COURSE, Aiden...you are DEFINATELY magic!

Grandpa Orris and his children: my uncle Todd and my mom Pam! I really like gramps in that yellow sweater!

After all the hullaballoo at grandma Pam's--we got home, opened our new jammies (this is a tradition us Juntunen's started last year!), snuggled into them, and set out cookies and milk for Santa! We even used the placemat that Parker made at daycare about 6 years ago!! Oh, and I can't forget...we sprinkled the reindeer food outside (yes, in the blizzard!) for Rudolph and all his buddies (you know their names..."you know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen...").

Now let's see if we can start a NEW tradition ---SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!! hahahahahahaaa!