Saying Adios...

...to a great year!
{2011}

We ended our year on a high note!  We went to John and Colleen's for a couple of days to have fun and show off some of the kids' gifts!  :o)

One of the highlights was the helicopters that they got from Santa.  BUT... he didn't pick the best ones, I guess, because we couldn't ever get these to go forward or back.  It was hard enough to get them to not just spin and spin.  Needless to say... they've since been replaced.  {By way of birthday gifts.  And good thing for Braeden, because I'm pretty sure that the one he got for Christmas is still on the neighbor's roof.}

So fun to watch them figure it out, though!

A new type of landing pad.

This is such a common scene, I don't know why I continue to post pictures of my kids in trees.  Probably because I just think it's cute!  And I'm grateful... always... that they are happy to be outside finding ways to enhance their climbing abilities!

It's true!  Ella can actually dribble!

Sam's pretty good at defense, but I think Braeden got this one past him anyway!  ;o)

And it's funny to watch her get up by herself... especially when the trunk is straight up with nothing to grip to for a while.  Very entertaining... but she does it!  And so well, in fact, that one day I had to come and rescue her because she had gotten so far up and then couldn't get DOWN!  Lovely!

Picture perfect!

Hmmmm...  I'm not sure what happened, but this reminds me of people I've seen hauling their kids out of they public eye when they are having a serious meltdown!  Haha!  Sam... you will be a great dad!  :o)

This is how Ella goal-tends!  She simply keeps the ball away from the goal!

Yay!  She can now make a basket!  :o)

And so can he!

Watch what happens when Ella gets the ball stolen from her!  She doesn't take it very well...

...and would end up with a technical foul if it weren't just her father!

Form isn't everything!

And we know form isn't everything because this kid can hit the basket and run circles around you... DESPITE his form!

We've figured out that it's okay to play a little defense with him.  We don't want his head to get TOO BIG!  It's already bigger than it should be for a little guy his age.  ;o)  Sam is blocking very nicely!

You got STUFFED!!!  Braeden and Damian

I don't know... it doesn't look very pretty, but he can certainly get it there and IN!  More often than the rest of us, usually!

It's true.  I think I'm a little too big for this... but it was so relaxing to just sit and rock back and forth!

Braeden and Damian weren't the only father/son duo on the court!  Uncle John and Sam

White men can jump??  ;o)

This really is the easiest and best (meaning fun for the person swinging her) way to swing Ella!  She just can't get the pumping down, so we do the spider swing with her.  It makes it enjoyable for everyone!

See... they are nice to each other... sometimes!

I canNOT lean backwards like this anymore.  It totally makes me SICK!  {Boo... I'm getting so old!}

Recipe for DIZZY!

Monkey see, monkey do!

We love doing the spider on the swing!  But I have to say... Lexi's getting big enough that it hurts my bum a little by the time she is ready to get off!  AND... I'm so old that even this silly swinging makes my stomach rise in my throat.  :o(

Nice spiral!

Now let's see if he can catch it!

Yep!  Good job, Braeden!  My little all-around sports guy!!

Two people we dearly love!  They are Gma and Gpa, for sure!  Colleen and John are always up for playtime.  We wish we could get there more often, but as the kids get older, they are more involved with STUFF and our trips for sleepovers are getting less and less.  But... summer is coming!  Yay!