Caroline is 3 today!

Happy Birthday, Caroline!!!


Brian and I can't believe Caroline is already 3 years old. She has become such a big girl this past year. We celebrated with cinnamon rolls for breakfast this morning and opened gifts. Caroline got Hungry Hungry Hippos, which we've been playing all morning long. She also got a wooden recorder...we've been reading the Brambly Hedge books that Nana sent her, and she loves the one where the little mouse gets a recorder for his birthday, so we got her one too. Caroline asked for pizza for her birthday dinner. We'll have brownies tonight, and her party is on Saturday. We have more surprises in store for her, but we won't tell you about them until she gets them herself.



Also, Caroline wants to say Happy Birthday to Grandpa, as today is his birthday too! And a big Happy Birthday to Nana, since her birthday is tomorrow.

Our Merry Christmas

So January is almost over, but here are some pics from Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with the Meier side of the family at Aunt Claudia's house.

Papa got a Wii from the whole family.

Papa and the girls

Caroline in her Christmas Eve pajamas hugging Rudolph one final time.

Christmas morning! Caroline's big surprises were a doll house and an art easel.

A bottle of Macallan 18 for my sweetie.



Rebecca sent me this awesome bag that she made.

Caroline was super excited that Nana and Grandpa sent a pink shirt.

The painting starting almost immediately. Aunt Becca sent lots of fun paints.


Diane & Mike at Christmas dinner.

For the first time ever, Dad & Mom came to our house for Christmas dinner. I made chicken pot pie.


Caroline's tower of gifts from Granddad & Grandmama is almost as tall as she is!

California...at last!

So finally here are pics from California! We had a great trip, had a blast with the family, went to Disneyland, ate turkey...a great time all around. One of my favorite memories is from when we got home and asked Caroline what she did in California. Her response was "play with Michelle." How awesome is that? She got to meet Mickey Mouse, but that was small beans compared to getting to spend time with her cousin. We can't wait to go back. Love to all!

Updates are coming!

Here's a short note to say updates about our Thanksgiving trip to CA are coming!! I know I'm behind with uploading those pics...we got back home last week and just hit the ground running. Here's a photo of Brian and me on our way to his company's Christmas party last night. (I know, I know...what you really want to see is Caroline with Mickey Mouse...I'll post those asap.) Until then lots of love.

Election Night

Yesterday some of us gathered at my parents' house to watch the election results. We planned the party to be a blast whether our candidate won or not. Caroline helped Dad line the walkway with American flags, which greeted the guests. We filled the living room with red, white, and blue balloons, and everyone brought yummy food to share. Aunt Claudia and Dad tied in the Who Wants to be a U.S. Citizen contest...we took a shortened version of the sample test used to become a naturalized citizen. It was fun but difficult enough that we all agreed we're grateful to be natural-born. :o) We also celebrated Brian and John's November birthdays with some chocolate cake and answered presidential trivia questions. Caroline even made patriotic cookies. It was so much fun that's it's a bummer we'll have to wait another 4 years to throw the party again.

Happy Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my sweetie, Brian!!! Caroline dressed up in her royal princess dress to celebrate the occasion. Here's a picture of Brian holding up the video game we got him for his new Wii, and then there is another one of him playing the video game he exchanged it for...the one he really wanted that I didn't find! I was glad he was able to find it.

Ladybug

Is Caroline not the cutest little ladybug you've ever seen? I love that she is going through that stage where when you tell her to smile she shows both rows of teeth! :o)