New Year's Eve

This year for New Year's Eve my sister and I decided to celebrate by taking our kids bowling. My brothers were both out with their families celebrating with friends so Aundrea and I thought we should do something fun with our kids...so bowling it was. We went right after dinner and only managed to get one game in before the kids were no longer interested so we were back home by 7. We had a good time! Jason and my dad bowled with the kids so Aunz and I could chase after Lexi and Maddy who were more interested in running around the bowling alley when it wasn't their turn. The photo opts came early when the kids were really into it, so enjoy!

Grandpa enjoyed helping the kids

Maddy ready to push her ball down the ramp

Watching the pins fall

I like bowling!
(Not a fan of the bowling shoes thought.)

Cousins congratulating each other after a strike

It was a very low key New Year's, but still a lot of fun. I was in bed and sleeping before the ball dropped...actually quite a bit before. I know pretty pathetic, but that's what happens when you are pregnant and have a two year old.

The Luge

So... I'm still trying to catch up from Christmas... its time to post the luge pictures. I have a video too but I haven't downloaded it from the camcorder yet so I'll have to do all the videos another time. Anyway, as I mentioned, my family tries to make a luge every year for the kids at Christmas. We've missed out the last few years due to inapt weather conditions. This year the weather was perfect. It took 7 guys, as well as my cousin, Elizabeth, a full day to make it. Not to mention a few extra hours every couple days for repairs and maintenance to keep the luge in working condition. My parents live on a hill overlooking a small spring-feed lake, so the set-up is perfect for a luge. You start at the top of the hill and wind down the hill making a few big turns and then shoot out onto the lake. It's so much fun and there is always a competition in our household so its important to see how far you can go out across the lake. The kids just love it, especially the older ones who go nuts on it. Its a bit fast and furious for the young ones, so we always have them double up with a parent or one of the older kids who know how to steer at the bottom. Controlling your sled at the landing on the lake is kinda tricky and needless to say we ended up with a lot of crusty snow burns by the end of the week. None of it stopped the kids though. I don't have a picture of the entire luge (duh, I never thought of that) but we have some of the kids on it. Enjoy!

Maddy and Daddy

Here they go!

Shooting out to the lake
(If you look on the top of the picture you can see some of the luge coming down and across the hill)

Grandpa and Izzy
(We had to make a new start because the other one was too steep)

My brother John and Jaelyn
(This picture shows the original start)

My brother-in-law John and little John V
(They held the record for most of the week)

Brooke and Izzy - OUT OF CONTROL

Maddy's Latest Obsession...PRINCESSES

So Maddy is obsessed with Princesses right now. I have no idea how this whole thing got started but it is definitely the new trend for her. She is interested in anything with a Princess (Little Mermaid, Cinderella (or as she would say, Cinderelly), Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Belle, or Jasmine) on it. With that she always wants to dress-up and dance like a princess and her favorite color is pink (although she still doesn't know her colors, she will just pick out anything that's pink, with purple close behind). Its actually pretty adorable.

When we were up north for the holidays, whenever the kids where inside Maddy had to have some sort of dress/tu-tu on or her Princess pajamas on. I'll let all the pictures prove the obsession...its out of control!

Jordyn and Maddy reading a princess book

Someone forgot to clean Sleeping Beauty's face

Izzy (Snow White), Maddy (Sleeping Beauty, because its pink), and Lexi (Cinderella)

Another picture please just because we are so cute

"I love playing dress-up with my cousins!"

Grandpa and the kids (Maddy as Sleeping Beauty again)

Watching Barbie with the cousins

Not even out of their pajamas yet, but already dressed up watching morning cartoons

Posing with Ana in her pink princess pajamas

Another morning, this time the pjs will do because they are pink with princesses

Lexi's dressed; Maddy's in pjs with a pink tu-tu (seems to be the trend, hey?)

I even let her wear a red tu-tu with her Christmas outfit

So...I wasn't kidding. Just so you know, I did get her dressed in real clothes once a day over break. We weren't in our pajamas and dress-up clothes all the time, although probably most of the time. Isn't vacation wonderful?

As a side note, Maddy's favorite princess is Ariel, the Little Mermaid. She has only seen the movie once so I'm not sure exactly why. Grandma had a Little mermaid barbie doll up north and Maddy would not share it with any of her cousins. None of them seemed to mind as there were a ton of other barbies. Jason and I had a buy one for her so that she didn't go through withdrawal when she came home. (I know good excuse to spoil her, right?)

Enjoying the Outdoors Up North

John V, Izzy, Maddy, Jaelyn, and Addisyn

Our first day up north we spent most of the day outside enjoying the winter weather. We were a bit worried there wasn't going to be enough snow again this year, but we were fortunately blessed with lots of that white fluffy stuff right before Christmas. The sled luge wasn't built yet (that was the plan for Saturday) so we decided to go snowmobiling and pull the kids around on sleds behind us. The lake was full of soft snow so it was the perfect playground for us. We had a great time with the kids. Saturday, my sister and I drove the snowmobiles around with the kids on sleds again for most of the day while the guys spent about 12 hours building the luge. The weather was pretty mild with a soft mist so it was perfect weather for making a luge, although it made the snow on the lake kinda crusty. Not the kind of snow you want to face plant in when your auntie whips you off your sled behind the snowmobile. (I had a few bets with Jordyn and Brooke so I had to get them to fall.) We played outside for a few hours though in the mist until the kids where soaking wet. Oh how I love the snow up north! I did manage to get one of the snowmobiles stuck on the road while turning around. I had Jordyn, John V, and Jack with me so they weren't much help. I tried to get Jordyn to help, but she told me she hurt her back last week so there I was 6 months pregnant digging and pulling the snowmobile out of a snow bank with 3 kids standing and watching. We were tempted a few times to start walking home but I wasn't up for that. After about 10 minutes, I managed to get it out of the ditch and we were back in busniess. Can't let this pregnancy stop me from having fun with the kids!

Addisyn and I driving the "mo-mo"

Jaelyn and Lexi in the sled

Lexi would rather drive with her mom

Jaelyn happy to be in the sled; Addisyn not so happy

Addisyn much happier to be driving with her daddy

Izzy and John made a good team

Kredier family photo opt

Coon family photo opt (Ana was in the house with grandma)

Jaelyn's having fun just playing in the snow

John V coming over the snow bank

Maddy rolling down the hill

Playing in the snow with cousins is fun!

Merry Christmas

Christmas morning was so amazing this year with Maddy! Not that every Christmas morning isn't but this year was so rewarding and special watching our little girl experience it! This was the first year that she understood that Santa was bringing her presents as long as she was a good girl...that is if she stopped sucking her thumb, ha, ha. We started the morning by checking the kitchen to see if Santa ate any of the cookies. He had...all but a little bit of one of them. She lit up at the site. He also left her a note thanking her for the cookies and sending her on a scavenger hunt. The hunt sent her around the house finding a Madagascar character at every stop and then a surprise for Mommy at the end. It was a ton of fun! Next we opened stockings, in which her favorite thing was the pink tutu Santa had left...she had to put it on right away of course. (She is really into dressing up these days.) After that we opened a few presents that Santa had left (a Princess puzzle book, a Princess bathrobe, and a baby doll with a bottle). She was so excited Santa brought her everything she wanted...and some. Then, she got to open more presents from mom and dad. What a morning!

Opening her first present from Santa

...her second

Loving her new book from mom and dad

Her new dress to match her first barbie

Riding the smartcycle

We finished the morning celebration with a nice breakfast together. Maddy then wanted to play with all her new toys, so we all played together for a little while before setting Maddy lose by herself. It worked out perfect because she stayed occupied while Jason and I took our Christmas tree down, cleaned up all the needles, and packed the car. We were on the road by 11 am. We really lucked out with the weather too because it was totally dry almost the entire way. We got up north in time for dinner with the family even. It was a great Christmas Day!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve I had to work (just from home at least) so we stayed at home most of the morning and early afternoon. Jason and Maddy played while I got things done and then we headed to DeWitt for Christmas Eve service. The weather wasn't too cooperative (raining all day with freezing rain in the evening) and I was pretty nervous about going to DeWitt that evening, but Jason really wanted to be with his parents so we made the trip. We picked up Jason's dad from Clare Bridge on our way and then stopped in DeWitt for some Jersey Giant subs for dinner with Nancy back at the house. It was difficult for me eating subs, knowing my family was up north eating polenta, our traditional Christmas Eve dinner (one of my favorites). Oh well, it was still great company and we needed something quick before church. The church service was wonderful and it was nice being their with Jon and Nancy.

Maddy sharing some crackers with Grandpa
(It was pretty cute because she got the stool all be herself and sat right next to Grandpa)

After church, we headed home right away. The rain was starting to freeze and the wind was blowing so the roads were only going to get worse. Plus, we needed to get home and get ready for Santa. Maddy left out 3 cookies for Santa and the reindeer and then was ready for bed. She couldn't wait for Santa to arrive.

First Visit to the Dentist

Maddy had her first dental visit today. I took her to a pediatric dentist in Ann Arbor, hoping that might be better since they are used to dealing with kids. Well...it was traumatic...both for her and me. She screamed louder than I can remember her ever screaming. She was on my lap laying back on the dentist's lap, while the dentist tried cleaning her teeth. She was kicking and kneeing me (and her baby sister) and I had to hold her arms and shoulders down while she tried to get out of my hold. She was crying so hard, her hair was soaked by the time she was done (which was only 5 minutes). After they polished her teeth they let her sit up and asked if she wanted some water to drink. She said yes but she was shaking so bad she couldn't hold the cup. I helped her out and asked her why she was crying. She said she was scared. I felt so bad...not only for her, but for the dentist. I apologized to Dr. Fontes, even though I'm sure she deals with that everyday. She was great with Maddy despite it all... explained all the lights, gloves, face mask, and instruments to Maddy before doing anything. Apparently that wasn't enough for my lil' miss Maddy. They said at her next appointment she would be old enough for a hygienist, but I asked if we could just try the dentist again. I've got an appointment in a few weeks, so I think I'll bring her with me again (I did that 6 months ago, but she must have forgotten) and hopefully watching mom get her teeth cleaned will help. I brought my camera thinking I could get a picture of her sitting in the dental chair all by herself, but clearly that didn't happen. I'll try again in 6 months.

The Kreider Christmas

The weekend before Christmas we spent in DeWitt with Jason's family. We left Friday night after packing up the family and eating dinner. Maddy was really excited to see Grandma Nancy so we let her stay up for awhile reading books with grandma (The Little Mermaid and Snow White about a dozen times a piece). Saturday after we woke up, Jason and I had to run a few errands so we headed out and Maddy wanted to stay with grandma so it worked out perfectly. We got what we needed to done and then we picked up Grandpa Jon to bring him home for the weekend. The rest of the family arrived a little bit after lunch and Maddy wasn't up for a nap, so we went without. She did really well considering and we had a lot of fun.

We sang Christmas carols, had a great Swedish meatball dinner, opened gifts, had a birthday cake for Jesus and just enjoyed each other's company.

The line up for singing Christmas carols
(Caeden, Shaemus, Morgan, Lane, and Maddy)

Kids Table

Opening gifts (Eden Starling...Maddy's first Barbie)

"Happy Birthday Baby Jesus"

The kids played together really well. Lane (4.5 years old) took Maddy under his wing and took good care of her considering she was the only girl among 4 boys.

Lane and Maddy ready to eat...wrong table though

Playing with Grandma's Little People Nursery

Playing with their new toys together

It was a great Christmas celebration.

Grandpa Jon with the grandkids

Sunday we got up and went to church despite the weather which was really cold and blowing. It was a great service...a great way to start the day and then we came home a had a wonderful brunch. After we ate, we opened stockings. It was so much fun. Maddy is at such a fun age. It was amazing to experience Christmas through her. We eventually got her settled down from all the excitement and down for a nap.

Maddy helping Grandma make pecan rolls for brunch

Looking adorable for church

Maddy showing grandma her new calendar

After nap, we went and visited the Draytons. Jason's friend Ben and his wife Amy are expecting their first child at the end of February and they live in North Carolina so we wanted to spend some time visiting with them. Maddy hung out with Jason and Ben, while us girls talked upstairs. It was a short visit, but really nice to catch up. What a great weekend!