Anna's Baptism

What a glorious day....Anna was baptized!!!!

Cole Loves the Snow

Everytime we turn around, Cole seems to be outside playing in the snow!!!! We have lots of fun and are blessed with such sweet children.

Christmas 2010

We had a fun Christmas. Some of the funny memories I have:

Tessa throwing her baby doll out of the stroller and only wanting to ride in the stroller herself.

Corbin playing lots and lots of games of Yahtzee and Mastermind (Not a big game player, see below for why!!!!).

Anna beating him lots and lots of times at Yahtzee and Mastermind. (This is why....see the hat above that says Queen of Yatzee...just to rub it in, she called me up to tuck her in for the third time, only to be wearing this hat singing....396, 396 which was her score.....how can I not love this girl!!!!)

Racing trucks on the race track with Cole.

Doing a lot of craft projects with Anna.

Eating dinner with the Palmer's. Thank you John and Kathy for being like family to us.

Having a wonderful day together.

FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY

One of the best gifts a parent could ask for!!!!

Anna gave us a card for Christmas.....honestly it broke us into tears.....we could not ask for better children. They are thoughtful and loving. We appreciate who they are.

Christmas Eve

Well we decided to start a new tradition and go tubing for Christmas Eve day. It was soooo much fun...it really was a true Christmas Spirit as there was the best Christmas Music playing over the loud speakers, snow, tubing, and most important family time together. No shopping, no commercialism, and no traffic. It was great. Tessa did soooo good as well....she kept nodding her head yes when asked if she wanted to go down the hills behind Lori and I.

Anna: "The best thing was making big family trains and going fast!"

Cole: "Going up and downs the hill by myself....and racing dad!"

Tessa: "Napping in the tube!"

Mom: "Family time!"

Dad: "Family togetherness and the spirit of Christmas!"

What a great day!!!!

Yulltide Celebration (Indianapolis Symphony)

For the second year we attended the Yulltide Celebration put on by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and it was fantastic!!!! Again great family times.....

Cole's Gymnastics

Well Cole has been taking gymnastics at Deveau's School of Gymnastics and he has been doing great. We thought he was going to move up this summer to Might Mites (which is a the team) but he was surprised by Aaron, his coach who told him he could move up and gave him a trophy. Trophies are Cole's favorite thing and he was singing, "Two Days A WEEK!!!!" when he got home b/c now he gets to go two days a week.

Tessa!!!

Tessa had school pictures (why I don't know) but they did have a Christmas party too....this all for a cute little one year old...

Cole and the Hat

Happy Birthday Cole

Favorites:

Movie: The Christmas Story

Book: Elephant and Piggy

Foods: Pizza, Donuts, Hamburgers

Colors: Gold, Silver, Green

Game: Crazy Eights

Thing about school: recess

Friends: Charlie, EJ

One place Cole wants to visit: Alaska

Whats to be when he grows up: A Scientist

Cole, we love you. We are so happy to have you in our family.

Life Rule Role Model Award

Well, Cole got the Life Rule Role Model Award at Latern Road Elementary School for Curiosity....Lori and I both said that sounds about right.....he is a great kid. He also got to have cookies and milk with the Principal for being a good kid!

Happy Birthday Anna

Anna's Favorites:

Movie: Mary Poppins, Wizard of Oz

Book: Nancy Crew Clue Crew

Food: Grilled Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese

Game: Sorry, Monopoly Jr.

Color: Violet Purple

Part of School: Recess

Friends: Hailey Maggie, Tatum

A place Anna wants to visit: Hollywood

Wants to be when she grows up: Baker, Actress

Happy Birthday Anna. We love you very much.

Great Trip

We enjoyed a great trip to Utah over our Thanksgiving break. Anna, Cole and Tessa enjoyed playing with their Partridge cousins and having their Grandma Jane spoil them. Corbin and I enjoyed taking a trip for a couple of days to Salina for Corbin to play in an alumni basketball tournament.

Skiing in Utah

We enjoyed a beautiful morning skiing in Utah on Thanksgiving.

Off to get Anna's Piano

Well Cole and I (and Jackson) went to Chicago! We got Anna a new Piano (used) that was a steal off eBay! What a great day to spend with my son doing a good thing for Anna!

Cole's First Book

Cole read his first book all the way through to Lori and I. We are so proud of Cole. He loves school.

Beautiful Tessa

Tessa taking a bath....she is such a fun little girl!!!!

Utah vs. Notre Dame Game

Well we went up (Aaron Stobbe came out from SLC, Marcus Dager, and Brian Baker) to the Utah vs. Notre Dame game and although Utah forgot to show up and play football we had a GREAT time. Great tour of the campus. Great tailgating.....saw some folks that I have not seen for over 10 and 20 years.....amazing....Saw an old opposing coach from 20 years ago who had not changed one bit....he remembered things like it was yesterday.....Saw my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Monica whom I have not seen for over 10-12 years....all on Notre Dame's campus...pretty amazing....

It was wet and cold the entire day but we had a great great great time!!!! I am glad that Stobbe came out......has been since graduating in 2001 since we have seen each other....

Veteran's Day

We are blessed here in Indiana as the Elementary Schools have such a wonderful program that is soooooo patriotic. Here is the program from today. Also I wanted to put in the card my beautiful daughter Anna made for me and had set aside for when I woke up on Veteran's day...I am truly blessed to have such wonderful family whom I love dearly.

I also on this day want to give thanks to all the sacrifices not only the soldiers make but also their families on a daily basis to support and make it easier for those serving be able to do their job. During the program I leaned over and told me wife, besides family if there is one thing I feel blessed for and what I feel defines a part of me, it is having been able to serve the country in a war zone.

The Service Club of Indianapolis

I was asked by retired General Tom Jones of Indianapolis if I would be willing to give a presentation to The Service Club of Indianapolis. It was a very fun meeting and it went very well. It was soooooo awesome to be amongst of group of men who have served the country (most were from WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War) and to see the patriotism that existed amongst these great men. Here is the newsletter they sent me.