Christmas Eve 2009

"Kisses for my present, Grandpa Mike."

"Don't sweat the small stuff? I agree. . .I don't want to get sweaty."

"Just chilling and waiting for Santa to arrive."

"Forget waiting. . .let's dance!!"

"Come on guys! Join me!"

Kyla absolutely loves the movie Shrek, and especially the song "From Misery to Happiness." She can be half asleep, but if that song comes on, she jumps up to dance.

Graduation Party

"My neat freak daughter met her match in her cousins."

"Umm. . .guys. . .it is getting a little crowded in here."

"No celebration is complete without the requisite Dairy Queen ice cream cake."

"My cousin, Kevin posing as Santa's elf."

"Balloon fights!"

After Ken's graduation, his whole family and mine got together at our house for dinner and celebrating. The kids seemed to have fun, and someday the house will be back to normal again.

We all made it!

"Yes, proof that all three of us survived!"

"My daddy. . .the Master Engineer!"

"So, you got a present in there for me?"

"Daddy, I'm thinking being a Dayton Flyer Alumni might be just a hair less embarrassing than an Old Fighting Engineer. What are your thoughts?"

Masters in Mechanical Engineering

"The geeky school where the undergraduates tossed paper airplanes."

"Run. . .run. . .before they change their mind!"

"Mommy and I are proud of you, daddy!"

"Daddy, take that off!" (Yes, Kyla was afraid to go near daddy in his cap and gown.)

"Cool! I'm ready to graduate, too!"

Ken Finally Made It!

"My daddy getting ready to graduate!"

"Yes, that is my daddy who will now have more time to spend with me and mommy."

"Proof of graduation. . .and how long ago mommy graduated from UD."

"Yep, the tall one is my daddy!"

"Now, are you sure you want to give this to me? You can't take it back!"

Ken made it and graduated with his Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton. Woo Hoo!

St Nick's Last Visit of 2009

"Stickers!"

"This book looks great. . .I wonder how it ends."

"More puzzles? Awesome!"

St Nick made his last visit for the year here, but Kyla can't wait for Santa to come Christmas morning!

My First Christmas Program: That's a Wrap!

"If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands!"

"Take a bow! We made it!"

"Mommy, I was born to be a star. I will be joining the cast of Glee next season."

"MY Grandma!!"

My First Christmas Program

"Um. . .no, that's not daddy. . .is he yours?"

"Yes, that is me surrounded by all the cute boys as usual."

"Me and the whole gang of kids from 2-4 years-old."

"That's a mighty nice bell you have there. Why don't you just hand it over and no one gets hurt."

"I am a serious drama queen. . .none of this amateur stuff for me."

Kyla had her first ever school Christmas program. The 3-4 year olds sang and the rest of the little ones did everything from sway with the music (Kyla) to run around the stage, look for mommy, pick noses, flip up dresses. . .it was so cute!! They "sang" Jingle Bells, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, and We Wish you a Merry Christmas. Kyla did tell us after in a very serious tone, "Mommy, I don't want a hippopotamus for Christmas." Kyla then handed out presents to her teachers and proceeded to have a major meltdown when Mommy and Grandma tried to leave. Even when I went to pick her up a couple hours later, she was still pouting.

Getting Ready for School

"Daddy and I are all ready for school. I think I'll graduate, too!"

"Model pose 1. . ."

"Okay, do I look good in this sweater or what?"

"Cheese. . .with macaroni!"

Kyla getting ready for her first Christmas program. Yes, our daughter is a huge ham for the camera.

A Video from Santa for Kyla

http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/e373c9f16e655245098c3f76d2f421ae

Serious Cuteness!

"Ahh. . .Saturday afternoon."

This just became the desktop picture on my computer.

My Mischievous Little Elf

"I'm not doing anything, really."

"St Nick brought me Tinkerbell stickers!!"

"Santa was hiring, so I took the cute elf position."

The First Fire of the Year

"I carried the log all by myself, can we start a fire now?"

"Okay, daddy will start it."

Giving Grandma a Christmas Present

"Mom, I'm going to help grandma open her present."

"I can feel a box, we are getting close."

"Voila! It is a box filled with paper!"

"Awesome! A gravy boat, so grandma can make me some mashed potatoes!"

I was very excited to give grandma an early Christmas present. . .a gravy boat for grandma's Christmas china that she had broken a few years back. . .aka, I didn't do it.