Merry and Bright ~ Christmas 2009

I'm finally getting around to updating our blog! With the holidays, things have been a bit busy, so I haven't had much time to devote to blogging. Anyway, here are some "Christmas Fun" moments I captured during Reese's first Christmas. She had a blast and loved having our family snowed in at our house! Yep, that's right, we had a good old fashioned South Dakota blizzard on Christmas Day. The nasty weather outlook had been all over the news on the days leading up to Christmas, and because we happen to have an inside scoop at Kelo News (thanks Katie), my parents and my sister Katie and her husband Ross decided to come on Wednesday and hunker down for the storm. Gratefully we were able to make it to Christmas Eve mass and celebrate and worship, but the weather took a major turn for the worse shortly after. My aunts Kathy and Maureen and brother Chris made it over to our house, the Blizzard Headquarters, and we enjoyed our Christmas Eve together. Christmas Day was spent, by the boys, doing much digging out. Despite the weather, we had a wonderful Christmas! But, the Christmas celebrating is not over! Kevin's family is coming this weekend so we will get "Christmas Fun" Round 2!

The start of the blizzard

My sister Katie, Me, Reese and my Mommy on Christmas Eve

Reese opening, or should I say eating, gifts Christmas morning

Mmmm, wrapping paper!

Rubber Duckie, You're the One

I couldn't help myself. I got this cute little duck bathtub to put inside our big bathtub as a shower gift, and I FINALLY got around to blowing it up. Reese LOVES it...both inside and outside ot the bathtub. :) Who knew a bathtub duck could provide such entertainment???

And...our baby girl is 8 MONTHS OLD!!! PS...on a side note about our big ugly blue chair...it finally clunked out, so we found ourselves at the furniture store looking for a new recliner. While we were at it, we got a new couch as well (as the couch was just as old as the chair), but I refused to throw away the blue chair until we get all 12 pictures of Reese in it. Thus, the clunker sits in our spare bedroom in the basement, lonely and broken, just waiting for the 10th of each month. I'm going to miss that old thing...

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I am a Christmas fanatic! Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm a straight up cheeseball when it comes to Christmas. I love the Christmas music, all of the awesome Christmas shows on TV(especially the classics), fa la la la laing and decorating our house, picking out the perfect gift, Starbucks Gingerbread Lattes :), and just the all arounds good cheer it seems to bring to people. Of course I know and celebrate the reason we honor Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus, and I love that too. Well, this year with Reese, I'm loving it even more! I can already see her morphing into a Christmas nut...sorry Reese, you don't have a choice. Ok, so she doesn't REALLY get what's going on, but she but she sure is cute! Here are just a couple pix I took of Reese the other night at my aunt's house...poor girl...she doesn't even know what she's in for! Ha ha!


Did I mention I love little Christmas outfits???


Ooooh, and Christmas Jammies???

THANKFUL...

For Thanksgiving, we packed up and headed to Midland to spend some time with Kevin's family. In reflecting on the things I am thankful for this year, the list is long, but family is definitely near the top. We are so grateful for our family and friends and for all of the support we've been blessed with. And of course, we are thankful for our little turkey! Although Reese spiked a temp and fought a fever for most of our stay in Midland, she was a trooper and enjoyed her first Thanksgiving. She especially loved spending time with her new cousin Alexis and taking pictures in their matching outfits. :)

Reese sharing all of her wisdom with Alexis

Happy Thanksgiving ~ 2009

Reese and Great Grandma Ardis

Pretty girls

CF Night at the Stampede!!!

After learning that Reese had CF, Kevin and I decided we wanted to do whatever we could to make sure a cure is found. We have had the opportunity to become increasingly involved in fundraising for the CF Foundation, which funds research toward a cure. Earlier this year, the President of the Sioux Falls Stampede hockey team approached my sister Katie about getting the Stampede involved in fundraising for CF...thus, CF Night at the Stampede was created. (On a side note, Aunt Katie could not be at the game because she had the amazing opportunity to go on Honor Flight for KELO news with our Grandpa Lee...we're so proud of both of them. Uncle Kory and Aunt April couldn't be at the game either because they were busy snuggling with their brand new baby who was born earlier that day! Hi Alexis!) From pre-selling tickets and selling chuck-a-pucks at the door, we were able to raise $3,472.50! What a fun night! The Stampede won the game, we got to spend a great night out with our friends and family, we educated people about CF, and we were also able to raise some cash! Sweet! A big huge thanks to Jim Loria, the President of the Stampede, and to all of our family and friends who supported us and helped this event become a success! We love you!

Our family at the game

Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and Reese

Reese's friend Sydney and Reese...showing some love

Ooh, this is fun!

Our friends Ken and Nicole Briggs from Brookings...their little girl Rylee, who is about 15 months old, has CF. She and Reese are buds...and they don't even know it yet :) Nicole and I are able to chat quite a bit and she has become such a great friend!

Em and Ruthie getting ready to help sell chuck-a-pucks. Who could say no to these 2 cuties...I mean Ruthie and Reese. Although their mommy's are looking pretty good too! Ha!

Aunt Maureen, Dad, and Uncle Kevin putting together their strategy to sell the pucks. It worked!

Ruthie having fun at the game! So cute!

Kevin's mom, dad and sister and some fellow fans

Some of my fam, enjoying the game

Baby Alexis Ann

She's finally here! After much anticipation, Kevin's twin brother, Kory, and his wife April welcomed Alexis Ann in the wee morning hours on Saturday, November 14. She has tons of hair and is absolutely beautiful, like her mommy and daddy. Reese loves her new baby cousin so much already! And so do we! Congratulations Kory and April!


Reese giving baby Alexis snuggles

The boys and their girls

7 Months Old!

Where does time go??? Reese is already 7 months old! I think back to how much our lives have changed in 7 months and honestly, I'm not sure what we did before Reese joined our family. In a few days, it will already be 7 months since we found out about Reese's Cystic Fibrosis diagnosis. In some ways, it seems just like yesterday, and in others, it seems like it's been years. One thing we know for sure...we are so lucky be able to share our lives with our daughter.

We had kind of an exciting day on Reese's 7 month birthday (November 10). Our family is involved in filming a short video to be used to help raise money for the CF Foundation, so for about 3 hours in the morning, a camera guy from HenkinSchultz came and recorded our daily morning routine. Reese was a rock star! I'm pretty sure she loved the camera. Also, it happened to be an unseasonably warm day (in the 60's!!!), so Reese and I also spent some time outside, playing in the grass. What a blessing! Since we are laying low and staying close to home during the cold and flu season, the fresh air and sunshine was much needed!

Every month on the 10th, we take a picture of Reese sitting in the (ugly) big blue chair in our living room...it's amazing to see how much she changes from month to month. And each month she seems to ham it up even more. Here are the 7 month big blue chair pictures.

Suppertime Sillies, Stink Eyes, and Sippys

Suppertime is always a fun time at our house. It's one of my favorite times of our day! Now that Reese is in her high chair, for the most part we are able to actually sit down for a normal family supper. The other night, Reese was in prime form being silly and also giving her classic "stink eye" in between her silliness. We couldn't stop laughing at her funny faces...and we couldn't believe how fast she could change from all smiles, to all "stink eyes!" What a silly stinker! We are also starting to introduce the sippy cup, which is an interesting task...please note it's a John Deere sippy...thanks Grandpa John!

Silly Girl!

Out comes the Stink Eye...and no one can rock it like Reese.

Now I'm silly again!

Maybe not...

Ruthie and Reese

Our friends Emily and Derrick had a little girl, Ruthie Anne, about 9 weeks after Reese was born. Even before the girls were born, Emily and I took the girls (in our bellies) on "play dates" to the gym, to water aerobics, to the mall, and out to eat. Em and I had lots of fun planning and preparing together...and now we're having fun watching the girls grow up together. I love watching them interact and get to know each other. I have a feeling these two cuties will be friends for life! Here a few pix of our latest "play date."

Spooky Fun!

For Reese's first Halloween we took her to Emery to get in on some Trick or Treating in a small town! She totally dug it! She was such a trooper, and while we only hit a few houses, she loved it and I can already tell Reese is going to be a fan of Halloween. They say crossing a black cat is bad luck, but one this cute??? I think not.


Reese giving the stink eye...not quite sure what is about to happen...and definitely not sure why she is dressed up as a kitty.

Aunt Katie and Reese after the festivities!