It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

We made our 4th annual trip to Maple Row Tree Farm to chop down our tree. She's a beaut! I'll take a pic once she's completely decorated.

Too much Christmas cheer for Aldy!

Belated Halloween

Halloween was postponed not once but twice this year due to storms. In fact, it was the second year in a row that we trick-or-treated with some patches of snow left on the ground from a freak snowstorm. I think this is pretty unprecedented stuff- I wonder if it ever happened in my lifetime prior to this? Despite the delays, the kids had a great time.

Friend Maddie as Strawberry Shortcake, Alden the monster,
Lanie the doctor...

...and Myla the owl.

Fall Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

We made our annual visit to Jones Family Farms to get pumpkins two weekends ago. The kids had a great time and Ben and I took full advantage of the plentiful photo opps'.

My three munchkins

First Day of Second Grade

Another school year has begun! Lanie is now a 2nd grader. Her school, a normal K-6 elementary school, is divided into two separate buildings with the Kindergarteners-2nd graders in one building and 3rd-6th graders in the other. When she started Kindergarten, I remember noticing the 2nd graders at her school and thinking that they seemed so much older and different than Lanie and her classmates. They seemed more confident, having been there for two years already, and knew the building and staff so well, that there was an unspoken ease with how they entered the building, said good-bye to their parents and made their way to their classroom. I can't believe Lanie is now one of those kids! There were no first day jitters. She confidently and excitedly jumped out the car at drop off this morning without turning back to wave good-by. Where did my baby go? And to think that next year Alden will start preschool!?

Alden wanted to pose like Lanie!

Aldy Pics - Just Because He's Cute!

Up To Speed...

LANIE:

Lanie is having a great school year! She loves math and is an excellent reader and writer. On September 27, 2011 she lost her first tooth- her upper one that she had bumped 3 years ago. She is in her first year of dance and is now learning to play basketball.

November 2011- Family portrait session at Short Beach

October 2011- Pumpkin picking at Jones Family Farm

September 2011- Me and Lanie apple picking at Lyman Orchards

December 2011- Lanie's holiday dance recital, The Polar Express. She is in the back row on the far left.

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ALDEN:

Alden is the coolest and funniest little guy. He just turned two in December and is talking so much now. It has been a big year for him– first trip to California in May, becoming a big brother in August, and mastering the flurry of developmental milestones for his age group- yet, in the great words of Theo Cosby, he "is taking it all in stride".

December 2011- Two year portrait

October 2011- Pumpkin picking at Jones Family Farm

December 15, 2011 - 2 years old!

February 2012 - Guitar Hero at Chuck E' Cheeses

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MYLA:

Baby Myla is already six months old! She is so sweet and such a welcomed addition to our family. We love her!

September 2011 - 1 month old

November 1, 2011 - 2.5 months old

November 2011 (Thanksgiving weekend) - 3 months old

Christmas Eve 2011 - 4.5 months old

Valentine's Day 2012- 6 months old

Christmas 2011 (Myla's first Christmas!)

Merry Christmas!

Mrs. Santa pajamas on Christmas Eve

They're actually all looking at the camera at the same time

Myla's first Christmas

Sisters

The best presents!

Our tree

After Christmas, we took the kids to Sesame Place in Pennsylvania for their annual A Very Furry Christmas opening. They loved it! We enjoyed the character dinner, where we were able to get up close and personal with Elmo, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird and Cookie Monster.

Lanie, Alden and Elmo

Me and my 3 babes. It is almost impossible to get all 3 kids looking at the camera at the same time.