Friends and siblings

As Emilia gets older, she is becoming more of a play partner with the older kids instead of just the spectator baby sister.  She looks up to them so much and is so happy when they include her in their play.

Christmas with the Pelleritos

Once again, I was not on my game in the picture taking department for this event, but I got a few good ones.  This was our final Christmas celebration for the 2012 season.  Whew!

 

Grandpa and all his kids

Christmas with my family

We had a delayed celebration (after the new year) with my side of the family.  I did an amazingly bad job getting pictures at mom and dad's house, but that only means I was enjoying myself too much to worry about pictures!

 

 Suzanne slaved away in the kitchen all day...way to take one for the family, Suz.

 

 Emmy doesn't get much attention from her grandparents or anything.

 

 I love this picture....just too cute.

 

Nick is so good with all the little kids, and they just love him!

2012 Countdown to Noon

I really, really thought this would be our last year for the children's countdown to noon party.  One more yay for staying in St. Louis!!  Once again, we had a rockin' good time.  I love celebrating the new year with old friends and all our kids!  (Thanks to Molly for taking these pictures.  I have so many pictures to post that I have no time for editing so these are all as taken - great job again, Molly!)

 

 

 

 

 Friends since fifteen.  She can't get enough of me.

Thanks to my right-hand man...always willing to help me out with all my crazy party plans.  This guy rocks.

Christmas morning

 

Twas the night before Christmas....

Christmas with the Deetzes

We traveled to Indiana this past Christmas for our last celebration with Grandma Deetz.  It is still kind of unbelievable that she is not with us anymore.  Although she was only my grandmother through marriage, it never felt that way to me.  I've been going to visit the Deetzes in Indiana for 15 years now, and in many ways, I knew her better than my own grandmothers who passed away when I was younger.  Carl commented to me that several times he has gone to write her a letter and then realized that she is not there.  It just doesn't seem right.  We mourn loss of Grandma Deetz as well as the loss of the house and grounds which served as a gathering place for the Deetz family well before I entered the picture.  The memories from this celebration will certainly be cherished.

 

 

 Lucy, Lily and Lainey

 

 Miss Emilia

 

 Santa arrives

 

 I love the stand-off between Emilia and William as she scopes out his present and he guards it so adamantly

 

 Carl's dad's brother, Dave (on right) with wife Pat, son Dave Jr. and his wife, Kate

 

 Carl's dad's sister, Lisa (on right) with her husband Jeff and kids Logan and Abby

 

 Carl's dad's brother Randy and girlfriend Diane with son Roger and his girls Lucy and Lainey

 

 Our segment of the family

 

Grandma Deetz with her kids



School Christmas Party

I didn't get many pictures at Lily's Christmas party since I was in charge of the snack and a game (Freeze Dance), but I think a fun time was had by all.

 

Lily working on the craft project.

 

 The final result: a mini-snowglobe.  Cute!

 

This was the snack - a milk and donut snowman for each student.  My incredibly talented and awesome friend, Lindsay, helped me knit the scarf.  I ended up doing a different scarf for the event since I did not have time to knit 16 scarves, but I am going to start planning a lot sooner next year to get them all done.