Christmas Pics

Finally got some pictures from Christmas. I didn't use my camera at all this Christmas. Teaque had all these on her camera. I'm sure my mom has a lot on her's also from Christmas at her house. I'll get those eventually.

My aunt Cece and I.

Teaque and I finally got a picture together. We never seem to get a good one.

Cade and Makinsi. She is so stubborn about pictures right now.

Aunt Cece and Uncle Hil

C-A-R-D-S Go Cards!

Most of you probably know that my Dad, Brother and I are die-hard Louisville fans. But I had never been to a Louisville football game at Papa John's. I know, can you believe it! Brad got Dad and I tickets one year to a Bowl Game in Memphis but I had never been to a home game. Oct. 25th we got our chance. Dad got us Chicken Wings and Beer and we tailgated in a random parking lot. We most defiantely realized we were rookies once we got there. People had campers and cornhole boards, along with grills and tents. We ate out of the trunk!

I had a great day cheering for the Cards with my Dad and Bro. And the Cards won! I think I'm getting Colts tickets for Christmas so Chris and I have another football trip waiting!

Then it was Fall Break...

I absolutely love the fact that we get out of school for a Fall break. We are now out for a week and a half and it is the best! We took Kinsi to Huber Farms one day during the week. There's not much going on during the week, but it was a lot less crowded than a weekend. She's telling Bopbaw all about something here.

This picture is so funny even though you can't really tell what she's doing. A month or so ago she was at our house and we were in the living room. Brad was in the front room watching tv. I told her lets go sneak up on Uncle Brad. So we tiptoed down the hall with our tickle hands up to get Brad. Of course, she's giggling the whole time so we didn't surprise him at all. Every since then she sticks up her tickle hands and laughs like crazy. Anyway in this picture we're walking over to the petting zoo and she's actually tiptoeing with her hands up at the animals. I laughed so hard at her.

Lauren and I rode over to the feeding farm with her on the wagon. Those animals were really aggressive about getting the food.

She's had a thing for Scarecrows this month also. Everywhere she sees one she wants to hug it and talk to it.

We went over to the Winery and finally found a pony ride. She jumped right on and had a blast.

I thought this was a neat picture with the bubble!

And we finally saw a few pumpkins.

Precious!

Makinsi with her Great Grandma and Grandpa

Jack Preston!

Our sister-in-law, Jennifer, delivered their second baby boy, Jack Preston, yesterday at 8:45 p.m. central time. He is 7 lbs. 6 ozs. and almost 22 inches long. They are both doing well and resting. Jenn was in labor for most of the day yesterday. Brad's parents are on their way back so hopefully they will have pictures soon!

Congratulations, Luke and Jennifer and big brother, Hunter!

Weddings, Weddings

I've been working on this photography business a little this last month. I posted pictures before of the engagement pictures of took of Mike and Sam and they got married May 17th. This was the first larger wedding I have done. I had a great time and I think they turned out pretty good. I'm still working on posing and remembering poses when everyone is ready to move on to something else. But this is what developed...

Then Brad's sister, Lindsay, got married on the 24th. There wedding was at Camp Carlson near Ft. Knox. They have a beautiful building up there that over looks the lake. They actually hired a photographer, but Lindsay wanted me to take pictures also. So I got some, but most of them they are looking at the other photographer so there eyes are a little off. Lindsay and Brandon did a sand ceremony instead of the unity candle. It was pretty and different.

This is our favorite "Uncle Mike". We even got to take a picture together.

I didn't a take my big zoom lens in so I didn't get many of Hunter as the ring bearer. Funny story though, as he came down the isle with the flower girl, a lizard ran across the sidewalk in front of him. Of course, he took off after it hollering "A bug, A Bug, it's a wizard!" He got a big laugh from everyone!

Christmas Day Review

Christmas Day we spent with Brad's family. This is the first Christmas since 2001 and the first since I've been a part of the family that everyone has been home. Luke is in the Air Force and has been stationed away for most of those years so his family hasn't been able to come home. They are outside St. Louis now and made it home on Christmas Day.




The girls and the guys.

Me and my "sisters"!

Christmas Eve Review

What a busy holiday! Brad working at the mall, enjoyed his first Christmas in retail. He was really busy and worked lots of hours, but I think he really enjoyed it.

Christmas Eve we spent with my family like we do every year. This was our second Christmas with Makinsi, but the first where she really could participate. We had so much fun with her.

She helped everyone open their presents and played with lots of boxes. She got two chairs: A high class potty chair with a toilet paper holder and a magazine rack and an Elmo chair.

We all went together and got my dad a guitar. I have a feeling he'll be learning some Makinsi songs first. We stayed up late and played games with Hil and Celia like always and had a great time.

25 Days of Christmas

One of the traditions that Brad's mom started a few years ago was to give each of us a small gift each day beginning on Dec. 1st. She gives all of us a big sack of gifts and trusts all of us to open only one each day. It's hard, but I really try to make sure we do it that way. Brad and I end up opening the next days gift the night before, but we balance out and for the most part open one each day. It's fun and we have a good time guessing what each one will be. So it's Dec. 6th and in our tradition we have just opened Dec. 7th's gift. So far we have gotten:

A Mark Grace picture and the Winter Redbird pictures:

Soap and Chapstick:

UK/UL Bookmarks:

A Cubs Ornament and I got a book:
A potholder for me and a towel for Brad:
A school pillow that says "When is Recess" and a CD by this Hotty - Jamie Buckley. He's a friend of ours and wrote our wedding song! He sings for the army now as a recruiter.
And tomorrow's: Socks and a Comb! Brad was so excited!

This is the pile of the next weeks. I'm really curious about a couple of them.

This is just something fun that my MIL does. We all have a good time with it. My mom does the 12 days of Christmas and we open them all on Christmas Eve.