Josephine Sharla

Believe it or not we have another new baby cousin/niece!  

Miss Josephine Sharla "Josie" Roth was born on February 1 to Greg and Katie.  

She is a sweetie who has so many people anxious to hold her and love up on her. 

Until we can meet her in person, we have been using technology to face time her and we have been sending her little gifts along the way too.  

Winter Games 2020

 This year we got a late start to enjoying the games on the ice due to a basketball tournament for Marie.  But don't worry, these kids still got to experience some fun!

 After walking around the ice and people watching, we attended church, grabbed some snacks, and went back out to enjoy night sledding and the big bonfire.  

 This was the first year for them seeing the Burning of the Greens and they loved it! 

 These 3 love all seasons but there is just something special about winter...especially up here on the lake.

After the games we went ice fishing again...not as lucky as last year but man that fish was good!

Coyotes Win

 We enjoyed a quick getaway to Vermillion to watch the women's and men's basketball team win!

Eddie and Jess joined us with their boys and the kids loved running around the new arena and even playing on the court after the game.  

 After the game the kids swam until the passed out and the adults talked and laughed until they passed out.  It was a great way to break up our cold January!

New Year's Eve

 

Parties are great, but speeding down a hill in a tube is our kind of way to welcome in the New Year. 

It was a bit chilly, but we survived with some hand and toe warmers.  Marie didn't love it due to the cold toesies, but she was a trooper for the first half.  

 

Bennett never looked back or waited for anyone...he just kept going up and down, up and down. 

Brooks was sweating by the end of the night!  

After we warmed up with some dinner, we walked through a beautiful light display in Mankato on its last night.  

At home we warmed up by the fire and toasted to a New Year.

Christmas 2019

Once again our Christmas season was bountiful as we had time with friends, family, food, gifts, and even some time to sit and enjoy the season.  

We always try to get together with our oldest friends, the VanMeeteren's when they are visiting family in Iowa over the holidays.  It's so cute how the kids take a few minutes to warm up to each other and by the end of the afternoon they are besties again. 

 

We were also visited by Aunt Tina and Uncle Brian this year - they enjoyed Lego Day, also knows as Christmas Eve, and were very patient in helping the kids with their new sets. 

We had so much fun with all our cousins - so much fun that we didn't get many pictures!!!  

I only have these 2 pictures from our Van Beek gathering

After Mass, we enjoyed a lovely meal with family and rousing game of charades. 

Christmas morning was memorable as we announced that we would be taking the kids on a Disney Cruise!!!  The kids were so excited and we immediately began planning the final details together.

 

 Merry Christmas to all!

BROOKS IS 5!!!

 This boy keeps growing no matter how hard we try to keep him little!

He was so excited for his birthday...we planned a little surprise party for him and a few of his preschool friends he was sung to at a restaurant like he wanted, and even got his own hunting vest and dinner and Taco Johns! What a day...

 Papa took Brooks on his own little hunting adventure one afternoon. He was tired so a little rest in the snow worked perfectly.

Brooks you make everyone smile...even people who don't know you!  

You are a comic relief on days when we are crabby, you talk nonstop, you love learning and sharing facts and experiences, your knowledge of animals is astounding. Every birthday I am reminded of your miracle recovery and I thank God for another birthday!

prepping for christmas

 December is so busy and this year was no different.

We had school concerts as well as parties, cooking, baking, and of course seeing Santa.  

 One afternoon we decided to make gingerbread houses and it didn't go quite as planned...the kids were a little upset and then we laughed and laughed.  We agreed we may not continue that tradition.

 Santa was more than patient as the boys brought and read their lists item by item!  

They even received a letter back from him!