Christmas at Tippy

Last Tuesday we were all packed up and ready to hit the road and head north for our 7 day tour of the Midwest. However, Indy was hit with a severe ice storm and most all of the highways were shut completely down. We ended up cozying in for the night and hoping the next morning would bring better weather. Which it did. So we re-packed and headed up to Lake Tippy to visit the Tynans. Izzy was praying to baby Jesus that we make it there ok

Kelly, Mike, Izzy, Grace, Sam & Bridget

This was on accident (sticker from a toy the kids were playing with), but I looked over and started laughing!

I just love this - both Mike and I come from small(er) families and the most stockings we ever had were 3 on our mantels

Luke and Maggie munching

Izzy and Grace playing

Bridget and Mags

Grace and Sambo

Our trip was far too short...but we take what we can get of the Tynans. We just love being with them...it's like organized chaos. Kids and adults everywhere. Playtime. Naps. Playing in the snow. Digging Grams out of a ditch. Love every minute of it.

This little piggy...

Last night Mike and I decided Izzy's hair was definitely long enough for little piggies. Unfortunately we don't have hair ties yet...just bows. But they sufficed. And how cute are her piggies!?!?!

Another cold weekend...

Having fun with daddy

Daddy setting up train around the tree (Izzy loved it, but it didn't last long once Baxter got his paws on it!)

We bought Izzy her first soccer ball (size 3)

Indy had some seriously cold weather this weekend (no snow or ice like Chicago and northern Indiana experienced). So once again, we hunkered down inside and did lots of playing (and ordering take out). Both Mike and I are excited to leave town for the next week...traveling on our annual Tour de Midwest for the holidays. Stopping at the lake to visit Grandma & Grandpa Berger, hoping to see the Tynans at Tippy, visiting Ft. Wayne to visit Grandma & Grandpa McCulloch and finishing our tour in Michigan to see Grandma & Grandpa Keel. Phew. That was tiring just writing that out. Here's to safe travels to all over the holidays!!! Merry Merry!

A few oldies...

I was just checking a very old email account of mine and found that my step-mom sent me these at the beginning of October. They were just too cute NOT to post. Izzy has changed so much since these were taken, it's amazing what a few months can do! Anyway, hope everyone has a great weekend. Indy is being hit with lots of rain/ice right now...so I don't know how much fun we can have with this weather. Looks like it'll be another cozy weekend at home. My fave!

Father of the year...

I have a pretty great husband. He cooks. He cleans. He builds and repairs. He decorates... Mike put up the 10 foot tree...
He strung it with lights and helped put the ornaments on...

However, while Mike was putting Izzy to bed on Friday (i.e. change diaper, put jammies on, bottle, book, etc.), Izzy was crying. Loudly. I knew there was no NUK upstairs (I'm trying to keep fewer of them around, as we are trying not to give her one as often) and quickly grabbed one and headed upstairs. As I was racing up the stairs, the crying subsided. I turned the corner to the nursery to see this...

Yes, friends, that is a Children's Tylenol bottle in Izzy's mouth (!). The top of the syringe has a soft nipple on it, EXACTLY the same size nipple of her NUK. Check it out, girl was soothed by her daddy...can you blame him? The things we do to stop the crying :)

And the Father of the Year award goes to...

Santa dropped off an early present...

Santa Claus arrived a bit early at our house (i.e. my Dad sent it) bringing with him a new PB stuffed chair. Izzy was slow to make the change from the rocking chair; however, she has discovered she can do lots of sliding down this one (whereas the rocker was a bit dangerous and even left her with a bruiser last week). The new green giant is much safer and is quickly becoming her new reading chair. Thanks Dad, I mean Santa!

Baby it's cold outside...so let's stay in!!!

Izzy found cups in the cabinet...which turned into hours of stacking fun (for both Izzy and Mike)!

Impromptu sink bath after a bad blow-out

I couldn't resist...

This weekend was coooold in Indy. So we decided to stay in. Nearly ALL weekend. Friday night Mike's step-mom, Laura, drove down so Mike and I could have a night out with his team from work. It wasn't a very tough babysitting job for Laura, as Izzy fell asleep in the car ride home from school and went right to her crib. She slept through the night until the next morning - in the prior day's school clothes! Laura spent the evening baking holiday cookies and continuously checking in on Iz zonked out in her crib! Too funny.


Saturday morning Laura let us sleep in and then she was on her way back home. Indy got some significant snow that day, as on her way back, she said the highway was closed in one direction as there were 8 accidents in the span of 10 miles. Awful. Yet another reason we opted to stay in...


We DID venture out for a few hours to our friends' house (the Schroerings) for some Trivia Pursuit (and Mike had some business to do - that was the real reason for us getting out). Sunday we literally hunkered down inside all day. We played in cabinets (see pic of Iz and Mike playing with cups), explored the stairs (up and down and up and down), had several dance parties, and read countless books.


This weekend Izzy started using her third sign: all done. She is very excited about her newfound signing skill...as she is constantly asking to "eat", for "more", and telling us she is "all done." Impressive, yes. But tiresome. Girl is always asking to eat. How many oyster crackers can the she eat (or feed to the dogs)? This might explain the impromptu sink bath!!!


And finally, Izzy has finally learned to nod her head YES. For any of you that remember the "No, no, no" video from this summer...she was a big fan of shaking her head no. Whenever anyone said the word, she'd start shaking back and forth. My mom kept on trying to teach Izzy to say yes on her last visit, to no avail. Now she's a big fan of the YES nod. She even bobbs her head yes to the beat of music...it's priceless.