Capturing the Kerrys: 29 Months

The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is not much different for our family than most: tons of events, traditions and excitement leading up to celebrating Christmas. Plus throw in a birthday or two (or three as it was this year) and you've got some of the bets family memories to look back on.

Elise is exceptionally sweet with Cali.

Sometimes Ryan is NOT so exceptionally sweet with his sister. (Then again, I must not be either since I took a picture of it, right?) Reading time is a constant at our house!

This year's Rockford Santa Parade took place on a picture perfect day. Tons of candy was thrown and this year we came prepared with headphones since our town's parade has about the most (and loudest) display of emergency vehicles I've ever seen.

Since we were in Ithaca for the actual Thanksgiving holiday, we celebrated it December 5th with my side of the family. It was our first family feast in my parent's new house. (I promise you that Ryan didn't eat EVERYTHING on that table...though close.)

Due to the 5 feet of snow that got dumped on Michigan, we had to postpone my mom's birthday celebration. So after the 28lbs turkey was cleared we had a family birthday party for my mom, Uncle E (40!!!) and Ryan (6).

Next up was tree trimming two days after we chopped down our tree (in the dark, by the light of a cell phone...and no, it was not from a neighbor's yard.) Elise was the champion of hanging garland. And Ryan used his "go-go gadget" wingspan to hang the ornaments for her.

Nothing better than our babies curled up in our favorite chair by the light of the Christmas tree.

Elise, though we fancy her a dancer, was not the showman that we had anticipated. Though I nearly ended up on stage with her during the performance she turned it around and did not stop jumping up and down for her entire song. Then melted down again.

Since Elie's performance was on December 11th, we celebrated Ryan's "real" birthday afterwards at Flo's. And because sharing your birthday with the cutest little girl's "breakout" performance didn't stink enough, he got a snowboard, which he still hasn't gotten to try out 20+ days later since there's still NO SNOW!

Here's the proof that they can be very sweet to one another when they want to be (and offsets the crabby picture above :)

Who needs pants at Christmas? Not this girl.

Our home is at it's best and warmest at Christmas.

The following week was Ryan's school performance. His first at Valley View and boy did they pull out all the stops. 8+ songs, none of them standards. Costumes, props and dance moves. It was amazing. Ryan insisted (the morning of) that he really wanted to wear a tie for the show, so off we went to Kohl's to make it happen!

I love how tall Ryan is here compared to the majority of his classmates (take notice of the girl he's looking at....this is the child Ryan declared was his girlfriend. He has good taste :)

Ryan during his holiday party at school the next afternoon.

Between the party and his well-child appointment, Ryan and I snook in a 20 minute visit to the Meijer Garden's Holiday Train...Ryan's always in awe of it. Here's he's looking over the model of the room he's standing in. (Dr. Bush declared "...the only question we have about Ryan's long-term health is if he'll be 6'2", 6'4" or 6'6".")

Little Ms is showing her new puppy where Chippy (Elf on the Shelf) landed...right in the midst of the cookies from mommy's cookie exchange at the Dykema's! Elise is very into all thing "bathroom" these days as we're in the midst of potty training.

Our annual carriage ride adventure through the streets of Rockford was a bit less picturesque this year without the snow, but it was warmer and the carriages were open top this year!