Christmas in Chicago

After returning from Ohio, we literally walked in the door to celebrate Christmas with my family. My oldest sister was there with her family and the festivities began. We pick names on my side of the family and everyone buys for one other person. My sister Devin had Harrison...
Harrison got puzzles and 2 new trains. He was not going to share with his cousin Talon!

We had quite a room full of people.

Harrison had my brother Dave and Jeff and I got my sister Deana. I think they noticed the similarities in their gifts!
Harrison got more trains from his Grandma and Grandpa Willerth. It was so hard convincing him to not open it up, but we needed to keep some stuff contained to we could actually travel home with it!

Maybe Harrison will learn to spell his name now!

Watching as Grandpa opens his present.

We got some great stuff too. I am really excited about our new Magic Bullet! I can't wait to start using it! This year was so great spending time with family! We really feel we had an amazing Christmas season!

Christmas in Ohio

After spending some time with my family for my cousins wedding, we were able to make a trip over to Ohio and spend a week (including Christmas morning) with Jeff's family. It just so happened to work out that some people were coming in and then everyone ended up spending some time there. So, we got to see all of Jeff's siblings and meet our newest nephew, born in November.
We were one of the first people there so Harrison got to enjoy some boy time with Grandpa Ward and Dad clearing the driveway.

I think he didn't do too much work, but really enjoyed the snow. It was so cold in Chicago, we never got out to play, so this was a lot of fun for him.

Hard a work!

On Christmas eve, most of the family had arrived and we did a little Christmas program. Our oldest niece did a couple of Christmas songs on the bells.

Then all the kids reinacted the nativity story.

Harrison had his acting debut as a shepard. He didn't really do much and he refused to wear anything on his head, so we got him to hold Lynus as a shepard instead.

Christmas morning started about 6:45. Before going in to open presents, it is tradition at the Ward house to line up youngest to oldest for a picture. These were all of the grandkids there on Christmas morning. Harrison of course would not sit and smile so the best we could do was for me to hold him. He was tired and cranky, until he saw the presents!

Then he had a good time ripping the paper and playing with his new things.

Too bad we couldn't get that face earlier!

Enjoying looking through his stocking.

Really excited to open presents!

After all the presents were opened, he spent the morning playing and enjoying his candy. We had a great dinner and just got to relax and spent the day around the house.

We had a great time in Ohio and spent the last few days there with even more of Jeff's family.

On Sunday (the day after Christmas) our newest nephew was given his name and blessing and we had a great family gathering. The food and games were great. We drove back to Chicago on Monday. We had a great week and really enjoyed seeing so much of Jeff's family!

Visiting old friends and making new friends

I had the chance to get together with 2 of my oldest friends. My friend Katy had a baby in March and I have never met her and Katy has not seen Harrison since we was 2 months old, so it was great to get together and talk and let the kids play! They actually did really well. They didn't really play together, but they were nice and so good while we talked for hours.

If I were home I would put a comparison shot up of us from when we were much younger. The three of us (below) have been friends (including a few rough patches) since I moved into the neighborhood in 1988. I was 4 and I guess that makes it 20+ years!

Dispite the distance (me in Houston, Katy in KY and Brittany in Chicago), we try to get together as often as we can and really enjoy that time!

Take your eyes off him for 1 minute...

And you end up with lotion in your hair... And all over your clothes and hands.

He didn't seem too upset. I think he thought he was doing us a favor by putting his lotion on himself!

Playing Hard

We have been visiting family recently and have found some time to relax, but mostly have been staying busy and just enjoying our time with family. Last week Grandma Willerth made a gingerbread house with the help of all 5 of her grandsons. I thought she was crazy, but the house turned out great (I didn't take any finished pictures.) I think the boys were just in it for the candy!

There are so many fun toys to play with at grandma's house. Harrison loves pushing around the shopping cart. And of course, it has to have a baby in the front.

He also found this sweet wagon. Too bad he can't go for a ride, but he does love to fill it up and pull it around the house.

Then a few days ago, Harrison was playing and hit his head on the coffee table. He ended up with a huge bruise on his cheek. I didn't really know you could get a bruise on his cheek. You can't really see the bruise, but this is the face he made when we tried to take a picture.

It doesn't look too bad in the picture and it is getting better. Thank goodness.

We are having a great time and are excited to see even more family over the next few days and weeks.

A picture says a thousand words...

We really tried to get him ready for Santa, but I guess talking about him and sitting on his lap are two very different things in Harrison's mind! At least we tried...better luck next year.

(December 6, 2010 Deerbrook Mall, TX)

Daddy's Little Helper

Last Sunday, Jeff decided to make some cookies. Lucky Harrison got to be there and be Daddy's little assistant baker.

So interested in the mixer or maybe it just smelled good!

Harrison enjoyed the beater and we all enjoyed the snickerdoodles later that night!



Also, to distract Harrison while we finished up dinner and baking, I thought it would be fun to let him pudding paint. Something I have never done with him before but he enjoyed it and knew just what to do!

The cheesy man working on his masterpiece.

Who Knew?

So Jeff and I enjoy playing games and our newest is Farkle. It is a dice game. Anyway, while we play, we usually let Harrison play at the table with dice or lately he loves the characters from our Clue game. We gave him Colonel Mustard, told him his name and it made sense...his shirt is mustard colored. Then we handed him Miss Scarlet and before we could get her name out, he said "Ketchup". So now our Clue game has Mr. Mustard and Miss Ketchup. It only makes sense.

Time Out

Well, this last week has been interesting. Usually, I have some pictures and something to tell about, but we kind of took a "time out" from life this week. Although, we were able to do some of our normal tasks, sickness kept us pretty close to home. Harrison started getting sick right around Thanksgiving and within a few days, Jeff and I joined him. Then somehow I ended up with pink eye and had to lay low for a few days. Finally, around Wednesday and Thursday, we were getting back to normal. Thursday I needed to get out of the house and so Harrison and I made a trip downtown to the Children's Museum. He loved every minute of it. Every time we go he seems to find new favorites. This time it was the grocery store and the little cars that honk and have a gas pedal (in the tot area). We had a good time together and it was just what we needed after being in the house for so long.
Then on Friday, Jeff and I got to enjoy a date night. We went and saw Tangled in 3D. It was great! Saturday I went out to lunch with my friend Maria who was visiting from out of town and Sunday has been a nice day with church and family!

This week has really made me appreciate all our wonderful bodies do for us. I am so grateful for our family's health and pray we don't have a week like this again soon!
Now, for all the holidays ahead...