New Year's 2009

New Year's weekend was spent with my family at my parents' house. We exchanged our Christmas gifts and had the extended family over for a New Year's Day party.

Here's Ben putting together his gingerbread train. Daddy had a fun time helping with this one!

Chase Philip Bager, my cousin Chris and his wife April's new little guy. He's the only other baby on my mom's side of the family so it was fun to have all three boys to celebrate with this year. What a little cutie!

And here is my immediate family exchanging our Christmas gifts. In this photo, Mike and I were just told that we'll have to give up our enormous stockings for the kids to use next year and we'll get "adult-sized" ones instead. Bah!

Our family photo....always tough with two little kids.

We have bought Mike the entire Sopranos series over the past few years and this year finishes up the set with season 6. We'll have to think of something else to get him next year! :)

Pop in his Santa hat. Daddy and Nate.

Ben opening his Matchbox cars carwash. The boys had some presents to open from Nana and Pop but their big present was a little wooden table and chairs for their new playroom at home. You can see photos on our Big Move blog.

Nate enjoying his shoe.

Christmas in Florida

Christmas trees donned with lights and ornaments, gingerbread cookies, stockings hung by the chimney with care....and 80 degrees outside. Yes, we defied the white Christmas this year in favor of a drive to Florida to visit Dad and Cheri for the holiday and what a fun time! Instead of shoveling snow and heavy sweaters, we sat by the pool and broke out our shorts and tee shirts for the week. What a fabulous break this was for us after months of working practically round the clock to get the new house in order and our old house all packed up for our impending move. Very much needed!


Just getting that summer feeling back again after so many cold months in PA. Out come the Bermuda shorts, Polos, and convertibles!

Cheri took the girls out for an afternoon sans men and kids for tea at The Breakers in Palm Beach. Here we all are dressed for the occasion, loving the carefree afternoon and enjoying the fact that the guys were in charge of dinner that night (they had pizza waiting when we got home :)).

At the house, in front of the tree, just before leaving...

At The Breakers...

Christmas morning. Kurt, Michelle and Maddie were also visiting from Seattle, as was Maggie from Lancaster.
Matching PJ's!

Nate has the funniest personality lately, such a ham in front of the camera! He also loves to put something in his mouth and frantically wave his arms in the air at the same time. So silly! Here, he is having fun with his new puzzle. Peekaboo!

Again, Mr. Silly strikes. What a face!

I got the biggest present *big grin*. I know you all are just dying to know what's inside, aren't you? :)

Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go was extremely popular with Ben (and Uncle Kurt, apparently :)).

Aunt Maggie and Maddie playing the belly button game.

The men were feeling left out of the photos... :)

Ben's big gift: a CAT excavator for his sandbox. What a big hit, as seen by his face in this photo. He takes digging very seriously around here!

Maddie's big gift was the Haba doll pram. So sweet! She loved putting her babies inside of it...and herself :)

And Nate's big gift was the Haba Pushing Car. Even though he cannot walk yet to push it, it is sturdy enough to be pushed in so The Boss (aka Ben) took it upon himself to "help" Nate with his new toy by pushing him around in it.

But, oh so popular with the two toddlers were what we all thought would be the "boring" gift (aka ones that are really for the mommies): the personalized suitcases. What's more fun that wheeling your own suitcase around, I suppose!

Mr. Potato Nate, Santa version!

And the highlight of Christmas Day for Ben: packing the golf cart with the excavator (and of course a large truck or two) to go to the community sandpit to try it out. Now Ben is eagerly awaiting spring so he can use it at home in his new sandbox.

Christmas Eve photos before church.

Even Santa made a visit to the Martin residence on Christmas Eve...unfortunately, the kids were all a little too cranky to fully enjoy his visit. But we enjoyed having him come!

So the brother shot didn't really work out too well this year, after a long day for all and no nap for one certain two-year-old in particular.

Neither did the cousin shot!

On our drive home, we passed through northern Florida and were able to stop in to visit Aunt Catherine in Port Orange, my dad's sister. She was delighted to have the kids visit her and told us that she put up her Christmas tree this year just for that reason.