2010 - A Year in Review

2010

Who, What, Where... Why?

At the beginning of the year, the boys built super amazing Pine Wood Derby cars and raced their little hearts out....

We attended Tulip Time in Holland, our favorite festival, with our dear friends and watched Lilly twirl until she was ready to puke up her elephant ear...

We were able to take a trip to the U.P. and snap this little pic for Topher's birthday invite.....

Christmas in July theme!

Topher was so happy to have his Great Grand Dad and Abuelita make the trip over to celebrate with him

...Lilly wasn't buying this whole 'holiday in the wrong month' gimmick...

thankfully a little jolly mischief with her Grandpa Ballard helped bring her around

Nathan was a great sport and even posed in the 'Christmas in July' holiday photo-op

In August we ventured out for our annual Ballard Family Camping trip, this year we went to Mackinac City.  

They grow their mosquitoes extra thirsty up that way {shudder} 

The boys started school - Nathan in 4th grade (big man on campus) and Topher in 3rd (almost but not quite big man on campus)

This is Nathan - he turned 10 this year - this is a picture from when he turned 9.  Why?  Clearly my photo organizational skills are top-notch, no?  I think he had a good one... I hope anyway

Christmas was very special and Lilly's very best-est wish came true, she received an American Girl Doll that looks just like her.  She named the doll Ashley, after her favorite pre-school teacher.

Lilly turned 5, despite her sassy stubbornness, by some miracle

In hindsight, perhaps having Hello Kitty smoking a big fat one in honor of Lilly's birthday was sending the wrong message....???

Let me translate that look - "I don't care if it is my birthday, I don't care if you have already put down a non-refundable deposit, I will not go out there looking cute and adorable with all of my princess themed friends and have fun - I am the birthday girl and will choose to stay in my grubby street clothes despite my fabulous up-do,  thank you very much!"

2010 was much busier than all of that, certainly, but an unending post doesn't make for good reading.  Besides, I have 2 whole years left to catch up on -   

Now if I could just remember where the 'super-safe, will not lose these ones' place I stashed 2011 photos for the next post are.... 

Dad and Me Cut a Tree!

"Children, listen carefully," said the man in the red knit cap.  "You are here to cut a Christmas tree.  What you may not know but soon will see is that the trees are scattered far and wide.   The good ones are cleverly hidden among the bare and sickly looking ones." 

"Also, to make it even more interesting, to us anyway, there are fewer good trees than families here to cut them.  On my mark you may rush through the pine branches searching for 'the one' or you may step over to the open hatch of my Subaru for a bite of stew, a homemade brownie baked by goodness knows who and some hot chocolate.  Of course, it is completely up to you which you do first." 

"Oh, you should know that we only have 3 saws to pass among all of you, they are small so I suggest allowing your children to do the cutting...

...so, with that said - Good Luck!"

Thank goodness my husband is the master at making things right when it comes to our kids and overcoming a poorly executed community event.  Next year we will be visiting a normal old tree lot and skip this "experience" of cutting our own.