Joe and Brigitte

Over the past several weeks we have hosted a housewarming party, Thanksgiving and started getting ready for Christmas.  It’s wonderful to once again to have a place where our many friends and family can drop by with a moments notice.  Other than that we have been spending as much time as possible as a family doing fun activities such as making Christmas cookies, visiting Santa, taking swimming lessons, and decorating the house for the holidays.   One of the most important things we have done as a family is to fill a shoebox full of clothes and toys for a child in need.  Emma had a great time picking out gifts for a little girl her age.  We’ve been tracking the package and it’s gone halfway around the world to India.  We think it is very important to teach Emma generosity at a young age.

We are looking forward to spending the holidays with our families.  We are once again planning to host a meal or two during this time.  It’s a good thing Joe, Emma and I love to cook and bake.  If Joe and I are doing things in the kitchen that Emma can’t help with, she is busy cooking in her play kitchen or setting the table for everyone.

Homework Time!

First time meeting Santa, not so sure about that guy

On a sleigh ride, boy was it cold that day!

Making Christmas cookies

Making sure the Christmas cookies taste alright

School Christmas program.

swimming lessons

Wishing you a happy holiday season and all the best in the new year!

I haven’t updated in a while because we have been busy moving and getting settled into our new home.  We closed on the house 3 weeks ago and it hasn’t taken long to get settled.  Emma loves her new room and shows any visitors which is her room and which is the future baby’s room.  I have also noticed a lot of really young babies in the neighborhood, which means there are not only kids Emma’s age, but there will also be a lot of kids that are close in age to our future child (whenever that may happen).

Our house has truly become a home, we have enjoyed spending time with family and friends, working on projects and just having fun family time.  While our house is new and shiny we do understand that no matter how careful we are there will be nicks and scratches in the house, especially with a 2 year old (and a husband).

Now that we are all settled we have been able to focus on having more fun so this morning we decided to carve pumpkins and Emma had a blast doing it.  Her favorite part was taking all of the guts out.

Things have really been moving along quickly with the house.  The interior is almost completely done.  We only have a few things left which should happen on Monday……

1. Appliances will be installed

2. Final electrical and plumbing to be completed

3. Carpet will go in

4. All final touch up stuff to be completed.

I have to say at the end of the day we are very pleased with our contractor http://www.bachmeiercustomhomes.com/  He has a fantastic eye for detail and when something doesn’t go quiet right he will either fix the issue or come up with a solution.  Even though we didn’t originally see eye to eye on some of the color scheme it all came together in the end and everyone is very pleased.

Emma has had her bedroom picked out for months!  Whenever we go to the house she runs first to the future baby room and says ‘baby’s room’, then runs to her room and checks it out.

The railings are in!

The porch is completed and the sidewalks poured

Now all we need are grass and trees, otherwise the exterior is complete