Don't Shoot Your Eye Out!

xmas morning

Ever since Preston's visit to Peoria and Poppy's hunting camp, Pres has been infatuated with guns.  He has a whole arsenal of nerf guns, but he has been dying for a real gun.  Thankfully, Santa heard his wish and brought him a red rider bb gun.  He was over the moon when he saw it, and asked to shoot it every day over Christmas break.
Since Steve really wants to instill gun safety with him, he wanted to take him out to some land where he could shoot at targets and just have fun.  One of our friends, Ken Johnson, sells Benelli guns and has some property at his family lake house.  Since his son, Reid, is a good friend of Preston's and also has a bb gun, we took both of the boys out there to let them practice.  We threw a bunch of cans in the yard, and they aimed at them (they knew they hit one if they heard the ping).

Steve and Ken went over the rules (1. never point a gun at anyone, 2. wear safety goggles, 3. use the safety, 4. don't leave a gun cocked, etc.) and then showed them how to do it.  Reid has shot many times before, but Preston was just learning.  Over time, he did manage to hit some of the cans.  He loved hearing the "ping" and was pretty proud of himself when he connected.

They had a great time together, and I know Pres is eager to go hunting.  He really wants to learn more about guns, and maybe even shoot an animal sometime in the future.  Since we don't belong to a hunting camp, we will have to wait for an opportunity, but I am optimistic that Preston will like it whenever he gets to go.

Closing Out 2014!

2014 started off wonderfully with the birth of Walker!  It continued to go well, but FLEW by!  We took several vacations: 4 week long trips to the beach, an Oregon/Wine Tasting trip with just Steve and me, a hunting trip for Steve and some guys, and two girls trips for me....WHAT A YEAR!!  All of our children continue to thrive and do well in school.  And we all have our health, a blessing in itself! 

Though we had a heck of a year, we know there are some challenges ahead of us....with Steve more than likely changing jobs.  Since we don't know where that could take us, we are milking our time with family and friends and cautiously moving into 2015.


To celebrate the close of this past year, we dined with three other couples.  Alisha and Ken Johnson hosted us, and cooked everything...and it was divine!  We showed up at 6:30, and were promptly served prosecco.  We snacked on a few appetizers, and then sat down for our first course: scallops in a burre blanc!  In the past, I haven't really cared for scallops, but these were incredible and had awesome flavor.

me, Alisha, Kadie and Jennifer

The second course didn't disappoint either, with beef tenderloin and potatoes.  Complimented with some delicious wines along the way, we did not leave a bite on our plates.  We finished off our meal with biscotti and port.  All I can say is WOW!  We had a blast telling stories and making fun of each other, and was a perfect way to spend the night.  So bring on 2015, we are ready!!

Michael, Steve, Dan and Ken

Winter One-derland!

Walker's 1st birthday party was a success!  I can't even believe how quickly this past year has gone...like a blink of an eye!  Walker is a much loved little boy (can't really say "baby" anymore), and he thrives on all of attention that he receives...from me, Steve, his siblings, our family members, neighbors, and all of our friends.  Shockingly, he still loves to be held, and will go to just about anyone, except when he is playing the "shoo away game."

Since Walker's birthday falls so closely to Christmas, we decided to have his party on the 27th to capture all of our family members.  Steve and I did all of the prep work, and everyone made it.  We had lunch, sang "happy birthday" to Walker, and opened presents.  Of course, his favorite things was the bunch of balloons, which he carried around all day!

love those legwarmers and stocking cap!



running away from Goo

We used the colors of his invitation and outfit, and used the "winter wonderland" theme.  Though Walker wasn't feeling 100%, he enjoyed all of the love from everyone and managed to stay awake for the whole party.  Here are some more photos from the party.

pulled chicken & pork carnitas

Walker's smash cake

The cake for everyone else

Having fun with Uncle Dan

Singing "Happy Birthday"

trying to figure out how to eat the cake

enjoying feeding B more than himself



not bad.....

finally getting into it...

...until he got cake in his eye....pitiful



Happy 1st Birthday Walker!!!

All of Our Christmas Festivities

After we returned from the beach, we started decorating the house for Christmas....decorated the outside of the house, the mantel and put up the tree.  It didn't take long (maybe 30 minutes) for Walker to start fiddling with the ornaments on the tree.  Unfortunately, his curiosity with the tree never ceased and lasted through Christmas!  Every time I turned around he had a handful of ornaments (with the hooks lost somewhere in the tree).  By the time we took the tree down (by 9am on Christmas morning), I had a pile of ornaments without hooks.  This little cutie wore out the tree, and was fascinated with the lights.

So, onto more happy memories....because that is what Christmas is all about.  Usually we have several blog posts written about Christmas, but sadly, this year was different due to the dreaded flu!  Prior to school letting out, there was a huge flu epidemic and since so many children go to school sick or with fevers that they are unaware of...it became scary for many parents.  I tried to pull our kids out of school early the last week of school as often as we could, but it didn't work.....Preston eventually went down.  Three days before Christmas he became symptomatic, and had a fever for a couple of days.  Since none of the grandparents wanted to risk getting sick, we postponed the celebration with my family until Dec 26th, and we just missed Christmas Eve with the Mizeranys altogether. 

Fortunately we were able to sneak in baking Christmas cookies with Mimi and dinner with all of my family before he got sick:



Girls at dinner

 

gingerbread house with Daddy



bringing Mimi's to us!

Fortunately, Preston felt better within 24 hours (even though he still had a fever), and no one else got sick!  On Christmas Eve, Steve and Bennett made a quick visit to his parent's house and dropped off our gifts for everyone, and picked up our presents.  That night we did Christmas Eve with just our family....lonely, but nice.


Christmas Eve babies

mean cowboy with new cap guns



B with her new AG Doll, Isabelle

throwing reindeer food

W on new scooter with a balloon

The next morning, Santa visited and left the kids with several of the items on their wishlist.  Preston got the hot Max Tow Truck, a rocket launcher and a "real live BB gun."  Bennett got her password journal, a fur real go-go dog and a lap desk.  Walker....who was unsure of everything going on around him, received a 3 in 1 scooter, some drums and a nesting set (though he was still more excited about the balloon he got at the grocery store the day before).  After the excitement from their Santa gifts weaned, they opened the gifts that we gave them....clothes, a few board games, and accessories for their Santa gifts.  I think everything was opened in under 30 minutes, and then I was left with a pile of wrapping paper, dry dead garland on the mantle and a Christmas tree missing half of its ornaments.  So, when Steve suggested that he get the kids bathed...I used the break to quickly clean up and dismantle the tree.  The whole room was put back to normal and vacuumed before my parents even arrived at lunch.  You might say "bah humbug," but it was a huge relief to get the tree put up and out of Walker's reach.  Not to mention, we were expecting over 20 people for his birthday party a few days later.

Pres beat Nene!

By lunch, my parents arrived to spend the day with us.  We played games, ate our Christmas dinner and the day ended with all of us watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.  We drank too much wine, but had a great day!

Poppy with his youngest grandchild

3 generations of Walker women

The following day we headed over to Brian and Shannon's for our delayed Christmas celebration.  We munched on heavy appetizers, enjoyed a couple of cocktails, talked and opened gifts.  The kids had a blast, and received even more toys, clothes and games.  They love hanging with their cousins, and since we had been couped up in the house for the 5 days prior....they were wound up!  Of course neither of the big kids wanted to leave, so Bennett spent the night with Henley.

golf cart ride with Poppy!

Though the Christmas break didn't go exactly like we planned, we are still so blessed with our health and family. 

Merry Christmas 2014