New Year's Eve 2009

Wally and I always like to cook a special dinner on New Year's Eve.  This year we had steak and shrimp, mashed potatoes, and green beans.  We also did a spinach artichoke dip for the appetizer, and Wally made his famous banana pudding for dessert.  YUM!

Sadly, I didn't get a picture of the meal, just this little cutie running around :)
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We did some sparklers and fireworks early in the evening because we knew the little kids wouldn't make it up until midnight.  Aiden wasn't too sure, but eventually got the hang of it.


As you can see, Lex was NOT a fan! :)


Not a great picture, but she was doing the famous Auffenberg Sparkler Dance, performed each year at my parent's house during 4th of July festivities!


Then Julia and her friend Eva came over to my friend Birgitt's place with me for some New Year's cheer! Wally stayed home with the babies.  Thanks for letting me get out for a bit, Babe! You're awesome!

The girls looked gorgeous!




Yum, Jello shots!
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They were trying to break the ice by stomping on it :)


More sparklers with Eva and Sean at midnight...


It was too late for this girl...she started melting down on me! Time to go home!


Happy New Year, Everyone! Let's make this a GREAT 2010!

Christmas 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas! Here are some of our 2009 Christmas memories...

We open presents from grandparents and extended family on Christmas Eve.

Bubby & Moshie sent Julia this great picture of she and Bubby in Prague this past summer! She loves it and put it right on her nightstand :) 

Lexie was really into Dora this year! 

Decked out in new pajamas, another family tradition :) 

Letters and cookies for Santa.

Christmas morning...

What did Santa bring?

A horse for Lexie! (She calls it a "yee haw!")

A guitar and karaoke mic! 

She's pretty excited about this one! 

Cars!

Feeding her new baby

We decided to go to Prague the day after Christmas, just like we did last year.  We really enjoyed the Christmas market, and we always enjoy visiting Prague.  It's so beautiful. 

We found a stand selling, fresh, hot made-to-order stroopwafels.  They're a thin, wafer-type cookie, with a syrup like layer holding the two wafers together.  They're amazing in a package from the store, so fresh hot ones are simply out of this world! YUM!!!

There was a small petting zoo at the Christmas market...Lexie sang "Baa Baa Black Sheep" the entire time we were there :)

Look at how excited Julia was to pet this horse! She was in heaven! 

Daddy and the girls...Aiden is not a fan of taking pictures lately :( 

This was dinner!

Loved all the ornaments 

I love this city!

Heading back to the hotel....they're pros at riding the Metro :)

One more... this picture is from the Christmas tree lighting ceremony on base at the beginning of December.  Julia is getting a gift from St. Nikolaus.  It was in the local German newspaper.  When Julia found out, she started jumping around and screaming "I'M FAMOUS! I'M FAMOUS! My picture was in the newspaper!" :)

Frostina

Tonight we made a snow-woman...she is taller than I am, and we named her Frostina.



We were out of carrots so her nose is half of a cucumber.  Her eyes are potatoes, and her mouth and buttons are rocks!


The kids had so much fun doing this! Then we made a GIANT snowball, and everyone wanted a picture of them sitting on it!
  

Random December pics

Aiden played the part of the spoon in his class nursery rhyme play.  His part was in "Hey Diddle Diddle"  He did a great job!



The girl next to him is the dish..."and the dish ran away with the spoon!"  That's MY spoon! :)


This might be the sweetest picture of her yet!



Saluting with Daddy as the flag is lowered for the day before the Christmas tree lighting ceremony on base.


This silliness...




Fun at the park near our house...




When Lexie plays on this, she yells "YEE HAW!"




My handsome man!


This is what happens at 5pm on days that Aiden doesn't nap...


Silly girls...


Sharing hot chocolate...



We've had a lot of snow...


and a lot of fun playing in it!






Chasing Mommy with a snowball!




Yep, he threw it at me!








Big boy, big snowball :)


I think this girl had more fun than the rest of us put together! She LOVES snow!


View from our street...one day I will miss this.



But perhaps our biggest news is that we adopted a two year old cat, whom we named Jack. He's a sweet boy!