2014 in Review

Retirements, 4th Birthday, Cousins, Sisters, T-Bones Game, 5th Wedding Anniversary.

Reunions, Summertime with Grandparents, Brazells, Royals, Football, Waterparks

First Vikes Game, Bennet, Bucket Head, More T-Bones, oops, used the Grandpa pic again...

Royals go to the World Series, Cousins, Cousins, MORE T-Bones, Pet Blessings and someone learned how to ride his BIKE!

Our Crazy New Years Eve

We did a NYE party with my mom's group.  Start time 4:30pm End time 8ish.  Off the road and home with the kids before all the psychos hit the road.  My perfect party

Sarah and Phil have FOUR boys.  They turned their unfinished basement into a boy's paradise.  And yes, those are pool noodles and yes, Sarah cut them by hand (yikes!)

It was so great for the kids to go have a place to play and I'm loving Charlie having friend's to play with outside of school.  He's been slow to warm up to the church boys, but it gets better and better the more time we spend together.

AND they have a playroom upstairs.  

They had a New Years countdown on Netflix so we put that on for the kids about 7.  They destroyed the house with confetti and poppers (Sarah is WAY more laid back than I am)

My priest with her little sweetheart Caroline.  I wish I took pictures of the set up.  Sarah and Phil went ALL out, it was all pinteresty and adorable.

Romesh is in Town!

Matt's friend from South Africa came in town so we hauled all the kids down to Crown Center.  

Crown Center isn't exactly the place to bring your kids for free entertainment, but I found it.  We went to the Kaleidoscope Center which is this free place to bring kids that Hallmark runs.  It's filled with all their scrap paper and supplies, plus little caves with noisy buttons and such.  Pretty mind numbing as a parent, but it kept the kids amused.

I could just eat Romesh's kids up with a spoon.  I adored all three of them and was ready to steal them away when it was time to leave - Charlie obviously liked Hallie the best :)

We ate at an overpiced streetcar restaurant and Charlie ate an entire adult hamburger.  It was impressive

King Christmas 2014

Solon Bound!

The next generation

Caroline, Austin, Lauren, Gavin, Amber, Ali & Elise

We played bingo and did our gift exchange and.....

The BIG cousins headed into the town to check out the new fancy schmancy restaurant in Solon.  Me, Matt, Jaime, Greg, Travis, Mal, Lea, Andy & Melinda

Their beer wasn't bad, but they had a cider that was to die for

dorks

Jack, Caroline, Ali & Lauren

Whoever says Iowa is boring and ugly needs to keep thinking that, you aren't invited anyway.  Gorgeous

Dick took the kids to the spillway to burn some energy and go for a swim hike

Charlie holding everyone up

Grandpa Dick and Kennedy

Trying to stay out of the water

Down goes Jack

Austin & Gavin

Hot tub time! I was all excited for Charlie to get in but I think he thought I was putting him into a boiling pot of water.  I got his suit on but he FREAKED out, so no go for Charlie

Eric is our usual go to guy to get in with the kids, but he had left early so I stood out there with them

Charlie 6pm Sunday night, I think he had a good time