Top 11 of 2011

The year 2011 was filled with joy, love, a bit of frustration, lots of travel and a little bit of change.  We wanted to reflect on the top 11 of 2011 (in no particular order)

1.  Family time- lots of walks and time hanging out around the house, watching our children grow and develop

2.  Northridge Church- we finely have gotten back in to the routine of going to church and being active in a church.  We are on a journey of faith and being active in a church is helping us grow individually and as a family

3.  Trip to Indiana for the wedding of Bill's oldest son Marcus to Lindsey- so much fun and wonderful time with family

4.  Trip to Indiana for the wedding of Bill's daughter Alexandra to Scott- a quick trip but wonderful and again a blessing to be with loved ones- details here and here

5.  Sky top Orchard- check it out here- a place we will return to in the future

6.  Annual July visit for Grammie la la and Grandpa- thanks for watching the kids and for bringing their cousin Daniela along-my mom captured some great pics posted on her blog here and here

7.  My trip to Florida with my friend Val - taking a refresher course for my boards but lots of fun mixed in with class and study time= I passed with flying colors- thank God another 6 years of practicing medicine-you can see the pics here and here and here

8.  Healthy -no one had surgery this year and overall we have all been in good health-this is priceless

9.  My trip to Maine to visit the Samoluk's and met Henry for the first time- such a sweet trip and again a blessing to see people I love.

10.  Trip to Michigan for my friend Pam and Jason's wedding and a family get together.  Getting to spend time with my sister Audra and meeting Rowyn!  And visiting with my friend Megan and meeting her new little one. 

11.  Financial challenges and reprioritizing, refiguring the budget and feeling very rich with all our nonmaterial blessings!

Be Filled With Joy

Finally this print is matted, framed and hanging in Sydney's room.  I purchased the print at least a year ago if not more and I could not seem to settle on a frame.  I love the bright colors and of course the message and I pray my daughter is always filled with JOY.

Christmas part 2 videos

Christmas Morning part 1

Griffin was so excited that Santa brought him a John Deere big scoop, it is big enough for him to sit in as you can see...

Bill was touched by a collage of pictures that I had made for him of the kids and I

Sydney opening presents

Griffin carrying cars around from lala and grandpa Korte

scrapbook kit

opening tractor and trailer

scooter from Santa

Me with some stocking treats from my sweetie

Sydney with doodle pro from lala and grandpa Korte

riding scooter

he knows how to work it already

videos to come.....

Christmas Eve

Our family tradition for Christmas eve is to have appetizers and snackie food- this was always the Korte family tradition and we are happy to keep it going.  We had bang bang shrimp, baked brie and crackers and spinach dip and veggies!  Our neighbor Lynn come over to visit and share a snack. We also had some delicious rolo cookies- I will share the recipe and pictures later.

I wanted to take a few pictures before going to church for the candlelight service.

Griffin is such a handsome little man and he loves church!

Sydney was so excited to wear a fancy dress, a hand me down from my office manager and friend's daughter Emily- so pretty.

they really do love each other

the service was wonderful but there was no nursery so Griffin was a bit of a distraction and Bill took him out at the end but they came back in just in time to see the sanctuary lit by candles and it was beautiful. 

We are so thankful for the best gift ever- Christ and His love.

Christmas House Tour

Several people in blog land are posting some of their Christmas decorations around their house, such as Lindsey at Pleated Poppy and the Nester so I decided to do the same.

Merry Christmas!

What do you want for Christmas Griffin?

When Griffin's teacher asked him what he wanted for Christmas he replied "golf cart"!  This cracks me up so I had to take a picture of the poster.  We were just at my dad's in Georgia and he loved riding golf carts.  Sorry a customized cart is not in the budget so we will have to borrow one from our course every once in a while.  Too funny.  

Christmas Past

My sister inspired me to look back at pictures from previous Christmas'.
Sydney 2006, about 1 month old

we played the Holy Family in our church program and Sydney was baby Jesus

2007

I forgot how chunky Sydney was-look at that chin!

2008

This picture was taken at my Aunt Patty and Uncle Mike's house and you can tell their tree is very tall!

opening presents at my parents

so excited about her doll house and accessories

playing in the snow in my favorite jacket and matching hat, and scarf that Grammie made (she had mittens but kept taking them off to feel the snow)

2009

surrounded by his presents

Sydney digging deep in her stocking

sad to say I cannot find Christmas 2010 pictures but here is the post I blogged last year- I know I took them but we may have lost them when our computer died.
I love seeing how the kids change year to year

I vow to not wear my same red pjs although I am wearing them as I type this post and I also won't take pictures of me with the kids wearing my gray sweater- so funny I migrate to the same outfit

Georgia trip

We arrived in Georgia on Friday about 5:30 pm after 11 hours of travel, 6.5 of which were in the state of Georgia.  We were less than 30 minutes from both Florida and Alabama.

The weather was great when we got there, hot actually at 75. 
Sydney loves the moss hanging from the trees

the kids ran around Saturday collecting moss, asking Bill and I to pick them up so they could pull it from the trees and make nests out of it

thankfully it did not have a bunch of bugs in it this time of year

Sydney with little man- my dad's dog- Syd was in Heaven

Sydney with my dad and of course little man riding golf carts

My dad and uncle have a golf cart business where they ship parts all over the world actually and they customize carts

We spent lots of time outside Saturday to try to let the kids run off some energy and we rode golf carts around the area- Griffin kept asking my dad for the keys- so sweet

Syd holding little bit- little man's brother

he was so cute in his sweater

popcorn party

pecan trees

we passed field after field of pecan trees- so pretty

the rows were so straight

cotton filed and bale- Bill picked a plant for each of the kids

sorry blurry- he was so happy to hold his own cotton plant

Syd with her plant- she talked for miles about how they clean the cotton and then turn it into various products

All in all it was a good drive-long but the roads were clear, we only ALMOST ran out of gas once- of course in Georgia.  The gas light was on and kept beeping to remind us, as if we needed a reminder.  I was praying that we would see a station and not have to walk with two small kids.  We finally found a place, just in time and vowed if ever in Georgia again to fill up when the tank got to 1/2 empty because you can drive for miles and miles and all you see if cotton, pecan trees and plantations.