Quote of the Night...

Tonight was pizza night in our household and Doug brought home a COKE for Addie in an old fashioned glass bottle. She was very excited about this grocery store purchase, because finding soda pop in our house is like trying to find a warm day in January... it just ain't gonna happen! As she's slurpin' the last drops of her tasty treat through a straw, we hear her say, "Ahh! This is gooood beer. I need some more beer please." You all now know what her mommy and daddy's favorite beverage in a glass bottle is on pizza night!

Brookside Birthday Club...

If you ask Addie what her official title is in the Reusser household kitchen, she will tell you, "Sprinkle Girl." She is in charge of sprinkling our various culinary creations whether it be salt, pepper, garlic salt or the ever favorite rainbow sprinkles. Sunday... continuing into Monday, Addie and I made and decorated 40+ cupcakes to share with our friends at the Brookside Community After-School Program. Not only did we enjoy celebrating the January birthdays, but it's a great feeling doing community service as a family. My wish and prayer is for my beautiful daughter to grow up with a servant's heart.

Creative Cuisine...

Wednesday evenings are very hectic for this lady... after working from 7am-3pm I get my butt kicked at Pilates for an hour and then we head to Addie's gymnastics class. By the time I make it through 5:00 I-69 traffic and park my ever stylish mom-mobile in the garage, I have no energy or even any desire to make dinner. (Trumpets sounding) In walks husband and dad of the year! Doug is so great about having dinner ready for us when we come in the door on Wednesday evenings. Last Wednesday, he made Addie "squid-dogs" an idea he grabbed from the latest issue of FAMILY magazine. I LOVE THIS MAN O'MINE!

Horsin' Around...

We are still taking the plastic wrapping off many of our Christmas toys that Addie received as gifts. I have a couple stashed away in the playroom closet for those nights of extreme cabin fever! In my opinion, January and February are the WORST months of the year in Indiana! One word can sum them up... BLAHHHHH! Last night Addie and I set up puzzle city and completed 3 different puzzles including this new giant floor puzzle... yea hah!

FedEx Special Delivery...

My Auntie GiGi sent this special princess care package in the mail today... Oh, la, la! Of course, everything in our household came to a screeching hold until the do-it-yourself princess wand was painted, glittered and bedazzled! Merci Mademoiselle!

A Saturday Morning Outting...

It's a jolly holiday on the merry-go-round!
The rare breed of Cheese-asaurus

DJ, Hair Stylist, Private Eye, Fashion Designer and Receptionist... it's hard work keeping up with Barbie. Don't know if you've heard of her, but she's kind of a big deal!

No Clownin' Around...

Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I fear clowns just about as much as anything on this earth. Creating this post was a no brainer though as it is shared with all of you out of pure pride and adoration for what my daughter did today at daycare with Miss Kathy. Addie wrote her name... ALL BY HERSELF! Kathy told her what letters to write and this is what she accomplished! We are just a few weeks shy of 3 1/2 and I just can't believe she's writing her name for crying out loud!

Children's Museum...

We enjoyed all of the fun of the Jolly Holiday Exhibit...

Come on Barbie, Let's Go Party!

I do believe, mom was just as excited as I was about this exhibit!

We spent the morning enjoying all of the adventures that the Children's Museum offers. We dug for dinosaur bones, rode the carousel, played make believe and used our imaginations! This is the holiday gift from our families that we have really looked forward to receiving... thanks for the yearly membership! We have so much fun as a family each time we visit.

Ringin' In The New Year...

Charlie's Angels Snuggle Bugs
The A Team - Angie, Alison, Amy, Alli and Amber

Round One of Bean Boozeled... The Guys vs. Vomit

Round Two of Bean Boozeled... The Gals vs. Ear Wax

In the wonderful, inquisitive mind of a 3 year old, Addie wanted to know who's birthday it was as we continued to talk and make plans for the New Year. We assume she associates any party with a birthday, so Doug told her it was the calendar's birthday. She was beside herself in the days leading up to the New Year's party in anticipation of all of the fun we were sure to have with her best buddies! We rang in the New Year with some of our best friends. The Warners hosted a fun night for all of us... nothing says fun like a slumber party!

Miss Monet...

Addie L-O-V-E-S to do artwork! Honestly, I don't know why we ever purchase toys, because she spends hour, upon hour painting, coloring and creating. Over winter break we made a lot of new masterpieces. Here she is displaying her window painting talents. I had mentioned to her that it was too cold to visit the zoo, so we drew a zoo on the window.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Addie asks to be outside, regardless of the weather. She likes to be a biggie helper in the yard.
The snow didn't quite make it for Christmas this year, but boy has it been snowing since!

Christmas Morning...

If you have young kids, and are not familiar with The Elf on the Shelf Christmas book... stop what you are doing right now, go buy the book, and begin planning your strategy for the next holiday season! This book + tiny (and might I mention creepishly ugly) elf doll was our ticket to getting our daughter to do anything to be on the "Nice List" in the last days leading up to Santa's big arrival. All you have to do is read the book, name the doll, and then move him all over the house so he can report good and bad behavior to the Man in Red. We named our elf, Willy, after both of my grandfathers who loved celebrating Christmas with their families, especially with their grand kids. They both would have gotten a kick out of this little holiday prank!

Addie was on the good list!

Her big surprise Christmas morning was a complete set of Disney Barbie Dolls. Our living room has officially become a Barbie Doll colony!

Looky, looky at what I got guys!

Oh my goodness what is all of this good stuff in here!

This here stocking is chalk full of candy... and it's all mine mom! Stay away!

Reusser Christmas...

Well, it was the Christmas Eve of everything Tinkerbell for Addie & Bria... dolls, costumes, movies, hair accessories, cosmetic bags! Addie always has so much fun with her cousins and this family celebration with the Reussers and the Shavers was no exception!

NVCL Christmas Eve Services...

We drove back late at night from TH to make sure we were able to attend the church services on Christmas Eve. We have really enjoyed the series the past couple of weeks that led up to the evening service. The church lobby had a live nativity scene, including the live stock. Each family decorated a gift box for the children to present to the baby Jesus. Inside was our Christmas offering for the holiday season. Of the five organizations presented throughout the holiday series, Thinking Outside the Box, we chose to support the Nicaragua Resource Network. Gifts were made in the names of our parents.

5th Grade Pajama Day - 2009

In addition to thinking outside of the box this year, I'd like the thank the kiddos in the above picture for supporting NRN schools this holiday season. In lieu of teacher gifts this year we sent 4 boxes of school supplies and educational materials to 2 different schools in Nicaragua.

Newton Christmas...

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
Sittin' pretty in my playroom at Nana & Grampy's

Addie and I spent a good portion of the week of Christmas back home. Grampy bought Addie a new horse, Champion, that she is over the moon in love with! My friend Lisa hosted a fun evening for all of my high school girlfriends to get together with our little ones... 11 kids all under age 5, can you say "ZOO"! Doug finished up business at home and joined us for the annual Newton Family Dirty Santa Gift Exchange that is always filled with so much love, laughter and yummy food!

Ride'em Cowgirl!