Happy New Year!!

We have been so blessed this year and are looking forward to all that's in store in 2014.  May all our family and friends have a wonderful and blessed new year!

Happy New Year from our little man and little princess :)!!

Christmas 2013

I'm finding it so hard to believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve!  We are not traveling to NE this year, so we are having our very first Christmas in Texas in our own home and trying to figure out what traditions we'd like to have in our little family of four.  While I'm definitely sad to not be "home" for the holidays, I am happy to be starting our own family traditions (and happy to not spend 14+ hours in the car wih an infant who needs to eat every few hours!). 

Here's a little look at the Halvorsen family traditions we're starting this first Christmas in Texas:
Christmas Eve--Church at 4 (when our kids are older I'm hoping Christmas Eve day will involve volunteering of some sort) followed by dinner of soup.  Open one package (new jammies!) and watch a movie together (this year we're trying Polar Express).
Christmas--Open gifts from family and Santa in the morning.  We are going to follow this gift giving theme: one thing you want, one thing you need, one thing to wear and one thing to read.  This is my attempt to keep gifts in check :).  Then, one thing from Santa and stockings, of course :).  After that we'll hang out and spend time with Justin's family.

Of course, our traditions may change some throughout the years if we are traveling, or as we think of/find new things and as Brie and Caleb get older.  But, for now it has been fun to talk about what we did growing up and blend those things and new things into our own family traditions.  For this year, I'm really looking forward to seeing the magic of Christmas through Brie's eyes.

And, to make this post complete with a picture--here's Brie and daddy visiting the Santa at Justin's work party last Friday morning.  She was really excited to see Santa...until it was time to see Santa, then she wasn't so sure :).
And, if you want a smile, go watch this video of Caleb chatting it up with mommy :).

Thankful

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to you all!  We've been really busy  in this month of November, enjoying an extended visit from Nana and then a visit from Papa and Aunt "Do-do" as well.  We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving feast prepared by my mom (and a tiny bit by me) with our good friends Eric, Laura and Katie.  Brie and Katie had the BEST time playing together--they are just too cute!

 Ready for Turkey Dinner!  Brie & Katie sat by themselves at Brie's little table.  They thought they were hot stuff :).

And after getting their fill of turkey, they worked hard to destroy Brie's nice, clean room :).

Caleb turned 8 weeks old on Thanksgiving--I can hardly believe my little man is already 8 weeks old!  He's growing and changing each day--so fun to watch!

I am so thankful we were able to enjoy having my mom here for two weeks before my dad and sister arrived for the week of Thanksgiving.  She was able to spend lots of time cuddling Caleb and playing with Brie.  We packed lots of fun things into those two weeks including family portraits, two trips to the outlet mall, visiting Santa, a trip to the zoo, and lots of trips to the park and bike rides around the block!  I'm so blessed to have a wonderful mom who was so eager and willing to come spend time with us and help me adjust to life with two kiddos.

 I love, love, love this :)

 Even monkey visited Santa :)

 Train ride after visiting Santa

 Nana loves these two so much!

 Love this face!

 Family of four--wow!

Me and mom :)

After our two weeks with nana, papa and aunt Re arrived.  The weather turned very cold for down here, with a couple of days in the 30s, so we weren't able to get out and do much, but we enjoyed reading, playing play-doh, watching Frosty the Snowman, Skype-ing with Uncle Justin, Aunt Kat, Ella & Olivia, and just hanging out.  Brie also transitioned to her "big-girl" bed and she's done great with it so far!  

We have much to be thankful for this year!  Our families; our health; our beautiful, vibrant, full-of-sass Brie; our adorable, cuddly, changing every day Caleb; and our friends and church community to name a few.  We have been richly blessed this year!!

 Three generations of Husker fans :)

 Smiles for auntie Re on her birthday

Big Girl Bed!