Christmas Time

This year we had a nice and quiet holiday at home. We spent lots of time playing, relaxing, and Shaun worked more on the nursery!


This has been Hannah's favorite place to hide for the past month. Larkin's favorite thing to do is shout, "Hannah! Here kitty, kitty!" Hannah tries not to pay much attention. Poor kitty, between a huge dog, another cat, and a toddler she gets no peace and quiet. She is in for another surprise in February as well!

Fun With Packages!
Even though we were far from family and friends we still felt like you were close by. Thank you for all of the warm wishes, calls, and very thoughtful gifts!

Larkin had lots of fun taking her time and opening each package.


Thanks Aunt Tara and family for all the cool gifts!
Larkin loved her Mr. Potato Head Fella, Dog, and Cat.

So Stylish!

Larkin also got lots of adorable new outfits. Here is a cute outfit, complete with jeans skirt. Thanks Uncle Mark and Aunt Mary!

Another cute outfit!

Check out the new pants and shirt from Aunt Paula and Uncle Jeff!
Thanks for always getting me such comfy and stylish clothes.

A bike helmet! Thanks Charyn for getting me ready for that tricycle. I can't wait!

Loving all my Elmo stuff! A new backpack ...


and a new book! Thanks Aunt Tara and family and Grandma and Grandpa.

Larkin even got a talking vacuum to help her get ready for some chores.
Too bad it doesn't really work!


Check out my cool new bug ride! Might need that helmet sooner than Mommy and Daddy thought.

Holiday Fun!

Interesting how we always want each other's toys. Larkin loved Daddy's drums and Daddy couldn't put down the Mega Bloks!

Larkin's Jam Session on New Year's Eve!

We really know how to party!

A Visit From Family!

December was a great month. It brought us lots of visitors and even more fun! Aunt Mary and Uncle Mark the Great flew all the way from Vermont for a visit and Uncle Gary and Aunt Jackie from California came out to surprise them as well.

What a Nice Looking Family!

Here are Uncle Mark the Great, Shaun, Larkin, Aunt Mary, Aunt Jackie, and Uncle Gary.
All were here to spoil Larkin and she LOVED every minute of it!

Our trip to the Phoenix Zoo

By the end of the day Larkin zonked out on us.
Notice her over on the side just snoozing in her stroller!

Checking out the animals with Aunt Jackie and Aunt Mary.

Posing for a picture!


Larkin loved all the animals and trying to imitate them.


Check out where Larkin got her good looks!

Some Family Fun!

Playing with the choo-choo.

Just a typical day in Arizona. Always a great day to head to the park!


The family jamming to Band Hero. Larkin is great on the drums!


A whole new adventure with the Wii!
These fellas were very intense when it came to game time.


We also did LOTS of eating while everyone was here.
Check out those yummy cinnamon rolls!

Our Stylish Little One

Look at my beautiful shoes that Aunt Jackie made.
They sparkle!


Still loving this hat!

Fun at the Science Center

How high can we climb?

A bed of nails is actually pretty comfortable!

The calmer one controlled the ball on the table with their thoughts.
Can you guess who was calmer?

It's Sports Time!

Lunchtime at Chase Stadium where the Diamondbacks play.

Larkin and Aunt Mary enjoying Larkin's first NBA game.
Unfortunately for Aunt Mary the Suns beat the Spurs. Still we had a great time!

It Is Already December

Doug's Visit to Phoenix
December is bringing us lots of company! Our good friend, Doug, came for a visit at the beginning of December. We think he also brought the cold with him. While he was here we had a great time just hanging out, watching football, and even taking in a few sites. As engineers of course the main site Shaun and Doug wanted to visit was the home of Frank Lloyd Wright (Taliesin West). This was also Larkin's first guided museum tour. Overall, she held up pretty well.

Here we are are at Taliesin West just beginning our tour.

Here is the cabaret where Wright would show movies and entertain. It was a hexagonal room that was partly underground, and if you ever took acoustics class (you engineers) you would have been quite impressed with this room. In fact I think all of us were impressed at how well we could hear in there.

The end of our tour. It sure wore some of us out!


After a day of adult site seeing, Larkin wanted to see some of her own favorite sites. Here she is leading Doug to the park and getting ready for another thrilling time at the slippery slide!

Thanksgiving Day
This year we spent Thanksgiving in Arizona. We had a great day of eating, playing, and decorating the Christmas tree.

Larkin eating some of Daddy's DELICIOUS cinnamon rolls

Admiring the tree after all the ornaments had been put on

Getting ready to watch the "choo-choo" go around

Time to Start the New Nursery

We have also been busy getting ready for baby boy. In November we got all of our furniture ordered, found bedding and curtains, and decided how to decorate the nursery. Shaun has been busy working away with a little help from Larkin!

Cheering Daddy on

Getting ready to paint


It Finally Got a Little Cooler!

It took until about November, but things have finally started to cool off in Arizona. Larkin was all excited to get to pull out her "winter" hat and hit the park.

Larkin's favorite hat.
We have found that she will wear this hat EVERYWHERE, even when it is not cold outside. She wears it with just a diaper, with just shoes, at the dinner table, even during daycare. One day I went in to pick her up from daycare and there were about 10 kids just sitting at the tables all eating their snacks. Then there was Larkin, snacking away with her winter hat plopped on the top of her head. She is a bit of a character!

Playing at the park


Hailey's thought is "Anything you can do, I can do better!"
Actually Hailey has come out of her shell a bit since Larkin has been around. She is finally finding that inner dog and not being quite as much of a scaredy cat.

Halloween Fun

Happy Halloween

This year Larkin had lots of fun dressing up for Halloween. At daycare they had a parade and then she also got to go trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. She made an adorable little ladybug!

Our first real trick-or-treating

Checking out the pumpkins

Trying on my costume

Helping Daddy carve our pumpkin