Alex's Birthday and Christmas

Alex's Birthday and Christmas happened as we were in the midst of moving.  I had started packing as much as I could before Christmas.  As Alex opened his birthday presents, they went from his hand to a packing box.  Same thing with the Christmas presents, they were opened and packed in moving boxes simultaneously.  It was a very different kind of Christmas. Our tree was up the day after Thanksgiving, which just happened to be the same day we accepted the offer on our house.  That put things on the fast track to move, since our house was sold, but we had no house to move into.  The day after Thanksgiving we viewed 10 houses and then again that Sunday, we viewed 10 more houses.  We had gone to several open houses during September and October.  The first open house we went to was on Labor Day weekend.  It was an amazing house, but I didn't get too excited because it was priced about $20,000 above our limit.  Turns out, after a few months and several price decreases, the house ended up well below our $250,000 limit and we were able to buy it!  LOVE THE HOUSE! It is on a lot and a half, has three bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, living room, family room, dining room, awesome deck and patio and a sweet backyard with no backyard neighbors besides the high school, which is far enough back and the fire station, which has turned out to be a great neighbor.  We have a fireplace, an attached garage, which has quickly become a favorite part of the house.  We have a sidewalk on our side of the street, most of the city does not have sidewalks at all.

Our kids have continued to attend Mary Queen of Saints and we've continued to attend Holy Assumption since Caryn will be receiving her first communion in a few weeks.  I've been hanging in West Allis a lot since I go straight to the gym after dropping everyone off at school.  I stay there a few hours and then run errands to Target, Menards, Sams Club, Pick n Save, etc. till Benjamin is done at 11:30.  Then it's off to home for lunch and back to pick the kids up after school.

It has been an eventful first few months of 2012.  Here's a few pics from Alex's Birthday and Christmas, we'll have to steal pics from Claire's iPhone for the first months of the new year, since the camera looks to be empty.

Alex's 6th Birthday

Our last Christmas in West Allis...dressed up for the Christmas Concert

Caryn had one front tooth missing till Christmas Eve...Hailey too.

Christmas Morning

Caryn lost her second front tooth Christmas Eve

The Brefka grandkids

Benjamin had a great time opening presents

Elizabeth got a Hippo and did not want to share, turns out everyone got a chance to get their picture taken with it.  Aunt Melissa

Uncle Walt, Melissa and Grandma B

Grandpa B

Uncle Steve

"Moves Like Rodgers" seemed to be the Christmas gift to get this year.

Easter will come sooner than 6 months...promise.  Just didn't have our camera, so we'll have to steal from others.

Halloween in April

 Considering I haven't checked this blog for awhile, thought it time to catch up.  The one reader we have that is interested in our lives and "goings on" pestered me enough to realize that I haven't updated any of our blog since school started.  So here's a few pics from Halloween??

Ben was very into Captain Hook at Halloween time so he carved a pattern of Captain Hook and dressed up like him.  We had gotten the hook in Disney World and found a cheap pirate costume online.

                                      

Alex was a pirate too.  He was more into "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" too.  But he wanted to be Jake.

It was chilly and rainy when we carved pumpkins, thus we did it on the porch.

Auntie Jenny brought her pumpkin over to show us and we all got in the picture.

Two Pirates, Supergirl and a Kitty.  (Cousin Hailey playing the part of Elizabeth)

Grandma and Grandpa R with all the grandkids. 

Here's our clan...Elizabeth was bacon!!

We've had quite the last few months.  We put our house on the market since the interest rates were so low and we wanted to move out of West Allis since we had no ties to it anymore after G-ma and G-pa moved to Grafton.  So, right around Halloween, we had someone interested in our house.  Not long afterward, we had an offer.  Moving over the holidays was quite an adventure.

School Days

Can't believe the kids have been in school long enough to get progress reports already.  Everyone is doing fine. Benjamin loves going to school and has been talking a bit more everyday.  He has been screened for speech and will start receiving speech once a week in November.  The speech therapist was concerned about his hearing and he had it tested this week as well.  He well get it retested soon as he didn't "pass" the initial hearing test.  Could be part of his speech problem; he doesn't speak the beginning sounds of words and maybe he doesn't hear them.

Alex and Benjamin headed to the Pumpkin Farm last week. Just a few quick fall pictures as we have had some awesome weather in October.

Alex rode the ponies, Benjamin would not get close

Holding a little chick was fun, again Ben stayed back

The closest I'm coming to an animal

Benjamin-3

Caryn-7

Elizabeth-10

Alex-5

1st Day of School

The first day of school was yesterday.  It was an exciting day.  Benjamin was excited to go.  Daddy was sad to see him go, but since he was having fun playing it was time to sneak out without tears.  He was fine and ready to learn.

Benjamin is all set for the first day.

Elizabeth is ready for 5th Grade

Caryn on her way to 2nd Grade

(Have no idea why I can't flip it?) Alex was being silly on the first day.

In front of the roses ready to go.

Disney 2011

We had an awesome time visiting Disney World with Grandma and Grandpa this year. Benjamin loved meeting all the characters especially Mickey Mouse. He didn't like Pluto for some reason though. Alex especially loved the yo-yo staircases and Elizabeth and Caryn like the rides.

Goofy boys on the Mickey Bus

Alex's prized Gold doubloons from "Jake and the Neverland Pirates."

Alex waited a long time for Perry.

Mommy and Caryn waited an hour to see Ariel, got within 4 people, then it stormed. Went back two days later not to be turned away. Waited an hour again!

Benjamin with his hook on the red yo-yo.

The boys at the bottom of the Big Red Yo-Yo

These 3D glasses always make for a good family picture.

The girls striking a pose in Downtown Disney.

Waiting in line for the Nemo Show at Animal Kingdom.

We all got soaked on the Kali Rapid River Ride.

Caryn was real wet.

This cool web and huge pine cone were at a rest stop as we entered Florida.

The Mad Tea Party was a blast for Caryn and Elizabeth.

Tiana was so personable.

Caryn was in awe of each of the princesses. Tinkerbell was in Epcot on our last day.

Mickey Pirate Grandma

Group shot before leaving Pop Century.

The girls were investigators with Kim Possible at Epcot. They actually had to TALK to this cast member to get their next clue.

We saw Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald at Epcot's Character Spot on our first day.

The Pirates of the Carribean Ride led us to meeting a real pirate.

Benjamin's favorite purchase: Hook.
Alex's favorite purchase: Telescope.
Caryn's favorite purchase: Princess camera
(Not sure why the boys are holding each others)

Alex would have eaten a banana, and raisin bran for every meal if it was an option.

"Look Mom, there's really red play-doh in there!"

Snow White in the Magic Kingdom, we were first to see her.

Splash Mountain, Elizabeth and Caryn in front, Daddy and Mommy in row 2.

Another awing experience.

What a fun trip, but we're not going back for a while...
Daddy says 10 years, what does Mommy say about that??