Falling into the New Year

Ok, lets see if I can blitz through the end of 2011 so we can start focusing on 2012...and hopefully keep up with it.

Whew...here we go.

First up:  The Halloween Boo-Fallow Fun Run in Buffalo.  Melissa Rita and I tore it up. 

Meow

 Look at that flashy speedy little devil

If I remember correctly Rita grabbed that kid, threw him to the ground then crossed the finish line ahead of him...ha,ha,ha

And then the walker...slow and steady in my world

So after this race I literally stopped running...for 2 months.  A person my age shouldn't do that.  Bad things happen...but I'm back on the running/walking wagon in 2012...yip-yip-yipee.

Fast forward to Christmas...

My best friend and her husband had twins on 11.11.11 and they graciously let me come to DC for two weeks to play sister wife and help with the babies and play with their awesome 2-year-old David.  It was so fun to spend the holidays with kids (and Mer and Dan aren't too shabby themselves).

We loaded up the kids and adults and went to the mall to see Santa.  Now, just because a vehicle says it sits 7, does NOT mean three of those 7 can be in car seats.  Mer had to climb into the tiny little cubby of the Acura through the trunk space and sat there squished for the duration of the trip.  Way to take one for your best friend...I fully enjoyed the protection of a seat belt and leg room in the front.

David was in love with the falling snow in Santa's mall house

I took an illegal pic of the Jensens ALL sitting on Santa's lap.  

An early family Christmas gift arrived and of course David found the bubble wrap 150 times more exciting than the picture it wrapped.

He rolled around...an stomped...

And really put his whole head into popping that stuff.  

Mer's a big spender and bought her husband a gift card to 5 Guys Burgers...I was excited to see that they serve only THE BEST potatoes in the world...straight from home.

As the third wheel I was able to go to the friends and family Christmas party.  I was in charge of taking pictures of David...here's the first gift of the season he opened

He was a pretty careful opener

And then sat there quietly while everyone else opened their bear...that shoots balls out of its mouth.  Sweet!

Here's Mer and sweet baby Emily

David figuring out the ball blowing bear (well that sounds dirty doesn't it)

Still figuring it out

Yep, he's aiming it at me

Christmas morning at the Jensen's house.  Santa meticulously wraps ALL of the gifts.  Santa even meticulously wrapped the presents I brought...you could say Santa is a little OCD when it comes to gift wrapping.

David is obsessed with trains.  So of course being the aunt that bakes and likes to give gifts that cater to one's obsessions I brought David a train cake pan.  He thought that was the coolest.

Also being the aunt who really wants a little boy who is obsessed with dinosaurs, I made him a super sweet dinosaur jacket.  He opened it up, looked at it and in the sweetest little voice said,

"Ummmmm.  No thanks.  I want another present."

Dave, Merianne and I all burst out laughing and David went right on opening all of the other train themed gifts.  Later that afternoon the three of us forced him to put the jacket on.  Once we actually wrestled him into it, he kind of liked it.  You have to admit, he is ADORABLE with spines on his back.

And there are few things cuter than a little boy and his favorite toy and blanket.  Love it.

Artsy dino :D

For New Years I drove a Yarus (worst rental car EVER) to Scranton PA to spend the new year with Topher and Jillian.  On the way I stopped at Gettysburg.  It was amazing.

I love Abraham Lincoln....love him.

I had no idea there were gigantic boulders in the middle of PA.  This is where Confederate snipers hid out and took out Union soldiers.  It was a pretty amazing scene. 

Rocks on rocks

This is taken from the hill across from the boulders, where the Union stood their ground to the Confederates.

The Minnesota monument...I had no idea Minnesota was even involved in the Civil War. 

 

For my birthday I set the goal to do 36 acts of kindness.  This was the first one.

We filled all of the washers and dryers with quarters.  I don't think we quite reached 36, but we came really, really close.  We literally ran around the city looking for good deeds to do.  It was super fun and I'll definitely plan better and reach 37 good deeds on my next birthday.

One of the Scranton holiday treats is a street they block of so one of the crazy neighbors can decorate the entire road with various Christmas scenes.  This one was my favorite.  The elves doing surgery on Santa.

The live ducks were also a treat at the nativity.

Here's the three of us...you can tell we partied really hard and rang in the new year with lots of excitement.  Topher can barely keep his eyes open.

I totally didn't take as many pics of the babies as I anticipated.  Who knew those little critters could be so time consuming.  Jeepers.  The feeding, diapering, and burping just never stopped.  But I did get this candid shot of Thomas getting a bath...I love the "oh no you didn't" look on his face.

Here's baby girl Emily...gearing up to scream.  She's a girl after my own heart that one. 

I have more pictures of the babies...I'll post them later.

I had a fantastic time with Mer and her little tribe.  It was a great way to finish out 2011.  Now, on to 2012.