Happy Valentine's Day

Lee and I went to a Valentine's dinner at the Ambassadors residence. We rarely get our picture taken together, so here you go!

The kids decorated V-day cupcakes for their friends. Kinley loves to decorate with these eyes, lips, mustaches and teeth that Nana sent!

And I gave Turner a cup of sprinkles. He knew exactly what to do! I guess he has been watching his sister carefully!

The morning of Valentine's Day, they woke up to lots of presents from Nana, Bapa, Mimi and Pops!

Happy New Year 2014

Happy New Year 2014

Our New Year's Eve was filled with sparklers and shakes! Almost everything was closed, but luckily Quattro D (an awesome ice cream place) was open. So we got milkshakes to go and then headed home to do some sparklers.

Kinley loved it, although she was a little scared of the sparklers when she was holding them. Turner was fast asleep, which was a blessing. He LOVES fire and would have burned himself for sure!

Christmastime in Paraguay

Christmas in Paraguay

This was our first Christmas away from the US. For me, thats a hard enough situation to deal with on its own. Throw in there that it was over 100 degrees in December, and I can say that it was very strange. We actually had a great time just being with our little family, but it was so strange to walk around the stores hearing Christmas music while we were sweating from the heat!

We still tried to do all of the Christmas-time activities.

 Maria gave the kids another bunny! This time they named it Blankie. 

And the embassy had a Christmas party, complete with Santa, and what EVERY normal Christmas party has... a water slide!

This was our first year to introduce the Elf on the Shelf. We hoped it would help Kinley behave a little better... it didnt! But it was still fun and she LOVED it. She immediately named him "Cookie".

We also started a new tradition of a Christmas book advent. Instead of candy or presents, we wrapped Christmas books, put letters on them, and every day Kinley got to pick a letter out of the calendar and find the corresponding letter on a book! I think it's a keeper.

We had fun decorating the tree.

Kinley kissing baby Jesus from her new Fisher Price nativity

Family stockings

 Christmas pics of the kids in their Paraguayan clothes.

We had a fun Christmas Eve with friends. Had a wonderful dinner, followed by fireworks.

Faces of excitement

Trying to be sweet, she is chocking him!

Then it was home to get ready for Santa Claus!

And, its FINALLY here!!!! Merry Christmas.

And what does everyone do after opening presents? They go swimming!

Merry Christmas 2013