Our Year in Review

Another year has come and gone and what do we have to show for it? Well, a couple thousand digital photos that will never see the printed page, let alone some fancy scrapbook. In lieu of such obvious things to do with our pictures I decided instead to post some here for the world, or the six of you that read this, to see. Enjoy!

Some highlights:

Spring:

In April, Claudia turned two and she was thrilled just like she is in every other picture we ever take of her.

May was Cinco de Mayo time and our little town puts on quite the party. Here the girls are rocking out. Claudia actually looks happy in this one. She really is a very happy little girl but for some reason the camera brings out here serious side.

Summer:

Here is Claudia both serious and not on her Great-Grandpa Dale's horse farm.

While they raise Arabian horses there he also dabbles in other animals just for fun. Here Emily is riding one of his miniature ponies. It is only slightly larger than our dog.
While Emily was riding the Mama the tiny little baby just followed along behind.

Here Emily is peeking through a whole in the barn trying to see the sheep. She was both incredibly excited by them and a tiny bit terrified that they'd come after her. They never did, although she eventually worked up the courage to try to touch them.

In July, Grandma Marilyn took Our family and Eric's sister's family to Kansas City for a long weekend. The girls were giddy in the car the entire way there and home. I have no idea what got in to them but I wish that I could bottle it. Lately we can't get across town without them complaining that the five minute ride is too long. I have to say though, I'll take 1000 crabby 5 minute rides across town for the joy of two four hour rides to another state.

The girls loved watching the fountain outside our hotel room, if not actually playing in it.

What they did love was the party room our hotel turned into with the addition of their four cousins... and Eric.

Also in July, RAGBRAI (The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Race Across Iowa, or something to that effect) came by our town. The girls loved watching all the bicycles going by... for about 20 minutes, then they'd had enough.

Luckily there were huge slices of watermelon to save the day.

Claudia and Daddy have a moment in the sunset at Aunt Lynn's house.

Autumn:
In September, Claudia was so thrilled to be at the ultrasound where we found out that we were having a boy that she fell asleep. Emily was so excited that she chose to go to a friend's house rather than come at all.

In October, Emily turned five and continued her love... um, obsession... with all things Curious George. I think that it goes without saying that I had no part in making this cake, unless you count picking up the phone to order it and writing the check to pay for it having a hand in making it.

Also in October, we took our annual death-defying ride atop a local fire truck in celebration of Fire Safety Week. It was freezing cold and as always, there were tree branches to hit the adults in the head at 30 miles and hour and daredevil kids hanging off the side.

Winter:
Here, in early December, the girls played for hours with a fleece blanket that we got last year as a gift at a grab bag Christmas party. Who needs a toy when you have a blanket?

And finally, earlier this month, the girls took a "Big Sister" class in anticipation of their brother's arrival. It is put on by the hospital where I will have my c-section and the girls learn such things as how to hold a baby and how to change a diaper. Even with their new-found skills I think I am unlikely to let either of the girls change many diapers, let alone do the babysitting that Emily is convinced that she is ready for.