Well, better late than never! I am doing my monthly post! We have been snowed in for 2 straight days now - Rod could finally get out with 4-wheel drive once the maintainer went by after lunch. The rest of us are stuck in here and going a little stir crazy. So I took a little time for myself to get some pictures of the last month up. Like many we had to change our Christmas plans thanks to Mother Nature. But also like many, there were things about the forced quiet we enjoyed. As some friends and I decided, maybe it was God's way of saying "slow down and remember what this season is for."

Modeling their new comforter.

Just because she's so cute!!

Loren & her friend Bailey at their Christmas program.

Brooke with Santa at her preschool Christmas party.

The kids modeling their "letters" in their lockers. (notice the Evan fingerprint on the camera lens!)

Painting pictures for the Grandmas!

Evan loved this and painted about 25 minutes longer than his sisters!

Loren making the famous Hoelscher sugar cookies for the school party.

On the 23rd Uncle Ryan & Aunt Elizabeth brought their presents over. This is always very exciting for the kids!! You'll see why in a second!

Brooke with her new Karaoke machine.

Paige with her DS

Evan with his combine - he immediately noticed "it has a combine head and auger!"

Loren got an iPod nano - which Mom borrows regularly since I don't have an iPod!

The future looks a little scary - notice the song?

Evan with his ornament for the year.

All of the girls had made us ornaments at school. We were so proud because they were all so excited to give them to us they forgot to even ask for their presents until after we ate. Here are the 2 Loren made us.

Brooke with hers - which was a "victim" of her little brother running laps around the tree for the last few weeks.

Paige with hers. Just loved them all this year!!

Somehow, the only picture we got taken Christmas Eve of the kids. Evan's not even in it!! I guess that drive home from mass in Columbus at 35 mph had us all a little frazzled! Plus, my camera is on the wrong setting so it's all fuzzy!!

Loren reading the new Christmas Eve book we got - Rodney the Reindeer. I couldn't resist! (Still on the wrong setting!)

Finally in our comfy pj's!

Celebrating Christmas with the Hoelschers after papa came to get us in the 4-wheel drive. We'd been stranded at home by this point for 4 days!! The matching jammies are from Grandma!

With the Barbie House!!

Our little farmer and (some of) his new equipment.

My "baby" turned 9 and wanted a Lego cake. Let's just say I'm not that good at straight edges!



I guess Brooke got this idea from Loren's Christmas program!



Somehow the only picture I took at my parents when we celebrated Christmas there on New Year's Day.

This is for my friends who live in warm states - this was storm #2 (we've had another since) that left us trapped in our house for days and burned 30+ hours of my vacation!