January News

 Happy January!  I can't believe it's almost the end of the month already.  2012 is sure going by fast.  Not too much has been going on for our gal.  School continues to go well, although Morgan is still having problems reading.  We are working with her teachers and the WVU Reading Lab to help get her on track.

Speaking of school...earlier in the month the Kindergarteners had a learning lab on NASA.  I was able to go and help out with the kids.  Each kid at my station got to try on a space suit and learn about the different parts that keep astronauts safe.  I have to say while the kids had a good time, I am so very thankful for teachers because after an hour with 50 screaming kids, I was ready to go home and crawl into bed!

January 14th was Great-Grandma June's birthday, so we packed up for the weekend and headed to Webster Springs.  It's always a super time when we are there, especially for Morgan who gets to help with everything.  She made the biscuits for dinner with very minimal help from Aunt Lola.

 June's birthday party was a small one, but we had a great time.  Her niece Maxine and her husband Clarence came over and we had a lovely dinner and birthday cake.

Morgan has become quite a shutter bug lately, spiriting away my camera each time I turn my back.  Here are a few of her self portraits, which surprisingly are pretty darn good!

Last Friday Mommy and Daddy played hooky from work to take Morgan to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D.  I think Morgan was most excited about the snacks, and the fact that she got to keep her 3D glasses.  She enjoyed the show, but did get a little restless at the end, no doubt because she has seen the movie a hundred times already and hardly sits still for very long.

We have also been greatly enjoying our Mountaineer basketball team throughout the month.  Morgan loves to go and spend time with her BFF, Josh.  As many of you know, Josh is almost 32 years old!  But she loves him and his wife, Anna, dearly and Josh lets her play on his cell phone during the game.

That's about all for January for our little gal.  Much to her dismay (and Mama's delight) there has been very little snow, not nearly enough to sled on.  But she is looking forward to going sledding in the near future if the weather cooperates.

December 2011

I realize it's been over a month since I updated about our gal.  It's just that the end of November and all of December were SO BUSY that I hardly sat down at a computer much less do any blogging.  But here's a quick recap and some pictures to update you on what went on for Miss Morgan since I last blogged!

Thanksgiving at Nannie and Big Pop's was wonderful, as always.  It's so great to get together with the family and remember all that we are thankful for.  Not to mention we're a bunch of crazy people who laugh at just about anything and you have a recipe for a great time!

Right after Thanksgiving, on December 1st, our family hopped on a plane and flew to EUROPE!  I blogged about our entire trip here so go and check it out!  Sixteen wonderful days with Mutti, Papa, Big DB, Aunt Celia, Mama, and Daddy!

We came home from Europe absolutely exhausted in time to turn laundry around and go back to Nannie and Big Pop's house for Christmas! 

Santa was super great to Morgan this year, bringing her an iPad 2! Oh yes, he did. She also got an American Girl doll from Nannie and Big Pop which she named Shay Molly. She got Leapster games, board games, clothes, a pony for Shay Molly, a Leapfrog TAG reader system and books, and lots of other great things.

Morgan also got the opportunity to meet up with her boyfriend, James, for breakfast on Christmas Eve. 

Then after a quick trip to Pittsburgh to visit with Mutti's family, we came home to see what Santa left at our house.  As you can see, our gal had a great Christmas!

So Thankful Today

So happy for family, health, jobs, and a home.

O Christmas Tree!

This year we are breaking all of our rules about Christmas decorations and putting up our tree before Thanksgiving. Since we won't get to enjoy it all of December, we want to have a little Christmas spirit in our house before and after our overseas trip. So Patrick, feeling a little better, drug it out of the basement and Morgan excitedly helped him put it up.

And the first piece goes in!

Morgan and the top of the tree :)
As is tradition, Morgan helps level up the tree.

Morgan put on 99% of the decorations herself!
The Santa Key....lets Santa into our house on Christmas Eve
Ta Da! The Tree is finished!

This is all the decorating I am doing this year, but as I sit quietly in the dark with the tree twinkling softly I can't help but feel the Christmas Spirit fill my heart.

All I Want for Christmas

Today Morgan got to visit with Santa while he was at our Mall. She asked him for a pony (but specified a toy pony, whew!), an Ariel baby doll, and an iPad?!?! And Santa told her she could have it all! Morgan was excited to see Santa and is ready to get our Christmas tree up at the house tonight. Ho Ho Ho!

Morgan and Ethan

Morgan had such a wonderful weekend playing big sister with Ethan. She was so good with him! She shared her toys, helped feed him, and even pushed his stroller while we shopped. She loves him so much! We've been trying to talk Daddy into a little brother ever since Ethan arrived :) Maybe some day she'll get to be a big sister. For now, we'll enjoy every moment we can get with her surrogate little brother.