New Year's Eve

I feel like I should have something profound and exciting to write about as we bid farewell to 2010.

Lots of fun and exciting things happened this past year for my family and me.

Babies were born, baptised, and grew into fun little people who now blow kisses, give high fives, and intentionally pull hair when it looks like fun.

We found out a new little one is on the way and should arrive in February.

In all reality, there were a lot more things than babies that happened, but they tend to be the highlight.  Hey...I'm an L&D nurse.  It's my job to make them the highlight of every new parents' life.  Why should it be different in my personal life?

I have no pictures to show you or stories to recap everything that happened this past year.

Instead, I'm going to wish all my family and friends a

Happy and Joyful New Year!

2010 was good to us, but here's to an even better 2011!

Be safe everyone!

The Kiddos

I am biased, but I think I have some of the cutest kiddos as nieces and nephew.

We recently tried to do a photo shoot at my parents' house with all 4 kids.

Yup...that's 4 kids age 3 and under.

It was interesting.

As my sister joked, we have a lot more outtakes than pics that actually turned out,

but what can you expect with that age range?!?!

I was also able to take a few solo shots of each of them.

Again, I am not into photo editing (yet), so all of these are straight out of the camera.

Thanks to my sisters for letting me practice on their kids.

Enjoy!

Miss Brooklyn...

Miss Jayde...

Mr. Wyatt...

And Miss Ava...

And let's not forget my parents with the kiddos...

Krumkake...

If you know what it is, you know how yummy this stuff is.  If you don't know what it is, you could be wondering how to pronounce it, let alone why I would want to eat it.

Well, it's not a very appetizing name.  The correct pronunciation is "kroom-caca."  I say that name to people and tend to get some laughs.  No, I'm not eating poop and it's not a "bad word".

I am eating a delightfully thin, crisp sugar cookie.

It's something that my Grandma Harms and Aunt Debbie would make every year for Christmas when I was little.  They had it rough.  They made them using a krumkake iron.  They could only make one at a time and it usually resulted in at least one person getting burned.

I'll admit...I have it easy.  I found a "krumkake baker" at a specialty kitchen store a few years ago.  It makes 2 cookies at a time and comes with a handy little tool to help make them into cute horn shaped treats.  After I told my mom about it and my desire to start making krumkake for the Harms family Christmas, she bought it for me.

In our family, it is typically a Christmas cookie and is only made during Christmastime.  This being said, it takes some re-learning in order to get the cookie just right.

The first ones usually are either too small, too big or too burned.

At some point, it usually oozes out the side of the baker.

But in the end, you get a beautiful, yummy, little crispy horn of a cookie.

Look how thin it is!

Even Harley hangs out by my feet trying to get a little piece of the action.

They're yummy.  Wish I could share with all of you, but these lovely things will be going to the Harms Family Christmas again this year.  This time without me.  I have to work and help deliver some Christmas babies.

And if you happen to be at that Harms Family Christmas, you might have to wrestle the delicious krumkake away from Dawn.  She loves 'em as much as I do.


These are for you Harmsie!  Enjoy!

Stupid Snow!

Today was going to be great!

We had a big celebration planned.  It's my weekend to work and had made arrangements to have off today so I could attend the bash.

What is this big bash, you ask?

The First Birthday of my one and only nephew on the Pieper side...Mr. Wyatt Fogarty aka the Turkey!

Due to the wind and snow and horrible driving conditions, most of the relatives of Wyatt were unable to make the party...including Rob and I.


However, to commemorate the occasion, I'm checking out some Birth Day pics of Wyatt.  I can't believe how tiny he was!

And look at what a big, handsome boy he is now!

We Miss You, Wyatt! 

Wish we could be there celebrating with you today, but know that we love you very much!

Your First Birthday will be one for the record books.

Love ya, Turkey!

Happy Late Anniversary!

Okay, so I know I'm over a week late, but I thought I'd blog about last Monday, November 29th.

It was our 2nd Anniversary!

We both had to work that day, so not much celebrating got done, but we had a nice relaxing night at home after busy days for both of us.

Being the thoughtful guy he is, Rob's gift to me was band to match my wedding band to complete my wedding ring set.  The problem with that was, the company discontinued the set almost a year ago.  He had to special order it and they had to specially make it.  In order for them to have it done by our anniversary, he had to order it 10 weeks ago.  That's right!  He had this thought in his head since August!  What a guy!

On the other hand, knowing my husband and what really makes him happy, my gift was slightly less romantic, but something he really wanted...

A new cell phone.

Yup...a cell phone.  We got it tonight and I think I have offically been replaced...at least for the next week or so.

We are both aware that an anniversary, let alone a marriage is not based on gifts. That's why we are thankful everyday for the love that we have for each other and the new little being that we have created and get to meet in February.

Speaking of which, today marks the 10 weeks to go point.  That's right!  In 70 days we get to meet this little person!  Rob set up the crib this past weekend and we are slowly, very slowly, getting the room together.  The baby is moving more and more everyday and those movements are getting much more pronounced.  I have been able to feel it on the outside, but every time I call Rob to come and feel it kick, it stops.  Go figure!  He gets frustrated and thinks I'm lying, but I swear this kid knows it's him and is just being stubborn. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

We all know what I'm thankful for this year...all the blessings in my life, including my family and friends who catch up with us on this blog.  Thanks for being a part of our lives!

Jen and Rob