Part 2

School started late this year, but still too early for us.  My baby started second grade!

Then the next day, Mitch had a birthday.  He is getting so old  that the candles are becoming a challenge now.

Don't I have the best parents?

Contrary to popular belief, and what this picture suggests, Maggie IS fed and played with on a regular basis.  She has a dependent personality disorder though, and whatever you do, it's just not enough.

Ah yes, our vacation.  I still need to get those beach pictures printed off. Man, could we ever use another few days at the beach right about now.

 No idea where or when this was taken.  It's just a nice picture.

One of my small regrets is missing Halloween this year to go to Haiti.  We carved pumpkins early, then they turned rotten before Halloween ever arrived.  They looked amazing this year though.

This guy also had a birthday while I was gone.  Fortunately, his kids made him a beautiful pink and purple birthday cake to mark his passing into elderhood.

Just a few of the many many attempts at a family photo.  The light was just weird this day.  But there they are, all together again.

And more Halloween randomly stuck in the wrong place, like so many things around here.  Audrey was getting her hair sprayed black by a devoted grandma.

A week after I got back from Haiti (which I just realized I still need to expound upon my adventures there), it snowed.  A lot. Enough for Maggie to romp in and for us to build snowmen in, even though they melted really fast.

And now we are back to two of our favorite things, Christmas and playing cat dress up. Combine the two for hours of family fun!

We were going to put them on our Christmas cards, but then I thought, I just don't want to be known as THAT family, you know?

We also launched the Christmas season with a gigantic box of chocolates.  It's embarrassaing how fast those little buggars disappeared.

Baby learned to text at Grandpa's birthday party!

And Audrey and Carla got into the party mood too...

Grandpa got the biggest present.

And just like that we are back to Christmas eve, and that is how fast our year rolled around.  Grandpa is picking a present for our traditional present game.

Mitch doesn't want anybody to know this, but he is just a big softie underneath it all.

And that's about it for 2012, I guess.

It wasn't such a bad year after all...

2012 brought Alisa safely back to us from France.   We got a new fence. Had a great vacation. Made it through with all the important people in tact.  Spent a few warm and lovely days sitting on beaches.  And really, what more can you ask of one year?

We lost some things this year.  Our last grandma, which was sad for us, but not for her. Lots of teeth.  Baby teeth,  wisdom teeth, and one tooth I  wish I still had. Mitch lost his car, but with some help from the grandparents, managed to find another car he likes much better.   Alisa lost her heart somewhere in France. Oh, and the job.  We lost a job this year.  That one still smarts.

Things we found.  Olivia's old binky, a grandma doll, and a Link toy, from when we were cleaning up our Logan house. Those were fun little treasures to find. A great new place to celebrate the 4th of July. The screen to our front door. And some other stuff, like a new appreciation for the place I live in, after seeing what other people in not-so-fortunate places live like.

So, bring it on 2013.  We are ready.  But be nice to us, okay?