Christmas 2011

We had a fun Christmas with just our family this year. We played all Christmas break long, we enjoyed baking goodies, lots of swimming and decorating a gingerbread house.

On Christmas day the kids got up early as usual and we were done opening presents by 7am and spent the rest of the day playing with our new toys. Christmas Eve we were able to attend our friends annual Feliza Natividad celebration and for Christmas day dinner we went over to our friends the Brian's. Not having to cook for two days made it a nice relaxing Christmas for me and the family.

Our best picture of all three kids in their Sunday Christmas outfits.

Gingerbread House

Natalya, Raquel and their newly decorated gingerbread house.

The kids quickly devoured the newly decorated house.

Marcus helped himself to the treats by getting up on the table.

Christmas Morning

Natalya helping Marcus unwrap his new dump truck

Raquel opening her new doll from Santa

Marcus got this monkey and loves having it hang around his neck.

He actually will bring it to me so that I can put it on him to walk around with.

Raquel showing off the kids new pellet gun.

Hopefully no one will poke their eye out.

Raquel with her new toys.

Natalya with her new baby doll and toys.

She loved the baby that sucks on a binky and makes noise and cries.

Marcus and his new trucks

The kids got The Hungry Hippo game and loved spending the day playing with it.

Merry Christmas

Swim Meet #3

Raquel had her third swim meet and last of the year. We were happy that daddy was home to be able to come watch her swim. They switched things up and had them swim twice as far as normal and Raquel did really good keeping up with all the other kids.

Stoke School Swimmers

(Raquel is on the far right, second row on the end with a white swim cap)

Raquel getting ready to swim

Here is Raquel swimming the backstroke

It's starting to show!

Its starting to show. Its true we are having another baby, #4. We were surprised to find out the news ourselves a few days before Mike left for Afghanistan. I'm excited for our new little baby so I guess I'll forgive Mike for leaving me sick and pregnant with three kids to take care of by myself for 4 month. Our little one is due April 12th. We are very excited about our new addition and happy to find out that we will be evening out the boy to girl ratio. We are busy trying to decide on a new vehicle that will fit our expanding family before the big day.

Baby Kennedy at 13 weeks

Baby Boy Kennedy at 22 weeks

Santa Breakfast

We had a fun Saturday going to Raquel's school for their annual Santa breakfast. The food was what you would expect from a school cafeteria but Raquel had fun showing us around and seeing her friends.

Santa with Raquel, Natalya & Marcus.

(This was a very nice Santa and the kids weren't scared of him at all)

After breakfast the family headed to VT campus to watch a Horse's Christmas. It was put on by the equestrian club of VT. The horses were all dressed up in bows and ribbons and they read and acted out the Grinch. The best part for the kids was when they got to feed peppermints to the horses and pet them.

Mike and Raquel trying to stay warm while waiting for the show.

Marcus & Mike

Raquel feeding a horse a peppermint

Raquel, Natalya and Andrea petting the horses

Bringing Daddy to School

Mike, Natalya, Marcus and I joined Raquel at school for lunch. Then Mike was going to give a little presentation to Raquel's kindergarten class after recess. Our lunch was interrupted by the school being locked down because of shootings on VT campus. So instead of going out to play Mike entertained the kindergarten class with tales of Afghanistan. The kids all enjoyed hearing about what a army doctor does, carry each other on a litter and wrapping up in bandages. Mike brought all the class members a piece of Afghan money and presented Mrs. Brooke with a plaque and flag that flew over Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan on Thanksgiving day. The kids all enjoyed Mike and all the things he brought to do. After he was done we snuck out of the school while they were still in lock down. I wish we would have thought to bring Raquel with us because she ended having to be at school well passed 4:30pm and I had to go pick her up anyways because the buses were going to be even later.

Mike showing the class where Kabul is on a globe.

Raquel knew right where Afghanistan was.

Presenting Mrs. Brooke and the class the plaque and flag.

Its now in the trophy case at the school.

Raquel and Natalya getting ready to help hand out the Afghan coins.

Raquel getting strapped into the litter.

Helping bandage up classmates.

Raquel and her bandaged head.

Mike and Raquel's Kindergarten class.

15 months

Marcus turned 15 months and he is very happy boy who can walk. He has two new teeth and still enjoys eating and playing with cars and trucks. He had his 15 month check up and he is growing great.

31 3/4 inches (75%) for height

23.9 lbs (50%) for weight

Daddy's Home

Daddy is home yeah! Mike made it back to the United States in record time taking only 3 days from Kabul, Afghanistan to Fort Benning, GA. We were afraid he would make it home to Virginia before we got back from Arizona. It ended up that we arrived at the same time. Mike was able to get on the same flight as us from Atlanta to Roanoke. The kids sure were excited to see their dad waiting for them at the airport gate and to ride on the next flight with him.

Mike with the kids at the airport.

Shortly after coming home Mike decided Marcus needed a haircut. A haircut just like his and so Marcus got a military hairdo like dad.

Fun at Papa and Grandma's

We had lots of fun with Papa and Grandma Clinger while we visited with them for the month of November. We took a trip to Indio, CA to enjoy their timeshare with lots of fun pools. The kids had lots of fun playing outside in the sun in Papa and Grandma's backyard. We enjoyed lots of walks, lots of swimming and lots of good food and company.

Marcus enjoyed playing in our suitcase.

Enjoying the pools in Indio. It wasn't as warm as we would

have liked but the kids had fun anyway.

Raquel, Natalya and Marcus

Looking over the balcony at the timeshare in Indio.

Raquel and Natalya

Playing in Papa and Grandma's backyard. The kids loved playing in the toy sink, washing dishes and riding on all the fun toys.

The girls and I had fun playing the new game on the wii Grandma got.

Cali, Raquel, Andrea, Marcus and Natalya

We enjoyed lots of swimming with friends.

Marcus and Grandma

The girls and Marcus loved riding on the power wheel.

Phoenix Zoo

The kids and I once again joined Julie and her kids for another fun free for us outing. Yeah for friends with season passes. We went to the Phoenix Zoo where the kids had fun seeing all the animals. All of them did really great walking (if you have ever been to the zoo you know its huge and requires a lot of walking). With the weather being cooler and earlier in the morning all the animals were out and we got to see almost everything. Including the mating tortoises that the kids found really funny because of the weird sounds they were making.

Raquel,Marcus and Natalya

Watching the zoo animals.

Marcus taking a short break.

Raquel and the monkey.

The kids and I stopped for lunch after the zoo.

Marcus really enjoyed his Chinese food.

Temple Lights

My cousins Claire, Carolyn and Charlotte came to visit for Thanksgiving. We had fun swimming, shopping, eating and just soaking in the sun. Before they left we made a trip down to see the Temple lights in Mesa and enjoy some pizza at Organ Stop Pizza. The girls enjoyed the music and organ during dinner, but it was a bit loud for Marcus and made for a not so fun dinner for me.

Claire, Charlotte and Raquel at Organ Stop Pizza.

Margaret, Carolyn, Charlotte, Claire, Raquel and Natalya

Enjoying the temple lights. The kids really enjoyed all the different colored lights and it was nice to see them all while it was warm outside.

Visits

While we were in Arizona Grandma Kennedy, Great Grandma Robison and Aunt Natalie came to visit. The girls had so much fun playing with Grandma and Natalie. We were able to spend some time with Mike's cousins and aunts. The kids had fun eating and playing at the park with their new friends while we had a picnic.

Natalya, Natalie and Raquel at the park.

Andrea, Marcus, Great Grandma Robison and Grandma Kennedy.

On our way home from a fun afternoon at the park.

Aunt Natalie was so good to play with all the little cousins.

The girls always love when Natalie and Grandma Kennedy come because they get to put on sparkly makeup and get fun hairdos.

Natalie and Grandma brought fun new dress-ups for the girls.

They each got a tinker bell and snow white dress.

Natalya and her favorite aunt Natalie.

Natalya, Natalie and Raquel

The girls had lots of fun we only wish that Aunt Natalie and

Grandma Kennedy could have stayed longer.