Saying Good-bye to a Pretty Good Year

On New Year's Eve afternoon, Khan, Joanna, Karissa, Kegan and William came to play with us for the weekend and celebrate the coming of a New Year. Morgan was VERY excited to have his cousins to play with...if you couldn't tell by this picture!
Pepper hanging out with Kegan and Karissa while we all open Christmas presents from each other.

Khan and family gave Morgan a Toy Story 3 ball pit tent with extra balls. This kid was on cloud nine.

Pepper was pretty stoked about it as well.

The little ones trying out the tent.

Pepper was the lucky recipient of a new baby doll and stroller. This is one serious stroller.

Pepper has many babies now and baby accessories. She is also very, very happy.

Later that night after we put the younger kids to bed, our friends Becky and Jerry joined us for a game night. We had a lot of fun eating, playing and laughing and getting ready to ring in the New Year.

After we watched the ball drop, we went outside to shoot of some major fireworks Khan had brought. It was freezing cold but very fun...and VERY loud.

Jerry and Becky

Khan and Joanna

The happy hosts!

Kegan was just a little excited about the fireworks.

On New Year's Day morning, I once again made crepes. This time the audience was a little more excited.

We had planned to take everyone sledding but the day before they came we lost all our snow to warmer temps and rain. Since most things were closed, and the boys needed to get out and run around, everyone headed over to Chapel Hill mall to burn off some energy. Pepper and I stayed home because it was nap time.

Morgan and William had a great time running around. Gotta love Morgan's new fashion expression; shorts over his pants.

Khan and family stayed till after lunch on Sunday then headed home. That afternoon we cleaned up then decided to get some decorating done that we've been waiting for a time to do. I ordered a vinyl wall design for Pepper's room and was excited to put it up. The poor girl has had bare walls since we moved in last summer.

Morgan was the keeper of the directions and really enjoyed his job.

Pepper's job was to stay out of trouble. She did a pretty good job.

The final result. Pepper seemed very happy to have a tree on her wall and said, "Night, night tree," before going to bed. Now we just need curtains and some shelves and we'll be in business.

And finally, at the start of this new year I just wanted to document my little Pepper's amazingly curly hair. I have finally figured out how to keep it under control without having it in pig-tails all the time. Whenever I tell her I have to do her hair she says, "Ok" and comes right over to me. As soon as I say I'm done she says, "Pretty hair," and then walks away looking very pleased with herself. These are the little things that make me very, very happy.