Good-bye Civic, Hello CRV

My 2001 Honda Civic was the very first car I purchased on my own.  I put a lot of miles on that car driving from Ann Arbor to teach in Romulus for almost 8 years.  The last year I taught, we purchased our Odyssey and Craig took over the Civic.  Each Tuesday craig treks up to Reed City, a 110 mile drive round trip.  He has been doing this drive in the Civic, but the need for a 4 WD vehicle became apparent with the first West Michigan snow fall.  Last night we traded in our Civic and leased a 2011 Honda CRV.  It will be the perfect second vehicle!  Good-bye Civic, thanks for 9 great years:)

Happy 6th Birthday, Allison

Allison Marie Alguire

Age 6

It's official, we have a 6 year old in the house.  The excitement for this birthday was in full gear last night and after swim team practice, she managed to convince us to let her open her gifts last night.  It was one of those years where she seemed to get a lot of gifts.  The one she really wanted, was a Nintendo DSi and she went through the bags quickly in search of it.

The last year seems to have flown by.  Here are few things that she is doing now:
1. She is a member of the swim team
2. She played on a soccer team
3. She started Kindergarten
4. We moved into a new house and she got a new room
5. She is writing like crazy and beginning to read
6. She sounds out EVERYTHING:)
7. She is a big helper around the house and with her sister and brother
8. She can ride a two wheeler
9. She has gotten super fast and loves to run for exercise:)
10. She still loves to dress up and perform
11. She has lots of friends and is as silly as ever!!


We are so excited for the year ahead.  Six years ago Craig and I got the Christmas present of our dreams. It was love at first sight:)  We are so proud to be her parents.

Day one

Ready to go home

Allison Marie

Pajama Party

Cupcakes

Nintendo DSi

Hannah Montana

Ski outfit 

Birthday morning

Dear Santa...

Yesterday the kids took the note out of the Advent Calendar and it read "Write letters to Santa".  So, after I picked up Allison from school and Ella was down for her nap, we wrote our letters to Santa.

Allison's letter to Santa:

I want to tell you what I want for Christmas.  I want a Barbie and anything American Girl.  Love, Allison

Allison's letter to Santa

Finished with her lettter

Connor working on his stocking

Connor's letter to Santa

Connor and Ella told me what to write for Ella

Allison made a present for Santa, which Clyde took to him last night

Fun Stockings that the kids made with Foam stickers

Last year Ella lost her beloved pink swanky blanky.  I replaced it with a smaller version b/c she loved it so much.  Today a package arrived in the mail for Ella. A new blanket!!!!  She was so excited to have her blanket.  She carried it around all day and is thrilled.  What a fun surprise.

Busy Weekend

Photo by: HollyAnnStudios

This is one of the many shots from a photo shoot that we had a few weeks ago.  We got some great shots of the kids and managed to get two decent shots of our family too.  The others we are holding out until the Christmas cards go out:)  

 It was another busy weekend at the Alguire household.  Allison participated in her second swim meet on Saturday.  Craig had to time, so I packed up the other two kids and headed to the EGR pool.  Luckily my parents met us at the pool and helped with the kiddos.  Allison swam in three events and got a ribbon, so she was thrilled.  

Friday afternoon Allison and Connor played in the snow

Our first snowman of the winter.  It was tough to gather enough snow to even make this one....it was starting to melt and the snow was not good for packing.

Silly kids

Another look

Allison is in the lane closest to us.  She was the youngest swimmer in the meet

Go Allison!

Back stroke

GG keeping Ella busy

After the swim meet  we dropped off Allison at a birthday party, stopped at home

 for food and then we were off to Craig's cousin, Holly's baby shower.  Craig then picked

up Allison from her party and dropped her off at the shower.

Holly and Kristina

Ella, hanging out at the party

Kristina and Ella

Anna Marie and Ella

Allison before her swim meet

Clyde Returns

After a long hiatus in the North Pole with Santa, our elf, Clyde has returned!  The kids were really happy that he was able to find out new house and could hardly wait to tell him all about what they wanted for Christmas and how good they have been.  Connor could hardly contain himself when he walked downstairs yesterday and Clyde was sitting in the tree.  Even more exciting was the train that he left for the kids only to play with after Thanksgiving through Christmas.  Today the kids dressed quickly and ran down the stairs to find Clyde on the shelf in the family room.  Too exciting!  We also started our advent calendar.  The kids look each day and find either a note, a treat, or a toy.  Today was a treat and tomorrow a note about something we will do Christmas related.  Tomorrow's note reads: Go to the library and pick out Christmas books.  In addition to the thrill of having Clyde back in the house and the advent calendar, the kids got their presents from my brother, sister in-law and kids who live in Texas.  We usually get gifts from them when my parents return from their visit there in late November and we let the kids open them early.  They seem to really enjoy getting an early Christmas present and they get a ton of stuff on Christmas day, so this is a nice way to space things out and truly appreciate the gifts that they are given.  We are having a lot of fun this year with the kids.  Some of the things we plan to do this Christmas season are:

1. Bake and decorate Christmas cookies

2. Go see Santa and get a picture with him (check)

3. Put of tree and decorate (check)

4. Make a gingerbread house

5. Wrap gifts together for our adopted family

6. Go to the library and get Christmas books

7. Drive around and see Christmas lights

8. Go to the Breton Mall and see the trains (check...already gone 4 times!)

9. Watch the Polar Express (I already bought each of the kids a silver bell to be placed outside their door on Christmas morning from Santa himself:)

Allison is thrilled with her new tap outfit for her American Girl from Uncle Chad, Aunt Kimberly and her cousins.

Ella loves the new train from Clyde our Elf

Connor shows off his new puzzle, Mac and lots of new Disney Cars from 

Uncle Chad and Aunt Kimberly

Clyde always starts off December by finding the Christmas tree

The new outfit is on

Connor LOVES his new cars

The kids make a pillow walk way

Having fun

Ella enjoying herself

Day 2: the family room shelf

Our advent calendar from last year with notes, treats, and little toys

The train brought to the kids by Clyde

Last night we read this book to kick off the Christmas Season

One more look at the new train

10. Make Christmas cards for the cousins presents