Swanson Family Pictures

This year as my mother-in-laws Christmas present we decieded to get a big family photo.  It actually turned out great and was a fun day because we went to lunch together afterwards.  The kids were pretty good for the pictures too which surprised me!  The Sears lady kept telling Lexi not to tilt her head (which is her signature pose for every picture) which was very hard for her not to do :)  Now to get back there with Carl & Cheryl for a whole family picture, LOL.

Christmas candy/cookie baking time

This past weekend we spent all day saturday baking christmas treats to give to the kids teachers.  They had such a fun day helping and playing.  There was 3 different kinds of fudge, star cookies, rock candy, no-bake cookies, almond bark pretzels, oreo cookie rolled balls w/ almond bark covering, pretzel cookies, and buckeyes. We will make sure to do it again next year!

 Lexi and Emma with the aprons on and ready to bake

 putting M&M's into the pretzels with Grandma Becca

 making her gingerbread man cookie

 Lexi making no-bake cookies

We even had the boys do gingerbread houses..that is about all the baking they were going to do, LOL.

Church Christmas Program

The kids did a great program for church this year.  Hunter had a couple of reading parts that he did good on.  Lexi and Addysen went up to uncover a tree during part of it too and did a great job!  It amazes me how fast they are growing.  We had the kids/ cousins pose for pictures by the Christmas tree after the program.

 Lexi and Hunter

 Addysen, Hunter, and Lexi (cousins)

Hunter, Ainsley (whom Hunter just loves to pieces), Addysen, and Lexi

Deer Hunting

This year Daddy called us when he got a deer so the kids could go to the timber and help him get it out.  They loved the whole process and I'm amazed at how none of the "ucky" stuff bothered Lexi.  They walked down the hill with Dirk to tie up the Doe to the 4-wheeler and Lexi commented on the guts.  She wanted to know where the heart was, LOL.  My girl may be a Diva but I have a feeling she will also be a hunter when she gets old enough.  Hunter is just like his father when it comes to hunting.  He has been out a couple of times with Dirk to sit in the tent and has loved every minute of it.  He can't wait to get to hunt on his own :)

 geared up in orange and ready to go get that Doe

 my two lil hunters

 in Daddy's tree stand

 pulling the deer out

 (bleeped out so I don't gross anyone out) Lexi wanted to touch the deer, LOL.

Daddy's buck for the season hanging in the shed

Daisy Tea Party

Lexi had a tea party at the Galesburg Library for the Daisy Troop.  She had so much fun making her barbie dress and drinking hot coco.

 The girls with their Barbies

Addysen and Lexi having "tea"

Wreck-it-Ralph

On a saturday back in November I took Lexi, Hunter, and her friend Ava to see Wreck-it-Ralph. After the movie we then went shopping and to McDonald's for Lunch. We had a fund day!

Ava and Lexi drinking the large slushies :)

4-Wheelers at the Farm, our Favorite thing to do!

One of our favorite things to do as a family is to take the 4-wheelers out to the farm and ride around. The kids love riding and I just love spending time with the kids. Each year they like to ride them around and look for deer horns that have been shed.  I know it sounds crazy but these kids love it :)  I have also included some pictures from March ..it is amazing how much the kids have grown in that amount of time.

Pictures from March of this year where they spent the day riding and finding the horns.  Even Grandpa Carl joined us! (again obviously didn't make a blog of this either)

Uncle Ben's visit Back

Uncle Ben was back around Thanksgiving!  The weather was so nice that we decided to spend an afternoon at the lake and fish, cookout, and just enjoy family time.  The kids didn't fish much they enjoyed playing in the timber area and playing pretend camping :)  We had a great time and wish we got to see Ben more.  It was a day we will remember.

 Family photo time

 Emma and Lexi gathering "firewood" for the pretent campsite they made.

 Hunter, Emma, and Lexi (at the top)

 lunch time

 Hunter fishing

 Hunter, Uncle Ben, Emma, and Lexi

Ben fishing

St. Louis in July

Back in July the Swanson family took our yearly trip to St. Louis (which I see I forgot to blog). Saturday before the game we decided to go to the Bonne Terre Mines. These were about 1 hour from St. Louis.  The lake is 58 degrees year round no matter what the weather is outside and crystal clear.  The movie "The Abyss" was filmed there.  I have to say it was one of the neatest things to see and we all had fun, even Carl.

 family picture (minus Erin who didn't take the tour due to not feeling well)

 Me and Kelsey on the boat ride

 Cheryl and Carl getting ready for the boat ride

 the underground mines / lake

GO CUBS!

Tumbling

Lexi started tumbling several months ago.  She first started at Lynn's tumbling and now goes to Judy's at the Mall.  She has loved it from the moment she started.  She especially loves it now that she gets to be with her cousin Addysen.  Aunt Erin had even tried helping her out.

Lexi the day before her first tumbling class

Lynn's

climbing the rope at Lynn's

splits

Judy's

Her favorite part is to do backflips with the belt!