Hassenrik Christmas

This year we had the Hassenrik Christmas at our house (minus Lindsay and Steve who live in California...missed you guys!).  It was great to have everyone over and eat more food and share more holiday cheer.  It was an odd day outside with nearly 60 degree weather and rain, but that didn't stop us from having a great time inside.  Here are some pics of the fam!

Matt, Mols, Grammie, Grandpa, and Grant

Lily

Bethany and Wade

Evelyn

Grantster

Molly with Grammie (Mimi) and Great Grandma Jackson

Grammie showing off her new snowshoes

Hassenrik Cousins: Molly, Lily, Grant and Evy

Molly Girl

Grandpa Eddie

New Camera and Sheldon Christmas

Merry Christmas!  We hope you had a joyous Christmas Day as we celebrated the birth of Christ!  The kids thoroughly enjoyed opening their presents and hanging out in their pajamas all morning...and I was thrilled to open up a new camera from Matt!  Thanks honey!  I love taking pictures, so I hope you think these pics are crystal clear and fabulous!  We had a wonderful Christmas morning with the kids, and then headed to my parents house for the Sheldon Christmas celebration.  We had a great time celebrating as usual...and ended the night with Poker...as usual.  Yummy food and drink and lots of laughs!

Drew and Matt

Sweet Molly

"Conducting" on Wii Music

Daddy and his baby girl

Stella

Rachel and Matt

Nona cuddling with Molly after an early nap wake-up

Me with my mom and sister Lissa

Peter and Sofia

Lissa and Keith

Me and my honey

Matt and Peter

My dad and Rachel

The kids testing out their new chairs from Nona

Grant and I

Grant is 5!

Today is Grant's actual birthday...December 23rd.  I can't believe that is was five years ago today that the Lord blessed us with a baby boy.  I was induced on my due date because of elevated liver enzymes and about eleven hours later, Grant arrived...at about 3 in the morning.  Matt spent Christmas Eve in the hospital chapel while I watched the service on TV.  We brought home our first child on Christmas Day.  It was a wonderful Christmas present!  And that began our journey of parenthood.  We've had a lot of ups and downs along the way, and we've learned a ton about being parents.  It's been amazing watching Grant change and grow over these past five years, and every day I'm fascinated with the charm and politeness he can display.  Of course, we've also had our frustrations and challenges, but this is still a learning process for us, and I'm sure it will be for some time to come.  He is an awesome little boy, and we thank God every day for the blessing he is to this family.  We love you Goose!  Happy Birthday!

Bounce Party

This week we had Grant's fifth birthday party!!  This was our first major birthday party for Grant and he had a great time.  We had it at Bounce Party and for an hour and a half, the kids bounced off the walls...literally.  Then it was time for pizza, cake and ice cream...none of which Grant can eat.  We'll have to do a better job with that the next time around.  It was a bit crazy towards the end, and it will probably be another five years before we do this again, but the kids seemed to have a great time.  Thanks to those who helped us celebrate!

And they're off!

Papa in the boxing ring

Kids attacking Papa

Molly trying out some bouncing

So excited for presents!

Happy Birthday Grant!

School Christmas Program

Grant did a great job at his school Christmas program this year.  Nona and Papa and Grammie and Grandpa came to see his awesome performance!

Before the performance

Grant with Molly after the performance

Grant with his "friend" Leeona...perhaps crush

Grammie and Grant

Here's some video of one of the songs they did.  Grant is in the first row, the second one in on the right...

Hit the Slopes!

Hi all, guest blogger Matt here.  Gee (that's what Molly calls him pronounced "gee" not "jee") and I went skiing at Cannonsburg Mountain last week.  We went a couple times last year, but this was his first time on his own skis.  Lesley didn't appreciate my $30 helmet investment, but I didn't want the little shusher getting away from me and taking a header into a snowmaker.  Anyway, thanks to our little harness contraption, we had a great time.  He is showing some promise and will be accompanying us on our trips out West in no time.

Practicing in the front yard

Grant posing in his gear

and again...

and again...

Great Grandparents Tour

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we figured it was a good time to take a great-grandparents tour!  Molly and Grant have seven great-grandparents, and we were blessed enough to see six of them over the holiday weekend.  It was a busy weekend driving around, but we are so happy that we could visit with all of them!

Great Grandma and Grandpa Sheldon

Four Generation picture with my parents

Molly and Grant goofing around at GG Hassenrik's House

Great Grandma and Grandpa Hassenrik

We did not get a picture of Great Grandma and Grandpa Gammicchia but did have a chance to see them.  And we get to see Great Grandma Jackson from time to time as she lives in Holland.  We are so very blessed to have all these people...for if it wasn't for them, none of us would be here!

Say "EEEEse"

Molly is usually very camera shy.  It takes a lot to get her to smile on command for any reason, but especially not in front of a camera.  Don't get me wrong, she loves to laugh and giggle if we're playing...she's just not a performer.  So when she learned how to cheese...or "eeeese", and smile, I just had to capture it.  Hopefully she'll keep it up.