Happy New Years - BUNCO Style!

Our friends Nick and Andi hosted a Bunco & Fondue New Year's Eve bash at their place. Gramma Kay and Grandpa John had Belle overnight so we could enjoy an evening out with friends. We had such a great time! If you've never played bunco, then you should because it is so much fun (even though neither Trev nor I won). Andi used her amazing cooking talents to whip up three different cheese fondues, some yummy chicken with great dipping choices, and chocolate and chocolate-caramel fondue. Scrumptious! I hovered around the food for quite awhile.

Me & my man

Diana & I

Some of the ladies having fun!

And then there was this gruesome scene - Death by Chocolate!
Someone (cough*Diana*cough) dropped a little (very little) plastic ninja into the fondue fountain to give him a little chocolate bath. Well, little ninja got stuck and the whole top to the fountain started wobbling back and forth, slinging chocolate all across the counter and onto the floor! It was quite hilarious to witness. Needless to say, I don't think ninja will be invited back next year.

Christmas festivities

We made our rounds for Christmas again this year and celebrated with most of our family. AB enjoyed all of her gifts and had even more fun with the boxes the gifts came in! Isn't that always the case?

AB looking like a thug in pink, sitting on a Nordstrom's shoe box, with the other part of the box over her new Mariner's hat, with a reindeer coming out of her pocket... I think she's telling us not to mess with her

Gramma Kay decked out in holiday ribbon - so festive!

AB in her "Belle"-bottoms (I know, bad joke, hehe) that she got from Grandma Lori... what a cutie!

A day with grandpa

The week before Christmas, G'pa came to visit for the day. Annabelle had a delightful time reading books and playing with him. We also packed in her 12 month check-up (a few months late... ooops!) and putting my spare tire on my car because it had a flat - booo. Trev joined us for dinner when he got off work and we finished the night with a challenging game of Trivial Pursuit 90's Edition (did I mention that I won? Ha!). Thanks for a wonderful visit G'pa... can't wait to see you again soon!

Vrooom, vrooom!

Mrs. Potato Head

Art and Diana came over yesterday to give Annabelle some Christmas gifts before they went out of town. One of them was Mrs. Potato Head and I daresay, it is her favorite new toy - especially the green glasses. Just look at her excitement when she opened it!

This is where she wears the green glasses on herself. Neck glasses. Maybe she's afraid of poking her eye.

But we don't mind putting them where they belong and she actually will put up with them for longer than I would have guessed.

Wrapping with a one year old... oh boy

Diana and I had a wrapping party yesterday and Belle wanted to be in on all the action. I brought out multiple toys and books for her to play with, but she was much more interested in snatching gifts we were just about to wrap, sitting on wrapping paper, pulling ribbon of its spool and even climbing or sitting on the gifts themselves. We were able to wrap everything, but we had to learn to be very strategic in order to get it done!

I think Belle particularly enjoyed the sound the paper made when
she walked or sat on it.

She snatched this gift and then attempted to climb and sit on it. I say attempted because she fell off of it at least three times. Hehe.

Lamby

Annabelle and her Lamby