oh christmas eve, oh christmas eve, you go by just too dang fast...

Boo Bear traveling (in carseat borrowed from sweet cousin Nora, thank you very much!) in style, wearing her vintage matching wool hat and coat which was originally mommy's (from Aunt Teresa), and now fit her perfectly! First we attended church at St. Mary's - much to Pappy's chagrin, Daddy, Mommy & Boo Bear sat in the "cry room" while the rest of the fam sat in the regular church. Boo Bear tried to rush the altar a few times, likely to give a more interesting sermon.
Next we had dinner and Terrill-side gathering at Jim & Nancy's...Mommy's not gonna' lie, it seemed to short this year and she was sad that both she and Boo Bear (and Daddy) didn't have more time with all the relatives...Hmmm...daddy finishes school in a year...anyone hear Madison calling? Can anyone comment on the schools...property taxes...??? Hmmm... Anyway, here is Ivy opening a squish-a-rific gift with Cousin-Uncle Peter (home from SanFran!). The little ladybug was a big hit on the plane ride back! Thank you again, Jim & Nancy!
the fam...
Cousin-Uncle John, I'd be happy to help you open that gift! You and Peter have always been soooooo unbelievably good with me and all the little ones!

Uncle Duncan, read it again! I know it's Gracia's book, but I love it so! (***By the way, if anyone has any pictures of Gracia and Ivy playing together, pleeeease forward to me, as I was in the other room gabbing with Nancy during the Gracia and Ivy hide-and-seek extravanagza!***)

Teesa! Teesa! Not a shortage of kisses for Teesa, either!

Thanks for the 50 lb box of blocks, Teesa! What do you think will be more fun - me playing with them or mommy and daddy trying to get them into their luggage? :)

Umm, Aunt Joan, this is how it's done. Just watch me a sec, and I'll help you figure it all out!

playin' in pappy's winter wonderland

King of the mountain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There were several feet of snow on the ground (a faaaaaar cry from PA!), which made for snowy tomfoolery for all! Boo Bear wasn't really too thrilled with the snow, and was much happier when mama took her inside for a nap! Mama however, happily returned to the tundra outdoors to attempt to sled with Aunt Becky, Lexie, and Daddy (who was more or less a sled dog as he tried to pull the 4-person toboggan down the hill to make a sled track in the snow). We crashed and burned more than we actually sledded, as the snow was just too deep. Daddy and Unc however, had a great time snowmobling through the fields!

Ever the fashionista, Cousin Lexie strikes a pose after falling into the deep and falling snow!

Umm, daddy, I'm not so sure about this cold white stuff? What gives?

Mush Daddy, mush!

magial wisconsin winter wonderland
perhaps not the best day for a dip in the pool...

snuggly kisses and cookies

After an over two-hour flight delay, we finally arrived in Milwaukee safe and sound late on 12/21! As if the delay drama weren't enough, once we got to the baggage claim, mama discovered that her cell phone had fallen out of her pocket on the plane at some time while wrangling the overtired Ivy on the flight. It was only about 5-1o minutes later however, that a Midwest Airlines employee handed me (actually Lexie) my phone back, DESPITE the airplane already having gone to the HANGAR! Thank you, Midwest Airlines! A few minutes later, a bundled Boo Bear reached out for Pappy, even though she so rarely quickly warms up to people she doesn't see daily! Pappy smooches abounded the entire trip, this one being at Pappy and Daddy's fave butterburger joint, Culver's. Ee love uuu, Pappy!!!!
Yummerific Christmas cookie bake-off at Aunt Becky's!


Don't leave me out, Mommy! I want to help! Boo Bear went a little buck-wild with the cookie cutters, decapitating reindeer and santas alike, but she certainly had fun during her first cookie-making endeavour!














Can you roll that dough out here on the floor? This is muuuuch better, and the cookie cutters are waaaay louder down here! Yipee!

A room full of Patty Pattersons engaging in annual cookie-baking festivities at Aunt Becky (Beppi)'s house. Note the highly rare appearance of Aunt Jenny partaking in said cookie-making, and the extreme Pat face on Lexie! Unc would not cooperate with Pat face-making, per usual...HOIST!!!

Behold a sampling ofthe frosted cookie love...

christmas at shelley's!

The day before we left for Wisconsin, Santa made a special visit to Shelley's, Ivy's beloved caregiver! At some point in this picture, Coca-Cola bottles started growing out of mama's head...we think it was just the magic of the season!

A trepidous Ivy reluctantly spends about 10 seconds on Santa's lap. She got quite excited when she saw him...the proverbial eyes open wide and whispering "santa!" almost reverently, but sitting on his (or any stranger's) lap is a whole different deal...

Ivy and buddies JoJo, Zoya, Piper and Levi on sweet Shelley's lap...can you tell that these kids adore her or what?
Ivy at home playing with some of her new kitchen funsies...it was just the beginning!