Boo!

Quite possible one of my favorite pictures ever!

Happy Halloween!

We headed to Cincy again this year for Lisa and Chris's Halloween Party.  

We also Tricked and Treated on the trails next door!

Leah decided to be a fire fighter for her preschool party!

For trick or treating at Grandpa's nursing home, the kids decided to totally change there outfits!  (I didn't complain, I was tired of face painting!)

Grandpa didn't want to wake up for the festivities... so we just decorated him.

The saddest clown face ever.

And then there was Christmas....

After we had the birthday celebrations for the kids over and done with, we started focusing on another special birthday... that of Jesus.  The kids were excited to decorate the tree.  This year we had TWO; one in the living room and one in the family room.  Looking back, I don't think I took pictures of either!

OuR ChRiStMas

Our first Christmas in our "new" home.

Bean Bags for the kids for one of their gifts!  (Hindsight... one of the best gifts ever!)

The extended Brink Family Christmas Party

And the Ugly Sweater Contest!

Max on Uncle Glenn's, uh, Santa's lap.  :-)

Sexy, I know.  Can you say that in a Christmas post?

Our kids will be so proud when they see this picture in a few years.

The Brink 13.

Happy Birthday!

Shortly after moving in we celebrated Max's 6th, Leah's 3rd and Sarah's 2nd birthdays!  I didn't want the unpacking to detour from making the kids feel special on their special day!  We moved in 2 days before Leah's birthday.  I had no idea where to even find my baking/cake decorating stuff so decided I would try making this rainbow cake I had been eyeing for the kids group birthday party with Yvonne and Aaron and Lacey.  It sure looked pretty but tasted horrible.  Horrible.  HORRIBLE.  It really was like eating cardboard.

 We had another group party with Rob's side.  Ryan's birthday is between Leah and Sarah's so we celebrate all of my kids and Ryan too!

This year we decided to let Max have is first "friend" party.  He invited friends from school and one from church. It was pirate themed and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out.

I made photo props!

And "designer" water bottles.

Can't leave a party without some loot!

PIrate plasticwear.

Now I thought this cake was going to be a piece of cake to make (a little cake humor).  I was happy not to have to pipe icing for hours.  But the cake was crumbling and a corner fell off and I was 2 seconds from dumping it in the trash when Max said, "Mom, it's great.  I like it.  It's like a shipwreck."  He got an extra present for that comment.

I ended up pretty happy with the result!

Rob made this.  And learned that pineapple needs to be cored before cutting into chunks.

Arggh, Matey's.  Let's party!

Pirate Leah.

Patiently waiting for his mates to arrive.

A quick cat nap before the party starts.

Two pirate party pooped people.