New Years Weekend

Casey and his new castle

Audrey modeling some new dress up clothes.

Our best shot at the whole Dean Kauffman Gang. Some were happier than others to be taking pictures! None of the kids look too happy but in their defense they had taken quite a few shots prior to the whole group one!

We had decided that we would spread things out a bit and wait to do Christmas with my side of the family until New Years weekend. (So Thursday night New Years Eve) we had decided not to stay out until midnight so we could get the kids to bed at a decent time and not start out the trip with tired kids. We got home shortly after 10 to put them to bed. Friday morning we headed to Indiana to celebrate Christmas with the whole clan. Last year we were not all together at one time so this is the first time the three youngest cousins have all been together. It was a little chaotic with 8 kids all 6 and under but the more the merrier right? We arrived Friday night in time to watch the Buckeyes game and mostly just visited. Saturday we had an adult only breakfast while the neighbor girls came and watched the little ones. It was so nice and relaxing. We took our time getting home and then opened presents with the kids. Casey and Audrey were thrilled with their presents. Casey got a castle that he has already played with for hours. The neat thing about it is that it's all homemade out of materials around the house. I'm afraid to ask how long it took to make it but he loves it! He wants to make more pens for some of his animals to stay in the castle. Good rainy (or snowy) day project! Audrey got a box full of dress up clothes. She was very excited about her clothes and it worked out perfectly because some of the clothes are too big for her but they fit her cousins perfectly so when they come over they have something to wear too. Chelsea was not all that into Christmas this year and as a matter of fact she didn't even join us for the celebration there. She was much more thrilled to take a nap than to open a present! The kids spent the afternoon playing with their toys and then we went to Brad and Steph's house for supper. All the kids went to bed there and the adults stayed up way too late playing Cranium. Mom and dad always make for some good laughs. The best one of the evening was mom acting out Death Valley. I think we were all crying we were laughing so hard. Sunday we decided to get the kids out a little bit and headed over to a local motel with a pool. The kids swam and then we had our supper there. By the time we left we had some very tired kiddos (and adults)! Off to bed we went. Monday morning we left to come back home but we made a stop at Cabelas in Dundee Michigan. The kids loved it. It was Chelsea's first time there and I'm not sure she really knew where to look. As we walked through the fish aquarium she would say "A bish" over and over and over again. Then it was home sweet home....at about 6 that evening. It was a good trip but it's always good to be back in your own bed and have a little bit of a routine.