My husband... The Christmas Birthday Boy!

In addition to celebrating Christmas, we get to celebrate our Christmas birthday boy. Ryan turned 34 this year... Unbelievable that Ryan and I started dating when he was 23. My oh my, how fast time has flown and what's really unbelievable is the wonderful adventures we have had. I truly love this lug more each and every year that we are together... So happy birthday to you and let's toast to many more years of laughter and fun.


Aidan and Daddy, the first of many future birthday chair rides...

Christmas Day

The Kearney Family made a decision that since things have just been so crazy for us lately, traveling to Washington just see our extended family just wasn't in the cards. Our extended family had other plans for the holidays, so we were solo for the holiday! We began the morning with a chaotic, giggly, excited and wild present opening session and then headed skiing! It was such a great day, since the mountain was empty and Aidan found a love for skiing. He did fantastic, I was so proud of him. And Ryan let me enjoy skiing with our speed-demon daughter while he and Aidan hit the bunny hill. Such a great way to enjoy the outdoors and our family!


Papa Jeff is a hunter and Aidan is definitely taking after the man he is named after! Aidan is counting down the days until he is old enough to tromp around the woods, looking for dinner.... Papa Jeff provided Aidan with all the hunting gear he'll need. Someone's really excited!


Morgan LOVES art. She would spend every hour of every day drawing, coloring and creating if she could. At one point in the present opening process, she excused herself to create some art. Love that kid!

Aidan got so excited at one point, he was pretending to be a tiger. Okay, that makes sense?

Morgan reading a letter from Santa letting her know that she is all signed for Hip Hop dance classes. Not sure who's more excited, her or me. I need to some new moves to drive my family nuts with!

Look at that wild look in his eyes.... Wow, someone likes Christmas!


Ms. Morgan. This was right before the wind hit and almost blew us up the mountain!

Enjoying some chips and soda in the lodge. (That's what we bribe the kids with so they'll like skiing, it's working so far!) Look at that face on Aidan... Priceless!

There he goes! Morgan thought that skiing with her little brother was the COOLEST.

I wonder why Ryan's back hurts?


Aidan and I took a break in the lodge. What ensued was hysterical laughing, a lot of goofy antics and a lot of fun for both mom and Aidan. This kid is something else....

I asked everyone what their favorite gift was... Ryan said his favorite Christmas/Birthday present was that Aidan loved skiing and was able to just take off. Really Ryan? Did you forget that the kids got you not only a toy microphone, but an alien that grows when you add water? Yes, you must have forgotten those gift because surely that would be the tops on your list!

Christmas Eve Celebration!

For the second year in a row, we celebrated Christmas Eve with the Bordner family. As per usual when we get our families together, things were loud, rambunctious and FUN! We started the festivities with an afternoon church service, spent some time at Winter Garden Aglow, then ate too much food and opened presents!


Unfortunately, Morgan started the day with an eczema flare. I am SO thankful that we now know what to do... Turn the little lady into a greasy little mummy, put on a special movie and two hours later, she's as good new... Greasy hair, but what the heck! Itchiness and boo-boos be gone....


Ryder and Morgan visiting their gal, Sacajawea at the Botanical Gardens...

The Bordner Family!!!

The whole crew! Luckily, it wasn't as cold as last year and although we had some "runners," it was a great time!

Time to open presents... The present we bought Payton required some assembly. So typical of when we are all together, Ryan and Kirstin got right to it, reading the instructions, doing the work, while Jeremy and I heckled them from the couch while drinking wine. I'm so glad that Jeremy and I met our spouses, without them, I don't really know how we'd survive. It wouldn't be pretty!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Whew, what a holiday season... I just love this time of year and that is probably because I have just so much to be thankful for. Among my blessings, I count my health, my children who make me smile 92313 times per day (at least), their health, a husband I adore (who also has his health!), a rewarding career (of which there will be a little less attention paid to in 2011, wahoo!), fantastically fun and loving friends and a family that has taught me the world's best lessons and who I also consider to be wonderful friends.


So from the Kearney family to you... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Present Wrapper for Hire!

While Ryan is at work today, the three busy bees are trying to get his presents wrapped. I have a lot of help as you can see from this picture. I'm pretty proud of him!


I worked at the ER all day yesterday, so the kids and Ryan went Christmas shopping for me and had their own little wrapping party. Aidan informed me when I got home what every present wasn't. For example, as he held up what looked like a wrapped DVD, "Momma, this ISN'T a movie." Then he'd whisper to me, "It actually is!" Ryan told me that he had to talk Aidan out of buying me a Disney-themed muu-muu. He mostly talked him out of it because he knew I'd wear it with pride.... I thought the Disney "housedress" would have gone well with the toy hairdryer and curlers he got me last year, but that's just me!

My poor children....

I think when my children pray at night, they pray for a mother who wouldn't butcher every crafty art project they talk me into attempting. Today it was a gingerbread house and gingerbread train. Don't think I went crazy and did it from scratch. No, I purchased the "dummy proof," all ready made kit from the grocery store. Did it turn out well, you ask, expecting me to say yes. Heck no! I'm a nightmare, but fortunately, my kids are young enough to not quite catch on.


Sorry for the weird Halloween claw in the picture, but this was the best picture that showcased just how TERRIBLE I am at this stuff. That's supposed to be train, why it looks broken down, I don't know!

See, she doesn't realize that this thing is about collapse!

It doesn't look too bad at this angle. Notice it's not a close up!

The final resting place is on our very high mantle.... From this view, it almost looks I did a good job! It's all about how you look at things, and when it comes to putting my craftiness on display, we utilize distance as our strategy!

Sense of Humor....

To all the people who saw us out and about on Friday afternoon, if Aidan's outfit didn't give you a chuckle, I'm sorry, but nothing else ever will! Cowboy boots, basketball shorts and a hand knit baby sweater, what else could you ask for? Like I've said before, being awesome is a difficult task, but Aidan is most definitely up for the challenge. YOW!


Jump if you are crazy!

Fashion... Not everyone gets it, but when you do, you do!

Santa, you are going to need some insulin...

Poor Santa is going to get a serious sugar buzz after he visits the Kearney house. These kids weren't messing around this year when they made their Santa cookies. Sugar anyone?


I think someone might have been sneaking in some tastes? I don't know why I would think such a thing.

A proud little girl with the finished product!

Hmm... What is there to say about this guy?

The Kind Kearneys....

The Kearney children are on their best behavior... I'd like to say it was because of our stellar parenting abilities, but let's be real, Bookie is back! Yep, our little elf, straight from the North Pole is back to be our eyes and ears and report back to Santa. My favorite moment was when Aidan was getting a time out, he looked at me, told me I was mean and that Bookie would be reporting my "mean" behavior to Santa. Ouch! I wanted to tell him that he would thank me when he is 30 and a professional something or other and is in a meeting and instead of jumping up and down and screaming, "I DON'T WANT TO!!!," he politely disagrees with whatever it is that his boss is saying. Oh well, I can wait 26 years for that moment!


Aidan took this picture. Bookie shows up in the funniest places!

There's our Bookie from another angle.

Oh Bookie, you're so crazy! Hey doll, don't screw this up and let the kids know this is basically a weird form of bribery, we have a good thing going!

A family who rakes together....

Get a lot of leaves raked! Somehow we keep managing to buy house with a plethora of trees and leaves... It must remind us of "home!" Luckily, this yard only has big leaves and we have big helpers!


I helped too. I wasn't just taking pictures...

Look at that progress! I might start a company with these two....

Happy to have a break, even if only for a minute and they have to have to get their pictures taken... Now back at it you two!

Family Ski Day!

The day we have been waiting for has arrived!!! (Well, almost anyway!) Ryan and I love having babies and that goes with that (minus the sleep deprivation, etc.), however, we have been waiting in anticipation for the day that our family of four can ski together. We are so excited for the day when we can start taking family ski vacations to fun destinations and enjoy this great sport together! Aidan is still working on mastering the mountain but we're getting there. It's priceless to see all of the parents (mostly dads), sweating, bending over and basically carrying their tots down the hill. Kind of like they are investing in their future "fun" account.


Oh Bogus Basin, how we love you so! (And Aidan's fart-trapper. That's what happens when there's a snow storm and the ONLY place in town to still have ski outfits is Walmart.)

We had a Borney day with Ryder and Kirstin (Jeremy and Payton were on the little track with Ryan and Aidan). Apparently, I didn't feel like showing off my 5'4" of impressive height and felt the need to crouch. On a side note, I told Morgan yesterday that we were going to spend Christmas Eve with the Bordners, to which she EAGERLY replied, "YES, a Borney day, I love it when we have a Borney." Apparently, the term has taken off!

It took Morgan a run or two before she was back to bombing down the hill, giving her mom a heart attack, while she flapped her little arms and sang her little heart out. This kid of ours. Could she have any more spirit?

Boise has a new tourist attraction!!!

Yes, you heard it right!! Boise has this fantastic attraction downtown. It only happens late at night, I'd say about 1 a.m. and will only come out once or twice a year, probably around the holidays. Yes, it's an attraction that could be referred to as a "blast from the past," but it's a hit nonetheless. It's kind of weird, but overall a must see!!!! So head on town to the downtown fountain and take a peek for yourself!


There he is... Yep, that would be Jeremy... IN.THE.FOUNTAIN. Wearing a one piece ski suit. Why, you ask? Really, why not?

A poor unsuspecting tourist, posing by the fountain... Until the creature from the 80's popped into the shot!

This is what happens when 40 of us decide to rent a party bus and go on a "holiday pub crawl." A group of parents in their mid-30's really should grow up... But that would just be too boring.


There's our guy, prepping on the party bus for a long night of fountain diving.

And the Stockings Were Hung....

By the chimney with care! Aidan just can't resist any opportunity to "help" Daddy!

A Snow Day=A FUN Day!

We were pleasantly surprised to wake up to seven inches of snow and school closures this morning! I unfortunately had made the mistake of thinking that there would still be school so I had completed a 5 a.m. workout before realizing we could sleep in! Don't worry, I quickly hopped back into bed! Another bonus of our neighborhood... When it snows, we can't leave! Well, maybe we could but we pretend we can't, it is a HUGE hill after all. So both Ryan and I stayed home and had a great day playing with the kids!


First order of business... Cookie making. Hot chocolate tastes MUCH better with a little cookie.

Second order... Skiing down the street. Don't worry, no one was crazy enough to be driving!


Next it was time to hit the neighborhood hill. It was so much fun!

Renaissance Man! Yep folks, Ryan mixed a little business with pleasure! We're just glad that he could stay home with us and enjoy the snow! It was great!

May the Force Be With You (It's With Aidan!)

I mentioned a while back that Aidan has developed a love for his cape, yes, his Darth Vader cape. It makes many appearances around our house and it is usually accompanied by a lot of sound effects, compliments of our son. Ryan was flipping through the channels and came across Star Wars. We wouldn't usually let our almost 4 year old watch a show like that, but sometimes the rules are outweighed by a love of Darth Vader. Aidan was ENTHRALLED and of course had to grab his trusty cape and light saber. I have to admit it was pretty cute to see him so excited!

Thanksgiving, cont....

Somehow I managed to forget some of my favorite pictures from our Thanksgiving weekend!

The front of the cabin we stayed at... Really, that's a cabin? Oh well, we managed to survive "roughing" it in the woods, ha! And Morgan doing a pose? Crazy, that's something we never see!

The girls LOVE playing with their Uncle Ryan. Whether it's teasing him about his unfortunate status as a Coug or putting signs on his back, he's a great a sport! My favorite sign read, "I may look like a boy, but I'm really a girl." I still get a giggle every time I think about the girls writing that and squealing with laughter!

Noelle and Morgan were trying their hand at picture taking... This was about the fifth one of Ryan and I, when my namesake (Cassie Jane) just couldn't take it any longer and had to jump in the shot. Jon and Heather were RIGHT ON when they gave this girl my middle name, we have a lot of similarities! Buckle up J and H! Anyone who went to college with me knows my love for hopping in the back of other people's pictures. I just wonder how many random photo albums my goofy grin is in....