Christmas Eve

We always get together to share a fantastic meal with our family. This year was no exception. Wine(s), baked brie, crab dip the famous Sterner salad, Prime Rib, asparagus, and homemade NY style cheesecake! And much more!

There is a new tradition! We love making Christmas cookies with Cameryn and Adam (that is when we are in Danville for Christmas). This year we were able to had one more set of helping hands. Anna Campbell loved looking on as we were making our cookies. She did have quite a good nap in while we were icing the cookies, but none the less she was a great onlooker!

She loves her new bear from Aunt Melanie and Aunt Frances. Many thanks to our family babysitters to take care of our precious angel. How blessed are we :)

Here Come's Santa Claus

It's a tradition at Mama and Daddy's church to carol for Santa to come and visit the children after the Christmas play. This was not Anna Campbell's first visit to see Santa. Thanks, Santa!

Thanks Auntie Alyssa and Uncle Chad for the cute outfit...yes, I can still wear it in December! My Mommy dresses me in this GAP dress quite a bit. I think I look cute in purple. My Mommy and Daddy love kissing my cheeks, maybe that is why my cheeks are always red. Love, Anna Campbell

Anna Campbell has been sticking out her tongue for several weeks now. I think it is adorable, but it does get annoying for pictures! The pictures we ended up ordering from Alan Dalton was the pose with her tongue sticking out...it was so cute!

Christmas 2008

WAZZUUUP! Anna Campbell is finally sitting up on her own, as of today December 13th! She is just 2 days shy of 6 months.

I love this picture of the "four" of us. I think we took about 100 pictures. We wanted Saidey to be included on our Christmas card this year, but if you all remember we added just the one of the three of us. We were not as pleased with the pictures we had with Saidey as without.

Visit with Santa

We visited Santa today at the mall. We thought she would be afraid, but she wasn't. Santa is a pro at this job. Seems that he was a little tired from all the children's lists that he was checking twice to make sure they were nice in 2008.

Brendan's Dedication

Brendan Andrew Henderson was dedicated on November 30, 2008. What a sweetie boy! We were already in Ohio for Thanksgiving. Molly and Matt planned the event for that Sunday.

Thanksgiving tradition continues....

The Stoler family always goes bowling! Enjoy the pictures!

Christmas Tree shopping

When we are in Ohio for Thanksgiving, we always enjoy shopping for trees. This year, Molly decided to try a new Christmas Tree farm. Well, it was not nearly as abundant and did not have nearly the tree selection that the farm close to home (Ashalnd Ohio). So, Saturday morning we went back to the farm we normally pick and cut trees at and we found our tree--yes, do think of the Griswalds! Matt and Molly even don the dickies...We really want you guys to have another Nog and Dickies party so we can attend :)

We traveled back to Danville with our tree in the back bed of Andy's pickup truck. It traveled well. And, we will do it again in 2010. In 2009, we will find a real tree around Danville at a local market because you cannot pick your own tree and cut it down like in can in Ohio.

Our first Thankgiving!

Our first family Thanksgiving was in Ohio. As most of you know, we rotate Christmas and Thanksgiving between Virginia and Ohio. We started this as soon as we were engaged. Because the rival schools play each other that weekend of thanksgiving or before, we decided that ths shcool of choice who was home would be the state we would spend thanksgiving. For instance, when Ohio State is playing Michigan at home in Columbus, Virginia is always playing Virginia Tech away. So, in this case we would be in Ohio for Thanksgiving so we would enjoy the festivities of the game and Thanksgiving. Then when UVA plays Tech in Charlottesville, we are always in Virginia for Thanksgiving and we can enjoy our season tickets and go to the game...Go Hoos! Go Buckeyes!

Visit with Grammy

We had a great visit from Grammy this week. We went shopping at the Gingerbread House. We toured Daddy's new Airside building, had lunch, cooked dinner for everyone. Here are just a few pictures to share from the week.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today is Andy's birthday, Nov 18th! He turned 32 today. Earlier Anna Campbell and I went to Greensboro to pick Grammy up from the airport. She flew in from Orlando. Grammy will be here a few days and then off to D.C. to visit with Aunt Pam, Laura, Jason and Campbell "Belle".

We entertained the entire family for dinner tonight. What a work out. I cooked chicken casserole, known to the inventor as Spazagna--so good! And I cooked shrimp casserole--a Paula Deen creation that has soon became a new love. D and Elizabeth Ware introduced this dish to us when we had Anna Campbell. They shared it with us for dinner. What a treat both casseroles are (matter of fact, the Spazagna was a new baby dinner dish as well). I made a from scratch strawberry cake and pecan pie, two of Andy's favorites--YUMMY! He also loves the butter tastin' biscuit by Pillsbury. Needless to say we were not on a diet, although we did have the famous Sterner salad-does this count as nurtritious? NAAAHHHH!

As far as I could tell, Andy loved his new hedge trimmers we gave him. Mama and Daddy gave him a leaf blower. These are two things he desperately wanted--sounds like my idea of a good birthday present being a new stove/cook top and a garbage disposal! HA!
Pictures to follow :)

1st Halloween

Yes, I am a slacker blogger...but I do try! I finally have the pictures from Halloween. Anna Campbell, aka Minnie Mouse, had a great trick or treat night. Around 5:30 Leslie, Steve and Tanner came to our house and Shae, Cameryn and Adam soon followed. We wanted to get pictures with all the kids. We stayed home until 7:15 so we could give out candy then we went trick or treating.

Andy, Anna Campbell and myself went to Aunt Frances' house, she was dressed as a witch. Mama and Daddy met us there. Even Nana dressed up for Halloween. She dressed as a sorceror--that is what I think anyway! Then we drove to Melanie and Lewis's house. We were greeted at the door with theater size candy bars---WHOA! No wonder they have about 100 trick or treaters! The candy selection was better than a 7-11. Before heading home to tuck Minnie Mouse in for the night, we went to MaMa and PaPa's house. We did not get any pictures there because Minnie Mouse was snuggled in her car seat just about snoozing.