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Charli's Uncle Dillon (Chad's little brother) is staying at our house tonight, and Charli is loving getting to play rough! Here is about 30 seconds of her wrestling with her daddy and uncle! I think she is winning - but I am not sure!

Oh Christmas Tree - Oh Christmas Tree!

Wow...we have lots of pictures to share this week!! I will keep this short because there is so much to tell with the pictures! We had a great Christmas! On Christmas Eve we went to our church service and later celebrated with our neighbor Jacky for a bit, which Charli enjoyed! We headed to the farm on Christmas day to spend time with my family, and all the kids! Even though mom and dad just added on to their house, it is still not big enough for the TEN grandkids they will have by the 4th of July next year!! With seven of them being under the age of seven...it becomes a bit "wild" at times you could say!! The following day we hosted Christmas for Chad's family, and it was so nice to have everyone together, that doesn't happen often! Everyone stuck around to enjoy the afternoon, and many even stayed to watch the dumbest movie ever! It is great to make those Christmas memories :-)!!!!!!

Charli had a great time playing with her cousins all weekend, it is fun to think of how both sides of the family are growing. It is nice to know the kids have other cousins their age to grow up with and play with as they get older...and get in trouble with, etc :-)

Santa was good to Charli, overly good actually - our house has hit its limit on toys it can store! What will we do when the baby is here and we add a pack-n-play, swing, bouncy chair, saucer, etc!! We will need an addition too!!

We hope that everyone had a great Christmas, and that everyone took time to reflect upon the reason for the season, and all it means to you and yours. I am not sure if it is the holiday or what, but I have been very reflective on all that Charli and our family has gone through...and it is not only humbling but also a bit scary to realize how our life could have changed so dramatically with a few more days or a few more millimeters. It is amazing how life works out...even when we think it isn't working out at all.

Have a Happy New year everyone - make lots of resolutions so when you break some, you have another to fall back on :-)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Charli in her Christmas best!

Charli and mom

Charli and Dad

Charli leaving Reindeer food on Christmas Eve!! She LOVED this, talked about it for days!

Charli and her new snap doll, trying to get her to say "cheese" on Christmas morning!

our family...of four :-)

the Borg grandkids! It is hard to get a picture of all of them looking good!

Andrew, Cohen, Derek, Colton, Bryant, Macey, Ryen, and Charli

Charli and Uncle Randy

Charli and Daddy

HI MOM!!! Macey, Ryen, and Charli

Listen Charli, I love your new beanbag chair. Will you please share it with me, I would like to sit on it too!

I will be REALLY nice to you if you share with me!! I will even love and hug on you to show you how awesome I think you would be!!

LISTEN LADY...if you won't share I will just make myself feel at home! How do you like me now?! :-) Colton really wanted on this beanbag chair...can you tell?!!

what kids don't love a good 'ole fashion TV box to play in?!!

This is what a "chapstick meltdown" looks like!! Grandma gave Charli monkey chap stick and this is the result after having to take it away so she could A - open other gifts B- not get it everywhere and C-get a grip with herself..she is addicted to chapstick! Where would she get such a weird addiction?! Hmmm, I wonder!! Here is a hint, Santa left 5 types of chapstick on my stocking too!!!

Charli in the pack-n-play she got for her babies. She was trying to tell us "I'm not to big mommy"....but I didn't really guy it!

SNOW ANGEL!

making a snowman with Grandma and Grandpa Preister

peek!

passed out after a LONG day!

feeding her new baby in her new tent...in her new PJ's!

she loves her new football from Uncle Dillon!!

Charli and mommy hiding from monsters!!

Charli, daddy, and Wynston hiding from monsters. Notice Charli trying to get Wynston to smile by holding his head and saying "cheese" for him :-)

detais - details

Lots of things to update!! Last weekend we made a trip to Iowa for the Taake Christmas (my moms side) and that meant we got to meet up with the Russells Friday night! We went swimming in a cold pool and let the kids play with their Christmas presents from each other! Later we went to see a real-live Gingerbread house!!! Enjoy those pictures :-)

Landon stealing kisses from Charli before heading back to HUSKER NATION!!

Gingerbread house from across the street!!

up close and personal!! This was unreal, had to see it to believe it!

I have had several people ask for a follow up to Charli's video last weekend! I realized I didn't really leave any information for you!!

We are due in June of 2009. Since Charli came to this world via c-section (no thanks to the 24+ hours of labor, grrr!) this baby will come the same way (minus the pre-labor!!) in mid-June. Our actually due date was June 29th, which just happens to be days after the Relay For Life of Platte County, which many of you will remember I am co-chairing this year! So, the next six months will be tricky, interesting, complicated, stressful, exciting, and emotional to say the least!!

Charli seems to be pretty into babies right now, but not so much into sharing her mom. So, it will be a transition for her to make with the rest of us. I know she will be a very helpful and loving big sister, but it will be the biggest change in her life with I understand and hope we can make the transition painless for her!

Charli has been acting very "TWO" this past week, and sometimes causing her father and I to pull at our hair! I know it is only a mere glimpse at what is to come with her personality and attitude :-)

In case I don't post again before Thursday, we hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas and can enjoy all the reasons of the season. We have so many blessings in this world...it is humbling to take the time to reflect on it all!!

Charli loves the dyson, and has officially used it more than me :-)

this is what it looks like under Charli's bed. I bought TWO new packages of socks because I thought she out grew them or something...little did I know she was hiding them under her bed!

I asked Charli if she wanted to sit on Santa's lap, and she moved over on her chair and said "Santa sit right here"!! When I said he wouldn't fit, she did buy into the idea of sitting on HIS lap!

SANTA: "Charli, what would you like for Christmas this year?!"

CHARLI: "two pink presents and candy!!"

1st party of the season!

We had our first Christmas party of the season last night! We celebrated our 3rd daycare Christmas party and Charli had a great time as always! Charli seemed to look like a little dolly in her dress and I am not sure if it was the combination of her outfit or just her personality...but she seemed so grown up (and pretty DARN cute!)

The kids all get along so well, Lynn does such am amazing job with these kids -- she is amazing and we are SO thankful for her. Among our blessings she is certainly on the TOP!! (and Lonnie too!!)

I started and finished our Christmas decorating around the house today!! Actually I got started early this morning but took a break to run errands and had a hard time getting started again! But - Grandma and Grandpa came down to visit and I got to decorate with my mom which was fun...I don't think I had ever done that before! It was nice! And, in the living room Charli and Charlie (Grandpa) danced to Charli's dancing snowman! They BOTH had a good time! Charli loves her Grandma's and Grandpa's so much - we love when they visit!

I will let you get to the pictures...I know that is why you are here :-) (it's okay! ha ha )

this would be her SUPER-STAR pose I guess!!

and the not so "super-star" pose :-)

where was this picture when I needed a shot for the Christmas card?! The only way I could get her to smile all night was to say "smile for Grandpa"!

the gang (minus a sad baby Sadie who was with her daddy!)

THIS is how much the kids love each other!! SO CUTE!

Liam LOVED his book from Charli!!!!

the gangs all here!!

mmmm, cookies!!