Christmas

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas. The kids had a ball and of course were spoiled by Santa and everyone else. Thank you to everyone that send something special for the kids. We really appreciate everything. Christmas was really fun this year because both the kids were really into it. I think this may be the only year for both kids to enjoy Santa if you know what I mean. I am hoping we can get one more year, but when things change I have plans on how to keep it fun. I am attaching a slide show because there were so many great pictures and gifts that I wanted to share them all. Thanks for looking.

4 days left

We have been doing things for the countdown for Christmas but I just haven't had the time to get the pictures posted. But I have a second to show off my favorite picture so far. Last night we made out cookies for Santa and this was my favorite picture.

Here Comes Santa Claus

Today while I was at the mall with Kim and Aidan I decided to tempt fate and see if I could get Cameron to sit on Santa's lap. Much to my surprise he did very well and we got a decent one. Hope you all are enjoying the holidays.

Family Fun

For our friend Chris' birthday we all headed down to Baltimore and went to the aquarium and to eat at the inner harbor at a great little Irish Pub. Here are a few picture from that day.

A toast to the birthday boy. Hope you have many more Chris!!!!

MSgt Rob Swanson

Just a few pictures from Rob's ceremony on 31 Oct. Kenzie had school so I said that I would photoshop her into the last group shot.

Happy Halloween

Halloween happened to be quite a busy day in the Swanson household this year. It started off with Rob heading out for work and Kenzie to school. Then Rob's dad flew in and came to our house. Ted, Cam and I then drove up to Rob's office were we proudly looked on as Rob was promoted to MSgt. It took a couple of punches before Cameron finally got the idea and punched daddy. After the ceremony we had lunch across the street at Ted Turners restaurant with Rob's boss George and then we all headed home. I took Ted with me to pick up Kenzie from school. Boy was she surprised!!! It was totally a movie moment. Then we all headed out to dinner before we went to Chris and Kim's to take the kids Trick-or-Treating. What a full and wonderful day. I will post pictures from Rob's promotion as soon as I get them but here are a few pictures of the kids.

I'm an Aunt!!!

My favorite one!!^

I just had to share pictures of my brand new teeny tiny little niece. Kaitlyn Marie Livingston was born 21 October 2007. She weighed in at 3 lbs 11 oz and was 17 inches long. Kaitlyn couldn't wait for her 27 November due date so she made her diva like entrance a few weeks early. I am very please to say she is extremely health. She has never needed any real medical intervention except for a little help eating and a bit of time under the lights for jaundice. If she keeps this up she will be coming home soon. Congratulations to Meg and Dan. I know they can't wait to bring their little pumpkin home.

We are here!!!

Just a quick post to say that we are in Virginia and starting to settle into our new house. As you can imagine we are up to our eyeballs in boxes. Not only did we get all of our shipments from Germany but we also received all of the things that we put into storage almost 5 years ago when we headed to Germany. Things are slowly falling into place. Rob started work on Monday and Kenzie finally started back to school on Wednesday. She really loves her new school and is making more new friends every day. Drop us a line we would love to catch up with everyone.

Cam watching his DVD player on the plane

Kenzie before school this morning. It was wear your favorite hat day. Go Sox!!

And so it begins!!!

Well as most of you know we are sadly moving back to the states. Today the movers came to start our pack out. What fun!!! And lucky for us they showed up at 6:30 a.m. this morning. Cam and I weren't even out of bed yet. So as I sit here at 2 pm typing this I am doing everything I can to stay awake. Tonight we start staying in our new house until we move in to the hotel a day or two before we fly back to the states on October 11th. We will not have Internet or a computer in the new house so I will only be able to get on the Internet at the Library when I take Kenzie too school.

As for Kenzie, she starts school next Monday. This will be her first experience in an American school so it will be interesting. We go on Thursday for a new student orientation. I am hoping that we will meet her teacher then so that I can let her know that Kenzie may take a little bit to get into the swing of things.

This weekend we are going away to Garmish. We are looking forward to just being able to lounge by the pool or enjoying the great outdoors in the Bavarian Alps. I have a big adventure planned for myself that I will tell everyone all about after we get back.

It's a Zoo in here

I thought I would share pictures of the pack of wild monkeys roaming free in my house. Just proves that if you feed them they won't go away.

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Today MacKenzie turns 8!!!! Can you believe it? Time sure flies.

Summer Weather

Well we finally got some nice summer weather here. After rainy cold 50 degree weather it hit the high eighties low nineties here. The kids have been outside enjoying the pool and the weather. Yesterday and today we had a few friends over and everyone had a great time.

Cameron's first piece of watermelon

Aidan enjoying the pool The Staying cool in the pool

Kenzie and Cameron learning to play golf.

Dog days of summer. Jack trying to stay cool.

According to Cam

Even though Cam isn't using real words yet he is still able to tell anyone off when he wants. Today Cam and I were sitting on the couch and he decided to tell Rob how things were going to be.

Hot in Here!

Kim inspired me to try loading up some video of my own. I hope you like our little performer.

Battle Scars

Monkey boy received his first battle scars yesterday. I was checking my email while Cam was watching Go Diego Go. I heard him laughing in that way he does when he is doing something he isn't suppose to do and he is trying to draw attention to it. I turn and look and he is sitting on the couch. I have to say he was being good and sitting there very nicely watching his show so I left him. Then I hear him again. He is standing at the back of the couch smiling at me. I ask him to sit down. And of course he doesn't so I stand up. He sits down immediately. I go back to finish sending my email and I hear a bang and screaming. He fell off the couch. Now he has a big red egg on the front of his head. We will see if this keeps him from climbing on the furniture. I have a feeling that it won't.

Monkey Boy

We are in for a world of trouble with our boy. He is finding out that he can climb and he is climbing on anything and everything. Last week I had finished folding laundry and the basket was sitting in front of the couch. Well mister man figured out that if he climbed in the basket he cold get on the couch. The next thing I knew he was running around on the couch. Then last night I was talking with Rob while he was watching the Sox on the computer. Cam was making a lot of noise so I looked to see what he was up to. He was taking the top off of his activity table so that he could climb in there and look at himself in the mirror. He was so proud of himself and it was so cute. I see him swinging from the chandelier in the future.

They Call it a Carnival

Today we took the kids down to the "Carnival" at Patch. It took us all of 10 minutes to see everthing. Rob and Kenzie rode two of the five rides they had. When we first got there we let Kenzie play a duck fishing game where she won a little stuffed Jaguar and a bracelet. Later we played the racing camel game. I won twice and traded in my tokens for a large stuffed purple elephant. Kenzie loved it so I think I will give it to her for her birthday. I also won Cam a lion with a Deutchland t-shirt and scarf on.

Cam with his lion

Rob and Kenzie on thier favorite ride the Rock n' Roll express

Rob and Kenzie on the Jumper