Mobile Man

How did you spend your New Year?

We made a duplo neighborhood. Maeli liked my house better than Jeremy's house. But she really loved the park.

Teeth!

Working on # 6 & 7

"Dance with me Daddy."

Brame Family Bowling

This marked the first annual day-after Christmas Brame-Family Bowling Extravaganza! It was pretty fun to have all of my siblings together to bowl, although in the end, I was the biggest looser. Even Maeli beat me. I'm blaming it on the fact that my center of gravity is all messed up, but even the "launcher" and bumpers didn't really improve my score...there's always next year, right?
The boys didn't get to play this time, but I think they still had fun watching.

Maeli and Olivia had to be distracted with star bursts while the grown-ups finished our game, but they didn't mind too much.

Our Christmas

Traditionally, we spend Christmas Eve with the McLain side of our family. Jeremy has 5 older sisters, and as many as can make it head to his parents' house with their families. This year everyone was there but his sister from Utah. It was pretty crazy, lots of cousins, lots of presents, and lots of fun!
The McLain Tree
Aunt Dannell and her boys bought for our family (we draw names) and she got Tucker a computer so he can practice being like Daddy. He totally loves it!
Maeli loved all the attention from all the family!

By the end of the afternoon we were all pretty "Tuckered" out.
We tried something different this year. Normally we're back and forth a lot between our parents' houses (its about 45min) and its always stressful and tense. We divided our days up and did McLain pre-Christmas and Brame post-Christmas. It was much nicer and felt a little like vacation. So after the McLain festivities were wrapped up and we said our good byes, we headed to my parents' house.
We had to get our stockings organized before we could go to bed. Jeremy and I only stuff each other's stockings, although the gifts seem to ooze out of them every year.
Maeli got to help G'ma Terry do the cinnamon for the pull-a-parts we always have for Christmas breakfast. Notice how gussied up she is thanks to the dress-up stuff from Aunt Dannell.
Tucker could hardly wait for Maeli to wake up so that we could start the party.
Tucker also thought that everything cousin Roy got was way more exciting than anything Tucker got.
Dad and Maeli both so excited to start unwrapping!
And we still all ended up pretty Tuckered out.

Meeting Grandma Vi

After 2 failed attempts, Tucker finally got to meet his paternal great grandma!

Santa-Take 2

Santa comes to the hospital every year to visit the kids that are being treated, employees' children are invited to come and see him and get a present (provided by the parents). We didn't go last year because Maeli really wasn't into Santa, but we thought we should give it a shot this year. Tucker was very intrigued. Maeli still wouldn't go to him. They both thought the presents were fine, but the CANDY CANES made the whole thing worth while.