TRIP TO THE MUSEUM

Scott and the boys picked up Uncle Sean yesterday and they went to the museum for a few hours... They really wanted to see the frog exhibit, but with winter break for all of the school kids, it was packed... Scott was showing Ethan the beaver exhibit and where the beavers live, and Ethan looked and said "Daddy! That beaver's house is so dirty!!!" Ha! That's my boy for sure!!! They had all that fun at the museum while I worked a 12 hour shift... ugh...

HOLIDAY LUNCH AT THE OLIVE GARDEN

LAUREN OPENING HER GIFT FROM US!!!

CALEB... AS HANDSOME AS EVER!!! WAITING FOR HIS SS&B
(SOUP, SALAD & BREAD STICKS)!!!

ETHAN ENJOYING HIS BREAD STICK

AND "BIG BOY" DRINK...

LIAM... WAITING FOR MORE FOOD...

HE ENJOYED LUNCH MORE THAN ANY OF US I THINK!!!

Monday we met up with Auntie Mary, John, Lauren, Andrew, Sean, Stacy and Liam at the Olive Garden... We gave Auntie Mary and Lauren their Christmas gifts and they gave the boys theirs... Thanks for the AWESOME Spiderman pajamas and coloring books!!! OH! and the ornaments! and also thanks for my coffee mug and hand gel/hand gel holder! I love it! We had an awesome lunch with wonderful service! Even got $5 gift cards from the manager! I LOVE the Olive Garden!

Auntie Mary and Ethan... John in the back...

CHRISTMAS AT GRANNY AND PAPA'S (SUNDAY)...

Sunday was our get together at Granny and Papa's for Christmas... it was a lot of fun!!! after all of the Christmas parties we attended, it was nice to just chill on our Packer gear and relax...

CHRISTMAS DAY AT GRANDPA & GRANDMA RAAP'S...

Nathan, Alexa and Ethan...

all with their electronic devices...

Caleb SO happy to get Handy Manny's toolbox!!!
thanks Uncle Tim and Lauren!!!

our family...

Grandpa, Grandma and the boys...

Uncle Luke and Caleb...

brotherly love...

Luke, Karen, Ashley and Josh... the boys passed out after we got home...

and not very happy to be woken an hour

later from their sweet slumber...

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!

needless to say, Christmas morning was a HIT at the Schutten house... Ethan woke us up and said "It's morning time! It's morning time!" Caleb slept a little later than Ethan and Ethan kept trying to go into the bedroom to wake him so they could open presents! Ethan said after tearing open all of his presents AND most of Caleb's, "This is the BEST Christmas EVER!!!" Too cute...

CHRISTMAS EVE. AT THE ARTKA'S...

hugs from Caleb...

hugs from Ethan...

the kids waiting patiently for Santa to call their name...

Liam checking out Santa Clause...

Ethan getting his gift from Santa!!!

it was a Batmobile!!!

Caleb wondering what Santa is talking about?!?

thinking, "hmm... have I been good this year?!?"

CHRISTMAS EVE AT AUNT LORI'S AND UNCLE BOB'S...

Papa and Caleb...

Auntie and Liam...

the kids coloring, with markers, on Aunt Lori's floor

(not my idea, ha!)

Justin and Ethan... busy playing games...

THE RAAP FAMILY CHRISTMAS

" WHERE'S THE DIP?!?"

UNCLE LARRY WITH THE YOUNGER KIDS...
WATCHING RUDOLPH...

AMANDA & ME...

Saturday was the Raap Family Christmas celebration... We had a wonderful time seeing the family!!! Ethan and Caleb had a blast with all of the cousins!!! The year goes by so fast that it is hard to believe that the last time I saw some of my family was last Christmas!!! It seems that the older I get, the faster time goes!!! WHY?!? My cousin and I are going to plan a family picnic this summer so we can spend more time with the whole family before next Christmas rolls around... Better start planning now!!!

OUR GINGERBREAD TRAIN

LITTLE LIAM... WE WILL MISS YOU!!!

Liam's 1st day with us - 05.03.2010

Liam's last day with us - 12.17.2010

Liam has spent a lot of time with us over the past 7 months... I have seen him grow from a tiny newborn into a mobile, getting into EVERYTHING (especially the dog food) little boy!!! I will not be his "nanny" anymore... It is gonna be really weird not having him here with us... We are going to miss his smiling face... Ethan and Caleb think of him like a brother and will be wondering where Liam went?!? Liam, I think will miss us too - except for being picked on by Caleb... We love you Liam!!!

THE SCHUTTEN FAMILY CHRISTMAS

AT THE BLUE HARBOR RESORT

is that you, Santa?!?

Ethan and Jamie playing...

Snuggling with Papa...

"Cheese!!!"

Caleb loves Daddy's Superhero shirt...

Pool time!!!

"I'm cold, Dad!!!"

My little shark...

visit with Santa and Mrs. Clause...

truck driver Caleb...

Liam having SO much fun!!!

Presents!!!

Ethan helping Claire open her presents....

Ethan opening his Batcave!!!

Liam's 1st ATV... and it's a Honda, of course...

Papa and the boys...

This past weekend we went to Sheboygan for our Schutten family Christmas... We stayed in a beautiful villa that overlooked Lake Michigan... It was a lot of fun... Saturday we spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon at the water park... Ethan probably had the most fun there!!! After nap and dinner, we headed over to the main hotel to visit with Santa and Mrs. Clause... then to the arcade... then back to the villa for presents!!! It was good to be with the family!!! We had pretty crazy weather though... Saturday it rained really hard, then turned to snow... It was very windy and got super cold... the drive home was not too nice... there were whiteout conditions on the interstate in a few places, which was pretty scary... It was a wonderful weekend overall... Merry Christmas!!!