Practice Shot

Today I did my best to try and figure out how to work my new camera. I took a bunch of pics of different things using a bunch of different functions. Above is a pic of tonight's dinner, lasagna. I was practicing using the zoom lens.

Kylie and Chris just watching tv....using the b/w mode.
I really like the b/w mode. Kami fell asleep on the sofa this afternoon. When she woke up she said,"Aren't you so proud of me for taking a nap Mommy?"
CJ was out with friends last night, therefore, he slept very little. When he got home he asked Kylie if he could borrow her snuggie. I had to take this in b/w because her snuggie is PINK!
This is my camera in outside mode. hmmmm. Baby is so0 damn cute in any mode.

Disney Celebrations on Ice

Today Karen and I took Kamry, Avery, and Amberly to the Wachovia Center to see a Disney on Ice show. Above are the three girls right before the show started.

Minnie Mouse is Kami's favorite, so I had to include a pic of Ms. Mouse!
I couldn't resist taking a pic of girls watching the show.
Kami and I watching the show. Not a very good pic of my baby.
I think we spent more money on their souvenirs than on the tickets. But it was all worth it. Karen and I have been taking our kids to Disney on Ice shows for the past 15 years. And they are still as magical!

A Hartman Christmas

After all of our company leaves on Christmas Eve, and all of our kids are in bed, Chris and I exchange gifts...just the two of us. This year Chris gave me a new camera. This is the very first pic I took with my new camera. Some of the pics are a bit blurry because I haven't yet had a chance to read all 142 pages of the manual, so I have no idea what I am doing!
Avery was first kids awake...at 2am...we sent her back to bed! Kylie was up at 4:30 and woke Madi up at 5am. They are under STRICT ORDERS not to wake up Kami before 6. At exactly 6am, CJ went in and picked up Kami, got the rest of his sisters and they headed in our room to show us the bedside gifts Santa left for them, and to exchange their Pollyannas with each other!

Below is the gang waiting to go downstairs! It also gives me a chance to get a cup of coffee for Chris and I.
First stop.....stockings! Lotsa candy, chapstick, earbuds, hair stuff, magazines, toothbrushes...
My new camera can take action photos....but I still have no idea how to do it, so here is Kami running full speed ahead to the presents under the tree. This moment alone is what makes it all worthwhile.
The gang digging in and having fun unwrapping. After gifts, we enjoyed a big breakfast, then headed to church. After Mass we headed to Grammy's house for a visit. Then we all headed home, got back in our pj's and played. Later, NaNa and PopPop came over for dinner. Our Christmas party with the whole Hartman gang is a few days away. Hopefully I will figure out how to work my camera by then and take tons more pics! Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Holiday began with my parents and the C's coming over for dinner. We have celebrated Christmas Eve the same way for years. It is my absolute, most favorite day of the year.
We also exchange gifts with my parents after dinner. If you truly know my parents, then you totally get the humor in one of their gifts pictured below. The moment I saw it in a store a few weeks ago I knew it had to be part of their present!
And of course it just wouldn't be Christmas without a visit from Santa on top of a fire engine. Kami was getting upset because we kept hearing the sirens in the distant, but he didn't actually do a drive by until after 9. His latest time ever for us!

A sweet end to a fabulous night!

A New First

Last night I experienced something totally new for me as a mom. I went to an orchestra concert for one of my kids. This year Avery decided to play violin through our school's music program. Amberly decided to play the viola. Even though the girls go to different schools they share an orchestra teacher and the two schools pair up for concerts. Since they have only been receiving lessons for a few weeks they don't have their bows yet. They just pluck. The were very excited to 'pluck' a few notes to ONE song during the entire concert. I ended up being the only Hartman to attend Avery's first concert because Chris was spending his night picking up CJ from wrestling, Madi from cheerleading, and taking Kylie to dance. Thank God Karen was there. I had someone to keep me company for TWO hours. Let's see if either girl will make it to the spring concert. Maybe they will be a part of more than one song.

The first snow of the season!

There is something totally magical when the first snow of the season falls. This is Meadow and Baby's first snow with us. They both loved running around our snow covered backyard.
After dinner Chris decided to start a fire outside. Even though it's a Saturday night, we made all the kids stay home since it was snowing.
First snowman of the season.
Home Sweet Home in the snow.
Chris and the kids ended up having a snowball fight. Chris won!!!!

Give me an M-A-D-I

You can pull yourself off the floor now.....That's right...our little tomboy is a CHEERLEADER!!!!!! She looks so damn cute in her uniform.