New Years Eve and Day, twenty TWELVE? Wait...

... where did ELEVEN go? We had a lot of fun this year, we do every year... we play, drink, eat, drink, play, and got to bed all by 11:00!!! We change our clocks and celebrate the new year with fireworks and all the jazz, the kids love it and they are SUCKERED every year!!!


This year during new years eve DAY, we went shooting with my Dad, Kim and Lori!

Later... Brady, Ashely & Thomas came over for a BBQ (in January???) some drinks, some Michael Jackson on the XBox, some FIREWORKS and lot's of FUN!

Ash can do a mean Billy Jean... and an even meaner THRILLER!!!I tried...

...but I could only master the CROTCH GRAB!

Jensen had a BLAST...

Tommy had a blast...

and they all got a work out!

Even Jaden wasn't too cool to play!
Ash and I knew how to start (or by the looks of our faces) continue to party!

Here's to a NEW YEAR...

haha... have ANOTHER,

and ANOTHER!!!

Jaden and Jensen played with sparklers while we BBQ'd!

We hope everyone had a safe and happy NEW YEAR!

CHRISTmas 2011

This year I wanted to really remember the reason for CHRISTMAS is in fact... CHRIST! I wanted to "give" to those in need and "forgive" those I haven't! I feel like I did just that! Every "pan handler" or "bell ringer" received some of my cash and I am PROUD! I felt CHRIST like in almost every decision I made in December! I have BIGger plans for next year but I am happy to say I have 11 months to plan!!! With all that said, we had an AMAZING CHRISTmas this year! As you know from prior posts, Ben and I were prepared 100%!!! We had purchased everything (well, almost everything) that the kids asked for! I had a HUGE surprise up my sleeve for Ben and little did I know... he had one up his for me too! *I love that guy*
CHRISTmas eve was as traditional as always! Relax, clean, change sheets, open our CHRISTmas eve (always NEW jammies) presents... (NO picture of Jackee :( He spends CHRISTmas eve day with his Daddy, Sarah & his Sissys)
...get all dressed up and head to CHURCH!!! The candlelight service at Good Shepherd Lutheran is and always has been my FAVORITE part of CHRISTmas! For whatever reason... I didn't get a picture of all of us all decked out together.

CHRISTmas morning was awesome! Although I missed having my Parents there (Dad woke up late and Mom worked) to watch the kids open gifts, it was nice to do it as a little family! Here are a bunch of pictures of the GLORIOUS day!

Jaden, bright eyed (always) at 5:30 am!

Jackee bum, cuter then cute!

Jensen Dean, ready to head out into the cold, I mean... WARM!For over a month I had an empty box wrapped under the tree in hope I'd throw Ben off my trail!

After he opened the box I think he knew what was in store...I was so excited I could hardley stand it... from the minute I put the down payment on this (4th child of ours) gun, I was dying to tell him!

4 boys... 3 guns... a scooter ...AND...

a VERY proud Mom!Another GUN picture!Jensen "DING" got the mustaches he asked for! Miss Matis got a new bed, a new baby and some treats from Santa!

(Her God Mom's spoiled her ROTTEN!!!)Jaden finally got the PRO (not just any old scooter) scooter he had been DREAMING of!!!Jack and his FAVORITE present... (not even real) pop gun!Ben and I were SPOILED to say the least. PLUS... the surprise he had up his sleeve... NOT ONLY did he shop on BLACK FRIDAY but, he bought me the Cannon Camera I wanted!

Yard tools are my FAVORITE......Next to COOKING things!Jaden's Stash!Jack's Stash!Jensen's Stash!OH YA, and... on CHRISTmas eve, eve... Ben and I bought this for our family! We hope your CHRISTmas was full of CHRIST and as amazing as ours!

Another AMAZING Lil' BanksTradition...

This is my FAVORITE Christmas tradition we have with our kids! Each year they have to spend their own money and buy a gift for a child in need.
They understand and LOVE doing this!!! It makes me so proud of them!

They are getting so BIG...

I can't wait...

... to meet these amazing people FACE TO FACE!!! We get to talk/text/facebook but it just isn't cuttin' it anymore! We are literally months away from a trip to LOUISIANA!

Meet our family, the BANKS...Cute huh???

Doug, is Ben's Brother and this is his Wife, Scarlett

I love them both VERY much!
These are my Nephew's Seth & Stanton and my sweet little Niece, Sabrina

Are they the cutest?

Even 1, 704 MILES away... Doug and Scarlett have ALWAYS made me feel loved!!!

Gingerbread Houses 2011

We are continuing our "Lil' Banks" Christmas traditions (these are the tradtitions that Ben and I have started with just US and our BOYS)... Making our Gingerbread town is just ONE of the many.... Mom's House & Dad / Jensen's Masterpiece Our FAMILY PHOTOJaden's CANDY GONE CRAZY House and Jackee Bums creation!

Ginger-BANKS Village Last year...

"He is SO your Son..."

The other night Jaden came into our room and said "I think my singulair (asthma pill) is stuck in my throat, it's burning and I can still taste it." I asked him if he swallowed it with water and he said "NO! That would make it slide right down." Ahahahaha!!! I looked at Ben and he said "he is SO your Son."

I love you Jaden Layne!!!!