Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning was a lot less rushed this year....We enjoyed spending time with the girls opening stocking, making Belgian waffles, and exchanging gifts. It is always fun as a parent to see the excitement on your child's face when they open that gift that they've been crossing their fingers for! Hannah has moved on past the toy stage so she gets geeked when she opens presents that are clothes or things for her room....so fun!!!!


Christmas afternoon we spent at my dad and Susan's house. It was a lighter crowd this year without Brian & Marcia and Mike, Carrie, & the boys. It was a nice afternoon....less busy as years past, less presents too....all of us kids had asked for them to slow the pace down, and cut back on the presents and focus more on spending time together and not rushing through to get to the next activity. It was pleasant day including some games of Quiddler & Outburst....good food...and ending the day with Jesus' birthday cake. A nice way to spend Christmas afternoon!

A Nostalgic Hultink Christmas...

It is tradition in the Hultink family to celebrate Christmas all together on Christmas Eve. Years ago we added to that tradition by making Christmas Eve a theme night...including the ever growing and competitive appetizer/dessert contest. The winner of the contest then gets to choose the theme for the next year and plan the night's events. Todd and I won last year....(At the movies was the theme....We made Snowberry Trifle with Maple crusted pecans....after the movie ELF...what clinched it for us was that Todd dressed as Buddy the Elf...yellow tights and all!)

This year we chose the theme...A Nostalgic Hultink Christmas. The night started with all 22 of us outdoors for a nativity walk. We read scripture, the kids placed pieces of the nativity together as we retold the story of Christ's birth. Then we ended at a spruce tree right outside mom and dad's front door with Todd saying a prayer as everyone hung ornaments with their name on it as a keepsake for Todd's folks. The rest of the night included Hultink Family Trivia...a hilarious walk down memory lane....a kids exchange including some retro candy from Uncle Dann and Aunt Tara (even candy cigarettes made the cut...come on...we all did that when we were kids!!!) After the kids all got snuggled in to watch a Christmas movie, the adults proceeded onward to the food contest. We had thrown in the idea of extra points this year for anyone who performed a song that had to do with their appetizer....We had Rudolph the Rednose Rain deer on a plate (grilled marinated Venison with jalapeno, wrapped in bacon and topped with the tomato for the red nose...absolutely incredible...and I don't eat deer!)....There was bacon wrapped water chesnuts in marinade accompanied by a hilarious song about the Hultink family to the tune of the MSU fight song sung by Brandon. There was marinaded cheese made into the Nativity Star....absolutely delicious! Mom and dad sung about their love of their family and fondue!! Mom had to start about 15 times until she could actually get it out.....so funny! Then the grand winners of the night....Partridge in a Pear tree....Mini pears stuffed with herbs and goat cheese, wrapped in bacon....(you would have thought that bacon was the theme this year!!!)....The thing that clinched it for Dann and Tara was the rendition of 12 days of Christmas sung about Dann's top 12 gifts ever...absolutely hilarious and creative. The night ended with our gift exchange. Every year it is different, so Todd and I chose a book exchange along with your favorite beverage to drink (favorite bookie to read while enjoying a schlukie in your favorite nookie so to speak). It was fun to see what books people brought and all the beverages that accompanied them. All and all an incredibly memorable night, one we will always remember!

Homemade Christmas...

The girls had fun making picture frames for their friends, bookmarks for teachers, and ornaments for family....

Just having fun...

Christmas and Birthday Celebration...

Today we went to Todd's parents house to celebrate Sophie's birthday and to exchange Christmas gifts. A few years ago his parent's decided to get together with each family separately to do a smaller Christmas celebration. This makes it more fun for them to watch the grandkids open their gifts and not having the distraction of everyone ripping into presents at the same time. Christmas Eve is more enjoyable with just a small gift exchange amongst the kids and an adult exchange later in the night. It's also a good excuse to have another special night together!

Baby it's cold outside....

Happy Birthday Sophie!

S is for smiley....precious as ever

O is offering help.... when ever a friend needs is
P is for personality....she has lots of it
H is for huge heart.... because she cares so much for others
I is for inviting....always willing and able to play with others
E is for exceptional....her love for us and ours for her....

Happy Birthday Sweetie....We Love You!!!!

Lots of things went on during the week of Halloween....Here's a quick run down of all the fun stuff!!!

Tuesday night was Hannah's first Choir Concert. I forgot to bring the camera to the concert, but at least got a pic of Hannah in her oh-so-fashionable choir polo shirt! If you look closely, you'll notice she just got her braces on, and out of her total obsession with MSU football, chose Green and White rubberbands to go around her brackets!!!

Wednesday night while I was at Bible Study, Todd and the girls carved pumpkins....it was all smiles ! ;)

Thursday Soph's class had their party....complete with a visit from John McCain and Sarah Palin (these are two of the 2nd grade teachers....the other two teachers dressed up as Secret Service Agents.)

Queen Bee Sophie

Hannah honoring 80's fashion

With my sister's kids - Elliot, Hayden, & Oliver

Soph with her buds Grace, Skylar, & Jordan

Hannah with her friends Lane, Hannah, & Tori

The weekend ended with Todd and I going as a cat and Buddy the Elf to our friend's Halloween party....some favorites from that night....Michael Phelps, a couple of Parrot Heads, the Burger King, Wendy, and the Incredible Hulk....Good Times!

Trick or Trot....

Hudsonville Public Schools host a Trick or Trot race for all the elementary students in Preschool through 5th grade....Soph decided she wanted to run the race this year....We were blessed with very mild October weather so it was a great day to sit in the stands and cheer on the kids!

Sophie warming up before running her big race!

All tuckered out!!!

11 going on 17...

...that's what a new "do" will do!

Pretty Blue Eyes....

My niece Alivia spent the afternoon and evening at our house today. Hannah had lots of fun reading with her.... Soph played outside building a fort for her.....And we all enjoyed looking into her gorgeous blue eyes!!!! We love you Livvy!

Back to school....

Sophie - 1st day of 2nd grade

Hannah - 1st day of 6th grade

Mackinac Island...

We just got back from a great time in Mackinac. Todd's folks invited us and Marc, Amanda, and Alivia up to hang out with them for the weekend. They ended up last minute taking Brandon and Keri's boys with them so it was a great time for the cousins to hang out at the pool, bike around the island, and eat lots of fudge! We stayed at a great hotel in Mackinac City that had an indoor waterpark, and an outdoor pool so the kids got pretty water logged. We took the boat to the island on Saturday and spent most of the day shopping and just enjoying the simplicity of the island...no cars, but lots and lots of bikes! (and Soph would add that there is also a lot of horse dukers....) It was a great way to send off summer!

Home away from home...

Here it is....The quaint little Storybook Cottage that was our home for the week we spent in North Carolina....The place was well equipped, and made us feel very comfortable....It was great to come home here every night after a busy day...