Happy New Year!! We cannot believe that it is already 2009...2008 FLEW By!!

We had such an awesome holiday season. Our Christmas started early with Amy coming to visit on the 16th. She was a life saver and kept Ryan for me for 1 whole day and half of another. WOW...amazing what you can get done with a whole day without a baby. :)

Tom and Priscilla arrived in town on Friday morning and we all had such a good time cooking/baking/last minute shopping and wrapping...what a whirlwind weekend. We had our Christmas on Saturday night and Mike actually put the turkey on "the Egg". He is still boasting about how good it was!

Ryan opened his gifts before we ate and he had such a good time. He got a rocking "cow", an activity table, a personalized book, puzzles, and cowboy boots. What fun!

Santa came a little early to our house and delivered a "kangaroo climber". Ryan loved it!! He plays with the slides in Kid's Gym, so I thought he would enjoy that on his climber, but his favorite part is the door. Open/Close, open/close...ALL DAY LONG...I can't complain though, he is so cute playing with it.




The Madden's left on Sunday and Mike and I had a few days to hang out and recover before continuing the festivities in Columbia. We arrived home on the 23rd and had a blast our first full day in SC -- Christmas Eve.






Ryan had so much fun playing with all of his cousins and seeing the extended family throughout our days of Christmas.

After Christmas was over and we all recovered from the awesome food and all the presents, Mike and I went to Kiawah to celebrate New Year's with Mike's parents. It was so much fun and we did some great things -- a New Year's festival, bike riding, time on the beach. What a way to ring in 2009.


Finally, we are back home...Did I mention that on Christmas Day Ryan started WALKING!!!!



I walked outside and when I came back in my family and Mike were staring at me...they yelled...Ryan just walked and you missed it. (from the coffee table to Mike)

So, I stood there for a few more minutes and thank goodness he took 3 more steps so I could watch!!! What an amazing thing to watch your child take his first (or 4th) steps.

Hope you enjoy all the pics...sorry there are so many...we had alot going on in the last 2 weeks. :)