Joyeux Noel!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! My how the season is flying by! Seems like just yesterday we were putting up the tree, and now I've got one week left before we pack up and head to France for vacation with the family. This year, we're performing an extreme home makeover on my mother-in-law's 4 story townhome. She's asked if we could help her repaint her living room ceiling, and the stairwell. BOY do we have our work cut out for us! I couldn't think of a better gift to give a woman who is SO giving though. Anything she asks, I'll do for her.

Well, 2009 has been good to us. I got to experience so much this year... a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, nights out on the town in Las Vegas. I survived my first combat deployment, and my longest time away from Nicolas and the girls since we got married and had Ava. This year has definitely had it's highs and lows... all in all, I'm glad we made it through, and we're together for the holidays and TOGETHER to ring in another New Year.

The girls have conquered their own obstacles this year... Stevie learned how to ride her bicycle, lost a few teeth, turned 7, ended 1st grade and started 2nd. Ava turned 2, started her "school," and now we're beginning to introduce POTTY TRAINING!! It's a really slow process... but every day is another step in the right direction!

Anyway... here are some pictures I took of the girls this morning in light of the holiday season! Enjoy :) May God Bless you ALL through this holiday and may many MANY great things happen for each of you in the New Year. All our love - Nico, Jennifer, Stevie and Ava