Happy New Year!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy new year. 2009 was good to us starting with our baby meghan grace. we are fortunate for our health, jobs, family, and children. we hope 2010 brings a little of the same (minus the baby:)

Megsie took her first steps tonight!!!!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

The Ross Family

Oh, it's gonna be a good night for taking pictures...I can just feel it!

After a little milky milk

Santa's plates

Santa's big gift for hannah on the left and kate on the right!

(sorry for the large pictures, i accidentally uploaded them as large)

The presents are all wrapped, girls are all asleep, house is somewhat cleaned, and I am tired. I had a busy day today. The past few days Hannah has been telling Santa she wants a barbie. Well, this is the first that Santa had heard of that and tried to let it go, but after a few times, I thought Santa better rethink not getting her one. Unfortunately for Santa, all the cheap barbies were gone. Oh well. I am so excited for tomorrow. Last year at this time, I was almost to the end of Meghan's pregnancy and John was in Cleveland with the girls. I do have to say it was so nice just to have a mellow holiday. That is not too often with the Kollen house. Not as nice though as Christmas in our house with our 3 girls. I know this isn't Thanksgiving, but tonight as I go to bed, I am thinking of how lucky I am to have this beautiful life!

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2010~

john, courtney, hannah, kate, and meghan grace

American Girl Store

The red carpet to go visit Santa!

Kate thought she died and went to heaven. She loves dolls!

Kate and her baby at the party

Kaelyn and Kate with their babies

Lauren and her baby

Hannah

The loot!

Kelsey and Paige had a little shopping to do, so my mom and I sat out with the kids. They would not leave Hayley alone. Kate kept licking her finger and trying to smooth out H's eyebrows!

We went to the most wonderful birthday party. My cousin McKenna had her 7th birthday at the American Girl store at the Grove. I have been mildly excited about this birthday party for about 5 months now. Originally it was just me going from my family, but it worked out that Paige and Hayley and Kelsey and the girls and Effie were there too! I had no idea what to expect. I tried to excite the girls about it, but I don't think they had any idea. They were so excited when we got there. My aunt was so gracious taking the kids into the party while we shopped. Somehow I got hooked up with a personal shopper, Brenda, who did just that. We would tell her what we wanted and she would go get it. I thought we would have to wait in line, so I sent Kelsey to wait while I went and got all the stuff, but she even allowed us to pay for it there. Kelsey wanted this picnic table so bad and she even took it off and 'on hold' shelf to let her buy it. So much fun. It was the craziest store. Doll stuff everywhere. The girls wanted EVERYTHING. They were lucky that I answered the house phone as I was walking out the door. It was God (Grammie Ross) calling giving each of them 50.00 to spend. I never answer the house phone and for some reason I did! Thank goodness!

It was so awesome to see the girls faces. They were able to pick some things out for themselves and give a little list for Santa. I tell you, I don't know what this store does, but there were people spending money left and right!

Christmas Cookies

Getting tired of frosting
I started out strong

After they had finished frosting...they weren't suppose to have a bite yet.....hmmm

I made the cookie dough, but had trouble making the actual cookies, so john took over, the girls had so much fun helping him, meghan was just along for the ride:)

For those of you who know John's sister Julie, she makes the most magnificent frosted cookies along with looking absolutely fabulous. Every party we have everyone wants to know if her cookies will be here (along with fancy nancy's cookies and someone's bean dip, not quite sure who's) Well every year, I eat my weight in cookies...which is a lot! I always tell myself I am going to give it my best shot. I have no expectations of getting them even close to her, but just to make them look decent. While they taste really good, they look like well, CRAP! I started out good and then got tired so just slopped some frosting on. Not to mention, the girls were frosting there's too. They had such a great time. They couldn't believe how frosting changed colors when we added the food coloring. Here is some pictures of the night!

bye bye Mickey and Minnie

We took our last trip of the year to Disneyland. Our passes expire on Tuesday. The girls and I have had such a great time this year with all our visits. All my sisters had passes along with John's mom and dad. We probably went over 30 times and enjoyed every second of it. Last night, thanks to my unlce ronnie, John was able to go and experience it with the girls. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's a whole different view of Disneyland you get when you see the kids faces. I have never wanted to buy notebooks, pens, figures, cameras, phones, you name it, in my entire life. We were lucky because we got birthday money instead of free admission to the park so I was able to buy 'junk'.

Last night was the perfect night. No crowds. The longest line was for the cookie we had while watching the fireworks. I am sad to see this year end. It has been so nice spending so much quality time there with family and friends!

Jon and Kate + 8 minus Jon and Kate + kelsey +4

Getting ready for the big painting event

The final result

Kelsey saw Jon and Kate + 8 where they painted eachother with pudding. Kelsey made the pudding today and the girls had an absolute blash painting eachother. Hannah liked it all around, Lauren and Kaelyn and Kate liked to paint, but didn't like too much to be painted.

We have had a great Thanksgiving hanging out. It's been very mellow. Lots of eating, shopping, swimming, and hanging out. Tonight we went on a ranger ride with JJ and Kelsey and their friends. The kids roasted marshmallows and made smores. It was a great time and the girls made good memories!

9 months...where does the time go?

We went to the beach this morning to take Christmas pictures and Megsie's 9 month pictures. I can't believe my baby girl is 9 months old already. She continues to be the BEST baby ever. We had her 1st tatrum the other day when she couldn't use her walker. She threw a fit! She has 4 teeth and her smile brightens my day!

Merry Christmas Meghan Grace

Meghan isn't getting much for Christmas this year, actually she is now getting nothing because I gave her Santa's gift. She is starting to walk around using the tables and couch. I figured if I waited til Christmas she would not need this anymore. Both Hannah and Kate are not thrilled with the idea of Meghan getting something and not them. Kate has been following Megsie around "Megsie, let me help you" "Megsie, let me see" "Mom, Megsie doesn't want this anymore"

Kate less than thrilled

Even angrier now that I told her she couldn't touch it!

In between being sick

hannah on buzz lightyear
the girls were so excited to see the fairies

these 2 were too young to get their hair done

the after shot at bibbity bobbity boo

mallory before (she was a little late cuz she was coming from sd)

the girls before

celebrating Mallory's #4

yummy!!!

4 babies at the party!!!!

our family

trick or treat

candace had strict instruction she was to hear no 'trick or treat, smell my feet'

In between being sick and being sick, the girls managed to spend some time with all their cousins and celebrate a few birthdays. We drove down to SD to celebrate Halloween with everyone. It was so nice to hang out. The kids have so much fun together. Long gone are the days when it was just Bennett and Hannah. Now poor Bennett has no one to play with:( The girls get along so well and absolutely love hanging out. They are at a great age, where you have to keep your eye on them, but don't have to worry about what they are putting in their mouths. The babies are too young to get into too much trouble.

We celebrated Mallory's 4th birthday with a pajama party on Sunday morning. Lot's of fun and the best 'birthday' cake ever:) Candace was lucky to have close friends and family drive up from OC...so nice on a Sunday morning when I am sure they just wanted to stay home and relax:)

On Monday we headed off to Disney to celebrate Lauren and Kaelyn's 4th birthday. The girls got their hair done at the Disney Hair Boutique Bibbity, Bobbity, Boo. They were in heaven. We went on a few rides and headed over to Ariel's Grotto for a late lunch, where if one of the kids were in the bathroom, they would have completely missed the princess visits all together. Oh well!

Everyone has gone back home now and the kids are all still sick:(