Another Year Older, Another Year Wiser

This could be potentially be a very long, rambling blog. Don't say you weren't warned. I've been trying to think about how to split up the past month into an organized, themed couple of blog posts, but couldn't come up with anything clever. So, please deal with this.....

We've been away in Missouri  for 3 weeks (as probably 9/10s of this blog readership knows). Then, Mama started a new job this week, so little else has been done since we've back besides unpacking, cleaning, organizing, and preparing.

So, let's start from the beginning of where we left off: Christmas vacation.......

Noella grew leaps and bounds in the little time we were home; learning names, new words, charming little tricks to woo her fans (which were many in Washington, MO).

It even snowed quite a bit while we were there. How nice to have a White Christmas. Behold, the rare and timid Washington Snow Monkey.....

Our days were chock full of holiday visiting, playing, eating, drinking and partying: 

Uncle "Ah-yeh" feeding Noella lunch

Christmas Eve as follows.......

Adam cooked Christmas Eve dinner

The Bob Noelker Family!

Sara with a Christmas Elf

Wow! 12 Noelker Grandkids (ages almost 17-1)

Onto Christmas Day....

Noella's Baptism Morning

Cousins....

Christmas Family Pic with Zeb Stand-in

Noella Bella's First Birthday Morning!

What?

Cake! Yea!

Handmade xylophones!

And for the post-Christmas activities: Helping Dada clean up his bike. This is serious work. 

Is this right, Dad?

Test spin.

Noella discovered that this concrete bunny looked hungry for rocks...

And was in dire need of kisses. 

All done dad. 

So, we are another year older..... perhaps not that much wiser though....

And finally, the joint birthday party with Noella's Hood River friends. How adorable is this picture? They are all within 2 or so months of age. We had such a great time!

Noella checking to see if she had anything stuck in her teeth...

Playing with Mama. 

This is basically what Noella did for most of the 2 hour party: pushed a little basketball around in a stroller.  I am one year old.... "I do what I want!"