2010 Soccer Pictures of Elle

A dad from Gabrielle's soccer team shared his pictures of the team from the past year. Here are some of Elle. She's become such a good little soccer player. I love watching her play and am so glad to get some good pictures of her doing what she loves!

 

 

In the hundreds of pictures the dad shared were these of Cade and Will. They are both usually playing soccer or football on the sidelines of Elle's games...

Christmas Afternoon at Grandma & Grandpa's

After a great Christmas morning at home, we headed to Chad's parents to unwrap more gifts, eat, relax and eat some more. It was fun, chaotic at times and yet relaxing. We stayed until 10 pm; the kids had a lot of fun with their cousins and we enjoyed chatting with Chad's siblings, parents and our nephews and nieces that are getting so grown-up.

The Ficek men: Chad's brother, Pat, Chad and Grandpa Gene

Chad's sisters, Carrie, Tere and Cindy

Sergio spoiled Willem with stocking and gifts

Elle was spoiled by Auntie Tere

 Cade with his Grandma (Cade was spoiled by Carrie this year but I didn't get a picture of them together)

 EJ always brings lots of fun and laughs!

 Elle had a ton of fun this week with 2nd cousin, Marli

Me and my beautiful almost 10 year old girl!  

Auntie Cindy gave Genevieve all sorts of great stuff. She especially loved her first princess stuff 
including clip-on earrings and little heels. She was so cute checking the earrings out in the mirror!

 

Genevieve was really great all day though she had a couple brief 'two year old moments' : )

Christmas Morning at Home

Christmas morning at home was perfect! The kids let us sleep in until 7:45 which is more than we expected and, as always, we asked them to come to our room first so we could all walk downstairs together. They were all so happy and grateful as we took turns opening our stockings and then as we opened the presents, one-by-one but with very little time between each gift :). Genevieve enjoyed opening each gift but was very content with having about half the gifts as the other kids mostly because she wanted to play with whatever gift she just got (experienced parents here have learned that at age 2 they really don't need as much)! Her favorites were probably a doll and puzzles. Willem was happy and easy-going, as usual, opening away. He especially loved his 'Bruder' tractor and implements as well as his new goalie gloves (though he did ask how much they cost :). Gabrielle was probably the most appreciative of all. She was very sweet with her sincere 'Thank You's' and 'I Love You's' all morning long. She loved everything especially the clothes, Ugg-like boots, bicycle and beadspread. Cade kept us entertained, as always. He had every gift pretty well guessed ahead of time and told us what he thought each was. He loved his xbox 360 (used), his FIFA 2011 game and his indoor soccer shoes (he also really loved his Robben/Netherlands jersey and LaMichael James jersey from the night before). Chad and I agreed to only give stockings to one another because our gift to each other is our trip to Arizona and the BCS championship game in January but we both cheated a little. Chad gave me a North Face jacket I had been wanting for a long time! It was a great, relaxing and oh-so-fun morning!

Here are each of the kids with their loot from the morning as well as some of the gifts from Opa's house the night before (Genevieve did not want to be in the picture so Chad stood in for her :):

 

Christmas Eve with the Konyns!

Christmas Eve with the Konyn family....where to begin? I look at these pictures and feel so very blessed to have four kids that I adore and a husband I love and admire and who I know loves me. If that doesn't make me feel lucky enough, I also have amazing brothers and sisters who picked great spouses and I have a fantastic dad who is happy with his new wife. And, to top it off, our kids have so many cousins they love and have a blast with every holiday and any time they can be together. I was lucky enough to enjoy all of that on Christmas Eve at my Dad's house plus a peaceful and joyful Christmas Eve Mass. 

We started the afternoon with our traditional Dutch brunch and then, after visiting and playing, we all went to church and then returned for dessert and lots of gifts. I just wish the time would have gone by slower so I'd more time to enjoy it all!
 

A picture of the kids all dressed up before heading to my Dad and Kathleen's house for Christmas Eve brunch

Our best attempt at a family picture

Yummy chicken noodle soup prepared by Jennifer, made just like my mom did for many, many years

The whole gang (minus Kathleen and picture-taker Amber) before the unwrapping begins!

Opa spoiled all his grandkids! Here he is with Jacoby.

Genevieve surrounded by Christmas. And, Amber with her two cuties!

Nev and me playing with some new toys

Chad and Tony have taken up the task of sorting and handing out (in order of youngest to oldest) the many gifts as we unwrap presents

Some of my nephews and nieces: Roman, Searra, Denisha and Mariah

It wouldn't be a Konyn Christmas post without a silly picture of Uncle Duane!

The scene after all the kids' gifts are unwrapped!

The kids having a blast downstairs as the adults open their gifts (we let the kids go first so the adults can relax and open ours a little more slowly!)

A little video capturing a little of the Konyn Christmas

And, finally, here are a few fun pictures of our three big kids before we headed into Christmas Eve Mass. We arrived a little early and had a few minutes to play outside the church (as Genevieve slept a little more in the car):