The Noehren's

This year we had a Kentucky Christmas.  We took the kids to CoCo Keys, a favorite indoor water park in Cincinnati, and had a nice dinner at a ribs place Brian has been wanting to try.  Grant fell asleep on the drive home at 6 pm and slept until 7 am the next morning!  He was one tired boy!  Dusty the Christmas cat turns 11 this January!  We had a nice Christmas Eve dinner and read the Christmas story by candle light and opened one present like we did growing up.  The kids woke up so early Christmas morning that I had already taken an hour nap by the time we went to church at 10 am!  Hahahaha.  Here is Grant's favorite new toy:  ...and Haley's:  Here is what Brian and I got for ourselves:  new garage door torsion springs.  His and Hers.  We both love surprises, but I can't say this is the kind either of us was wishing for!  It ended up being a good thing we stayed home thi...

A few weeks before Christmas, Grant got his chance to take Hootie the Owl home from preschool for the weekend!  Hootie looks like he's had better days - but he was a fun addition to our family for a few days.  Hootie joined Grant riding his scooter,  ...and riding his bike.  Hootie loved the horse at Meijer,  and the park.  Thanks for coming Hootie!  Grant's class has been working hard for their Christmas program.  It was great!  Here is the carpool gang.  Such cuties!

This week I flew out to Utah to see Steph, my best friend from the U, get re-married.  I was so lucky to be able to go (thanks mom and dad for being me for a week!) and so happy to meet Kirk and hang with my favorite gal and her family.  Flying into Utah never gets old for me.  I love it!  It is beautiful to look at the valley and mountains from the sky and to remember all of good times I had here with extended family and in my college years with friends.  You also can't help but think of those brave pioneers too that actually walked the whole way I just flew.  I may be an east coast girl at heart, but ahhh - Utah.  I love you!  Here is Steph and me now:  ...and here we are 17 years ago in our freshman dorm room! Looking back I'm sure we were hated for our very loud and crazy ways - but I am absolutely positive we had more fun than any of them - so there!  Here are me, Steph and Nikki (another dorm friend) now: ...