A Review of 2009 (using pictures!!)

So I have seen this done on a couple of blogs so far and decided to steal the idea. It is basically a year in review using pictures. As I was going through all our pictures I realized that 1) most of our pictures are of Tyler and 2) he has really grown up/ changed this past year. This year he had his first birthday, learned to crawl then walk, got his first tooth, starting talking .... etc, etc ....

January (7 months old)

Relaxing in the chair!

February (8 months old)

Just so cute!

March (9 months old)

On the porch!

April (10 months old)

Starting the belly crawl

May (11 months old)

We did a lot of belly crawling...

June (12 months old)
Birthday time!


July (13 months old)
A favorite summer activity: hanging out on the porch.

August (14 months old)
Hanging out with his best friend, Wes
We got our first tooth too!

September (15 months old)
Someone is ready for football season!
Started walking!

October (16 months old)

Family time at the zoo.

November (17 months old)

Funny face

December (18 months old)

He is starting to look like a little boy!

The "Corduory Dog"

This is the story of the "Corduroy Dog". This Christmas Tyler received a present from his Great Grandmother who lives in Florida. Inside the bag was this handmade corduroy dog. Along with the dog came a note that his Great Grandmother wrote:

' Tyler, This little dog was made by your great, great grandmother, Emma Ostrander, for all her grand children, great and great, great grand children. This is the last dog left (just for you!).'

As the story goes, Emma Ostrander made all these corduroy dogs at once. And as new babies were born in the family they got a corduroy dog. Kyle's dad received a dog and Kyle received a dog when they were young.

Kyle's mom and dad had no clue that there were any dogs left. I mean surely they had all been given out by now. But what a 'great great' surprise we got Christmas Eve!

And as the letter said ... Tyler's "Corduroy Dog" is the last dog that had been made. And that is the story of the "Corduroy Dog".

Christmas Time!

We had a great Christmas this year. I wanted to start off the blog and show you our Reindeer we made!! I don't know if you can tell but they are made out of logs and branches. I am so very proud of them .... no one else has them in the neighborhood! (And that is Rudolf in the middle with the red nose.)


Christmas was a little different this year since Kyle had to work Christmas Day. We started the fun Christmas Eve at Kyle's mom and dad's house, where we meet the rest of his family for the 'Secret' Santa gift exchange and dinner. Of course, Tyler and Zack (Tyler's 2 yr old cousin) got an abundance of toys.

Since Kyle had to work Christmas day, we decided that Tyler would get to play with Santa presents Christmas morning and then we would have the Family Christmas (Kyle, Tyler and myself) that evening when Kyle got off of work.

Tyler was so funny walking out Christmas morning. He just stood at the tree looking at all the toys. Can't you tell that he just woke up!

Tyler and myself then headed over to my mom and dad's house for our family Christmas. (We had a great time but we definitely missed Kyle!)

Tyler decided that he would rather climb over all the presents than open them.



We had a very Merry Christmas and we hope that you did too!

Christmas Cookies

We make Christmas Cookies every year at my momma's house. So of course she was really excited this year .... because Tyler was going to get to help. It started off really well .... he was very interested in the sprinkles and the cookie cutters.

But once the first batch of cookies came out, Tyler decided that he needed to be the official taste tester (and left the decorating up to us!)

And it wasn't the cats fault ....

It was really quiet. I hadn't heard a peep from Tyler in quite a while (never a good thing.) I called his name and nothing. I called again and he came running around the corner with a big grin on his face. I knew something was up .......

That is almost a whole roll of toilet paper on the floor.

Driving Lesson

Granddad decided to give Tyler his first driving lesson.

And the most important rule he learned ..... "The biggest truck has the right - of - way."

Budding Artist

Tyler's daycare loves to have the kids make artwork ..... here are some recent samples ..... I definitely think I have a budding artist!

He didnt get too much of the glue stick in his hair. Johnson and Johnson shampoo will get out anything.

I think this was our "Ode to Fall". This is currently hanging on the fridge.