Thanksgiving Day

Our two little turkeys!

Frank the Tank and our little piggy sitting on a stool in the kitchen after lunch.  I think they are trying to figure out how to get more food:) 

Morgy and Addysen

The kiddos (minus Hunter and Lexi)  I forgot to take a pic of ALL the kids until just before we left:(

Grandma K (or Bean-a, as Evan calls her) and Ainsley - who was TIRED!!!

On Friday, after Turkey day, this is how I found Ainsley - one arm out of her jammies.  We thought it was pretty funny so Addysen had to try it too!

Thanksgiving w/ the Links!

The Link Family :)

The newest BIG sister of the Link family! - Congratulations Nate, Mary and Anna!

Frank the Tank is 2!

She may be able to eat like a tank, but she sure is pretty!

Happy Birthday Evan Nicole!

I can't wait until Addysen is older and looks back at these pictures.... And asks me why she is the only one with her face painted.  These pictures just crack me up and give me the church giggles!        (she's the only one with her face painted because Morgan and Caleb just got a face painting kit AND Addysen will do almost anything Morgan tells her to do!)

Opening presents!

A visit from one cute cow!

After Halloween, once Anna was feeling all better she made her trick-or-treating rounds!  We were so happy that she stopped by to see us and play for a while!

Anna, rockin the cow costume!

Ainsley and Anna - who is dressed in a cow costume, reading a cow book:)

As Anna was leaving, she found Ainsley's time out chair in the kitchen and she couldn't resist sitting in it.  Then Uncle Nate put Ainsley in Anna's lap!  Anna didn't mind and neither did Ainsley so then Addysen decided to hop in for a picture!!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween 2011 - Minnie Mouse and Jessie!

Minnie Mouse just woke up from a nap, so this is how our Halloween photo shoot started off :-P

Trick-or-Treating at Great Grandpa Vince and Marge's house.

At Grandma Sharon and Papa's house.  We tried to get a picture with Miss Anna, but she was NOT having it.  And in her defense, the poor baby cow had been sick with pneumonia :(  so we understood.  This was the only picture that I got with her in it.  I thought it was cute and it brought back good memories from when Addysen was a cow.  (if your interested in seeing a comparison between Anna and Addysen in the cow costume - check this out:  http://lifewiththelinks.blogspot.com/2008/11/halloween.html  )

Emily and Ainsley.  Ainsley was the only one focused enough to take a picture with Emily.  The other two (Addysen and Anna) were already busy playing with Grandma Sharon's toys!

Trick-or-Treating

Lois, Ainsley and Addysen

Addysen, Peighton and Ainsley

with Grandma K

Peighton, Addysen and Ainsley with "Grandma" Ruth

Ainsley finally discovered Lindsay's belly!  Ainsley had been playing with a ball and Lindsay had it.  She said to Ainsley, "You want your ball back."  Ainsley looked at her and poked her belly.  It was the cutest thing.  Of course I missed that picture, but then she just stood there and stared at it and touched it again!  So sweet!

The last house of the night, and Ainsley has it figured out....

Trick-or-Treat Don and Patsy!

Last Day of Harvest!

Addysen, Daddy and Ainsley about ready to get in the combine for the last ride of the year.  This was also Ainsley's first ride EVER!

Ainsley watching all the corn come in!

helping Daddy drive:)

Ainsley would clap and yell, "YEAH!" every time Addysen would toot the horn.

Our beautiful Addysen Grace... A farm girl at heart.  She rode with Daddy in the combine, every chance she got this fall.

2 curious girls watching the combine unload the corn.

Carving Pumpkins!

EWWWWWW!  digging out the guts!!!!

Team Daddy/Addy:  starting their pumpkin design

Addysen even helped with the design, such concentration!!!!

While we were carving pumpkins, Ainsley was going on a picnic in living room.... looks like she took some booze with her:) he he he!

Aaron and Addysen's pumpkin is on the left and my pumpkin is on the right.  We kind of turned our pumpkin carving into a competition... I think I won :)

Fall Festival at our church

Ainsley and Peighton ready to have some fun!!!

Peighton getting her face painted

Addysen and Peighton decorating pumpkin cookies!

Peighton took a turn trying to hit the pinata!

And so did Addysen... But it took the big kids to break it open!

And we painted pumpkins!

Thanks Jiliane!  We had a great time!!!

Just like big sis!

As you can see, Ainsley has been watching Addysen very closely.  She is already trying to learn and sing Taylor Swift songs, just like her big sis!!!   

Taking a leap of faith...

September 21, 2011 was my last day of work at Knox College, and I couldn't be happier!!!!  I have not been happy since about a month after I started there.  I really enjoyed the work that I did, but the office environment was sucking everything good out of me.  I realized that this road in my life was not taking me anywhere and it was not improving me or my family.  If anything, it was hurting me and my family, as it was taking the 'real me' away from them.  So I have been doing some soul searching and trying to figure out what road I should travel down next.  After a lot of thought and discussion, I've decided to follow my heart.  I need to be at home with my family, BUT, I'm going to need to make some $ money $ while I'm at home.  So the journey begins...the girls are still going to daycare (for now), and I am at home, taking an online course to become a Medical Transcriptionist.  My plan is to look for jobs where I will be able to work from home, so I can make some money and still be available for my girls and Aaron.  This is a scary leap we have just taken.  I'm not exactly sure how we are going to make it yet, but this is a decision that Aaron and I made together and together we are a pretty good team.   This is something that we both want and we have faith that it will work out. --- so pray for us! ;)

Mimi's Baby!

On my first Friday off of work, I took the girls to Niabi Zoo to see Mimi the giraffe's new baby!  Addysen was so excited.  It was a fun day with the girls, and a day I will not forget - as Addysen had her WORST temper tantrum EVER!!!! I won't go into details, but she made sure it was a memorable day for us!

I just caught this picture at the right time... Addysen and I thought that it was pretty cool!

The baby just sat in the back corner the whole time we were there.  She did look up at us a couple of times.  She is VERY cute!!! 

This is the zoo employee helping Addysen feed Twiga.  She didn't feed Mimi because Mimi was VERY slobbery!!!   

My big helper pushing Ainsley along.  And she is pushing me along, because I was taking too long looking at the bears. 

picture perfect!

Well, this is more their personalities... I want a picture, and they are not cooperating!

Me and my beautiful daughters!  I'm a lucky Momma!