Better Late Than Never: Christmas 2012 Memories

Well so much for planning to blog more in 2013.  With the recent snowfall that is once again covering Mount Pleasant in white, it looks a lot like Christmas (weather)...again.  So here's my Christmas 2012 blog.

Our family Christmas was actually held in early December.  With work schedules and travel schedules around the Chistmas holiday, we worked it out for everyone to gather at the farm a couple weeks early, and even caught Lauren and Alli's Christmas dance recitals at Oelwein's Old Tyme Christmas the same weekend.

It was a little challenging to get good pictures with a lot of people cramped into a bank lobby, but I was able to capture a couple.  These girls sure do like to dance and it was fun to get back and watch them.  I'm looking forward to their next recital in May.

While waiting for everyone to show up at Grandpa and Grandma's house, Graham entertained himself with puzzles and toys

Austin's reaction when he opened this yellow Angry Bird was classic Christmas joy, screams and all

Although the picture doesn't show it, the same can be said for how happy Kate was when she opened this Minnie Mouse that was as big as her

 

Peace out to Lauren, Bailey and Alli's new stocking hats

 

And finally family pictures around the Christmas tree

  This year another childhood holiday milestone was met.  Bailey was in her last Children's Christmas Program at church.  She wasn't as sad about it as her mother was. 



We did travel back up to the farm for the Christmas holiday and spent time with family once again.  A couple days later I treated Bailey to her Christmas present--A trip up to the Mall of America.  Grandma Seegers braved the mall with us this time and we hit Bailey's two favorite places in the mall: the American Girl store and Famous Daves.  Unfortunately I forgot my camera. :-(

The Year Was 2012

Hopefully in 2013 I'll have more time to blog....

 

2012 Wrap Up

Along with finishing up some Christmas cards and last minute shopping, I wanted to get in one last blog for the year.  As my 2012 photo collage shows, our year was filled once again with special moments.

My Little Bro Turns 30

 

Amy organized a great 30th birthday party for Heath in February, complete with pictures and friends from the past.  Of course the man of the hour had to wear the family birthday hat.   

 

These were some other special moments in 2012:

 

Bailey's 11th Birthday

 

March for Babies 2012

 

Hope Graduates From Drake Law School

 

Summer 2012

 

Old Threshers

 

Fall Harvest Weekend

 

 It was another beautiful autumn weekend to pick some corn with the combine, grab some apples from the apple tree and get Ranger rides from Grandpa Seegers. There really is no place like home.

 

Seegers Family Christmas
(More pictures and Christmas blog in 2013) 

 

We were indeed blessed in 2012 and looking forward to 2013. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Old Threshers Reunion 2012





Heath and Austin 2009 

Heath and Austin 2012

 

Midwest Old Threshers has come and gone. But the memories were once again captured in photos. Dad and Mom, along with Heath, Amy and "the crew" came down to Mount Pleasant this year. It's hard to believe that it's been 3 years since Heath and Amy's family had come down for the reunion. Driving the big boy toys and catching Nick's Kids Show were still favorite stops. We also caught the trolley out to the Log Village to get a taste for the pioneer days. There is always more to do than we can possibly get to in one day. But that's all the more reason to go back again next year.

 

Lauren, Austin and Alli are excited to ride the bus to the grounds

They were also very excited to ride the trolley

Alli's pretty confident in her tractor driving skills

Kate's favorite part: The Horse Barn

Lauren after driving a steam engine

Ended the day with Nick's Kids Show

(Bailey thought she was too old, but I think she had just as much fun as her younger cousins moving and shaking)

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

First Day of School

This year Bailey is a 5th grader.  Thursday night was Back to School Night.  To put a fun spin on the evening, there was a treasure hunt where we went to her classroom to meet her teacher and also to other rooms throughout the school to meet other teachers and staff.  Walking through the halls of Van Allen was a little bittersweet this time since we both realized this was going to be her last year in elementary school.  We're both looking forward to another great year filled with learning, friendships and new adventures.

This summer I spent a lot of time digging through old photos.  Here are a couple other Back to School memories from my First Days of School.

 1984

 1983

 1987

1991

1992: A very special surprise on my first day of school my senior year was a new car.  Out with the LTD and in with the Bobcat.





It Was The Summer Of 2012

Today marks the last day of summer vacation.  Bailey and I have once again had a summer filled with family, friends and fun, fun, fun.  Here are some of our summer highlights.

Celebrated Hope's 30-something and Graham's 3rd Birthdays in Des Moines

Spent a night out on the town with my Panther friends celebrating Sue Krapfl's bachlorette party.  Regrouped on August 10th to witness Sue's marriage to Jeff Shaul and celebrate once again. 

Took a short vaca to Kansas City.  First stop had to be the American Girl store.  Also went to Schlitterbahn Waterpark and the Kansas City Zoo.  The waterpark felt great on one of those 100+ degree days in July, but the zoo was just too hot so we'll have to get back there another day to check out the rest of the zoo.  We did see a really cool bird show in the air-conditioned auditorium at the zoo.

Heath and Amy moved in July from their home in Cedar Rapids to an acreage north of Dunkerton.  We were able to swing by a couple times this summer for 4-wheeler rides, swimming in the pool, jumping on the trampoline and lots of fun with the cousins Lauren, Alli, Austin and Kate.  We did manage to slip in some cupcakes for Austin's 5th birthday too.

Hope took the bar exam July 24th and 25th.  The weekend before the exam, I picked up Graham and he spent some time at 'HeidiBailey's house'.  He must have had fun because he keeps asking his mom when he can go to HeidiBailey's house again.  We also spent a couple days at Grandpa and Grandma Seegers house and stopped over to play with the other Seegers cousins.  

When Bailey heads back to school this fall, she'll be sporting some new red highlights and pierced ears.  Yes, she's growing up fast.  And speaking of growing, she measured 5' 5" tall at her most recent doctor's appointment.  

 The finale to our Summer 2012 was the Iowa State Fair, capped off with the Big Time Rush concert.  We had a blast dancing, singing and jumping around with Carlos, Kendall, James and Logan.  When the concert was over, Bailey said this birthday present was worth the wait.  Another highlight of the day was when Bailey was picked for a Minute To Win It Farm Edition game.  She had 20 cards upside down and had to match them to either the hen or tom turkeys on tables placed on opposite sides of the stage.  She definitely got a workout and was down to the last 2 cards before the minute ran out. 

We are looking forward to more memories as Bailey starts 5th grade tomorrow and I enter my 7th year at Iowa Wesleyan College.  

 

My Sister, The JD Graduate

My sister Hope has been a goal-setter for quite some time.  For the past couple years she has even gotten me into goal setting, serving as a client during her wellness coaching certification and holding me accountable with my New Years Resolutions since 2009.  One of the highest goals she has ever set was reached on May 12th when she was awarded her law degree from Drake University.  It was a special day celebrating Hope's accomplishment and we look forward to celebrating her completion of the bar exam July 23 and 24.

 

 She Did It!

Graham loves big cookies.  As a special treat for Hope and Graham, I made a big cookie for the special event.