Happy New Year!!!

What an exciting year 2009 has been in many ways! We celebrated 4 happy years of marriage, and brought a new miracle into the world. Life wouldn't be the same without our sweet Ryan. Max has grown up so much. We have moved. Tony has been recovering miraculously. We've had a few life changing events that weren't welcomed; opportunities to learn if you will. What can you do? Well, we'll just thank our loving Heavenly Father for protecting us, and keeping us healthy and happy. We'll thank our Savior for His loving sacrifice and the example He has set and the comfort He continues to give. We'll welcome the New Year and embrace the very low key evening we are having (watching a movie and blogging) while Tony recovers from his jaw surgery. After two Near Year's Eve celebrations in a row that Tony has been on a liquid diet with his jaw wired shut, we are going to party next year. Anyone want to volunteer to baby-sit ;)?

While Big Brother Naps...

I will play with his new bike! Muah ha ha!

From December 2009

And then big brother wakes up and wants to ride it himself:

From December 2009

Christmas Pictures

For live action footage see the next post down. Here are some stills of our fabulous day...

Tony made Max an awesome workbench with handmade tools, screws and nails.

From December 2009

Ryan liked what was in his stocking. The rest of us got the typical orange and peanuts (from my side of the family) and magazine (from Tony's side) as well as a few special fun things for each person.

From December 2009

Tony likes his orange!

From December 2009

Traditional Epperson Christmas breakfast: waffles with strawberries and ice-cream (egg nog to drink). Ryan went against the norm and had mashed bananas as you can see in the pic

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Then we read the nativity story and used the Little People nativity to act out the story.

From December 2009

Max showing the baby Jesus and looking like such a big boy. We loved his new pjs from Aunt Patty. They say, "Dad's Co-Pilot" on the front.

From December 2009

Ryan is modeling a new outfit from Grandma Kate

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Max enjoying some new toys

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I was so happy to get my outside broom

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Tony was so happy to receive his new wrenches disguised in a (clean) diaper)

From December 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas that was made fun by seeing how excited Max was and how sweet he was. He kept saying, "thank you Santa Claus".

Our Christmas in Videos

You have to have the volume up to hear Max, but here he is coming down the stairs:


Ryan is just too cute:


Max opens his choo choo:

Being a Mom makes me Laugh Out Loud

Max loves to help me do laundry. So, today he was standing on the detergent bucket so he can reach up to the washing machine. I was handing him the clothes and he would throw them in as the water and soap filled up. He was also laughing like a maniac and I was just beginning to think...when he said it for me...

"MY CRAZY"

LOL

and then...to make it even better, while I was posting this, Max came in crying. I couldn't understand it at first but then I heard it...

"The Christmas tree hit me!"

Really?

Caroling, Caroling through the Drizzle

Last night we went caroling with some friends. Yes, I forgot the camera, which is disappointing to me, but we had such a good time. Max kind of wandered around splashing in puddles while it drizzled a little. I would so much rather have the drizzle than snow. The funny thing is that some of the houses passed out candy to the kids and one house even gave them dollar bills. We were caroling, not peddling so that was kind of different. Then we had hot chocolate and watched, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". Sweet Tony, then took the boys home and put them to bed so I could stay and play for a girl's night until 2 a.m. It's funny how very early we go to bed during the week and then it all goes out the window on the weekend.

"Grandma Nice"

It's no secret that Max and Grandma Kate are two peas in a pod. Max and Ryan got a surprise visit this last weekend so they were able to get a "grandma fix". Kate thinks it's a "grandbabies fix", but I think Max would beg to differ. Since we can't be together for the holidays, we exchanged a few gifts as well. Some pics of the fun...
At Bellevue mall

From December 2009

Making peanut brittle

From December 2009

Hanging a cute ornament from Grandma and an itchy Max

From December 2009

Thanks for the paper Grandma!

From December 2009

Max got an adorable set of Sunday activities from Grandma which he loves!

From December 2009

An under the weather but cute as always Ryan

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Does this boy love his Grandma or what?

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Ryan making noises that are only cute when a baby does them

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As Close as we Got to Santa this Year So Far

From December 2009

Having to wait in a huge line an hour past his bedtime was not the way Max was going to see Santa this year. If he were older, it would have worked fine, but alas. I hope next year we start Santa sooner or let little kids go first or something.

Max's Little Buddy

Here are some pics of Max playing with a little friend.

From December 2009

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Tony Hard at Work

This email was sent to Horizon employees

A huge kudos to SEA (Seattle) GSE (Ground Service) Techs Tony Epperson and Chris MacDonald. They traveled to BIL on Monday just in time for the biggest cold snap of the season, and worked tirelessly in sub zero temperatures and -30 wind chill factors to get our equipment back up and running. I personally have never experienced frozen Lektro batteries, frozen accelerator pedals, and a rectifier handle that snapped off like a twig due to the cold, but Tony and Chris took it all in stride while providing amazing service to the BIL Station. Thanks so much to you both, and next week is forecasting 30's - so you can wear your shorts when you come back!

Happy Mail Day and Tony Update

Tony got a letter in the mail today with the news we have been longing for. He was awarded a medical certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. Now that he has medical clearance, he's free to fly on his own again. For someone who has loved airplanes since he was small, this was HUGE! We're so excited! The last letter we got from the FAA was about a month ago. We were expecting the news and all it was was a request for even more medical information (they'd been given packets, literally). But, the wait has been worth it. Good news!

Also, Tony will have his jaw surgery on December 29th and his jaw will be wired shut (but he'll be back at work after 10 days supposedly). It's estimated that he'll get his braces off in May (he's almost done now, but they have to leave them in to help the jaw heal in perfect alignment). Then, he'll be able to have his dental work done to replace his missing teeth about 3 months after the braces come off (about August). That's the plan for now according to the experts.

What do the Baby Jesus and an airplane have in common?

They both fly in the sky.

From December 2009

Oh how we love our boy!

Newsflash: Santa now flies a jetplane!

Tony's work Christmas party was this past weekend. Max loved the bouncy castles and the fact that Santa came in on an airplane. We didn't stick around to sit on Santa's lap because the line was loooong and we'll see Santa next weekend, but it was really fun.

From December 2009

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Santa arriving:

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From December 2009

Ho Ha Ha

Since Max can understand and get into the holidays this year, I am having a blast. I've taught him about how Christmas is Jesus' birthday and I have taught him that Santa brings presents on Jesus' birthday. I may have told him all this a little too early though because he woke up from his nap on the 5th asking for Santa. This video is dark and Max gets camera shy, but just wait and you should have a good chuckle.

From December 2009

O Tannenbaum!

We got our tree from a friend's tree lot in Oregon City. It was a great tree. Too bad we overestimated the height of the ceilings and forgot about the tall star that we have. The tree got a good couple of feet cut off. We love it though.
Alex and the boys with our beautiful tree.

From November 2009

Alex and Jenny have a little fish pond that Max loves a little too much. I bet the fish love having rocks thrown at them.

From November 2009

And the house is decorated:

From December 2009

Our advent tree:

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From December 2009

5:20 a.m.

Usually I see one side of 5:20. That would be the side of 5:20 that happens after I have fallen asleep. Maybe I haven't had a lot of sleep (like just a month ago when Ryan was waking up frequently), but I would get some. Saturday morning I saw a different side of 5:20 a.m., the "finally laying down to go to bed and it's 5:20" side. But here's what led to that craziness:

1) A much needed girl's night out
2) Christmas--needing to make presents

Add the two together and you get a great group of fun ladies over at my house making some great gifts and having a great time. Not everyone stayed that long but there were some of us that just had to finish up the last bit (even though the last bits still didn't get everything done). Is it a good sign that I only lashed out at Tony once in my extreme tired state the next day? Sorry Tony! Other than that, I made it through in normal happy mommy mode.

It's great to have such fun friends to hang out with. I totally forgot to take pictures but then again, that's probably okay since we don't want anyone seeing their presents until Christmas!

6 Month Checkup

Height: 27inches (67th percentile), Weight: 17lbs, 11oz. (50th percentile), Head: 47.5cm (99th percentile)

From November 2009

Trying to show his new teeth. He has two on the bottom.

From November 2009

So Handsome!

From November 2009

Max is a Sweetheart

Max loves his baby brother and all babies. There are times when he gets excited and a bit too rough, but usually he is so sweet. He loves to make his brother laugh. Here is Max holding a baby cousin. I loved that he wanted to hold her and read her a book. He was so gentle with her.

From November 2009

Fun at the Park

What's Thanksgiving weekend without some shopping trips and some fun outdoors? Max loved playing at the park with his cousin Ely. Ryan loved sleeping all bundled up in his stroller.

From November 2009

From November 2009

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From November 2009