Happy New Year

We hope everyone has a blessed and happy 2009. We had a great 2008 and appreciate all the time we were able to spend with family and friends.

Tonight we are celebrating the same way we did last year. We have some of our other "married with children" friends over. The kids tear apart the basement and the parents talk and play Rock Band. Yup, the members of this group have become pretty lame 30ish people, but we have fun together.

This photo if of Emma and her good friend Ella. Ella brother Kale is also in the photo. See you in 2009. This is the year of the Cubs!

Daddy/Daughter Day

Today was Daddy/Daughter Day. I took Emma to the toy store to get new blocks to replace her baby blocks. Then we went to Happy Joe's. Later we went to Jungle Bungle to let Emma play. We both had fun and now Kelley and I will be heading off to celebrate Kelley's birthday.

Christmas Slide Show

We've posted several Christmas photos on our blog. Here is a slide show of many of our photos. Sorry for the picture quality. These were taken from my phone. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Kelley (Ryan too)

Christmas day was Kelley's thirtieth birthday. It was also her twin brother Ryan's birthday as well (funny how that works out). Since celebrating properly on Christmas day is difficult with this little known holiday called Christmas happening at the same time, we are going to go out Tuesday night. I'm going to take Kelley to the Bass Street Chop House. We are then going to either go to the new piano bar in Davenport or to a movie. Help us out here. If the piano bar is not open, what movie should we see? If there is nothing worth seeing right now, let us know that as well. We don't get out that much, so give us your ideas of what to do. Our two year-old has made us socially awkward. Please post your suggestions.

Ryan's Holiday Hoopla

Kelley's twin brother Ryan just purchased a house in North Liberty, Iowa. To "break in" the house, Ryan invited several friends over for a party. The party went well and Ryan had a hard time not showing off his break dancing skills. This photo is of him refusing to get a picture taken of himself break dancing.

During the day, the weather became considerably warmer. Once dusk began to fall, the temperature rapidly fell to below 30 degrees. The result was a sheet of ice everywhere. To make matters worse, snow and sleet came on top of the ice. This caused Kelley and me to stay at Ryan's for the night instead of trying the journey home. The highlight of waking up in the morning was to see how Ryan's friends had decorated his tree.

Dinner is done

We just finished dinner. As the adults cleaned up, the kids got to watch a cartoon. Emma and Hannah watched a cartoon the same way a moth is attracted to a flame. Next comes the gifts.

A sea of presents...part 2

Emma and Hannah can't wait to get their hands on the Christmas presents.

DeBaene Christmas is starting

We just got into Noni and Papa's house. All the gifts are under the tree and Noni is finishing dinner. Emma and Hannah are hard at work playing.

Christmas greetings from Emma and Hannah

Emma and her cousin Hannah have a Christmas greeting for everyone.

Baby Jesus is her homeboy

We went to Christmas Eve mass tonight. As with most of the masses we attend, Emma tends to get a little restless if the mass goes too long. On Matt's iPhone is a bubble game that keeps her entertained when she is restless. While she was playing with Matt's phone, she decided to stop playing her bubble game and pretend she is using it as a phone. She puts the phone to her ear and says, "Hello Mary? Hello Joseph? Hello baby Jesus? This is Emma." Everyone around her could hear what she just said and our section for mass started laughing. Emma is always entertaining...even when she doesn't mean to be.

Sledding

Kelley and I woke up this morning grumbling about having to shovel snow again. Not Emma. Emma is now familiar with the snow and knows it is a chance for sledding. After sledding today, Emma learned how to make a snow angel. Emma took this new skill and tried to apply it inside the house. We didn't have the heart to tell her it does not work without snow.

Dah dah dah dah (Monday Night Football Theme Music)

I just saw one of the greatest Bears games I have ever seen. Monday Night Football, Bears versus Packers. It was the coldest game on record for the Bears. Luckily I was prepared and had several layers of clothes on. I felt like the little brother on a Christmas Story ("I can't put my arms down!"). The game had a playoff atmosphere. Knowing that the season would be over for the Bears if they lost made every play matter. I cannot say the Bears played the best football, but they got the job done. Even better to beat the Packers.


Kelley and Emma went to stay with Emily and Dave on Monday night while I was at the game. Hannah and Emma played very well with each other and got a trip to Chucky Cheese (worst pizza ever). On Tuesday morning, Kelley and Emma picked me up in the city and we went bumming around. Emma got to go to the American Girl store for the first time. It was cool seeing her wonder through the store with the look of joy and amazement of everything around her. She loved it. Emma brought her doll Courtney and found a ballerina dress for her. Emma said she got it for Courtney for Christmas.