The Big Surprise

So we tricked the kids into making their own shirts for their own surprise.  I told them I was going to a baby shower and wanted to make shirts for me to give to the baby's siblings.

Then we sent them to the basement and added our own text to the shirts...Here's how the surprise went...

They were SO SURPRISED they actually had a hard time processing it all...

They were happier than words can express.  Along with Nate's fairy dust wishes they had been praying for a baby for several years now.  Roy and I did not even discuss that a baby was ever even a possibility.  A happy moment we never want to forget!!

Kayla age 8 (almost 9)

Nate age 10

"Pay the Maid"

Our Chore System

Around here my kids earn a dime for most every chore or task assigned to them. They keep them in a little jar on the kitchen counter.

Some chores are worth 2 dimes, and some chores they have to do "just because".

After I've asked my kids to pick up their things...every toy, shoe, or item belonging to them that I put away it costs them a dime. In other words, they have to "pay the maid".

All money left at the end of the month can be cashed in and spent.

Christmas Eve 2010

Traditon #1 - Opening gifts from Aunt Patty and Uncle Dana (notice our mix matched PJ's)

Our new Christmas PJ's!

Thanks Aunt Patty and Uncle Dana

Dressed up for candle-light service at Fellowship Bible Church

Traditon #2 - Pickle Hunt

Nate was the winner this year!

Reward $5.00

And we also got to pick 1 stocking gift to open. Kayla got to pick 2 since she didn't win the pickle hunt.

Christmas Pizza

A Vella family Christmas tradition is making pizza from scratch. We are improving every year. This year we had Courtney with us to help.

Yummy!!

Santa

First Snow in WV

The school called "It's Snowing...Come pick up your kids"

Driving up to our house

Ginger the "SNOW DOG"

Just alittle excited!!!!

Already on his board!

Tubing with Family

After we finished sking...Charity, Steve and Courtney met us to go tubing!

We picked the perfect time to come. No lines...no wait. It was like we were the only ones there. We had tons of fun!

Great way to end the night!

Whitetail

Nate and Kayla's first time to ski/snowboard

Nate really didn't enjoy Snowboarding...next time he's going to try ski's.

Our Christmas Tree 2010

This was our first time cutting down our own tree.

Chopping it down with Dad

When we got it home we realized our tree wouldn't fit in the house. It looked much smaller in the large field of trees. After chopping off a few feet we finally got it in the house. It was sorta big and ugly...so off to decorating...

After trimming, decorating, and lots of hard work...it turned out to be beautiful!

Black Friday Special

The pet store was running a half off special on Bearded Dragons on Black Friday!

Meet our new pets: Spike, Midnight and Smoothie the Beta Fish