Surprise and Surprise!

Surprise!  We went to New Zealand and surprised Campbell's family and friends with our visit.  It was Archie's first visit to New Zealand and it was a a great time.  We started our trip with a stop at Campbell's parents' house.  Campbell's sister Jane and her family were there for a preplanned trip.  From there we all went to a lake house at Lake Taupo.  

Archie and Jim Bob

Campbell and Margaret

All the cousins with Paul and Campbell going for a ride on the tractor with Jim Bob

(Eve, Greta, Theodore, Archie)

Lake Taupo

Archie playing with his new best friend Greta

She taught him so many new tricks!

Bonfire on the beach with smores

Family photo at the lake

The Grandparents and grandkids

After our trip up on the North Island the three of us went to the South Island to explore. Our first stop was Arrow Town, an old mining town with lots of charm and Queenstown.  Then onto Lake Wanaka and a drive up the west coast.  

Mmmm, coffee

Drive to the west coast

We saw a few sheep along the way

West Coast Beach

Our hotel just next to the rain forest on the west coast.  Beautiful, hot, and mosquitos.  We heard lots of native birds in the trees around us.

Fraz Joseph Glacier and our walk up the river valley to it.

Beach art with driftwood at Hokita

After the drive up the west coast, we drove across the mountains and headed to Campbell's Uncle Doug and Auntie Daph's house.  We had a great evening with them and their son Richard, his girlfriend Sarah, and her mother.  Even though we didn't stay up until 4am dancing and drinking wine like last time, we had a wonderful time again.

Auntie Daph

Uncle Doug 

Our next and last stop was Auckland to visit our good friends Caroline and Alan and their son Joseph.  The boys had a great time together!

And then we were home again.  Archie is back to his normal routine which includes our fun and messy dinners (note the food on the door behind him).  He is now eating sausage, vegies, fruit, and lots more.

He loves eating good all by himself!

\

He is too cute!

 And our final surprise.....we are having another baby!  Our new addition will arrive in late July.  It is another fun surprise to our exciting year.  All is going well and I am feeling fine.  We can't wait for the baby and Archie will love having a little buddy to play with.  They will be 15  months apart.  We will wait to find out what we are having again.  

We love surprises!

The Holidays and the New Year

As the year closes, we are thankful for the addition of Archie to our family.  We have gone from a couple to a family and we couldn't be happier.  He is so happy and constantly making us laugh and smile.  His personality is developing and he is quite the character.  It is so fun seeing him grow and change.  Each day is a joy.  We are so excited to have the whole next year full or Archie!  We hope for another wonderful 2013.

 Archie with a favorite of his - Uncle Jimmy.

Oh, does he need a 2nd haircut!

Time for some presents at home.  The paper is his favorite part.

Look!  I have a farm!!

Yea! More paper to rip.

We headed down to Boise to stay with Great Grandparents Marien and Sam (Gigi and Papa Sam).  Grandpa Fred and Grandma Jane, Uncle Josh, Uncle Ben & Aunt Cindy, and cousins Dash and Oren were there too.  It was a big family Christmas that we all enjoyed.  The last time we did this was in Boise 5 years ago - before Oren, Campbell, and Archie could attend. :)

Archie and Gigi!  They both are looking good.

Christmas morning - traditional family stockings above the fireplace.  Gigi starting making these in the 1960s and Grandma Jane has been adding all the new additions lately.

Mmmmm - more paper.

The whole Penning family.

Cousin Oren, Archie, and Cousin Dash

More Cousins! - Makuni, Oren, Archie, Dash, and Beautiful Claire

Archie and Claire aren't too impressed with this!

Super cute shirt from Cindy and Ben

Quick trip to Vancouver for a night away.  It was nice to have a little getaway - no laundry, dishes, or chores!

The Holidays are Here

The holidays are here and we have the tree and lights up.  Archie is fascinated by the lights, tree, and ornaments.  If he could climb the tree he would.  He is trying so hard to touch the needles and pull on the ornaments.

He is growing a lot, "talking" a lot, and eating a ton.  I started back at work 3 days a week and he is taken care of by his Nanny, Anna.  She takes care of Archie and his buddy Isaac who is 3 months old.  They are enjoying playing together, "chatting" together in the car, and trying to grab each others faces (which ends in some crying).  They are having a good time and we are so happy with the Nanny.

Archie has started to crawl.  It is more like an army-man drag.  He can move fairly fast even though he isn't using his legs to help.  As much as we can't wait to see him figure out the whole crawling movement, it is nice that he can't move faster than he already is.  He is a busy boy and only getting busier!