Christmas Letter - BaanHofman Broadcast

Wow, it's tough keeping straight what happened last month not to mention trying to remember what happened in the last year! I guess I really am "up to my neck" with school, work and family!! 2008 has had it's tough times as well as many, many blessings and overall has been a great year for us.

MARRIAGE

This past June Becky and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. We spent a week in Cabo San Lucas just relaxing, sleeping in and enjoying reading by the pool. Thanks Grammy Cathy for hanging out with Adelynn while we were away! Having a "pool concierge" can sure spoil you quick!

THE BIG THREE-O

This year it was Becky's turn to hit 30. She loves to remind me that I'm three years ahead of her but I'd like to take this opportunity to remind her that, even though I married someone younger than me, her turn still comes! And year it came a bit more unexpectedly for Becky than it has in the past. Given her uncanny ability to sense when things don't quite add up, I knew I would have to be sneaky in order to pull off a true surprise. It worked out perfect to have the party the day we returned from Cabo because her Mom was here. I was also able to get her sister to fly out under the pre-tense of a business trip. I "recruited" the help of a number of our friends and, under the guise of a two-year old birthday party, lured her to our friends house where 50 or so people were waiting. It completely surprised her...the look on her face was priceless. Happy 30th Beck! Oh, and no more teasing that I'm in the decade ahead of you ;-)

FAMILY LIFE
In July we found out we were pregnant again and feel so blessed. Because of a miscarriage earlier in the year, we were both a little more tentative but are anxiously anticipating March 11 - the target date for our new little girl!

It's been fun watching Adelynn's little personality grow and blossom. Her excitement about everything is contagious. She loves dance class and dove headlong into swimming lessons and is doing a great job for a three year old. Heck, she's doing a great job for someone 10 times her age!

Mommy and Addie have both enjoyed learning about Moses in Bible Study Fellowship. With Mommy's pregnancy, sometimes it seems Addie remembers more details from the lesson than Mommy!
Addie couldn't believe she got to be a flower girl...twice!

Check out these dance shoes!

UP TO MY NECK...

I started my Masters in Business Administration in March at the University of Denver and at the same time switched from my 10 year career as a Sales Engineer to an Account Executive (still with Fair Isaac!). While it was alot to start school and change roles at work at the same time, things have settled down now and I enjoy the change. The best news is that there are only 8 months of school left...graduation is in August!

TRAVELS
We love to travel and this year was no different. We did a number of trips, with the last one being the longest...a jump over the pond to Europe to visit our friends, the Havenstein's and Becky's cousin, Jeff Brown, in Sweden. We did a couple smaller trips (weddings in MI, AZ, and CA, camping in Colorado, and boating at Lake McConaughy) as well as a cruise to Alaska celebrating Becky's grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary. 60 years of marriage...what an amazing accomplishment!

Daddies jumping off the cliffs at Lake McConaughy
(ok kids, now it's your turn!)

On the dock in Ketchikan, Alaska with the "Cruise Crew" -
Grammy&Papa, Jason&Laura Schlitt and the BaanHofmans

The view from our balcony in Paris
(amazing what hotel points can get you!)

WRAPPING IT UP
We're well into the holiday season and it seems more clear every year that the world has lost sight of the real reason for Christmas. This morning's episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Sat. morning cartoons have become a favorite!) taught all the little one's watching that Christmas couldn't come if Santa was stuck in the snow. We had a little discussion as to why that's just not true. That guy in the red suit wasn't remotely in the picture when our Savior came into this world...God sent His son and that's reason enough to celebrate! Thanks to all our friends and family for your love and support this year. We're honored to be a part of your lives and let's remember the reason for all this.

Breakfast with Santa

Addie loved sitting on Santa's lap this year, quite the comparison from last year when she was totally crying and wouldn't sit there without Mommy and Daddy. See video below of her talking with Santa.

The family with Santa - We went to the Brown Palace hotel in downtown Denver for a breakfast with Santa. It was fun to watch Adelynn get so excited!!

Decorating or Eating Cookies? - I guess they go hand in hand!

The whole family.

Just the girls!

Sisters with Mom :)

Two short video clips below:
1. Addie meeting Santa - she asked for a stocking.
2. Addie dancing with the elves.

Thanksgiving 2008

We had a great time for Thanksgiving. Mom, my sister Laura, her husband Jason and my brother Jason all flew to Colorado for the festivities! It was fun to all be in the kitchen that day cooking together. After dinner, Cordell's family and some friends came over for games and pie!!

Addie actually took this picture of Laura and I - pretty good for her first picture!

Happy Couple with baby girl #2 inside my tummy!

Hanging out drinking coffee.

Addie and Aunt Laura snapping green beans!

Our little fish!

Adelynn started swimming lessons about four weeks ago and is doing so well. Her teacher's name is Miss Jenna and she absolutely loves to go to her lesson each week. The first video is her very first lesson and the second video is a month later (she jumps in and then does big arms back to the wall). She has really learned a lot - starting from just gliding in the water, now doing her big arms, floating all by herself, and even beginning to learn to breathe while doing her big arms. We are very proud of our little fish!

Bonk Beds...

On the morning of her third birthday Adelynn finally got the big girl bed, that she had been ready and waiting for for months! We decided to move her room at the same time, so that it could be as disconnected from the new baby coming as possible. I wanted to have everything all set and moved the morning of her birthday, but that just didn't happen. So, she had her bed and the rest has been a work in progress. Last weekend Aunt Amanda and Kearsten came over and helped us paint her room and today we got her furniture and set it all up.

We got her bunk beds because I figured I needed to make sure that we keep up on bed space because we love having everyone come visit! Here are a couple of pictures of her room in progress. Addie calls her beds "bonk beds."
On the ladder - she was very careful!

Aunt Amanda and Addie painting.

Room in Progress - Kearsten & Aunt Amanda thank you so much!!

Back in September, first night in her big girl bed!

A couple of videos, each about 30 seconds.
1. First Nap in big girl bed.
2. Dancing on ladder with daddy while painting.
3. Addie describing her new room.

Day at the Zoo with Uncle Jason & Gracie

When Jason was here at the beginning of October one day we went to the zoo. It was a gorgeous day and it was fun to have Addie's cousin Gracie with us as well.

Aunt Becky And Gracie on the Carasouel. Gracie wasn't quite sure what to think at first, but then really liked it.

Adelynn and Uncle Jason.

The sea lions were fun to watch through the glass. Check out the short video clip below.

Gum

Adelynn was such a good little helper a couple of days ago. She was helping me with so many little chores and after each one was completed she would ask what else she could do. She was so cute and had such a sweet little helpful heart! Afterwards, I thought it would be fun to give her a little piece of gum as a treat. Here is a video of her chewing her gum...

Addiehopper!

Adelynn spontaneously decided to make a bug face for the picture!


Mommy thought it would be fun for Adelynn to dress up as a bride, since we could easily convert her flowergirl dress, but somewhere Adelynn had gotten the idea that she wanted to be a grasshopper. Long story, but I couldn't find a grasshopper costume that wasn't completely boyish. I even attempted to make a costume and then decided the pattern just didn't have potential. So, one day at the thift store I found this pink bug costume, which turns out to be Uniqua from Backyardigans - we have never seen it, so I had no clue. We added the wings.

When I got home I showed Addie what I had found - a pink grasshopper costume. Addie was so excited though and said, "Thank you mommy - I love my pink grasshopper costume."

Addiehopper, as her daddy calls her.
It was such a warm night compared to normal Colorado Halloweens!

An attempt at a group picture...Lawson the fireman, Aspen the mouse, Andrew the bear, Adelynn the grasshopper and Avery the ladybug.

A group of our friends came over for pizza and trick or treating then we all headed to Foothills for the carnival. Afterwards everyone headed back to our house and we laid all seven kids down and played games. We couldn't believe all the kiddos fell asleep! Fun times with all the adults!
Addie was so excited to "Trick or Treat." She definitely got the concept more this year and when we asked her what the best part of Halloween was she said, "Trick or Treating to get candy!"
Addie and Andrew at our neighbor's.

Gracie the giraffe and Addie making sand necklaces at the church carnival.

Aunt Amanda and Addie.

The Harvest Carnival, who knew fun for adults too?!! Amanda and her friend Steve on the Bungee Inflatable at church.

Uncle Jason visits from Texas!!

Adelynn was so excited to have her Uncle Jason come visit while he was on Fall Break from Dallas Baptist University. We had a great time just hanging out together. One day we went to the zoo, most days we just hung out and tried to make sure Jason could sleep in! Uncle Jason did take Addie on a fun date to Chick-fil-a and then to Starbucks. Jason got Addie to take the cutest pictures at Starbucks - check out his facebook page for all of them.

The Zoo

At the airport saying, "Bye." Can't wait to see you Jas at Thanksgiving! Isn't my brother so cute?

skydiving, marriage and peanut butter?!

When Addie was a little over two, her daddy, Uncle Justin and Aunt Cora went indoor skydiving and it must of made quite the impression on Adelynn. A couple of weeks later we were eating lunch and Adelynn said, "When I grow up I want to get married, go skydiving and eat peanut butter!" The priorities of a two year old -pretty funny!

Peanut Butter for the first time!

Literally for the past couple of months, Adelynn would ask me almost everyday if she was old enough to have peanut butter yet. Long story, but because of her seasonal cough that she has gotten every fall through March, the Dr. suspected asthma and said it would be better for her not to have peanut butter yet. (Side Note: So far she hasn't gotten the cough this year - Yeah!)

So, when we went to see Dr. Bob for her three year old check-up Adelynn asked the Dr. herself if she was allowed to have peanut butter yet. She was pretty estatic when he replied, "Yes." So that day we went right home and had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the first time. After her first one, she asked for one more! Yummy.

The first video is of her getting ready to try a PB sandwich and the second video is after she ate one.

Pumpkins

Yesterday we went and picked out our pumpkins. Adelynn was determined to find the "right" size pumpkins for Daddy, Mommy and herself. The video clip at the bottom is of her finding her perfect pumpkin.

Our Carved Pumpkins.