Christmas Card 2016

Merry Christmas! It’s hard to believe 2016 has already come and gone. This year has been a whirlwind of joy and new beginnings.

Ryker- After a short labor, Ryker was born on March 3rd this year. He weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. Ryker spends his days climbing, crawling, and cruising everywhere looking for trouble. He loves to drum, play with blocks, and play with his sister. His hopes and aspirations for this next year include: learning to walk, learning to talk, and catching the cat.

Ilyana- In February, Ilyana celebrated her 1st birthday! Not long after, she got promoted to “big sister”, a role that she has gracefully stepped into. Ilyana enjoys participating in a weekly gymnastics class, building block towers, and taking care of her baby dolls and her brother. Her hopes and aspirations for this next year include: learning her ABC’s, expanding her vocabulary, and taking her Pikachu doll on many more adventures.

Ash- Ash was happy to become a mom of two this year. She has continued her work as a stay-at-home mom. She spends her free time: finding crafts she’ll never actually do, serving the church’s AWANAS ministry, and writing in the family blog. Her hopes and aspirations for this next year include: improving her baking skills, potty training Ilyana, and learning about God’s promises.

Jake- Jake continues to work as a software engineer at Rockwell Collins. He was excited to take on some new leadership roles at work this year. He spends his free time: creating his own video game, playing the xbox, and playing drums in the church band. His hopes and aspirations for this next year include: finishing the video game he’s writing, receiving a promotion, and playing lots of video games.

Overall, this past year has been about laying the foundation of our little family. We have grown as parents, and our kids have grown… because that’s what they do. This next year will be full of wonderful experiences as Ilyana and Ryker grow out of the baby stage and into the toddler years. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,

Jake, Ash, Ilyana (1), and Ryker (9 m)

Ryker was born March 3rd

Ilyana turned 1 February 21st

We had a fun Winter "ONEderland" birthday party for her.

We spent a week living at the Hansen's during the flood.

The kids went trick-or-treating for the first time this year.

These two have so much fun together!