New Year's Eve 2008

Wonderful Christmas Day!

We will post photos very soon, but I just can't help quickly posting how wonderful our Christmas was this year. On Christmas Eve we had a gift opening extravaganza at Striewe's. The adults drew names this year, so there was only one gift given and received by the adults, which meant the real focus was on the kids, and we find that far more enjoyable! I have started the tradition of getting the girls pajamas every Christmas and presenting them on Christmas Eve, so they can wake up on Christmas morn in their snuggly new jammies.

We got home from G & G Striewe's around 10:30pm and the girls went straight to bed without a peep...they're very good at that sometimes. Mommy and Daddy were up until around 2am waiting for Santa's arrival. He brought lots of good presents and even assembled some things this year, which was a GREAT strategy. The biggest gift of the year was the Fur Reals Friends Pony, Butterscotch. It is approximately three feet in height and is one of the first iterations of the new animatronic pets that are on the market these days. It's a hit with all three girls, but scares some of the visitors who enter our house and don't expect the 'stuffed animal' to move. Yikes! The little girls each got a new baby doll with a stroller, which they have pushed around every day religiously.

We prepped a yummy egg, sausage and hashbrown casserole and feasted on that around 11am at the dining room table. It was a late relaxed breakfast that happened naturally and peacefully (quite rare for our breakfasts around here). Daddy and Mommy decided it would be fun to have mimosas after brunch, which seemed decadent, but were very enjoyable. The day went by quickly jumping from toy to toy to project to project, and ended with a Daddy, Mommy, Ramona Scrabble game. Ramona came in close third. We couldn't have asked for a better Christmas day. No driving, no rushing, no planning, no stress, just relaxing in our PJs very late and enjoying our family time. Days like this are ones we are sure to cherish for years to come. I hope everyone else enoyed their Christmas Day as well!

Christmas Fun

The happy couple - Christmas Eve 08

Silly Reindeer Ramona

Breakfast with Santa 2008

Thanksgiving Farr Family Reunion

uh never mind I forget what I was going to say

the first game was very serious!


Every 2 years Jeb's Mom's side of the family comes to Indy to celebrate Thanksgiving. This year there were 50 people! and this year the spoons trophy champions were Ramona and carl. and that means the Banner family won this year. last year the horns won but this year the Banner's won.

Ramona's Baptism

Since Ramona is going to a Catholic school she needed to get confirmed. Here are some pictures from her confirmation and the lunch afterwards.

Ramona's Birthday Pool Party

Yesterday - Ramona's 8th Birthday Party


We did a camp theme - Ramona and her friend Laura painted the sign!


Ramona got a traditional Indian outfit, which all her friends loved!


It was warm enough to swim - yes this is our backyard!


The cupcake cake - best invention EVER.

Jim Banner Turns 70

At the 70th birthday gathering. His brother and sister, Bill and Becky, flew in for the event.

Jeb and Jim c. 1975

SEPTEMBER: Besides moving into a new home another big part of the month was Jeb's dad's 70th birthday party in South Bend. My person favorite moment of the party is Jim Banner dancing to Charlie Pride (one of his favorite musical artists).

Fresh faced Jim Banner

Our New House!

We moved into a new house! Whew.



View coming in the driveway


The glorious 30 x 40 sunken den


View of the backyard and house from the tiki bar

Radiohead in Concert

We really enjoyed getting to see Radiohead in concert this year. They don't tour often so this was a special treat. VIP access and tickets didn't hurt!

Lake Michigan Vacation July with Banner Family

We spent a wonderful week at the Lake at our Union Pier cottages we stay at every year (Lat's Cottages). Here are some pics and a video!

Check Up Stats

Sylvia and Georgia went to see Dr. Hannah yesterday for their annual check ups (a little late).

Sylvia is weighing in at a whopping 31 lbs and stands 35.25 inches high. I've heard you can estimate height by doubling their height at age two. If so, Miss Sylvia may end up over 5'10". Am I doing that math right?

Georgia weighed in at 39 lbs and is 42.75 inches tall. She's still long and lean and has always been trending a little tall on the charts. I've never been a fan of the percentiles Dr.'s use to tell you how on track your baby is.

Sylvia has been referred to an allergist, as we have been having some problems with certain foods and her reactions to them. I'm hoping to find an herbal solution with my sister's help. But if anyone in the blogoshpere can recommend some homeopathic / herbal remedies for allergies, I'm open.

Belated Daddy's Day Post

We did, in fact, celebrate Father's Day last Sunday. It was quite a weekend, so Sylvia's pics trumped the Father's Day pics. Jeb got to sleep in and woke up to fresh coffee and wonderful bagels before joining the Striewe clan for brunch at Zest. Here are a couple photos of Jeb reading all the wonderful cards Ramona made (there were about 5).





Here is a retrospective of why Jeb is the best dad ever...

He swims with his kids

He knows how to relax

He's got a great sense of masculine style

Happy Father's Day, Jeb. We are grateful for all you do.

Birthday Extravaganza

Today is officially Sylvia's 2nd birthday. I can't believe my youngest girl is two years old. Wow, time flies. She's definitely moving into two quite aggressively with her new word combos and short sentences, "I wan gummie (candy)," "Gimme me silkie," "Ho me mommy" and lots of fabulous others that can't be recalled because she is peacefully sleeping at the moment and not using all her new words. She is also gaining strength and bravery every day, for which we are thankful and scared. Physically, the word "tank" comes to mind. She takes challenges on with brute force and climbs whatever is in her way. Whew...who knew the third could be so drastically unique from the other two?

We celebrated Sylvia's birthday early (Saturday, June 14th) with friends at the 61st & Broadway splash park. It was the perfect day, with great sunny weather and we managed to snag a picnic table under the pavillion before lots of other families showed up, so we could set up for lunch and cake. Sylvia's three girl friends: Maddie Rocchio, Metta Judkins, and Emilia Touw were in attendance, as well as her helpful sisters. A good time was had by all splashing and swinging and eating and generally being silly little girls. Just about three hours after the party ended, each of the presents had been opened and put to use by Sylvia and Georgia, everything was a hit!

Party Pics

Yummy ice cream cake!

Sylvia gets a hug from Maddie

Ready to take on the splash park

Banners love cake!

Sylvie digs in!

Post party painting with new supplies!