Christmas at Grampy and Grammy's

 with the Stille and Tackeberry kiddos...three years apart!

A very Merry Christmas Eve to our family...

as we welcomed a new furry baby!  It was sooo hard to say "Goodbye" to Chevy.  We didn't think we could go through that again...but...wow...did we miss the little pitter-patter of doggie feet!  We weren't planning on looking for or finding a puppy...till we woke up December 24.  Ted and Teddy went exploring.  Kari was browsing the ads online.  And...well...it just all came together...when a lady called me back to tell me her friend had one little female Teddy Bear puppy left.  "Would you like her name and number?"

 Grandma and the girls went out to shop...and ended up at the breeder's home...and fell in love with a cuddly little Bichon-Shitzu mix called a Teddy Bear.  We met her mommy and saw a picture of her daddy...where she gets her brown ears from!  She cuddled right up on me...then I let the girls hold her.

 We all were mesmerized!

 We brought her home with us!  It was so fun to share this with Grandma!  We headed to Farm and Fleet to pick up food and a few things we needed to care for our new baby.

 The girls babysat in the Yukon...and Grandma and I giggled our way through the store.  "We have nothing for a baby!  I need to think...what will we need?"  I should have gotten a cart!

 Meeting Teddy...

 Meeting Papa...

 All this excitement is tiring!

 Cuddling with Dad...

 Awake again to play with her human chew toy!  She loves Teddy!

 She comes to Mom to cuddle and be assured that this is ok.  Melt my heart...what a way to relax!

 Cuddling with Grandma...and wanting desperately to make friends with Sammie.  He doesn't want anything to do with her!  An unexpected and unplanned gift we chose as a family...

our furry baby, Velle.  

Short for Chevelle...we had a Chevy...it just sort of made sense (well, that...and the guys didn't like our first choices.  And...we didn't like their choice of Torque Wrench!)  She is a sassy, playful little thing that made the adjustment to our family very well! 

"Over the skyway and through Chi-town...to Grandma's house we go!"

 "I feel like we are forgetting something!  It is really strange not having Chevy along with us...our first trip to Grandma's without him!"

 Is it really December?  It is in the 40s, foggy, and rainy!  That made for a long slow down through Chi-town!

 We have a new goal...Chik Fila for lunch!

 This year...Ashlynn is the sickie!

 Catching up and enjoying the coziness of being together...while sipping the remaining sweet tea!

 Papa is recovering from back surgery and had to give up his comfy chair.  Thankful to see him moving around a little better each day!

Family Date Night

Enjoying the comforts of home and our little family Christmas!

"Who is the guy with two thumbs that makes you laugh?"  ME!