Christmas!

I am really behind on posts, but hope to be caught up sometime before the end of January. There has been a lot going on and it has been tough to take the time to update the blog. We were in Omaha for Christmas this year and despite frigid temperatures and a blizzard, we managed to celebrate with both our families. We celebrated with my family on Christmas Eve and with Ryan's family on Christmas.

Nana and Grandpa opening their presents

Aveyn surrounded by her Christmas gifts and looking cute as can be in her pink Harley Davidson hat!

Aveyn and Grandma hanging out during present opening!

She is super excited about her stuffed animal!

Cael helping Auntie Kyli open her gifts!

The sled from Grammy (Nammy) and Grampy was a hit with both kids!

Cael wanted to open the balls from Bapa and Kim as soon as he saw them. He loves balls of any shape and size!

Cael couldn't wait to open his gifts so Nolan (No No) helped him open his first one!

Uncle Tim and Cael playing with Cael's new tractor from Grandma (Nama) and Grandpa (Baba)!

My new sweater from Mom - LOVE the color!

My new Kindle from Dad and Kim - can't wait to start reading again!!

Mom, Kyli and I after a flurry of present opening

Ryan is all set with hunting gear - thanks Dad and Kim!

Ryan reading "My Truck Is Stuck" to Cael and Veronica

Mom showing off her electronic Suduko puzzle from Nana and Grandpa

Tim and Ed watching everyone open their presents (or rather watching the kids open their presents)!

My aboslutely adorable niece playing in her cousin's new dump truck - another hit!

Chris helping Veronica open one of her many presents!

Baptism - December 20, 2009

It took us longer than we had anticipated, but the kids were baptized on December 20, 2009 at St. John's Church on the campus of Creighton University. We opted to do it in Omaha since that is where the majority of our family lives. Not to mention it was in December so there were even more people present; Nana and Grandpa and Aunt Stefani (people that were visiting for Christmas and wouldn't have normally been able to make it). In addition, my dad made a special trip for the ceremony. Cael and Aveyn were so well behaved that even the priest commented on how good they were. He mentioned that one of his concerns was handling a two year old, but he was impressed with how well Cael behaved. I have to admit that I had my concerns, but they were perfect little angels. It was wonderful event and just perfect that so many people could be there to witness this wonderful journey. I had a hard time keeping a handle on my emotions (and if it hadn't been for the fact that I was a nervous wreck, I probably would have been a bawling, emotional wreck).

Afterwards, we all converged at my mom's house for a late lunch. Ed and Barb weren't able to make it because of an unexpected trip to the hospital, but were able to meet us later and it was absolutely wonderful to have everyone together (my dad had to catch a flight back to Florida, but his attendance meant so much to Ryan and I) to celebrate such a monumental time in our lives and the lives of our children.

**A special thanks to Kyli and Chris for accepting our request to be godparents, to Tim for remembering to take pictures and to mom and Nana for picking out the perfect baptismal outfits!!!

Highlights - Omaha 2009

I have took a ton of pictures of our trip to Omaha on Friday and rather than break each of them out in a separate post, I thought I would just write about the highlights and include captions for explanation!

Kyli, Veronica, Bapa, Jori and Cael at Kyli's house before dinner. Veronica had already plowed straight into a wall in her excitement to see her cousin(s)!

Pretty much the story of my life right now - pick up my child, child cries!

The girls (minus Aveyn): Kyli, Veronica and Jori

Ryan, Jori, Cael, Bapa, Veronica, Kyli and Chris after a wonderful dinner!

Bapa and his grandkids (Cael, Veronica and Aveyn)

Aveyn and Aunt Kyli

My mom and Ryan's parents live on opposite ends of Omaha, which meant a lot of running back and forth and a lot of late nights. Both of the kids did great and were troopers through out the whole thing!!!

Cael with his cousins Nolan and Makenzi - they get a long so well and Cael absolutely adores both of them!

Aveyn and Aunt Erica playing cards together!

Cael, Barb, Nolan, Stefani, Makenzi, Tim, Erica and Ed at my mom's house before we all started playing 'Family Feud'.

Grandpa and Cael watching everyone playing on the Wii

Grammy, Kyli, Nana, Veronica, Chris, Jori, Cael, Ryan and Grampy - once again Aveyn is catching up on her beauty sleep!

Erica, Grammy (Nana) and Kyli armed with liquid encouragmenet and getting ready to play a round of 'Family Feud'

Tim and Stefani - teammates.... for now :)

Makenzi and Veronica - such pretty ladies!!

This picture definitely needs an explanation: It was getting late and all of us were at my mom's having a great time. I didn't have any pajamas for Cael to wear (and knew there was a good chance he would fall asleep on the way to Barb and Ed's) so I asked to borrow a pair of Veronica's and had to capture the moment for blackmail purposes. Doesn't he look good in pink :)

Thankfully I was able to steal a couple of hours to have lunch with two of my very best friends Kelly and Heather!!!

She is seriously too cute for words: Her shirt says 'TA DA - Cuteness Has Arrived' LOL!

Cael was too busy playing with his toy to give Mommy the time of day until Daddy started trying to get Aveyn's attention and then he perked up!

Another 'family' picture taken at Ed and Barb's using the timer on my faithful camera - Ryan and Cael love it when I do this can't you tell?!?

Cael is feeding Makenzi and by the looks of it she doesn't like what he is offering, but he appears to be having a great time!

Erica fell asleep on the couch and Tim lay on top of her as a joke and promptly fell asleep. I tell you what - the Zikas men can fall asleep anywhere and obviously I mean ANYWHERE!

Grammy and Aveyn hanging out together!

Nana and Grammy both wanted pictures of the three grandkids so we sat them on the couch and of course immediate chaos ensued. Cael didn't want to be anywhere near his sister and Veronica kept insisting that she was a big girl and could hold Aveyn, which then meant Cael wanted to hold her and kept calling her 'mine'. It was pretty funny!

What a pro - playing cards and feeding the baby!

Whew! See what I meant about taking a lot of pictures.... and this doesn't even include the pictures from the two Christmas' (one at my mom's and one over at Tim and Erica's - more to come on that later) that we celebrated!