Christmas Card Preview 2009

So a few weeks ago I posted some pics that my friend Kevin took of our family for our Christmas card... and I waited to post Family pics because we were still deciding on the one to use for our Christmas Card. While I was in Chicago, my friend Katie Ingersoll {who is a very talented Freelance Designer} offered to help with our Christmas Card as well {I have some amazing friends don't I!}. She used the pictures that Kevin took and made a few card designs for me too choose from... It was down to TWO that I just could not choose between... and after I put it to a vote amongst family members at Thanksgiving... we made a decision and will be mailing them out soon... {I know you will be waiting with baited breath}... Of course this means I can post the "runner up card" and other pictures that were not used! Hope this helps get you in the holiday spirit!

The -almost- 2009 Christmas Card

Other Favorites!

Happy Birthday Brody Dutcher

Today we went to Frank's friend Brody Dutcher's 2nd Birthday Party! We had a good time and ate some yummy cupcakes! It is crazy to believe Brody is 2 because that means very soon my little man will be turning two as well! Here are some pics form the party.

Frank looking on at the party when we arrived

Brody and a yummy cupcake

Shauna Brody and Andy. The Dutcher Family

Frank even enjoyed some cupcake!


Happy 2nd Birthday Brody

Daddy helping Frank enjoy his cake

strangely the only picture I took of the boys together...

Ohh Boy! a Chainsaw!!! How funny is this!

Brody opening our gift with his mama.

That's Frank!

My mom found Frank5 a "Frank" the combine from Cars and he loves it. He is finally regularly saying his name now... haha {not that we don't already have plenty of Franks around for him to practice with} he really likes Frank and I think these pictures prove that...

FRANK!

I think these jammies say it all...

Frank loves petting Gus

Frank Gus and Grandma

and a bonus picture that had no where else to go... more Frank!

Thanksgiving 2009

We have so much to be thankful for this year and Thanksgiving is a time when we can count our blessings. I love that our Anniversary is around Thanksgiving because it reminds us of what we should be thankful for in our lives {each other}. We are always fortunate that both our families live in Columbus, so we get to spend holidays with everyone! Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving... we also stopped by the Nieman's {because they stopped by my parents house to play with Frank but he was still napping}. I love watching Frank and Matty play and of course I took some pictures of the boys while we were there.

Frank and Matty singing

Frank is a vocal star

He was cracking me up with this microphone

What a great smile!

The boys coloring while waiting for pie!

Matthew and Frank

Frank playing Piano at the Hartge Grandparents

Frank not only can sing but he is also a dancing machine!

Check out those moves!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey Trot 2009

I like to think of it as a Hartge Family Tradition... the Columbus Turkey Trot! And even though I had my wisdom teeth our on Tuesday {yes just two days ago} and I am allergic to any type of pain killer except Tylenol I felt well enough to participate this morning... well well enough to do the two mile walk with Molly not the 5 mile run like Frank4 and Mike... but I just had oral surgery so give me a break! Frank3 came along to cheer on all the Hartge kids... and I almost hesitate to post these pictures he took because I look like a mix between a chipmunk and a stroke victim {apparently can't lift the right side of my face to smile}... but I guess that makes me all that more hard core right? So here is the proof that I did participle in the Turkey Trot this year wit Frank4, Mike, Molly and Joe! Let the tradition continue... we won 3 free pumpkin pies!

Mike, Frank, Me, Molly and Joe before the race...

Molly and I with our winning pies... I think I look horrid in this pic... my face is so swollen... i didn't even realize how bad it was until I saw these pictures... I don't feel bad at all... but wow

Mike, Me and Molly... The pie winners!

With Frank4.. he did a great job I think he ran his best time ever

The whole gang post race

and warming up with a little Starbucks... what a great start to Thanksgiving 2009!

Fast Cars

I am not sure if there is anything Frank likes more then Hot Wheels... He could {and does} spend hours playing with them all over the house... here are some ics my mom took this past weekend of Frank and his cars.

Playing with his cars

Watching them go fast

One handsome dude

Sharing his cars with Elmo

Frank also loves playing tug-of-war with Gus

Looks like this time Gus won...

A Great Saturday

Saturday we headed to Columbus so daddy Frank and I could g on our anniversary date {details to come later}... first stop was at The Hartge Grandparents to drop off both the Frank's to watch the Ohio State vs. Michigan game and help put up some Christmas lights like last year. So I snapped some quick pics before I left the boys for the afternoon...

Frank5 is definitely one of the coolest kids I know

He loves to play on his daddy's old trike... much the the dismay of grandma Hartge

He is getting so big! I can't believe the difference a year makes!

Off roading to help Grandpa

The whole family (uncle Joe, Daddy -on ladder-, Grandpa and Grandma with Frank5)

Riding his bike off into the sunset

I left the boys to go "help" my friend Katie and to hang out with {or basically hold/baby hog} this beautiful little baby Mr. Blaine Hughes Koeneman. At a week old it was so nice to hold such a sweet little man... makes me -ALMOST- ready for another... but not quite ready anytime soon...

After leaving a pleasant afternoon with such a sweet little baby and catching up with a new momma I return to get ready for my Big Anniversary date with the hubs... only to return with a FLAT TIRE!!! Somehow I ran over a nail {fortunately it was a slow leak and my tire was not flat even when I got back to the Hartge's so it was able to be patched}. Daddy Frank and Uncle Joe quickly (with time and daylight fading fast} changed my tire and with just enough time to make it to Firestone and to dinner on time!! My Husband is such a hero! {and uncle Joe is pretty great too...}. We went to Dinner at Scali's... which has become a little anniversary tradition for us to go on our anniversary date to the place that catered our wedding {this is also the place we ate the night I went into labor with Frank5}... this little local place is absolutely delicious and is a must if you are ever in Columbus... After dinner Frank surprised me with a night out and a Hotel room at the Hilton at Easton! It was a wonderful anniversary date... I even got to sleep in in the morning... what a fabulous weekend... I am glad we got to celebrate because I am getting my wisdom teeth out on our actual anniversary 11/24!

Duck...Duck... GOOSE!

The Frank's decided to feed the geese some goldfish crackers... we have been working on animals/animal sounds with Frank and he kept saying Duck... and Quaaw, Quaaw {i LOVE the way he says -Quack- it makes me laugh because I think he sounds like French or something}... unfortunately these were geese and not ducks... and they go "honk honk" not "Quaaw... Quawww".... but he is not even two.. so close enough... He loved feeding the geese and was not afraid in the slightest... he probably learned another sound that a goose makes... and angry goose goes "Hissss!"

Look at the geese

Duck! Quaww!

Walking with daddy

getting a little too close to the geese

he really wanted to share his snack... thankfully daddy had to intervene

My two Frank's

Walking over the bridge... it looks like Frank5 is saying... come on mommy...

My two favorite boys... :)