A few more pictures from CCC

Here are a few fun ones from this weekend.

A lazy Sunday morning with Gus still in his pjs.

The Bandzuches with Santa (my grandpa).  My grandpa has been dressing up as Santa since long before I remember.  It is tradition that every singe grandchild and great grandchild has to come and sit on Santa's lap for a picture...and with 40+ grandkids, and now 20 great grandkids is takes a while....Gus was pretty tired by time we finally got called!

Another picture from the mass at camp this year.  Gus was so loud!  He was happy, but kept on talking and talking!

We are leaving for the airport at 5am!  Tomorrow we are headed to PA!

Love you all,

Nancy and Gus

Cross Christmas Camp

Well, we are back from a big weekend with my mom's side of the family: Cross Christmas Camp.  Like always, the weekend was full of people, food, games, presents, more food, drama, more food and Catholicism.  It was the 40h anniversary of my mom's family joining the Church, so we celebrated and even had mass said for us at the Camp.  Grandpa dressed up as Santa, we ate until we were sick, we did a craft, we decorated cookies and we talked, talked, talked.  Also, every year there are more and more kids.  Gus was the 18th great-grandchild on this side of the family, and there have been two more born since him, bringing the final count to 20 (with 3 more babies due in 2012!).  Gus was a great baby this weekend, even while being passed from one Auntie to another.  He smiled, and talked and snuggled, and didn't mind being kept up a little later than usual.

Here are some pictures.  There will be more added soon!

Mass at the camp, said by a good friend of my Grandparents.

The Crosses, or atleast those that could make it (and didn't miss the picture because they were on a beer run!).  My sister Maria and her family, and little sister Susan weren't at camp this year.  Lots of people were there, but lots were missing too.  But, all of the surviving of my mom's siblings were there (a total of 10).  Can you find me, Bill and Gus?!?

The three 2011 babies: Grace and her baby Ruby (2.5 mo.), Me and Gus, Heather and her daughter Greta (5 weeks).

With the Priest that was there when my mom's family entered the Church.

David and baby Jesus.

It was a great weekend, but we are home now and gearing up for our big trip to PA!  There is still a lot left to do!

Love, Nancy and Gus

A quick trip to Marshall

It was a quick trip, but Gus and I had some action-packed days.  We headed down on Wednesday morning.  After lunch with my parents my mom and I got to work on a banner for mass celebrating my mom's family being Catholic for 40 years.  That evening I had dinner with my Grandma Anne, helped her decorate her house, and then Gus took an hour long bath at Grandma Anne's house, supplying some good after dinner entertainment for everyone.  We (including Gus) stayed up late talking with Grandma Anne until 10pm!

Thursday we had breakfast with my mom and dad, but then headed into town for Ruth's 20 week ultrasound, since her husband was unable to come (wow, it is different when it is the 4th and not the 1st!).  The baby was perfect and that was fun.  Then Gus and I went and picked up David the wild man from preschool, running into Simon and Mary as they headed to lunch.  From there we headed back to the farm where my mom had a mini-Thanksgiving meal (since we weren't together on Thanksgiving, and won't be together for Christmas).  We ate quick and then headed back into town for the Holy Redeemer Christmas Concert featuring Simon and Mary (as a cute talking mouse).  Afterward my dad took everyone out to ice cream (just like he used to do when I was the little kid in the concert).  Then I went to help my mom with some computer stuff.  I had planned to stop by Ruth's house to check out her addition, but by this point both Gus and I were spent and I decided to just get on the road and get back to my husband!

Here are a few pictures that my mom took while we were home.  Enjoy!

Gus wearing his new hat Grandma gave him, playing with Herbie.  This is Gus's all time favorite place to sit, in from of the glass door at my parent's house.

Grandma and Gus in front of their Christmas tree.

Gus' first bubble sink!  He loved it!

Taking a "nap" with Pumpa...I think Pumpa is a better napper than Gus!

Pumpa and his buddy.

Gus sitting on the banner my mom and I made.  It isn't finished yet in this picture.

Gus watching the Christmas Concert!

Gus and his cousins after the concert, and after all the ice cream was inhaled!  

We hope you are all doing well.  We are all packed and headed off to Cross Christmas Camp tonight.  We will be there until Sunday afternoon.  Then we are racing back to our house where we will be hosting a mini-Christmas for my immediate family.  It is going to be busy, but it is going to be fun.

Take care, 

Nancy and Gus

Micah is here!

Our good friend April and Nate had their son on Friday.  Another boy!  We went to visit last night and both Bill and I said to each other, was Gus really that small when he was born!?!  The truth is that Gus was about 1/2 a lb smaller!  Crazy!  He looks like a brute next to Micah now.

Yesterday's videos

Here are a few videos of Gus I took yesterday.  The first one is a little long, but if you wait until the end you can hear him saying his favorite word, "DADADAD".

The bath one is my favorite.  He got really messy eating lunch yesterday, so he got a bath and was a little motorboat.

Enjoy!

Don't worry...we're still here!

It feels like Christmas has snuck up on me this year.  We are headed to Cross Christmas Camp this weekend, and there is still a lot left to do for that!  We are having a big celebration honoring that fact that 40 years ago the Crosses joined the church.  Gus and I are headed to Marshall Wednesday through Thursday to work on a few projects for this with my mom.  Then, after camp, we are quickly celebrating Christmas at our house with my immediate family, and just a few days later we are flying out to PA!  A lot is left to do.

Here is a whole mess of pictures taken over the last couple days.  Enjoy!

First off are just a bunch of pictures I snapped of me and Gus.  He is so cute and funny!  I just can't help kissing him all day long!

I took these next picture this morning.  Bubba gave us these cute pj's, and Gus is finally big enough to wear them.  It was just the two of us, so I wasn't able to get  picture of the butt flap!

Here are some pictures for all you doubters out there!  You told me there was no way I could get Gus's stocking done in time for Christmas....well, check it out!!!!!

Here is a picture of our little family out watching the Steeler's game on Thursday.  We made it to half time before Gus made us go home and put him to bed.

And...guess who got his first taste of peas...and hated it!?!

We had a quiet, peaceful weekend.  Bill made a fire a both nights, and we enjoyed our Christmasy family room!

And, Gus is SO big!

We love you,

Nancy, Billy and Gus

Just one picture

We had a bit of a break from the bitter cold yesterday.  The sun was out and the snow was so pretty that I decided to try and take some snow pictures.  Well, I got one and here it is.

After this picture was taken there were no more smiles!

The cold is back today.  We went to mass and our baby class this morning, but now we are back home and in for the day.

Take care,

Nancy and Gus

Updated Family picture

Just for fun...my mom had put together this goofy picture of us for her Christmas card.  She had craftily cut out a picture of Gus from a few days ago and placed it on top of an older picture...the only problem is that my Dad's hand ended up on Bill's body, which might be fine if my dad didn't have crazy huge hands.

So, we just took the following picture to replace the one above.

It's true that Gus isn't smiling as big, but at least Bill is all Bill.

A Monday at Home

Sometime people ask me what Gus and I do at home all day.  The answer is, well lots of things.  We have a lot of fun together.  We sing and laugh and read lots of books and get housework done.  Here are some simple pictures for this Monday of us doing what we are usually doing.  Monday is laundry day, so the first pictures are of my little laundry helper.  Her likes to sit right in the middle of the pile of folded clothes and "refold" a few of them for me.

As much as we like doing laundry, there is one thing we like even more...looking out the window!  It is especially fun to look out the window now that we have some pretty snow.  Our favorite thing used to be going outside, but alas, we live in Minnesota.  And, I know you can't really tell in these pictures, but Gus is standing up by himself, just holding onto the back of the chair.  

It is a beautiful day here.  The sun is out and a few snow flakes are gently falling.

And, in classic Gus fashion, we talk all day long too.  He as started saying "DADADAD" and Bill won't let me forget it!

Thanks for stopping by and reading all four posts today.  When it rains it pours!  I hope you all are doing well, and that your baby is napping as well as mine is today!

Nancy and Gus.