New Year's Update

Some folks may be receiving this via snail mail, but for all those even remotely interested, I am posting our family's update letter here.

Happy New Year!

Greetings from the Baumgartners! Is it already 2009? As you can tell, we missed out on the Christmas card tradition this year, so we decided to send a New Year’s update instead. These three little ones keep us busier than you know and we made so many fun memories in 2008! We took trips to West Virginia to see Aunt Jill, Ohiopyle and Raccoon Creek State Parks for camping, Apple Canyon Lake, IL for our summer vacation and to Michigan for Aunt Sara’s wedding.

Eric is 5 and loves kindergarten at BCCS (Beaver County Christian School), especially riding the bus! He also has quite a head for math and is sounding out new words every day. He loves to tinker… give him a cardboard box, tape, glue and some scissors ands he’s in heaven. He also loves Legos and K’Nex blocks and riding his bike without the training wheels, which he just learned to do a few weeks ago! Eric also played in his first season of pee-wee soccer this fall and scored in his very first game! He just got a palate expander (to widen his top jaw) installed in December so he is getting used to having metal in his mouth. He has been a real trooper about it.

Anna will be 4 in March. She is such a little mother, playing with her dolls and doll house every chance she gets. She loves to sing and dance and is always making up new songs. She is the quintessential drama queen and is so expressive that we laugh out loud a lot. She looks forward to starting preschool this coming fall and is already telling us about the “Belle” birthday party she wants to have. We continue to hear stories about “Chica”, her imaginary friend. Anna has recently discovered her love of broccoli too and can eat it by the truckload. She is still a tiny girl though, at only 31 pounds!

Caleb is every bit a 2 year old! He loves to say “no” and do all things himself. As you may have seen on our blog, he also fancies himself a “Guitar Hero” and loves to rock out! We got him a toy guitar for Christmas which was a huge hit. He also loves to play superheroes, and thinks fixing things with his tools is thrilling. We had to lock Chad’s work room in the basement because Caleb kept sneaking in there to tinker. “K.K.” as we affectionately call him, also loves to color on walls, dump out bottles of shampoo and generally make huge messes. He is a joy though, and we wish he would just stay little, a little while longer.

Chad is doing well too! His job in Advancement at Geneva College is going well and he continues to enjoy teaching computer classes too. In 2008, he began to pursue an interest in fly fishing, so he has gotten in some practice with that. He has a heart for Men’s Ministry at our church and is praying about how to become involved more. He meets regularly with a friend for prayer and accountability and that has been a blessing; he has also been teaching middle school boys in Sunday School this year. Chad is such a good dad... he loves being greeted with screams of joy at the door each day after work and jumps right in to wrestle with them all. When there’s a free moment, he can be found running on his treadmill, playing computer games with friends, and like his boys, tinkering.

Joanie is happy juggling 3 kids, consulting work, church work and anything else she can think of to fill the time. 2008 was definitely a busy year. Joanie just completed over 2 years of consulting with Duquesne University, and as of January 5, she has started a new contract with Geneva College. At this writing, she is also awaiting confirmation on a secondary contract with Waynesburg University. She is still managing online communities for the alumni of these schools. At church, Joanie worked on planning the fall Ladies Retreat, and has become part of several other church committees. She spends two hours a week leading a discipleship group of 3 college girls and has been so blessed by them! Joanie is headed back to the YMCA with a new work-out buddy this month... no more baking!

Chad and Joanie also did a great thing this past November, in anticipation of celebrating their 8^th anniversary in December. They went to a Family Life “Weekend to Remember” marriage retreat in Cranberry Twp., PA. Grandma watched the kids for the whole weekend and they got to stay at the hotel! What a wonderful time of reaffirming our commitment to one another and to God’s perfect plan for marriage! As a result of that retreat, we are considering leading a small marriage group called Homebuilders starting in March.

So 2008 was full of fun, growth, memories, challenges, and joy. We are so thankful to God for His love and care for our family, for the way He always meets our needs, and for how He shows abundant grace and goodness to us. May He show Himself as faithful in each of your lives in this wonderful New Year.

With Love,

Chad, Joanie, Eric, Anna and Caleb Baumgartner

Who knew you could ride bikes in December??

The weekend after Christmas, we had unseasonably warm weather (60's!) with lots of sunshine so we decided to take the kids and their bikes over to a local church parking lot where they can ride in relative safety. We had a few surprises! Even Caleb has learned how to actually pedal his tiny bike, so he loved riding all around on his own! And Eric was zipping around so fast that we decided to let him try without training wheels. The very first time I let him go, he took off and never looked back. He's still getting the hang of trying to start off on his own, but once he's up on that bike, he can ride forever. They are all growing up so fast!

Look, Ma! No training wheels!

Anna has gotten much better at pedaling her bike too!

Caleb loved riding on his own... Grandma B. found this tiny bike for him and he loves it!

Proud Mom and Dad!

A Family Christmas

So we had a houseful at Christmas here in Beaver Falls, but we loved every minute! In addition to the Baumgartner Party of Five, we also had Grandma Debbie, Auntie Heather and Zen, Auntie Sara, and Uncle Brian. A great time was had by all (and much sugar I must add). My only regret is that we never got to go see the amazing light displays at Hartwood Acres. There's always next year!

Anna is over the moon about her hot chocolate.

Eric, Zen, Anna and Caleb are excited to open one gift on Christmas Eve.

I love my new apron!! And yes, I am cutting the cheese. For Macaroni and Cheese.

Chad, Heather and Brian took the kids to the YMCA to blow off some steam Christmas Eve.
Anna left them all in the dust on the running track.

Fun on the racquetball courts (or arguing if you look closely)

Uncle Brian takes a beating from the preschoolers.

Auntie Sara and Mom enjoying our time together.

Joanie reads "Merry Christmas, Curious George" and other great Christmas books on Christmas Eve.

Eric enjoys the cupcake he decorated with 7 huge Christmas tree marhmallows. Like I said, sugar was had by all.

Heather and Zen take decorating cupcakes to a whole new level.

Anna and I just want to get the frosting out of that baggie!

Sara helps the little ones. Caleb kept squirting on frosting, then taking a bite. More frosting into the hole, then another bite. Eric sneaks more marshmallows.

Two cute cousins in their Cookie Monster outfits from Grandma Debbie.

Anna loves her new doll house. Guess we need to get more furniture for her birthday.

Caleb was pumped about his Batman ATV vehicle.

Eric and Chad figure out the Hot Wheels Big Rig Launcher!

Sara signals that she's just doing good to be awake at this hour!

Heather asked for cookbooks... so now she is all set.

Brian eagerly anticipates his Dilbert calendar... what's this, going on 6-7 years now?

Anna sends a great big thank you to Grandma Diane and Papa Lee for her Jasmine doll!!

Opening the Christmas Eve gift... Anna got a huge set of pretend food for her kitchen.

The boys waited so patiently!

The kiddos a day or two before Christmas with our little Santa.

Stockings for all 10... what fun filling them!

Thanks everybody for a great time! Jessi, we missed you lots over there in Japan! And Dad, Diane, Stacy, and Jonathon... we got several questions from our kids about when we would be back in Georgia with you and the "gi-normous" Christmas tree. Maybe next year, who knows!