Story Family Bucket List 2011

The goal of our bucket list is to spend quality time together!! Each year we each pick one fun (low cost) thing to do together. Here's our list for 2011:


Peris: Visit St. Louis Zoo

Michael: Attend a college basketball game

Ella: Paint pottery (this is also a carry over for Peris)

Fiona: Have a pajama party day which includes movies and pizza

Emmy: Have a tea party with hot cocoa

Derek: Tent camping (I do not approve of this but will participate reluctantly!!!)

Kara: Spend the day at Forrest Park Nature Center walking the trails



So there you have it!! Our fun list of things to accomplish in the upcoming months!!

What did we accomplish in 2010??

As we start 2011, I wanted to look back and see what we accomplished in the year 2010. We are so fortunate and had so many prayers answered!!! First, we did great on our bucket list from last year!! We only had one request that we didn't get to for Peris-painting pottery. Thankfully you will see this on our 2011 list and we have made it a priority!!!

There were several things that weighed heavily on our hearts this past year. We waited to see if Michael would get into Metcalf, learned that Aunt Karen was diagnosed with cancer, lost several dear friends to cancer. Many of these mountains were moved in God's perfect timing-but the waiting was so hard!!

Michael did get in to Metcalf which has changed our lives!
Aunt Karen was pronouced cancer free in November (a prayer that we all prayed for daily-the kids especially)
We took a wonderful vacation in August
Summer finances were covered with jobs that came at the right time
Tim and Christine celebrated the birth of their son Oliver (also a prayer that was answered after 2+ years)
We became involved with a wonderful small group

So many things that I can't even begin to list them all. We are still learning and growing-meeting challenges that come as best as we can. Trying to look at the mountain maker rather than trying to make the mountain move on our own strength.

Here is to a wonderful 2011!!!!

Happy New Year's Eve!!

Fiona making New Year's Eve cupcakes
Happy New Year!!


My New Year's kiss

Ollie's first New Year's party

He's looking at me like I'm nuts:)

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We rang in 2011 with our crew-the Kirk family (Tim, Christine, and Ollie). We dined on steak (thank you Timmy and Christine), hotdogs, homemade french fries (thank you Derek), and homemade bread-all delish!!!

After dinner the adults talked and watched Fiona decorate her cupcakes with the icing tools that Santa brought her-she is seriously talented in the cullinary arts!! It was fun to watch her intently swirl the icing and make different designs!

We opted our for S'more this year and instead pigged out on cupcakes and crispix mix-also very good.

The Story family made it until 11:50 and then decided that it was time to head up-hey, we watched the ball drop for New York!!

We have much to be thankful for at the close of 2010!! It was a very good year for the Story family (i.e. no one had a hospital stay or serious illness).

Here's to a great 2011!!!!!

Fox River Getaway

On December 27th we got the greenlight to head up to Fox River Resort for a mini-getaway. For 2 days we played games, watched movies, and swam. It was wonderful!! We were all in serious need of just having family time together-no practices, games, commitments..just us having unscheduled fun!!! I'm so glad we were able to do this over break!! We didn't come home rested, but we came home after making some special memories!!! Priceless time together which I love!!!

Christmas with Grandma Choo Choo

Addison and Ollie
Uncle Tim helping Emmy with her iPod shuffle (he would soon purchase the
Justin Bieber cd and upload it for all of the girls....hence the repeated singing of "Baby" which is
seriously about to drive me insane!)


Peris, Michael, and Uncle Dave

When asked what Emmy didn't get for Christmas, she replied:

"I really wanted Oliver to come and live with us"

She sure loves this little guy!!

Avery and her Dad

Peris and Patrick

Michael gets Garfield

Ollie's first Christmas at Grandma's house!!

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One last holiday celebration was had at Grandma Choo Choo's house the day after Christmas. We all got together for brunch and then opened our gifts. After the mass opening, we enjoyed the annual white elephant gift exchange. We were on the letter "t" this year (each year we have to make a $10 purchase with a specific letter from the word Christmas) and some of the gifts were definately PG-13 rated!! Note-I couldn't post pictures of 2 gifts that were given!!

As always it was a great time!!

Christmas Day 2010

For the first time ever, the kids woke us up on Christmas morning-they were in bed and asleep by midnight and up by 7. Derek and I were in bed by 1am and up by 7.

Still the best present ever!!

Before I could say go, Ella found the pickle. She is a winner 2 years in a row!!

Santa brought Emmy a Moxie teen doll

"Mom, Santa brought what I really wanted"-Fiona got a cupcake baking set

from Santa complete with an icing kit.

"AHHHHHH" screams Ella!! Santa brought Ella the "leg warmer" Barbie from

Toy Story 3

Santa brought Michael Super Smash Bros for the Wii, but pictured here are his

Super Friends that he got from us.

Peris got her mini-video camera!! Santa brought her a Playmobile wedding car that she put together in record time.

Michael also got (from us) Donkey Kong Country for the Wii which made him exclaim:

"This is the best Christmas ever!!"

Ella and her American Girl doll bed

Fiona and her new American Girl doll Angie. Fiona has wanted a doll for quite some time and had picked this one out of the magazine. She had named her months ago with the hopes of getting one on Christmas morning.

Emmy and her new American Girl doll jammies-her doll got a matching pair

The wedding car all put together-notice the bride's veil which trails off the back

of the car:)

Henry on his new pet bed

Henry sharing his pet bed with Derek who was very tired

Breaking it down with Just Dance 2-this game is hilarious!!!!!

Derek and Mike doing a little "Cris Cross'll make you Jump Jump"

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We had an awesome Christmas day here at the Story house!! While we weren't ready to get up in the morning, the kids were so excited that they were ready to get going pretty early!! We did our stockings and Santa gifts first and then took a quick break to get the fire started.

Santa brought:

Peris: Playmobile wedding car

Michael: Super Smash Bros for the Wii

Ella: Leg Warmer Barbie

Fiona: Cupcake making set

Emmy: Moxie teen barbie doll

Then the gift opening began!! The kids got:

Peris: Playmobile Church, doodle book, mini video recorder

Michael: Donkey Kong Country for Wii, doodle book, Super Friends toys

Ella: Kit's bed (American Girl), iPod shuffle, doodle book

Fiona: American Girl doll (Angie), doodle book, iPod shuffle

Emmy: American girl pj's + doll pj's, iPod shuffle, doodle book

Derek and I also enjoyed some great gifts as well!! Slippers, books, and for Derek a new red sweater vest.

More than all of the gifts, we are reminded how fortunate and how blessed we are during this season to have such a wonderful family and so many fantastic friends.

May God continue to provide these blessings for all of us.

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Eve night with the Kirk's

Singing happy birthday to Jesus
Uncle Tom and Ollie

Oliver and Ayden dress up as little Snowmen

Uncle Dave and Ollie

Fiona in her beret

Derek (a.k.a. the baby whisperer) holds Ayden

After going to Eastview for Christmas Eve service, we headed over to see PaPa and Grandma Pat for the annual Kirk Christmas Eve celebration. We had lots of fun singing Happy Birthday to baby Jesus, eating, and opening up gifts.

What a great night!!