We're still here - don't you worry!

After much bugging from my lovely sisters, I've decided to get back on the blog train.  Especially because I have lots of opinions and feel like I can post topics of interest here versus on Facebook because let's face it, people are sensitive to every single parenting choice out there! 

So, what have the Zernicke's been up to the past 3 months?  Here are the highlights....

• We moved into our new house in Holland in the middle of October and are completely settled in now, but have lots of purchases to make yet.  We need new furniture (CLIFFORD....!), something for above the fireplace, some book shelves (that AREN'T from Ikea!), landscaping and a new tv or two.  We'll get there though.  We love our house though!  It's 5 bedrooms/3.5 baths with a finished basement, open floor plan and a nice big deck.  Our neighborhood is full of kids and has easy access to a ton of trails leading to the beach and parks.  
• In November we spent a long weekend in Phoenix visiting friends and eating our favorite foods....we miss it so much.
• Thanksgiving was spent with my family in South Haven, where Jack didn't enjoy any Turkey but had some mashed potatoes, bread and veggies.  Matt, sister Carrie and I did a TurkeyTrot 5k too - Carrie won of course!  
• In the beginning of December we had a housewarming party/Decemberfest (in honor of the Novemberfest party we put on in Phoenix).  In the past year, 3 of our favorite couples also moved from Phoenix back to the midwest, so it was great to have them over to our house and reunite for the night!  My family came for a little bit, as well as some of our new friends.  We just love hosting parties and hope to do another one in the summer!  
• We celebrated the holidays with Matt's family in Wisconsin, where Jack loved watching his 2 cousins (who are 7) play around and be silly for him!  We also flew down to Florida (Jack's 4th roundtrip airplane ride!) for a week with my family.  We were in a big house, so there was lots of help with Jack and Matt, sister Carrie and I got to go for lots of runs on the beach in the mornings.  Such a treat these days!  Jack LOVED the pool at our house and is becoming quite the water baby!
• We returned to Michigan for NYE, where our family was all asleep before midnight - LAME!  :)  

That's about it!  Here are some pictures of the fam from the last couple months: