Skype

Lucas taking a picture of Grandma & Grandpa when we were skyping with them...  It was fun!

New Years!

We had a low key New Year's Eve at home.  It was nice.  The kids enjoyed some movies, special snacks, root-beer floats and party accessories:

Lucas went to bed around 10pm, so we moved into game mode after that...

At midnight we went outside to make some noise and then everyone went to bed, but that was not the end of our celebration...

The next morning we let Lucas go out with the noisemaker as well.  He loved it!  All three also emptied their cans of Silly String on the sidewalk, trees, tire swing, and each other!

Happy New Year!

Three Sisters

"For when three sisters love each other with such sincere affection, the one does not experience sorrow, pain, or affliction of any kind, but the other's heart wishes to relieve, and vibrates in tenderness... like a well-organized musical instrument."

Author: Elizabeth Shaw

 We ARE Blessed!

Eyes

Jenna has the most amazing eye lashes!

Rachel & I thought it would be fun to take a picture of the Christmas trees in her eyes!

Extending Christmas

My family kept Christmas going for several days with different ones arriving at different times to visit.  It was wonderful!

We had some time with both of my sisters and their kids in the same house before some of them had to leave. 

More boy torture

My awesome nieces

Rachel & Samuel

Emma & Jenna

The beautiful snowflake art Jenna made for me

And then there was that little silly photo shoot with 3 girls and their mom...

The Fab Four

 The girls

 There was a special gift at Grandma's this year for the kiddos-- it was quite exciting!

 Nathan, proudly showing his new cross necklace he had asked for

Christmas Candle

The kids and I decorated some candles for Christmas gifts this year.  It was a neat craft... simple, and fun to watch their drawings become a part of an existing candle.  They made one for me, but I had to keep it hidden until after the others were given as gifts.  I will cherish this and love getting it out each Christmas.

They each drew a side in this order:  Nathan, Emma, Samuel & Lucas

Christmas Day

We had a wonderful Christmas day!  The morning was quite enjoyable and entertaining watching the kids open their gifts.  

 Lucas taking pictures with his new camera

 Emma, in love with her doll

 Lucas working hard on his new engine

Then, after a leasurely breakfast and some playtime, we headed to Grandma's house for food, fun, and family time!

 Samuel & Lucas thought Cole & Wes were their personal playgrounds... or wait, maybe it was the other way around!

Nathan thought his time was better spent with a book and massage

 Lucas, about to beat Grandma and Aunt LuAnne in his Uncle Wiggly game

 

Anticipation

51:52

Anticipation

Christmas Eve

We spent our Christmas Eve day and evening doing all things Christmas!  We finished our Advent Bible Study/Activity/Calendar (from Thriving Family) we'd been doing since Thanksgiving:

We had baked cookies the day before so we were ready to fill Santa's plate:

So, we made our gingerbread project for this year-- Home-made NinjaBread men!  Yum and Fun!

The rest of our time was spent playing (kids) and making food (me) for that night and the next day.

Christmas Eve Dinner & Party

 Daddy had been in bed most of the day, not feeling well, so I spared him being in any pictures...

Our feast!

 

Emma made a beautiful cake for our Happy Birthday Jesus party

 

 We watched a movie about Mary and Joseph, and the birth of Jesus... and spent some time reading books like If I Had Not Come, A Special Place for Santa, and Twas the Night Before Christmas...