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Christmas activities

grandpa entertaining the little two with his movies and music:

 decorating the gingerbread house with grandma:

grandma ended up "decorating" their mouths!

 enjoying our beautiful creation:

 Isaac's first look at our gingerbread house when he woke up from his nap:

 This is our annual draft:

We have an overload of stuffed animals.  Does anyone else out there tend to accumulate these like we do?  The kids LOVE their animals and play with them and sleep with them and take them everywhere. Some of them are very special and others aren't so much.  Before Christmas it's necessary to purge and make room for more so this is our way of going through the animal friends.  We place all of the animals on the couch and Jason leads the draft.  The kids choose one at a time in an organized fashion which animals are their favorites and we let them keep a certain amount and then the left-overs disappear. ;)

 We played lots of games: 

(Amy's thrilled that I have my camera out )

holiday baking:

(Isaac "helping" me with his choo-choo)

 Some for giving, some for eating:

Christmas

There are 13 of us in the house this Christmas.  It's cozy.  We are loving it.  Jason's parents and sister are here.  There is nothing better than family and I'm so thankful they can be here this Christmas.  We could NOT believe the piles of presents that kept accumulating under our tree.  We are really blessed, but keep in mind- 13 people!

BEST. GIFT. EVER.  = baby Emmaline

 We had to have a little photo shoot with our baby doll tonight since it's her first Christmas.

Aunt Elizabeth is staying in the girls room and they are loving their "sleepovers" and Ella's bed on the floor.  (Kate always sleeps on that little crib mattress and then shoves it under the big bed during the day.)

 best friends

Today at 4:50 (of course, minutes before hardware stores shut down for the holidays) we noticed a huge water leak in our basement.  Yep, the water heater busted.  That means 13 people are down to one toilet, no shower or tub, 1 bathroom sink, and 1 kitchen sink.  2 weeks ago our dishwasher broke (It's just because we went 4 years using it without a water softner).  So, I'm now doing dishes by heating water on the stove!  Fun Christmas memories are happening all around.  Tonight Jason and I posted the following on facebook.  At least we have our sense of humor and each other which of course is all that really matters.  We are blessed and no matter what curve comes down the road we have abundant grace for each moment.  We are joyfully celebrating our Savior this Christmas season!

by Jason:

Twas the night before Christmas
When all through the house
Not a drop of hot water
Yet the carpets were doused.

The water heater tank
had been cracked with such care
By rust and by age
Well beyond repair

And mamma in her kerchief,
and I in my cap
No showers for us,
Well, we're just going to stink tomorrow I guess.

my response:

Twas weeks ago, dear 
that our dishwasher broke
the replacement was me
and that's really no joke.

I thought I might get one
from old St Nick
but now I'm afraid
that we'll get a new water heater instead and until then I'll have to keep boiling pots of water on the stove just to wash my dishes by hand but I'm not complaining because at least I have running water and don't have to chop wood and haul pails of water from the creek out back

wish lists

I wish I could say that this post was about all of the great charitable giving my kids and I are involved in this holiday season, but it's not.  It's rather about the selfishness being alive and well over here.  It's a quite opposite post from this one.  My kids recently wrote their annual wish lists to their grandparents and here they are.  I wanted to remember them.

 Jonas' list was divided into categories and it included things like "Cars 2- must have !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", not only very specific lego sets, but the words "a lot of other legos too", "no clothes please !!!!!!!!!!!!!", under the weapons category (yes, a whole category) he wants "a real flame thrower", under the video games category he lists specifics but requests "a lot of other ones too", and last but not least :) "pizzas, real food"

 Ella asks for a toy horse, a toy castle with a princess, paints, cupcake stickers, any kind of books, Barbie dresses, a pretty nightgown, and a puzzle.

 Kate wants an American Girl doll magazine, a Barbie coloring book, a Barbie cell phone, Peter Pan DVD, play clothes for Bitty Baby, play clothes for Kit, a toaster, a microwave, and a coffee maker.

 Isaac's lists included the things he likes.  They are loud, have wheels, and go fast.  just. like. isaac.

  

Thankful Tree

I've posted this idea before and talked about it here, but here's our version this year.  I've gotten tired of making new leaves each year so this year after we traced and cut all the leaves I laminated them and we write on them with dry erase markers.

the right one

We like to cut down our own Christmas tree and these pics are from our tree cutting adventure this year.  We went on the day after Thanksgiving to our favorite tree farm and enjoyed some hot chocolate, a hay ride, and "Swedish Christmas Sausage" around a bonfire after carefully choosing the right tree.  We have enjoyed unusually nice weather so far this year.  As you can see there isn't even snow on the ground yet!  Each day without snow is a gift at this point in the year.

Thanksgiving at our house

My parents were here for Thanksgiving.  We had a very relaxing day at home.  Taking into account a brand new baby in the house and grandparents who would be leaving the day after Thanksgiving, we didn't cook a turkey- for the first time in 9 years!  Instead,  we bought 3 rotisserie turkey breasts the night before and cut them and put them in a crock pot on warm all night.  The turkey was perfect and moist and made for a completely stress free day.

Uncle Mark and Jonas played several games of checkers.

We introduced grandma and grandpa "B" to the movie Tangled.  Isaac runs (he seldom walks) around singing "I have a dream, I have a dream, I have a dream..." at the top of his lunges.  He's crazy!

Both Kate and Ella LOVE to hold baby Emmaline any chance they get.  They hold her for a s long as they can.  They are enamored with their new "sister-cousin".  :)

We started the morning with donuts and egg nog- special treats!

enjoying grandpa

I'm pleased to announce that for the first time in Kate's life her hair is long enough for a ponytail!  She has finally stopped twisting and twirling her hair into knots. YEAH!  Now she has the goal of never cutting her hair to be just like Rapunzel.  Ha!

We enjoyed some of the nicest weather I can remember here for November.  The kids were able to play outside with grandma and grandpa all morning on Thanksgiving day while I worked in a quiet and empty kitchen preparing all the food.  It was wonderful!  I ran outside every now and then and took pictures and videos of the fun.  

Grandpa B and Isaac are two pees in a pod.  They are both rough and loud and intense and FAST.  Isaac loved being pushed all over the place by his grandpa while they chased and dodged kids and balls.  They both thought it was especially fun to run and bump over obstacles.

Kate has a style all her own and I love it.

Sweet Emmaline is very content.  This is how she spent the day:

Grandpa B got very efficient at keeping both the little guys happy.

When I asked Jonas what his favorite part about grandma and grandpa's visit was he told me about playing "cops and robbers" with grandma.  I think these next few pictures were during the capturing and tying up of Ella, the cop.

Enjoying our feast:

Ham, turkey, gravy, rolls, baked cheesy potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, corn, sweet potato casserole, cranberry jello salad, and a veggie tray

We ate early in the day so that we could enjoy eating (especially yummy desserts) all the rest of the day!  Here Isaac is chilling with grandma (on Ella's bed) after our meal.

watching football

good company and a good game

and we end with more adorable sweetness