Merry Christmas...Part Three

Ok, I think this will be the last Christmas post :).  We have had so much fun during this season!  Two trips to Salem, Christmas day at home with no where to go, friends over for dinner and to top it all off...snow!  On Friday, after Christmas, we headed back to Salem where most of my family was in town.  All the little cousins had a blast playing together and it was fun for us 'big' siblings/cousins too.
We started off by opening gifts with my dad's side of the family.  My grandpa (from Arkansas), Aunt Jeanne, Uncle Bruce and cousin Taylor (from Virginia Beach) were in town.  Along with Abby & Alex and Shannon and the kids.  It was a good time.  Ethan and Josiah both got lightsabers and I can't believe I don't have any pictures of them 'fighting'.

Ethan, helping Josiah with his gift from us. 

Nora would rather play with the paper

Taylor, Alex, Jeanne, Paige, Abby and Nora (in the construction helmet)

  Most of my cousins from my mom's side of the family were in town too.  We have a yearly 'rob your neighbor' gift exchange with the adults.  It was pretty tame this year, but still fun!

While the adults were downstairs robbing each other, all the kids were upstairs watching The Lorax.

After we made our way upstairs, it gets crazy with everyone!

Haley and Finley

Abby took some pictures of me and Nora :)

My Uncle Bruce (dad's brother) and Grandpa Bob

Yesterday, we had the old neighborhood over for dinner.  Ethan and Braden don't see each other as much as they used to, so it was good to get them together!  We gave Braden 3 super hero costumes and he and Ethan were Batman and Robin all evening.  And then it turned into construction worker heros...

Goofy Boys!

Look at that face...cute or scary?? I'm not sure.

It was a great time with family and friends over this past week!  Hope everyone has a blessed 2013!

Photo Friday...Week 16

As mentioned in yesterday's post, we baked cupcakes for Jesus' Birthday.  And as usual, I had a great helper.  Ethan was the sprinkle boy and he was a generous sprinkler!

Baking something together

This was Ethan's chosen cupcake!

Our photographer and his beautiful helper :)

Merry Christmas...Part Two!

We are still enjoying the Christmas season at our house and I'm in no hurry to un-decorate!  Jared and I were talking, and we realized that after 7 married Christmases we were finally going to spend Christmas eve and morning at our own house!  We've been attending the same church here for 6(ish) years and have never gone to a Christmas eve service.  We were excited to experience a new Christmas tradition.  Anyway, after nap on Monday, we got dressed up and made our way to church for the service.  Ethan had been coughing, so we decided that if he wanted to stay with us tonight, we would let him.  After much back and forth, he stayed with us...for about 30 min of the service and then decided he wanted to go to the Birthday party for Jesus, complete with cake.
After a wonderful, musical, reflective, candle-lit service we made our way home where a crock pot full of Italian beef awaited us!  Before dinner, we attempted some family pictures in front of the tree..

Daddy and his kids.  

This is the best I could get of the 2 of them

Dancing babies!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

After dinner, we did the usual get ready for bed things and then read a Nativity Book.  It was supposed to be an advent thing, but we didn't start it on time, so I decided to do it Christmas eve.  Each page had 3 or 4 pieces of the Nativity scene to set up.  Ethan thought this was pretty cool.

The last thing, before prayers and bed, was to put out cookies and milk for Santa.  We had made chocolate chip cookies earlier in the day just for this occasion!

Carefully carrying the plate of cookies.

Both kids, were out for the count quickly after we put them to bed...thankfully!  Jared and I watched "A Christmas Story" (his first time) and then went to bed to see if Santa would come during the night ;).

Ethan's Christmas Morning!  I think 3 might just be the perfect age for Christmas!  He didn't remember that it was Christmas, so we took our time getting around AND he was excited about everything!  He went from toy to toy all day long!

Going through his stocking, Checking out the Busy Book I made for him, Christmas Morning cinnamon roll, Checking out all the loot and playing with his 'ino-tab' (as he calls it)

Nora's Christmas morning.  She still wasn't too interested in a lot, except whatever Ethan was playing with.  She had a good morning too!

Opening presents with Daddy, Rolling around on the floor pillow I made for her, Checking out her stocking, Opening the pillow and Playing with her toys

Christmas day, for us, was so great!  There was just something about not needing to go anywhere and being able to spend the entire day together as a family.  We made a great dinner and Ethan wanted chocolate cupcakes for Jesus' birthday! So after singing Happy Birthday to Jesus, we enjoyed our cupcakes!

I had a helpful sprinkler...

Enjoying it, icing first!

Merry Christmas...Part 1

First of all, Merry Christmas!  Tonight, we are reflecting on our day and the amazing gift of Christ, so many years ago!  At dinner tonight, Jared said to Ethan that he was thankful that Jesus came and Ethan said "I'm thankful that Santa came!"  Oh, to be 3 :).  But if you were to ask him why we celebrate Christmas, he would answer, "because it's Jesus' birthday."

We started our Christmas celebrating this weekend in Salem.  We decided it was time for us to spend Christmas morning in our own home, so we did our Christmases with the grandparents a bit early.  We had a  wonderful visit and a lot of good food!
Saturday morning we went out to the Colliers for the day.

Present time!

Uncle Dustin and Ethan, Nora with the snowman, the guys and their LEGOS and Jared carving the Christmas turkey :)

Sunday, after church, we opened gifts with my family.  Abby and Alex were there and it was so much fun!

Pop helping the kids with some presents!

Nora and Abby checking out the tissue paper, Abby and moose & My mom opening her gift from us!

Photo Friday...Week 15

Ok, I know I missed last week.  Hopefully I only do it that one time...but I'm not going to promise anything!  Ethan is loving LEGOs right now.  He has one small set that he is only allowed to play with on the dining room table since it is too small to be down for Nora.

Playing a Game Together

Christmas in Preschool

Sunday night was Ethan's preschool Christmas program.  I was asked to help get the 3 year old class in their spots on stage, in the pew and back on stage.  I was glad to help, especially since I got a front row spot!  It was adorable.  His class sang Jingle Bells, complete with homemade jingle bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and together with the 4 year old class, sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas.  Ethan didn't get too into the performance, but he did stand up there, sway back and forth and sing the songs.  I tried to get him to smile and wave, but no such luck :).

Before the big performance, they all had 'bubbles' in their mouths.  Their teacher tells them 'bubbles' when they are supposed to be quiet.  It's very effective.

Isn't this precious?!?  All their little legs sticking out!

On stage with the 4 year old class.  Ethan actually looked and smiled at me for this one!

A better picture of us in his classroom

Grandma Karen and Grandpa were able to come up for his program.  He showed them his classroom and was very excited to see them.  Thanks for coming!

Today, during class, was Ethan's Christmas party.  I didn't stay, but did come back early to take a few pictures and see what was happening!

Mrs. McDevitt reading a Christmas book before giving them a gift.

Catch Up!

Jared made it home from Bulgaria on Friday night.  And I had 93 pictures to upload on the computer since the last time... So, I need to play a little catch up on our week.
After Ethan's school on Tuesday we headed to Salem, to spend the rest of the week with my parents.  I'm taking advantage of being able to do that while Ethan isn't in 5 day/week school.
On Wednesday, my mom, Linda, the kids and I met Libby and her girls at Abby's new house in Edwardsville.  We had fun hanging out in the basement (she is having a wall removed upstairs, so construction zone), eating at Dewey's and shopping.

Watching pizza making at Dewey's

Ethan and Haley 'guarding' the stairs at Abby's house

Nora and I with Katie and Libby

Nora and Katie (2 1/2 months apart)

Thursday night the kids and I headed out to the Colliers for the evening and dinner.  Ethan loves playing with the vintage micro-machines from Uncle Dustin and Jared's childhood.  He was talking about that the whole ride out.

Not wanting his picture taken...

Just hanging out with Uncle Dustin

Micro- Machine Fun

Friday after nap, we came home.  Jared was due to fly into Decatur around 8:30 and he was home before 9pm.  He had a good trip and learned a lot!
Saturday, he was feeling alright, so we decided to make a trip to the Children's Museum (thanks Mom and Dad for the membership!).  But we couldn't go before a quick shave...

His hands smelled good :)

Then onto the museum!

Nora loved this thing!  It's full of pins to make imprints in (I'm not sure what it's called!)

Notice Nora's face...she was making the car noise.  She must have learned from her brother :)

Ethan and Nora at the little train table

Checking out the big train table

Peek-a-Boo!

Just a short video of sweet Nora playing Peek-a-Boo tonight.

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