Basket Races

Nora, actually, came up with this game and Ethan got on board very quickly.  She is into pushing everything around.  Laundry baskets are a favorite, as of late.  She pushes them in circles.  Through the kitchen, into the living room and around again and again and again... Ethan took this as, "let's race!"  They have a blast and it's quite fun to watch.

Game Time

Ethan got a Farm board game for Christmas from his Grandma Karen.  And he has insisted that we play it everyday after I put Nora down for her nap.  It's a cute game, and was not difficult at all for him to figure out.

Getting it all set up!

Now, explaining the rules to Daddy

Thanks, Grandma Karen!  He really likes his new game!

Photo Friday...Week 17

Both of our kids are super ticklish, and I love it!  So this week's photo wasn't too hard to accomplish.

Tickling your child until they smile

Snow!

We have snow!  It was nicer, better snow in Salem when we were there last weekend with all the family and I have a ton of snow play/sledding pictures to share!  Ethan had a blast and wants to go out everyday to play in it.  It's difficult now, since it's 15 degrees!

Josiah, Jared, Paige, Alex and Ethan

Working on a snowman

Paige, Josiah and Ethan with the completed snowman

Why not dive into the snow?!?

After the snowman was completed, we walked over to my Uncle Mike's house to sled down his hill.  I was just the photographer, no sledding for me :).

Jared and Ethan

Josiah

Paige.  She can pose even sledding down a hill :)!

Holding on tight

Abby got in on the fun too!

Came to a stop at my feet :)

Jared, paving the way

A family snow picture.  It was too cold for Nora , so she stayed inside with Grandma Terri. 

Taylor and Josiah headed back to the house.

I love this picture!  Ethan, Paige and Josiah after some serious sledding!

We didn't have any snow at our house when we left, and when we came home on Monday we drove with the snow and ended up with about 1.5, maybe 2 inches on the ground.  So, Jared and Ethan went back out for some fun on our hill :)!

Shoveling fun!

Ethan wanted to do the sidewalk all by himself...with a hoe.

Our snowy backyard

Getting ready to go down the hill

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!