Christmas

We headed to Lori and Dan's home late in the afternoon Christmas Day to celebrate Christmas with my Dad, Kathy, my 2 brothers, and 3 of my 4 stepsisters. We missed you Teri and crew! It is so much fun when we all get together. Owen and Ava have a blast playing with all the other kids. Any way back to Christmas. Just as it was starting to get dark some of us went for a sleigh ride! I really enjoyed the ride. We were singing Christmas carols as we went. Ezra fell asleep in my arms almost instantly so I got to snuggle him! After the ride we opened presents. When all the presents were opened and things were organized again we played the dice game. The kids were in one room playing for kid prizes and the adults were in another room playing for some normal stuff and some pretty funny gifts! Shortly after the dice games were over we loaded up our van and headed home with our 3 sleepy children!

Best Parents Ever

Here are the Christmas presents that Luke and I gave the kids that made us the Best Parents Ever!

Santa

Christmas morning Owen, Ava and Ezra opened up their gifts from Santa! Owen got a beginners snowboard. Ava got a snow tube, and Ezra got a sled for babies and toddlers! They also got a few things in their Christmas stockings like play-doh, bath water color tablets, Lego's, and a sippy cup.

China

Owen's Question - "Mom can we go to China?"

My Answer - "Maybe some day."

Owen's Response - "Oh good because we haven't had that kind of food in a long time!"

Santa's Cookies

Cookies and milk were set out on our end table Christmas Eve night for Santa to enjoy when he dropped off Owen, Ava and Ezra's gifts. We woke up to find that he drank all but one sip of the milk and ate almost all the cookies leaving just half of one on the plate. Owen and Ava quickly rushed to find their gifts that Santa left them and tore them open upon permission. Where was Ezra with all the excitement?

Oh, he was busy reaching for that almost empty plate that he spied sitting on the end table. Ezra was delighted to find a half eaten sugar cookie on that plate he so carefully pulled closer to himself with just the tips of a few fingers. For when he finally had it in his hands he quickly scanned the room as if to check out why no one else in the room had discovered this little treasure!

He quickly sat down in the middle of the present opening mess and started to eat that delicious

cookie he found. Not minding one bit that his siblings unwrapped all of his gifts that Santa had left him.

He shoved it all into his mouth so that no one would see it and want him to share it. Which made his cheeks puff out because they were so full and his Mama was a little worried that he might just explode! With a little chewing and some time all the evidence was gone that he snuck that yummy half eaten sugar cookie that Santa left behind. Well almost no evidence was left behind but who is counting the little mess on his chin that Mama quickly wiped, so he could sit in his new sled!

Christmas Eve

Owen was the last one to wake up Christmas Eve morning. When he came into our room he had a sad and very serious expression on his face as he said "I have some bad news, Santa forgot to come to our house." Trying not to laugh I reassured him it was OK because Santa would be stopping at our house tonight! Boy was he relieved to hear that!

Before leaving for the day Luke had to take care of several inches of snow that fell the night before. Not only did he do our drive way, he did 2 of our neighbors driveways and half of another neighbors who was struggling with his snow blower. What a guy that husband of mine is!

I have no pictures to show of Christmas Eve at my Mom's because I forgot my camera at home. But, I will say we had a great time, opened way to many presents, and ate LOTS of yummy food!

After leaving my Mom's we made a quick stop at home to drop off our gifts, grab some more presents, get my camera, and organize the veggie tray we were in charge of bringing. Then off we went to Jesse and Anna's house. Where we ate some more, talked some more, and opened up some more presents! Santa even stopped in to see the kids. Surprisingly Owen loved him this year, unlike years past when he wouldn't even look at him. You would have thought they were best friends. Owen wouldn't stop talking to him and was not one bit shy to hop up on his lap for a picture. Ava was happy to see him but kept her distance and refused to go by him! Ezra didn't seem to mind having Santa in the room but started to scream the second we sat him on Santa's lap! At 8:00 we packed up the van headed home and put our kids to bed so that Santa could make his stop at our house.

CHEESE!

Christmas Eve, Eve

Luke came home from work at about 3:00 today. He was only in the house long enough to get Owen ready and then out of the house they vanished. Where to you ask? Well to to a movie! Owen's very first visit to a movie theater in fact. I can't wait to hear all about it. When they left Ava was still taking a nap but once she got up we got busy too. We did some Christmas cookie baking!

Yep, this is the type of baking I do! Sad I know, but oh well. While our cookies were in the oven we played play-doh. Ezra joined us at the table to play with play-doh accessories just not the play-doh. Then we read some books and did some sticker art work! As soon as Luke and Owen get home we will be eating a quick dinner and then head out the door to go to Christmas Eve, Eve church! So I need to go and get ready, but not before I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. It will be several days before I update again so hope you have a memorable relaxing Christmas. Also, don't forget to take the time to thank God for giving us the best Christmas present of all baby Jesus. After all it is because of Jesus that we celebrate Christmas in the first place. We will be having birthday cake and singing happy birthday to Jesus on Christmas day, but not before we read the story of how Jesus came into the world for all of us.

Merry Christmas!

Refrigerator

Does your refrigerator look like ours?

Owen drew this picture just for me! When he gave it to me he said "this is you and me. Your tummy is big because you have a baby in there!"

While I was gone...

...Luke took this picture of the kids! Makes me wonder what they were doing while I was gone. Not quite sure why Ava is covered up with my snowman table runner. Also when I look at this picture I wonder how we ended up with 3 blankie lovers. Not one of them lets their blankie out of site for too long.

"Life Jacket"

I had to help out in our churches baby room for the first service so that meant Luke and the kids would skip first service and then join me for the second service. Any way as I was getting ready Ava insisted on helping me pick out clothes to wear because she didn't like what I chose. I decided to go with it and let her pick out my clothes. She picked out my gray vest so I helped her find the shirt I wear under it. As I continued to get ready in the bathroom I peeked out into our room and saw Ava putting my vest on. I asked her what she was doing and she said "I'm wearing you life jacket!" I had to laugh and then decided to take a picture of her in my "life jacket". That girl sure can make me laugh!

Ava's Birthday

Here are some pictures of Ava on her Birthday! Ava had school on her Birthday and Daddy even came with us! Her teachers and friends made her feel very special with all the extra attention and singing they did for her! She was all grins. She already has the whole holding 3 fingers up to show her age mastered! She is a big girl. At her request we had tacos for dinner. After dinner she opened her presents followed by cupcakes and ice cream. After she was done with her cupcake she quickly went back to the living room put her pajamas on and climbed into her new sleeping bag. Once she was all cozy she started talking on her new "phone" (a leap frog alphabet game).

Christmas Program

December 6th was Owen's Christmas Program for school. He did such a great job singing this year. To end the program they did a skit about a Mitten. For the skit each child was a different animal and they all had a phrase to say when their animal was being talked about. Owen was the grizzly bear. At the end of the skit his teacher announced all the children's names and what animal they were and as she did that each child would stand up and bow or curtsy. For some reason this was a big thing for Owen. He had talked about bowing for weeks before the program and would show us how it was properly done. He even taught Ava how to curtsy! His teacher does a great job with this event and it always turns out so well.

Our Christmas Tree

We put our Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but I am just now posting pictures of the big event! Owen and Ava were so excited about being able to decorate the tree and did a great job doing it too. Of course they had to make sure that what they hung up was high enough so that our Little Ezra Man can't reach them!