Christmas Eve dinner and gifts

We spend Christmas Eve at the farm with a nice dinner, cookies and presents! This year the prime rib was amazing, and the cookies even better! The kids loved their presents, and we enjoyed time with family.

Joseph helping to carry presents inside

 Ready and waiting by the treee

 Johnathan and Jayne Elizabeth in the middle of the presents!

 Where is Joseph? He is a detective in hiding!

 Uncle Richard with a little pink :)

 Our Christmas baby, growing up!

 Mommy and Daddy resting, before a looooong night of Santa ahead!

 Joseph loved his new toys!

 Jayne Elizabeth couldnt wait to put her baby in the shopping cart!

 Only Uncle Clay takes them to play wack-a-mole, and then buys it for Christmas too!

  These are two proud boys in their camo boots, camo was a big request this year!

 Uncle Clay, Aunt Anne, and Uncle Richard

 Papa and Granna......and sneaky Joseph!! ( who stays this close to Granna at all times!!)

 Christmas Cookies!!!!!

Christmas Eve at the farm

We spent Christmas Eve on the farm with family. It was a beautiful afternoon before the snow came again! We did not expect or dress to ride the horses, but I did let go and allow the boys to ride Eli in their nice clothes! After all, it is Christmas!

On the way to the barn Uncle Clay and Papa spotted deer in the pasture, the boys are learning the "eye" and skill of spottting deer ( oh my...)

 These brothers are so funny, I love their expressions!

 In the twins eyes, Papa and Uncle Clay are not far from heros! (Daddy was up at the cabin!)

Merry Christmas.......

from our family to yours!!!

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve, and we are a busy family preparing for Jesus' birthday! Santa will come tonight to celebrate with us too! We plan on heading to the farm for a family Christmas tonight, then back to our house for the big night!

Joseph was Mommy's helper with wrapping presents, he liked the tape the most!

 Making reindeer food, with glitter so Rudolph can see our house at night!

Writing Santa a letter, this was hysterical!!! Joseph made sure to include directions for Santa to get to Sam's house ( pretend friend that has been around over a year!!), to pick up his present! Directions included turn by turn, and "over the water!" Johnathan wanted Santa to remember a bigger "sled" to put his big boy beds in, and told Santa to put them in the backyard if they wouldnt fit inside! Jayne Elizabeth repeated the boys request as her own, but when encourage to state what SHE wanted, it was just a present under the "Tissmas tee." We had to add glitter to the letter to make sure Santa could find it at night too!! :)

Making cupcakes to leave for Santa with his milk. We also will leave a bowl of water for the reindeer. Rudolph should be thankful, the trio wanted to leave the reindeer apple juice in our dog's bowl!

Mommy's Christmas presents!!! These started out as gift ideas, but quickly became pottery that I will treasure forever!!! I think I will serve Easter cupcakes on these platters too!!!
Snowman "footprints"!! Adorable!!!

Rudolph as a footprint, and two handprints!!!! Great idea Jillina! I plan on going and making "custom" pottery every year to add to my new pattern! When they are sixteen they may each have to have their own plate for prints, or maybe just thumbprints by then!!!  I love my kids, Christmas is just as fun as a parent!!!

Let it snow, let it snow!

We enjoyed a large snowfall last week! Reports from 6-9 inches, wow!!! We took advantage and enjoyed all the outside snow activities!

 Aunt Justina's first time sledding, and she claims to enjoy the sun more than the snow!

 Snow angel girls!

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 Johnathan and Joseph begged to sled alone, with no adult on the sled. Uncle Clay was in agreement and decided modified independence was best! So, here is Uncle Clay sledding on his stomach while pulling (or passing) the twin sledding by himself! Not to be out done, the other twin would ride on Uncle Clay's back....not the best parenting decision. But, they had soooooo much fun, what is a boy mom to do??!

Christmas cookies and crafts!

I love Christmas cookies! I love the dough, the frosting, and the decorated cookies! And our kids enjoy the cookies as much as their Mommy! However I learned that making the cookies, rolling out the dough, and using the cookie cutters requires more than one adult per three kids for optimal baking!!

Jayne Elizabeth loves the flour!!!

Proud boys with their "shapes!"

Note the change in clothes. Aunt Justina and Daddy came over to help decorate cookies after a bath!!

I love Christmas PJs as much as I love the cookies!!!

 The happy bakers with the very decorated cookies!

Making Christmas ornaments with gum drops!

Good job Johnathan!

the Christmas parade-brrrrr.

We called a few friends and met at the parade route! However despite our hot chocolate and cookies it was still FREEZING! We backed our cars up to the actual street and opened the back so the kids would have shelter!! Seriously,  the winter storm advisory and subsequent snow fell that night! The kids were so interested and tuned into the parade happenings despite the weather! It must be the Christmas spirit that kept them warm!.......the things we do for our kids............

 Snuggled down to watch the parade!

Briggs snuggled in his Mommy's car watching the parade!

 The hot chocolate from home was a favorite!

 The wind ripping by us, I thought Jayne Elizabeth would blow away!!

Julie and Jason with Jayne Elizabeth's sweet friend, Emma!