Merry Christmas!

We spent our Christmas this year in MI with my parents and sister. We've stayed home for the last few years and I was looking forward to seeing all of my family. And boy did we see them! My kids were overwhelmed with all the kids at Aunt Dawn's house (17 under 14). They all had a great time and were suprised by getting a few gifts! I was so glad to get to catch up with everyone!

After Aunt Dawn's, Kris and I took Ryan to church. We got there 15 minutes early and arrived to a completely packed church, overflow and overflow overflow! So we stood where we could watch on tv and still see in the church. This made it quite boring for Ryan who wanted to take a nap. Kris and Ryan took a walk and found some seats after communion of people who had left early (shocker!). My mom and dad took Emma and Nick home for naps and rest time.

We opened a few gifts after church and got a little rest in. My favorite gift was the shirt Robin got for Emma. It is a Wisconsin shirt showing hands doing the Big W. We all got our Christmas jammies. Then we got ready to head to Grandmama's.

We got to Grandmama's first (who knew!). We caught up with everyone once they got there and played our games. We all got some great stuff in our $5 game - Emma was happy to take her Hello Kitty ornament back home. We played LCR. Nick helped me but Emma came out the big winner. Even though she was mad everytime she had to give away a $1! She came home $51 dollars richer winning from me! After that we opened more gifts and had a (very) late dinner (it was 11:30 by then!).

We woke in the morning to find Santa had come to my parents. All the kids were so happy with everything they got. Ryan got his trumpet and drove everyone nuts for days. Emma got her teddy bear which she promptly named Panda. They both got LeapPads and a ton of games that entertained them for the rest of the day. Nick was happy with his books (they made noise).

We made a cake to celebrate Jesus's birthday which the kids had helped me decorate and was delicious. Which of course, came after a wonderful meal of turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and the rest. Everyone was stuffed and of course, went to bed late.

The 26th, we celebrated Buppa's birthday. He is officially old! We went to Aunt Sally's house and got to meet Ava, Charlie and even Ella! The Williams were also there and it was so great to see everyone. It had been a long time! The kids were happy with MORE gifts, especially Nick with his Elmo guitar!

We spent the 27th driving home in the rain, stopping for lunch at Costco and some spinning. We came home to find Santa had come here as well. After a light dinner and unpacking the car, we opened our gifts from each other, Santa and all of Kris's family. Everyone made out this year. I even got a new iPod touch (since my old one was *gasp* 2 years old!). The kids will enjoy the old one. Kris got a Kindle Fire and all the stuff to go along with it. I'm sure it will be used during his many travels.

Since then we've been trying to make a dent in putting stuff away. The 4 boxes from my mom's are officially gone and what's under the tree looks manageable. As our anniversary gift, we bought ourselves paint. Kris is just finishing up painting Nick's room a nice chocolate milk. I'm hoping it looks nice when it's done! I've been entertaining the rest while being locked out of my room much of the time since Nick is sleeping in there.

Now we have to get ready for New Years!

Museum trip

We always take the kids to the museum during the Christmas break. First, because we have to renew our membership. But secondly because they have a train display with a little train they can ride. This year we had a third reason because I had to go to P&G to return our part of a diaper study. So I took everyone on Monday by myself.

The kids had a great time in the Children's museum. Everyone got one pick on an area to play. Ryan picked the bus, which he pretended to drive everyone around. Nick picked the ball area and even after we left kept trying to return there. Emma picked the climbing tree house. This year even Nick was able to make it across the net tunnels, which he couldn't do last year.

Afterwards, we had lunch (kids still being great) and then went to the trains (where everything went downhill). At this point, Ryan's impulsiveness got the best of him. He opened a door and set off an alarm, he tore up the pretend snow scattering it everywhere and in general made a nuisance of himself. They did enjoy the trains and the train ride (which cost money this year). But I was exhausted by the end and so ready to go home. I tried to take a picture of them in Santa's chair (since he was feeding the reindeer) but Emma was being quiet uncooperative by then! But Nick was quite happy!

The Christmas Play

My kids were asked if they would like to be in the Christmas play at Kris's church. They both (E & R) said yes. I made the stipulation that they should be non-speaking parts - I didn't think either would talk on queue if required. They both had a great time.

Emma was an angel. During practices, she would constantly come off the stage/altar to 'tell me something'. She continued this during the play and ended up picking at the poinsettias on the altar for most of the play.

Ryan was Joseph. During rehearsals he was given a staff. After taking it apart, trying to catch things and dragging himself to the stage by it, he eventually broke it trying to pull it free from one of the shepards' staffs. For the play, we opted for a tool belt with (Elmo) toy tools. He fixed the stage and then stole the microphone and tried to take over! Luckily, our friend in charge of sound cut the mic. From the 1st row, I could hear 'For my next song....'. He also stopped on his way to the altar to give mom a hug. Made for some big 'awww's from the crowd!

Nick joined Ryan on the side of stage for a while. He waved wildly (before Kris returned with my camera) and enjoyed himself for about 5 minutes. Then he wandered around before demanding a seat on my lap (while I was trying to take pictures). He eventually sat with Kris nicely after I moved away. He was happy to try on Emma's halo. What an angel!

Christmas Time!

We have been busy at work doing all the fun things you get to do during the Christmas season. The tree day countdown is at 9. Ryan and Emma have enjoyed crossing the days off each night as well as anything we did that day. Only a few more things to do at home. The rest is at Nana's house for the actual Christmas.

Both Ryan and Emma have been very excited for the gifts they have bought or made us and each other. The day Ryan came home from the Santa Shop at school, he wanted everyone to open their gifts NOW! He couldn't resist telling me what he bought me. I was just proud that he used his own money! I took Emma to the store to get gifts for her brothers and Kris. She had a really hard time deciding, but I think it was hard not to think of herself! All of the gifts had to be locked up in my old Dove cabinet to avoid everything being opened!

Emma and I went on a baking bonanza last week. We backed Chocolate Chip Pound Cakes, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Oatmeal Scotchies. We bagged everything up and delivered the goodies to all our neighbors. It was so nice to have a house smelling good and getting a few treats of our own. After that we baked sugar cookies to decorate at our St. Nick Night party.

We had a few friends over for St. Nick Night with their kids. 8 adults, 9 kids. Small House. Nuff said! We had a great time. The kids are finally getting old enough to entertain themselves without needing too much involvement on our part which we all cherished! My kids of course, just love the decorating the cookies.

My mom was out the previous weekend to watch our kids while we went to a wedding for our neighbors. We looked pretty spiffy if you ask me! Plus we had a great time - even though we didn't know anyone else there! We took full advantage spending some time out at the bar between the wedding and reception and afterwards. Being totally exhausted the next day made us remember why we don't do it too often! The kids enjoyed Nana being here. They made a Christmas link chain and did some great dances! They didn't want her to leave!

We went to the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo last weekend. It was bitterly cold, but a beautiful clear and not windy night. We saw so many lights and a few animals to go along with it. I think Kris and I enjoy it more than they do though!

Visited Santa

We took the kids to see Santa at Ryan's school last week. All were great! No tears! Ryan told him he wanted a trumpet and Emma said a teddy bear. Not sure where these requests have come from but they were reiterated in their letters written yesterday. Here is the pick!

Getting Ready...

It seems like I am always getting ready for something. For the two weeks before Thanksgiving, I was busy prepping for going to PA. I had to pack everyone (which always means doing all the laundry first), get all the Christmas presents together for everyone out there and prep everything for Kelli's baby shower. It was a lot of work and I am exhausted. Luckily, I can say that everything went smoothly and I was actually able to relax a little while out there. Usually, I'm on edge because Kris's dad has a lot of stuff and I have kids with itchy hands! But happily, the weather cooperated and the kids were able to play outside a lot and had company in their cousins, Katie and Kara.

We spent Thanksgiving with Kris's mom, watching football, playing games and of course eating. Friday, we spent doing miscellaneous things at the farm and having the kids play outside. Finishing up with a Harper family dinner and decorating the hall for the shower. Saturday was filled with the baby shower and more football. Sunday was a trip home after church and lunch. We had some exhausted kids by the time we got home, but it was well worth it. And while we had a great time, I did not take enough pictures out there!

Ryan and I also got to go to MI to celebrate Thanksgiving the weekend before with my dad's side of the family. It was, as always, a rowdy get together. Watching the Lions on tv was like out of a commercial since there was so many people stuffed into the living room at my cousin Sondra's house. Ryan enjoyed visiting and playing with all my cousins kids. He wasn't supposed to come since he had school on Monday, but Emma threw a kids bowling ball at the basement tv breaking it for good and that ended her chance at a nice weekend at Nana and Buppa's house.

Since we've been home, we've been back to the grind. School, preschool, shopping, a wedding, etc. Nick was running a fever last week, but is better now. My mom came down to watch the kids for us to go to a neighbors wedding. We took full advantage staying out way too late!

Now, we're prepping for Christmas. The kids have a handmade calendar with a Christmas countdown and all the things we'll do before Christmas on it to check off. They have been very excited about the decorations, tree and Christmas books and movies. They are enjoying the time as much as I am. Today, we began our baking bonanza, which will probably continue for at least another 3 days!

Family Pictures

Here is one of our family pictures from this past week!

Too Busy to Write

I have been going crazy trying to get ready for our trip to PA for Thanksgiving. I am attempting to not have to ship anything out there, so I'm shopping to get everyone's gifts. I think I've done a pretty good job at it. I'm just waiting on some shipments and wrappings. That was last week. This week, I'm crazy finishing up stuff for Kelli's baby shower. Got the games picked out, now I have to do some shopping and printing.

So what else have we been up to. Well, our weather has been shifting back and forth between really cold and unseasonably warm. We've been trying to take advantage of the warmth.

So let's see. Halloween. We've had Halloween. This was probably my last year of convincing Ryan to coordinate with Emma and Nick. Emma had picked out to be a ladybug costume last year. A friend let us borrow a bumble bee costume. So I made a spider costume for Ryan (since spiders eat bugs!). I stuffed some knee length socks and pinned them to a black sweatshirt. Add a antennae and he was done. They had a great time trick or treating. Ryan was running from house to house, which made it hard for poky little Emma to keep up. Kris pulled Nick in the wagon, who was way more interested in the seats of the wagon than trick or treating. I think he actually got out and went to 4 houses.

A few other things we've done. I finally took Emma out and taught her how to fly a kite. She won one at a birthday party in June, but we hadn't gotten it out. She really enjoyed it and Ryan is now dying to try, since he missed it being in school. We also went to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate Emma's 3 1/2 birthday. They all thought it was cute to celebrate and I love having a reason to make cupcakes!

In our prep for the Christmas season, we had our pictures taken last week. We take our own picture for our Christmas cards afterward. This prompted Ryan to learn how to use the timer on his camera and set up the tripod. It kept him busy for hours taking pictures of himself! Here are a few of his pictures.

We've also been to the zoo, the airport view area and playing outside on the swing. And of course to many gymnastics classes! So here is a bunch of pictures! Enjoy!