outtakes

Some of my favorite outtakes from our Christmas picture photo shoot. These kids are my favorite.

game

Trying out a new game and loving our time all together with Grandpa Chuck.

playground

On the 25th, when all the stores were closed and everyone else was at home with their families celebrating, we went to the playground. Our Christmas was still 2 days away. It was a windy, but very nice day. 

reindeer doughnuts

The days leading up to Christmas were FILLED with fun winter and Christmas activities.  One of our old favorites was to make these little reindeer doughnuts. It had been a while and the kids didn't remember how to make them. Thankfully it's a very simple activity with no wrong way of doing it. I didn't have the twisted pretzels this year, so the reindeer looked a little more interpretive than last time.

sandbox

After making a quick Home Depot run to get some sand, we stopped at Chick-fil-A to try out their free Wednesday breakfast. Each Wednesday they give free breakfast, a different item each week. It was pretty good and counted as our early lunch.

Then home for naps and when we woke up we filled the sandbox with all the new sand. The kids LOVE their new sand. Thanks Grandpa! They sat in there and played for HOURS each day (until it started getting rainy and cold on Saturday).  Hopefully the rain and cold will go away soon and we can enjoy our yard again.

The Johnson's new baby

Our friends, the Johnson's welcomed their new baby girl on Christmas Eve, what a great early Christmas gift! They called me at 4am and were already at the hospital. I went over and kept their kiddies entertained while they worked on getting sweet baby Macie out. She is doll and I was so glad that I could help. Paul has night shift this month, so this only worked because my dad was here and able to watch my kids while I was gone. Thanks dad! The three big sisters were vey excited and happy to meet her, but big brother (who was very tired - to his credit) wasn't so sure. 

cookies and caroling

Paul has been wanting to caroling for several Christmases now and we haven't. I don't love singing, in fact I don't even LIKE singing, but I went along with it, and it turns out that caroling was pretty fun. I would have rather had my voice be drowned out by  20 kids singing, instead of just 3 (Sully doesn't sing loud yet). First we decorated sugar cookies.

We put them on fancy plates - thank you Target $1 section.

Then we delivered the cookies and sang Jingle Bells (with bells) and then Away In A Manger. Grandpa even came with and sang! It was very fun and the neighbors got into it too. One even returned the plate a few days later (although I had intended for them to keep it) along with a freshly baked PIE. Yes please!

The kids loved it and this may, dare I say it, become a new tradition of ours. Singing, out loud and in public... Who would have thought.