Where to Start?!?! Merry Christmas!

We wish you all a Merry Christmas! This is our favorite season of the year celebrating, Jesus, family, friends, food (tons of it) and giving.  We hope you have all been blessed this Christmas season.  Here are pictures from our crazy celebrations!

I had my Christmas sing at preschool this past week.  My parents were so happy to see me singing away like a lark- just last year, I was so hesitant and shy, hardly singing at all.  This year was different as I have "blossomed" (not sure why I am  being compared to a flower).  I only stopped singing once or twice to wipe my snotty nose with the back of my arm :)

 Daddy's extended side of the family had Christmas at the Three Bears Resort.  This is a fun place to have a Christmas celebration and was our 2nd Christmas there.  There are many cousins to play with and an exciting waterpark!  We played on the luggage carts until we got yelled at (Mom is just as guilty with her picture taking) and we stopped quickly for a kids photo (minus a few kids).

 We have a big gift exchange- I received a crayon maker and Cooper received Toy Story 2 on DVD and Buzz Lightyear jammies!

 Santa stopped by to give us more gifts and even Cooper decided to climb on his lap this time... way to go Coop!

 This year was extra special with Emmett's 1st Christmas and with Bennett and Kyra present! 

 We took a family photo and in case you are wondering- the Moms/Dads wore ugly Christmas shirts/sweaters to mock the aunts (that includes Grammy) who are always dressed festive for the Christmas party.

 We were usually the first ones waiting for the waterpark to open and spent time off and on throughout the day on the slides, lazy river, wave pool, and more!

 We went to Grammy's house on Sunday to celebrate with just our immediate (Daddy's siblings) family.  Mommy had cuddle time with Emmett.  She forgets how "easy" babies are~ easily transported (Emmett seems so light compared to Cooper!), they sleep most of the time and don't even argue back.  What was she thinking when she thought this was a difficult stage!?!?!?

David has kept us smiling and laughing this past week. We found him sledding when we returned from our weekend trip.....

 During the week, David was trapped in a Mason Jar by my wax gorilla....

 He spent the night playing with Woody on my remote control car.....

 He took a picture of himself on our copy machine.......

 Must have needed a quick shave......

 And left us a note about losing his magic and heading back to the North Pole with Santa.  Because of this, we were allowed to touch David, hold him and give him kisses.  I even brought David to Christmas Eve church!  I am going to miss David so, so, so much!  He gave us reindeer food to sprinkle on our yard that night.

 No, Cooper is not crying, he had just sprayed cologne in his eye (should have listened to Daddy!)

 Sprinkling Reindeer Food all over the yard....

 Time for church!

When we returned from church, we had a fancy dinner in our dining room- the only room that gets used 3 times a year!  We put milk and cookies out for Santa and David along with carrots for the reindeer.  We gave long goodbyes to David and headed to bed.  The next morning, we slept until 7:00 (our parents wonder why we don't do that everyday!)

 Presents, presents, and more presents!  We didn't realize we were THAT good this year :)

 Cooper's big gifts included the Radio Flyer big wheel, a hockey helmet, a portable DVD player, clothes, and toys!

 My big gifts included this HUGE bike, a Green Bay Packer Cow Dream Lite, another Dream Lite (puppy) from Auntie Erin, a bigger Arctic Cat snowmobile helmet, snow tubes, ice fishing gear, and more!

 Christmas Afternoon was spent at Grandma and Grandpa's house in the cities.  We opened even more gifts which means my parents are panicking about the clutter in our house and the need for expansion!!!!

 Cooper and I received some silly gifts, including these pirate play hats and swords and MONSTER rubber boots!  Cooper decided to stab everyone for the rest of the day.  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

 Happy 1st Christmas to Jimmy too!  He was tired out from all of the gift openings and craziness.  My parents clearly remember how overwhelming the first few years were (and still are)!  Jimmy is now crawling... big boy!

The above and below photos are gifts I gave my family this year.  The framed photo was made in Sunday School with my thumbprints and Shepherd photo.  The bottom picture is a sock baby Jesus that I made in preschool (Lutheran Preschool) complete with shredded paper hay, in "swaddling clothes" that I picked out.  I completed this very special gift by painting a clementine box for the manger.  My parents can't stop smiling at this very special gift :)   In closing, let us remember the true meaning of Christmas!  We are so blessed to have good health, family, friends, church, our community, my parents' awesome jobs/careers, and love.  Happy Birthday Jesus!

Oh David!

We are ALL having so much fun with our mischievous elf.  This was the best package that I have ever received from the North Pole.  Every morning, I race down the stairs to see where that little stinker is.  Here is a peek at this week's sightings.....

We played outside a TON this week!  We literally came in soaking wet (from snow of course).  One morning, we decided to work at the tree farm that we set up in our front yard.  We had boughs from our tree that we stuck into the ground and then we went to work.  Mommy couldn't stop laughing at our determination and dramatic play- chainsaws in hand and bungee cords for the rooftops.

Yesterday was my first "official" hockey picture.  I had them done professionally at the rink (team photos) but Daddy took a few sneak peeks for you to see.

 Cooper has been a stinker at our house this past week.  Maybe it is the excitement of the holidays or it could be that he had a 24 hour flu bug following some rough days at home.  In particular, the above photo is proof of his stubbornness- he refused to lay down at nap time, so he ended up sleeping upright in his chair.  Cooper and Great-Grandpa are two peas in a pod.  Sleeping upright takes serious talent.

 

 Last week we posted photos of our cut-out cookie making so we follow-up with our decorating.  This is proof to why Mommy DISLIKES cut-out cookies......

 I loved our hamburger spreaders for icing the cookies and I loved that the sprinkles didn't all come with those silly caps with holes (to my parents horror).

 Hello, Sugar!

 Switched to a butter knife briefly until Mommy realized what she was actually taking a photo of.  No worries... my tongue is still intact.

Continuing our dramatic play theme here as Cooper used my kid mixer (it actually works) to mix up some frosting and make it pretty colors while doing so.  Notice our sly girl in the background just waiting for  human error and a treat!?!?!

 Very Pretty, Cooper!

 Sadly, most of our snow has melted in the past three days, with just a few frosty mornings to celebrate.  Cooper and I had a lot of kitty cat snowmobile runs and sledding earlier in the week.  Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!!