Rychener Christmas

We have been at my mom's house since Wednesday.  It's been nice to see friends, relax, and spend time with family.

We got my dad's side of the family together on Thursday night.  It had been quite a long time since we had been with them.  It was nice to see everyone.  Benjamin taught them a new card game.  The loser wears a funny hat.  Benjamin hates losing but he handled wearing the hat so well.

We met at Sara's Garden.  The kids enjoyed all the space to run around and they loved the hula hoops.

Grandma Pam wears the funny hat. 

One of my favorite memories from childhood is playing Bingo at my Grandpa and Grandma Clair's house for Christmas.  It's too much for my grandma to do now, but I asked my mom to bring back the tradition for her grand kids.  It brought so much laughter and fun to gift giving.  The kids had a blast and never argued over one gift.  


Stella and Sam woke up about the same time "Christmas" Bingo morning.  We put them both in bed with us but Stella didn't want to lay down and snuggle.  She was ready to see Grandma Pam and drag her to the kitchen for juice and cereal.  She was fussing and grunting.  Sam said, "Stella, we don't need any whiney-pantses!  It's Christmas!"  Drew and I are still laughing about his little reprimand today.  He is so funny.

Hello Kitty Bingo.

Stella finally made up with my Grandma which made her Christmas.  She kept feeding Grandma her snacks.

Stella wearing my old bib.

We put Rio in for the kids to watch while the adults played our rounds of Bingo after dinner.  Stella was nothing but trouble.

Moser Family Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with Drew's family on Sunday afternoon. Stockings! M&M fans were a big hit.
Nana made the boys Jedi cloaks. The cloaks are the perfect match to the M&M light sabers from their little friends in Upland. They have been sleeping with their light sabers. The first morning after they got them, Sam came walking into our pitch black bedroom at 6:30 in the morning and all you could see was a red glowing stick approach the bed. As he got closer, I could see his little red glowing face and dimply smile and it made us laugh. We delight in his delight.
Stella opened her book and immediately sat down on Benjamin's present to 'read'.
Nana made the girls little dolls. Stella carries them around by the buns. Darling.
They each got three dolls with a sleeping mat to tuck them into.
We got Papa and Nana some nice folding chairs to drag to all of our kids' games.
The kids loved playing in the office at Papa and Nana's house. They closed the doors, turned off the lights, turned on music and danced. The adults joined their dance party at the close of the evening to end a great day.

I put glow sticks in Samuel's stocking and so the second night we were there Sam asked to bust them out. We went back to the office for a second dance party. Stella was hilarious. She had glow sticks on her ankles and clutched in her hand. She swayed. She spun. She bounced. Glow sticks=best dollar I have ever spent.

Christmas Morning

Drew bought a family sized tent so that we can all go camping together. He wanted to set it up in the living room Christmas Eve so the kids would come out to find it Christmas morning. It was hil-arious trying to set up a massive tent with ginormous poles in our little apartment. I laughed the entire time. We had to remove two chairs from our living room in order to fit it. I love this precious family the Lord has entrusted to me for this time on earth.

Merry Christmas Eve!

The Week before Christmas

Happy Christmas Eve! We made pancakes this morning. We had not been able to get Stella interested in even trying pancakes until we put blueberries in them. The evidence that she likes them is all over her face.

Our Jesse tree is almost full. Isa gets to put the last ornament on tomorrow morning and she is pumped.
Samuel gave up naps a couple of months ago. He was waiting for me to be done cleaning up lunch dishes so that we could play a game. I walked over to find him like this. No naps and early rising caught up with him this day.
Stella likes to sit on stools in the bathroom while I get ready in the morning. She cracks me up because it looks like she has put herself in a time out. She has worn this purple necklace every day this week. We take it off at night and throw it on the floor in her room. She wakes up in the morning and puts it back on herself.

My girl.
Tuesday night we invited families that were still in town to come over and watch Elf in Sammy's lobby.
I popped popcorn for an hour.
Over 50 people invaded the lobby. It was wild.
The sun! The sun! Last Sunday was warm and beautiful. We took advantage and went for a long walk.


Benjamin made a manger scene in Sunday school. I love baby Jesus. (the peanut)
The kids before church Sunday. "Thank you for my festive sweater!"

Christmas Play

The past few years Taylor library has acted out the nativity story the Friday after finals with any kids that want to participate. We missed it last year and so the kids have been really excited to be a part of it this year. I called on Friday to see what time we needed to head over. Um, they decided not to do it this year. We had some disappointed kids and so today we did our own. It was so sweet and very funny.

Putting together costumes

Our flock
Gwen trying to help Gabriel (Andrew) announce to Mary the immaculate conception.

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35

Shepherd, angel, and wise woman awaiting their turn
Sophia was a shepherd but stepped in quickly to play Elizabeth with John the Baptist (Stella) leaping in her womb upon pregnant Mary's visit.

In a loud voice she exclaimed, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:42, 45
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. Luke 2:4
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6,7
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Luke 2:8
An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:9-11
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly hosts appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:13,14

Laughed so hard at this scene. Lucy's face got grumpier and grumpier the more we tried to smile and act out what praising God might look like. Hilarious.

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:16-18
One of the lambs lovingly poked baby Jesus in the eye. Oh wait, that's not in scripture, is it?
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and we have come to worship him." Matthew 2:1,2
The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:9,11
How beautiful on the couch are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7