5 days of Christmas

That's right, I said 5 days of Christmas. We were quite the busy family last week, but it was so wonderful. Last Friday we had my mom's side over to our house. The best part was when Megan and Aaron surprised everyone by coming home early for it...I missed my sister! We had a great dinner and lots of laughter. Jett was in his prime...and finally Christmas was here. He sang some Christmas songs for everyone and helped everyone open their gifts. He was quite the helper:)

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On Saturday we had our Cripe Christmas (with all of my step-brothers). We got there in the late afternoon and played games. We had five different tables set up with games. We had dinner and then all sat around and talked for awhile. This is also a side of the family that is never short of laughter...and it starts at all ages. Our niece, Hope (Jett's role model:), is quite a ham! It was so much fun watching everyone open their gifts and seeing the smiles. All of us went in to get my parents gifts this year, so that was fun to do together. The boys had a great time and never suffered from lack of attention...
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On Sunday we had a great church service and the kids sang their songs. Jett didn't do much, he mostly just stood there, but he did ring those bells with all his heart:) In the evening we had the Replogle Christmas...and boy were all the kids spoiled:) Papa and Grandma went all out...and loved every moment of it. They spoiled us too, they gave each of us tickets to the Splash Waves hotel (how fun, a vacation all together). Towards the end, Adie and Brayden, were done - they were naked in diapers and crying...because the other one was crying...it's this connection that they have:) It was such a fun and relaxing evening.

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Christmas eve morning we headed over to my parents house to spend with my parents and siblings. We had a yummy breakfast and then opened gifts. We were so blessed. Aaron and Megan got some awesome lawn chairs and my parents got us so much of our wish list. My mom is so special, she takes so much time and thought into every gift:) Jett got all John Deere items and he and Papa were both excited about reading his new tractor book. Bray got a walking toy, shoes and a fan to sleep with that doesn't let air blow. Then we had lunch and played a game (I took a nap while the boys did). It was nice spending time with everyone. I wish we could all be together like that more often...I guess that is what makes Christmas so special.

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Finally it was Christmas day and we had a wonderful morning with the boys. Greg and I were so excited because we had gotten Jarrett a combine (he is crazy about combines). As I was opening my gifts I saw Jett getting closer to his big present, but told him to wait. So as I go over to Greg to kiss my sweetie-pie for his thoughful gifts, we hear in a joyful squeal...."it's a combine, it's a combine". That little stinker saw us distracted and went for it. We were antisipating having it all go down on camera, but we got nothing. Oh well, it will be a funny story to tell for years to come. Then we spent the afternoon and evening with Greg's family. It was great sharing the Holiday with everyone and so special to talk to the boys about why we celebrate. We would always ask Jett, "why do we celebrate Christmas"...and nothing was sweeter than hearing in his cute little voice answer..."because Jesus was born." We hope you also had a wonderful Christmas in the celebration of our Saviors birth:)

I am a workin' woman again...

So I am super excited...I am back working one morning a week again. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it has made the biggest difference to me. I LOVE staying at home with the boys, but with Greg gone so much, it's nice to have a little "out" once a week. Plus, to be back at my old job at the Chiropractic office and back into the realms of adult conversation and interaction...it is quite nice. Also, more great news is that they also hired Darcy for one morning a week. So we swap kids so we can take turns working, it's a nice set up...and the best part is that I get to spend a whole morning with sweet little Adie:) So the following picture is of our work Christmas party...Dr. Mo (my boss and friend), our massage therapists, Darcy and the other assistants. It was so much fun! Kathi (one of the m.t's) had us over to her house for lunch. She had griddles on the table and had fresh veggies and meat and we made our own stir-fry and we ate with chop-sticks. It was a blast! It was so nice to spend time with my "work family" again.

Sportin' the new look

Who knew I was such the spur of the moment kind of person. One day we were laughing about how Jarrett doesn't like change. We rearranged his room and he couldn't sleep for a week because he bed wasn't where it "belonged".
Greg said "You know he got that from you."
"Whatever" I claimed, "I love change and I love rearranging furniture."
Then he says, "okay, if you love change so much, then cut your hair" (I had been talking about it for a couple days)
So I picked up the phone, made a hair appointment for later that day, and got it chopped. That's right baby-cakes, don't dare or challenge me:) But I do like it and it's good for me not to put my hair up in a ponytail everyday. Greg also got some new glasses that week that was out of his comfort zone...we were one stylin' family. So that weekend we went out with my parents to the musical of "White Christmas", sportin our new looks. It was so much fun and a blast to hang out with my parents. The show was really good and it was nice to do something totally out of the ordinary (story of our life lately:)!

Winter Wonderland

We had our first big snow last week and it was beautiful. The boys love looking outside and Jett was Daddy's big helper with shoveling the snow this year. Last year he just stood in the snow and when he would fall he would just lay there until Greg came to the rescue. This year he is a big boy and grabs the shovel to help (and is quick to run in and tell me what a big boy he is and all the help he did outside)...where does the time go? I love these pictures. The top because it's just like Brayden to do exactly what Jett is doing. The side one because that is Jett and Sam's relationship:) and Jett's constant frustration...Sam's tongue is the perfect height of Jett's face.