J-E-S-U-S

Santa's Village

We ventured up north a couple hours to Santa's Village. I have never been to an amusement park in the middle of a snow storm before. This was a first for all of us. It was beautiful. There weren't any crowds and the rides were perfect for the kids. We had a blast. It didn't start snowing until half way through the day. It was about 27-30 degrees out but we were dressed perfectly. Santa's Village is open during the summer and then special days during the Christmas season. We had wanted to go this year but I thought we missed our chance. Tim is awesome. He plans things for us to do that I wouldn't necessarily think of doing but we always have fun. I thank God that he is so involved in our kids lives. He loves them so much. It is so cute and awesome to see. These kids are very blessed to have him as their daddy!


Can you see K and C in the nativity scene? I was so happy to see this at Santa's Village. There was even a beautiful chapel next to the nativity scene.


The kids rode this ride two times in a row. They loved it! We went round and round and they smooshed me with their hands high in the sky. I was kinda getting a little dizzy but they were loving it we had to keep going.

Conner is our brave kid. He loved feeding the reindeer. He got a chuckle each time they took the carrot from him. I wasn't looking at one point and we were inside with the reindeer and I turned around to see the reindeer's horns right in my face. An inch closer and and I wouldn't have had two eyes. Gave me a little scare!
Conner loved warming up in the theater as we watched a 3-D movie.


Conner is such a big kid. He rode this one all by himself with a huge smile the entire time! Love these kids!

It is war....

Tim and I received a couple guns for Christmas. HA! We let the kids have at them. This is Kaitlyn concentrating and this is Conner taking it very seriously! He is mean!

Our little entertainer

Celebrating with friends

We were able to celebrate Chrstmas and the day after with our friends, Chris and Averi. We had such a nice time with them. The kids of course love them and couldn't get enough of them. They were excited to play games and stay up hours after their bed time two nights in a row. This morning when we got up they asked.."When are Chris and Averi coming over?"
We are blessed to have such great friends.

going for the jugular

Introducing........

Celebration

What a beautiful day to celebrate. The kids were full of joy and excitement!

A friend of God

Kaitlyn came home from school singing this song over and over again. I loved it!

The Nativity

This is Kaitlyn and her class. The teachers took the picture and then the kids decorated it on a card for the parents. I love it! Kaitlyn was Mary! AWWW! Don't the kids look so cute? What a great idea! So happy they did this for us.

Conner gives a shout out!!

What did the kids do at school today?

I found one of K's classes boards. This one was in the big entry way. I don't always look there but C and i were taking our time to go pick K up and this is what we found. She looks a little angry as she blows her trumpet!

Conner had play group on Monday. When i went into his classroom to get him, he was clinging to his reindeer food. He wouldn't stop chattering about it ! His teachers gave it to him for Christmas! I am sure you guys have seen this before. It is oatmeal with some glitter and you are to sprinkle it on your grass ( or in our case---snow) for the reindeers while Santa eats his cookies. It is cute. You put a little piece of paper with it and it reads like this
"Make a wish and close your eyes tight, Then sprinkle on your lawn at night. As Santa's reindeer fly and roam This food will guide them to your home. For your gift to the reindeer and Rudolph Your wish may be real, your dreams may come true!"
Conner took this jar with him to naps and bed time. He loves it. I think it is hilarious how he shows you how to sprinkle it. He also shakes his pointer finger at you and says, "you can't open it yet! It is for Christmas!"

Night time sledding

Down our backyard into the neighbor's yard is where we went sledding 2 nights ago. Sunday we got hit with a lot of snow. We were sledding down our hill out back and the neighbors came and joined us. I think the parents had more fun than the kids! Here is Conner and Nick trying to get back up the hill. Not that easy!!

This kid loves life!

We went skiing for the first time this season. You can tell a huge difference in how strong Kaitlyn's legs are. She did so good. When Conner and I went to watch her she was coming down the hill just laughing. She thought she was so cool. Conner and I killed time riding the magic carpet and making snow angels. Conner can't get enough of the snow. He loves falling in it and marching through it. kaitlyn's boots might be a little too small because towards the end she started complaining of her feet falling asleep and her little toe getting pinched. We weren't going to start Conner skiing until next year but he can fit into K's skis so we tried them on him and down the hill he came about 4 times. He wasn't too sure about it but he is proud of himself when you ask him about it. So the pics below of a kid in skis is Conner. He had to wear a pink helmet and pink goggles but it is not all about fashion! It was an awesome day out. Today we got hit with over a foot of snow. Waiting for the kids to wake up so we can go sledding!!

Mary and baby Jesus

One of Kaitlyn's preschool teachers and the teacher's father built a stable for their class. The teacher made all the costumes...mary, joseph, angel, shepard, wisemen, and so on. It is truly awesome and so creative. I love it. I guess today the whole class dressed up and they took pictures. When Conner and I arrived to pick up K, I asked if K and C could dress up as Mary and Joseph so I could take some pictures. Conner wasn't into it so I had to just go with Mary and Jesus. I think it would have been so cute if I got all three of them. Next time! I love that her preschool reinforces what we are teaching at home. Now we have to decide where we want to send her for Kindergarten. I can't believe I am saying Kindergarten already. Well, we have about 9 months before I have to send her there.

Memory

We play this game everyday. Kaitlyn has been pretty good at it for 2 yrs now. Conner is learning quick. They always want to play memory. Occasionally, Kaitlyn beats us. The other day Tim, K and C were playing and Conner won!! I love that!! With it being cold outside, after naptime we play games everyday. We need to figure out what we are going to be doing this winter in the pm. I figure after Christmas we will get into some kind of routine!

Things that made me smile today...

This is where Tim hide Joe tonight! And the ultrasound was one of those photo Christmas cards we received from a friend whoose baby is due in May! I love the idea!! Very cute. Just a couple of make you smile pictures. Hope it made you smile too!

Merry Christmas not Happy Holidays!!

I posted this last year and was looking back at last year posts and thought i should post this again. Let's not forget about why we celebrate Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!!!!!!!!

Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*The politically correct police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
*December 25th is just a " Holiday ".*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash,
checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
*At Lowe's the word Christmas -
was nowhere to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas;
it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusivity, sensitive-ity, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate "Winter Break"
under your "Dream Tree"*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,
not Happy Holidays!*

And then there were 4

We were pretty excited for Thora and Tristan to come spend the afternoon. We had them all to ourselves! Their mommy had a class that she needed to go to. The only down side was I would be watching all 4 of the kids on no sleep. I worked last night and wasn't able to sleep today. I also took all 4 to the doctor for C's check up. I took it as a challenge! My mom did it! Ages 4, 3, 2, and 1. People were eyeing me....you could tell they were wondering how we were all related.
Kaitlyn loves this little guy, Tristan. I fell in love with him today. He is so happy and fun! We had a great time!



I love how they were all holding hands. I thought that was so cute. Below is a pic of all the kids plus our neighbor, Samantha came over to play with everyone. Well i was able to do it. Wasn't the easiest thing I did but not bad. Everyone made it home in one piece and I am now ready to hit the sack finally after over 24hrs of no sleep!

Cookie making time

Kaitlyn picked the colors!
WE were pretty impressed with ourselves.


Our cookies turned out pretty and very yummy!!

It is the simple things...

So who needs to buy Christmas gifts when you can just use the empty wrapping rolls. We had sword fights for a good half hour and then intermediately throughout the evening!