Christmas With Nana

This year Nana came on New Year's Eve for us to celebrate Christmas. The kids had a great time opening TONS of presents. Well, maybe I should say the girls had a great time, Titus was pretty disinterested in unwrapping.

Grace got a kid's cookbook. She loves it and we have already tried a recipe out for a family night.
Titus' big truck.

Faith's favorite gift a PlayDoh kitchen.


The kids got lots of new costumes for their dress up box.
Grace's favorite gift her TAG reading system. She loves reading all by herself.
Nana got a clapper for her bedroom light, her request.
Then we got to go out for a fun New Year's Eve with our friends while Nana babysat. I think everyone had fun!

Tangled

The week after Christmas I took the girls to our local theater to see Tangled. They really love the story of Rapunzel and Grace often refers to herself as Rapunzel since her hair is so long. We hadn't taken them to the theater since Faith was a newborn so neither of them remembered what it was like. We had two coupons so I only had to pay for one child's ticket, and we took the girls each a ring pop from their stocking so it was a very cheap outing. The movie was super cute and they are excited to see it again with daddy when it comes out on DVD.

We got there early so I was able to snap a few pictures.

Grace made me take a picture of the screen, "So dad could see how big it was!"
The girls were disappointed daddy couldn't come too. But, were excited when they realized it was a "girl" thing since he stayed with TItus. They are all about "girls only."

Christmas Snow Adventure

On Christmas day we took advantage of all that snow. Uncle Cody brought his Arctic Cat and we enjoyed playing in the pasture behind my grandma's house. It felt like going back in time as Me and all 3 of my siblings (plus Jake) played with the girls in the snow. We have played in the pasture & woods at many a family gathering growing up.

Grace gets Cody with a snowball.
Making snow angels.
The girls both loved learning to throw snow balls.
Headed to see the cows, Faith gets a "lift."
Checking out Uncle Cody's cows.
My mom & dad opted to drive instead. Here my mom is taking some pictures of Cody's cows.
Roxie catching snowballs.
Grandma Holst's house.
Josie, Jake, & the Girls
Grace being pulled behind the Arctic cat- she loved it!
Faith was afraid, so Uncle Kit pulled her instead.Grace thought we really needed to sled down a hill and set off to find one. Her and Uncle Kit finally found a little hill in the woods.

Jeremy stayed back at the house and took care of Titus. Even though I was totally not dressed for playing in the snow I was really thankful I was able to enjoy these moments that I usually miss out on.

The Joy Of Christmas Morning

This year due to the snow on Christmas Eve we decided to "pack up" our Christmas morning celebration and bring it along. That way we could do Christmas morning at my parent's house and not have to go back and forth to Hannibal like we normally do. While it worked out pretty well, I'm not sure we will do it again. Packing everything up and then packing it up to bring it back home was a lot of extra work. But, it was better than risking not being able to get home & all our Christmas presents stuck in Hannibal. One of the benefits was having our own personal photographer,Gramy, to capture the joy of Christmas morning.

Opening Stockings- Faith got Rapunzel hair.

Giving daddy "loves" to say thank you for their home made block set.
The girls loved opening envelopes each day in December with scripture about Jesus' birth. This was a gift from Grace's Sunday School teacher. Christmas morning the envelope contained this ornament.
Here we are reading the last day of our Countdown book, about baby Jesus.
The kids opening gifts. Titus got a play mat & some cars to grow into.
The girls saying thank you for each others gifts. Grace picked out a ring stamp set for Faith. Faith choose a princess painting set for Grace.
Titus checks out his new basketball hoop. (I got this at a yard sale for under $1!)
Each year the kids get a new Christmas book. Due to some technical ordering difficulties this year they got a book to share.

Playing with their new blocks. It was so fun seeing how much they loved them!

The kids in their new Christmas pj's we are so blessed!!!!!
This year for Christmas Jeremy and I did "free" gifts for each other. However things got a bit crazy close to Christmas with us getting the flu/finishing the block set. So we are still finishing them up. Jeremy is making me a "secret" book. You know in the movies when they take a book off a shelf and it is actually a box that opens to reveal hidden contents? He is making me one! Very neat. I am working on a project for a future man room or office for him. He wants a wall of his favorite quotes. So I am collecting frames and making them into a collection for him to use as his changing quote wall.

Christmas Eve

Every year on Christmas Eve we go to church with our whole family. This was the first time we tried to sit through church with 2 on 3. Luckily I had packed a small snack and church wasn't too long. I look forward to taking communion as a family each year. Then we head back to Dad & Mom's house for food. Here are a few pictures from the night.

Grace & Faith open Christmas pjs.

Playing disney bingo.
Pop-o & Mom-o
Titus opens his new pjs.
Eating yummy food with Lily & Elise.
Erin & Titus
Josie, Me, & Mom
Josie, Mom-o, & Me

We were all healthy just in time for Christmas Eve (well mostly anyway).