Happy Birthday Jesus!

We love Christmas!  We start Christmas Eve with dinner at my mom's and some present opening.  The kids got these bean bag chairs to keep at her house.  They're just lounging getting ready for church (and to sing again!).

 

 

We got home safely on a snowy night and got all ready for bed.  Lots of excitement in the air!

 

 

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!  It's nice that they're still young enough to sleep till their normal time (which of course it still early!) and not have the need to run downstairs because they generally forget that it's Christmas yet... but this year sure was a lot quicker.  They really tore into the gifts but it was fun.

 

The batcave was high on his list...

 

 

 

Their ornament for daddy...

 

My Christmas princess!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!!!!!!!  They loved helping me make the birthday cake the day before and getting to eat cake for breakfast:)

 

What can make a day better then birthdays, presents and family.... SNOW!

 

And the gifts just keep on coming...

 

Giving mom-mom her presents.

 

 

 

Then getting more when Grandpa Ken and Grandma Diane came!

 

Aliyah got her princess castle!

 

 

 

Since the Browne's headed down to Myrtle Beach for Christmas we didn't get to see them until after New Years.  But they came up for a late Christmas celebration and to get to enjoy the farm show with us.  Of course lots of fun cousin time!

 

Aliyah always loves petting the bunny.

 

And this year Max was "brave" enough to try it too!

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Love his proud face:)

 

Dance party in the display yard shed!

 

A cousin shot for Grandma

 

 

We got to see a few cool horse shows.  Of course the kids loved this one where they were pulling the fancy wagons/coaches.  Their favorite movie right now is Cinderella so this was perfect!

Tis the Season

It's that time of year again!  What a wonderful holiday season we had this year.  I think each year is the best with the kids until the next one comes along!

 

This is the first year since Max was mobile that we got to cut down a real tree again.  We had been using a small fake one on a table to keep it out of reach of curious little fingers but Max knew at the end of last year that we were going to go cut a real one down the next Christmas and has literally been talking about it ALL year.  Of course this was very exciting for him.  They are kind picking the saddest of trees but we did finally all decide on one and it turned out to be great.

 

 

Time to decorate... Max was into it for about 10 mins, Aliyah just decided it was a good idea to get a bunch of toys out in the midst of all the ornaments and holiday mess:)

 

 

Cookie making time!  Again, since they're getting older I told them we could decorate cookies.  I figured it would be a mess but these cookies were definitely kept for each of them to eat their own.  They had fun though so that's all that counts!

 

 

This is from Max's little Christmas program at his school.  They sang a few songs and then had cookies and craft stations.  We're really happy with this pre-school we found.  The teachers are great and he has a cute bunch of friends to play with.

 

 

This would be round one... boy did these kids get spoiled!  Friday before Christmas we headed into my grandmother's to get together with her, my dad, sister and my cousins.  Everyone had a nice visit and we came back with a van full!  Helmets from Grandpop Paul.

 

Boots from Aunt Julie!

 

 

Opening her tea cart from her cousins...

 

 

Christmas Sunday, getting ready to sing in church.

 

We had over 20 kids singing Christmas morning, it was wonderful to hear them sing for the Lord's Birthday and we're blessed with a wonderful church with lots of young families for great fellowship.

 

 

Max's first school picture, turned out great.  I can't believe he's 4 and how much of an awesome little boy he's becoming.

 

Merry Christmas to me!!!!!!!!!!!!  We've had our share of problems with the old MPV since we got it really.  I loved that van, it was smaller and just perfect for us but it was an 2002 and just not worth putting more money into it.  We're thankful for an awesome mechanic who really helped us find this and it's AWESOME.  We picked it up Christmas Eve and it's the best "gift" I could have gotten.  (An 08 Odyssey)