We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Last year was the Not a Very Merry Christmas year, so we were so thankful just to be healthy and well!! The kids were all so excited and we got to spend lots of time with our families. Christmas Eve, my parents came over for dinner and I made Baked Potato Soup and Chicken Soup. We went to church with my grandparents because our church did not have a Christmas Eve service. We came back home and the kids set out cookies for Santa and got into bed. Jason and I had fun setting the kids things up and then opened our stockings from each other. We got new carpet upstairs, painted our bedroom and got a new bedding set for our Christmas gifts to each other.

The kids slept in until about 7:20 or so (thankfully!!) and then they came down to see what Santa left and to open gifts. They were so excited! Madelyn received a Kirsten American Girl Doll. Kirsten was on backorder until May 2010, but Aunt Kristyn in Minneapolis performed a Christmas miracle! She was able to locate a Kirsten doll at the AGD store in Minneapolis. Madelyn was beside herself! Caroline really wanted a Bitty Baby and was so happy Santa left one for her. It has not left her side since Christmas morning. The doll has had quite a few names - Ashley, Caroline, Hannah, Sophie and Emma. I think Emma is sticking so far... Silas got a new Mini Glider bike. It does not have pedals or training wheels. He uses his feet to push and "glide" while learning to balance. He loves it. He also got his first Nerf gun (Jason got one too) and they have had a blast having Nerf wars.

We then went on to my grandparents house for Christmas breakfast with my Mom's family. It was, as always, delicious! It was good to see my cousins, one who lives in LA and we only get to see her at Christmas. Around noon we came home and rested and then headed to my parents for dinner and gifts. The kids even went into the basement to play and watch a movie and the adults got to play a game!

On Saturday we headed up to Cincinnati to visit Jason's parents and sister's family. We went to the museum center and enjoyed seeing the train displays and the Children's Museum. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. : ( It was great to have Jason's parents here at Christmas time this year and enjoyed spending the day with his side of the family.

This year Madelyn got to perform in her first Nutcracker! Her ballet studio performs "The Nutcracker in One Act". She was a Honey Fairy and did a great job. She really loves ballet and especially loves performing. She could hardly wait for Sunday afternoon to arrive so she could dance!







Merry Christmas to all of you! I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating our Savior's birth and spending time with your families. We are having my parents over for dinner tonight and then going to church with my grandparents. Tomorrow, we'll open gifts here and then head over to my grandparents for breakfast. Dinner will be at my parents tomorrow night and then on Saturday we are heading to Jason's sisters house for the day. Merry Christmas!!

Me - "Silas, why did you go pee-pee in your pull up? You know you are supposed to go in the potty. Who do you tell when you have to go potty?"

Silas - "Santee Clause!"

He doesn't say Santa, he says Santee. : )

Pictures coming from our week! Silas and Caroline had a gymnastics showcase - they both did great and got little medals. Madelyn performed in her first Nutcracker. We all went and watched her today and she did awesome. All the kids had Christmas parties last week and are on Christmas break! We got new carpet and are painting our bedroom. It's almost done - we have been sleeping in the family room for a week and are so ready to get our room set back up. Jason and I had a much needed date night Friday night. We ate at our favorite local restaurant (Saul Good) and went to see New Moon. Obviously the movie was my choice, but Jason did enjoy it! I'm done Christmas shopping and have several things left to wrap. I'm working tomorrow and Wednesday and then am off for 4 days. Not bad after being off all last week! Enough random news, pictures hopefully will be up tomorrow or Tuesday!

Dear Jesus,
Thank you that you came as a baby on Christmas and you died so we can go to heaven. Thank you for books about you, and the best book, the Bible. Help people who don't have a bible and people who do have a bible to take them to a store or to a box at church so people who don't have a bible can have one.

Thank you for mommy, daddy, grandmas and grandpas. Thank you that they don't give us away. Thank you the when grandma's or grandpa's want to give us away they give us back to our mommy and daddy.
Amen

I had to get this one down in writing ASAP. I already forgot one adorable part of the prayer, but remembered most of it word for word. It just fills my heart with joy to hear that my little 4 1/2 year old knows the true meaning of Christmas and is praying that people who don't have a bible will get one! She even thought up a way for that to happen. People who have bibles can take them to a box at church to give away. : ) She is such a sweet girl and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for her life! I have no idea where she got the giving her away part???? Maybe due to talk about adoption? : )

I love Christmas and decorating for Christmas. I'm not one of those crazy people who put up 16 trees, but we do have one in the family room (the white lights) and one in our front formal living room (the colored lights). The kids each have a small 3 ft tree in their rooms. I'm working this weekend and then am off next week! I took two vacation days and am looking forward to the break. I will be busy finishing up shopping, taking Madelyn to Nutcracker practices, and helping with the kids school Christmas parties.

It is also freezing here. Jason and I have decided we are for sure retiring to Florida or somewhere warm - at least for Dec, Jan and Feb!

This is my ma-maw's recipe and one of my favorites. I made it today to take to a cookie swap. They are really rich, and oh, so yummy!

Hello Dollies
1 box vanilla wafers, crushed
1 stick of butter
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 c. pecans
1 can Eagle brand milk - you can never go wrong with Eagle brand milk!

Melt butter in 9x13 pan. Press vanilla wafers into butter. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Sprinkle pecans over chocolate chips. Drizzle Eagle brand milk on the top. Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares.

This was our 4th year to go to Gatlinburg with Jason's side of the family for Thanksgiving. It was a nice getaway. The kids had a fantastic time playing with their cousins, we caught up on sleep (in bunk beds), enjoyed breakfast at the Pancake Pantry, had a family picture made and relaxed.

Caroline - "Mommy, I think Jesus was really happy when I was being a good helper and helping you put the laundry away."
Me - "Yes Caroline. You being a good helper to mom makes Jesus very happy."
Caroline - "I think Noah was happy too - the guy with the ark."


Madelyn was doing a homework page one night where she had to list antonyms from a story she read. One was the word "will" and she was to write "will not". When I asked her what the opposite of will was she said, "well in our family, it would be Luke!"

My sister has boys named Will and Luke.

Thanksgiving and some random pics to come hopefully tomorrow! Then I'll post some Christmas decoration pictures. I finally got the inside fully decorated this weekend. It was super cold, so we haven't tackled the outside yet.