The Last of the Year

Christmas was the very first weekend of break this year so we had a long slow week to enjoy after the rush was over.  

When I took the tree down I was sure to take a picture of the new ornaments the kids made this year.  The little yarn hat is what Evangeline made at her 4th grade class Christmas party. 

She made these wire ornaments in a class she took at the Gaslight Art Colony. 

 

Jed made these precious ornaments.... 

 

The sight of Evangeline reading the book she wrote to Jed warmed my heart...

 

 

 

 

 

The science lab Jed got for Christmas is truly pretty neat.  It came with instructions for a lot of kid friendly experiments they enjoy doing with Kyle.  

 

Even Pickles is intrigued....

 

Mom and I took my kids along with Cale to the TH Children's Museum.  

 

They have a really neat new rope area for big kids.  Evangeline had so much fun. 

 

I'm also a proud member of Sam's Club now, so we had to try that out too! 

 

We let Evangeline stay up to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve this year.  She was very excited.  We had Ammie over to hang out with us while we waited.  Evangeline made some tarts with on of her new cookbooks she got for Christmas.  We all had dinner and played board games.  It was a lot of fun.  I'm not sure if the actual ball dropping was what Evangeline had expected, but by-golly she was excited.  She even video taped the moment with her ipad.  

 

New Year's kisses....

 

Evangeline got a prayer box for Christmas.  I found this prayer that she wrote sitting on top of it on the kitchen counter....pretty much says it all.....



Christmas Day

We hosted Christmas dinner at our house this year.  I ordered a ham and we made lots of side dishes.  It was a success and a wonderful time.  



My precious father helped me in the kitchen.....and he came baring two loaves of his delicious bread.

 

We enjoyed our freshly wallpapered dinning room.  Kyle and Wayne did a magnificent job hanging it and I couldn't be happier with the results. 



A squash from Grandpa!!!

 

The squash brothers reunited!!

 

New boots from Grandma...

 

Zach and family stayed after the rest of the company left for some Just Dance.  It was so much fun....

 

The best day!



Christmas Morning

Christmas morning...such a joyous time!  We were up early, before the sun even rose a smig.  Evangeline slept in our bed (as usual) we waited only a little bit for Jed to wake up.  I brought him into our room and after a few minutes he realized it was Christmas morning and said, "did Santa come?".  They were both so excited.  After we got our bearings we made our way downstairs to check out all the Santa had left.  Evangeline got her books, old fashioned candy, a very neat battery operated pencil sharpener, and a few other things.  Jed got Star Wars toys and other surprises.  It was a moment filled with excitement and utter joy for all of us.  I took lots of pictures because I want to remember their Christmas morning faces forever. 

 

Pickles must have been a good little kitty this year because Santa left him Party Mix. 

Santa left Evangeline these little puppets called Squirmles that look like little fuzzy willy worms.  They weren't quite sure what to make of them at first but they provided a lot of Christmas morning fun.

 

 

After checking out what Santa brought we took a brief gift opening intermission long enough for me to make Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, just like my mom makes on Christmas morning.  

 

After breakfast we exchanged gifts from each other....

 

Evangeline gave Jed the special book she wrote and illustrated, "God Is...". 

 

Jed received a lot of Star Wars items.  He also loved the little laser blasters that light up and make noise.  He was overjoyed when he opened them up.  Evangeline got a beautiful handmade cloak from a cloak maker that she really admired back in the fall at the Clayshire Castle.  She also got a cozy blanket, jammies and a few other things.  

 

Jed immediately took off after the bad guys as soon as he opened his blasters....

 

My most precious gift came from Evangeline.  She got Peggy to take her to Terre Haute one afternoon.  When she came back I noticed that she snuck upstairs with something and then came back down with some money from her piggy bank.  She had bought me a gift with her own money.  Peggy said she looked and looked for the right gift but knew exactly what to get me as soon as she saw it.  Even before she gave me the present, it was already my favorite.  The little plaid tin and the hand towel were right up my ally.  She knows her mother so well.  I will cherish them.

 

After cleaning up and playing with our new things the kids helped me get some things ready for our family celebration latter that day....