HAPPY 2012...

I am not sure how another year passed by but somehow it did.  Looking back at some of our favorite times together is bitter sweet.  Time goes by WAY too fast but I am thankful for each every moment that 2011 brought our way...

CHRISTMAS EVE...

One of my favorite holiday gatherings is celebrating Christmas Eve at the Joneses.  I LOVE the traditions, the food and most of all the company.

We started off our evening with a quick photo of our family...

Looking back over the past few years and seeing how much our little family has changed makes taking the time to get this photo all the more important to me...

We headed on up to Nooksack a little earlier this year (great for these kiddoes!) for one of the greatest Jones celebrations all year.  Charlie headed right to the candy machine while Jack continued his car ride nap a little longer...

Then we ALL (not sure of the final count this year but I know it was in the seventies) piled in the garage to hear one of the greatest stories ever told...the Judy version and the bible reading...

Bryan did his best to get the Judy girls on video this year...

I LOVE the traditions on Christmas Eve.  Hearing His story, praying and toasting with oplatki and wine are some of my favorites...

The boys were FUSSY so I escorted them out while the traditions continued and did my best to entertain them in the family room...

I also LOVED that a video of Christmas 1998 was playing on the TV all night long.  While I obviously was not around for this Jones celebration, it was fun to see that the traditions were exactly the same...

Mary Lou got this great picture of Emily with her God Father, Great Uncle Tom (thanks Mary Lou!)...

Then all of a sudden there was a KNOCK at the door...



And look what SANTA left behind...

 

 Charlie's rocket may have gotten into the wrong hands for a little bit...

 The kids all had some fun playing together and then we decided to head on home...

LOVE this night.  LOVE this family.  LOVE that these kiddoes will have the BEST memories ever!

WISHING you...

a very Merry Christmas...

Yes...I made TWO (but we only sent out the first one)...

THIRD sunday christmas...

THIRD Sunday in December is always a blast.  We always celebrate an early Christmas with Bryan's immediate family at his parents' house making it a super fun time for all of the cousins!

Before we left the house we stopped to take our annual picture in front of the fireplace in our coordinating outfits....

...and Emily snatched up Baby Olivia for a few cousin pictures...

As soon as we arrived these kids played away.  The only thing that could distract them was a tempting glass of sparkling cider...

 CHEERS...

 ...and a few giant gulps...

 Jack got a few TRACTOR lessons from Uncle Tom...

 ...while this little bear ran WILD all night long...

When all of the dinner dishes were finally cleaned up, Grandma Jones called all of the kids to the tree and gave them specific directions about what was to follow.  I LOVE that she gently reminded them through this game about WHY we were celebrating this time together...

Then the present opening began...

You would have thought that all of that present opening was more than enough but Grandma and Grandpa had one more BIG surprise for each of the kids...

A NEW bike for each Jack, Jake and Max, a new tractor trailer for each Sy and Vince, a toy tractor for Charlie, a new baby buggie for Grace and an American Girl Doll made to look just like Emily for Emily...

 Jack took off on his bike while Charlie found his new hat and Grandpa's toy lawn mower to push around...

 Back inside Emily unwrapped her gift with just a little excitement...

This was one HAPPY little girl.  All she wanted for Christmas was an American Girl Doll that looked just like her.  Santa had crushed her hopes a little when he told her that he wasn't sure his elves knew how to make them.  She had been buttering up Elfie (our Elf of a Shelf) but I still think she was worried that Santa didn't know how to make them...

 The kids all began playing with their new toys while Emily and Grace got to work making lefse...

Uncle Tom unwrapped Charlie's tractor for him...

Charlie got a little fussy with all of the commotion and took a little break to hold his blankie and drink some milk...

 ...but it didn't take long before this mischievous boy got back to being himself...

 Grandpa took Charlie for a few more rides on Jack's bike...

...and then we headed on back home. 

family BLESSINGS...

This school year has proved to be more challenging for me than I imagined.  It has been a big adjustment for the kids (and me) not having my mom around since she is living mostly down at Jenny's house and taking care of Baby Olivia while Auntie Jenny is doing her principal internship this year. Long gone are the days of calling up Grandma Emily and asking her to watch one of the kids while I take the other two to the doctor, Grandma mornings while Emily is at preschool and all of the other times when I would just pop by and visit.  While the option of HELP is no longer, that is not what I miss most.  I simply miss the option of seeing my mom any time I wish. 

With that said, I would not change a thing.  I LOVE my sister more than anything and know that it is a blessing for her and Olivia to have my mom right now.  There is nothing better than knowing that your child is being taken care of someone who loves your children as much as you. 

With that said as well, I should mention my other SAVING GRACE.  My Dad and I have alwasys been exceptionally close.  I call him for EVERYTHING.  One time, when Emily was only a few days old, I woke up to the fire alarm going off.  Bryan was out of town and Jenny was staying with me.  One might think that I would call 911, but it never crossed my mind.  I sheltered my new baby in my sister's arms, took a look around on my own and then called my dad.  At 3am he showed up at my house, inspected everything and determined it safe for us to go back in.

Last week I had a dead battery in 33 degree weather.  The kids and I were FREEZING cold and nobody around me had jumper cables so what did I do...yes, I called my dad.  Cast, crutches and all he arrived 15 minutes later and fixed me up.  I have AAA and FORD service for these kinds of situations but I can't help my instinct.  I just call my dad.

The next day he saved me again.  Emily had her preschool Christmas performance and I had nobody to watch the boys.  He offered to watch BOTH of them within seconds of me explaining my dilema (I had NO intentions of asking him to watch the boys on crutches).  Knowing how crazy Charlie is right now I opted to take him with me but was incredibly grateful that Jack did not have to come.  Jack and my dad literally sat and played tractors the ENTIRE time, making Jack one happy little boy...

A few days later Grandma Emily, Auntie Jenny and Olivia came over...

Emily loves nothing more than snuggling up with a good book...

And Charlie loves nothing more than this baby.  He might kiss and hug her one hundred times in a single day...

We had a lot of fun doing absolutely nothing.  These kids are all the entertainment we need...

Auntie Jenny and Olivia went back just as Daddy came home for winter vacation.  In all of the years we have been together Bryan has never been completely home for this vacation.  The kids have been MISSING him lately so he promised TWO full weeks of family time (with maybe just a little working from home). 

 The kids and I played all day Monday and Tuesday as we eagerly awaited his arrival home...

Tuesday night he kicked off our time together and surprised the kids with a movie theater night in our bedroom, fully equipped with the projector showing the Polar Express on the wall. The kids were mesmorized to say the least...