Let the Christmas Festivities Begin! Dec 2012

Warning: This post is REALLY long!

 

First the tree!

 

For the first time, we let the kids stand on a stepstool to put ornaments on the tree, so ornaments went higher this year!

 

 

Then the other tree!

 

That’s Reagan, by the way

 

Take a break to go to a birthday party

 

Jonathan and Caleb, a friend from kindergarten

 

Put lights on the house (no children required for this step)

 

The house looked so pretty with the Christmas lights and the accent lights Jim added the month before.

 

Go have breakfast with Santa

 

Thomas ran a fever the day before, and we probably shouldn't have taken him even though he was not running a fever that morning.  We just couldn't bring ourselves not to when he seemed fine!  Of course, when the fever came back that afternoon, we felt bad.

 

This was just a small portion of the medical events of our winter!  It started with Reagan and strep in Nov, followed by strep for Zachary and Thomas, then an ear infection for Zachary that wouldn't go away, then a return of strep for Reagan.  All three boys tested positive for strep in January even though they had no symptoms!  We pretty much spent 2 whole months with at least one kid and often two on an antibiotic!

 

This was the first year we didn’t go see Santa at the Bass Pro Shops.  Do you think he missed us?

 

Get new belt loops at the Cub Scout Banquet

 

Jim was still sporting his No shave-November beard

 

Then beat up Dad afterwards

 

 

Celebrate at school

 

Thank you, Gina, for this picture of Jonathan and Thomas!

 

Not sure why I didn’t get a picture of Zachary.  Probably because he didn’t stay in the outfit long enough!  Imagine him in a giant reindeer shirt with a headpiece like Reagan’s since they were in the same class.

 

Leave cookies for Santa

 

 

Get presents!

 

Presents from Santa

Presents from everybody else!  This year we let the kids draw each other’s names from a hat and buy a present for one of their siblings.  It was really interesting to see what they picked and hear the reasoning behind their choices!

 

 

The aftermath!  Present highlights from this year’s Christmas: Reagan’s first American Girl doll and Skylanders for the boys.

 

Go to Memphis!

 

(l to r) Zachary, Jonathan, Reagan, Thomas, Graham, Kinley, Kallen

 

Look!  He shaved!

 

Woohoo!  Money from Uncle George and Aunt Nancy!

 

Apparently the Star Wars Squinkies are a big hit!

 

Aunt Jojo and Baby Graham

 

 

Bring it on, 2013!