Merry Christmas!

We celebrated Christmas yesterday so that Ryan could celebrate with us.
(someone has to work on Christmas, right?)

Christmas PJs.

This is the best picture we could get. Someday I am sure that Addy will want to be the center of the picture with all sorts of dramatic poses but for now, we will settle for her just being near the other people in the picture.

Jack was THRILLED to the point of shaking when he opened his Richard Scary Airport Book. We've read it 45 times already.
He is also super excited about all of the airplanes, dozers and train pieces he has to play with too.

Ella enjoyed some quiet time in the evening after the other kids went to bed. Notice her first pigtail straight out of the top of her head. Not every almost 3 month old can rock a pony tail:)

Addy and Jack had a great time playing with Addy's new kitchen. Did you know you can cook a mean airplane stew on an Ikea kitchen? It was tasty. I love how our kids play with all of their toys together. All themes get intermingled and they are so creative. Now the kitchen is a recycling center and they are dumping all of their toys through in the sink.

oh, and if you have not seen Shaun the Sheep: Off the Baaaaaa, you are welcome to borrow ours if you can pry it out of our kids hands. We've let them watch it on repeat as they played and they love it. It's Christmas, they can watch it as many times as they want.

Hope you all have a Merry Day.

Christmas Pajamas: A Story in Pictures

Our tradition is to open new pajamas on Christmas Eve and take a picture in front of the tree. This selections of photographs is a sampling of the fun our kids have while taking pictures. I wish I had taken video because Addy would do this cute little sidestep into Jack and then move right when Ryan took the picture. We were very entertained.

"The stabilizers"

Striking poses

Still fascinated with "Baby Jesus"

The tree is more interesting

sidestepping away

"Behold the babe and my new car"

"Baby Jesus, look at my new car."

Toddler Sized Live Nativity

We had some pint sized friends and their parents over for
a casual Christmas Eve full of fun and good food.

Our attempt at acting out the Story of the Birth of Jesus. They all wanted to be right next to the manger so they stayed there while we read the story from the Bible.

Very entertaining for the parents, indeed.

Jack was both a Wiseman and a Shepard.

When informed that he would be wearing a costume,
Jack's response was "We're going trick or treating?"

Gingerbread houses, Kangaroos and surprise guests

We've had a busy week getting ready for Santa to arrive on Friday.

On Monday we made gingerbread houses with some friends. It was great fun and now I know the secret of sugar glue that keeps the houses from falling apart.

Jack decided to be a kangaroo and spent the good part of an evening hopping around with Addy's baby doll in his pants like a joey. He is getting way more creative with his play and makes us laugh with what he comes up with.

Look at this cutie who stopped by on his way from Minnesota to Albany.

He brought his sister who helped make sugar cookies with her cousin, Jack and his friend W1.

And Oscar himself got to ring the firetruck bell. Grandpa Parry provides joy to all of his grandkids. It was so nice to watch my sister's kids while she and her husband slept after driving all night. We always joke that we would take each others kids for the day if we lived near each other and it was nice to be able to do that this week. We can't wait until they come back next week to play some more.

Our Christmas Tree

We took a ride to find our perfect tree.

We found it and Ryan cut it down.

They loaded it back on the wagon,

While we smiled in triumph.

We road a horse and a slide while we waited for our tree to be shaken and wrapped.

Did I mention the hot chocolate, cookies, bunnies and chickens?

We brought it home and decorated it in record time.

Our Christmas Tree tradition makes me happy.