Christmas Day

Santa Came!!!!!

Dawson our morning bird was up first checking out the tree before anyone else.

Ava was very happy to receive a Barbie dollhouse.

Dawson had lots of favorites, including his new Bruder truck.

Carter had been asking for a nerf zombie gun mixed with a mega gun and he got it!

We had been fighting a stomach bug that struck Ava and Dawson on Monday.  Carter was sick Christmas Eve and delayed Santa's arrival.  On Christmas Day I wasn't feeling well and Dawson felt a little wiped out by the end of the day too.  I guess it wouldn't be Christmas without some sort of sickness!

But we had lots of fun playing!  Ava painting her doll's nails pink and purple.

While the boys were busy building legos.  

Merry Christmas!

Pictures from Christmas Eve

Awww, I just love this picture.  The kids slept in front of the Christmas tree on the 23rd.  Look at shadow curled up next to Carter.

Christmas Eve mass, one of the kid's favorite.  Ava dressed up as Mary again and the boys were sheep.  

I think dressing the boys up in the same outfit is so adorable and luckily at this point in their life they like doing it!

Poor Ava, she was so exhausted she fell asleep in the car on the way home from church with the elf hat over her eyes.

We capped the night off with dinner and watching The Grinch.

The Eve before the Eve

The kids have been asking to sleep underneath the Christmas tree one night, so we are doing that tonight, the eve before the eve.  This year each of the kids helped make a tie blanket for one or more of their siblings.  So we decided to open them tonight so we could enjoy our new blankets at our family sleepover.

Ava's pink and blue tie blanket features cats and dogs that Carter made for her.

Dawson has a John Deere blanket that Carter and Ava made for him.

Of course, Carter's blanket is camo.  Dawson helped me make this while the older kids were at school (translation: he watched me make the blanket and asked for snacks.)

A cozy Christmas-ey sleepover!

Gingerbread Creations

In years past we have always done a really simplistic version of gingerbread houses: graham crackers frosted onto milk cartons and candy stuck to it.  The kids love it, it's very simple and fun.

Now that they are getting older we decided to take it up a notch and we purchased the kits.

Carter and Dawson chose the Christmas trains.  Carter liked doing the kit, but he was kind of bummed that he wasn't allowed to eat it immediately.    

Ava picked Santa's sleigh.  Ava spent the most time decorating, she liked picking out different candy and creating a beautiful sleigh.

Dawson's Christmas Train

He got tired of decorating, so he dumped a most of the candy into the freight car.  

What sweet memories!

Cuddling Cousins!

This past weekend we visited Grandma, Bo, Uncle Jason, Aunt Tiffany, Andrew and Abigail.  We celebrated Christmas with them.  I didn't take too many pictures because my big camera is broken.  But I did take some pictures of the cousins in their matching outfits that Grandma got them.

Ava snuggled and stroked and loved on Abigail.

Little Twinkies in their matching outfits!!

The Boys in matching camo.  Andrew also has the matching outfit, he just wasn't feeling the picture session.  Very Cute!

Christmas Celebrations

The last week before Christmas break went so fast!  We were busy, and every classroom was having different celebrations.

First Grade had a Polar Express Day and Gingerbread Days.  They wore their pajamas to school, watched polar express and had a cookie exchange.  They also had Gingerbread Days and had different learning activities revolving around the Gingerbread Man and then culminating in cookie decorating.

Kindergarten also wore their pajamas to school for movie day.  They watched a movie and I was able to come to school that day to help the class decorate gingerbread houses.

Dawson didn't want to be left out, so he wore his pajamas all day long too!

Dawson's preschool has a Happy Birthday Jesus party.  Mike took videos for me, and they were very cute to see.  At the end of one song Dawson proclaimed very loudly "I have to pee."  Awesome.

Handsome boy, ready to perform!

I took this picture of Ava cuddling with shadow and I realized WOW! Mike looks exactly like his Dad in this picture!

Heard out and about

As I'm standing in line at the grocery store surrounded by people Dawson chooses this time to loudly burst into a little made up song:

I love you Mommy
I love you Mommy
I love you Mommy

(getting humorous glances our way, but then it takes a turn for the worse)

But Daddy is going to jail going to jail going to jail
My Daddy is going to jail
And my Bo too

I tried to repair the damage by announcing very loudly that no, Daddy is not in fact going to jail.  Thankfully I didn't see anyone that I recognized.


As we were getting into the car today Carter started chatting with Mike about Beats headphones.  He really wants a pair of them because they are the best.
(spoiler alert, not getting $200 headphones for a 7 year old)

Then Dawson yells "BUT I WANT A CAR!!!!"

(spoiler alert, not getting a car for a four year old!)

December Latest and Greatest

What have we been up to lately?  

Well everything!

The Monday after Thanksgiving was a day off for our school district so we went with friends to the zoo.  It was slightly chilly, but so fun because the animals were really active.  Look at the coyotes playing with the kids!  We heard the lions roaring so much!

We went to a local Christmas parade.  Dawson was very excited because this parade featured a John Deere Tractor lit with christmas lights, and Santa arrived on a fire truck.  Two of his biggest loves!

We visited the safety center with cub scouts.  The firemen were so welcoming and wonderful with the boys.  Although he looks a little somber in this picture, Dawson loved it.  They also pulled out their various saws and tools, which was so cool!

This kid may need to go to John Deere rehab.  I just got done sewing on his patch because he refused to wear his coat because it wasn't a John Deere coat.  What can I say?  I guess I'm an enabler.

One morning the kids with their overactive imaginations woke up insisting we had an elf in the house because he breathed on Carter the night before.  So, they wrote a note to the elf and she responded!  Apparently her name is Sparkles, she is a grown up and she has a pet reindeer named Blitzen.  She has done some silly things like line up everyone's stuffed animals in the hallway, use books to spell out HI and other silly things.

Christmas movie cuddles

Mike has two new chicken wing buddies.  Carter is already trying to outdo himself each time.  Last time he ate four wings, so this time he was shooting for five!

While Ava on the other hand enjoys BBQ the best, just like her Daddy!

Then onto driving around looking at Christmas lights with cookies.  Isn't this house amazing!

What a wonderful time of the year with little ones!

Carter's Christmas Concert

This kid is in seventh heaven!  A Neighbor brought down a John Deere Santa hat for him to wear!

Check out that handsome kid!  Carter did a wonderful job at his Christmas concert as well.  Ava is much more animated on stage while he appears to be barely singing most of the time.  But he did send us a couple of smiles during the concert which made it all worth it!  Merry Christmas!   

Meet Shadow!

Well, we finally made the plunge this weekend and found a puppy at a shelter.  The kids decided to name her Shadow.  It was a name I threw out because I was trying to steer Ava away from blackie.  All three kids agreed on Shadow so it stuck!

We are still working on getting her 100% housebroken, but luckily I'm home during the day to work with her on it.  Ava loves to cuddle her, and most of the time Shadow is happy to oblige.  She has been so wonderful with the kids, I haven't heard her growl or bark at the kids once.  

Dawson was a little hesitant about getting a dog.  He spent most of Saturday morning crying on and off and I finally asked him if he was scared about getting a dog.  He just started sobbing because he didn't want to get a dog because it was going to eat angel baby.  But once he met Shadow he wanted to take him home!

These kids run her ragged.  She barely has time to rest during the day because as soon as she lays down someone makes a loud noise or tries to poke or cuddle or grab her.  The kids are not allowed to disturb her while she is in her crate and luckily she seems to like resting in there.

I have to say, I've really been enjoying having a dog in the house!

Santa!

Today we got to visit Santa!  The kids were very excited to meet him this year, only Dawson was a little tentative.  

Santa loved chatting up each family, in fact I had to shorten the video.  He sang jingle bells with the kids and reminded all of them to tell baby Jesus that they loved him.  I thought it was important that he added that in!  Carter asked for his "zombie nerf gun mixed up with a mega gun" Ava asked for My Size Elsa and a dollhouse and Dawson asked for John Deere.  A very nice experience for our three!

Beautiful Smiles!

Thank you Santa for mentioning the whole room cleaning thing.  A certain little boy's room has been one piece of paper away from a Hoarder's episode.  But as soon as we got home he ran upstairs and cleaned his room!  Then he ran downstairs and said "I picked up my room, just like Santa said!"

Ava's Christmas Program

Ava had her Christmas program at school today.  She told Mike and I before school that she was excited, but she would probably feel a little shy.

It was so nice to hear children singing Christmas songs.  It definitely gets you in the spirit!

Well, she may have felt a little shy, but I didn't notice it!

S - A - N - T - A

Merry Christmas from a sweet Roover girl!

Happy Fourth Birthday Dawson!

Dawson!  Four years old.  I love it, because it's such a fun age.  Today we had a little play date with your preschool friends from school.  We sang Happy Birthday, played John Deere's in the beans, jumped on the trampoline and enjoyed the balloons.  You seemed to have a fantastic time, and it was a nice way to make the day special for you.

Your Cake, handcrafted by Mom.  A few flaws here and there, but I am proud of the final result.  A tractor cake was the only one that would do!

You helped me decorate the table with John Deere plates, party hats and blowers.  We also made a craft with scrapbook paper with a barn on it and farm animals.  Everyone seemed to enjoy this easy little craft.  You were so excited all morning long for your friends to arrive.

Daddy had to go to a work Christmas party this evening, so we decided to open birthday presents first thing in the morning.  A John Deere Mega Blocks Set!

Surprisingly enough, the John Deere Calender was the biggest hit.  You have been pouring over the pictures and repeatedly asking for me to find today's date on the calender.  

We also took you to Red Robin for pizza and chocolate milkshakes this weekend after church.  

A close up of your tractor cake

Here is a little birthday interview that I did with you today:

Your favorite color: Green

Favorite Toy: John Deere

Favorite TV show or Movie:  Rescue Bots

Favorite Food: chicken nuggets with honey and macaroni and cheese

Favorite Outfit: John Deere Overalls

Favorite Game:  Candyland

Favorite Art Activity:  Coloring

Favorite Animal:  Gorillas

Favorite Song:  Instrumental (this is what you call TSO's Carol of the Bells)

Favorite Outdoor Activity:  Digging in the Dirt with a big John Deere

Favorite Drink:  Sparkling Water

What do you like to sleep with:  Angel Baby

What do you want to be when you grow up:  A farmer with Dad

What do you like about Carter:  He plays John Deere with me

What do you like about Ava:  She's nice to me

What do you like about yourself:  I play with John Deere

What do you pray about:  John Deere

What do you like to do with Daddy:  throw pillows at him

What do you like to do with Mommy:  play the Ladybug Game

Favorite Book: Rescue Bots (although I have to add that he really likes The Three Billy Goats Gruff illustrated by Paul Galdone)