December

We love this Christmas tradition of meeting the Christmas characters downtown.

The tradition includes going to this fun soda shop.

This year we went for Las Posados which was really neat.

We followed Mary on Joseph on their search for somewhere to stay

Then it ended with a live nativity and a bunch of Christmas songs. It was cool to be at a city event with so many people who believed in and celebrated Christ from many different faiths.

I don't know why I have this pic but there's not many of me so here you go. 

Daniel and Hannah fixing the piano bench

Hannah playing piano at the retirement center for a church activity. I was proud of her- she had a little trouble at the beginning but didn't give up and then did great.

She loves Andrew's friend Luca and gave him her half birthday cake. :)

Santa

Our friends invited us over to do gingerbread houses and it was so fun! She even made them homemade!

We got a (temporary) dog! We're dogsitting and its been over a month now that we've had him but I think he's going home next week.

Hannah's dream. He sleeps on her bed every night.

Eliza hurt her neck one night and couldn't move it. She found comfort from her snow globe from Grandma.

Andrew is doing wrestling now and had to lose a pound before his match so Ethan volunteered to play basketball with him :)

I didn't get picture but he did great. I think he won 2 of his 4 or 5 matches.

Sometimes you need a picture of your baby sleeping.

She had her first recital at a retirement center and did great!

She did great too!

They found these crowns and love them!

Love it

My preschool class went caroling to some of my neighbors

So cute

Hannah's half birthday cake didn't work out so she turned them into cake pops :). She gave half to her friend Olivia but we didn't get a picture.

Christmas Eve sibling gift exchange

Christmas Eve family kickball game

Christmas Eve dinner with Aunt Kate and Uncle Rich. Daniel made a turkey dinner and it was delicious!!

We read some books

And acted out the nativity

And sang songs together

And watched some Christmas songs and videos- it was a perfect Christmas Eve filled with the Spirit.

oops, sideways pic- note and treats for santa and reindeer

Santa came!

Christmas morning- still tired but excited to open his stocking

I did good for the first couple rounds of gifts taking pics so we could show them to the givers and say thanks. Then I got distracted or something. Anyway the first round was the gifts from their cousin who had drawn their name. Eliza loved her pillow and journal from Riah!

Andrew loved his rubix cube from Mason!

Hannah loved her embroidery kit from Emily.

And Ethan loved his lego set from Matthew!

The next set was presents from GG and Papa. Along with the books Hannah got a bookshelf from them that hangs on the wall next to her bed. We are reading that book Wish together and we both love it!

Andrew's treasures

Eliza also got a bookshelf to go with her books.

Ethan especially loved the Ninjago activity book because it came with lego figures. He's been having fun doing the activities too.

Uncle Rich playing laser tag...

...with Andrew

Hannah on her pogo stick

Ethan has spent countless hours since Christmas putting lego sets together.

A Christmas day game of Kuub

Aunt Kate teaching Hannah to sew- she loves it!

This doorway swingset has been so much fun!!

Playing shuffle board at Aunt Marties house

Parenting tip- when you want your kids to eat something healthy, knock on the door and pretend do be a waitress and ask them what fruits and vegetables they would like to order. It worked great!

Eliza got this canopy thing for Christmas

These lucky boys got to take a trip together to Texas to watch the Seahawk playoff game and stay with some good friends.

They had a blast

They drove by dude perfect headquarters on their way home which made Andrew happy

Big cousin Caleb playing legos with Ethan :)

Enjoying a Read-in. Can you find all four kids?

Bike ride at the park

I couldn't keep up with Ethan to get a picture, and only got this one of Ellie because she stopped to take a drink.

Yay for a new cousin and her wonderful parents! We've loved getting pictures and are so excited to meet her!

She was sad to take down the Christmas tree so we had to take a good-bye picture of her hugging it. Goodbye Christmas and 2018, you've been good!  Welcome 2019!! I didn't get any pics of New Years but Ethan, Eliza, and I had a fun night at home while Daniel and the big kids had a fun night with some friends.