Christmas

We were so blessed to host Christmas at our house this year!! My parents were here, along with my siblings and their wonderful spouses. I am so thankful that they all made the effort to come and be with us - it was super special!  I missed our little Lucy.  I had imagined a Christmas with our baby girl scooting around.  We hung a stocking in her memory, and a couple of ornaments. Todd gave me a little figure called "Forget-me-not" that I had wanted since Lucy died.  I read recently that a Jewish custom is to introduce some sorrow into important joyous occasions by remembering loved ones who have passed from this earth.  We certainly remembered our little girl, as well as my two grandparents who died this past year.  The sadness was real yet did not take away from our joy.  I am thankful for the birth of our Savior, the Savior who makes possible the certain hope of a future where every tear will be wiped from our eyes, where we will dwell with the Lord, free from sin and sadness!

Aunt DD and Eleanor playing "Sturdy Birdy"

Eating kringle for Christmas Eve breakfast

Eleanor loving on Aunt Polly

Learning some engineering from Papa

My kids are always ready for a book!

Christmas Eve. I.LOVE.THIS.PHOTO.

Mom and Dad loving their gift of Brian & Polly's wedding album

The boys got little army men in their stockings...I think they would have been happy with just those!

Stockings...a favorite in our family.

The newlyweds. We are SO happy that Brian is a part of our family!

Family photo for the office

Eleanor and her new doll, Jessica Ann. So sweet.

Eleanor and Jack got Will a "samurai dragon wagon" that shoots things out of it - right up his ally!

Uncle Andrew and Aunt DD gave Jack a toy deer. He named it after himself, "Jack Charles." :D

Diana's super cute camera bag

I love Christmas!

Sisters! (pardon my wacky hair)

Hhmmm, I think Uncle Andrew may be ready to be a dad...

Playing with Daddy

Leading up to Christmas...

having neighbors over to decorate cookies

driving to look at Christmas lights, bringing homemade hot chocolate

visiting the Broadmoor hotel one evening with dear friends

falling asleep under the Christmas tree (aren't they sweet?!)

gift exchange with miss Amy

organizing a gingerbread-man making activity for Eleanor's class, and again for home

legos

shoveling snow - yay for a white Christmas!

Happy New Year!

We made many wonderful memories as a family this Christmas season. The birth of Christ indeed gives us many reasons to celebrate!

On New Year's Eve we visited the zoo and even let the kids have the pony rides they have always asked for. Upon dismounting, Eleanor declared that she IS going to be a cowgirl when she grows up. On New Year's Day we enjoyed a Communion service at church and then made homemade doughnuts...a big hit!