cookie day

Yesterday was cookie day at Mom-mom and Pop-pop's house. Pop-pop was at work, but Mom-mom was ready and prepared to bake cookies. Everyone had fun making and decorating the cookies and I don't think we left too big of a mess! Thank you, Mom-mom!

Tonight we are going to deliver some of the cookies to our neighbors. It is also the night when Jeremy and the kids sleep on the living room floor by the lights of the Christmas tree. It is a fun night of Christmas movie watching, popcorn eating and falling asleep under the tree.

More Memories...

On Thursday night we all piled in the van and headed out to see the beautiful Christmas lights! The kids had a great time rating each of the displays we saw.

There are 2 houses we especially enjoy seeing. This one just has a million lights and so much to see. Jonathan did not want to leave. There is a 2nd house around the corner, which is quite unique. It has a light display that is set to music. So you put your car radio on the designated channel and sit back and watch the lights "dance" to the music. We easily sat there for at least 10 minutes watching and listening to the lights. I tried to get pictures of that house but they all came out too dark.

After driving around for awhile, Jeremy treated us to a Sonic ice cream treat. The kids enjoyed eating their treats in the van.

Normally we would have spent today driving up to the mountains with family and cutting down our Christmas tree, but we have started what I hope is not a new tradition. Jeremy started our week off by being sick, then Jonathan had a less then 12 hour fever, then Jordan had a fever for about 12 hours, then yesterday afternoon Amanda started. Only problem, her fever is lasting longer and she also has a sore throat and ear ache. (last year, Amanda had pneumonia for tree day) Amanda is typically not sick. It just seems like her body doesn't like tree day. We opted to all stay home and Jeremy and the boys went and got our tree locally. We then spent the evening decorating it.

I love this picture of Ben!

As we were finishing decorating the tree, I'm not sure how it happened, but all of the kids started playing Away in the Manager together on their respective instruments. Tyler-trumpet, Jordan-piano, Amanda-violin, Ben-drums, and Jonathan-flute. It was one of those moments that if we had tried to initiate it would have been a disaster, but when left to their own devices they provided us with a very nice concert.

All I Really Want For Christmas

Well, I don't know if you remember me or not
I'm one of the kids they brought in from the home
I was the red-haired boy in an old, green flannel shirt
You may not have seen me, I was standing off alone

I didn't come and talk to you 'cause that's never worked before
And you'll probably never see this letter, anyway
But just in case there's something you can do to help me out
I'll ask you one more time

All I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
A shoulder to cry on if I lose, shoulders to ride on if I win
There's so much I could ask for, but there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas is a family

Well, I guess I should go ahead and tell you now
If it's really true about that list you have
Somehow I always seem to end up in a fight
But I'm really trying hard not to be bad

But maybe if I had a brother or a dad to wrestle with
Maybe they could teach me how to get along
And from everything I've heard, it sounds like the greatest gift on earth
Would be a mom

All I want for Christmas is someone who'll be here
To sing me happy birthday for the next 100 years
And It's okay if they're not perfect or even if they're a little broken
That's alright, 'Cause so am I

Well, I guess I should go, it's almost time for bed
Maybe next time I write you I'll be at home

'Cause all I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
Tell me I'll never be alone, someone whose love will never end
Of all that I could ask for, well, there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas is a family

Making Memories

I am finding it difficult to comprehend that this time last year we were celebrating Christmas for the first time as a family of 7. I am not exaggerating when I say it feels like Jonathan has always been a part of our family.
Last year we kept everything low key as we were adjusting.

This year we are going all out!

We began our festivities at Thanksgiving in New York when we celebrated Christmas with Nana and Uncle Dave and Aunt Tita. We haven't stopped yet.

We began the month of December by going to our favorite Living Nativity in Mount Laurel, NJ. This is by far the best Nativity I have ever seen. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures because it is all outside and dark.

We kept the festivities going by making a Gingerbread House with Aunt Peggy.

I love the detail of a bike against the back wall designed by Tyler

We also helped her put together some special trains.

She even had a special train set just for our more active boys.

Our next stop was the North Pole. Pop-pop and Mom-mom treated our gang along with Aunt Suzy, Uncle John and Andrew to a ride on the Polar Express. It was a great time as everyone (minus Pop-pop and Uncle John) wore their PJ's and listened to the Polar Express story as we sipped hot cocoa and cookies. The train ride was almost 2 hours!

Even Emma is getting into the Christmas spirit with her reindeer ears!
We still have many more fun activities planned! It is easy in of our business to lose track of the reason we celebrate Christmas, but it is our prayer that the birth of Jesus will remain central in all we do during this month.