sometimes we have goofy days

One day Emma Grace was very, very happy. And feeling especially loving toward her brother. :)
 

Ian didn't quite know what to make of all this love and goofiness.

"whoa, Me-ma! that's a lot of love!"

 

and sometimes, at the end of the day we like to sit next to the heater, wrapped up in the Twister mat. :)

Christmas Day

we started with stockings (always a good place to start!)

all the grandchildren got toothbrushes and toothpaste in their stockings - the toothbrushes were a big hit with Em and Ian : )

they also got gloves (Em was pretty excited)

and Emma got some girly headbands, too.

Brett's first present was a ...

... dump truck!

I got a grain mill from Dad and Mom (thank you!)

Owen was really happy to unwrap his first present!

 

silly girl! she was waiting for her big surprise

which was a princess kitchen (a very conveniently timed hand-me-down!)!)

feather boa and jewlry from Papa

I attempted some tree photos with Em in her dress - maybe while she was hungry just before dinner wasn't the best time?

Colin, Nathan and Josh all got guns (see Nathan's on the left) and the guys had fun burning up part of the forest : )

 

Christmas Eve

The entire family came into town, and we enjoyed a relaxing evening at Drew and Teri's.


Emma Grace and Brett

Ian sporting his butterfly bandages - he did really well and almost didn't notice his booboo :)

Em admiring her new Christmas dress in the reflection

We all went down to the basement for a group game of pool and pingpong

these little guys decided watching their daddies play pool would be much more fun than sleeping!

Drew showing Ian how to play pingpong, and Brian helping out in the couples round of pool (he and Leah blew John and me out of the water on that!)

after a bit we bundled the little ones into the car and got them home and into bed - then up early in the morning and back for presents!

”He was poor, that he might make us rich.

He was born of a virgin that we might be born of God.

He took our flesh, that he might give us His Spirit.

He lay in the manger, that we may lie in paradise.

He came down from heaven, that he might bring us to heaven….

That the ancient of Days should be born.

that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle….

that he who rules the stars should suck the breast;

that a virgin should conceive;

that Christ should be made of a woman, and of that woman which himself made,

that the branch should bear the vine,

that the mother should be younger than the child she bare,

and the child in the womb bigger than the mother;

that the human nature should not be God, yet one with God

Christ taking flesh is a mystery we shall never fully understand till we come to heaven

If our hearts be not rocks, this love of Christ should affect us .

Behold love that passeth knowledge!”

~Thomas Watson

Merry Christmas and a blessed year to come as you celebrate the awesome love of our LORD and KING,

John, Liz, Emma Grace and Ian

his first scar

Ian fell against the corner of the wall yesterday, and now he has two butterfly bandages holding his forehead together. His precious little face will never look the same!
Thankfully, even though the cut was deep, it was a clean split. It should come together okay. He scared me quite badly, though!
They say that head wounds bleed the worst, and now, having had our first major one, I can testify to that!

sharing : )

Just for the record, Ian was in the box first. : )

my little super hero

Hello there, do you like my hat?

That's a lot of pictures, Mama.

bye- bye. Are you all done now?

M'kay. Bye.

Christmas at the Zoo

The Indianaplois Zoo decorates with lots and lots of lights for Christmas, and we went to see them! I bundled up the kids, packed some dinner and we picked John up from work on the way. We ate dinner in the car and then headed in.

The lights were so lovely!

Em and Ian both loved the train : )

After seeing most of the lights and getting a bit chilled, we went to the White River Conservatory next door.

It was such a fun evening! We normally tend to stay home in the evenings, especially on evenings when John is working a bit late, but getting out and doing something festive like this was just the thing to make a special memory. : )