Christmas 2014!

All dressed up for his holiday concert!  He actually picked all this out himself and I just can’t believe it.  Such a sign of growing up.  Every holiday concert previously I have had to fight with him and force him to get dressed up.  This time he seemed to like getting fancy!  How things change.

First and second grade performing. 

His teacher sent home present with the kids from the concert.  There had been a lot of excitement building up to this and it was so sweet.  She gave them a bunch of things including a tooth brush, a new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book that he didn’t have already and a coordinating ornament.  Very touching.

Nora in her outfit the GG (great-grandma) picked out for her in Philly.  Still one of our favorite outfits!

Minus the shirt, plus some of Bro-bro’s boots.

Joseph’s presents for his friends.  He put this all together.  Can’t really remember what was in the gifts bags.

And his present for his teacher.  Just love this!

Nora eating lunch.  I am still blown away by the things she will eat.  She usually has the same as me, which is often a wrap.  This one had bean, guacamole, blue cheese, tofu, spinach and more.  She loved it!

I have a problem with fleecy cute things.  I have to buy them.  Her closet is out of control.

As an angel in our church’s nativity.  I wasn’t planning on having her participate, but she was recruited.

She was so excited to be one of the big girls.  Joseph wasn’t quite as excited to be a wise man.

Kills me.

Relaxing

Cookie making!!

Most of the kids are getting pretty big, but everyone still likes making cookies!

Our annual crafy present for everyone—this year salad spoons.  Joseph and I painted them and had a good time with the project.

Trying to get everyone in a picture.  Nora was NOT into it at all.

Christmas eve pajamas!  Love this photo!

All the good at our house.  So much work goes into that!

Opening stockings!  This year Joseph was up at 3, but we sent him back to bed until the reasonable time of 5 AM.  It is a tiring time of year!

Presents

The present Joseph picked out for Nora. 

At grandma and grandpas!

Sadly this was at the worst possible picture taking stage for Nora. 

More stockings.

Opening presents.

Nora really got the idea down.  She was a present opening machine. 

She also loved Christmas dinner!  She feasted with dad.

Up in Lincoln.  Pokemon with cousin Charlie.

A couple more presents.

Another feast!  There was a lot of controversy about the meal—some member of the family wanted to move it to a different time, then we were going to miss Debbie and Fred’s and oh how everything went back and forth, but somehow it just worked out the same as every other year.  I am coming to terms with the fact this wont last forever, but glad it worked out this year!

The other table.

The day after Christmas.  This year I did not spend the night in Lincoln as I always have (it hadn’t gone that well the last few times).  But we did go back up the next morning to hang out with everyone after a good nights sleep (or at least decent).

It was a GORGEOUS day.  We spent most of it wandering around outside.

There is always a lot of this.  Hours.

And then a quick visit with the Wells for another xmas.

Jordyn always gets Joseph a complicated project—and takes the time to do the project with him!

And we made more cookies.

A visit to the library.

And our last Christmas party—at Bob’s!  Or Bobby as Nora calls him.

So many presents!!!

And another great meal!