Christmas Recap

Hey, a blog post!  I'm hoping in this new year to come back and write more just because it's one of the few hobbies I feel I can maintain at this point in my life.  I enjoy writing whether people read it or not!  Ha!

A week before Christmas, the boys participated in their homeschool choir concert.  They looked so slick in their uniforms!  We thoroughly enjoyed the music, the talent, and the message and are thankful for ensembles that can freely honor Christ at Christmas!

The elementary Cantando Choir

Our Christmas break was a busy one.  This year, Andrew's school calendar was kind of weird in that his last day was way back on the 19th.  So we broke up our Christmas travels and went to Decatur before Christmas Eve/Day, then came home for Christmas Eve/Day, and then moved on to Chicago after Christmas.  We have been home a few days and are already dreading that Wednesday brings back the reality of school for everyone.

In Decatur, it was so fun to have 1 year old Colin as part of the party!  Last year he was a wee little baby who just slept.  :-)

Cousins!

Colin's famous "oooooooh" face

Super excited for Pokemon UltraMoon for DS

Super Excited for Pokemon UltraSun for DS

Super excited for Barbie's head to style

We always spend Christmas Eve at church for our candlelight service.  It's always a special time of music, readings, and fellowship.  And maybe hijinks from kids.

Christmas morning is of course a treat as we slowly start our morning with a quick mini-breakfast, reading the Christmas story from Luke 2, working our way through gifts, and eating a big breakfast later in the morning. 

She was thrilled with a bride and groom, and they soon got married and rode off into the sunset in Barbie's pink convertible

Ben has wanted electronic handheld baseball a long time now, and we found the same one Andrew had as a boy

Joey was thrilled with a big Minecraft set he was just sure he wouldn't be getting.  He said he even teared up just a bit.  What a sweetie.

We bought the boys a fooseball table, built it ahead of time, and when they weren't paying attention, we snuck downstairs to move it into their bedroom.  At the end of gift opening we gave them each a ball and told them to find what it went to.  They finally made their way to their bedroom and found it!

Although it's blurry, you can see their surprise and delight in finding it!

On Christmas day we began our second Illinois visits.  Christmas Day afternoon/evening is always spent with Andrew's mom's side of the family an hour from our house (I didn't take pictures! Boo!).  We went to Decatur to spend the night, and on the 26th, up to Chicago.  We gave my nieces and nephew their gifts, our kids got their very wonderful gifts from my parents and siblings, and then we did our family white elephant exchange.  There was also a lot of great food and much sugar consumed, as well as shopping of course!  Love this time of year with my family!

Nate was happy with a little Lego set to go along with his iPad speaker

Hannah's first My Generation doll from Grandma and Grandpa!

Ben and Joey's joint gift from Grandma and Grandpa was a robot to build and program.  They are so excited to bust into it!

For new year's eve, we were invited to our friends' house.  We ate copious amounts of appetizers, the kids played around, the grown-ups played board games, and we toasted the new year at 10:15 and went home.  :-)  Today we are invited to another friends' house for new year's day lunch! 

In these last two days of Christmas break everyone else is having fun being lazy while I'm getting my act together for homeschool to pick back up again and our Classical Conversations community to start back up next week too!  Happy 2018!