Family Pictures

Had to snap a few pictures on one of the few days a year when everyone is dressed up and at least sort of willing to stand still for a picture...

Growth Charts

Brian had some Pottery Barn growth chart knock offs on his Christmas list. James put these together (and now I want two also!):

Pre-Christmas Hanging Out

We stayed in Virginia this year for Christmas; a first for my parents who have lived in VA for 32 years! It has been wonderful to be "home" for Christmas without a long drive on each end of the holiday! It's also been nice to have no particular agenda and just be able to relax.

James, on one of the few occasions where Lila was willing to be near him...

Showing of one of the new electronics:

Playing in the backyard...

Christmas crafts:

Christmas naps:

Sleepover buddies

Santa

Miss Shar's Hanukkah Lesson

Miss Shar joined us for our Friday playgroup this week to give her second annual holiday lesson. She had the attention of 8 boys, which is no small feat!

Troublesome reindeer

Many of the boys' friends have an 'elf on the shelf' that keeps an eye on kids around this time of year. Santa's elves were too busy to visit us last year, so he sent two reindeer instead. They were pretty quiet last year, but must be feeling more comfortable here this year; they are getting into all sorts of mischief!

The first night, they got into the Halloween candy and made a big mess of it! Cookie (on the left) was caught with blue pixie stick dust still on her mouth! Reinny (Rudy's, on the right) looks like he passed out after a major sugar high!

Another night they were kind enough to bake cookies for the boys and leave a mess for me!

High speed train ride gone bad...

Messages in plastic soldiers:

A midnight game of Candy Land...

Making a mess of painters tape:

Hiding in the stockings:

Sleepover in the Pueblo Indian diorama:

Practicing their flying skills:

Marshmallow spa treatment?

Oh so helpful...packing lunches with pepper, olives, soy sauce, whole potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, ketchup, and a tub of frosting.

Power lifting?

They even went so far as to switch out our stockings for boxers:

Trying to hide the stockings away...

Cookies, crafts, & Christmas fun

We are definitely in the swing of the Christmas season! We rushed home the Friday after Thanksgiving to start the decorating and haven't slowed much since.

Oma and Papa came up to watch Brady's soccer tournament and helped out with some holiday crafts:

(Papa the red nosed reindeer?)

We started baking and decorating cookies last night:

The elves have already come to leave new PJs and books:

Second grade diorama

Brady was so excited when he got off the bus on the day this project was assigned! It was his first real school project: to create a Native American diorama. He chose the Pueblo Indians. The crowning piece was the adobe hut (lego core covered with a mixture of red clay and school glue). He also included:

• background image of the high flat lands.
  
• footprints, because their main form of transportation was walking.
• corn by the river irrigation
• deer and rabbits
• cactus
  

GT Field Trip

Another field trip...this one to a local theater with Brady's gifted program...