Looking for the Pickle

We've done the traditional Christmas pickle for as long as I can remember! (Don't know what that is- read this: http://christmaspickletradition.com/pages/christmas-pickle-tradition). When I was growing up, the gift for whoever found the pickle first was a scratchers lottery ticket. As years went on, scratchers tickets became a staple in our stockings so looking for the pickle was just a fun tradition. Well, once Levi joined the family, he didn't think it was fun because he could NEVER find the pickle! My mom still hides one on the tree just for him ;)

But we do the pickle ornament at our house too! After we opened our presents on our Christmas Eve, I had our two pickles and I usually hide them way inside the tree and then they start looking for it right away! I must've hid them well this year because they looked and looked and looked and still had trouble! But eventually, they found them both!! And they each got a tiny Lego set! 

Shed's Adventures Part I

We always get so excited to see what Shed has planned for us each year! He seems to do something fun and exciting and different each year he's been with us! After his welcome back breakfast when he told us he had big plans, we just couldn't wait to wake up the next morning to see where he would be and what he was going to do!

So that morning when we woke up, we found him in the tree with goodies and a letter underneath him. He told the boys he planned a drawing challenge for them because he LOVES drawing with Santa at the North Pole and has seen the boys drawing a lot on his quick visits to check on us! Oh my goodness, they were so excited!!! Shed said on Christmas Eve when Santa comes, he was going to check out their books and if he likes what he sees, then he would leave them an extra gift! Oh wow, that's big news!! Every morning was a mad rush downstairs to find Shed and the drawing of the day!

 Shed started to get a little creative and hide in a different place then his drawing, so then the boys had to find two things!

Star Wars Movie

The boys have been waiting for this day for over a YEAR!! The new Stars Wars movie release!! Literally, over a year of waiting! And I am so thankful that it came out after Levi got home! Star Wars movies aren't my cup of tea, so I'm glad they got to go with their daddy to enjoy this big milestone!!

The boys got into Star Wars about a year and a half ago, after they discovered all the Lego sets. It turned into loving all Star Wars legos, to all Star Wars toys, to every-single-thing-ever-made of Star Wars. When Levi was home last Christmas, they watched every movie start to finish for the first time. They couldn't get enough!! They've watched both trilogies a few times over this past year as well. So this new movie was a BIG DEAL! They bought their tickets in advance, got decked out in their favorite Star Wars apparel (not pictured- Wyatt's Star Wars socks and Grant's Star Wars undies) and off to the movies they went!

When they got home, they were all a buzz about when this happened and when that happened. Levi declared it was "the best movie he's EVER seen." And that's huge considering Levi is pretty critical of movies, so it must've really been the best movie ever!! Grant couldn't stop talking about! Wyatt seemed to like it, but really seemed indifferent. Levi said throughout the movie, Wyatt kept tapping him on the shoulder saying, "I miss mom." So I think he was just wanting it to get over so he could see me. Guess maybe if I went, he would've enjoyed it more! 

About 5 days after the first time they saw it, Grant and Levi went again to see it! Wyatt said he'd rather stay home with me! Silly boy!!

So now that this movie was a success, let the countdown begin for the next movie!!!

Christmas All Over, Part II

...and now for Part II of Christmas All Over...

Art Projects, of course!

 Christmas Breakfast for dinner!

 Dinner by candlelight, in our Christmas jammies!

Wrapping presents with festive headwear!

We always have to spin through the Christmas stuff when we go shopping, and try stuff on, duh!

I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again for good measure- I just LOVE Christmas!!!!

Christmas All Over, Part I

We throw Christmas into just about every opportunity we can. What we wear, what we eat, what we watch, what we read, what we listen to. We just can't help be immersed in all things CHRISTMAS!! It makes it really easy with these kiddos who just adore this season with their whole hearts! Here's a glimpse at all our things Christmas...

 Little People play!

 Lots of movies!

 The basement needed a tree too (and now it also has garland!)

 Little people, Nutcracker, and Lego play all at the same time!

 Piggy Back rides by the christmas tree light!

 Christmas popcorn tin (one of many we've devoured!)

Christmas cozies for the big man!!!

Christmas Cookies!

Of course we had to make cookies! It wouldn't be Christmas without sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies!! I still can't master my icing but eh, the kids don't care. It's made of sugar so whats not to love!! I totally short-cutted this year and bought the pre-made dough sheets! Our time is so limited anymore, I wanted to get right to the cutting and decorating! The boys were totally on board with that idea! And by the way- we recommend making Christmas cookies while wearing Christmas jimmies!

Small Group Gift Exchange

Our small group at church is just the best!! 7 young couples, with 18 young kids between us all! Oh, the stories we can tell! It's always a great time when we can get together and just enjoy each others company! I love having this group as a source of encouragement and friendship! They've been with me since halfway through Levi's deployment and have witnessed our reunion as well as our transitions through it all. They've supported us with their prayers, their gift of time, but most importantly their gift of friendship. To go to church and see so many familiar and smiling faces is just a great feeling!

While we typically travel in a huge herd of children, we made it a point to have a little Christmas gathering with just the grown-ups! We had lots and lots and lots of yummy food and did a gift exchange that was so fitting for our group. I mean, who would've thought the Putin coffee cup, selfie stick, and the Magic Mike DVD would get stolen so many times?!? Good stuff going on there!

Other than the gift exchange part, our evening definitely felt a little middle-schoolish, as far as the girls had their thing going on, and the guys were across the room. But that's really what we wanted anyway! Girl talk is the best!! I mean, we thought it was weird the guys wanted nothing to do with these photo props?!? 

We decided we just have too much fun to squeeze into our 1.5 hours of Bible study each week and we need to make it a point to do this more often!! I'm sure our 18 children are ok with that!!

Christmas Writings

I love collecting writings done by the boys! Their messy handwriting and invented spellings are just so adorable! I save a lot of these samples for their scrapbook, so some I didn't even take pictures of, but the ones I did, I had to make sure they're imprinted in this blog forever!!

 Wyatt's: "We go to visit family for Christmas."

 Grant: "My family opens advent pockets. Each pocket has a surprise. I like to see toys."

Grant wrote this elf story at school. Apparently he thinks elves have buck teeth!

"If I was an elf, I would help Santa. First, I would make toys. Next, oh no! The toy machine is broken. Christmas is ruined. 1 hour, 2 hours, its fixed! Let's load up the presents. Finally, Santa takes off. Ho! Ho! Ho! said Santa."

Oh the cuteness!!!

Christmas School Fun!

What would we do without this little table of fun?? This has kept Wyatt busy for hours upon hours since mid-November!! We had to add some more difficult things to our selection since Mr. Smarty Pants is such a little sponge. But each of this activities has been played with over and over and aver again and I just LOVE it!! He often asks, "Do you want to play a school game?" I just love to see that he loves it all as much as I enjoy making it for him! Well, I make it for Grant to, but we all know he doesn't come near this section!

He did these activities one day while I was working on the computer. He wanted it to look like a snowflake!

 And he used every single light to continue his pattern!

 He loves the Tricky Triangle. He says, "It's like playing checkers against myself!"

 And this one he said, "Don't you want to take my picture while we play this game? My jammies match the game board." I mean, who could resist that offer??

His favorite activities this year are Crazy 8's, Old Santa, Go Fish, Pick-a-Present, Four in a Row, and Christmas Race. I hope I hope I hope I hope he always loves to play these games with me!!!