Family Fun Day

Enjoying our time off for Christmas break.  The kids were able to spend their Walmart gift certificates from Grandma Betty and Grandpa Jim this morning (they were SO excited, they got up and dressed in record time.  Without.being.told.    WOW.)  Then we met Daddy for lunch, bowling, and fun in the local arcade!  Daddy creamed the rest of us - Reagan was a distant second, and Mommy came in dead last.  BLEH.  Oh well.  Maybe I need to use Reagan's "sit on the floor and push the ball down the lane" technique.  Seemed to work well for her. 

AHHHHH. I LOVE family time ;)

Ice Skating

Reagan's first time on ice skates. Not a fan, not a fan. She apparently inherited all the x-linked "fear of death" genes in the family, as her brothers and father certainly have none. On the plus side, all her caterwauling exhausted her to such a point that it was a piece.of.cake putting her down for a nap today!

Aho Family Reunion and Aunt Diane's Birthday

Had the Aho family over for dinner tonight.  That would be 18 of the 19 members of Rob's immediate family, plus Uncle Carly.  It was Diane's Birthday, so we gathered and feasted, and (of course) talked politics, because that is what we Aho's do ;).  Happy Birthday, Aunt Diane!!!

Boxing Day Fun with Dad

Mom would've made them wear helmets, had she been at home instead of watching this video from work.  The boys (including the big one) seemed to have an awfully good time with the new sleds, though!!!

Christmas

Rob and I were up at 4:30 am, way before the Aholets.  I'd like to say that was because Rob was so excited about Christmas, but alas, no..... he was still on a "first flight" high ;).  The kids FINALLY awoke at 6 am (they reportedly tried to get up at midnight to see if their Santa trap worked and caught the Big Guy, but Dad cut them off at the pass).  Just a lazy day all around - we skipped our traditional Christmas sledding, as there was only a questionable amount of snow.  Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house, followed by a Packer game!  Merry Christmas to one and all!!

THIS mysterious photo and video was found on the boys' camera that they had set up on Christmas eve.  Digital proof of Santa's existence?  You tell me.

 

Christmas Eve

House cleaned: check
Dinner with Grandma and Grandpa: check
Presents wrapped and under the tree: check
Traps set to catch the Man In Red: check
Camera at the ready to" Catch Him In The Act": check
Letters written: check
Church attended: check
Night Before Christmas read to children snuggled up in their beds: check, check and check.

We are ready.  Let's celebrate this thing!!!

First Flight

Christmas Eve, 2011.  The man went up, the man came down, the man went up again, and came back down.  Still alive, no spontaneous combustion, and no SPLAT.  Airborne in a bucket of bolts he put together by his own little lonesome.  Amazing.  A tad heart-stopping for the wife taking pictures on the ground.... but, even she has to admit.... amazing.

A Christmas Pageant

The Sunday School kids did a FABULOUS job with this year's Christmas pageant.    It was just... beautiful.  I'm always amazed at what these small children can pull off.  Colby was Adam, a levite, and a shepherd this year (such a multi-talented character actor!!) and Quinn was Joseph.  Baby Jesus was portrayed this year by a Cabbage Patch doll with a 'fro.  :).   Reagan was slated to be a cow, but at the last  minute, Mom realized that Reagan would not remove herself from her mother's lap, even if her brothers were nearby,  so we abdicated the role.  Yes.  The stable was cowless this year.  The audience still thankfully got the gist of the story.

For your viewing pleasure..... A Christmas Pageant!

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Twenty four short hours in, here is Reagan's Christmas gift - a playhouse made out of a card table.  Still not COMPLETELY done - I have some hand-stitching to do yet, and obviously it needs ironed.  It looked so.... easy.... when I saw the idea online.  Pattern?  Who needs a pattern!!!!  It's a square.  I can wing it, right????  HA.    My only hope is that she plays with it at least as long as it took me to make it.

Melting Snowmen Cookies

Christmas Cub Scout Pack Meeting coming up.... had to prepare with some melting snowman cookies!  Kudos to Grandma and Grandpa Aho who baked the sugar cookies that the boys were SUPPOSED to bake while I was at work ;).   

I realize they look somewhat "duck-like", but... oh well. Those little boys will get the idea.

R.I.P. Sammy

Sometime this morning, between when Rob left for work (6:30 am), and the boys left for school (7:45 am), Sammy died.  He was found on the side of the road, about a mile from our house.  He had made friends with a dog at a neighbor's house, and went to visit often - it was these neighbors who found him.  At first, we thought he had been hit by a car, but apparently there were no tire tracks, or foot prints.  His wounds indicated that he was most likely attacked by coyotes or wolves.   Poor puppy.  It occurred to me that we lost Blue around this same time of year (coyotes), and Morgan was attacked and nearly died (wolves, according to the vet) this time of year as well.  I'm not looking forward to telling the boys, who loved that little puppy an awful lot. 

Rest in peace, Sammy.  You will be missed!

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

Today was  dedicated to the Christmas Holiday Spirit.  We began our day with Christmas Tree Waffles (decorated with blueberries),

Then it was off to meet Santa.  Reagan was not a fan.  I hope little boys aren't disappointed on Christmas, as all they asked Santa for was a Nintendo DS.  Santa tried to explain about recessions, and how Nintendo DS's were very expensive, and maybe what ELSE might they want?  A Wii, you say?  UHHHHH.  Santa was struggling, reading Mom and Dad's pointed stares with an expert eye.  His excuses sounded just about as lame as  mine were regarding the toothfairy.  Oh well. 

Next, we hit story time with hot chocolate at the VFW hall, where MORE candy and sugar was consumed, to the point that Reagan threw up (it was green) all over herself on the way to Bowling With Santa. By the time the second Santa visited, Reagan felt familiar enough with him to at least sit NEXT to the man. You know, so long as he was handing out candy canes!