We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We know that we did! Our Christmas was filled with lots of time spent with family.  The kids got everything they wanted and more and we are so blessed to have such caring a caring family that make Christmas Eve and day so special for our kids!  We know it takes a lot of planning on the part of Grandma Diane and Grandma Barb to do all the special activities on Christmas that make it a truly magical day for the kids and for that we are so grateful!

Brody's class had his Christmas program the week before Christmas.  They performed two songs and Brody was chosen to be a part of the living nativity scene which was so neat!  The kids did such a great job!  Brody's class also had their Christmas party that week which as a room parent I planned. We did cookie decorating, made ornaments with the kids pictures in them and played a fun game.  It turned out great and we are looking forward to the next one!  Briana had her school party the day before Christmas Eve. Tim was off work that day and Brody was off school so we all got to go and enjoy the party together!

Christmas Eve is always spent with both families. First we went to Grandma Candy's in the early afternoon.  Grandma Barb always does a fun game with the book the Night Before Christmas and this year she did a scavenger hunt with all the kids where they had to follow clues to find a special gift. This was very fun for the kids and they are still talking about it today!  After Grandma Candy's we headed to Grandma Diane's where the kids always get an extra special gift left under the tree by Santa himself when they arrive before opening their other presents and stockings.  They love this and look forward to it every year!

 Both kids were very spoiled this year and received many nice gifts!

Brody has started his first sport, basketball, and Tim is coaching his team!  We have been practicing each Saturday since Thanksgiving and will have our first game this Saturday!  The kids are doing so well and we are excited to see how they do at the first game!  There are 9 kids on Brody's team, 6 are from our school and 3 are from other schools.  Tim has done an awesome job coaching the kids, I am super proud of him!

We have been very spoiled this winter so far and have had several 50 and 60 degree days in December and no snow!  No white Christmas for us this year!  We finally got a few inches a few days after Christmas and the kids were so excited to play in it!  Our winters are getting milder and milder every year.  We really can't complain!

We celebrated New Year's Eve with a trip to Monkey Joe's and out to lunch with Brody's school friends and then a trip to Jungle Bungle in the afternoon with cousin Jackson.  We did a little countdown with the kids before going to bed at 10.  I am sure in a few more years the kids will want to stay up until midnight!

Today is our last day of Christmas break and Brody and Briana will both be going back to school tomorrow after almost two weeks off.  We have enjoyed our break fully with Christmas celebrations, a birthday party for cousins Julia and Maggie, bowling, two trips to Monkey Joe's with Brody's school friends, lunch out with school friends, a trip to Jungle Bungle, ice cream and a trip to the Children's Museum.

We hope everyone had a nice holiday and wish you all the best in 2016!