More Christmas celebrations!

We had more parties and dinners to go to this past week! This morning was an adventure though....I got up at 6 am. I have figured out that I am much more grouchy if the kids wake me up rather than the alarm so wanted to start the morning off right and not be rushed for church. Well, I was still running late to get to 9 am Sunday school as Matt was sick. We got in late Saturday night in the truck with our trailer attached. Matt had detached the trailer but it was still in front of the garage door so I decided to just move car seats. Running more late, I got them switched to my car and kids buckled in. Turned the key and it is completely dead. Ugh! So manually moved the trailer (in church clothes no less!) and got the car seats switched again. Kids in, I'm in, and we are off. Once I reached town, low fuel light came on so had to get gas before finally getting to Sunday school a bit more late - but we made it!

 On Wednesday, we headed to the Schultz's house for a great lunch and some adult conversation. I almost forgot what that was......

 Nola and Brenner loved playing playdoh with Remi and Charlee.

 On Friday, Grammy Vo and PawPaw Floyd let us drop the kids off so that Matt and I could go to lunch and the movies - what a treat. No pictures of that but the kids (big and small) had a ball! On Saturday morning we headed to Grandma Val's for Christmas a few days late. Nola and Brenner took orders from Colten during the presentation of the presents :)

 This picture pretty much captures Brenner for the entire week. We are exhausted :)

 Nola loved, loved, loved all the Minnie Mouse presents she received!

 Brenner's favorite was an Avengers Jet. Note his lips...he is making jet noises while playing!

 Nola and PawPaw Hinckle.

 Grandma and her Nonie Bear sharing some smiles!

 Aunt Lynnie and me. Do I hate it that she is older but I am the one with more gray hair and wrinkles?!?!

Ah - this one is for Aunt Lynnie. One year many moons ago I got Lynn's kids sand art for Christmas. Since then she tries to get my kids messy toys. This was a dinosaur dig game. Note Brenner got to do this on Sunday only ONE day after receiving it from Aunt Lynnie. I am not scared of those toys!!!!

Programs, parties, and presents

We hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas - we sure did! It has been a busy few days but managed to snap some pictures of the significant events.

 Aunt Theresa and Uncle Chuck (along with Doodle) made it to the Christmas Program at our church.

 But Brenner was not excited about being a sheppard.....can't you tell by his face?

 Brenner still isn't enthused as the play begins and Nola didn't even want to wear her angel costume. But Nola did get up and down on the stage through out the night - so quite the performance on her part!

 A few days later we had Brenner's party at preschool. Papa, Nola, Grandma Val, and Krystee had some coffee and donuts before heading to school.

 Papa and Brenner playing pin the nose on the reindeer.

 Brenner and his "cabinet" in deep discussion.......

 .....while Nola broke out her Minnie Mouse toys which caught the attention of multiple preschoolers!

 Brenner is standing around his fellow "rat pack" as Ms. G calls them. Very fun class and he has adjusted well to his "new" class this year.

 On Saturday, Papa and Brenner headed to Hermitage to spread Grandpa Bob's ashes. This was one of Grandpa Bob's favorite places to sit and watch the wildlife.

 This was one of Grandpa's favorite fishes spots!

 Later than night Nola and I were supposed to meet Papa, Brenner, and my family at McGraths. But I got some sort of food-tummy issue and couldn't make it :( But all had a good time including PawPaw, Brenner, and Grandma.

 By Monday, I was much better and we needed to make sugar cookies for Santa. Nola did an excellent job with the sprinkles!

 Matt insisted I put this picture in. I am not kidding - I was actually telling Brenner "We don't spit near the cookies!"

 But we all ended with smiles!

 After Christmas Eve service at church, a trip to WalMart to get some food, and a special dinner viewing of Toy Story 2 (complete with pizza in the living room), it was time putting out the cookies!

 Brenner woke at 6:15 am and checked on the tree. He ran back into the bedroom and shouted "Santa forgave me! He brought presents!" Yes - Brenner's behavior has been less than ideal but what can we expect at Christmas!

 Brenner finding out that Santa brought the Batman Batcave!

 Nola loved her new Minnie Mouse Shoes!

 Nola was also surprised to learn she got a big girl bed!

 Nola didn't want to leave her room for a while and asked Grandma to read her some books!

What a fun picture of PawPaw Hinckle and Nola! Brenner was MIA most of the day playing with the Batcave.

Round 1 of Christmas Parties

Another busy week as we geared up for Aunt-ta Theresa and Uncle Chuck coming to our house for Christmas. Everyday Brenner asked "How many more days?!" It was truly agonizing for him - but it was well worth the wait :) Brenner even went home with them to Grammy's house Saturday night to spend the night. He had a ball (and lots of sugar, I think)!  Thanks to everyone for all of the gifts - Christmas detox has already begun!

 Earlier in the week, Papa put on "Hair Nation" on the TV. Brenner decided he needed scarves to rock out with his air guitar!

 Nola was all smiles for Grandma Val one morning.

 Our family Christmas photo for 2012....yes this was the best one on the camera!

 Papa and Brenner playing "Toop" - one of the gifts from Chuck and Theresa. Magnets on the wands under the ring move the spinny top things around. Brenner loved this game. He also got a huge Crane truck that was a big (literally and figuratively) hit.

 Nola and Aunt-ta Theresa playing a color match game - Nola was a pro!

 They also got some play clothes. Nola loved being supergirl and the Green Lantern looked pretty cool too.

 Love this little girl - Sunday morning she put on her new kitty ballet flats and this adorable hat that Chuck picked out. She thought that was enough for her outfit but we convinced her pants and shirt were needed.

 More presents at Grammy's house on Sunday - Brenner could hardly wait!

 Ah megaphones....opps, sorry Grammy, I think those were left at your house :)

 Nola loved her new babies and double stroller!So many toys for the both of them - it was like a tornado of wrapping paper and I still don't know what all they got! Thank you to Grammy, PawPaw Floyd, Uncle Chuck, Aunt-ta Theresa, Aunt Janet, and Aunt Susie for all of the gifts!

 

 

The blessings of Christmas....

We have had a rough few days with accidents - lucky for us no one has been seriously hurt! So we are blessed! Nola swung open her closet door causing it to hit a shelf on the wall. It crashed to the floor and splintered - a piggy bank and part of a tea set were also sacrificed - only a few tears were shed. Later that day at church, Nola was running with her friend Morgan when she tripped and fell into the corner of a wall - bruise forehead to chin on her left side - ouch - lots of tears shed on that one. Today, we came home from work when Brenner bursts into the garage wailing that he broke my vase and it can't be fixed. A game of hide-n-go-seek led to a table being knocked over - breaking a Christmas music box and my vase but Nola got caught under the table with a bonk on the nose and a hurt finger. Lots of tears from both of them on this one but we got them settled down! We are just glad no one was seriously hurt! Anyway - not too many pictures this week - especially of the big guy!

 Mom got me this gorgeous wreath for my front door. We decided the wreath that I made with my friend Mel 10 years ago needed some updating!

 This was the best smile I could get out of Nola......

 ....but then she put on her ornery face :)

 Love the way she still crosses her feet while sitting. Here Nola is munching on carrots - could she finally be taking to veggies?!?!?!

 This brought a smile to my face. Our neighbors gave us a delicious loaf of bread. During dinner, I noticed Nola had rolled hers into a ball. I started laughing because I used to do that when my Grandma Nola baked bread when I was a child. Grandma would always tell me "I waited hours for that to rise, and you just rolled it back into a ball!". Good memories :)

Brenner is doing great with his homework. He loves to color everything rainbow these days and is doing MUCH better at staying within the lines. I had a chance to talk with his teacher this week which was very interesting. Brenner is learning that he can have more than one friend and that he needs to be nice to "old" friends even if he wants to play with "new" friends. Ms. G. told me "Brenner is very popular.....with the girls and boys - everyone wants to play with him." He is also part of the "Rat pack" - seven boys that play very well together. Ms. G. confessed that she finds it funny when the girls go up to Brenner and ask him to play. They stand right next to him, but he ignores them, doesn't say a word, but rolls his eyes after a few minutes. She could hardly tell me the story because she was laughing. She said she leads the girls away saying "I think he just wants to keep playing on his own right now!" It makes me happy that he has adjusted to a new class and seems to be thriving with his new friends. Oh - and the best Brennerism of the week was when he asked "When is chicken season?" That boy is ready to hunt anything!

More double trouble and Night in Bethlehem

We had a busy week and weekend. Matt went to Shootfest while the kids and I participated in A Night in Bethlehem at our church. Brenner also went to the dentist on Monday and was told that his teeth were "excellent" by Dr. Stumph. Way to go buddy! I was in the next exam room getting a cleaning when I heard the dental hygienist ask Brenner "Do you brush your teeth?" "Yes" said BHP. "Do you brush them after breakfast and before bed?" she asked next. "Yes." Pause "Unless we forget." Honesty too! We have also adopted a little 7 year old boy for the Angel Tree program at our church. Brenner chose Anthony because he wanted a Spiderman toy. So, we have been talking a lot this week about why we are buying gifts for other kids and how fortunate we are. Brenner gets more than I realized.

 My two little cookie helpers! The help ended when they kept eating the raw cookie dough (we were making chocolate crinkles). Yes -some tears were shed!

 Okay....where to begin on this one.....I have a photo album that includes their newborn picture. We have BHP on the scale (naked) to which he always like to note that his scrotum is showing. So in this picture he is laughing about it and Nola decides to point to her scrotum (which to her is the belly button).

 Brenner followed me into Nola's room on Saturday morning to tell me that Nola had had their baby and that he had driven her to the hospital where he cut off the "bilical" cord (yes - there is a picture of that as well in the photo album). I said "Really?". He started laughing and said "It isn't really a baby, mommy, it is just a snowman!"

 Brenner and his Toy Story crew!

 This is what I came home to Monday while Grammy Vo watched the kiddos (Thanks Grammy Vo!). Nola fell asleep on the ottoman next to the stairs waiting for me to come home :)

 I like to call this "The three wisemen - the early years". Brenner with his buddies Cooper and Xander preparing to be sheppards (not wisemen) at A Night in Bethlehem.

 This picture is fuzzy - best I could do with Nola in tow, but Brenner, Cooper, and Xander are carrying the sign through the parade shouting "Follow us to Bethlehem!" Our church takes visitors through Bethlehem telling the story of Jesus' birth - there is a potter, bake shop, toy store, storytelling, the inn and eventually the stable complete with an ox, donkey, and two sheep (only baby Jesus was fake!). We had over 300 people come through.

 Here the sheppards are suppose to be leading the groups to the inn (in the background behind the building). Brenner is trying to let them in on the shortcut shouting "Don't go to the inn, Jesus is in the manger over there!" Note the green sucker in his hand...don't know where he got that!

 Mason, Morgan, and Nola were on my watch!

 Nola and Morgan with their babies. They are too much fun together!

Brenner's artwork from school. Our house and some key members. Note mommy and papa are missing!