Christmas 2014

Early December Date night with Griff. Mexican and sweet chats with our 4 year old. 

The tradition of tree decorating right after Thanksgiving...always a joy and a highlight of the season!

Studly boys with matching hair cuts. I mean seriously---pure handsomeness. 

And Christmas PJs? The bomb.

Lights at the zoo!! It honestly was a perfect night to go this year. Certainly cold, but not bitter. We stayed almost two hours and hit up all the fun stops, including hot chocolate by the reindeer. It's one of the things that we do that our kids absolutely love, despite the insanity of it all. ha!

Annual Christmas cookie time. I absolutely love baking with my kiddos- and we did a TON of it this year. (green cornflake wreaths, egg nog cookies, peanut butter hershey kiss drops, cut-outs, Linda's famous chex mix...). We do always love cookie time with the cousins, aunts, and nana too---but man is it messy and loud!! The moms just try to remind ourselves that the kids will love these memories someday because it's NUTS for us!

We started a new tradition this year. We invited a TON of people to meet at our house for donuts, caroling and a boat load of rich hot chocolate. We had approximately 30 people come and we moved door to door throughout our neighborhood. It was hilarious and awesome. Every kid who was there simply loved it and even though we didn't always sound good--the adults had a blast. Pretty cool.

Emma's first grade Holiday party!

FINALLY we got new, updated pictures of Grady this month. We can tell that he's walking more steadily (or at least it seems that way?) and that his sweet brown feet are still quite BIG. HA! We love it---maybe he'll be a runner like mom and dad? ;)

His puffed out tummy makes us a little nervous and that much more anxious to get him home with us. Not sure if a protein deficiency might be happenin in that sweet little belly. Either way, I can't wait to make him SMILE--something we have yet to see him do.

Christmas Eve service. So sad Griff missed out on this pic--he was off running around the church! We also started another new tradition this year. Today, before the Christmas Eve services, our entire family went to Kingston and visited with some of those sweet old souls for an hour. We took homemade Christmas cards that the kiddos all made, and cookies that Kiki made. It was the neatest thing to dress up and watch our kids just SHINE. They made so many people smile in those moments.

And then...they got loud again---and freaked over presents! :)

Emma's special Christmas morning gift--from Nana and Papa.

Nana made us all beautiful scarves!!

Papa's gift from all of us kiddos--a new guitar. :)

Sweet Kiki---one of the best people on planet earth

Schulers donuts---Ryan dreams about this weeks before he knows they are coming his way!

A few days after Christmas we enjoyed a 24 hour visit in Springfield with Grandpa Snowman and Ruthie. We enjoyed dinner with them at Sakura, then treats and time with Brandon and his clan afterwards. Loved some SNOW family time this holiday.