Monday, November 17, 2014

Christmas 2013 and Other Random Things

Let's start with the other random things...
 
First, this is just cute:
 
 
Matthew is the best at leaving little "I Love You" notes for me.  They are usually filled with pictures of flowers, rainbows, and stick figures of Matt and I holding hands.  I love them.
 
I found this picture of Andrew at his very first 6th grade band concert:
 
 
He looks like a baby!!  I can't believe how much he has grown this past year, both physically and as a drummer.  He is now the head of the percussion section at his school.  He just had a concert, but we only took video, so here is a picture of him now.  He is bigger than me, and wears a size 11 1/2 shoe.  That's why he's a beast on the football field, consistently running 2 touchdowns a game! (That vein on his forehead is what I call his "mean streak" -- although he doesn't have a mean bone in his body.)
 
***
 
Now, let's get back to last Christmas.  I'm only almost a year behind.  I'll catch up.  I will.
 
Eric was visiting from back east, and we were so happy to see Grandma Penny.  We love it when she comes by.  In fact, I told Ben just the other day that I wished she's just move in with us.  Maybe someday!


 
On Christmas Eve day, Ben and the kids set out on their annual "shop for Mom and get breakfast" trip.  They ate at IHOP, then went shopping for my present.  This works wonders in getting them to bed on time Christmas Eve night!


 
We then went to Grandma and Grandpa's house to open a present and visit with the Kirschenmann grandparents.  We always watch for Santa to fly by, and that is our cue to go look at Christmas lights and find Santa's resting spot (it's over a few blocks from our church -- he stops there and hands out candy canes to the cars passing by).
 
The kids got a Go Pro camera from Uncle Eric this year.  We have made good use of it!



 
This year, with our newer bigger house, we were able to get some fun presents for the rec room.  The boys got a basketball game, and a ping pong table from the Manleys.


 
Christmas morning was it's usual mess of wrapping paper and toys.  It was exciting to have a real life stone fireplace to hang the stockings.  Later in the day, we had the whole family over for Christmas dinner.  It's nice to have it at our house - the kids can just settle in with their new load of toys and hang out with the family for the rest of the day!

 
Matthew and his kindergarten class made ginger bread houses.  So cute!  It was gone before we left - that kid has one serious sweet tooth!