The Best Things In Life Aren't Things

Happy New Year!!!!

In an effort to document our past couple of weeks, here is a quick Christmas recap.  We were lucky enough to stay home and relax for the holidays.  We were blessed with visits from family and friends and completely enjoyed the slower pace of a week without basketball practices, dance practices, running around town every night (not to mention having Doug home for a week straight!).

Although it was not much of a "white" Christmas, Grace attempted to make a snow man.  The absence of snow contributed to a different Christmas "feel."

The boys.  

The girls.

Grace's favorite Christmas present arrived on Christmas Eve.  Her grandparents were kind enough to give her a fancy piggy bank (and a box of coins...great idea).  She was thrilled to put the coins in, take the coins out, and occasionally share a few coins with the rest of us.  This is the ONLY gift that she has actually gone back to play with over and over since Christmas...who needs expensive electronics? 

No, the actual Green Bay Packers did not show up to celebrate with us.  These are my (not so little) nephews.  They are big!  We decided to give them all jerseys for Christmas...

Here we are posing for a quick family picture.  We were SO late and were heading out to church on Christmas Eve...  You would never know how this picture was actually posed (imagine lots of "hurry up! let's go!  we need a quick picture!  come on people!!!!").

After Christmas Eve service, we always do gifts from siblings to each other.  Each kid also gets a special present from mom and dad (new pjs, a book, and an ornament that symbolizes their year).  This little game was a HUGE hit.  Drew picked it out for his siblings.  It is hilarious.  You feed the dog "treats" and then he ends up "digesting" them and returning them to you for you to scoop up (if you know what I mean).  The funniest part of the game is the sound effects that it makes.  The winner of the game gets three "poops in their scoop."  This proved to be a huge hit when friends and family visited us over break.  Again, who needs expensive electronics?

Christmas morning....Grace loves her new Tiana doll.

Oh, I guess THIS is who needs expensive electronics.  Bryce only had one request for Santa...an ipod.  I was worried that he wouldn't get one, because Santa has a lot of kids to bring gifts to and I wasn't sure he could come through.  Bryce was so happy and grateful that he did!

Drew was lucky enough to get a lot of sports stuff for Christmas.  This is one of my favorites.  It is Tim Tebow's rookie card and a photo of him "Tebowing."  I LOVE Tim Tebow (not in a creepy,cougar sort of way, in a grateful to have a respectable athlete for my son to look up to sort of way).

This picture of Bryce really sums him up.  He likes sports (and loves his new Jordon jersey), but is a lego builder at heart.  He is studying his new lego book during all of the commotion of Christmas morning.

All of a sudden, Grace stops opening a gift and says "Wait a minute...HOW did Santa get all of this stuff in here????" She proceeded to inspect the fireplace.

Grace received this set of adorable aprons.  She can dress up her doll with an apron that matches hers and then she can help me in the kitchen OR pretend to cook in HER kitchen (which doesn't get much use).  I found these aprons through my blog friend Bonnie.  Bonnie and her husband started a wonderful organization in Rwanda where women sew these aprons as well as clothes that fit American Girl dolls.  They also sew beautiful handbags (which my niece was given).  The best part...the income generated from the sale of these items helps women in Rwanda to support themselves.  Please visit their website and check it out!

Alyssa and her new backpack.  Backpacks are WAY more fashionable now than they were when I was in high school...She is going to hate this picture...I bet she never expected her "footie" pjs to show up on the blog!

Well...back to expensive electronics...yes, THIS kid really loves them. He was NOT expecting this super cool surprise.  I love his excitement and joy!

And...after a long morning of gift giving, excitement, and family togetherness...what is the ONE gift that Grace choose to hunker down and play with while we waited for the rest of our relatives to join us for Christmas????  Yes...Doggie Doo.