Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve was another lovely day/evening. We had a few things to do but still left around 1 for the celebrating to begin. Chris brought some Hardees breakfast for us and picked me up a peppermint mocha which is my fav holiday drink. He also made some last minute fudge and turtles. Linnea did her huge Christmas Eve floor puzzle the elf left for her as his farewell gift. 

yummy fudge!

We stopped at GG's for a while before heading to church. My parents and Dwight's were there at first with some meat, cheese and crackers and of course plenty of cookies. I provided fresh baked Christmas banana bread and reindeer mix. Chris and sleeping Harper had to turn around and go back home since we forgot a very important present. When they came back it was just Linnea and I and GG. But Erik and Dylan arrived shortly after with some fun lil signs to take pictures with. Jake had also fell asleep so he and Lisa waited in the car. GG loved our visit and I hope it brightened her day and reminded her of the many wonderful Christmas Eve's at her house. We made her a photo book of all the visits we did throughout the year and then some of our favorite family shots.

Church was very nice but a lil long. The kids all did great! A little listening, a lil coloring and writing and really enjoying Silent Night by candlelight :) 

We walked out and it was dark and snowy! My fav!

We had a delicious ham dinner at my parents before opening gifts. The kids had fun playing in between eating and opening gifts. 

Lisa made an awesome doorway puppet theater for Linnea :) She LOVES it!

My parents are continuing the tradition my grandparents did of giving jammies to their grandkids on Christmas Eve to wear home so they are all ready for bed.

All ready for Santa :)

                                                    Before we knew it, it was 10:30! 
Lisa had downloaded an app showing where Santa was and he was getting closer so we packed up and headed home. Linnea talked the whole way home until we were about 5 minutes away when it was all of a sudden quiet. I looked back and sure enough her head was down and she had passed out. Im not sure Harper had followed suit though...

Daddy carried Linnea up and she went right back to sleep so Santa would come. She told me just what cookies to put out and not to forget the carrots and reindeer mix :) I wasn't far behind the girls going to bed since I started to feel sick on the way home. And unfortunately, sick I got. All night long. The girls and daddy were fine though so they had Christmas Day downstairs without me until I was ready to come down around 6pm. I opened my gifts and we watched The Polar Express since I still wasn't 100% that's all I could do.

Santa Came!

A Brave dress for L, a piggy bank toy for H and duplos for them to share :)

Brave the movie as well :)

More pics to come...Daddy took a few :)

We hope to celebrate with the Meyers on New Year's Day. I felt so bad we couldn't go down and celebrate on Christmas Day.

Birthday Date!

Chris and I fun little evening out together for my birthday. He always makes sure I get to do something for me/us for my birthday in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. This year we went to A Christmas Story again at the Riverview Movie Theater with dinner at The Blue Door Pub before that. Honestly, I would be fine doing that every year for my special day! Its my fav theater and fav holiday movie. I would love to try a different restaurant every time, even tho we do LOVE the Blue Door. Anyways...Linnea and I went to a cookie exchange during the day beforehand and Grandma and Papa watched the girls for us while we were out. They did Linnea's Spin Art with her, ate, watched some shows and Linnea was helping with their Christmas cards upon our return.

34 will be another good age for me :)

yum!

so fun!

They actually play White Christmas and It's A Wonderful Life along with A Christmas Story...maybe some year we will do a triple or double feature :)

Live Nativity

We ended Linnea's birthday party day by going to a Live Nativity outside at a church near our house. Harper was exhausted and passed out on daddy's lap about 15 minutes before we wanted to leave so just Linnea and I went. However we met one of our neighbors who were at her party so we sat with them and went back to their house afterwards for dessert and hot cocoa and playing. 

Yes Linnea is wearing the nightgown she got for birthday. It turns out it was from the girls in the above picture :)

Tangled 5th Birthday Party

How in the world do we have a FIVE year old??? The time sure flew by with this lovely lil girl! 

She brings us so much happiness and joy everyday with her laugh, smile and kind heart. She may be super silly at times and maybe a little bit needy but we love her more than words can say are soooo proud of her. She tried many new things and went to a few new places this year...swimming with a puddle jumper, soccer, ballet, Michigan, Mankato, continues to be an awesome big sister, buttons her own shirts, writes her name, and probably many more things but I'd say these were the highlights :) 

Happy 5th Birthday Linnea!!! It was so fun to plan your Tangled theme birthday party:)

I loved making your tower cake and flower cupcake with one of Pascal :)

I made some lanterrns and grandma and papa brought some store bought ones too :)

We called our dining room the Snuggly Duckling which was the pub/grill in the movie.

 I made a special banner with the golden flower on it. Pay no attention the bday decor mixed in with the Christmas decor :) It's tricky to decorate for two special days.

We had a lots of kids come...we mixed friends with family this year since it was her big 5th birthday. We may start doing half birthdays this summer for her friends and then have just a family one in the winter. My parents did that for me since my bday is Christmas Eve. It is hard to find an open date and add another event to an already super busy season.

We served braided breadsticks with marinara sauce (yes I braided pizza dough to make them) with pasta salad, fruit and veggies, Golden Flower Punch

and 

 Jello boats symbolizing Rapunzel and Flynn Rider's boat ride with the lanterns in the movie.

Flynn drawn by Papa!

 We also played pin the frying pan on Flynn Rider.

All the kids got to take home their own water color palette and the two crafts they made which were a crown and a lantern from a tp tube.

Linnea got some amazing gifts! 

This nightgown from our neighbors went on quickly and she slept in it the following two nights! 

And we are big fans of puppets and now we have one that looks like Rapunzel from uncle Erik and family:)

Spin Art (from gma and Papa)! Just what I wanted she said :)

and then it was time for cake/cupcakes! 

We ended the party by putting Tangled in while waiting for the kiddoes to get picked up. Grandma and Papa stayed a while to help clean and snuggle with the bday girl on her new nap mat (from Harper) and Tangled Comforter  (from grandma Sarah and Papa Dave:)

The final mural just like Rapunzels walls in her tower :)