Merry Christmas 2016!

The week before Christmas, the kids and I went with some other friends and their mommies to the Cookie Cottage. We could choose to have the kids decorate cookies or a gingerbread house, so I chose the gingerbread house because it was big enough for them to work on together. I also knew they wouldn't want to eat it afterwards, thus avoiding the sugar overload! ;) They did a great job each decorating their own half--there wasn't a single disagreement!

Once we got home we needed to find a place to put the gingerbread house where it would be out of reach of Garcia. The kids decided that baby Jesus needed a home, so it became part of the nativity scene!

Christmas Eve Day

It's been our tradition the past couple of years to open presents from Grandma and Grandpa on Christmas Eve. This year instead of waiting until after the candlelight service at church, we told the kids they could open their presents on Christmas Eve morning. I probably shouldn't have said anything. I was awakened at about 4am when Ryder suddenly appeared at my bedside saying, "Mom? Aren't we supposed to open presents from Grandma and Grandpa today?" I told him that I was still sleeping because it was pitch black outside, so he had to at least wait until the sun was awake! He left my room and then returned to check on me approximately 5 times over the next few hours. I have no idea if he slept or just played in his room, but I know I didn't get much more sleep! If he was that excited about Christmas Eve day, what would he be like on Christmas morning?!

excited kids!

Harper loves her new pajamas with matching sleep mask!

Ryder built a couple of Lego chain reaction contraptions.

Harper and I worked on her no-sew craft project. She had me do most of it because I was faster, and I honestly enjoyed doing it!

Harper and her rainbow fish pillow!

Christmas Day

We spent Christmas morning at home, enjoying coffee cake and opening presents. Santa brought Ryder a huge Lego kit he has had his eyes on and a big girl doll house for Harper, complete with people and furniture. The kids also got a good variety of games, books, and other small toys.

Ryder built his Lego police station all by himself in under two hours.

Harper's doll house is sure to keep her entertained for years to come!

On Christmas afternoon we went over to Pops and Grann's house to open presents with them and have dinner with the whole family. Hal and Thelma also joined us this year, and hopefully this will become a new tradition!

I didn't take any pictures on Christmas afternoon, so here are a few pictures of the kiddos, courtesy of Pops. :)

Pre-Christmas Camping

We headed back to the campground last Friday for Andrew's birthday weekend and stayed two nights instead of just one. Steve, Ali, and Maisie joined us during the day on Saturday, and it was so much fun to just spend the day playing outside. :) Our camp site was literally right across from the playground, so the kiddos were constantly busy and entertained. They played so hard each day that once the sun went down and we finished eating supper, they were asking to go to bed! They had no idea it was only 7:00, and I wasn't about to tell them--ha! So we all got two good, full nights of sleep, which felt wonderful. :)

Yum...hot chocolate with marshmallows!

enjoying a little quiet time, just doodling

Andrew gave Ryder his first small pocket knife, so Ryder spent a lot of time whittling at small sticks he collected off the ground.

Andrew bought us "Mama Bear" and "Papa Bear" shirts for our camping weekend.

Maisie and Ali

On Saturday afternoon we walked over to a small outdoor amphitheater where we hoped the kiddos would put on a show for us! They had fun climbing onto the podium and singing some favorite songs. 

I think the girls were singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" here.

love that smirk!

I told Ryder he was going to end up doing the splits if he fell!

serious faces

Steve and the kiddos in front of the big screen

Maisie looks so lonely as she waits for a snack!

Grapes!

Andrew and his camper van :) If you look closely, you can see the kids in the pop-top area playing on their bed.

This one makes me laugh! I was showing Andrew a picture that my parents had just sent, showing all of the snow they were getting. Andrew just had a look of disgust on his face!

"I'm not eating this flip flop....I promise."

Ryder loves the pop-top as much as Andrew does! :)

One of our campsite neighbors invited us to stop by while he played Christmas music on his saxophone. He let the kids make requests, and then he also played some traditional Christmas carols as we sang along. It felt like a true kumbaya camping experience!

Ryder picked out a scooter for Harper for her birthday, so Harper wanted to give Ryder one for Christmas. We wrapped it and brought it to the camp site so he could open it early and enjoy scooting around the campground. It was a hit!

Harper's "free" leg is always out to the side in a flamingo-like pose. It's amazing she can keep her balance!

sweet boy

good times!

Harper turns 4!

A few days after Thanksgiving, my baby girl turned 4! I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that; at least when Ryder turned 4, I still had a "baby" in the house. I guess Garcia truly is the baby in the house now! We asked Harper what she would like to do for her birthday dinner, and she requested the Japanese Steakhouse we have eaten at a few times. We think their food is delicious, and you can't beat the entertainment of them cooking right in front of you. Since Bill and Dianne were still in town that weekend, we asked them to join us, and the eleven of us filled a table!

Harper asked for a big fire, so the chef said he would make it big but we had to blow it out.

I tried! :) Apparently I was the only one.

enjoying the show

silly Maisie girl!

She didn't eat a whole lot, but she was content to hop from one lap to another around the table.

After dinner we went home for cake and presents! For about a week I asked Harper what kind of birthday cake she wanted me to make for her, and she just kept saying, "I don't know." About two days before her party she finally told me she wanted the "really good chocolate one", which I knew meant the Coca Cola cake that Grann makes. This girl has good taste!

opening her new Frozen card table and chairs from us

Pops and Grann gave Harper a full head of hair to play with!

Alison and I can both remember playing with one of these when we were kids--it was a hit!

As silly as Harper can be, she always gets bashful when all eyes are on her. She wouldn't blow out her candles without my help!

loving her new Trista doll head

Ryder pulled his red chair out of his room so he could join the girls at the table. :)

building with new Legos from Grandma and Grandpa!

She wouldn't let Ryder and Maisie use her new ones, so they got out some of her older Legos and sat on the floor together. 

On Thursday I took Harper to the pediatrician for her 4 year well visit. It was amazing to look at her growth chart and see how tall she has grown in the past year! She cooperated for the nurse on the vision and hearing exams, and she passed both with flying colors. She was happy that she didn't need any shots that day; her next round of immunizations will be at age 5 before she starts Kindergarten. Someone press 'pause' please!

height: 41 3/4 inches (85th percentile)
weight: 40 pounds (75th percentile)
blood pressure: 98/46