Decorating the Christmas Tree

This past Friday, we decorated our house and tree for Christmas!  I absolutely love living Christmas through the eyes of my kids.  Their excitement and awe for everything is so much fun!  Here are a few pictures and videos to document our evening...

The kiddos got the "Little People" nativity set up while Daddy put the lights on the tree

They love playing with it throughout the Christmas season (and are currently playing with it as I write this!) which provides the perfect opportunity to talk about the real meaning of Christmas.

Summer is such a great ornament hanger...and literally hung more ornaments than any of the rest of us!  (Yes, our Christmas tree was a bit "bottom heavy" on ornaments this year!!)

Colton had a little trouble figuring out how to get the "hook" over a branch but enjoyed trying for a few ornaments anyway...;)

 Here is a little video of the kids hanging ornaments...

Summer set up the more realistic nativity as the "first present" under the tree, and we talked about how God giving us Jesus is the best present, and the reason why we give presents.

Colton hanging an ornament....

 Unfortunately Colton was most excited about "throwing" the ball-shaped ornaments...and didn't understand that they aren't "balls" lol!!!  After a great baseball throw of a particular one, we decided that this year the girls would finish decorating the tree while the boys took a break to go pick up pizza for dinner ;).  It was the perfect solution!

Boys ready to go get pizza!

Getting pizza from "Toppers" pizza

Mommy and Summer finished off the tree :)  I was amazed at how much Summer loved it--she never lost interest!

After pizza, we had the Oreo pie mommy made.  (Summer was looking forward to the "special dessert" all week!)

Colty demolishing his piece.

After dinner we enjoyed looking at the ornaments...

learning how to "point-to" and not "touch" the ornaments we like ;)

Starting our advent calendar...homemade and given to us by my Grandma Kirkwood, and holds special memories for me as it is the same one I used when I was a kid!

We then turned out the lights so we could enjoy the tree...and with the music going resulted in an impromptu Dance party!

 Here is a little video of the kids starting out the dance party...



Then a few more videos when Mommy and Daddy joined in the fun...





And a few pics of Summer and Daddy dancing...so sweet :)

Daddy and Summer dancing...

Both had fun doing all sorts of moves...

lots of smiles!

love these two!!

Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa T

We traveled to Fergus Falls this past week to see Grandma and Grandpa T!  We headed to Paul's Grandma's house on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving and then had fun hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa's house the rest of the weekend.  We had so much fun with them!  Here are a few pictures...

Paul cutting the ham and Grandpa T making gravy (with their blaze orange hats from hunting that morning :) )

Father and Son

Hanging out/waiting for dinner

Kids--Javonte, Morgan, Wyatt, Jackson, Lilly, Colton

Summer loved watching Bailey make friendship bracelets and has been wearing the one Bailey made for her all the time :)

Playing cars

Colton ready to eat!

Summer sat by Jackson (born on the same day, same age)

Lilly organized "motorcycle races" for Summer and Jackson in Gee-Gee Sandy's basement

Ladies Table

Grandpa and Colton playing cars

Colton loved Grandma and Grandpa's ride-on lion...and the ROAR when he pressed the lion's nose

Playing cars with Grandpa

More cars with Grandpa

Cars with Grandma and Daddy

Cars with Grandma and Summer (no joke, this kid spent most his whole time playing cars....)

Colton and Grandpa watching the birds at the birdfeeders

Love Colton's profile...

Grandma and Summer making sugar cookies

Summer loved it.

Rolling the dough

Frosting the cookies

Grandpa and Summer played doll house

Reading with Grandma

Hey, we match!

Grandma made play dough for the kids...

And had a super cool play dough "candy maker" for them to play with

Grandma had stuff to make a hand print ornament with the kids.  Summer helped grandma mix up the dough.  Then they rolled it out and pressed in a hand print.  After they dried the kids painted them.  Super fun!

Kids watching Grandpa and Daddy shoot clays (target practice)

Paul teaching me....it was actually a lot of fun!

 I didn't shoot moving targets like the guys did... Grandpa set up the clay pigeon on an old water jug so I could practice shooting stationary objects first.  Grandpa took this video of me and I think it is super funny how long I take "setting up my shot" for a stationary object ;).  The kick-back is pretty funny too!

Javonte giving Colton a ride :)

Coloring

Playing Sequence for Kids

Summer made the pepperoni crescent rolls all by herself--she loved helping Grandma in the kitchen :)

Wearing Grandpa's hunting hat

Bath time!

 During bathtime, Paul had Christian kid's music (Pandora) playing from his phone (like he usually does) and everyone started singing along.  At that moment I just felt SO blessed to have Christian grandparents on both sides, that love our kids and set such good examples for them.  Unfortunately I only caught the end of one of the songs on my phone in this next video, but I think the harmony is pretty fun.

Painting their handprint ornament crafts

Colton did great for his first time painting!

Summer loved it!

Summer cuddled up next to Javonte while Javonte was watching football :)  so sweet!  It was evident that she loved hanging out with her Uncle this weekend, as she would look for him everytime she couldn't find him, as well as talk his ear off ;)

Summer and Grandpa

We love you Grandma and Grandpa T!