Christmas Fun!

Here's a smattering of our December thus far:

 

Last weekend we enjoyed a squadron Christmas party for the kiddos. 

Here's Ezra and his gingerbread house.

 

 

 

The kids with Santa.

 

 

The kids decorated bags in which to collect their goodies.

 

 

Glad Judith is old enough to not be afraid of the freaky looking guy with the white beard any more.

 

 

Santa hands out books to the children.  Judith got The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

 

 

Jonas and Santa.

 

 

 

Jonas got The Polar Express (and we've read it every night since).  It came with a CD with the audio of Liam Neeson reading the story and he insisted on hearing it on our car ride home.  *Spoiler alert*  He was stricken when he found out that the boy had lost the bell.  "That's sad", he lamented.  "Does he get a different present?"  I said, "Let's listen and find out."  When the boy (so frustrating that we never know his name!) finds the gift under the tree and inside was the bell, Jonas' face lit up.  It was priceless.  Yes, I teared up a little.  I love that Jonas loves the book.

 

 

Silly Judith with her gingerbread house.

 

 

Ezra making his bag.  It's funny that the "R" is the smallest letter because when he is physically writing his name, he still uses a capital R. 

 

 

Ezra with Santa.  Ezra got a comic book Bible.

 

Here's a picture of us from the adult squadron party.  It was a fun event for 100+ people that Mike planned and coordinated.  So proud!

 

 

Some attempts at a family Christmas picture that did NOT make the card.

Cheesy smiles much?

 

 

 

Some pics from our gingerbread house building at home.  The kids were pretty great about putting it together....Long enough for me to snap a few pictures and then they dug in and demolished it.  I guess that's the fun of making it?  I mean it would be gross if we just let it sit there for the rest of the Christmas season..., right?

 

 

 

 

 

Some snuggle time.

 

Ezra's ABA therapy group had a ice skating night.  Lauren, his BI (Behavioral Interventionist, yes, it's a thing) was there to help him out.  Although, she might have had more falls to her credit than Ezra.  :)  Jonas and I skated with them. 

 

Here's a video. (Bear in mind that I was skating too...). 

 

 

Jonas enjoying our first, significant (unseasonably late) snowfall.   

 

 

North Pole, Colorado

 A little earlier in the month, we had the chance to go with Jonas' preschool class to Santa's Workshop in North Pole, Colorado (at the base of Pikes Peak).  We drove by it when we went to Pike's Peak earlier in the summer, but admission was pretty pricey (for a glorified carnival).  However, Jonas' class (and families!) got free admission so we definitely took advantage of that!  (We even took Ezra out of school for the day, hee, hee.)

 

This was the little train around the park.  We got to have a closer look at the reindeer pens.

 

 

Mike and Judith on the sky ride.  I was in another car with the boys.

 

The kids visiting Santa (he was a really nice one!)

 

Me and Judith riding the cars.

 

Judith driving.

 

Ezra on one of the rides.

 

As you can tell by the blue sky, the weather was PERFECT!

 

Yes, Ezra's licking that pole.  Gross!  In his defense, his Dad told him to.  Not sure why this was the time he chose to listen...  :/

 

The kids watching a singing (mechanized) elf. 

 

Jonas going down the super fun slide.  You climb the stairs to the top of the candy cane and then sit on a burlap sack that carries you down the slide to the bottom.  (See video at the end.)

 

Me and Judith. 

 

Mike and the boys on the ferris wheel.

 

Ezra riding a merry-go-round car.

 

What a little mischief maker!

 

 

 

The candy cane slide video!

 

 

 

Thanksgiving in Houston

Thanksgiving was celebrated by us in Texas this year with lots of family and friends.

 

On the way down, we dropped Mike and Jonas off in the hill country for some deer hunting with my Dad and Uncle Gary.  They didn't get a deer this time, but they had lots of fun.

 

We enjoyed some play time at the park with my pal Jennifer and her daughter Lily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids made some super cute Oreo turkeys with Nana.

 

 

We had several good visits with (Great) Grandma and the kids had fun "swimming" in the pool (hot tub).

 

 

Meme chased Jonas and Judith around the back yard with pine cones.

 

 

We had a good visit with Mike's family at his Uncle Steve's house for Thanksgiving lunch.  Here's Mike (and the kids who we could get to participate) with Grandma Allison. 

 

 

 

Judith with cousin Patrick.

 

Mike with his Dad and Grandma.

 

Judith playing with Aunt Jen.

 

Then later it was off to my cousin Laney's house for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.  Here's the whole family.

 

Ezra and Uncle Garrett enjoying a book together. 

 

Nana wanted to introduce the kids to the Elf on the Shelf and thus, "Jack" was born. 

 

 

Fun reading with Grandpa.

 

It was a very long trip for such a short stay, but we had a good time and it was great to see so many of our family members.  It's always fun to catch up and the kids love the attention.  :)