Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Our final visit with Santa Claus.  This time, he came to our house!  On Christmas Eve!  See his little elf peeking in our front window?  See Kennedy?  She's back to being a little uncertain about the fella...  She climbed up onto Grandma's lap for some safety and security.  But then she saw him handing out presents and decided he was okay again!  Thank you Santa Claus!

Christmas morning we opened presents at home

 Reagan was so excited....she got her Christmas wish that our Elves on the Shelf could stay for an extra day.  There was even a letter from them explaining that Santa lifted their magic for the day so she could actually touch and hug them -- her biggest wish of all!

We spent the rest of the day at the shed and really had a wonderful day.  The twins decided Grandpa's new tool chest would be an excellent storage solution for some of their toys!  

Hope you had a Merry Christmas as well!

Santa Claus Visit - #2

Santa Claus was back in Gettysburg.  This time at the Mini Mall.  I had to post this first picture because it was cute to watch Madison checking out Santa, but also so you can see firsthand her style sense. She is wearing a pair of leggings, her fleece nightgown and a summer sundress on top.  Yep....she picked it out, and wore it to church this morning and did not see any reason to change into anything different to go see Santa either.  She was just so proud of herself, we had to let her be herself!

Hugs goodbye from Kennedy....see, she really is warming up to the guy!

The Addition

We haven't really posted much about the addition....and I took a picture of the snow today so I thought I would share one of the before and afters.  Inside is still a work in progress....but there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  So those pictures will follow along another time...

They Clean Up Nice....

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....time for the Elementary School Winter Concert.  Harrison was pretty excited as this was his first one.  And Reagan, as usual, was thrilled.  She has been practicing her song nonstop.  For a good month, now, we have been listening to "Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go" at the dinner table, from the shower, getting ready in the mornings, you name it.  Both kiddos did a great job at the concert.  And they looked pretty darn sharp too!

Here Comes Santa Claus

'Tis the Season....Time for Santa to start visiting the local businesses.  Tonight was the first one up at the John Deere Implement.  Everyone was polite and friendly and happy to see the big guy.  As you can see from her face, Kennedy was a bit more hesitant to embrace the situation, but once she saw he had goodies, she warmed up quite a bit!

Parade of Lights

Okay, the pictures are dark and grainy, but we did something fun despite all the sickness and so I had to post photo proof of the event!  We headed out for the annual Parade of Lights with the kiddos.  Abbey missed this event last year due to (bet ya can't guess....yep....a stomach bug), so we were very happy that everyone was healthy to go this year!!!

Deja Vu

Okay, so stop me if you've heard this one before:

Once upon a time, Amy, Abbey and Casey came to visit their cousins in South Dakota.  Everyone was so happy to see each other.  And then people started throwing up.  The End.

As has sadly become the usual, Amy's visit was slightly disrupted by a bout with the stomach flu.  Thankfully nothing as serious as last time and we did manage to still have lots of fun, but we look forward to a visit that does not involve buckets.  Once that happens, we promise to post more pictures!!!!

In disguise

Madison discovers the dress up clothes!

Caught red handed

Or should I say sticky handed.  Madison discovers peanut butter!

My Newest All Time Favorite Photo

She's Good, She's Great, She Just Turned EIGHT???!!!???

Okay, okay, I will admit it.  They really do grow up fast.  Everyone is always always saying it happens in the blink of an eye, before you know it they'll be out of the house, etc, etc, etc.  Well, in the midst of raising four kids so close in age, there are a lot of days where we try to blink adn skip ahead just a smudge!  But watching Reagan grow up and especially ever since she started school, it's very very apparent just how fast the time does fly.  We are so proud that she made us parents 8 years ago!  Happy Birthday Reagan!

As has become our birthday tradition, there's usually a party at home and a party at the shed.  And Grandma and Grandpa got her just what she was hoping for...a dune buggy!

 Kennedy (1st photo) and Madison were more than happy to jump in for a spin....

 Harrison was getting tired of waiting for a ride, so Dad took him for a spin on Papa's four wheeler....

Celebrating with Grandma and Grandpa....

On the Friday before her birthday, she invited all the girls in her class over for a playdate and party.  Yep....all the girls....and guess what?  They were all able to come!  It was a loud, giggly, energetic bunch, but we actually had a great time.  They danced, they sang, they played, and they just had a great time.  

Reagan's friends sang Happy Birthday to her at the top of their lungs (which explains why Reagan is covering her ears!).  What a fun celebration!

Happy Birthday Reagan!

Halloween Recap

Finally posting the rest of some of our Halloween activities....  We decorated pumpkins.  The bigs carved theirs and we decided to let the twins just color the faces on and then added some Mr. Potato Head pieces to theirs.  No need handing them any sharp objects!  We invited them to help with the scooping out of the pumpkins and you will probably find their facial expressions just as telling as we did as to their thoughts on that idea....

Madison decided to color more than just her pumpkin's face.....

Harrison's final product:

The complete line up....  We enjoyed a candlelit dinner with our pumpkins that night  

And the final event....trick or treating!  Harrison changed his costume since the harvest festival and decided to head out as Darth Vader....  Happy Halloween!