and life was very busy! Actually this post begins a few weeks before Christmas for our annual polar express night. This polar express night was like no other. I had my stew in the crockpot and came home from picking up the kids to water all over the floor. Our dishwasher bit the dust and we did not have a separate shut off valve so we had to have the water to the whole house off. Chet also had to go purchase and install a new dishwasher that night. And when he came home with a dishwasher he also brought the matching oven as a surprise!!!!!
So anyway as he installed that we went ahead and let the kids open their ornaments and xmas jammies from grammy and watched polar express!
In their Christmas Jammies!!!!
My kids' ornaments this year......
Rylie loves sharks so this was very fitting for her.....
Owen's love for the Chiefs has really grown this year and it's been a good year for them!
Katelin just loves Rudolph!
Evan is my little pigpen.....the kid can get bathed and be dirty 5 minutes later!
And this was for our little Kinbear.....pretty self explanatory!!!!!
On the 13th we went to see Santa.....
my kiddos were all ready....
then Evan got a little nervous but still sat with him......
no one's crying and they're all looking at the camera so I was happy. We went to dinner with my step mom after seeing Santa.
Many of you probably know I haven't talked to my dad for about 8 years until recently. We reconnected and he came to town this month and they came out to the house to visit.
It is nice to have my dad back in my life and the kids have really enjoyed spending time with grandparents. They are so lucky to have my mom, in fact she is so involved with them it's often like she's a third parent. They don't really have a traditional grandparent relationship. Chet's dad and stepmom are wonderful people just busy and not real involved with our kids. So having grandparents who showed so much interest in them, came to all the school events while they were here, they sent them a little something when my dad went to Sturgis and for Halloween and I know will always remember their birthdays. It has really made the kids feel great. My kids tend to be quiet and people have to take some time to push past that and really get to know them. A lot of people won't do that but I promise those who do will see what incredible little people they truly are!!!! It's nice having 2 more people willing to do that.
So when they came out we did some crafts......
My wall of Christmas cards and Christmas crafts.......(all of the kids made something up here but Katelin is my little craft queen so most of it is hers!!!!)
It took Kinley a little time but she started warming up to Grandpa..... we really enjoyed their visit!
I got my point and shoot camera as an early birthday present, this was the first pic I took on it.....isn't he cute!!!!!
Rylie had her choir concert on the 19th, she is so pretty and becoming so grown up.....
My first born and I!
They sang Christmas songs and did great!!!!
The next day we had school parties, here are the teacher gifts.....expo markers, lotion and soap, some candles and a guardian angel for teachers!
Nike does an all school sing along and sings Christmas songs, it's always a lot of fun.
Pretty girl!
We go visit Owen at his party for a bit.....
and then to Katelins where we tend to spend the most time since she is younger.
They sang some songs....(it was also pj day at school)
she loved on Rylie who we picked up from school early, she didn't want to go to her party.....
one of the parents donated this teepee to the kindergarteners.
Katelin asked Rylie to read her a book and she got a whole crowd listening....it was pretty sweet.
Owen with his stache!
Then on the 21st we had Katelins winter dance recital....
They danced to "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus"......her class did great!!!!
That night we did a little craft project that daddy came up with......
Each kid decorated a snowman and everyone helped with everything else......Owen and Evans are the snowmen on top and Rylie's is the one in the back bottom and Katelins is front bottom!
It turned out awesome!!!!
And on the 23rd we went to lunch with my dad and Patty then they stayed with all the kids but Kinley while Chet and I went to my sonogram. When we got home we exchanged gifts with them. They got the kids lots of fun things.....walkie talkies, a puzzle with their picture on it, some games, Chiefs dartboard, lots of fun family things.
Then my mom kept our kids that night so Chet and I could go out to dinner for my birthday. It was a lot of fun we went to Texas Roadhouse, we don't get to go out often just the two of us so we really really enjoyed it!!!!!
And finally......Christmas eve
We got up early with all of our kids plus Haylie, Dylan and Xander and headed to McLouth with my Dad and Patty to Roger and Pat's house. I haven't seen them since Rylie was about a year and a half old and they are just a really really great family. We also got to see Lois who was the wife of our minister and neighbors of my dad when he lived in McLouth. We got married on the dock of their pond, unfortunately George is no longer with us but we were excited to see Lois again.
This post is kinda like our life was the few days before Christmas......a little crazy and hectic but also wonderful, lots and lots of pics to share but I wanted to get it all in so I am all caught up for the new year!!!!!!
