December 2015

Hitchin' a ride from his big brother

Hooligans!

My Christmas cactus bloomed this year.  It was the first time it
has, and it made me think of Grandma Bette.  If I remember the
story right, hers bloomed right after she came to know the Lord--
as if a picture of the new life she had just received!

CHRISTMAS 2015

We got to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at home as a family this year for the first time.  It was really a sweet blessing to have this time together!

 Lakeside doesn't have a Christmas Eve service, so we went to Saylorville's service, where the boys got to go up front to listen to the Christmas story.  Our memory from that will probably be Lane doing the "windmill" get Jack to stop trying to take his hand to lead him off the stage and back to their seats.  Luckily Jack wisely gave up quickly and Ryan made it up the aisle in time to avoid a Christmas Eve wrestling match on the stage. :P

Hot cocoa (WITH MARSHMALLOWS!!! :)) after supper
This kid is fun to give treats to! :)

Christmas Morning
The best part about the sled was the we got a BEAUTIFUL
Christmas Eve snow, so we got to use the sled that very morning

Jack had been saving his money in hopes of buying himself
his own suitcase in time for our trip to CO with the Helmkamps.
He wasn't quite gonna make it, so he was pretty thrilled to open
this gift.  The best part was that he got to use it the very next day!

Trying out the new trailer dad built to pull behind their "truck"

Alisa and Grandpa Bob joined us in the afternoon and stayed for Christmas dinner.  As great as it was to be with our immediate family most of the day, it wouldn't have felt like Christmas without more family to celebrate with!

Grandpa trying out Jack's new bow and arrow :)

Christmas dinner...all about the presentation :)