Christmas 2014 -Part 3

 

 The next day we left for our next celebration with my family in Mitchell.  Can you guess who is at the bottom of this pile of kids?  YUP,  Uncle Jo Jo!!!

Paul and Darlene as well as Jay and Natalie's family joined us for the day.  My Grandma Lilly was also with us.  We had a great day of food, presents, relaxing and of course our annual $5 gift exchange. 

 

 These pictures with the kids and their great grandma Lily are priceless.  Take note of the palm tree in the background.  My brother and I got that for our parents campsite this summer! We decided to set it up and enjoy it.  It gave my parents front door area a very dorm like feeling :)  Looking forward to sitting around it this summer at the campsite.

Enjoying a little Yahtzee with Grandpa Pat.

Christmas 2014- Part 2

 

 On Christmas Eve we headed to Sioux Falls to Paul and Darlene's.  We had a wonderful meal prepared by Darlene and then went to church.  This was our first year celebrating in Grandma and Grandpa's new house!

 

 The girls always prepare lots of Christmas piano music leading up to the holidays.  This year we brought our portable keyboard with us so they could provide a little pre gift entertainment.  They had a wonderful concert planned and prepared for all of us to enjoy. 

 

 We all enjoy a good puzzle and this year we even finished it!

 

Grandpa Paul, Grandma Darlene and the all the grandkids!

 

We had all of Paul's old Cardinals t-shirts made into a quilt for him.

 

We ended the night as we always do with a birthday party fit for a king!  Oh wait, the party was for a king!!  Happy birthday Jesus!!

Christmas 2014-Part 1

 We always kick off our celebrations with our own traditions here at home.  We usually go out for a nice supper, go caroling, read the Christmas story, listen to the kids play carols on the piano, open presents and then end the night with a birthday cake in honor Jesus and His birthday.

 Madelyn still loves footed pj's and these were a favorite gift of hers this  year.  Can you tell by that huge smile!!

 Birthday cake!! Yum!

 

 The annual measurements in the garage

 

Checking out those Christmas stockings the next morning

Lauren turns 13

 

Lauren is now 13 and an official teenager!  My parents came down for supper on her actual birthday because the family party we had already planned for later that month would not work for them.  We decided to go all out and headed to the Black Steer.  Lets just say it was a birthday supper she will never forget.  The service was SO slow it was comical.  We were there for over 2 hours!  By the end all we could do was laugh. We came home and opened a few gifts and had a great night all in all!

 

 Here she is with her homemade birthday cake courtesy of Grandma Darlene. 

 

 We had a jammed packed day.  After we celebrated Lauren's birthday with the grandparents and cousins we were off to the Church Christmas program.  This year's program was called "Christmas at  Toy Land"  Jillian was Barbie (notice Ken next to her) Madelyn was a ballerina and Owen was a train conductor.  It was a very cute play.  Jillian had a small solo and sang beautifully. 

40th Wedding Anniversay

 

 My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in November.  They decided to host a casual party at The Depot in Mitchell.  It was a wonderful evening.  They had a great turn out and my brother was even able to come home for the special event.  Will and I are so thankful to have parents that are both still married and truly love each other.  What an example they are to us and their grandchildren!  The picture above is the happy couple leaving the house for the party.  The "green car" as we call it has been around since before mom and dad were married.  It was actually my mom's car. Personally I despise it.  Not sure why, but I have always been embarrassed to be seen it??  They would pick me up from my friends house growing up and I would duck in the back seat the whole way home.  Anyway, they both think this car is part of the family and so we continue to store it and make jokes about who they will leave it to in the will etc. I think they know what will happen to the car if they leave it to me.   It was special that they were able to drive it to their anniversary celebration and it was a very special evening!

 This was the guest book table. Mom had tried her dress on for us earlier that day and still fit!  She looked beautiful in it.