Brock is finally in the smiley stage. I absolutely love that anytime I start talking to him, he'll talk back and give me big grins.
Gotta love his open mouth smiles
Cole loves his baby brother and will often hug him and say "take a picture" Brock is still putting on the pounds by adding the double chins, and his neck is nowhere to be found!! Love you Brocky Rocky!
We had our first good snow fall this past week, and the kids were dying to play in it. It wasn't enough snow to make a snowman as they wanted, but they could sled. After pulling the kids around our backyard a while, we decided to all go to the nearby sledding park for some big hills.
I LOVE this picture of Brock all bundled up and his huge cheecks barely fitting in his hat.
The kids had a blast going down the hills. Probably Ella more than Cole, she's more adventurous sledding it seems. She'd go by herself even... watch the video below to see her go!
Brock did OK in the cold. He would've done way better if he wasn't trying to finish his nap that I had to wake him from to go sledding. He eventually did fall asleep by hot air being blown in his face. Can't wait until it really snows and we can play in it some more.... and make that snowman!
Guess who started preschool? Oh, he's been so excited about it and telling everybody that after Christmas "I go to preschool." Or if he doesn't know something or can't pronounce something right, he says, "I'll learn it when I go to preschool."
He had to show everyone his Thomas the Train backpack
Here he is in his classroom on the first day last week. He loves it and Miss Diane says he's doing wonderfully. Every time I pick him up he is so excited about telling me what he did that day.
Scott took his 4th yr boards 4 days after Christmas, and had 5 days before starting school again so we took a little family trip to Cincinnati.
It was HUGE inside, there were family slides that the kids and Scott rode, and an area of just little kiddie slides, tree house, and more. We had so much fun.
Watch the video below of Ella going down the slides. It was her absolute favorite thing to do at the park. Cole loved it the first day, the second day it seemed everything was too cold, so he hung out mostly at the kid's hot tub area. It was basically as warm as bath water so I was able to take Brock in there... he fell asleep in my arms immediatley.
Video:
Every night there at 8pm they have a storytime for the children. There was a story, character dance with the wolf, and it even snowed at the end! The indoor of the lodge had the coolest holiday decor.
Here's Ella and Cole in the pj's right after storytime.
HUGE Christmas tree
This was the best REAL gingerbread house EVER. It was made with REAL gingerbread, REAL frosting (my kids tested it), and candy and cookies all over it. WOW... wish I could be part of that clean-up!
For Christmas the past 3 years we have always traveled to California, Idaho, or Oregon to see family. But for our last year in Indiana we wanted to stay home and celebrate just us. Even though we did miss our extended families, it was nice to not have to get on an airplane with 3 kids again, and all that added stress.
Unfortunately...our children were being exceptionally naughty the week before Christmas (probably due to Scott's absence studying for boards) and Santa decided to give them each an onion in their stockings (out of coal this year, I guess). We had church at 11am. Amazingly they were perfect angels at church and were able to open presents when we got home. It turned out better this way. The kids learned a lesson and we didn't have to rush through opening them before church. It was so nice to be able to enjoy a peaceful Sunday afternoon all together.
Brock was a good little boy and didn't get a dirty onion in his stocking... he got a new sippy cup and baby toys!
Anything Barbie and Hello Kitty were things she asked for this year
Radio Controlled Race Cars, a yellow shark and a tool shop/work bench were his wants
Nanna and Papa gave the kids a book about the Savior's birth where they recorded their voices reading it. So everytime they turned the page it was either Papa or Nana reading the story to them. They absolutely LOVED it and read through it over and over again. What a keepsake that will last decades! Merry Christmas!