Frosty, Grandpa and the boys

We had the perfect snowman making afternoon. The snow was soft and it was actually nice outside..for about 2 hours. Then a cold front came through with 50 miles per hour winds and temps below freezing. Luckily we got out when we did, Frosty blew over about an hour after building him. Good ole Iowa winters!

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve started off with some sledding.  It was so much fun because there was a sheet of ice over the snow.  Ethan and Brett went forever and had to make themselves crash so they wouldn't wreck into a gate.  Ethan loved it!

Olivia and Jack don't like the cold at all, so they spent their time in the pick up car.  

Every year we redo the Nativity Story.  Jack is a shepard and the only way his Grandma could convince him to wear his outfit was to tell him that he killed the animal he was wearing.  Liberty, my niece, was playing Mary and when she tried to put baby Jesus in the cradle Olivia freaked out and kept trying to take the baby out.  It was pretty funny.  Ethan is a king and did a fabulous job.  

Four Babies!

What do you get when you try to get a posed picture out of four one year olds?  CHAOS!

We finally got a good one when we confined them to the stairs. In the back row there's Johnny (shawn's little boy) and Olivia and on the front row are Brooke's little twins Max and Isabella.

SNOW DAY!!

Jack getting ready to slide down the HUGE mountain!

Olivia when we first got outside.  She didn't last long since it was only 4 degrees outside. 

 

Ethan diggin a tunnel

Going to see Santa

We went on Thursday to see Santa and tell him EXACTLY what we wanted for Christmas.  The boys thought it was great and are very confident that they will get everything on their list because they told Santa and because they have been good this year.  Olivia wasn't so sure about it..she never really cried but was just completely freaked out.  After I took Olivia out of the picture Santa grabbed Ethan and put him on his lap and was VERY surprised at just how heavy he was.  It went a little bit like this, "Ho ho HOOOO, wow you are a big boy."  (Ethan is super solid.)  Afterwards we went over to grandmas and watched the Grinch, a Christmas favorite.  I love this time of year!

Carving Pumpkins

These are the boys pumpkins that they carved..I got the biggest kick out of them especially Jack's, he loved that it had a huge eye and a small eye.  

Ethan showing off his pumpkin carving skills.  He loved that his was SO HUGE!

Jack and his adorable pumpkin!  (Like the camo sweatpants?..he can't get enough of them!)

Happy Halloween!

Ethan showin off his loot at the end of the night!  He was a transformer and darth vader this year..luckily there were lots of partys so he could take turns wearing both!

Jack and his goodies..half was already gone by the night was over..he LOVES candy.  He was batman and a storm trooper this year!
Ethan, Jack and Olivia

Ethan, Ace, and Jack in action.

The gang right before we started

Every year we hand out dead dogs and witches brew (hot dogs and cocoa) to my neighbors and the parents.  Since it was so nice this year everyone was able to sit around the fire all night.  It was great.  

Olivia did NOT like her costume..especially the shoes and hat!