Snow!

The kids started off the year going to school 1.5 days and then were out for 5 school days for snow.  They got out early one day because of the coming snow so we waited all afternoon for the snow to start. It started snowing around bedtime and Joel and Norah went to bed very excited. They were predicting 6-12 inches I think. We got I think 12 inches but it was hard to tell because some areas had less and some areas had 3 feet drifts. Tons of snow to play in!   Colin likes to stay up later reading until we are done putting Joel and Norah to bed.  I went upstairs to talk to Colin before it was time for him to go to bed and we heard laughing and screaming outside.  We looked out his window and kids were outside playing in the snow.  He and I quickly got our snow clothes on and we went outside to play with everyone.  It was Miss Beverly (Norah's teacher) and her three girls and then the kids went to go get the triplets out.  The snow was coming down fast and we got a few inches in the time we were outside.  Colin and I didn't come inside until close to midnight.  There is something magical about being outside at night with the snow falling.  I remember my dad talking us for a walks in the night snow.

Joel found out that he was put to bed and therefore didn't get to play in the snow like Colin did. And missed all the fun.  That has gone over as well as you can imagine....

Joel was up at 5am yelling and running through the house "IT SNOWED!!!!" so we were all up early that next morning.

Norah LOVED the snow! She was out the door at 8am and only came inside to eat lunch then went right back outside until it got dark again and everyone went inside.  She couldn't get enough of it. For days and days she played outside from morning to night.

Colin and some boys built two forts in our front yard so for the second year in a row we had a capture the flag game in the snow.  You get hit with a snow ball you are out.  The kids love it and I hope we can continue this annual tradition.  The neighborhood also attempted several huge snowball fights but I'm not sure much snowball fighting happened. It would circulate around "snowball fight at 3." They would all go out and it would be a line of boys vs a line of girls and then there were be the rules and more rules and discussions on team names.  And who was on the teams because some of the sisters would either be a traitor to their brothers or the girls depending on whose side they ended up on.  It was entertaining to watch as a parent.   The kids had so much fun playing outside in the snow.  We even had a game night at a neighbors house since we were all home and not going anywhere. That was so much fun we hope to do monthly game nights with everyone.  We were sad when the snow all melted away.

 

Christmas Day

Christmas started early for us.  Joel was awake super early and kept asking if Santa had come yet. An then he kept asking if Lenny would bark when Santas reindeer were on the roof. So he kept trying to listen.  I have no idea what time it was - but I'm guessing before 5am.  The room we sleep in has a queen bed and then we put the kids on air mattresses.  So I went down and slept with Joel a little longer until we heard people walking around upstairs.  

 

 

 

It was a great day! 

Doll House

Norahs big gift this year was a doll house.  I remember my mom locking herself into her bedroom on Christmas Eve one year while she built Mary a doll house.  When they moved they gave me a box of all Marys dollhouse furniture.  Norah has had fun playing with it all.  So early November I went to Hobby Lobby and got a dollhouse kit. I thought it would take me a week max to put it together..... hahahaha I forgot how long it takes for paint to dry and then for glue to dry. And then put it all away before Norah came home from school. There are a lot of steps so part of it was built in the garage then the rest was in my closet. I told Norah not to go in there and she didn't.  I was impressed! She didn't try to peak even knowing there was a big Christmas gift inside. I told her if she saw it then she couldn't have it and it would go back to the store.  She listened well or was just too worried mommy really would take it back to the store.   She did see me staining each and every shingle but I told her it was just for a Christmas project and she didn't ask any more questions after that.  It took forever and at times I thought it wasn't ever going to come together or look nice.But I had fun making it and all the little doll house accessories are just too cute!  I also don't know how Mom built Mary's all in one day.
  

I finished it just in time for Christmas.  After she had seen her doll house and opened a bag full of new furniture and doll house people she looked like she was trying not to cry.  I asked her what was wrong and she said "I like my doll house but I really wanted a baby doll instead!" Well then....

Thankfully she has come around and plays with it all the time.  My favorite is when she puts the babies to bed and then the mom takes a bath (like Aunt Angela!) Also the baby uses the toilet because this momma doesn't change stinky diapers! ha!

Christmas Eve

The kids couldn't wait until Christmas Eve.  I was actually surprised Colin was the first person up.  He woke up yelling "its Christmas" and it wasn't long before Joel and Norah were up. I love watching them give each other their gifts. The hugs and thank yous and just joy from each of them is my favorite part of Christmas.   Joels love language is gifts - both in receiving and giving and he was so excited to give out gifts to all of us.

 Our little tree! Ha!  Our bug invested tree was out by the curb the week before. We just brought Joels tree that was in his room over.  But it made searching for gifts to give out a lot easier.  We do youngest to oldest give a gift to someone.  We take our time and then we can all see what everyone gets.

We let them start on some lego building while we cleaned up and then we headed to Blacksburg to join the rest of the family. It was the first time since Colin was 1 that we've woken up at mom and dads house on Christmas Day.

 That is the face of a boy who was so excited to watch movies on his new laptop that he downloaded before we left....only he learned the hard way that the laptop doesn't download when the top is closed...

Sarah has gotten us hooked on Sushi Go - and we played it with Angela and the boys which made it more fun.  I just watched Isaiah because he was doing well and knew what to pair with what!  I've thought of getting it for the kids but its fun that its a game we always play at Grandpa and Ma-ma-maas house. We've played rounds for hours.   But THIS time lets just say Brent trying to explain to Robbie every. single. possible. strategy. each. and. every time you Sushi Go.  It was enough to drive my sweet mom away from the table and out of the game!  It takes a lot to annoy mom! haha

 Checking the radar for Santa

 Mary has the best faces.  Thankfully one of them made it in a wedding picture - I requested it and will have to get a copy of it to post it.  Its my favorite Mary face.

This is the face! No one else can make this face.  I hope her kids get this ability because she can also move the lips up and down stuck in that position!

It was hard to get the kids in bed that night. They were so excited for the next day.  I showed Joel that Santa was in Roanoke so he better get to sleep right then!

Colin kept questioning me after we put them to bed.  "mom why are you getting out of bed? Where are you going?" I told him I needed a drink of water and then left for a long time.  I don't know if he still believes in Santa but didn't want to find out on Christmas Eve.  Santa was tired and needed to get stuff done that night but someone kept questioning it all!  I'm glad we went up early so we could just wake up and be there Christmas Day.

Guessing

Christmas secrets are hard to hold in sometimes. Also guessing your presents are hard... I found a few notes in Joels room.  It doesn't count if you don't actually say them outloud right?

Christmas Eve Eve

This year we spread out Christmas over several days.  We spent Christmas Eve Eve with Pops (or Christmas Adam as Colin likes to say since Adam came before Eve)

We opened presents and then went out onto the beach to play the rest of the afternoon.  The water wasn't as cold as I thought. Norah and I walked up and down to all the little sandbars looking for sea shells. The boys played football.  When it got dark we headed back up to Pop's condo and went out to dinner.  After dinner we drove around looking at Christmas lights and found some amazing neighborhoods.  The kids went to sleep excited because our little family Christmas was the next morning