Christmas Day

We spent the beginning of our week at Mimi and Poppys house.  On Tuesday we went down to the street to the local elementary school and let the kiddos run and play on the playground.  Cory organized a few activities for them, including races. 





Mimi let the kids help her make cupcakes.

The cousins all go on their Christmas pj's and headed to bed to get some sleep for Christmas Day.

Christmas morning at Mimi's involved lots of wrapping paper and fun new toys for all the kiddos.  It was a bit crazy so I only snapped a few pics.

Around lunchtime we loaded up and headed to our new stop but we grabbed a few group pictures first.

Next stop was Pop's house to see him.  Lincoln and Emery both got a set of new wheels.  Lincoln got a balance bike and Emery got a Barbie 4-wheeler.

Then for dinner and the evening we went over to my parent's.  It was 6 kids and 7 adult of fun craziness!  I had Cory take a picture of the room so we could remember exactly how crazy it really was. 

The day after Christmas we went to eat lunch at All Aboard where your food is delivered on a train to your table.  The boys were pumped about it. 

We also took Summer to the mall to get her ears pierced.  She smiled during the whole process!
And one night during our trip we got the opportunity to go to dinner with ALL of Lincoln and Emery's cousins.  Our kiddos are so blessed with 6 (and almost 7) cousins 7 years of age and younger.  Lincoln thought it was so great they were all together at once.

Our little Christmas

On the eve of Christmas Eve (Monday) we woke up that morning and had our Christmas at our house.  The night before we got everything set up.

We do Santa at our house but in a small way.  Santa is in charge of stockings and mommy and daddy get the credit for everything else :)  David, Goliath and the Philistines were set up and waiting for Lincoln.

Lincoln woke up about 7:00, came in our room and said "Mommy, Daddy come here I have to show you something"  

Emery got a Hello Kitty electric toothbrush and she did not put it down all morning.

Lincoln pumped about his Hulk figurine.

For several nights, probably 2 weeks, leading up to Christmas me and Cory secretly put together a playset for the kids in the garage.  We told Lincoln the garage door was broken and parked the cars in the driveway.  Each night after the kids went to bed we would go out there from about 9-12 and work on it.  We had to build it in sections and then assemble it in the backyard.  On Sunday, the kids took a nap after church and Cory went outside around 1:00 and began taking it in larger pieces to the backyard.  When the kids woke up from their nap I took the kids to Fayetteville for our friend Will's birthday party.  We were gone from about 4-7 and Cory continues working outside in the freezing cold weather I might add.  Then when the kids went to bed, we went back out there one last time for an hour or so to add the finishing touches.  It is still missing the tarp that goes over the picnic table b/c we assembled the tarp upside down and have yet to fix it. 

After we opened presents we took the kids outside to show them.  Emery took off running towards the baby swing and Lincoln said "O wow, this is very cool" and ran up to the top.  He jumped up and down and kept saying "I love it, I love it!"  And in that moment the hours (probably 15-20 hours of assembly) were all worth it. 

We only stayed outside a few minutes playing on it b/c it was about 25 degrees outside.  Both kids cried when we made them come inside.  Ha.  Lincoln later came up to me and said "We are going to go see Mimi and Poppy, then go see Pop and Papa and Gigi and then we are going to come back home and play with that"  Ha!  We loaded up around lunch time and headed to south AR for the beginning of a crazy week of tons of family and festivities. 

Lincoln's Christmas Program

Lincoln had his Christmas program at school the week before Christmas. His class sang Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. He looked like a deer in the headlights at first but participated the whole time.



He spotted us in between the 2 songs and was so happy to see us!







After the program they had a "party" with different activities in each room you could participate in.



And he got to visit with Santa again.




We loved being a part of his special day and he loved having us there!

All kinds of sweets

Emery has become my little baking assistant in the kitchen.  As soon as the stand mixer turns on she comes running and insist on sitting on the counter to see what is going on.  I think she secretly may be coming to lick the spoon and the bowl.

One day we were invited over the Bidwells to decorate Christmas cookies together.  Lincoln was carefully using his sprinkles and worrying about spilling them while all Emery wanted to do was eat the icing. 

What is not to LOVE about this sweet picture.

Or this one!




The kiddos got to go the beginning of Cory's company's Christmas party.  They were dressed up so cute.  I just love it. 

Lincoln wanted to take a picture of me and Emery.

Cory's boss and his wife got the kiddos a present for Christmas.  Emery got a Cinderella toddler doll and Lincoln got a Ninja Turtle "shoot gun."  They loved them both. 

Soon after appetizers and them opening their presents I ran them home to
spend the evening with our sitter Katie while we stayed and enjoyed
dinner.

And on the eve of Christmas eve we made our annual Birthday Cake for Jesus!  It was decorated by the kiddos and had lots of sprinkles!