Early December

We were so excited for Christmas this year.  I think it just gets more and more fun with kiddos.  Gaga sent us this awesome angel that helped us to do an act of kindness each day in December.  The boys got really into it and loved doing service projects and helping people.

My scary ninja children. . .

We started many traditions this year and my favorite was Jotham’s Journey (our Advent Devotion), which I have mentioned before.  We also started a tradition where to kick off the Christmas season eat breakfast at Kerbey Lane the last Saturday of November.   AND that each Saturday in December we have chocolate croissants.  In addition to that extreme amount of sugar we also have special hot chocolate, complete with chocolate chips and homemade whipped cream once a week.

Bear approves of said traditions.

Our Austin church has so many wonderful things, not only for our family to be involved with but also for the women and men’s ministries.  This year I attended the women’s Christmas program and it was so much fun.  One of my friends “hosted” a table and decorated it beautifully. 

It’s such a huge blessing to have made so many wonderful girlfriends here in Austin.

We had planned on having our CC campus over build ginger bread houses one day but it iced so the party was cancelled.  That left us with several gingerbread house kits which we made excellent us of.

The boys were very proud of their first house of the season.

One afternoon I came up to find Lincoln and Baron playing legos together.  It was so cool to see them having so much fun together.

This is how the boys each dressed to play in the ice/freezing weather.  Only one actually made it outside.

I love these little buddies.  Lincoln is wearing an old pair of BJ’s pajamas in this picture.

On another day we took a few kits to a friends house to build more gingerbread houses.  The kids enjoyed mixing the frosting.

It’s amazing how two families with 3 kids each can fill up a table.

Dominique with Ezekiel (1), Lydia (3) and Joshua (6). 

The bigs with their creation.

Gaga sent us this cool game and we had fun playing it several times in December.

One of the homeschool groups that we are a part of had a special project day at home depot one Wednesday.  My boys always love “man store” projects!

Jackson with his buddy, and our neighbor, Kaley.

Bear, hard at work.  And Jack with the finished project.

A great shot of Zilker Park in Austin, all decorated for Christmas.

My boys suffering my most dreaded childhood punishment. . .touching noses.  It works, the fighting was almost instantly replaced with laughter!

My big guy looking so old.

And yet, another gingerbread house play date. . .this time with Caleb, Noah and Joshua.

It’s amazing that when you combine my 3, super loud boys, with these 3 super sweet and quiet friends. . .all is calm with 6 boys in the house ALL day long!

Jackson and Caleb have become very close buddies.

I can’t even begin to calculate how many hours of play this swing set gets.  Still the greatest gift EVER. . .

Jackson has been wanting to learn to play chess.  He and Bear just mess around with the board and pieces. 

Caleb and Noah are experts and taught my boys (Jackson really learned and Bear watched a bit here and there.)

That night a miracle occurred. . .I made a dinner (stew) that Lincoln actually liked.  He ate THREE bowls.  Granted they were small bowls but this was the most he had ever eaten in one sitting-in his entire life.

Jackson and I became baking buddies and baked 40 dozen cookies together one day.  One the very first dozen my mixer (which I’ve had since college) broke.  Bummer.  It was still super fun to bake with Jack.

That night Mia had a gig and Sissy let us watch it via facetime.  It was SO COOL!!!  Mia is a rock star and I may or may not have cried watching her just wishing that I was seeing it in person.  But via facetime was awesome and I’m just so proud of my little peanut niece.

And then we got to talk to one of my 4 favorite little boys of all time. . .Lennon!  He’s such an awesome little dude and I miss him with all of my heart.

And yes, we were still baking.  40 dozen is a lot. . . especially when your mixer is broken.

This picture makes me laugh.  Lincoln now insists on being adjusted first when we go to the chiropractor.  He throws a huge fit if either one of the bigs tries to hop on the table before him.  Funny teeny man.