independence

This is a picture from the summer.  We (the neighborhood women and I) have started giving the older boys some independence.  This was their first completely solo bike ride/adventure.  They rode to a local "gully" where there is a pond and caught frogs (that bucket has about 20 baby frog in it).  It was awesome!  They were gone for a good hour.  We all can't wait for this to start happening more and more - they are so ready!

Christmas Toys

We do a simple Christmas around here. 

 Brock got Madden for the X-Box.

New Nerf Guns

And a Bronco's sweat shirt and beanie

Noah got Lego's,

Lego's,

And Lego's.  That's it - 3 or 4 different Lego sets.  

Megan also got Lego's.

And these things.  And also an 18 inch doll (like and American girl doll - but from Target.)

Beware - Madison wanted a picture with every present. (ever from her stocking)

Her most favorite present was this pink bear from Grandma Hanna.

She gets a "squishy ball" every year - she loves, loves, loves them.

Her doll

A Frozen jewelry box

A journal and sparkly markers.

It was a wonderful Chrsitmas and were still spoiled with presents from family, even though they are far away.  We all felt very loved and grateful.  Thank you.

Christmas cooking

I felt like this was our first real Christmas away from family.  Our first Christmas we had just moved here and I was sick for all of December - so we just had an easy Christmas - I kind of just wrote it off in my head as a missed year.  Than last year we were back in Utah for my brother, Daniel's, wedding.  

I was pretty stressed about it.  Christmas is a big deal in my family.  Most of my favorite childhood memories and my emotional connections to my family and heritage mostly center around Christmas - well, Christmas eve specifically.  I wanted the same for my children.  I couldn't recreate it with family - so I just recreated it with food.  ha.

Also, it became a proving ground for myself.  My whole life I have had other women provide me with a wonderful Christmas and wonderful Christmas food and treats - whether it be my mother, my grandmother, or my aunts - I have mostly been able to sit on the couch and socialize while other people did the planning, preparing, shopping, cooking, and cleaning for me.  I just assumed one day I would step into that role - and gradually over the years I did.  For example I would be asked to bring dip and a bag of chips and if they really trusted me I would be asked to bring jello.  But as a second or third generation member of the family I was never expected to do much.  But I always assumed that one day I would be one of the women in the kitchen.  But could I really do it?  Would I want to do it?  Would I be selfless enough to give my relaxing wonderful Christmas away and replace it making a relaxing and wonderful Christmas for other people?  I needed to know.  I needed to prove that I could do it - and that I could do it happily and love it.

Between Christmas eve and Christmas day I made: Sugar cookies (cut out and frosted), garlic cream chip dip, dill chip dip, French toast, garlic sirloin roast, breaded shrimp, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, corn bread, ginger bread cake with Lemon pudding and fresh whipped cream, Aebleskivers, bacon, sausage, orange juice, hot chocolate (a really fancy from scratch kind), scrambled eggs, hash browns, fruit salad, spiral ham, funeral potatoes, dinner rolls, onion rings, caesar Salad, grilled brussel sprouts and asparagus, and french silk pie.  I LOVED every minute of it!  It was so much work - and so much cleaning (Jason did most of the dishes) - but I really felt great doing it.  I don't think I will ever do it again (that much if it is only our family.)  Jason is a minimalist by nature and all that food just for our family made his head spin.

We did have one family over for Christmas dinner.  The Neyenhuis' - they were a delight!