Hanging out with the boys today

I think we all started to feel the rush of Christmas today, we all woke up exhausted today. After my early am workout I showered and went back to bed to cuddle with Nathan because I was cold and landed up sleeping until 9, how great is that! So the rest of the day the kiddos have been playing with their gifts and watching movies, it's really cold out so a nice relaxing day indoors is exactly what we all needed.
So as the new year approaches I can't help but smile. I like so many am eager to see this year behind me, it's been unusually hard with lots and lots of changes. The first big ( I mean HUGE!) change was that my teenage step-son came to live with us, and that was a huge change all in itself in less than a month I would lose my beloved grandfather, and just a few short months after that another huge loss, my papa. I am eager to start a new year and a new decade, I can't wait to see what this new year hold for us and what memories we will begin to make. I wish you all a very very Happy New Year!

let it snow...let it snow!

This week we were very blessed to receive enough snow to play in. That doesn't happen for us very often so we took full advantage of the situation, by staying home to play in it all day. Here are some fun pics of the boys enjoying the day.

Gingerbread Heaven...

A picture of the train
that circles around the whole village

This one was the kid's

favorite, it is from the

movie UP

I liked the more traditional

looking ones like this.

This creation won first

place in the church theme

category

I was able to spend some much needed quality time with Nicolas & Nathan so we decided to go to our local gingerbread village. The Prescott Resort does this every year, it is the biggest in the state. Children from across the state, schools, hotels, news agencies, newspapers, restaurants, companies you name it every one brings in a gingerbread creation to be judged and set out for hundreds maybe even thousand to admire. A working train circles the entire masterpiece it is always so much fun. It's also so amazing to see the imagination some people have and also what candy can do other than adhere itself to my hips. Isaac was not up to going that day so we will venture out again with him, I could see it everyday it never gets old and I think I see something new each time. It's given me some ideas to try at home for our own gingerbread houses. Take a peak:)

Christmas Parade

Me & the boys enjoying the parade
and not minding the really cold weatherThe kiddos loved this car...
a Rudolph slug bugThe kids are begging us to get
them one of these for the front
yard, hmm next year will it be for
the parade?I love when Christmas comes to our little town, it seems as if our little town comes alive with the spirit of the season. Our town is the state's official Christmas city. Here are some shots I took of the parade, I'm still learning how to use my new camera and the parade was a huge learning session, I still have so much to read and so much to learn but I figure the practice won't hurt either. Tonight it's off to the Courthouse lighting and tomorrow after church a walk through Bethlehem, what fun! What a blessed mommy I am to be surrounded with these wonderful boys throughout this wonderful holiday season.

Time to get into the holiday spirit

My mom with Gramps
last year.

it's hot chocolate I promise!

Missing him tons this year

but I'm sure he had a much

better view of it this year

plus I'm sure the weather

is so much warmer in heaven!

Me & the love of my life

taking it all in:)

Some pics of last year's annual Christams Parade of lights....missing my gramps this year.

I will post pics of this years parade soon, I just got a new camera and I haven't figured it all out yet so they are coming just as soon as I can.