Birthdays and More

December is always a CrAzY month for us and this year is no exception.  I love the Spirit that is present during the Christmas Season!

I cannot get enough of those big blue eyes!

The boys asked me if they could have a Christmas tree in their room.  I didn't feel as though it would last very long so I opted for window clings from the dollar store instead.  The boys had fun putting them up.

Nathanial

both boys

Christopher

the window

We were eating cheese and summer sausage when Ryan decided to be creative and make faces out of cheese.

We decided that it was time to upgrade Emily from the Bumbo at the dinner table to a high chair. There isn't enough room on our table for food and Emily, especially since she tries to grab all the food.  With the boys we never did do a high chair but instead used a booster chair strapped to a chair.  We only have 4 kitchen table chairs so it was time to get a high chair.  A friend from the ward was giving this one away so I took it.  She looks so little in it.  She was very excited to be in it though.

Emily in her highchair

She was hungry and tired

bath time after dinner

We had such a great Thanksgiving dinner in Maryland (and the turkey was SO good) that we wanted to make it again...ours wasn't as good :(

Christopher has the saddest faces, it is hard not to smile at him :)

Ryan was studying and Emily fell asleep, I guess we know what she thinks about TMD

A new tradition added to an old tradition!  While in Maryland our friends the Brandt's gave their kids new jammies on Thanksgiving night.  I like this idea, I would live in PJ's if I could, I guess our kids have inherited that from me too.  They love jammies (you can never have too many).  Here are the jammies that I got for them.  I bought them at Costco while in Maryland. I am excited for more PJ's on Christmas Eve.

This year for our Ward Christmas program they asked families to decorate mini Christmas trees as centerpieces for the tables. I printed off various pictures of Jesus Christ's life from lds.org and made stick frames for them and strung cranberries as a garland.  I really like how it turned out.

The boys wanted a picture by the tree

On December 9th Nathanial turned 5-years-old!  I cannot believe that he is that old already.  He is growing up so fast.

Nathanial wanted a Harry Potter Birthday banner, so it is in Gryffindor colors.

Our ward Christmas party was on the night of the 9th.  Nathanial and I were in a play for the entertainment for the dinner.   It was fun to see him up on the stage.  I lost my voice the day before and sounded really bad, but they had me hooked up to a microphone so I was able to be heard.  Overall it went really well.

Our Christmas tree

I do not know the exact name of the play but it is about a Grandpa who comes to visit his family and they are all sad that they can't afford anything nice for Christmas due to the economy.  The Grandpa then tells a story about one of his Christmases when we was 8 (1930's).  His dad told his children that Santa wasn't going to be able to come due to various hardships (wheat freezing ,sawmill burning down).  The grandpa's older brother and sister (me) decide to use money that they were saving to buy new saddles to buy the family presents.  Nathanial was the grandpa's little brother.

Eddie (Sam) and Alice (Me) discussing using their "saddle" money for presents

Putting an order together

The nativity: Shepard (Nathanial) sheep (Corbin) angels (Emma and Ashlyn) Mary (Megan) Joseph (Jackson)

The Shepard and sheep

The cast singing "Joy to the World"

The next morning the 10th we woke up and went to Shaker Gardens Nursing Home to sing carols and hand out Christmas cards.

Nathanial, Christopher, and Aurora

Nathanial and Christopher (he drew on his face with black marker)

Emily was happy too!

Nathanial and his friend Peyton

After the singing was done the Primary presidency provided hot chocolate and doughnuts.

all 4 of these cute kids are in my preschool (Reagan, Christopher, Peyton, and Nathanial)

Playing with Emily

After caroling we went out to eat for Ryan and Nathanial's birthday.  We let Nathanial choose and he chose The Cheesecake Factory.  I won't complain. 

Happy Birthday Ryan and Nathanial

When we got home from lunch we had to do some last minute cleaning before Nathanial's birthday party that night.  But before the party the boys wanted Ryan to open his birthday present.

Ryan let Christopher help him

The new Zelda game plus a coupon for 12 uninterrupted hours of playing time (there is fine print with the coupon)

We weren't going to have a birthday party for Nathanial this year but he really wanted one so we decided on a Pizza, Movie, Pajama Night.  We let Nathanial invite 3 friends.  They had a lot of fun and it was super easy to set up and entertain!

Watching the movie: Conner, Christopher, Corbin, Nathanial, Dylan, and Peyton

We tried to find a Harry Potter cake but couldn't so we settled on Batman

Happy Birthday Nathanial and Daddy!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Nathanial, happy birthday to you!

Blowing out the candles

After we ate cake and ice cream it was time for presents.  Nathanial wanted to save all of his presents for his party so he didn't open any on his actual birthday, talk about a kid with self-control!

A Captain America Shield from Peyton

Spongebob Junior Yahtzee from Dylan and Conner

A hex bug from Corbin

A bow and arrow from Christopher

A Mario Kart Shirt from Mom and Dad

Angry Bird from Toys-R-Us' Geoffry Birthday Club

A Lego Harry Potter Set from Mom and Dad and Nathanial used some of his birthday money too.

Emily wanted to shoot the bow and arrow

One Happy Boy

Ryan and Nathanial working on the castle.  It brought back many memories for Ryan

Ryan says that this is the most complex/largest set that he has put together.  There are 1290 pieces and 3 instruction manuals.

Ryan and Nathanial stayed up past mid-night working on this.  They still have a TON more to go!
Nathanial and Ryan appreciated all the cards and notes sent for their birthdays.  Nathanial has liked sharing his birthdays with his dad, that way he gets 2 birthdays.
One night Nathanial came up with what he thought was a brilliant idea he said,"Daddy I have an idea, every day when it's December it should be my birthday even when it's not my birthday."

Nathanial's 5-year Stats:

Height: 43.7 inches (3 feet 7 1/2 inches

Weight: 39.2 lbs

Blood Pressure: 100/58