New Year's Eve, Aquarium & Riding Giraffes?

We decided to stay at home for New Year's Eve this year.  After naps, we all got our sweats/comfy pants on and we got out our party hats and noisemakers.  We had fun playing games and eating snacks.  After we put the kids to bed, Andrew and I watched a movie, attempted to put together a puzzle and then went to bed shortly after midnight.

On Monday since Keagan was out of school and Andrew didn't have to work, we took the kids to the Aquarium that recently opened.  Keagan, of course, was afraid to even put his hand in the water, but he did have fun looking at everything.  Deker LOVED it and would touch everything.  Bauer LOVED it was well, hought it was especially cool and got really wet plaing in the water.

As I mentioned in my Christmas post, the boys got really big, cool Pillow Pets that they absolutely love.  Bauer is funny because he is just barely taller than his pillow pet Giraffe.  He thinks it is fun to hug it, put it on the ground and proceed to sit on it.  It is so funny to watch him.

Christmas Happenings

The week before Christmas and Christmas was very exciting at our house.  The boys were beyond excited and had sooo much energy, it was hard to keep somewhat calm. 
The Monday before Christmas (second to last day of school), the kindergartners got to have a PJ day and watch Polar Express.  All of Keagan's pj's were from last year or handed down and were not really suitable for walking to school/playing outside for recess.  I tried to convince Keagan that he could wear sweats and he insisted that is was Pajama Day and he needed to wear pajamas.  So, the Friday before, we stopped in at Wallyworld, found a pair of warm Pj pants and a long-sleeve black shirt.  That night, we used my Silhouette to cut a rocket shape (Keagan's choice) out of heat transfer.  He was so excited to wear PJ's to school.

We finally got around to making this Gingerbread Train kit that Andrew found and couldn't resist buying.  The boys LOVED the train. 

We started a tradition a few years back to have Christmas Tree french toast on Christmas Eve.  Andrew was at work, so I made them for the boys and they were so excited about eating their Trees. 

After Andrew was gone most of the week, I was so excited to have him home on Saturday about lunch time.  Man it is hard to keep up with three already active boys when they have the excitement of Christmas.  My Parents drove up to spend Christmas with us.  They got here on Christmas Eve afternoon.  For dinner we had Christmas Tree and Candy Cane pizza.  The boys LOVED that as well.

Our tradition of getting new PJ's for Christmas.  We made the pants and used my handy dandy Silhouette to fancy up the shirts.  They Say Dear Santa, Define "Good".

"Santa" made the boys a workbench and gave them tools to go with it.  Santa (courtesy of our friends Marshall and Brogan) also gave the boys each a tractor. 

For Breakfast we had our usual Santa Pancakes. 

All the boys loved their presents.  Some of the highlighs of the presents they each got a construction/hard hat complete with a light, new blankets (because they are huge blanket boys and Keagan and Deker's old ones were wearing out), and possibly one of their favorites Pillow Pets from Grandma & Grandpa Smith and various tractors and cars

We were so grateful on Christmas to have 11:20 church and that we didn't have to rush out the door.  It was nice to be at church on Christmas, even though I had to play about 7 songs on the Organ. 

It was so fun to have my parents here visiting and spending Christmas with them.  They had to leave on Monday because my Dad had to be back to work on Tuesday.  We all had a fantastic time with them here.