It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas...

Actually, at this moment, maybe the title should be "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas".  As I type, the snow is falling and is supposed to continue to fall...all night.  We are supposed to get about a foot of snow this weekend and we are gearing up to be hunkered down for most of tomorrow.  Dinner is cooking (along with chocolate chip cookies!), Christmas movies are being watched and games are being played...BRING ON THE SNOW!!!!  Dave will of course have to work tomorrow at some point to get rid of the snow at the church but for now, we are cozy warm as the snow falls outside.  Over the past couple of weeks, we have been preparing for Christmas with the tree, decorations and of course the great Christmas Heist last night.  Here are just a few pictures to capture our moments.  We have simplified this year a bit and what a blessing.  The calendar is less full, the house is decorated simply and we are just enjoying the season.  

 The kids got into decorating the tree even more this year.  I hardly decorated at all.  They did a pretty good job and I think their favorite part was seeing all the ornaments we have gotten them over the years.

 Caleb was a huge help with the tree.  It has even been his responsibility to make sure it has enough water each day.  He has really stepped up to taking over daddy's job ;-)

 So Hannah was setting up the toy manger scene under the tree and then I asked what she was doing with each of them in these toy bowls.  She said they were playing bumper cars!  When I asked why Jesus couldn't be in his own toy bowl, she replied matter-of-factly, "Well, Jesus can't drive so he has to ride with his mommy."  This girl makes me laugh at least once every day!

Hannah has become quite the little baker.  Here she is helping with the chocolate chip cookies.  It is a Libby tradition to make chocolate chip cookies on our first snow day of the season.  She loves put on her little apron to cook with me.

We hope you and  your family are also enjoying the season and stressing over the gifts, food or Christmas cards.  Take time to simply ENJOY celebrating our Savior.  

Look Out World...I'm 2!

It's so hard to believe that Jonas turned 2 in November.  He is looking like such a big boy now!  He loves everything elephants, joining in on anything the big kids are doing and loves to sing.  It's hilarious to hear him just start humming a song from a movie that he watched with the kids.  Not that he has been an unhappy kid but lately, he has been much happier and I think it's just because he is able to do more and communicate more.  He has a smile that will melt your heart, I promise...Happy Birthday my little man!

 When you have a 2 year old with three older siblings, there is no such thing as only celebrating on the party day.  They wanted to make cupcakes for Jonas on the actual day of his birthday.  So with his blue frosted goodness, here he is!  I am still in awe of the fact that he is already 2!

 Gee, do you think he enjoyed it?!?!

 About a week after his actual birthday, we had a party with family and friends.  We went with a circus/elephant theme.  There was LOTS of popcorn in the machine and plenty of cake and cupcakes to go around!  A very fun day that I think Jonas enjoyed.  Dave and I got him this stuffed elephant for his birthday and I can't believe how much he loves it.  He makes the elephant sound whenever he wants it.  So cute!

 Seriously, this kid can't get enough elephants so of course Auntie Lauren made an awesome cake for her nephew.  The ears, trunk and legs are made out of sugar cookies.  She is SO talented!!!  And of course the joke of the day: "There's only way to eat an elephant...

one bite at a time!"

 Jonas in his elephant hat feeding his "pet" elephant some cake.  It's no wonder this kid's favorite movie is "Horton Hears a Who"!

 Jonas LOVED everyone singing Happy Birthday to him.  Every time we light a candle in the house (birthday candle or not), he starts singing...adorable.

And what 2 year old doesn't need his own robe...he wore this around all morning like a 

little old man!