Christmas 2013 Part I

 Our biggest tree yet.  It almost couldn't fit the darn thing through the front door.

 Noodle (our Elf on the Shelf) is back and the boys are thrilled. They are both already early risers but now they are early risers on a mission to find Noodle every morning. 

 Noodle brought the boys cookies one morning

 Noodle brought magic seeds that they boys got to plant in flour and sugar

 And this is what "grew" the next morning. - BLUE CANDY CANES!!

 Lane loved it!

 One morning Noodle took over the role of Santa

 And another morning he was a farmer in a tractor.

 These cuties didn't know that we were taking them to Monticello to the Polar Express- we kept it a surprise until we arrived there-oh boy did I have fun with this!

 The Polar Express was not only exciting for the boys but just as exciting for myself and Jason. We had a great time. They really pay close attention to detail which made it all worth the long trip over there.I loved that they gave us authentic looking tickets.

 And their conductors we just as authentic and convincing. Carried lanterns just like the movie.

 This was our first ride on the Polar Express so we were anxiously awaiting our departure. 

 Lane was excited and entertained throughout the entire train ride- so was his puppy. This is a puppy he got last Christmas and didn't pay a bit of attention to it until about a month ago. Now he goes everywhere with this puppy. He has since added to his take along posse. He now takes "lil bear" (which is a little teddy bear in a matt holiday jersey) and baby Jesus (from the lil people nativity set) everywhere too.

 CLASSIC PIC

 They gave every passenger hot chocolate and cookies. 

 They had these young ladies dancing in the isles and they played Christmas carols for all to sing on the way to the "North Pole."

 Santa then came to every train car and visited with the kids on board. He gave them all  these cute little Polar Express bells. Grant loved his so much.

 Lane was my helper a few weeks ago at JcPenny. The MOPS (mom's group) I am involved in volunteered to ring bells for the Salvation Army...so I took Lane with me to help me ring the bells. He wanted less to do with the actual ringing of the bell but he did enjoy seeing people come and go. He never spoke a word to anyone directly but once they were outside he would say, "thank you merry christmas." I should have recorded it because it was precious.

 The Fricke family was stricken with the flu bug. The first round we all got it within a few days of each other but this last time only Grant was down with it. Lane was so sweet with him. He was right by his side...patting his back, covering him up with blankets, sharing his cheerios, and giving him lots of hugs.  It was the sweetest thing.  I figured he was most likely already exposed to the germs anyways and if he was going to get it he was going to get it...I couldn't bare the thought of telling him to NOT be so sweet.

 Grant had his school Christmas program last week. He did a fantastic job. It's always so fun to see him with his classmates.

 He's been practicing these songs since October so he had them down pat and if I must say....I am kind of glad it's over so maybe he can STOP singing The Twelve Days of Christmas and mix it up with something else.

 Lane was very entertained and didn't make a peep the entire time

 He just sat as still as could be and watched the little ones sing

 Of course he had a tight hold of someones ear the entire time.

 Grant all dressed up for his program

 Both boys in their Sunday best-they sure are handsome aren't they?

 This was taken at the Polar Express. Sorry these pictures don't go in order-some are from my cell and some from my camera.

 Dancing and cheering for Santa

 Checking out their punched tickets

 The conductor came by to cuddle Lane's puppy-he thought that was neat.

 Lane did get frightened of the man who played the part of the hobo. I have to admit he was a bit loud and over the top-kind of frightened me too.

 Grant loved watching the dancers-maybe a bit too much.

 Jason doesn't like to be in the pictures I post but I had to post this one because of GRANT. This was the second Santa stepped on our car. LOOK AT THAT EXCITED EXPRESSION!!!

 And Lane got excited too!

 Now, once Santa stopped to talk -Lane's excitement and enthusiasm was quickly lost. He didn't care for Santa sneaking up behind him like that.

 The Polar Express experience was continued at the VFW across the street...where they had games and train tables set up for the kids to play with .

 You know it's serious business if he has his tongue out.

 He spent FOREVER playing with this.

 This is my first of probably many Christmas crafts -I collected pine cones and sprayed them with adhesive and sprinkled glitter on them-

 Made them into ornaments and hung them on our tree

 Another picture of Grant when he was home from school with the flu

 A picture of Lane when he was down with the flu bug

I love this picture!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got our tree a week earlier this year because the tree farm we go to every year has a shortage of good trees this season- first time we had our tree up before Thanksgiving.

Lane had to go to his two year checkup. Would you believe this kid is in the 99th percentile in his height and 30th in his weight? Maybe he will be our basketball player?

Noodle is a clever little guy-he made this miniature countdown chain

Normally I am number #5 or #6 in line to see Santa (because I am crazy like that) but this year we waiting until later in the morning to go to give the boys time to rest (Grant was just coming off of the flu) and so we got #74 this year.  Jason HATES going to this every year and it's not a walk on the beach for me either but I do love to see my boys smile...and what makes a kid (especially tractor lovin boys) happier than seeing Santa and TRACTORS?

Lane really wanted to get a tractor from Santa but just wouldn't budge to go retrieve it from him

Grant loved it

Annual trip to Arends Awe to see Santa

Grant and I made this gingerbread house

He loved his gift!

This is the Thomas the Train roller coaster we got Lane for his birthday present

This has nothing to do with Christmas but the fact that it is taking up a ton of room in our dinning room-and when I try to admire our Christmas tree I am distracted by this eye sore. I am "letting it go" though because I know one day (all too soon) I will be sad that our home is no longer filled with all of these little boy toys.

Sick with the flu

Now that Grant is learning to read at school -this is often what he spends his time doing. He loves to play school and read with Lane

Precious picture- again I wish I could take a photography class to learn how to capture beautiful pictures-I feel my camera has the ability to do wonderful things but the operator just doesn't have a clue

Goofy boy

Grant was happy to hear that Santa is a Cardinals fan- he told Grant that he watched the World Series with his reindeer while eating popcorn. Grant giggled about this for the longest time.

This was his expression when I asked him if he wanted to try again to sit on Santa's lap. He does this lip drop thing quite often actually-

Lane didn't want to sit on Santa's lap but he sure loved the candy cane the big guy gave him

Mallory and Lane -holding hands trying to get the heck out of dodge after an unpleasant visit with Santa Claus. LOL

 Noodle colored Grant and Lane a picture one morning-it was a picture of Grant and Lane-the boys got a kick out of this!

 Grant rang bells for the Salvation Army too- he counted that in two hours he made $60!! Not bad -not bad at all. He is a fun little kid!

Even though I got a late start at things this year (I think I was too consumed with Lane's train birthday party) I did manage to have all of my shopping finished early again. My goal is to always get it finished before December 1st so to leave the entire 25 days before Christmas to just enjoy all of the festivities. What do I mean by festivities? Everything from watching the Christmas tree from under a blanket on the couch, to attending school and church programs, going to see Santa, baking cookies and gingerbread houses, taking a drive to see the light displays...EVERYTHING! It's just too difficult to fully enjoy these activities if you are constantly stressing over what Christmas presents to buy whom and which store has the best sale.  My approach is to just GET IT DONE and ENJOY! Jason and I have enjoyed watching ABC FAMILY Christmas movies together and although we watch these same movies together year after year I feel they only get better. National Lampoons, Home Alone, and It's A Wonderful Life are MUST SEES each and every December. And then we have the Christmas cartoons-the boys just love Charlie Brown and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! It's so awesome to watch our boys take in all of the sights and sounds of the season.  The wonder and the magic of it all can be seen every time I look in their little eyes. Grant is especially into our Elf on the Shelf this year.  I love the memories we are creating for them...and hope that they are such wonderful memories that they choose to share them with their children some day.  There are a few sad parts about the Christmas season- 1) it always goes by so quickly 2) it has been too commercialized and often the focus isn't at all on CHRIST. Makes me wonder if we will every get back to the simplicity and true spirit of Christmas. Until next time....Merry Christmas!!!!