Christmas Festivities

As I reflect upon our Christmas I am again reminded of how abundantly blessed we are.  We were hit hard this holiday season with illness.  It started just before Thanksgiving when I ended up with Hand Foot and Mouth Disease.  It was awful!  I was out nearly a week and my feet are just now recovering fully!  Lincoln then proceeded to contract bronchitis.  He had a fever of 102-104 for 5 days :-(  Due to his illness he and I missed out on Christmas with The VanFleets down in Longview. Then of course he shared with his sister and she ended up being sick on her birthday and Christmas.  In the mean time Josh somehow picked up pink eye along with a fever and sore throat causing him to miss out on Christmas with my grandparents!  That being said-I am reminded (thanks Dad...) that it could be worse!  While this holiday season was stressful, tiring, and filled with sickness, we all recovered and are healthy.  For that I am thankful.  That being said I can't sugar coat the fact that I had a few melt downs and pitty parties...  

This Christmas we did "Elf on the Shelf".  We had an Elf that Santa sent to keep an eye on the kids.  He was reporting to Santa about their behavior.  However each night the Elf ended up getting into some mischief... The kids loved it.  They were sad when Elf had to return to the North Pole... 

We started Christmas morning with a, "Happy Birthday" rendition for Jesus, stockings and gifts from Santa and of course we exchanged gifts with one another. Lincoln had been asking to open his stocking nearly every day since it went up on the mantle!   

Of course we couldn't forget presents for the dogs!  Brooklyn makes sure that when they are sleeping they each have their new blankets :-)

We started, well continued the Christmas festivities, with Chrstmas breakfast at our house.  We traditionally go to Kelly and Danette's, but with Kelly being away for work, Danette and Jessi came down for a quiet morning of food, presents, and playing.  It was so nice to relax and visit, but we did miss Papa Kelly.  

She LOVES her new stroller!  Thank's Auntie Jessi for assembling it!

We then went to my grandparents for dinner with my parents, aunts, and uncles.  The kids of course were spoiled with many gifts... 

 

Brooklyn loves Uncle Mike!  He opened all of her toys... :-)

Lincoln loved the silly string that he got in his stocking.

We ended the evening at our house.  My parents came over and visited while we opened presents.  The kids each got bikes along with an abundance of other cool toys!  We will be going through some of their old things and donating them soon!