Recap of Christmas Break 2014

Christmas Break was full of lots of events and activities this year.  We had to squeeze in a visit to Santa to make sure he knew exactly what Kate and Will were wishing for for Christmas.   This year, Kate asked for an IPod Touch and Will asked for the Skylanders Trap team game.

Last year, Nana and Papa gave Kate and Will one of those recordable books of The Night Before Christmas.  They love listening to their voices tell one of their favorite stories and were eager to dig out the book for this year.

Will received a new sled this year.  It took quite a long time to get enough snow to use it.  But once he was able to give it a whirl he LOVED IT!

We have our little family Christmas on Xmas eve Day and then head over to Williamsburg for the holiday with the          Von Ahsen side of the family.

Kate and Will did an art fundraiser this year where we ordered a piece of artwork on coffee cups and mouse pads for the grandparents.  Papa loved his new coffee cup.

Nana got a new bike helmet this year. Safety first is new to Nana...... as you can see, she was a little confused and put her helmet on backwards when she tried it on for the 1st time. 

Kate and Will were super excited to venture down the hill to Grandma Schaefer's house to celebrate Xmas with the Schaefer/Van Zee family. 

Always lots of help with opening gifts.

Uncle Brad gave Will a full Hawkeye football uniform and he put the awesome outfit on immediately!!



Kate continues to enjoy adding to her American Girl Doll Collection and her extensive wardrobe.

I realize this is out of order..... But before we left Des Moines,  Santa rode by on the Clive Fire Truck once again this year.   Every year I forget about his visit and end of racing out onto the driveway with the kids when we hear the fire siren coming down the street. 

And "The Buck" arrived at our house too!   We have a little game going on in our neighborhood where we "pass the buck" from family to family in the neighborhood.  Each family enjoys the buck visit for a few days and then delivers it to another family's front porch without getting caught.  This is the 3rd year for the neighborhood buck and this year he has become quite stylish!!

And finally, to add to our neighborhood festivities, several other moms and I took our kids caroling one evening.  This was the first time we have gone caroling and weren't quite sure how the kiddos would do.  Well,  THEY DID GREAT!!!  They had their few favorite carols that were repeated quite often, but loved ringing the doorbells and seeing the smiles on everyone's face when they answered the door!   Then everyone came back to our house for cookies and hot cocoa to warm up before heading home. 

Jack our elf left the kids new Xmas jammies again while we were gone to our Xmas Eve service at church. 

Our tradition at my Mom and Dad's house is to cook steak and lobster for Christmas Eve.  Will didn't quite remember how the lobsters were cooked from last year and was quite puzzled at first.

Once he realized that the lobsters would be boiled in the pot of hot water he got a little upset.  He was very worried that we were hurting the lobsters.   Daddy reassured Will that the lobsters couldn't feel anything. 

Finally, on our last night in W'burg, we decided to play a family game of Pictionary.  Some of our family members were not too excited about the whole family game idea at first. 

BUT....... it ended up being tons of fun and everyone got really excited and competitive with the each other.  I definitely think we may adding family game to the agenda again next year!!