Christmas Day 2014

Ethan woke first at 7am (a normal time for him to wake up)...

He actually remembered it was Christmas morning and was anxious to go downstairs...

We went in to wake up Toddy and Colton also woke up with all the hustle and bustle...

I would have to say that this was the first Christmas that Ethan "really got it"...

The look on his face was priceless...

He could not get over all the loot .

Christmas morning feels a lot more like it use to when I was a kid again...

Just love seeing my little boys excited and having fun with their new toys.

 Aunty Shayna came over around 7:30am...

She is such a good aunty to my kidos...

She doesn't want to miss anything!

 Colton in good spirits after eating even though he has a terrible cough and cold

My mom always got a picture of the loot under the tree...
As a kid I remember arranging all the presents under the tree for my mom to take a picture...
I will carry on this tradition...A great way to see what everyone got!

Colton loves his snuggles with daddy...The warmth puts him right out!

We headed over to my mom and dads around 10am for bruch and more Christmas fun

My parents Christmas tree...
My mom does such a beautiful job decorating her house for Christmas

 
Christmas hat for Colton

After opening presents and having brunch we were lazy around the house in our PJ's sleeping, watching movies and playing with toys...My parents host Christmas dinner so all my dad's side of the family were over later that day...Joe wasn't there this year with the kids so we missed them this year.  It was good to catch up with the extended family...

Ethan with his cousin Lucus

We had a beautiful Christmas this year!

Christmas Eve

The morning of Christmas eve Ethan found a note with Dasher...
We read it and in it Dasher said that Santa said it would OK for the boys to hug him today...
Dasher said he loved them and will miss them but will be back next year...

Ethan was very surprised and excited about being able to touch Dasher, as the normal rule is no touching...He hugged and talked to Dasher all day and later that night said goodbye and wished him all the best until next year!

We headed over to Grampa and Grandma Hofstetter's in the early afternoon...

Ethan and Toddy were very excited to enjoy some family times together...

Not to mention the food, treats and presents...

 Colton enjoying some sweet potato and turkey

Looks like Ethan is enjoying the yummy Christmas dinner

I asked Toddy to smile and this was his pose...What a character

 Turkey has set in and daddy and Colton had a little nap upstairs

New markers

After having Christmas with the Hofstetters we came home and the kids 

opened their Christmas PJ's...

This year I picked up the PJ's at Value Village and washed them up...

They looked practically new and a grand total of $10 for the 3 pair!

We put cookies and milk out for Santa and added a carrot for rudolph...

Ethan and Toddy sprinkled reindeer food on the lawn (Ethan made this blend at school)

Ethan painted Santa a picture which he left as well...

Then the kids said bye to Dasher with plenty of kisses and hugs

The kids watched a couple Christmas cartoons...

With all the excitement that day Toddy soon became tired and was starting to meltdown
so I took him upstairs and we snuggled together on the top bunk bed
 as I read some Christmas stories to him...
I really enjoyed that alone time with Toddy that Christmas eve...

Soon after Todd fell asleep Nate and I got Ethan ready for bed with more stories and cuddles...

It was almost 10pm by the time Ethan fell asleep...

Colton had a cough/cold so I got him to sleep but I was up a few times with him that night!

After all the kids were down Nate and I put on a Christmas movie and cracked open a fruit sparkler in which we enjoyed in a wine glass with a cheers for our 2014 Christmas eve...

I felt like my mom arranging all the Christmas loot...

I just love the special feeling that comes with the Christmas season...

Nate and I both have very fond Christmas memories as children that we talked about that night...

Apparently my dear husband use to find and sneak a peak at all his gifts before Christmas...

His Santa use to wrap all the gifts...My Santa would just place them unwrapped around the stocking...His family was allowed to open their stocking once they woke up but would gather together to do all the wrapped gifts...My family use to wait for everybody to get up before we entered the living room where all the loot was...
Nate and I both remember some early Christmas mornings...Our poor parents!!

I found myself wondering that evening (like I did last year)
if keeping the magical secret about Santa was the "right thing" for my kids...

I never lie to them so I cringe a bit when we talk about Santa...

I need to put more thought into this because on one hand I want my kids to enjoy the childish magic of Christmas but on the other had I don't want to lie to them
or make them sad one day when they "find out"!

Can the child like magic still be there without Santa being real?

Ethan's 1st School Christmas Production - It was "Beary Good"

Ethan and the JK/SK classes were Panda Bears for the Christmas production...

Ethan has been singing 

"Panda, Panda, Pandemonium...

Panda, Panda, Pandemonium...

Pandas on the left, Pandas on the right

Pandas all black and white"

Or something like that...

As you can see from the pictures, 

Ethan was excited to be at school at night with his daddy, mommy, 

aunty Shayna and her boyfriend Travis!

He was a very cute little Panda Bear!

Ethan's Class

Nativity 2014

This year the whole family was able to take part in the nativity production through the church...

With Nathan's new job and schedule (days with flexibility) this is just one of the many things we now get to do as a family.  Last year Nathan's work schedule didn't allow him to take part.

Last year my mom, Ethan, Todd and my pregnant self participated...
However it was more special this year to have Nathan with us!

We had so much fun being able to play a part of this beautiful story of our saviors birth... 

Last year the kids had so much fun that I think this will be a family tradition...
It's a great way to remind us of the true meaning behind Christmas.

Ethan told me he wanted to be an angel this year...

So when we went to sign up Ethan was put down as an angel,
Nate agreed to be a wise man (what a good sport),
and the little ones and I as townspeople...

Things changed at the first practice because Ethan was scared to be with the angels 

and so far away from me...He decided to switch to join us in the town.  

Ethan and Todd made so many new friends and reunited with others from last year...

It was so sweet to watch how excited the kids were and 

how kind all the older kids were to my little men...

Ethan said that Aaron Puddicombe, Bret Hill and the Bridge girls are his new best friends...

Todd warmed up to the oldest Thorne boy, Devon and the above mentioned big kids as well.

  

The amount of children that were around to play with and run around with between practice and the shows made for a very wild ride that my boys and I will not forget.  

Until next year nativity!

 

Junior Kindergarten update

School has been an adjustment for my little E...

The first couple of days of school Ethan appeared eager and excited, 

however it didn't take long for his feelings to change...

After his second day of school he said to me after I picked him up from the bus stop...

 "I don't want to go to school anymore Mom it's too long and I miss you too much"

gulp...oh no I thought to myself

The rest of Sept and October was spent giving Ethan lots of time and patience...

We realized how difficult this change in his life was on him...

I remember one evening spending some extra cuddle time with him at bedtime...

That night I will never forget how he looked at me with his 

beautiful crystal blue eyes that were tearing up and said... 

"mom I'm too little for this"

I let him cry while I held him and validated his feelings...

Which is so hard for me to do because I just wanted to tell him 

it's OK and everything will be OK...

During this time I struggled on what was best for Ethan...

My heart was telling me to keep him home for anther year,

but my brain was saying to stick with it a little longer as he might grow to enjoy school.

I knew Ethan was ready for school and with winter approaching 

I felt Ethan would get board at home...

Keeping him busy and active in summer is one thing...

 but during the winter (with a baby and toddler) I knew it would be much more difficult. 

I was worried about my little man during this time...

It was hard to see him sad and it was hard to see him struggle...

Some things we did to help Ethan during this time was

spending special one on one time with Ethan...

Ethan and I would plan activities for after school that he could look forward to.

We also gave him break days from school...

This and being with him while he let out his emotions 

to all help him through this difficult time...

The two pictures below were taken on a Thursday at the beginning of October...

It was a particular day that Ethan just seemed sad after getting off the bus...

I talked to Nate about watching Toddy and Colton while I spent time with Ethan...

I told him I would do whatever he wanted to do...

We played outside in the front then just as the sun started to set I followed him to the park while he rode his plasma car...Some kids from his bus were there so he played for a bit then we went back home...Then he wanted to do crafts and have a snack...So out came the paints and he pained about 20 pinecones...By 10pm he was ready for bed...So I cuddled and talked to him until he fell fast asleep.

So proud of my little man!  

It is now the middle of  December and Ethan just loves school...

Around November Ethan really started to look forward to school...

He loves his teachers, especially Ms Spence

I am so curious about his days at school and ask everyday...

I can't say I get too much of the scoop but just seeing him happy just makes me feel great...

Sometime while cuddling with him at night he will start talking about his day unprompted...

I just love hearing him talk about his experiences and thoughts...

So so proud and happy for my little man!

During a visit to the school this is what was hanging up on a bulletin board outside of their classroom...
Now that looks like a happy Ethan!