Every once in a while, we have "movie night". Above, Joshua and Andrew prepare for the movie by cuddling together on the rocking chair.
Caleb seemed to enjoy the snacks a lot, while Joshua was totally engrossed in the movie.
In recent years with the addition of children to our family and travelling and church, it seems that playing on Christmas Day, at least at our home, has become a lost art. Fortunately, this year Christmas fell on a Monday and we were able to spend a couple of hours playing at home with the new toys before we had to pack up and head off again. Here are Caleb and Joshua assembling their new Lego trucks. They required some help from Mom & Dad, but they really enjoyed the challenge!
Caleb and Joshua received a hockey table game from Grandpa & Grandma Voth. After we set it up, it seems that Auntie Lynne & Auntie Lorretta took over the game!! Actually, they were showing the boys how to manage all the men on the table - easier said than done! The boys were very impressed with their new toy!
The other pictures I took at G&G Voth's didn't turn out too well because of the flash. Hopefully next year....
Andrew checking out his present from Santa. He doesn't look too thrilled now, but he enjoys playing with it from time to time.
This is what Caleb wanted for Christmas!! A scooter! Wow! How did Santa know? Caleb had said the night before when we were putting out cookies and Coke for Santa, "But we didn't go to the store to tell Santa what we wanted!" Poor Santa had his work cut out for him this year - first of all, we don't have a chimney, so last year the question was "How will Santa get into our house?" and this year he had to figure out all on his own what the boys wanted.
Now THIS is a look a parent likes to see on Christmas morning. Joshua was a little tougher to buy for. He kept changing his mind about what he wanted for Christmas. Some days, he said he wanted a school bus, but he already has several. We did get him a school bus, as you'll see, but I (I mean SANTA) also found a Toronto Maple Leafs bus at Zellers.
TWO BUSSES FROM SANTA!!! What more could a 4 year old boy ask for?
A toque. Couldn't find the matching Toronto Maple Leafs toque, but he loves this toque anyway. It frames his chubby little face perfectly!
Caleb and Joshua helping Daddy open...PIZZA? for Christmas?? We cleverly disguised one of his favourite snacks - a Cheerios snack mix - with wads of newspaper in this pizza box.
Here's Andrew getting into his barn. It makes sounds. It seems that every year, or maybe every two or three years, toy companies come out with a slightly better, slightly different toy that you just HAVE to buy if you're a good parent. (No, I actually DON'T believe that.) And of course, all these toys require more and more batteries. This sure is different from the Fisher Price barns we grew up with. The animals come with actual hair!! They are very cute!
Opening at Grandpa & Grandma Bergman's on Christmas Eve - Joshua is just warming up to the giant task ahead of him.
Caleb didn't need a warm up. He had been primed and ready to go for hours. Presents...FINALLY!!
Andrew giving his puppy a hug; carrying around a little bag with some Thomas booties.
Uncle David finally made the blog. Doesn't he look thrilled? I'm sure he was as terrified as Grandma B. to be included in the pictures, thinking that I must post each and every picture I take on my blog! Just for that, here you are!
The boys got 2 DVD's - Cars and The Three Musketeers (Disney). Next year they'll be asking for a TV and a DVD player for their room.
Joshua got small Hot Wheel monster truck pull backs (among many other things). Instant hit!
Check out Andrew's feet - he got one pair of slippers (the grey) and one pair of booties (the blue). And of course, he's into the other toys, not too interested in what he got for Christmas at this point.
Here's what happened on Christmas Eve, at Grandpa & Grandma Bergman's, before we opened presents. Andrew's favourite toy, above.
Grandma Bergman inflicted a scary movie on the boys instead of giving them sugar ;-)
Wow! Mike's sleeping! (hope you can note my sarcasm).
Grandma B. tried to get Joshua to nap with her - hehe! Joshua had other ideas. He read Grandma some books in bed. It was cute!
While the other two were in bed, Caleb played with this car. I can't believe they left the huge pile of presents alone for 4 hours while Andrew napped. They did very well!
Talk about a peaceful winter's nap. Here's Andrew napping with his puppy in the playpen. He didn't even flinch when I took this picture, and the flash on my camera is really bright & annoying!
Today was the last day of school for 2006. Caleb and Joshua partied at school. Their teacher made the blue ornaments for them. She also gave them each a Christmas card! The other ornament is from my good friend Marilisa - I have five more similar to it.
Andrew enjoying a "long winter's nap" that was rudely interrupted after this priceless picture.
Caleb entertaining his second-cousin, baby Ella.
At the school Christmas Musical. Caleb's class performed the "Sugar Plum Fairy" song. The girls were sugar plum fairies, the boys were princes.
Here's our Little Prince.
And here's our star! Joshua made the funniest little star. He was the loudest child singing in his class. He knew all the words and all the actions.
This is from the Grand Finale - I was fortunate enough that Caleb and Joshua were placed by each other, so I could take this picture. It was another great Christmas concert!
I got the idea to make a wooden Nativity scene several years ago when we were visiting my cousin Barb (mine is nowhere near as cute as that one that inspired me). A friend of hers had made the cutest little wooden scene with chunky wood figures. As I was contemplating what to do for the boys for their Advent calendar this year, I thought of a 24 or 25 piece Nativity scene. I've never liked the idea of starting the day off with sugar, and Hot Wheels cars kind of loose their appeal after a while. So I came up with the crazy idea to make my own Nativity scene.
I don't know if you can see every piece clearly, but there is supposed to be 25 pieces. One piece is the barn. And if you're counting, each wise man holds a gift, which is separate from the wiseman. Andrew has sucked on at least two presents already. Joshua helped me paint the barn as well. I used a LOT of brown paint. In fact, painting was on hold for a few days until I could get to Michael's to replenish my brown paint supply.
The brown thing in front of Joseph is supposed to be a chicken - I know, it looks more like a duck. If I ever make another (years from now!!), I will have to work on my chicken sketch. Never mind how stressed out I got over my cows! I only added the pink noses later, after I thought I was done, but I couldn't get a good cow face drawn on! I think the pink noses work well. Anyway, with Christmas baking done and my Nativity scene completed, I THINK I'm ready for Christmas. Oh wait, I still have Christmas shopping. And another Christmas party tonight. And the boys' Christmas program tomorrow at school. And another family gathering on Saturday. I'm looking forward to next Christmas when I'll have NOTHING to do...and I say that every year, and come November, I come up with yet another GREAT project to take up all my free time!
I apologize to my small blogging contingent for slacking off during December. I thought with all the great photo ops at this time of the year, I'd be blogging non-stop!! Unfortunately, life has been more than busy, filled with sick children, appointments, school, walking boys to school & home, Christmas concerts and rehearsals, sick children, family gatherings, Christmas baking, Christmas shopping, sick children, walking boys to school and home...am I missing something? Oh, I finally finished my Nativity scene!! That took a little bit of work.
On Tuesday evenings, we are involved in an Alpha gathering, put on specifically for Youth for Christ floor hockey players. I am involved with the children's side of things. There are usually 8 to 10 young children who are present, ranging in ages from 19 months to 5 years old. There are no unchurched children involved yet, but hopefully that will be yet to come, as this church plant extends more into the community we live in. Here is a sampling of pictures from last Tuesday's Alpha.
That evening, I had the children dress up to re-create the first Christmas.
as the angels.