Christmas with Great Grandma Ivy

We celebrated Christmas with Grandma Ivy the Sunday after Christmas at the Travel Lodge Hotel in Moorhead. We’ve done this for a few years now and it works out great. There’s too many of us so we are unable to fit at Grandma’s house comfortably or anyone’s house! The kids, once again, had a blast. They were loud and rowdy but that’s nothing new. You get that many little kids together and they are bound to be wild! And it didn’t help that uncle Justin egged them on! Both Jacob and MaKena got lots of nice gifts from everyone. It’s crazy how fast the holidays came and went this year. I think the older I get the faster it goes!!

All the kids sitting up front waiting to open their gifts. Each year the little kids draw names and exchange gifts with each other. They love it!
Emma waiting to open her gift.

All the kids opening their gifts.

Jacob, MaKena and Karlee (on the floor)

Jacob with his gift from Emma

Uncle Steve helping MaKena with one of her gifts.

Jacob with his gift from Great Grandma Ivy.

The kids opening their gifts from Grandma Kathy.

Justin and Laura with all the little kids. Justin got the kids wound up right before everyone was getting ready to leave. We threatened to send all the kids home with him!

More goofy pictures! Notice most of the kids are eating pizza. Grandma ordered pizza for supper that night and she didn’t want to take any of it home so she put some on plates for us to take home. The rest of the pizza the kids ate while goofing around with Justin.

Justin really had them going! He would say 1, 2, 3 Pizza and the kids would say it with him. Doesn't Laura look impressed!! (From L to R: McKayla, Karlee, Karisa, MaKena, Emma, Jacob, Mallorie, Justin and Laura)

Santa Gifts

Christmas Eve night Lane and I put the kids to bed once we got home from my mom’s so Santa could visit! Jacob was so excited about Santa coming that he asked me at least 5 times if he could wake me up when he got up in the morning. For those of you who don’t know, Jacob is an early riser especially when he’s excited about something the next day. He was so excited about Santa coming that he slept in his sleeping bag on MaKena’s floor. I can’t remember what time he came in our room on Christmas day but I know it was before 8 and MaKena was still sleeping. He wasn’t happy that we had to wait for MaKena to get up before he could open his gifts from Santa. Yes, Jacob still believes although he’s asked me several times if Santa is real and my response is “What do you think” and he always says yes. So I leave it at that! MaKena finally woke up and down we went to see what Santa left the kids in their stockings.

Jacob and MaKena looking in their stockings to see what Santa left.
MaKena with her new Abby doll. (Abby is from Sesame Street)
MaKena opening her gift from Santa while Jacob watches.

MaKena loves her Barbies and the car!

Jacob opening his gift from Santa.

A new Wii game!

Daddy and MaKena cuddling on the couch watching Jacob play his new Wii game.

One sick little boy.......

Yesterday (Tuesday) Jacob was home sick with the flu. I was woken up at 4am Tuesday morning and informed that he got sick in his bed. Poor kid couldn't keep anything down. I took a couple pictures of him after he woke from his second nap. He finally had a little color back in him. I felt so bad for him. Hopefully he's good for several years!

Jacob not feeling very well.
He didn't venture too far from this chair. Only to change out of his jammies and into some shorts. Notice all the cups - he had water, Gatorade and Sprite.

Christmas with the Redfields

We celebrated Christmas with my family (the Redfields) on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately Grandma Vivian and Uncle Tom were unable to make it because of the weather which made it seem really weird this year. Mom cooked dinner for all of us and then we got ready to open gifts. The kids were very excited to start the gift opening. The kids had a blast and got a lot of nice new stuff. Jason and Jerene gave the kids bags with their names embroidered on them. Jen and Nate gave Jacob a Vikings Jersey and MaKena got a nice outfit and a Dora bathtub doll. She loves it! Grandma gave Jacob a Lego set and MaKena got a baby with clothes, diapers and potty chair. It was a good Christmas and fun spending time with family.




Jacob with his Allen Vikings Jersey from Jen and Nate. He was excited about this gift!!
Mallorie opening her gift from us. The gift opening was pretty mild at this time!

Karisa opening her gift from us. She loves Mickey Mouse Club House!

Emma showing her stickers to Mallorie.

MaKena with her new backpack from Jason and Jerene. She loves it!

MaKena opening her present from Grandma Kathy. Its a new baby that she can change the clothes and diapers. She loves her babies!

Jacob and his gift from Grandma Kathy. He loves putting his Lego's together and he really wanted this Lego set!

Our Christmas

We celebrated Christmas as a family at our house a day early this year. I think Lane was really itching to open presents and to watch the kids open their gifts. The kids had fun opening presents and did well at taking turns. Jacob even let MaKena help him open a few of his gifts. She really likes opening presents! This year Jacob was a tough one to shop for. He’s at that age where some toys are OK and others he has no interest in. And getting nothing but clothes is never fun for a 9 year old! But I think he was happy with the gifts Lane and I found for him. MaKena really liked opening the gifts! It didn’t matter if it was clothes or a doll. We did get MaKena a power wheels 4 wheel. She just loves it. Lane charged the battery and let her try it out the next day and she just loves it. She runs into a lot of stuff so we’ll really have to watch her this spring when we let her take it outside!

MaKena opening her Dora puzzle. She loves Dora!!
Jacob with his big body pillow from Dan and Mona. He loves it and so does MaKena!
MaKena opening her gift from Nana and Papa.

MaKena checking out her Cabbage Patch doll from Nana and Papa. We couldn't get it out of the box fast enough!

Jacob with his new calendar

MaKena with her Dora slippers.

Jacob with a new shirt.

MaKena with her bead maze.

Daycare Christmas Party

The in-home daycare that Jacob and MaKena go always has a Christmas party for the kids. The first year Jacob was going to Lanelle’s she had the party at the Holiday Inn. The kids got to swim and they ordered pizza and we had a good time. Last year she had it at their house and we all brought appetizers and the kids played while the adults visited. This year she had it at the Ramada and the kids were in 7th heaven again! There was a water slide that I think the kids wore out. Even MaKena went down it, with mommy or daddy of course!! They also had a neat little area for little kids to swim. MaKena loved it. She loved getting down on her knees so the water would come up to her chin. Jacob loved the water slide and couldn’t get enough. I bet he went down about 50 times, at least! The kids had a blast and were not ready to go home. They sure slept well that night!

MaKena and daddy in the little kids pool.
Daddy, MaKena, Eric and Anna splashing in the little kids pool.

Playing in the little kids pool.

This is a picture of a majority of the daycare kids. (Starting from the left: Austin, Jacob, MaKena, Laykin, Anna, Jenna, Brenden and Kooper)

One of many trips down the slide for Jacob! He sure looks like he's having fun.

Daddy and MaKena going down the slide. It was hard to get a good picture of them coming down the slide.

She's not ready to be done swimming!

Jacob enjoying the slide!

Anna and MaKena warming up!

I just loved this picture. I think Anna was telling MaKena something but it almost looks like she's going to give her a kiss! So cute!

Christmas Program

Back on December 20th, Jacob had his Sunday School Christmas program at Church. This year he was one of the 3 kings. He had a little speaking part with the other kings and he did great. He was really excited about getting to dress up for the program. Each year the 3rd graders get to dress up and are given a speaking part. I was able to snap a few pictures of him as king. Hope you enjoy.

Jacob walking in with the kids.
I'm not sure what he was doing here!! It looks like he can tell I'm taking his picture!

Jacob in his outfit.

Doesn't he look cute??!!