Christmas in Indiana

We are loving our time with family in Indiana!!

Opening gifts from our incredible family!  You guys are so generous!

Playing in the wrappings and paper!  (Again, not sure why blogger turned this picture!)

Alex and his Mimi

Marlene (our awesome new sister in law!!), Kathy, Alex and Shaun (Benny's older brother)

Andrew getting bundled up in his new snow suit from his uncle Kyle to play in the snow.

In the snow with Daddy!  Andrew wasn't so sure about the snow...maybe he'll warm up to it before we leave!

Alex and Kathy.

Andrew, Kathy and Alex.

Marlene, Shaun, Kyle, me, Alex, Benny, Kathy and Andrew.

Shaun, Aunt Pat, Kyle, me and Alex, Benny, Kathy, Andrew and Uncle John.

We are loving our time here, and are definitely bummed that we don't get to see all of you more often!!

Christmas in Virginia

Our original plans for Christmas changed a bit last minute because a big snow storm was supposed to be coming through the midwest.  I was supposed to work Christmas Eve from 7pm-7am.  We were going to open presents when I got home in the morning, then I was on call from 7pn-11pm and we were going to leave in the morning of the 26th for Indiana to spend time with Benny's family.  Instead, we quickly opened presents on Christmas Eve, we finished packing, I worked from 11pm-1:45am, we left at 9:45am on Christmas Day and arrived in Lafayette at 10:45pm.  We were SO thankful for two of my wonderful coworkers who volunteered to cover my shifts so that we could leave early, and watched the snow fall ALL day on the 26th.  

Alex ready to open gifts at home in Virginia on Christmas Eve.  (not sure why blogger turned this picture!)

Reading the Christmas Story from Andrew's Bible before we opened presents.

Andrew opening gifts from Mommy and Daddy, as well as Grandma and Grandpa (my parents).

Reading his new "flap books" from Grandma and Grandpa.  

We decided that opening presents for Andrew could have taken all day...he was so excited about each gift that we had to pull him away from one to make him open another!

Discipleship

One morning when Andrew had been in Alex's room, he grabbed the Bible and said, "Read...Alex...Bible story!"

 

Next, he carried the Bible out to the kitchen where Alex was laying on the floor, sat next to him, and began flipping through the pages of the Bible.  I pray that this is just the beginning of the sweet conversations they have about the best book in the world!!

 

Christmas Cookies!

Baking Christmas cookies was always a favorite for me this time of year when I was growing up, so we wanted to introduce Andrew to the fun this year!

 

He is such a big helper!  Here he is using the measuring spoon to eat some of the flour off of the counter...yummy!  We always made a few different types of cookies every year...this night we were making sugar cookies!

 

The best part!  Licking the beater!

Alex really enjoyed making cookies, too!



This night we made press (or spritz) cookies.  Andrew loved to press the red hots into the dough!

 



 

And this is why you don't leave a two year old alone with the sprinkles...even for a second!!

We love sharing these fun holiday traditions with our boys!

Alex is Three Months Old!

November 30, 2012!

 

Daddy Time

These boys are blessed with an incredible Daddy!

 

Sleepy boys...(Andrew always falls asleep in the car on the way home from church)

 

Reading books together...



Trick or Treating

We did trick or treating in the dorms at Bridgewater College! 

Andrew the train conductor...

 

And Alex the monkey...

 

Andrew was a little timid at the first few rooms we went to...

 

But then really warmed up! He kept saying, "Blue can-day?  Blue suck-uh?"  At the end of the evening, at least the wrapper of most of the candy was blue

Family Day!!

November 3rd was the first Saturday since August that we got to spend the day together as a family, so we definitely took advantage of it!!

 

We had a big breakfast together, and then went to the Harrisonburg Children's Museum.

Playing at the museum with Daddy:

The library was having a book sale, and since it was next door to the museum, we stopped in and bought 5 books for $1! 

 

Next, we had lunch and then went to Pet Smart for adoption day.  Andrew loved seeing all of the animals!

 After naps, we went to the park!

 

 

I love spending quality time with these fellas!!!

 

Two months old!

October 31, 2012 

 

Andrew was excited about the photo shoot, too!

 

We love how easy it is to make this sweet little boy smile and laugh!

Baking cookies with Daddy

 Andrew loves to help us bake!  He was a little afraid of the "BIG MIX" at first, but then loved watching. 

 

Mr. Personality!  He reminds me so much of his Daddy!

 



 

Who doesn't love cookie dough?!

 



Carving pumpkins!

Andrew loved helping to scoop out the inside of the pumpkin! 

 

 

Benny's masterpiece...Mickey Mouse!!