Now that the holidays are over and we have officially sent home all the family that has been visiting we can get back to our normal and boring lives. It has been an unbelievable last couple of weeks. We have played hard, lost sleep, laughed, and cried. We have had a blast with all of our family and we already miss those you are gone. But we are glad that we can officially be normal and boring again. At least just for a couple of days and then we can start it all over again! Some fun things that we have enjoyed this last little while.
Our first snowman of the season, we built clear back before Christmas. But we were so busy we didn't get to share it yet. Ashtyn and I built two. A girl snowman in the backyard and a boy snowman in the front yard. They melted all the way just a couple of days ago but the kids have loved watching them.
We also wanted to share a little bit about our special service for
Christmas. We were supposed to complete a service for mom and dad by Christmas and then share it with them. Well we decided to have a special night where we honored them and their 37th year of marriage. So we nonchalantly invited them to dinner, just said we wanted to have dinner with them before Chrimstma and everything started to get crazy. Then after the night was reserved we sent a special formal invite and we prepared for our special evening. We served them a special candle light dinner. There was music from the appropriate era and rose petals and candles and an appetizer and a delicious dinner and of course good dessert too. 
We had a little corner display that included a picture of their wedding day and a
picture of them now and their wedding book and a sign that we had made for them that said: For Time and Eternity and then their wedding date. We danced together and just really enjoyed making them feel special for having such a wonderful lasting relationship. It was a night our family will always cherish!
Then I also wanted to share cute pictures of my kids....in Christmas dresses
and enjoying the prepartion of Christmas and the actual Christmas. We were sent some packages and this was the best one. The kids and I were laughing and had to take pictures because it looks like a
person.
Pretty funny. Grandma Hilterbrand this picture is for you. This is Arlene getting your present. She loved everyone just thought you would like to see a piture of it it since you weren't able to be here.Christmas Eve our kids were so excited. We did a chocolate advent calendar and they loved eating that last little chocolate and we have a little wood thing that we move Santa down and when he gets to the chimney wahoo!! Well, they were so excited that he was finally to the chimney. Hailey had such a hard time not eating the cookies that we were putting out for Santa. She wanted one sooo bad it was too cute. She thought they were for her not
Santa. Ashtyn was so excited she wanted to know everything Santa was bringing her. She is already asking when we will have Christmas and what do I think Santa will bring her. I love the excitement that comes with Christmas. This is the girls in their new jammies that they got for Christmas. They LOVE them. Want to wear them every night. We loved seeing all of our family. And we loved all the pictures and the laughs and the memories. We love the holidays and all the memories and emotions that come with it. We had a wonderful Christmas and we hope all of you did too. We also enjoyed ringing in a new year and look forward to the blessings and adventures of the coming year.
