CrAzY {fun} Christmas!

This holiday season was wonderfully exhausting. All the festivities and things to do while caring for two very busy little boys has me plain worn out! However, it will be a Christmas I will never forget, because it was the first one Levi was really excited about. We kicked off the fun with our annual Christmas party at church with our Sunday school class. There were twice as many kids this year (our group has been busy!), so it was extra fun, crazy and entertaining. 

Amelia and Joel - best buds and 5 weeks apart in age!

 I had a week full of making treats (candied curried cashews, sourdough bread, chocolate covered cherry cookies, and almond toffee) to share with friends and family over the holidays, as well as finishing buying and wrapping all the gifts. Then I worked on Christmas Eve got home, put the boys to bed, got the stockings stuffed, finished packing for our trip the next morning and all the gifts set out...which made for a late night. Levi blessed us by sleeping in until 7:30 and then the excitement began. Levi was so excited for "Happy Birthday Jesus Christmas Day!!!!" Levi got a big boy bike (with training wheels) and was VERY excited! He also got some smaller gifts in his stocking the favorite of which was a set of three small wooden magnetic trains. Joel's big gift was a push toy and he was more interested in the bows and wrapping :)

Levi loved helping Philip and I open our gifts, the only ones that were wrapped

 After we finished opening gifts we had a yummy breakfast of french toast made with homemade sourdough bread (YUM!), loaded up the car and headed to Abilene to spend time with Philip's side of the family. We were greeted with much excitement by the cousins, they were so excited to see Levi and Joel! After some snacking we tore through the gifts and Levi loved everything he received, but especially the play drill that made lots of noise. We gave Kynlee a veil and bouquet to play bride with and she wore them for hours after opening them :)

Sweet Kamryn

Kynlee the bride :)

Kadin is getting so big!

 This was a special Christmas for Philip's family because Allen's new fiance, Deanna, was able to be there as well. We all have enjoyed getting to know her and love seeing Allen so happy. She treats him nice and the kids love her!

the happy couple

 Levi insisted on bringing his bike with us and was treated to many rides, some of which were in the house! The kids all had a blast playing together for two days and eating all their meals together at the kids table. It is so nice to have them close enough to visit, but I think the kids would really love it if we could see each other more often. Kynlee especially would love some more time with her baby Joel and Kadin would love having a little more testosterone around :)

Kamryn, Levi, Kadin, Joel and Kynlee - cute cousins!

After dinner on the 26th we bathed the kids, loaded them up in their jammies and headed home. The next morning we packed up the car again and headed over to my parents house for Christmas with my side of the family. It was so fun to have all the siblings, cousins and in-laws together! Levi and Nora had a blast opening gifts and got some really fun new toys. Aunt Molly got in some snuggles with Joel (which he loved) and then we shared a very delicious meal made by my Mom the gourmet :) After naps we all headed out to the circle to play t-ball with Levi's gift from Moe and Pop. He had a blast hitting the ball and then chasing after it. As much as we tried to teach him to run the bases after hitting the ball he just couldn't resist running after the ball. Oh, well, he will figure it out eventually!

Moe & Pop got the kids so great gifts!

Pop showing Levi his new book "Dinsaurs Love Underpants" it's already a favorite

sisters!

The Wallace men :)

Moe had the "best" seat at the table

Aunt Molly loves her some baby :)

trying out the new T-ball set

After some leftovers for dinner we bathed the kiddos and then we headed over to see a long time friend, Sara, and her family. Sara and her husband Joel (great name!) have a precious daughter Levi's age, Jaeda. We had a nice evening catching up and watching the kids play. We are still hoping that they really will move down here this spring/summer :)

I worked again yesterday and by the time I got home I was sooo worn out! Part of being a nurse (especially if you work at a hospital) is giving up control of your holiday schedule. So, I had no part in deciding when I worked during the holidays, however it was nice to be off on Christmas Day even if I had to work Christmas Eve. Sooo...today I am planning on getting some rest and going to bed early. Next on the list, cleaning, reorganizing and taking down decorations...but for now, that can wait!

Life Around Here

My brother made a special request to see some video of Levi singing his favorite radio song "Tonight Tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae...so I am posting these short movies in honor of Uncle Seth today. :) They give a small idea of life in the Boyer house with 2 little boys...it's wild, often loud, always busy and lots of fun!

This is actually from our trip to Colorado...I tried to get a new one (he is much better now) 

but when the video camera is out he stops singing :(

As I was putting away the boys' clean laundry Levi discovered Joel was quite amused by being "buried"

Levi cracks me up...I think he joins most males in the opinion that if they could be in their underwear all day they would. This started out as a video of Joel's half knee/half bear crawling technique :)

A Christmas Tea

Growing up my Gran hosted many a tea party for her grandchildren. Since we lived in the same town my sisters and I were able to attend several of these teas growing up. I have wonderful memories of helping Gran bake, cook and decorate for the party and then enjoy the fruits of our labor with a delicious tea! Yesterday Levi and two of his cousins, Nora and Kate (actually a second cousin) helped with a Christmas Tea in my Mom's kitchen. You may remember from this post that Levi helped to make the ginger bread men cookies. Yesterday morning Gran had the kids help with some finishing touches; decorations and a little last minute cooking and cupcake decorating.

They ended up with quite the spread and everyone dug in happily to the fancy tea party fare :) Since the kids helped with the Tea and were "hosting" all of us grown-ups went outside and rang the door bell so that they could let us in and welcome us to their party.

 

All the sugar must have soaked in pretty quick, because after we were done filling our bellies to the brim the kids broke out in a dance party to my all time favorite Christmas album "Christmas with Ray Coniff". I grew up listening to the songs every year as a kid (it's my Dad's favorite as well), so it was fun to listen to the kiddos laugh, sing and dance to those good old tunes :)

Nora, Kate & Levi sharing some post dancing love :)

 I hope that when (if) I am 92 I can continue to have as much love for fun and drive to be involved with my family as Gran still does. She is an inspiration and I am so lucky to have her as my grandmother. I also think my Mom is pretty amazing for helping Gran to do what she loves and being there for her mother day in and day out to help her accompish her daily goals! I have said this before, but I have some amazing women in my family and a lot to live up to as a Knochel/Asher girl :) So far, this is turning out to be a pretty special holiday season with lots of special memories!

Light of the World

I love to look at Christmas lights, and I choose to believe that we all display them so proudly to announce the birth of Christ, the Light of the World :) Philip has done another wonderful job on the lights on our home this year and I love to see them when we drive up after being out in the evenings. We also continued the tradition we started last year and went out to see the lights in downtown Fort Worth that Chesapeake Energy puts up all around their building. They are stunning and the boys were in awe! Levi ran around like a wild man and pointed out all the "mongous" (humoungous) trees identifying each color along the way. Joel just stared and cooed :) Enjoy the pics and try to make it out to see the lights if you can!

Deck the Halls!

I love how at Christmas time there are decorations everywhere as a continual reminder of the coming holiday. It helps me to remember the birth of Christ on a daily basis and brings a bright note to every day. I especially love the decorations in our home. Levi is also very excited about all the "corations" this year, the tree in particular. Joel loves the tree too and wishes I would let him chew on the lights and branches :). We had fun putting them all up and Levi was thrilled to help with the star and ornaments on the tree. We have a few new additions this year (some inherited from Philip's moms enormous collection of Christmas things...she had at least 6 different tree skirts if that gives you an idea) and a couple things I purchased on clearance last year after the holidays. I love traditions and there are some I have continued from my childhood as well as some new ones I have started. I am looking forward to sharing Christmas with my family this year, and for God willing, many years to come! I always feel extra blessed this time of year!

Levi put several of the less breakable ornaments on the tree.

Daddy held Levi up and he was so proud to put the star on all by himself!

Caught red handed :)

The tree all finished; with a new tree skirt ;)

I have started a tradition of getting a Christmas frame each year for our cards

I love my new wreath! I got the wreath at Hobby Lobby and the "noel" at World Market, both on clearance :)

It was so fun to decorate the dining room this year with our new furniture!

I bought a plastic nativity set for Levi and Joel. Levi has loved playing with it and naming all the characters. Joel has loved chewing on the camel and cow :)

Our mantel is probably my favorite thing. My mom gifted me a different part of the willow tree nativity set each year since I got married and it is now complete, and our crazy stockings are full of memories! This year I made Joel's with a gift as the centerpiece, Levi got some undies, and Philip got a rattle with Joel on it. Philip usually puts my new piece on at the very last minute and it is always fun to see what I get. Our first Christmas he put the ring he proposed with (so sweet and so fun to have in a special place to see every year...my setting wasn't done yet), and last year it was a positive pregnancy test made of felt...ha! :)

The lovely mantle!