Christmas Time!

Wow, I've been slacking on my blog! It's been over a month since my last post, oops. Well, I guess that just goes to show that life with 3 little ones is busy, especially during the holidays. Once again we had a very nice time celebrating Christmas! My favorite thing about this holiday is spending extra time with family. I also love hearing the story of Christs birth at church, it has such a deeper emotional impact for me now that I am a mother. Here are our Christmas happenings in pictures (all taken on my phone because our "big camera" is in need of repair:

Picking out the tree was extra fun this year!

I loved out tree this year!

Grapevine Parade of Lights (we only lasted the first half)

Joel sang loud and proud at his program

He was so proud to have Pop & Moe there

First Grade Holiday Party

So glad I was able to be there!

Every year Bell Helicopter flies Santa to all the HEB elementary schools :)

Pop reading the Christmas story from the Bible

the kids placed the appropriate pieces on the nativity while he read

They were sweet and hilarious when placing the figures on the table

Annual Christmas Carols

The young lovebirds singing :)

it's heartwarming how well the cousins get along, Levi & Nora played a long game of battleship

we went to look at lights one night, Joel's favorite "Christmas was all over!"

Levi's favorite (he insisted I take his picture)

we visited Gramma and Grampa on Christmas Eve with most of my Dad's side of the family

Christmas morning was so fun! The boys woke us up at about 6:15am and were so excited! Here is Levi with the "Fly Guy" from his stocking.

One of Joel's favorite gifts, a Millenium Falcon with action figures

He's played with them daily ever since.

Nate didn't really care for gifts

He was much more interested in the Boxes and played with them for hours

It was such a treat to have Pop & Moe join us for breakfast!

I love it when they show how much they love each other :)

Nana D planned some reindeer games. Marshmallow toss, blind drawings and

 

Candy cane scoop (Kam dominated!)

We actually managed a picture of the "adult kids" this year too!

Annual Cousin Pajama Picture

 

Craxy Cousins in the hot tub

Papa & Nana D gave Nate a lego set and he LOVES it, especially the little dog

Joel was OBSESSED with his "Special Christmas Outfit"

Levi and Joel each spent the night with their cousin "age mate" at Pop & Moe's house. They had a blast!

 We had a wonderful Christmas season, one I will always remember. What a beautiful gift God gave us when he sent down his holy Son to become a human like us. I hope to do a better job at remembering that great gift all year long in 2016.

Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! Each of the older boys had meals at their school that week and they each really enjoyed the special treat of having their family eat with them at school! Joel's Thanksgiving feast was decorated so cute! I wish I had pictures. Joel loved having his Daddy eat lunch with him, and was slightly pleased that Nate and I were there too. Ha! At Levi's "Generations Day" the whole first grade performed a special song about grandparents. I think all of us had the song memorized with as often he practiced at home the week before the show, so I wasn't surprised that he did a great job. He was so excited to have Pop, Moe and Papa there to see him sing and eat lunch with him.

best picture I got...Joel was amped.

It was my team's turn to work Thanksgiving this year (all the nurses are assigned to teams and rotate holidays on a schedule, next year I'll work Christmas Day). It was our year for a Knochel Thanksgiving and all my family sweetly decided to postpone the big meal until Friday so that I could be there. I really appreciated their flexibility and was glad I got to enjoy a super delicious meal with them on the day after Thanksgiving. The cousins had a blast playing together as always and my mom outdid herself with the table decorations once again. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful family that truly enjoys spending time together. My siblings sure did marry well :)

Rubba Dub Dub, 4 cousins in a tub

This year, with all the unrest in the world I am feeling extra thankful for my family, safety and freedom. I pray for a more peaceful 2016 and thank God for all the many blessings I have when so many are living their daily life separated from their family and in fear.

Family Photos

My friend, Celice, took family photos for us near the middle of October, and I just realized I never posted any of them here. Celice does such a wonderful job and I am always impressed with how they turn out when it seems nearly impossible that she would have been able to get one good shot. This session was no different, the boys were wild and impatient, but yet again, she captured some great pictures! Thanks Celice!