Christmas!

Hi Everyone!

We had another great Christmas!  This year everything started off in Boonville at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The kids went down on Sunday and got to spend a few days with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Marilyn doing fun stuff.  Sarah and I had a few days to ourselves to finish up shopping and preparing for the big day and then we drove down to Boonville on the 23rd.  The kids were SO excited about getting to open presents and it was great to be back together as a family again.

Little Elves showed up to help pass out presents.  How convenient!

JUST what he wanted!  

Elsie got a joke book

Millie got toys too

This is our Elf on the Shelf, Alex.  He cannot be touched or he loses his magic.  The kids have become quite enamored with him.  He found a way to pack himself so that he could join the kids in Boonville.

Before we got down to Boonville the kids got to help make Christmas cookies, and they went to the movies and did a bunch of other fun things.

Alex made himself right at home too.

Owen explored the shed and found train stuff.

Christmas in Boonville was great and it was so nice to spend time with my family.  But, after lunch on Christmas Eve it was time to head back to KC to get ready for the big day!

The kids spread reindeer food in the back yard and we left out milk and cookies... 

...and Santa came!  The kids were up at 6AM and ready to go!

Alex perched himself up on the tree so he could watch everything unfold.

Elsie got a vivofit.

Owen got a Max Tow Truck.  He had been asking and asking for one.

He also got a new train engine for his H.O. train set.

Owen and his preschool class made these.  So cute! 

I got what I wanted too!

Owen made it about half an hour before he HAD to try out his new train engine.

While the kids were away at Grandma's, Sarah painted the train table.  It looks great!

Max can pull up to 200lbs!

Christmas day was really fun, like it always is.  Grandma and Grandpa Cox came over for brunch and we all got to spend the entire day together doing fun things and playing with new toys.  It is always kind of sad when it's over, but lucky for us Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Cox's house was the very next day!  We had a very nice lunch with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Becky and Uncle Vince, and cousins Jaden, and little Maddie.

Helper Elf #1

Helper Elf #2

Sunday night we got a bunch of sleet and freezing rain and then...finally...snow!  It was the first snow of the season and the kids couldn't wait to get outside and play in it.  It was really wet and sloppy, but fun just the same.

Even Millie got in on the fun!

I mentioned Alex, our Elf on the Shelf, earlier, Here are some pics of his hijinks throughout the month of December.  He's always getting into mischief!  :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Ryan, Sarah, Elsie, and Owen