Christmas at the grandparents

We headed to McLeansville/Whitsett for a couple days to celebrate with the rest of our families. It is a bit overwhelming to do both sides of our family in one day, but our kids are troopers. At the Shelton home there was a weapons theme and all the boys got Nerf guns :)
The next day at the Little house, we got to see our cousin Abigail. The last time we got to see her was when Ben was about 9 months so we were very excited for her visit. The boys were a bit apprehensive, but warmed up.
To add to our fun, I ended up in urgent care with Ben who had an ear infection and sinus infection. Later that day, we decided to cut our trip short because Ellie started acting like she didn't feel well either. She also ended up with an ear infection and sinus infection :-/

Christmas Day

We love our Christmas Day routine. We get up and open stockings first thing. Then we have a yummy breakfast of monkey muffins. Afterwards, we read our Bible together and pray. Then we open gifts. We take our time and play with each gift after we open them. The boys both got new shoes, books, marshmallow shooters. Ben got a doctor's kit, Zeke got CandyLand, and Ellie got a Little People Castle. The funniest part of our morning was when the boys helped open Ellie's gift, Ben yelled "It's a GIRL toy!"
After we have lunch and nap, we head over to have Christmas dinner with our friends Jason, Leslie, Max and Charlie. This year Matt, Lauren, Paisley, and Stella joined us. It is a very laid back time. We all bring something to contribute to the meal. All the kids play well together. We sit around and chat and the kids stay up too late after an already crazy day. It is so great to have friends as close as family.

Gingerbread Tree

We prefer the gingerbread tree over a gingerbread house because well it is much easier to assemble. You literally squeeze a little icing and stack the pieces. The boys had a blast decorating and maybe a little tasting :)

Christmas Program at Grove Park Chapel

The boys had their Christmas program the week before Christmas.  Nana, YaYa, PawPaw, Aunt Tori, and Levi also came to see the boys.  The Thanksgiving show was fun, but this was just sweet.  Zeke's class walked in and he was dressed as an angel.  I was a wreck!  Seriously, do they plan to make you cry?! Then they sang and my boy, my boy, sang his little heart out.  The fours went into the choir loft and helped sing with the other classes.  Then Ben's class came out and he had on a little halo and wings and was of course all about the singing and shaking his little jingle bell.  The last song was everyone's favorite "Jingle Bell Rock".  Ben has been singing it for weeks already and I am pretty sure that wasn't the last of it...

 

Ellie entertained Levi before everything started

program

playing together

My sweet boy

Poor guys halo was a mess

Little wave from my boy

Shaking those bells was serious work

Ellie meets her BFFRSA (Best Friend From RSA)

The Eayr's are here!  The Eayr's are here!  I have been counting down the days until I could get to the airport and meet Amber, Trent, and Emie.  I have been waiting 10 months to meet Emie.  It is so weird that Amber and I are being moms with out each other.  I'm not gonna go there right now though.  Our girls are going to be great friends no matter what, we have already talked about it and decided.  They are here for almost a month and it is going to be so great hanging out and just getting to live life together for a bit.

 

Ellie and Emie meet

Instantly best friends

Ellie getting some AAA love

Uncle T is everyone's fave

In the background is Jonathon meeting Emie (such a sweet uncle)

Emie decided she wanted Ellie's giraffe (Marie decided immediately to go buy one)

My best friend is a mom

The girls

I was a bit worried that Trent wouldn't give her back

Ellie 10 months

Our big girl!  We have had to do some sleep training this month, and after a week of random 2 hour long crying jags in the middle of the night, we are sleeping through the night again!  It has been a rough road from Disney, to teething, to colds and we are glad to be back on track again.  She hasn't changed a ton this month.  She has gotten louder.  She squeals and chases the boys when she is in the walker.  She does this awesome scooting thing on her bottom to get where she wants to go.  She just wiggles all over to get whatever she wants.  She has limited her vocab this month to just yelling dadada.  She has 4 teeth, wearing 9-12 month clothes and size 3 diapers. 

 

Laundry basket pic

Fun with Christmas lights

monogrammed girl

Don't you love this picture?!

Random stuff

So, this is stuff that doesn't really fit anywhere else, but I want to remember the everyday things along with big moments in our lives.  Here's to those random things:

 

A little Karate Kid education "Paint the fence, UP, DOWN!"

Master Chocolatier

We made donuts one morning

YAY! for homemade fried goodness

We started Wii Saturdays.  The whole fam loves it