Christmas in January

Do your kids ever tell you that you're not fun...or, why don't you do that?
Unfortunately, I hear that a lot when my mom and sister come to visit! 

We finally got together this weekend for Christmas and the kids always love when they visit...because they are more fun than me, I guess!

Even Ellie had the best time!  She reached out and wanted Grammy to hold her!  That is big...because she just doesn't go to very many people!

We had homemade pizza, strawberries and fruit dip, hot dogs...and lots of Valentine cookies for dessert!  Y'know...for our Christmas in January party!  ha! 

...and opened presents!

{Alex got a remote control helicopter...which makes some very loud noises...I wonder how long it will last before being banned to the basement!  But he sure does love it!}

{Emily got matching jammies for her and her doll...and new earrings for her dolls!}

{Elizabeth wanted the doll slippers for herself...but they didn't quite fit!}

{...but she did get some new jammies of her own too!}

They don't get to visit nearly as often as we all like...but we always make the most of it!

{I know I've mentioned it before...but this was my mom's rocking chair as a child...and Elizabeth loves climbing into it and rocking in it!  It's so fun to see how much love it's still getting...I can only imagine our grandkids sitting in it someday...  ...sigh...}

I'm glad the kids think that their Grammy and Aunt Nicole are more fun than me...that's what it's all about!  Alex especially loves hearing stories that Aunt Nicole has to share about us growing up!  Oh brother!  They are certainly growing up way too fast...and I want to lock them up and keep them little for much longer!  But they probably wouldn't think I was very fun if I did that!  But that's what the mom's job is all about...whether they like it or not!  Because at the end of the day...I think I'm the one who has more fun when they decide to come snuggle next to me during movie night...and when I get to sit next to them as they fall asleep...so tired and exhausted from laughing and playing all day with their fun Gram and Aunt Nicole...who lets them have just one more cookie after their no-fun mom just told them no!

{{Merry Christmas!}}

{Another reason to celebrate...}

This little ladybug is 14 months old today...

She loves to talk and say hi to every. single. person we meet!  She is a social butterfly!  And she loves to collect things...if you leave anything lying around...she is sure to pick it up and claim it as her own...especially when Alex and Emily aren't around...she really enjoys playing with their things when they're not around!

{she also loves to climb the stairs and chase the cats and follow Skipper around...but I'm not sure they love it so much!}

{please don't tell me she is getting so big...and that by the end of this year...she will already be 2...and that she will very soon have an 8-year old sister...and a 10-year old brother...

...if you just don't tell me...then maybe I can keep them from getting older!}

{ ...sigh... }

iFinished!

I love to knit...but I haven't made the time to enjoy it.  So back in the Fall {doesn't that seem like forever ago?  Winter time is the worst!} I told myself I was going to start knitting again and make myself a scarf...or two.

And finally...it's almost February...and we've had zero snow...but I finally finished my scarf!

I only had one skein of yarn, so the scarf was short...but I ended up knitting the ends together to make a necklace...and wrapped it around my neck a couple times...and I like it!

{excuse the cheesy self portraits...so sorry!}

Colorful...cozy...and one-of-a-kind!

Now to start my next one...so I will have it before next Fall!
Emily has been begging me to teach her to knit for awhile...and we hope to accomplish that too... {before she's my age!}...so she can make her own scarf!  She is so creative and loves to make things...I love to watch her work!

Turns out...she will probably be finished with her own scarf before I even start my next one!  She took to it in a flash!  She is so excited!  She is already well on her way!

She said..."There was not even any yelling!"  ha!  I'll be honest...I'm not a patient teacher...and she's not a patient learner...when I'm the teacher!  But it only took me a few times to show her and she was off!  Before bed she said, "Can I knit just a couple more rows?"  She is hooked!  {wait...that is crocheting!  ha!}

Alex has been hard at work too...he finished his Lego car and it is so awesome!
He lost a Lego piece...so he had to put it on hold for a couple weeks until it was delivered...he checked the mail every day and was so excited when it finally arrived!

It is one of the Lego Technic models which has a motor...with the push of a button, the doors open and close and the back raises and lowers to reveal the convertible top!

It's amazing how much patience and concentration he has to build these...because he seems to have trouble finding those sometimes during homework!  ha!

And once that was finished...
...it was onto his next project... {the Star Wars Millenium Falcon}

{yes...now there are over 1000 pieces of Legos covering the kitchen island...awesome! 
...1254 to be exact...}

I'm sure he will be finished in no time!  {...as long as he doesn't lose any pieces this time...}

It's fun watching them make things all by themselves...yet still be involved and working with them...Alex would need help finding pieces so we sit there and dig through the pile and gather all the pieces for each step...and Emily was happy to tell me she can sit on the couch with me and knit...I love that! 

Dan's point of v{IU}w

Dan's not a picture-taker...nor does he like to be in a picture...but when I can't be there...I've convinced him to grab a few memories for me!

And some of those awesome memories that he will always share with the kids are their trips to the IU basketball games!

It was Emily's turn last time...and she was so excited to go to the pep rally before the game and meet the cheerleaders too!

{on a side note...when we were cleaning out our basement a couple weeks ago...we came across some pictures of Assembly Hall when Dan was in college and Emily commented on how old the picture was...I asked her why she thought it was old...and she said, "Because there's no big screen."  ...I didn't even notice...ha!  she's right though...and it was an old picture!}

{and of course...she dressed for the occasion in true Emily-style...ballet tutu, red sparkly shoes and Valentine socks!  I love her style...something I know we'll always remember even without photos!}

{love Ellie's bedhead...haha!}

{the kids always look forward to their turn going to the IU games with Daddy!}

{{..when is it my turn?!}}

{Dan sits just above here...and I always ask him if he saw Johnny Cougar because he's known to go to some of the games since it's his hometown...  I was born in a small town... ha!

He finally got a glimpse for me...and his new girlfriend?...}

Dan also took the kids skiing last weekend and they had so much fun!  I was kinda glad since skiing scares me hated missing out...but I think it's so awesome that they are having some great memories with Daddy...and some day...if I can ever be as good as them...we hope to make skiing a fun family activity!  But Ellie and I stayed home since she was just getting over a fever and had some mommy&me time!

{this was also the same weekend everything was covered in ice...and it was so cold outside...so we had a nice quiet day by the fire...while they slid to the slopes!}

{they also did a little tubing too!  I so wish I was there for that...so fun!}

Sometimes I can be so focused on getting a great picture or thinking how great that would look in a picture...and if it were up to Dan...he would take zero pictures...but I am so thankful for these memories...and in the end...it's not about getting the best picture I can get with all the kids smiling or looking at the camera {even though I still try my hardest to achieve that sometimes!}...it's all about creating the memories...not always capturing them...