December photo dump

You better do some finger stretches because you're going to be doing a lot of scrolling. Just a few pictures here. "A few" is the new "a lot", be prepared for epic amounts of photographs.

This was my view of the kids making a snowman while putting laundry away upstairs.

Well child exams with Dr. Thompson, I love that I get a free comedy show with our pediatrician appointments, he's hilarious.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are your heavily laden branches with 7 ornaments per limb.

A frequent visitor to the time-out pew.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I always get nervous when Clark is on the roof. But strings of globe lights twinkling on the house are worth the risk.

Twins share everything, including one pair of ear buds.

Our 18th anniversary was super romantic, we went through the drive-through with the kids for fries and ice cream. Actually, was perfectly fine by me:)

Nurse Laura's free shot clinic. I sort of enjoy sticking my sister with a 2" needle, it's like free therapy;) Pay back for holding my head under the water at the pool.

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...until they had too many kids and had to use the banister.

Nutcracker date to watch Olivia dance as a Bon Bon!

Todd typing Ella's story as she dictates it to him, she wanted it typed so she could send it to a publisher;) Such a good Daddy.

My sous chef protecting himself from onion tears.

Game night!

Dawson experienced some heart ache when his cherished chicken, Verbena, was killed by a coyote. Although to be honest, I cried waaaay more than he did. So hard losing a pet.

The boys kept a lookout for the coyote all day, guns loaded and ready to go.

He had Scouts that night so I took him to dinner so we could spend special time together. You can see around his eyes that he'd had an emotional day, poor guy. After we talked about Verbena for a while he told me he was too sad to talk anymore and that he didn't know if he'd ever wake up and feel happy again:(

This elf wasn't feeling very much Christmas spirit at Scouts, understandably.

His buddy Drew is making up for his lack of enthusiasm!

He was awarded his new badges!

Baby Girl is 10!!

Dawson and I lovingly made her a winter wonderland cake.

We celebrated a decade of the Bean by doing what the princess ordered. Dinner at the "dark" mall {Riverpark} for tomato basil soup and to spend her $10 from great Grams on earrings.

She has used this party hat, plate and cup since her 1st birthday. Yes she has asked to stop, no I won't let her.

Back home for presents, cake and ice cream!

She really, ReALLy wanted a skateboard, as you can see. Never has $15 earned such a reaction.

A visit from her birthday buddy, our nephew Adam, who was celebrating his 19th on the same day. He brought her a rose, a card, and $5, and brought me to tears. Especially since a year ago he had cancer and is healthy now. Thank you Jesus for answered prayers.

Another birthday visit from her friend, Nadia.

The twins' Christmas program was thee cutest thing I've ever seen. Ever. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did plenty of both.

Someone's not so angelic...

Our Shepherd girl.

Dawson's super excited about the Christmas program.

Attempting a group shot...

Again...

and again...

 Never mind.

Charlie may have sampled his.

The Ginger Kids are a lot like mine. Spicy, sweet, and messy.

An impromptu post-advent skit, with Mitchy doing "special music."

Ella pulling Dawson's sled on her snow board.

The kids were outside long enough to earn their hot cocoa. I earned one by getting them ready and cleaning up the mountain of wet snow pants, coats, boots, mittens, hats...

My little slice of heaven, all decked out for Jesus' birthday.

Mommy's Christmas break request.

Followed by night-time sledding under the Christmas lights.

I read 3 books over Christmas "break" {this word does not have any relation to what I actually do during the Christmas season} and also poured over this cookbook.

Todd turned my imagination into reality by wiring this lamp for me out of an old camera I'd found.

I had to bite my tongue when Dawson asked if we could try Red Lobster over Break for his birthday dinner out. Not a big fan of that type of restaurant. But, it was worth it to watch him try to tackle a kid's order of crab legs.

Coming up with a birthday wish is serious business.

Hiding the Christmas Mouse in the house every night is always a favorite tradition.

I spent many evenings by the Christmas tree, soaking up the magic of the twinkle lights, and snacking on treats while wrapping gifts.

Todd helped me with the peanut butter snowmen. It's the only cookie the kids don't help me with since Dawson and Mitch have peanut allergies. Todd made one with a 3D pipe and then this one with a mustache;)

The kids did a great job making these Oreo snowman pops for friends.

Ella's favorite, iced ginger molasses cookies.

And the mother of all Christmas treats, sugar cookies! My all time fave.

I went to Fred Meyer on December 23rd. It was light out when I went inside, and nothing could have prepared me for what was ahead. I barely survived the mayhem and sheer pandemonium. And I now know EVERYTHING about the lady who stood behind me in line for what felt like 2 months. When I emerged, starving and dizzy, it was almost dark. But this breathtaking sunset was a great reward. Now all I needed was a glass of water, 2 Advil and a Coke.

These pictures don't do God's sunset justice. It looked like the sky was on fire.

More Advent.

More advent skits.

One of my most favorite things about Christmas, cards! I stalk the mail man like a 5 year old during birthday week. Aside from my one sister, I am away from ALL of my family and all of my friends from grade school up through high school, so I cherish the pictures so much. We put them in a basket on the table after Christmas and pick one a night so we can pray for that family at dinner. So if you sent us a card, you are automatically on our prayer list:)

Ella walking Magnolia.

Beautiful pink mountain.

More snow!

More sledding!

More Crashing!

You may notice an extra girl...Our neighbors tease that their daughter is our 5th child. 

Charlie refused to keep his hat on. I guess it didn't matter since he would bail off the sled every 2 mintues and send it flying anyway.

Christmas Eve, time to celebrate with Aaron & Meg!

If this description doesn't fit Ella, I don't know what does!

Browsing through the Dangerous Book for Boys. Meagan did good!

All the kids love Meagan, Mitchy is in love with Meagan.

The head massager I put in Aaron's stocking was a big hit:)

The above picture is an example of why Meagan will be such a great teacher and Mom. She knows how to play.

Off to my sister's for Christmas Eve night and ready to unwrap presents from Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Stephy and Uncle Dave.

Waiting patiently for their turn...

My poor nieces only have one normal Aunt. I am not that Aunt.

I love the morning faces. There is nothing cuter than a child's face on Christmas morning, puffy from sleep but sparkly eyes.

We got each of the kids a set of wheels ~ either a scooter or a big wheel, a couple of little things and a Kinect to share!

 I was so grateful to wake up to a white Christmas! Even though it wasn't snow, it was white and sparkly and that works for me! This was no ordinary frost either! Actually it looked like thorns and I think that is very fitting for Christmas morning, the day we celebrate a Baby that was born to die, for me.

 We celebrated with my parents Christmas afternoon after they made it into town. Little did we know they would leave 24 hours later when my Dad got sick. Boo.

 Dawson was VERY excited about his walkie`talkies:)

 Dave trying on Ella's new headband.

Dawson's duck call.

 I got my Mom an address stamp for Christmas and my Dad stamped his face. Clearly he never grew up.

All tuckered out.

More amazing sunsets.

 Seven, how did we get here so fast?

Dawson's birthday celebration requests included homemade spaghetti, bread, salad, lime soda bottles and key lime pie.

I adore this picture of 3 of my favorite people. Love, love it.

Heart officially bursting.

Daddy's 4 boys.

Aaron's giving them tips on how to trap and tickle Meagan.

Ninny and her goofy grandboys.

Across the sky and down from heaven, that's the way to make a 7!

Bouncing with the cousins!

Aaron's cousin's delicious new baby. I tried to steal him but was unsuccessful, so far...He woke from his nap and started to fuss a little so Dawson asked if I was going to "milk him." ;)

We made a lot of "Batallion" sodas.

Walkin' in a winter wonderland.

They filled up the sled with sheets of ice, apparently we didn't have enough ice at home.

One of the things I love most about Charlie is that he lives life hard. He sucks every drop out of it {and me}. He walked the whole way home with his head back and mouth open catching snowflakes.

Ella's birth mother called, it's been a lot of years. Ella was anxious and excited and so was I.

We went to see Frozen!

Hope your Christmas was JoLLy!!!