New Years Eve at Grandma's

For the second year in a row, we decided to spend New Year's Eve in Wausau.  Banging on pots and pans out in below zero temperatures, all while singing Christmas carols with Grandma....what's not to love????

🎵 We wish you a happy new year, we wish you a happy new year,

we wish you a happy new year.....and a happy new year!! 🎵
-Original lyrics by Wendy Lombardo

Annual Christmas PJ Picture

More Christmas Break Fun

Between swimming at Sarah and Stacey's hotel, bedtime stories with Grandma, a brand new costume collection, snuggling time with Jaxon and lots of playing in between,
it was definitely a great couple of days in WI.

Hatchimal Duty

For Christmas, Owen and Joe each got a Hatchimal from my mom.  This morning we

decided to start the hatching process, and what a process it was. There was a lot of waiting,

and we all took turn nurturing and soothing them as they were trying to hatch.

All of our hard work paid off though because eventually both eggs started to hatch. In order

to hatch, the little Hatchimal inside the egg turns in a circle and pecks his beak through the

shell.  It is actually pretty funny to watch.  What's even funnier to watch is both boys with

their eggs.  Owen was so gentle and sweet with his egg.  He sat with it on his lap, gently

rubbed it and carefully hugged it.  Joe on the other hand was super rough with his egg and

kept picking it up and shaking it around, not following any of the instructions we were given.

Wouldn't you know, Joe's egg started hatching first.  Ha!

These things are hilarious, but I'm a little nervous I just added two more kids to my crew.

You have to feed them when they're hungry, cuddle them when they're scared, pat them

when they have the hiccups, calm them when they're mad, and play with them when they're

happy.  Thank goodness at least these two new kids have an off switch.

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

After we opened gifts and I packed us up for the week (which takes almost 3 hours!! I don't
even know how it happens.) we got it the car and drove to Wausau for Christmas part 3.  My
mom loves giving gifts and always has an impressive display of presents when we walk in.

Enjoying the calm before the storm. ;)

It comes as no surprise that the kids are equally, if not more impressed with the huge gift
bags that line the living room.  There is one for each of them and it is filled to the top with all
of their individually wrapped gifts.

We've actually started opening the gifts in waves.  The younger kids go first, then the older
boys, then the adults.  It makes it a little less crazy, if that's even possible. 

After we opened gifts, we had dinner (and of course lots of cookies). Sarah, Hannah, my

mom and I each made some, so we had quite the variety.  We stuffed ourselves silly, then

spent the rest of the night doing what I like best...just hanging out with each other.

Hannah and Bobby put together a Saran Wrap ball game that kept us busy for quite

awhile.  I have seen it before on Pinterest, but never actually participated.  It was a lot of

fun!  They rolled up various items (lottery tickets, candy, gum, etc) inside a huge ball of

saran wrap.  When it was your turn, you had to put on oven mitts and try your best to

unwrap as much as you could before the person in front of you rolled doubles on the dice.

Let me just tell you, it was no easy feat.  I did manage to get a lottery ticket though.

And Ryan was the big winner at the end, unwrapping a $20 Target gift card....WOO HOO!!

Thank you Hannah and Bobby!!

Today was such a fun day!!  My heart is full!!  I love Christmas for so many reasons,

but mostly I love being able to spend time with all of my family.

Merry Christmas indeed!!