Merry Christmas!

Ok, so it's almost the New Year, but hey, don't you know I'm a little slow these days!
We had a wonderful couple of days for Christmas.
Ours really started on the Saturday before when we went to church. Out of all the Sundays (or sometimes Saturdays) we go to in the year, the Christmas service is by far the best I've ever been to. Ok, there's been a ton of great services, but this one always means a lot! With wonderful music and the story of Christ's birth, it's just so touching! We also have a girl, she might be in her twenty's, who can belt out some Christmas songs. My favorite song, O Holy Night is one of her best. Her voice sent chills through my body when she sang it! Don't tell anyone, but I really go to hear her sing that song. I've never heard anyone sing it as good as she does! Not positive, but you might be able to hear it on our church's website, www.flatironschurch.com.
On Christmas Eve, we went over to my boss and his wife's house for dinner. We had a wonderful meal; a salad (with walnuts, dried fruit, Feta and Rasp. dressing), portobello mushrooms (I'm not a mushroom fan and I guess the kids aren't either), twice baked potatos, and a beef tenderloin that melted in our mouth! What a feast it was! It was also accompanied with expensive wine assortments! Good thing I was the driver, not a huge fan of red wine.
The trio did great even though they didn't have a good nap beforehand. They played with Sam, bosses 13 month old son and a couple of girls who are a few years older. They all played very well together. The girls really didn't understand all the little kids, but that's just their age. We made it home pretty late, but thankfully before all the snow crept in. And that's exactly what it did! But who doesn't love a white Christmas?? We woke up to about 6-8 inches of snow!!
Stephen was at his mother's house for their Christmas celebration. He came home Christmas morning. Unfortunately due to the weather, when he finally made it home, we had to pack up and go to Grammie and Papa's house for their Christmas celebration.
What a houseful that was! But I am always up for a great family get together! It's growing ever so rapidly at this point! Still no one can out do Chad and I!! It was me, Chad, Stephen, Dane, Drake and Ava (6), Crystal's family (Fonso, Kain, Emma and LeAnn was not able to make it due to the weather), Dawn's family (Chris and Damien) and my mom and dad (Grammie and Papa). I feel like I'm missing someone, but I think that's it.
We had another great feast for a brunch; quiche (thank you Chad), hashbrown casserole, frenchtoast casserole, bacon and deer sausage. Oh and let's not forget those yummy Bloody Mary's!! Had a few myself!
Following the meal, we opened gifts! Always so much fun with little kids. Ava received a Cabbage Patch baby, while she wanted nothing to do with it, she wanted the boys' gift...a 4wheeler!! Apparently it's hers!! I will be going out real soon to buy a couple more of those, thanks Grammie!!! :) We couldn't spend all day there, so we left a little after the kids' nap time. They fell asleep in the car ride home, so they didn't get a good nap in at all. But who care's right, it's Christmas!!
At home we all opened our gifts... I got a Nintendo DSLite with BrainAge to get my brain back on track to smart once again. Chad got some things to start Slacklining. If you don't know what it is, just think "tightroping"! Or google it someday, it's quite interesting. I guess it's a huge craze here in Boulder. And Stephen got Guitar Hero!! Wow, that game is so much fun! But it can be addicting, he's already beaten the easy level! But he tried hard, and he's got a lot of practicing to do! And the kids received a giant PlayHut with tunnels and rooms and some balls. They love it! Dane just goes in and hides! Drake and Ava love the tunnels. They insist on carrying around the little balls too.
So we had a wonderful Christmas! Oh and we finally got a couple of whole family pictures of us! Not all of us are looking in all the pictures, but he we're in the same picture!
Have a great New Year!!

They're ONE!!!

We still can't believe it!!
I wanted to write a whole bunch of neat things that the trio have done just in the past year but my mind is blank. After the week we had of moving and their birthday party, I just don't feel like thinking. So one of these days I will write a great post and share it with you all.
As for now, it's lunch time and Ava is screaming because she has an empty tray.
I did want to share a short video of pictures that were taken at their party. Last week we rushed to get moved in and everyone at the party just kept telling us "I can't believe you moved in last weekend! It looks like you have lived here for a couple of months!" Thank you! We stressed and stressed and worked very hard to get settled. We still have a good ways to go, but we're in!
As far as the party, I counted 62 people! Yikes! And it was all indoors as the weather was about 30 degrees out. Our kiddos did excellent. All 3 of them were pretty quiet, but they get like that when there are other people around. No meltdowns, they had a great day! They received so many wonderful gifts, too many! They loved the cakes my sister Crystal made, especially Ava which you'll see in the pictures. Drake was a little freaked out by the singing and didn't know what to do with the cake. Dane wanted someone to lift the cake up to his face so he could eat it.
Ava had a little bit of a sugar high, but they all settled down for bed by 7pm. Which by then, Mommy and Daddy were ready as well!
So, we all survived! We didn't see much of Stephen throughout the party, he said there were just too many people and kids here. He stayed in the basement. I really don't blame him!
The trio have their 12 month checkup on the 16th, so I'll try to post after that and tell everyone their heights and weights. Ava finally got a new carseat, bright pink, but she still has to ride backwards for awhile longer. The boys have graduated to riding forwards and they love it! I don't know if they're over 20lbs, but they're a year old now!
That's long enough...