December Part II

We have had a blast this month!

All piled in to Mom and Dad's bed

Ellie loves her baby

Posing with baby Dallas

 Fun at the library: We recently discovered the computers and the puzzles - it's our new favorite hang-out spot at the library!

 Happy football baby

 He looks so different without his "happy hair", doesn't he??

Hunter wants to be just like his daddy

Classic daddy/baby photo

And more Christmas prep:

One of the coolest things we did:

 Steve, Dallas and I played Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus in a live nativity at our stake center. It was cool because two years ago, when I was 38 weeks pregnant with Hunter, we were asked to play Mary and Joseph for our ward Christmas party. It was a night in Bethlehem, and we walked around asking to stay in different Inns - we were turned away. It was a really neat experience. Then this year, a friend of ours was in charge of the Olathe creche exhibit, and they always have a live nativity outside on the church lawn. They try to find a couple with a new-ish baby, and we fit the bill. Dallas was just nine weeks old or so when he played baby Jesus. I feel honored to have been at the right stage twice to play Mary.

Look what Santa left under our tree

We made sugar cookies...

and gingerbread men.

 We decorated a gingerbread train.

 We had a family nativity - Hunter was Joseph, Ellie was Mary, Husker Pig was baby Jesus (because when I tried to put Dallas in as baby Jesus, Ellie threw a fit...); Steve was the narrator and the angel, and I was a wise man.

 Hunter loved his headpiece - he wore it around the rest of the night.

I really just wanted a cute picture of all three kids in footie pjs by the tree. This was one attempt:

 It makes me laugh every time I look at it :)

The miracle is that all three kids are looking - success!

On Christmas Eve, we joined my sister Joni and her family, my brother-in-law Dan and two of his boys, and my Mom at Bounce U. The kids were free to run around between the two rooms and the various bouncy toys to their heart's content. And we had a blast!

It was a fun-filled month of Christmasy activities and celebration leading up to Christmas day!