Christmas 2010

Waiting in the hallway until Mom has the camera ready to go.

Jace awoke at 6:30 and was ready to wake his sister up.  Just my style...I always LOVE getting up early.  Brett on the other hand would love to sleep until 8 or 9. 

Jace got a Bumble Bee blaster and helmet from Santa.  Santa had to work really hard to find this one, since they don't make either of them anymore. 

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Eggett, Jace is the proud owner of a Buzz Lightyear with wings. 

Mckelle was spoiled She received this big wheel from Santa and is so excited to have her own and not have to ride Jace's motorcycle anymore.

Overall, we had a WONDERFUL Christmas.  We were very spoiled and we feel so blessed to have all of you in our lives.  For me, I feel like every year I learn more and more about the story of Jesus.  This year it really clicked for me and was very apparent to me that Heavenly Father does have a plan for each of us and puts people and things in our life for a purpose, just as he did in Jesus' life.  The wiseman brought him gifts, just as we can, and those gifts were part of the plan so that they could flee before King Herod carried out his plan.  Without those gifts (which were of great monetary value), who knows if Mary, Joseph  and Jesus could have fled to safety.  I know that there is a God, that Jesus is real and not just a story, and that as we draw closer to him, we feel his love and peace for each of us.  I hope that all of you enjoyed your Christmas as much as I did mine.

Painting Christmas ornaments

I don't usually do "messy" crafts with my kids, because I am too worried they will ruin my stuff...silly I know.  But our neighbor made them some ornaments and even let us borrow the paints (since I don't do that kind of stuff).  They painted them on Christmas eve as part of the festivities.  They really enjoyed themselves and it made me think that I ought to let them express their artistic side a little more.

The next pictures are just some festivities that we did on Christmas eve day and evening.

Brett pulled out his guitar...at Jace's request!  The kids loved it and Brett actually remembered quite a bit.

Mckelle playing with the nativity before we went through the story.  I LOVE my new nativity (Thanks to the Wollenziens) that the kids can actually touch and engage with.

They were beaming with excitement as they waited to open their gifts...I was so thankful that they were paient enough to let me get a picture.

The mess after...Mckelle is and always has been OCD about a mess...it has to be cleaned up right away in her mind.

Brett, Mckelle, and Jace with their new Pillow Pets...a unicorn and a dog.

Discovery Gateway Childrens Museum

Since Brett had the 23rd off this year, we decided to go and spend it at the museum with the kids and some friends.  They played and played and played some more, but finally it was time to leave...all were tired, but it was definitely a day to remember.
A few of their favorites from that day were the helicopter...

Jace and Tate...on a mission to fly this thing.

Mckelle and Brylee (their passengers) were a little concerned.

This is where the majority of their time was spent...in the construction zone...notice the tired parents.  This really is a place for the kids.  We were so glad to have good friends with us for adult conversation.

The boys building...that is what they do best!

A few of my other favorite photos in no particular order...

It was a day full of fun and PLAY...what kids do best!



The things that Jace will say!!!

So, this blog post is more for my memory than anything.  Jace has said some really funny things lately and I just want to remember them.

First,
I had decided to clean early one morning and so I pulled my bangs and hair back and just stayed in my pajamas.  Now I did get the kids bathed and dressed, but it was a working day for me and so why shower and get dressed if you are just gonna sweat up a storm.  By about 3-4pm that afternoon, Jace started to look at me funny and questioned me as to why I was still in my pajamas.  I replied that I had been cleaning and reminded him that he had been helping me.  He continued to educate me, "Mom, it is good for our bodies when we shower and get dressed everyday!"  I was not sure of what to think, but I do know that he is definitely learning in preschool because they just finished up there unit on taking care of our bodies.  Not sure if he was trying to be funny or if that was just his nice way of telling me that I just looked "frumpy"!

Second,
While Jace is staring in my chest area...he asks me, "Mom, can I touch your bumpies?"  I was shocked and said, "What did you say?"  I was really thinking that he has no idea what he was saying or I that I was not understanding.  He repeated what he had said, but started to reach for the chest area, when I realized that "bumpies" were the jewels on my shirt. I was wearing a shirt that has jewels on the front in the chest section.  Both kids seemed to love the sparkle and dazzle of it.   It was so innocent, but quite hilarious.

He also is moving into a new phase where he is testing his limits of obeying and being honest.  Really, this is not one of my favorite phases.  He has already had to make a phone call to apologize to someone for lying.  Who knew it would be so hard sometimes as a parent to teach honesty and respect.  No wonder the kids out there are so "messed up."  (Brett could tell you stories about how slacker parents affect their children).

PARENTING TAKES WORK....HARD WORK!!!

Setting up the Christmas Tree!

We set the Christmas tree up the other night and Jace wanted to wear the Christmas tree skirt so that he could be Santa.  This was the two of them awing at our work.

About as normal as a photo we could get with the two semi smiling!

But really this is how most of them turned out...what cheesers!!!