On the 1st Week of Christmas....

It was a strange Christmas this year. Sweet Nate caught Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease early in the month, but we thought it was chicken pox for about 2 weeks.

Since I knew we'd be home for a few weeks, I decided to tackle potty training full time with James. Oy-vey! I've heard you get "potty training amnesia" just like "labor/delivery amnesia". Let's hope that's the case! On the plus side, after it "clicked", he's been really good with it (except at Mom's house :-/ sorry!). He even managed to potty train Peter (and Elmo, monkey, monster truck, and Nate's dog).

Since Nate was sick with what we thought was chicken pox, he and James had to stay home for the Ronk family Christmas. Here's the whole Fred Ronk family minus James & Nate. Bummer they couldn't be there!

And the insane chaos of the annual gift exchange:

The next day, we needed to find a Christmas tree. Again, because everyone was sick, we decided not to do the big "experience" of finding a tree in the cold and muddy tree farm.

Instead, we headed right up the street where they advertized $30 trees on their billboard. We were barely out of the truck when the owner of the lot nearly ran us over with, umm... helpfulness? After asking how tall and wide we wanted our tree, he walked us over to a tree and barely held it out for us to see. It was "our perfect tree" he said. We both shrugged our shoulders and said "ok, I guess". He and John went into the trailer to take care of payment and I could hear: "Ok, that'll be $79 plus tax....".

Needless to say, it wasn't "our perfect tree" after all!

Next stop - Fred Meyer!

Exciting, isn't it! 

 We also had some very special cousins come over later in the week....

Why am I just now noticing that he's jumping on the couch with shoes on? Where is his mother?

Kenely is very in to giving hugs.

"Bur hug" as James would say. "Grrrr"

The hilariously creepy noises this sweet girl can make are so funny!

Sweet girl!

Movie and Milk time!

Kenley was really into Dora.

James was not.

Love Claire's face! Nate and Claire are about 8 weeks apart in age.... and 9 months apart in size!

Setting up the Christmas tree...

Fearless Nate and Cautious James.

This was the 2nd year in a row we started with good intentions: decorating the Christmas tree slowly and methodically, just to realize kids behind us are caving in boxes and throwing ornaments around the room. Hence, the "red and gold threw up all over this tree" look! Good thing I read this for perspective!!

Tired after all that work?

It was fun to see the boys be involved with Christmas this year. We're still setting up our own traditions as a family, but then again, we don't need to have a "list of traditions" we do every year. It's about being with people we love and celebrating Jesus together!