Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!! 

We had a joyful month of anticipating the celebration of Christ's birth as we added a magnet each day to a special calendar we have hanging in the kitchen. We talked about many different characters that played a part before, during and after Christ was born, and had the treat of letting the littlest one (it was Leila this year) place baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas morning. 

God is so good, and we are thankful he so graciously carried us through another year! 

We pray that you too find comfort in His nearness as we enter into 2014.

(See the baby shoes next to Leila?? Only a few more months to go and we get to meet this little one!)

If only I had time to learn Photoshop better :) This was taken at Gretta's 7th birthday bash with the relatives.

Gampy and Leila singing to Gretta...

And here is the cake Gretta decorated! I can hardly believe she is seven. Gretta loves loves loves reading (Nancy Drew, American Girl, you name it! though it is getting tough to find quality reading material in her age group these days). She also enjoys playing in the snow, building legos, & sharing with us the latest Leila quote that gets us all rolling with laughter!

Here is Mr. Eric with the kids from Sunday school singing a few of the songs they had worked on for weeks leading up to the service, including a clever rendition of "Happy Birthday Jesus". 

Gretta and some friends are standing in front of "pin the antenna on the butterfly". She requested dirt cake and crafts. Tim took the boys to grandmas while we worked on our art projects.

The girls colored for WAY longer than I anticipated, almost an hour! They were in their element.

We made some graham crackers with "graham" flour. Who knew??

Grandpa Jer works for the mill, and every year they host a Christmas party at the movies. Each kid picks a toy to bring home (organized by age group after the show). Leila, of course, chose a doll. Gretta picked an outfit for her doll. Sam chose an angry birds set and I can't remember what Sy got. Too bad it's not in the picture. Grandma Lo is fun!

At VFW with Uncle Phil and Auntie Danielle celebrating Phil's graduation a year after the fact. 

Phil was surprised, I think!

Kids and stockings...we actually remembered St. Nick's Day this year! Maybe a first? They were pretty excited :) 

One last good bye for now from Gretta and her doll in adorable matching outfits...thank you GG!