Christmas with Nana and Papa

Finally getting around to posting this. We were excited to share Christmas with Nana and Papa (Lindquist) this year (well...last year now). The drove down from cold Indiana to enjoy the spring like Christmas weather down here in Georgia with us, and it was wonderful. One of the super lame things about living so far from family is that our kids don't get to hang out with their grandparents or cousins very much. So this trip was really awesome for them to be able to have fun with them. And fun it was!

Pops played all kinds of games with the kids and even taught Brody how to play chess and checkers and the huge 4 person chess board he built. They loved every minute of it and we loved to see them all together.

Me and my sweet mom tried to make some sweet treats in the kitchen. I've had this idea that candycane and white chocolate chips would make awesome cookies. So far I can't seem to perfect the recipe to make reality match my imagination, but Mom and I had a great time experimenting to tried and get it right. The were good, but I'm hoping for excellent next Christmas!

Of course the first thing, the last thing, and most things between those that the boys wanted to do involved some type of climbing on Grandpa. I'm so glad that he has the health and strength (and the willingness) to get on the floor with the boys and wrestle with them. They love it! They are never happier than when they are wrestling with papa. Even little Penny joined in this time and had a good time jumping on papa and chasing him around.

For Christmas Eve we tried something new since the weather was so nice - we went out to the backyard and roasted marshmallows after dinner! The Winn family came over for dinner (which was excellent) and then we all spent some time in the backyard talking and eating treats and s'mores. It was a good time and we especially loved the cool temperatures we were blessed with. Luckily Bridger escaped the fire with only a minor burn. You'd think kids would remember by now that those metal roasting sticks get hot when you put them in the fire!

The boys used some of their own money to buy gifts for Nana and Papa. This year Bridger got Papa a very cheap pair of hillbilly teeth which he thought were very funny, but had trouble keeping in his mouth. Nana was gifted with a whoopee cushion, which she used as a scapegoat and we all used for a good laugh. Brody and Bridger were asking everyone as sneakily as they could (which is to say not at all) to stand up for a second so they could see how tall they were. Low and behold, every time I or someone else sat back down after being measured some unknown pressurized gas that must have been secretly building up expelled itself! I just don't know how that happened! Excuse me!

Since the weather was so wonderful we went on a few walks along the trail and in the woods near our house. The boys went exploring all over the place, threw rocks in the streams, crossed under barbed wire, and trespassed on private property. What more can you ask for in a good adventure? Penny wanted to show Nana everything she found interesting, like bark pieces and big leaves and fallen trees and the stream she'd fearlessly get close to.

It was a good Christmas with family and friends and we all gave and received good things. The best gift was to have my parents here. A close second was the remote control Helicopter from Jess. Now that Bridger and Brody have their personalities more developed it was easier to get them good gifts. Bridger has been silently dancing all over the house with the use of his mp3 player and headphones and Brody has spent hours putting together various contraptions with his knex-like building set we got for him. Bridger has also been learning to read much more with his Hooked on Phoenix kit. Penny has not taken to riding her new little trike, but would love to push around anyone else on it. Jessica is working out with friends 3 times a week with her snazzy new Skechers and yoga pants. I'm sure she'll be able to run circles around me and beat me arm wrestling in no time.

We are looking forward to an awesome new year full of surprises and changes! We are glad to announce we are pregnant with twins!! And we are moving to Utah!! And we just bought new couches! Okay, well, one of those is true anyway. (hint: its the couches.)