Larry the Elf is back....

 and brought us a new lego advent calendar for 2015!

Our Gymnast

Katelyn started her first year of competitive gymnastics this year.  She tried out for the excel team last spring and made it.  She competed in the silver excel group.  Her first competition was at her gym and it was more of a practice than anything.  This is my lame attempt at a picture of her uniform cuteness.  Most of the other events ended up being on Sundays so she didn't participate.  The one Saturday competition was the week we were in New Mexico for Brianna's wedding so my Mom took her. Katelyn took fifth in vault at that event and her team took first team overall.  She got two fun medals.  We were so excited for her and we are really excited to actually get to watch her compete next year!

Christmas Cousins

 While my family was here for Dad's birthday party we had a Christmas cousin present exchange.  I love Christmas.

Discovery Center- Christmas Break

Dad's 65th Birthday Party

 My Dad turned 65 this year.  My Mom wanted to throw him a big party so she started planning it months in advance.  She invited all of his friends from high school and college plus our family.  We offered our house for the festivities and everyone had something to do to get ready.  I made the shirts for all of the grand kids.  We wanted my Mom to jump out of a cake but she wouldn't.  Boo!  We borrowed tables and chairs from some friends.  We ended up zip walling in the deck out back and renting a heater to keep it warm.  It turned out perfect with just enough room.  Warm enough to be warm but cool enough to not die with lots of people in one place.  My Mom made a pork roast dinner and we had cheesecake for dessert.  My Dad's friends kept the stories clean.  Darci made an awesome slide show with pics of my Dad from baby through now.  And most importantly, my Dad had a great time.  He smiled and laughed (really loud) the whole night.  Happy Bday Dad!

Christmas 2015

 Merry Christmas!  We had our traditional Christmas Celebration.  A big turkey dinner on Christmas Eve followed by Christmas light spotting, a Christmas movie, the nativity with our puppets, cookie decorating for Santa, and family gifts.  The big gift for the kids from Russ and I this year was a clearplay DVD player that edits movies.  We gave them an envelope full of words that they had to put together to make a sentence telling them what it was.  We have been dying to show Ridge superhero movies before he grows out of his superhero stage.  With the clearplay we can.

Christmas morning was so fun, as usual.  The family got some new sleds, a panini maker, and a ping pong topper for the air hockey table.  Everyone got a Hennessy hammock for backpacking.  The girls both got backpacks for backpacking.  Katelyn got a kindle.  Kyleigh got some new swimming DVDs and book.  Ridge got lots of legos.  Russ got a new sleeping bag and some fishing stuff.  I got a new world map canvas and my favorite ever workout water bottle.  We had our traditional Christmas breakfast which is an egg and sausage casserole, blueberry muffins, and homemade grape juice.

We spent the afternoon playing with our new toys, having ping pong tournaments, eating leftovers, watching iron man (edited), and having a snowball fight.  Can't think of a better way to spend the day.