Santa

It's tradition that we always go to Druber's in Newton to see "THE REAL SANTA"--- I mean he does know the kids' names, the parents' names, and certain things about us that he could only know if he was THE REAL SANTA.....not one of the "helper" Santa's that are around town!

Who knows what Santa was telling these big boys---but it must have been FUNNY!

Tyler-almost 9    Jeremy--almost 11

Jaden is growing his hair out right now (not in the picture), but this picture makes we want him to CUT HIS HAIR!!!  It's so cute short and spiked!

Jaden-6    Sydney-7

Jaden is sort of "stuck in the middle" of the cousins.  He wants to play with the "big boys", but yet he also wants to play with the "little kids" (which happen to be girls!) 

So, he kind of goes back and forth. 

Girl Cousins!

Syd--7   Paige-5   Taylor-5

She is so intently listening! 

What did they ask Santa for??

Hmmm.....good question!  We didn't see Santa til Christmas Eve. 

 They just made a list this year and didn't specifically ASK Santa for anything. 

We didn't really talk about Santa much this year! 

Jaden did ask for DRUMS and we did tell him we would not get him drums so he'd have to ask Santa!!! 

AND GUESS WHAT-----

Santa brought Jaden DRUMS!  Well sort of.....

Santa brought all the kids BAND HERO!!!

Drums for Jaden, Guitar for Tyler, and a microphone for Paige!

HOW SMART!!  And how FUN!!!!

Paige was less than thrilled at first!  The microphone wasn't so cool because she couldn't read the lyrics on the TV---so how could she sing!!!?  But, have no fear...give her a few days to learn the songs and she was SUPER EXCITED about her microphone!!!

Santa had no idea the WHOLE family would like Band Hero so much!

I think every night after Christmas, til the kids went back to school we played it!

Mom and Dad were having "sing-offs"--and mom always wins!!!

Thanks Santa!  Thanks Jaden for wanting drums this year!!!

Happy Birthday Steve!

Steve was off work on his birthday!!  YEA!!!  That meant he got to go

 ROLLER SKATING with me and the kids....for his birthday!

Roller Skating is the kids' new FUN thing to do!  (This was only our 2nd time--but they

 LOVE IT!)  The boys are asking for Roller blades for Christmas---which means we'll be coming back after Christmas too (if they get them!!!)

This was the first time Paige used "Big girl" skates (instead of the kind that go over your shoes!)  She spent A LOT of time on the floor!  Her bottom was LITERALLY sore after 3 hours of skating!  AND---she got a hold in the knee her new pink leggings.  I'd say she fell a lot if she got a HOLE in her pants!!! 

She's HOT and SWEATY!!!

She has probably NEVER been physically active for 3 hours straight....in her life!

 It was lunch with Santa and skating....

this is why we went!!!

AND---we almost didn't even SEE Santa!  He was on his way out the door and I literally stopped him and asked him to come back for one more picture....

and then we had to wait for Paige get out of the bathroom!!!

I was able to get some GREAT pictures of the BIRTHDAY BOY!!!!

Happy Birthday Steve!!!!

**In case you were worried---Steve did get a proper birthday celebration!  Steve's parents took us all to the K State basketball game and a weekend in KC for Steve (and his sister's ) birthdays!  This is the 2nd year for this FUN trip!  It's a great birthday present---Steve loves it!

And, next year.....He'll be 40!!!!!!

FAMILY!!!!!

I love Christmas---because it means spending time with FAMILY!!!

I think this hits home even more this year because of all we've been through with Sydney!  My kids haven't seen Jeremy and Syd for 18 months (because they didn't come home last year for Christmas, because Syd was just 2 mos. into treatments for her LLS!)

So---we have enjoyed our time greatly with our WHOLE FAMILY!!!

After Christmas Eve service--

Mason does not like pictures these days! and Tyler...hmmm..

.Steve says he is just making a "serious face"! 

For 8 kids---this picture's not really TOO BAD! :)

We had Christmas with Terry and Aunt Barb and Uncle Jim Dec. 26th!  TYLER had the idea that we ALL wear our Team Sydney shirts when Syd came over!! 

 Tyler LOVES his Team Syd shirt!!!

Brothers!

Jason's family!

Grandma and Grandpa Balzer....

Dave's family--

Mason, Gavin, Taylor

Not sure why we didn't get Dave and Amanda in the picture!

OUR FAMILY!!

Tyler, Paige, and Jaden

Paige and Annie!

Emily didn't get in a picture this year!!

We were so busy playing Just Dance 3 and Disney Sing It on the Wii---we didn't take too many pictures at Steve's mom and dad's!

The girls loving and thanking Terry for all their AWESOME gifts!

Terry SPOILS us every year! 

A few days ago Jaden said to me.."I wonder what Terry will get us this year,

he always gets us REALLY BIG gifts!" 

 It's true---Terry is the best shopper!  Especially for the boys--

he does buy them the coolest stuff!!! 

I am truly blessed to have an awesome FAMILY and to have married into another AMAZING Family!  We are blessed beyond words!  We try to teach our kids to be GRATEFUL for everything, even the little things (which aren't really little)....like awesome grandparents, fun cousins, health, a fun day, family......

It's not the monetary things in life that matter.....it's our FAMILY and friends....

relationships with others!!   

Happy Birthday Jesus and Merry Christmas!!!

Santa Shop

Santa Shop --  where the kids can shop at school for their family!

They have gifts ranging from 50 cents to $5.

I sent $10 per kid to shop for the 4 family members in the house.

Tyler shopped one day and the next day the 2 little ones shopped!

The kids are GIDDY with excitement when they are done!!!

I, easily, give into opening the gifts that day...instead of waiting til Christmas.

(I think next year I'll make them wait!) 

 But, they are just so excited to share what they bought for each other!!

Jaden WON!  He bought Paige a Justin Bieber little bag and she

S C R E A M E D with delight!!!  and then jumped on Jaden !!!

Gifts bought:

Tyler---for mom---perfume spray

for dad--Kstate pen

for Jaden--hockey pencil

for Paige--crayola pencil bank

Jaden--for mom--candle

for dad--tape measure keychain

for Tyler--KSU back scratcher

for Paige--Just Bieber bag

Paige--for mom--shimmer body spray (and then she asked to borrow it!  HA!)

for dad--Kstate pen (yes, he got 2 of these!)

for Jaden--Spiderman night light

for Tyler--blow up sled

They have so much fun! And, their faces as they watch us open our gifts!! 

The fist Christmas of the year....

several more to come!

This is proof that....it is more blessed to GIVE than receive!

Candle Light Dinner

Another Christmas tradition at our house is a

COUNT DOWN TO CHRISTMAS CHAIN!!!

It's a simple red/green/white chain we hang from the doorway!

Each day I write something "Fun" to do that night as we count down to Christmas!  The kids take turns cutting off the chain and finding out what we will do that day!!

Things we've done so far... (that I can remember)

Read a Christmas book

Go for Frosty's

Read the Christmas story out of the bible

Shop for cousins gifts

Go to K-State basketball game

movie night
 help at Angel Tree party at church

Tonight we wrapped our gifts we bought for cousins/grandparents---it was a test of patience.   But, we did it!  The KIDS WRAPPED and had a GREAT TIME!

The other night we had a CANDLE LIGHT DINNER
This was a favorite from last year and a REQUEST to do again!!

Notice Jaden's camera on the table---he wanted to take pictures too!

The best part of a FANCY DINNER is the fancy cups and the TOASTS!
Toasts to EVERYONE....all around the table they walk....
to toast with each person!

Tyler gets to be in charge of the "wine"---Sparkling Apple Juice!
They LOVE the IDEA of the fancy drinks, but they do not LOVE the taste of it! 

A toast to our SWEET FAMILY! 
 A toast to the special memories we are making with our kids! 

Elf is Back!!

December means ELF ON THE SHELF is B A C K!!!!!!!

Super Elf is his official name!

Each night Super Elf leaves our house, goes back to the North Pole and reports to Santa!  Then, when he returns he hides in a different location in the house!  Last year, he just hid in the main room!  The kids fight over who finds him first, don't tell me where he is, and get up way to early some mornings....just to find him.

Well, this year......

Elf has gotten himself into some messes.....

There's that cute little elf--in the kids' bathroom

But, as the kids said, "he trashed the bathroom".

Tyler and Paige were CRACKING UP--Jaden did not crack ONE smile!  Not one!

I asked him if he thought it was funny, and he simply said, "NO!" with a straight face.

Jaden, 6, is scared of Elf.

One night Elf hid on Jaden's shelf in his room. Elf had to be removed from

his room before he could go to sleep that night! (Steve used TONGS to remove Super Elf, so he didn't touch him)

The next morning I asked Jaden about Elf moving out of his room and Jaden said he couldn't sleep because Elf was staring at him. 

 Then, today, Jaden told me,

 "I had to pee really fast because Elf was in there!"

The rule is---from the book, not from us---that you cannot touch Elf or he loses his flying powers!  Well, our neighbor did not know this and touched him!!  YIKES!!!!

And, the next morning, Elf was in the same place! 

So, the kids wrote notes to Elf and left with him before church.

Much to our surprise...Elf moved while we were at church.

The notes worked!  Elf got his flying powers back!!!

Other funny things Elf has done thus far this year...

Fell in a popcorn bucket, head first....and stayed there all day!

Spilled a can of Sprite on the kitchen counter...and was sitting in the cup!

Elf is a highlight and adventure for EVERYONE in the family!!!

Lounging on Thanksgiving

Just hanging out on Thanksgiving.....