Nutella Obsession...thanks, KaKa!

packing like crazy....

We are packing like crazy these days!  We closed on our new home on Thursday with lots to do before we move into it!  There is carpeting, painting, fixing toilets and sinks, shoveling, etc.  Danny is hard at work over there and I am here with the three kids and mountains of boxes to fill.  Good thing I am sort of used to this... we did it all less than a year ago, but back then I was pregnant and just had two kids to watch.... and it helped that Hannah took two GREAT NAPS!

So for now... we are packing like CRAZY to get ready for moving day on Saturday!  YIKES... it is so close!

Here are some pictures to satisfy the interested....

                                   

Gotta love that face!

Hannah's hair is amazing... it is so long, so blonde, so out-of-control! 

I have been waiting for the day that I could put her hair in buns like Grace's.  Yea... that day arrived.  I can vividly remember the first day that Grace had buns... March 2, 2009 -- the day after Hannah's birthday.  Adam and Rachelle came to the hospital with Grace and Rachelle put Grace's hair in buns.  From that day forward it has been one of my favorites on Grace and now Hannah has joined the fun!  Thank you, Shell, for starting something amazing!

3 month old hunk!

Here are the 3 month old pictures that we took yesterday! 

What a hunk!

Two videos to make Nanna happy!

Yes, she IS super spiritual!

Did you hear that?  

She added The Holy Spirit, God, and Jesus into Patty Cake!  She MUST be a pastor's daughter!  :)

Cutie boy!

Don't you just love the drool on the chin!!!  :)  

AUNTIES!

Unfortunately, we don't live near family, so when we have a visit from family we stop our world and enjoy the time with them.  On Christmas afternoon, Karen and Robin came to visit.  We LOVED having them here... they were such a great help and all they wanted to do was to be with my kids!  HOW AWESOME IS THAT!  They did a great job, we had so much fun together, and we didn't want them to leave.

Grace cried!  :(  May seems so far away, K and Boo!

Here are some of the best pictures from the visit:

Later Christmas Day

Later on Christmas Day, Grace went outside to help Daddy shovel!  She got to use HER shovel... what a treat!  Danny loved having a little companion with him as well!

Christmas Morning

It was so much fun just being here as a family Christmas morning.  We took our time opening gifts and eating breakfast.  We loved being on OUR timetable -- doing OUR OWN traditions.

We didn't buy the kids much -- underwear, socks and a special gift.   Grace got a Leapfrog Game that sticks to the Fridge while Hannah got a Toy Garage to play cars with (and a booster seat).  They both have logged dozens of hours playing with those things so far.

Here are some of the pictures we love from Christmas morning!

 Thanks, Chases, for this CD -- totally cool!!!!

Day 24

As the last day of the Advent Calendar, we went to church in the evening for our church's service.  It was a nice service to attend with our new church family.  Grace especially loved hearing daddy sing and going on stage to hear the Christmas story read to all of the children.  We also opened a present from Grampa and Nanna -- Lego toys... the girls stayed up late and played with them.

Day 23

On Day 23 we went into Des Moines to look at the lights.  They have a special lights show put on by the Make a Wish Foundation at Water Works Park.  You look at lights along a "road" of a park.  They are really cool... the girls LOVED seeing the ones that seemed to move (a football going through the uprights or a basketball going in a hoop or a frog jumping over the road) and they loved the tunnels that we drove through!  It will definitely will be something that we do every year!  New Iowa Traditions!  :)

Days 21 and 22

Days 21 and 22 of the Advent Calendar both had to do with food... we ate Candy Canes on Tuesday and made chocolate pretzels on Wednesday.  The pretzels tasted a lot better than they looked....  I will spare you Danny's description!  :)