The greatest time of year!

Wow did Christmas come fast this year! It seems like it was just Thanksgiving!

We did do some traveling this year, even though the weather did not want to cooperate. We planned to travel to Eau Clarie and on to Arkdale Christmas Day. Luckily things worked out just fine. It was fun to see so many, but it the season seems to go so fast!

Christmas Eve

Is spent with Mark's Mom's family at Ross and Rene's in Dresser.

We have an evening get together with lots of good food and fun. It was fun to see the little kids enjoy Christmas so much this year!

Our annual Christmas picture...not too bad, we are all looking!

Madi and her Bitty Baby twins. She loves babies...even real ones!

She was really into opening gifts at Rene's, even the ones that were not hers!

The Johnson cousins. minus Madi....she was not willing to cooperate!


Grandma Ruthie and her children...
Mark, Ruth, Scot and Rene

Grandma Ruthie and Grandpa TJ

The Holmdahl/ Lechman family.

When we got home Kacy and Madi were outside lov'n all the new snow.

It was very beautiful, and how would Santa get to us if we did not have some new snow.



Christmas Morning

It is fun to wake up in our own home and enjoy Christmas morning with gifts from Santa. Kacy was the first one up and she had to wait patiently for the other kids to wake. She did tell Mark and I however how Santa got in our home, due to the fact that we do not have a chimney. I tried so hard to get her to say it on tape, but she would not. It was a riot. I love seeing things through the eye's of a child. It pretty much came down to the fact that Santa shrunk to be very, very small so he can get into our house! Who knows where she learned that!

The kids really enjoyed opening their gifts, I think they were all pleasantly surprised by the gifts they received. Madi seemed to have had enough unwrapping the night before, because she was not into it the same.

The blonde bombers ready for gifts!

The Johnson kids Christmas morn.

Madi was very excited about her new cow ornament.

Kacy and her new Sleeping Beauty doll.

Bret and his new SCF warm up.

Christmas in Arkdale

After stopping in Eau Claire to have Christmas dinner with Ruth's family we headed on to Arkdale to have Christmas with my parents and brother's family. Our travels were uneventful, the road were just wet. We had supper and opened presents with them to wrap up a very busy day. Everyone was very excited to see Baby Ryan, especially Madi, and how much he has grown over the last month.

Nana and Papa with all their Grandchildren.

Their First Christmas as a Family!

Our farm girls with her new combine, Ryan got a tractor.

Bret with his new t-shirt.

We then spent Saturday night with my Dad's family and Sunday with my Mom's family at her house. There was quite a bit of Christmas smashed into one long weekend, but we made it.

To the Dentist!

Kacy made her first trip to the dentist today......

She did great! I say that like I am surprised? Well I am.

She would not sit in the big chair by herself, hence my 12 chins in the picture, but she let them do everything that had to do. Clean, shine and floss and then let Doctor Crain check it all out.

Next time she in the chair by herself!!!

Anyone Seen Madi?

Okay, so today we get home church, Hope is over playing with Kacy, I am making lunch, Mark is in his chair, all is good........

After a while I ask if anyone has seen Madi?

Nope.....I have checked Kacy's room, twice,

I even called her name because I thought she might be in the closet......

Well look where we found her.....quiet as a church mouse laying in the baby doll crib with the doll's bottle (yes she is too big for it, but that did not stop her!)

Looks comfy, huh?

Our Madi....there will never be dull moment with this one around!!!!

Christmas Pictures!

After returning from our weekends, I had hoped to get my kids in there Christmas best and get a picture by our tree for Christmas cards.......

Well you know how that is way easier said than done!!!!

The oldest two tend to cooperate...it is number three whom seems to be a challenge!

A Day in the Life of an Elf!

Sunday we woke up and decided after checking out of the hotel we would venture over to Macy's to see their 8th floor display...this is something we have never done, so we thought we would take advantage of the fact were were already there.

The kids loved walking in the Sky walk. It was nice to stay inside considering it was so cold outside! We seemed to get rolling a lot earlier than things opened, so we had lots of time to explore the sky way. The kids loved walking over the cars!

I believe this was taken in the IDS center.

Bret captured the tree with the camera.

Dad and Bret taking a break!


Madi finally cooperating for the picture. Kind off!

I love this picture with the building in the background.

Kacy really liked all the big buildings and I just think the city is so pretty at night.

A three loved looking out the hotel window at all the lights!

Macy's theme this year was "A Day in the Life of an Elf."

The kids were very good and checked everything out. There was a place at the end to meet Santa, but my girls were not interested at all.

The elf's making cookies. Mrs Clause was here,

but Kacy was not interested in meeting her either!

This was probably their favorite display.....

Madi was all about the candy, in fact if you ask her what she wants Santa to bring her...

she yells.....CANDY!!!

Dad and his kids checking it out!

Madi was loving the dancing pigs at this point. No not "flying," they were dancing.

And here are some singing Christmas Trees.

Hollidazzle!

Saturday night we got to enjoy the Twin Cities Hollidazzle parade. The last time Bret and I were there he was probably 4, so it has been a while! We thought this year the girls would be old enough to enjoy it too. Well the weather turned out great! We were worried that it might be to cold, but it felt great for the half hour were were outside.

Kacy had decided she did not want to go because it meant that she could not go in the pool until it was over...she was not up for that idea! She did not get a choice, and you know what....she loved it!!!!! In fact she kept saying...I did not want to go, but I loved it! Her fav was the Princess and the Pea. Madi also loved the lights and keeps saying she saw Santa Clause at the parade! He was 20-30 feet away...but that was close enough for her!

Family picture....all bundled up!

Gingerbread House!

Mom and the girls!

Captain Hook

The Jolliest Elf of all!!

Pretty, Pretty Princess!

It is time for family fun weekend.....there may be some sarcasm in that line.

The girls and I had ticket to to see Disney Princesses on Ice at the Excel, so we decided we would turn it into a family fun weekend and every one would go. The girls would do Disney, the boys would ride the train down to the Mall of America, we would get a hotel and go see the Holidazzle Parade. All seemed like a great idea until Madi choked and puked on the way down, we made an extra stop to clean her up and the boys plans went up in flames due to a time crunch....they went to Rosedale instead and saw a movie. Dad was not happy at all!!

Anyway, the girls went on to St Paul, found a great parking spot, I was willing to pay to be close with two little girls by myself. In fact we were so close we were able to leave our coats in the car. We also had great seats, 3rd row. Madi was a perfect angel the first half, I thought she was going to fall asleep. She did get a tad antsy the during the second half, but that was to be expected. I really could not have asked for them to be any better behaved.

They do surprise me sometimes.

Mom and her girls!

Aladdin

Sleeping Beauty...Kacy's favorite!

Sleeping Beauty and her Prince.

The Seven Dwarf's!

Kacy and Rylee!

Rylee went with her Mom and Grandma.

Kacy really wanted her to sit by us, but that was not in the cards this time.

Cinderella

The second half of the show was dedicated to this story.

I think they did a great job tying it together and keeping the kids interested.

Madi goofing off!

Snow White

It would not be Disney with out the first couple!

The Anderson/ Edlen gang was there too!

Here is the whole crew!

Cinderella and her Prince!

Tinker Bell

Madi loved her!!

We had nice time and this was a very special treat for the girls. I guess it is our version of the hockey tournaments. The boys really missed out!