A Visit From Grandma and Grandpa Ernst!

Grandma and Grandpa Ernst came to visit the day after Christmas and we got to spend quite a few days with them, which we always love. The kids were delighted beyond words to have access to Grandma and Grandpa on a daily basis for almost an entire week! There were many, MANY games played...a couple favorites (at least for Jake and Lydia) were Battleship and the electronic version of Guess Who, both of which Jake recieved for Christmas from Dan and I. Because it was new, it was a popular choice and G'ma and G'pa were very patient to play it time and time and time and time again! One day while they were here, the weather was unusually warm for a late-December day. We decided to walk to the Greene to show G'ma and G'pa the huge Christmas tree set up. It seemed like deja vu, as Dan and I had done this last year in December of 2007 (see pictures below) on a different warm December day. The other exciting thing was that Jake rode his bike with no training wheels, all the way, with a good amount of confidence. Due to our crazy summer, with my surgery and treatment and recoveries, Jake did not have too many opportunities to get on his bike and practice, so it was fun to see it come to him and the freedom he felt!

About to go walk to the Greene...December 2008


Going to the Greene...December 2007
Lydia...always stylish. December 2007In front of the tree...December 2007. See, no jackets on Jake, Lydia, and Daddy. It was so warm that day.
One year later. December 2008...again, no jackets! It'd be nice to have more days like this. And here is Jake riding away on his bike!

Remember Lydia always having to be stylish... here's proof of that again.




This next set of pictures needs some explainin'. Lydia recieved a bride Barbie doll for Christmas. The same day we opened it, Claire got a hold of it and a Sharpie marker and well, I'm sure you can guess the rest. She decided Barbie needed a little something on her face. Lydia and I were bummed about this, but Grandma had the idea of using nail polish to cover up the black mark on Barbie's cheek. I went up and got the shades that would possibly work. Here is Grandpa performing the 'plastic surgery' (in the middle of a Guess Who game).

Lydia watches intently.

A close up of the procedure.

Lydia loves her Grandpa...

and her oranges too, apprently.

A sideways, "mustard face." (Only a few of you will understand this).

A group shot with Grandma and Grandpa before they head back to Indy.

Hugs!

Kisses!

And some silliness before they go.

Love you guys so much and can't wait to see you again soon!

Christmas in February now!

Once again, I am playing catch up. Here are some pictures of our Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

So here's the story of our Christmas Eve tradition. When I married Dan, we discussed any traditions we had growing up and it was then that I learned of the Ernst family tradition of having grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for supper. I thought that seemed like a lot of fun, so we started doing this as a married couple. I can't remember when, but sometime early on, there was a discussion with Dan and his family and it was questionable as to wether or not this was actually a "tradition." Regardless, we have enjoyed making it one/carrying it on for our family. Below is our family, along with my mom, dad, and sister enjoying our "soup and cheese," as my cousin termed it once. I'm not sure about Grandma and Jake in this picture.

Here is Lydia styling Grandpa's hair after supper. (I used to fix my Grandpa's hair as well).


Jake reading about Christ's birth from a book to all of us.

Every Christmas Eve, the kids open 2 traditional gifts...pajamas from us and ornaments from Grandma and Grandpa Kanost. Here is Claire opening her ornament (it was Elmo). The kids also get ornaments from Grandma and Grandpa Ernst every year, too. They got theirs over Thanksgiving. They have quite the collection and it's fun to get them all out again every year.

Jake opening up his ornament in his new Star Wars pj's.

The kids in their new pajamas in front of the tree.

Aunt Sarah Beth wears her new pajamas home!
We opened up gifts at home Christmas morning and then headed over to my mom and dad's. Here is a Little People Princess set Claire opened up, from G'ma and G'pa K. which kept her occupied for a good, long while.

Grandpa Kanost opens up his gift from Jake...a cool ice scraper! Sweeeet!

Jake loves his joke book from Aunt Sarah Beth. It is still providing us with some good laughs.

"Who's yo' Daddy?"

Later on in the afternoon, a bunch of my family and the Couture's, who are practically family, come over for an early dinner. After some yummy food, we play games. Here is Jake playing Memory with my Uncle Gary. He won again this year, but Lydia was some closer competition.

Ahh..the can. I made this can in grade school and it is a favorite by all. Well, all but my sister. You see, we have this competition. She made a candy cane that she apparently thinks surpasses my can. Many a time, either the can or the cane go mysteriously missing. I have NO IDEA who instigates this rivalry??? Unfortunetly, I do not have a picture of the candy cane...gasp! So, you can just take in the beauty of the can!

Libby helping Claire remove a pink substance all over her face and hands. I don't remember what she got into...play make up, maybe?

My sweet Grandma Kanost all bundled up.

Two pretty ladies I happened upon.

Two more pretty ladies...the moms of the previous 2.
Time for pie!