Christmas Eve

After our own Christmas celebration we went to Mom & Dad's house to play games with Tim & Carissa in the afternoon. Everyone came for supper. amd we had our traditional "appetizer" meal....yum!

Then we all went to church for the Christmas Eve service.

Afterwards we came back to Mom & Dad's to open up stockings and played games.

But first...we got comfy in new matching PJ's that Mom and Dad got for us!

Lots of goodies!!

And we all got Kansas Electric sweatshirts....Christian didn't want to take his off.

Uncle Mitch and Noah

Sometime in the middle of the night, I fed Noah, then came upstairs.

So quiet and still...even with 13 of us in the house (and Mitch was in the room in the shop...not to worry, its like his own suite!).

Ahhh...its Christmas.

Our Family Christmas

I love to look at Christmas trees when its night...and everything but the tree is lit...and its quiet.

It's just so...ahhhhh.

See...not near the feel when its daylight...but still Christmasy all the same!

We celebrated our Christmas on Christmas Eve morning. 

I got things around for later that day while Ben and Christian cleaned up downstairs before we could have "Christmas". Wow, what a little trooper...he was SO excited! 

And then we needed to take a few pictures, while Noah was still awake.

The boys

Noah's first Christmas...he wasn't too impressed. 

He enjoyed the majority of it in his crib....sleeping peacefully!

Christian showing his "Super Christian" cape...I made him.

And we saved these precious gifts for last. Leading up to Christmas, whenever anyone would ask Christian what he wanted, he would respond, "A Lightning (McQueen) monster truck and a Mater monster truck." Well, they don't even make those, but Ben really wanted to be crafty and "make" them for him. Too bad I don't have a picture of Elf Ben at work...it took him a few episodes of Parenthood to get them together. We had bought two toy monster trucks, and then the same with the other cars...and he took off the tops and screwed and glued the ones on. I told him, 

Opening one of the monster trucks....priceless reaction.

And good thing we saved them for last...because he didn't want to put them down.

Christmas [extended Hershberger clan]

 Our first Christmas gathering this season was in Harper at Tim & Faith's for the extended Hershberger family gathering.

Prior to leaving..I had to take a picture of Noah.

Faith prepared the food....steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, several salads, and DELICIOUS bread. For dessert there was red velvet cake or lemon mousse (I tried a bite of Ben's...it was GOOD!).

Dan & Marla's family and Laura & Brent were not able to come...but this is the rest of the family.

 After eating, our very own mini Santa handed out the gifts. He did such a good job!

I got a necklace from the other Jessica...it is an orange blossom dipped in gold, with 2 pearls (my birthstone) that signify my two boys! So thoughtful....I love it.

On the way home, it was supper time and conveniently there is a Freddy's on the way. I told Ben I should market Christian to be on an advertisement for their custard :) Maybe we could just get free Freddy's for life, instead of payment. I'll get right on that.

This is his reaction to my comment above..."you're ridiculous!" is probably what he said.

Before going home, we stopped in at my parents house because my Grandpa & Grandma Sweigart were there. Noah wasn't very pleased by this point in the day..so we didn't stay too long. At least we were able to get a couple pictures with him meeting them for the first time. 

 The four of us, on our first Christmas all together!

Noah was held by both his Great Grandma's today...

Maddox [ #9 ]

Happy Birthday Maddox! 

We celebrated a couple days later, when Uncle Tim and Aunt Carissa were here. 

It's hard to believe you are 9 years old.

It won't be too long before you pass me in height...you already wear the same size shoe as me!

I'm so proud to have such a smart and thoughtful nephew like you, Maddox!

Meeting Tia C

Noah has had to wait 8 weeks to meet his Aunt Carissa and Uncle Tim.

In the meantime, we have used facetime to show them how much he has grown and changed..but its just not quite the same as holding him in your arms!

Carissa and Noah (sorry Tim...I didn't get you in here)

yawn....

interested...

 getting friendly, showing silly faces...

He loves you Tia C!

Holly Jolly

A few glimpses of the past few weeks from Christian's standpoint...

1. One of the MANY sayings from songs he has heard.

He sings bits and pieces of Christmas songs alot!! Oh come let us adore Him and Joy to the World are also big hits. He just repeats the parts he knows.

2. He has thoroughly enjoyed being able to wear mittens and hats.

3. He has continued to entertain himself more, both due to staying inside more and my need to also take care of Noah.

4. He got to open up presents periodically when he had behaved well enough to earn it. "Presents" 

= rewrapped Christmas books that we already had, he just didn't remember them from last year.

5. Playing with the felt tree..and other various "projects".

6. Seeing Santa at the Botanical Gardens..while walking through and seeing all the luminaries. Amazing lights! 

7. Singing in the Christmas program at church. Oh boy...did he sing!

"Away in a Manger", "Christmas Bells",  "Happy Birthday Jesus", "Come Let us Worship"

If you can handle the extreme blurriness...here is a video of him singing. Perhaps just close your eyes, and listen, for the most part the "voice" you hear is Christian's.

Christian's Christmas Program

Cozy

One of the things I enjoy about winter is the feeling of warmth..in a cozy kind of way. 

These pictures explain that feeling to me :)

Brothers

[Noah..4 weeks old]

Daddy rocking his boys

[Noah..5 weeks old]

Christian rocking Daddy

Daddy rocking Noah

 [Noah..6 1/2 weeks old]

Snuggling on our bed

[Noah..almost 8 weeks old]

Christian in his box/bed