Jump!

Tuesday we (Mom, Alyssa & her kids, Carissa & Tim's family, and our family) went to the sports center place in Wichita.

Lots of trampolines, foam pits to jump in, various ropes to climb on, trapeze, etc....

Lots of energy to be burned off at this place! The kids loved it!

Jace is in the red shirt, Christian in the blue, and Kade in the orange.

Noah was very apprehensive of going on the trampolines by himself, and Jonah who I thought wouldn't go at all..was all about it :) Thankfully, there is a smaller kid area and these two stayed very busy there with Ben and Eliana. They pretty much had this area to themselves the whole time, which was also very nice (Noah is incredibly shy when it comes to playing with kids he doesn't know).

Christian walking the tightrope...

and falling down!

All the bigger kids loved the trapeze..

Maddox

 Kade, Ava, Jace, Maddox

Christian flying!!

 Thanks Grandma for letting us come here!

Ava, Jonah, and Eliana watching the jumpers

We got to eat at Jimmy's afterwards...

a fun and special day out!

Christmas [Sweigart family]

Christmas Day!!!

All the cousins in their jammies.

After breakfast..Santa came to visit! 

It's safe to say Christian was very excited about his remote control helicopter. Jonah maybe wasn't the biggest fan.

Waiting to open presents.

We opened all the presents from each other (not the ones from Mom and Dad) before dinner. There was not a shortage of gifts! 

Following dinner, Carissa and Tim had an activity for us to do while the little ones were napping.

They had a box we opened, and inside were cans of silly string. Hmm...

We took it outside (prior to the rain), and they stood in the center of a circle. The color that came out would tell us what gender their baby is going to be!! They will be having another GIRL :)

We opened the presents from Mom and Dad in the sunroom. 

We are all quite spoiled.

Last year, some of the grandchildren got blanket/quilts made by Grandma. This year, the others did...she was a busy lady!!

The future cousins...

so crazy to think next Christmas, they will look mighty different (and hopefully their mama's do too!).

Baby Boy Hershberger (due January) ------- Baby Girl Gredler (due May)

We had to squeeze in our annual nativity play!

The cutest little sheep you ever did see. "Ana" (that's what Jonah calls her) and Jonah.

The pickle tradition...

I'm guessing Mr Sassy Pants didn't want to give the pickle back. He's not so good at hiding his emotions! We had to find the pickle in shifts...some people get a little too physical (ahem....Mitchell, Brent, and Ben!).

And whenever there is downtime...there were always at least a couple boys up for a game of foosball.

That was the nutshell of the day. I don't feel as though I am giving a clear picture...but there was alot of food, presents, food, laughing, food, games, food, laughing.

It was Christmas. A very good one!

Christmas Eve

As you reach the end of pregnancy, there are a few things that seem like they just shouldn't have to happen. 

#1: Someone parking EXTREMELY close to you...so much so, that you cannot physically even get to the driver's side door...so you "get" to climb through via the passengers side. This was following my shift at work.

and #2: Getting the stomach bug on Christmas Eve! Oh my, it hit around 6 am...and it went strong for a good 12 hours. Cruel I tell you, having to get in and out of bed quickly is a joke in and of itself, but add a terrible reason to have to run to the bathroom and it was no good! 

I missed out on the fun times at Mitch's house in the afternoon/evening. But I made it to the Christmas Eve service and then to Mom and Dad's with everyone else afterwards. The kids all got matching jammies...they looked so cute. 

We opened up our stockings, and then played some games.

 Lots and lots of laughing.

Our Christmas

Christmas break started on Wednesday...we were all ready for it!

Playing, baking, puzzle making.

On Friday, we celebrated our own family Christmas in the afternoon/evening. 

We complete our Star from Afar advent, and read the Christmas story prior to opening presents. 

 Ladies...he's all mine. He asked for work suspenders!! I have a hard time taking him serious with this look :)

As soon as we were finished opening presents, Noah couldn't WAIT to get to his room to build with his magnets. He LOVES these things...and he loves sea animals...double win!

Our Christmas supper: Hamloaf, cheesy potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls, jello salad.

What a good Christmas. We have so much to be thankful for...our boys (the one to be born too!), our home, our safety, and most important our Savior who came to this world as a baby to save us all!

Jonah decided he had so much excitement for the day, he didn't want to call it a night when his brothers did. He had gotten out of bed, running around like a crazy boy...blanket covering his head, playing with all the loudest fridge toys! So Daddy said he would take him outside on a walk, which he promptly replied with clapping/shouting "HOORAY!! Me go on a walk!!! Bye Mommy!!!"

December Days

A little what we've been up to these days...

Jonah is as ornery and sassy as ever!

Christian's comment after playing with Noah on the trampoline this day...

"You know, I just discovered that Noah ISN'T always pesty, he IS actually a lot of fun!! I think that was the most fun I've ever had in my life!!"

 He's a mess ALMOST most of the time...but luckily he is also cute!

My baking helpers...

Christian's Thanksgiving turkey he made at school.

Noah really can entertain himself for a LONG time with coloring.

The moments they get along like this are just the sweetest...

 Oh hello there "time out" chair, meet Mr. Sassypants...

 And we're all looking forward to the next little boy to arrive!!

Christmas Programs

We had several programs this Christmas....

Noah and Christian were in the church Christmas program.

Ahh...Noah, you are quite the little fella.

My three little handsome boys..oh I just love them.

Noah singing....

Away in a Manger, Happy Birthday to Jesus and Go Tell It On The Mountain

 Christian singing in the children's choir...they were all shepherds.

We also went to Maddox, Ava, and Kade's school Christmas program in Wichita. 

Grandpa & Grandma took us all out to Jimmy's Diner afterwards! Oh man, it had been at least 15 years since I had been there...and I'm pretty certain they still had the same menu. Cherry Phosphate WITH the zing....its quite the special drink.

 Last program...

Christian's school program. It is a large production, involving more than just elementary school kids...therefore really hard to get a picture of him amongst the crowd. So here is the proud first grader...at Grandma and Grandpa's house for a dessert following the program!