Christmas!!

Christmas just gets more and more fun the older the kids get I think. I love how excited they get about everything.  It's so amazing to watch them experience so much joy.  They love our big activities and even all the little things.  I also loved watching them give and remember the real reason we celebrate.We packed a lot into December, and then we got to spend several days with family around Christmas. We spent one night with Dad and fam and then a few nights with Mom and fam. 

I don't have it in me to put the pictures in any kind of order.  There are way too many. They are completely mixed up. Oh well.

Assembling toys can be so hard - I love the focus in this picture.

 Stockings!! Em got the new Frozen princess castle from Santa...

 I love my sweet man.

 Smith loved one thing from his stocking - his new Despicable Me coloring book.  He didn't care about anything else.

 Trying out Molly's new trampoline

 Smith adored the train around Grandma and Grandpa's tree.  He begged to control it a bunch. Grandpa Dave was so patient to sit with him a lot.

 Pappy is the egg man for our Christmas brunch.

 Anthony and Em

 Emmy was saying thank you to Zane :)

 Trying out a new game

 Puppet show

 We baked cookies at home about a week before Christmas.  Smith just stuffed the dough into his mouth as fast as he could.  He ate so much of it.  He licked everything clean of dough and powdered sugar. Zane and Emmy did pretty well - Zane made a bunch by himself and Em still needed a lot of help rolling.

 Before frosting...

 We actually got all our gifts wrapped and under the tree early this year!

 Just another day after a nap :)

 When we first put gifts under the tree, Smith opened a gift when we weren't watching.  It was the Elsa doll, from Frozen. So we let them all open one gift.
Emmy has been completely obsessed with Frozen and it's characters since she saw the movie.

 Family lego time in the family room

 Here are just some pics from a warm day before Christmas

 Emmy had her big preschool performance.  She got all dressed up.  We even curled her hair and put on a tiny bit of makeup.  She felt so special and confident and did so well on her performance.  She memorized a bunch of songs and had so much fun doing it. Zane and Smith went to watch too.

 New PJ's!!

 Kisses

This could possibly be my favorite picture from the last month.  Emmy was mad because she wanted to stand in the middle and Smith refused to budge. Her face is hysterical.  Her big emotions and responses crack me up. 

 So she decided to leave and then Smith was grumpy about it...

 They gave each other gifts before Christmas.  Emmy was giving kisses and hugs to say thanks.

 Zane discovered a new loose tooth!

 A few pics from Grandpa Jack's house...

Making vanilla pie

 Emmy's new hair dryer and then Smith turned it into a gun.

 Em got a new vanity packed with makeup and hair stuff.  She gave Nell a big makeover.

 Nice work on the hair!

Zane was a lego maniac - he put together a few pretty big new lego sets himself.

 Emmy performed for us in her new tutu.

 They woke up super early the next morning and snuggled together for a long time. Rare and so sweet.

 Back to Grandma and Grandpa's house - my mom had gingerbread houses all ready for the kids.

 Zane ate a LOT of frosting

finished houses...

 This guy looks excited!

 Just snacking

 Santa's snack and note

 Emmy's gift from Santa

 Zane's gifts from Santa

 Smith's gift from Santa (he found these Monsters University characters on sale from $120 down to $25!!)

 A few gifts ready for Christmas morning

 Happy boy got a Wii U from us and his two aunts and uncles

 Seeing what Santa ate

 Zane with Grandpa Dave

 Uncle Ben checking out the Wiiu

 Pappy and Grandma Shirley

 Emmy got this new bow and arrow.  Each time she shot it, she said (in her best Scottish accent), "I am Merida! I am the bravest princess on the whole planet!"

 She got Dave!!

 Boys checking out Ben's new coffee machine

 Em got new outfits for her dolls.  And a matching leotard.

 Walking in to find stocking stuff

 Our elves were playing in the gingerbread houses

 Super Smith cape!

 Zane got a new Kindle just for reading from Grandma Jodi and Grandpa Dave.  I hope he gets a ton of use out of it! He was listening so hard trying to understand what it did...

 Smith went through many costume changes

 Emmy also got a ton of great new costumes

 We gave Grandma Shirley a plate with the whole families' pictures and names.  They were detailed with the correct features, hair color, etc. :)

Silly faces

 A few more random pictures from the past month or so…
Emmy pulling the two little ones on a blanket.  She has done this so much for them.  So sweet.

 This picture is just proof that I survived taking all 4 kids to get an emissions test done

 One thing our elves did one night...

 Zack and I went to the Broncos Chargers game when the Chargers won!  This is one happy man after the game.

 Zane's letter to Santa: Dear Santa, I like your outfit.  All I want for Christmas is a Wiiu.  Cause you can even play when the T.V. is on.  Thank you for my web shooter last Christmas. From Zane!! (weingartner)
He wrote Weingartner so Santa knew which Zane was writing him

 Just a cute pic of Smith reading when he was at his gym class

 Zane and Em making creatures out of a new molding clay - thanks Smiths!