Christmas Festivities

One of the most enjoyable parts of Christmas for me is all the fun activities that you get to do with your family to get you in the Christmas spirit. I feel like there are just not enough weekends in December to get all the activities in that I would like to do. Here are a few of the fun things that we have done this December.

The kids had a great time decorating this gingerbread house.

This is our third year in a row going up to Bellevue Square and watching the Snowflake parade. We eat dinner at the Cheescake Factory, walk the mall for a little while (can't do it for very long with 4 kids), and then head on outside for the fun.

The street is lined with lights and big drums are set up all along the sidewalks. We are up on a skybridge over the street.

I just love Christmas lights and these snowflakes are so pretty.

Waiting for the show to begin.

A little hot chocolate sounds good about now.

Here come the drummers. They march along the skybridge and then go down to the street where they stand up on the drums and dance and play to the Christmas music. There are also lights that are flashing on the buildings and even fake snow when it is over. The whole show is only about 15 minutes but that is perfect length for the kids.

Time to go!

Another fun thing we did this year was to go eat breakfast with Santa. We had pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice and hot chocolate. There was entertainment and Santa came around to each table to say "hi" to the kids.

We even got to see Rudolph!

Sienna is just like her dad and does not like to wear shoes or socks. Brian would take off his socks and shoes also if it weren't for the wierd looks he would get.

Our "Ironman"

We have been anticipating this for weeks and it is finally over. Austin had surgery up at Children's Hospital a few days ago. He has a little pain but is doing really well-could be all those drugs we are giving him. Austin had a screw put in his ankle and a plate put in his knee. This procedure will help Austin's bones grow more evenly and will get his leg aligned more correctly. Austin had a club foot when he was born and his leg being out of alignement is just one of the effects of the club foot. We joke with Austin that he will set off metal detectors with the metal inside of him. Below are some x-rays the dr. gave us. They are pretty cool, especially in person.

Side knee

Front knee

Side ankle

Front ankle

Here Austin is right after he woke up from the anethesia.

They have his leg bandaged all the way from his thigh to his foot. We haven't seen the incisions yet and he can't take off the bandage until Sunday. This means no shower for 4 days. Austin is not complaining about that!

All the doctors and nurses were great at the hospital. They were so friendly and made Austin, Brian and I feel right at home.

Austin was excited to be able to ride in the wheel chair out of the hospital.

This doesn't look so bad does it?

Austin gets around great on his crutches. He will have to use them until he can bear his weight on his left leg. Hopefully we don't have to take these with us to Utah.

The Perfect Tree

It has become our annual Christmas tradition to go get our Christmas tree the weedend after Thanksgiving. Who needs the headache of crowded shopping malls when you can be in the great outdoors. So we made our yearly trek down to Sumner to cut our tree down at Harvey's Christmas tree farm. The kids love going because they get free hot chocolate and candy canes every year. I think this is the first year that we have not been rained on while we have been there. Yeah!

The perfect tree.

Austin and Colin helped dad cut the tree down.

Timber-great catch.

We did it! Another successful year of Christmas tree hunting.

Happy Birthday Austin!

The day after Thanksgiving was Austin's birthday. This year was his year for a family party and he chose to go bowling and then to Old Country Buffet for dinner. He had been sick all week so we were happy when he was feeling better for his birthday.

Austin was really excited to get this Lego Castle.

Strike! This was Austin's first strike at bowling, playing without the bumpers.

I thought it was pretty funny that we were going to Old Country Buffet the day after Thanksgiving. Austin loved it. He had three servings of steak and loved choosing just what he wanted to eat.

Austin wanted an ice cream cake this year so luckily I didn't have to try and make one. We were so full after dinner that we sang Happy Birthday to him and had him blow out his candles, but saved the cake for the next night.

Austin, we love having you in our family and you bring so much joy and happiness into our lives! We love you! Happy Birthday!

Thanksgiving Feast

We spent Thanksgiving with the Johnson families. Brian has three cousins who live in Washington and they are all brothers. It was a fun day hanging out with family and eating delicious food. If you think about it, it is the one day you can totally pig out and not feel guilty about it. My kind of day!

Rebecca had three beautiful tables all set up for the big dinner.

She also had cute turkey's with everyones name on so we knew right where to sit.

Pilgrim hats and Indian head dresses completed the scene. Rebecca is a great dinner hostess!

Carl cooked three turkey's, one was deep fried, one was smoked and the last one was traditional. I think my favorite was the smoked turkey.

Where else would you find the guys after the big Thanksgiving meal. All on the couch watching football.

Goodbye Cub Scouts, Hello Boy Scouts

I can't believe that my little boy is out of Cub Scouts. It was a happy-sad feeling seeing him at his last pack meeting earning his Arrow of Light. It seems like just yesterday that we moved to Auburn and I was called to be a wolf cub leader and a few months later Austin was a cub scout. Now 3 years later he is moving on to boy scouts. I feel lucky that I have been involved in the Cub Scout program the whole time that Austin has been a cub scout. It has been a lot of fun going through the program with Austin as a leader and a parent.

Austin at his last pack meeting as a cub scout.

Austin has earned his Arrow of Light award which is the highest award in the Cub Scout program.

Brian is trying to entertain Colin and Sienna during the ceremony while I am taking pictures. The look on his face says it all. This is how we both feel during church each week.

Crossing over the bridge from being a Cub Scout to being a Boy Scout. One of the Boy Scout leaders is on the other side ready to welcome him into the program.

Austin and his Webelo leader, Tara Hatch. She was a great leader and make Austin's year as a Webelo really fun. Thanks Tara!

Proud parents!

They had a cake for the boys after the ceremony.

Go Cheetahs!

Rylie had a great season this year playing soccer. She has improved a lot since last year and has definately gotten more aggressive. She scored quite a few goals and her team (Cheetah's) won every game but one. This is the third year that Brian has coached Rylie and many of the girls have been on the team each year as well. It is a great group of girls and hopefully they can keep playing soccer together.

The Cheetah's

Half time instruction. Many of the parents have commented on what a good coach Brian is. He never played soccer growing up so I think it must be from watching all the soccer that Austin has played.

Rylie enjoyed taking her turn as goalie.

I believe they only had one game where it rained. Pretty good odds for Seattle.

Sienna was missing her dad.

Rylie loves having her dad as coach.

Brian had to miss one of Rylie's and Austin's soccer games because of school so he brought home a box of donuts and decorated it for the kids.

End of season team party at Round Table pizza.


So proud of her trophy.