Thieszen Family Christmas

We had Christmas with Grandma Dianne's side of the family on Saturday. We drove to Holdrege on Friday afternoon and spent the night at the Super 8 Motel, just so we didn't need to spend 4 hours in the car all in one day. When we first arrived in town, we stopped at let the boys play in the park since it was 55+ degrees outside. The Super 8 is the best kind of motel with a swimming pool and adjoining rooms for us 4  on one side and Grandpa Mark, Grandma Dianne and Aunt Amy on the other side. The boys had a blast doing that and continue to ask to back to the hotel!

The next day we met with everyone at Great Grandpa Aldon and Great Grandma Erna's house. (we had 100% attendance, all 21 people!)

Only Great-Aunts and Grandma's are allowed to spoon feed Cool Whip to small children

Reese jingling along to "Jingle Bells"

We are so glad it was such nice weather on Saturday and we could spend so much time outside. They have a nice sized fenced in back yard and it was good that we were able to spread out and let the boys run around and play. I brought several toys for them to play with, including sidewalk chalk. Reese entertained himself by drawing on the chainlink fence and then licking the chalk off... eeeewwww!

Clayton had a blast with his 2nd Cousin, Clara

Group Photo!

 Finally time to open some presents!

Reese enjoying a truck that Great-Grandpa Aldon recalls getting as a Christmas gift when he was about 5

Clayton is tired from not having a nap! 

Reese did take a nap and was doing well, and acting cute!

Snitching M&Ms

Clayton found a bell on the tree

And the aftermath? Not that bad actually. We left when we did because Clayton was ready to just pass out from exhaustion, and actually did fall asleep on the floor waiting to use the bathroom. Both boys slept most of the way home. When we got back, we let them veg on the couch to watch a little TV, fed them some supper (well Reese anyway) and gave them a bath and put them to bed right away. It worked out very well.

Christmas Morning

We opened stockings and a few presents from Santa at our house Christmas Morning. The boys got a Dog Guitar (Woofer!) and a Cat Piano (Meowsic!) Daddy thinks they are super annoying, but Mommy thinks it's cute.

 Santa also brought a Trampoline! The LOVE to jump and climb all over it!

 ... And use it as a seat to watch TV, haha

Also a book called "Tickle Monster" that comes mitts to wear so that the reader can actually become a tickle monster to tickle the child they are reading too. While I was getting ready this morning, Clayton was tired of waiting for me to come read it and tried to put on the mitts and get the book out of the box himself. So sweet!

We had such a blessed Christmas!

A Merry Christmas Eve!

The boys at Christmas tonight with Grandpa Mark, Grandma Dianne and Aunt Amy (and Mom and Dad too, although on several occasions Clayton requested that we "go bye-bye").

Reese is always (usually) happy! :)

Clayton is a little upset that he wasn't able to open ANY of these presents all day, we made him WAIT! Terrible!

The expression says it all!

I think the wait was worth it though! Here were the surfacing favorites! 

a tape measure! 

(So mad that this one is blurry!)

Reese loves his remote control tractor!

Merry Christmas!

Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers

I'm not sure what possessed me to teach this tongue twister to Clayton... but he can say it correctly about half the time, so hey!

Christmas Cheer

If these pictures don't warm your heart with Christmas cheer, then... I don't know I'll just have to keep posting more!

Clayton Rubbing noses with the snowman that sings "Jingle Bells" at Grandma Ann Branz's house

Making almond bark pretzels with the boys.... please keep that in mind if you eat any of them that they may not be easy to look at, but they were decorated with love! (and a little snitching)

Christmas Picture Attempt

I tried to take the boys' picture to put on a Christmas card last week. It wasn't overly successfully but some of them are kind of cute. I guess if I spent some time editing them they could be better, but I just don't have the right kind of space for taking my own good pictures.

Re-Discovering Snow

The day it snowed last week the boys were both sick, and it was waaaay too cold to let them go outside and play in it. Clayton was pretty disappointed (I don't think Reese knew what he was missing). Clayton and I finally got our chance on Tuesday afternoon to check out the snow covered yard and he had a blast. I pulled him around in our little sled and made "snow tracks" and then Clayton pulled it around for a while. Then we went into the  backyard and found some kitty tracks, made some tracks with our own boots, and even saw that the sand box was covered in snow (I was actually worried that he was going to cry about it, but he ended up being OK). Finally we learned that the slide had snow on it too! (And, it's not that cold).

I just love that Clayton can talk and express himself so that we get a little glimpse of what's going on in his 3 year old mind!

Happy to be crunching the snow

watching his "snow tracks"

Oh yah, the wheel barrel has snow too!

Preschool Graduation

Well preschool is over for Clayton (today was the last day). They held a ceremony where all 7 preschoolers performed the song they'd learned and got a little "diploma." It was really cute, and I'm sure Clayton will miss it! I'm not sure if he really understands if it's over or not... I guess time will tell how he does with it.

Getting his diploma

All his friends - Clayton is on the far right

The proud father

Clayton with his favorite teacher, Miss Araya

We're still Here...

Just wanted to let you know that we're still here. We've been battling a stomach bug (currently on day 6 of the vomit and diarrhea adventures). The boys feel better at times and throw up in their dinner plates at others. Say a pray that they can keep down and digest their food :)