Christmas day...

Jack got a nerf gun from Molly, which he has not put down since opening! Molly got some new Fancy Nancy princess shoes, which she has not stopped wearing since opening! We had a grand day full of excitement and friends - the only thing missing was spending some time with family, but there is always next year!

Christmas Eve pajamas, oh my!...

This year was the theme of "Santa's Little Helper," which should have read...Mommy's little helper according to Jack because we do not believe in Santa in the Parker house. It was funny this year - one minute they would say they believed in Santa, and then the next they were saying something about how Kyle and I were the ones to put the presents in the stockings. It really is very confusing here! I had to post all three pictures of Molly, because she was most unhappy about taking the picture in her new pajamas!

Christmas Eve...

I got them to pose before the Christmas Eve service. I LOVE this picture. It makes them seem so old and grown -up!

Snow...

this was the week before Christmas, but i am just now getting around to posting things. the kids loved the snow. it was beautiful, and lots of fun. jack missed a WHOLE week of school because of the snow you see in the pictures! he was sad about not getting to go, but we enjoyed the free time.

Molly & Me...

Post Christmas Open house pictures!

a little sibling love...

A picture is worth...

worth a thousands tears. I had told the kids that if they smiled real big and I got a good picture then they could have a cookie. Needless to say...they did not smile real big. They were not cooperating, so I said no cookie. This is the reaction I got from Molly...(i know what you are thinking...mean, Gretchen. However, i stick to my guns when there are bribes involved!)

Molly as a fish...

Jack built a tower of stone...

Molly as a cowgirl...

Our first Christmas program...

We feel like we have enter that next stage of child rearing with our first ever Christmas program. Jack sang two songs, and did great. He was not nervous, and did the hand motions! We were proud parents that night.

Our Christmas Tree...

Christmas tree lights...

are a laughing matter. Jack was so very excited to decorate the tree last night. After 11 years of marriage, I thought we deserved some new glass balls for the tree. We had, up until this year, decorated the tree every year with the same glass balls I bought our first year of marriage. So...off to Target we went. We came home happy and ready to make the tree pretty. Kyle and Jack started with the lights, and that is when it happened. The first strand was good, then the second strand had some lights out (but we could make due), but the third strand was almost completely out. Changing light bulbs did not help. It is in my opinion that the tree we had a couple of years ago left so much sap that it did something to ruin the lights. We could not make the tree pretty. Jack was very disappointed and was not listening to our perfectly good promise of decorating it tonight. Molly was sick and did not care if we decorated it! I am hear to blog tonight to say that Kyle was the hero and bought new lights. He arrived home from work and we immediately went to work. Kyle hung the lights, and the kids and I hung the ornaments. The tree is beautiful. I will try and get a picture posted soon.

A Christmas tree hunting...

we will go! It was a great place, and lots of fun had by all. Best of all, we got a great tree!!