Happy 4th Birthday Emma!

Adult Pajama Jam

On Friday, Dec. 12th, we had an Adult Pajama Jam party with some friends in our neighborhood.  We  had a white elephant gift game where we were asked to bring one white elephant gift and one desirable gift. I walked away with a 40 oz of Miller lite beer bottle and Kyle got a $25 gift card to Cheesecake Factory.  Mine was obviously a white elephant gift but we all laughed about it for quite awhile that someone had brought it.  We had such a great night!  I have never laughed so hard and for so long as I did that night.

Emma's Winter Dance Recital

On Tuesday, December 9th, Emma had her winter dance recital.  She was so excited to get dressed up in her costume and do her dance especially because she has so many friends that go to the same dance academy with her this year.  She has 2 friends that are in her same class.  Her class danced to the song "Doing that thing you do."  The girls all did such a great job and Emma just loves her dance teacher Brittani.

Bode-18 Months

Bode is now 18 months old.  It's hard to believe that he is that old now when he still seems so little to me.  But his personality is definitely that of an 18 month old.  He is about as stubborn and independent as a toddler comes.  There are many times where Bode and I get into a "who is more stubborn" battle and most of the time he wins because I just can't take the screaming.  One example of these battles is when he asks for his sippy and I go and get it out of the fridge, he will not just take it out of my hands.  I have to put it down on the ground and walk away and he has to be able to pick it up himself.  Drives me insane but whatever.  He wants to do everything for himself and thinks he can do anything and everything his big siblings can do.  Dinner time has become quite an event because he wants to sit in a chair like everybody else and he has to feed himself so I have had to give up my OCD and just remember that I can clean it up and he can always get a bath and his clothes can be washed.
On the other side of Bode has become such a funny little boy and has really come into his own personality.  He has lots to say even if half the time I don't understand a word he is saying, he still has to say it.  He also loves to dance and sing.  He also loves to tackle.  He adores his big brother and big sister and they both love him.  I feel so blessed to have 3 kids that seem to get along really well.  I know that might not always be the case but for now I'm enjoying it.
Bode is officially in nursery now which I'm super excited for.  He has made going to church really hard.  Mostly because there was a rarity that Kyle or I got to sit through a whole meeting.  He didn't love going but once he calmed down he seemed to really enjoy it.  I went and checked on him once and he was eating his snack and it got me a little choked up.  He looked like such a big boy sitting there with all of his friends.
We really love this little boy and we are so glad that he was sent to our family!

Alpine Living Nativity

Our friend invited us to go to the Alpine Living Nativity this year.  I went to one as a child but hadn't been to one since and Kyle had never been to one.  I was really excited to take our kids and experience this with them.  Us along with 7 other families from our neighborhood went all together.  We all squeezed into the horse trailer that would take us up to Bethlehem and we sang Christmas carols all the way up.  When we got out of the horse trailer there were Roman soldiers riding horses welcoming us to Bethlehem.  We then walked and saw animals, they even had real camels.  We walked through a barn that felt like we were in the town of Bethlehem.  They had people making baskets and a blacksmith.  After the first barn we walked out and met the wisemen with their gifts.  We were then led into a separate barn where Mary and Joseph were with the baby Jesus.  The spirit that was there was overwhelming and it was so peaceful and quiet.  It was such an incredible experience and I loved that my kids could get a small glimpse into what it was like when Jesus was born and how it wasn't in a nice hospital like babies are born now but in a lowly stable.