Christmas 2013!

We had lots of Christmas fun this year with our busy little one year old! I was on call Christmas day  for work so we spread out our Christmas celebrations this year! We started at Grandpa and Grandma Schultz's house in Grand Forks and celebrated the weekend before Christmas! Then drove back to Hutchinson for our own Christmas, and after that we had more family coming to our house to celebrate another round of Christmas!

It was nice that my family could make this work so we could spend Christmas with everyone! Tim made thousands of gingerbread cookies that we decorated, we all received matching fleece jackets, and all the boys had so much fun with there cute bear hats and new choppers! 

Lucas stayed up late the day we celebrated and loved all the action and ripping open all his presents! I think he liked the wrapping paper and bows more than his gifts! It was super busy but we enjoyed every minute! Lots of photos to show!

Bina Cousins!

This is what Lucas though of his presents!

Getting all ready for church!

little stud muffin!

family photo-- i look just a bit tired, too much fun!

Big family photo!

Mimosas!

Uncle Scott as Santa -- the little ones were a little scared!

Tucker got a new chair like Lucas's, Carter and Lucas I think liked it more!

Pinterest creation! Felt Christmas Tree! Super easy!

Lucas would spend a good 30 min sticking on the felt pieces! 

Went and visited Great Grandma Carroll in his Christmas outfit! Busy boy!

New tent for Logan from Lucas!

Yearly tradition!

Siblings!

Went and visited Santa claus at Mommy's work kids Christmas party! We also did lots of arts and crafts here! Pretty fun! Still not a fan of Santa

After Christmas in Grand Forks, we drove back to Hutchinson on Christmas eve morning early to beat the bad weather! We continued our celebration with reindeer pancakes and we were all looking forward to Christmas morning at home. We went to Christmas eve church service in Hutch and Lucas did awesome, even held on to the candle during the candlelight service! We came home and had some appetizers and relaxed….

 And then Tim came down the 24 hour flu from Christmas eve night to Christmas day, ohhh what fun! He was sick alll night and then I had to then go into work for an hour on Christmas day, poor Tim had to be at home with the flu taking care of a toddler! Not fun!! We still were able to celebrate a little bit, until Christmas night when I ended up with flu as well. ICK. I had to call in sick the next day at work, which wasn't the worst thing, hanging out with my two boys a bit longer..even if I was in bed most of the day :) 

new tunnel from ikea-- favorite present!

Cinnamon roll snowman-- trying to be creative!

all ready for church! looking sharp!

Handsome men!

Pre-Christmas Fun!

Last weekend Auntie Cassidy, cousin Logan, and Grandma Wendy came to visit! Tim was gone for the weekend so it was nice to have company!! We made a ton of Christmas bars and cookies! We each took a few recipes and made our own and then split everything at the end. It worked our really well! Logan did say "Guys, this was a really good idea, but its taking a long time and I'm getting tired!" He also told Fenton that he was his cuddle button. Funny kid!!

The weather was a bit chilly, I think it was probably under zero, but we made it work. We started our morning at Walmart-- I had heard there were free Santa photos, that was a bit of joke, probably worse Santa I've seen ;) He didn't even say ho-ho-ho or ask what the kids wanted for Christmas. After that we drove into Minneapolis and spent the day walking around (inside) downtown. We went to Macy's where Logan was able to send a letter to Santa, and then on the 8th floor they had a little Elf toy shop area, it was awesome! Very intricate with all the different decorations! After that, we waited in a bit of a line to see another Santa (this Santa was a lot better!) We had our own personal room with Santa for a few minutes. Lucas probably wished this part didn't happen. He hated Santa, seriously cried and squirmed as much as he could to get off Santa's lap, it was a traumatic experience, i tell ya! He usually loves strangers too!! He's never had that reaction to anyone before!

After we had a nice dinner at Burger Bar and then got the kids all dressed up in warm clothes for the Holidazzle parade (supposedly its the last one!). We thought we had a great spot inside a bank to watch the parade, but as soon as it started, everyone rushed outside. Cassidy and Logan braved the cold and sat outside for most of it, Lucas probably was outside for 5 min, but we could see a little from the inside! Even though it was so cold we had a lot of fun with our company!!!

We have such a little happy boy, Lucas has just been laughing a ton- , at everything!! His new favorite things to laugh at

-Me saying No and shaking my head to Fenton (which he now copies and laughs his head off)

-playing peekaboo with the shower curtain

-Finding his belly button (I guess this is just funny)

And lastly, he now folds his hands to pray most of the time before meals, super cute!!

Waiting to get into the 8th floor decorations

Patiently waiting for Santa

All bundled up to watch the parade

Cold but still happy

Not a happy camper! Macy's Santa

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New favorite toy-- he is so proud he can turn the little button on an off -- he kicks and laughs with delight!

Walmart Santa-- just horrible, and Lucas knows it

A little better at the Hutch Mall

Folding his hands to pray!

Thanksgiving 2013

Getting a little behind on these blog posts! We have been busy busy! We put up all our christmas decorations before heading up to Grand Forks for Thanksgiving! Lucas loves all the new decorations around the house!! Its so much fun seeing all the joy and excitement through his eyes!! A few other new things for Lucas:

-molars cut through - the right bottom one came in in first!

-not knowing what to think of all this white stuff Lucas says "hot!"

-Other words: fenton, hot, all done, no, up, down, dog (he sure likes the d's! and HOT)

-Pointing to the oven, microwave, coffe cups, fireplace and saying HOT!

-Using a hockey stick to hit balls (pretty funny)

-Rarely ever sits still, one room to the next, one toy to the next! it almost makes more sense not clean up the house!! 

our basement is finally done!! So cozy!

 We had an awesome thanksgiving with lots of family and good food! The weekend went pretty quick when you added in Lucas's first Sioux hockey game, black friday shopping, and visiting with family!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Matching sweaters!

Lucas doesn't like to sit still anymore!

Couldn't even get a good picture of his gobble shirt!

Practicing for Grandma Wendy

Lucas loves his cousin Logan

All the little ones loving their Grandma

Sioux hockey game!

clapping when everyone else claps! so much fun

Couldn't stop watching the game!

Halloween 2013

A few quick shots of our fun halloween we had! Grandma Wendy and Grandpa Don came to Hutchinson in mid October for a quick visit and Lucas was able to try on his costumes early! We also were invited to Lucas's first kid halloween party - he had lots of fun with all the arts and crafts and ball pit!  Then for actual Halloween Day, I took half a day of work off (Tim worked) and Lucas and his friend Mylee went out trick or treating for the first time-- it was a bit of a cool day, so we went to the mall where each of stores handed out candy and they took professional photos with a cute little backdrop! The mall trick or treating worked out just great! otherwise it would have been in/out of the car seat and taking his jacket on/off. He really liked taking the candy from bowls and holding on to it, I even let him have a few pieces ;) I was kind of hoping he'd pick the almond joys each time!! 

Oh yeah, and right before Halloween, Oct 28th or so, Lucas decided to all of a sudden start WALKING! without holding on, without my hand, and without a push toy! ALL BY HIMSELF yay!! We knew he would start when he wanted to, so cute to see him take his few steps!!! Official first steps we are going to 13.5 months. (I took mine at 9 months, Tim at 11 months) :) 

Getting ready for his first halloween party!

Arts and crafts time

Had to try on Mylee's glasses (Tim put them on him!!)

beautiful fall weather for a quick photo

Showing Grandma his cute costume

Had to get fenton in a costume too!

Little lion getting ready for the mall trick or treating

Cruisin for candy

Lucas and Mylee

Ready for trick or treaters!

A few days later checking out the first snow fall-- which he was so confused by, he kept say "Hot?" No, Lucas, sorry, its not Hot, I wish… " :)