Christmas (and then some more)

 Sports have come to an end...at least fall flag football and soccer

 Here's Dane's team doing a little pre-game warm-up.  He really got the hang of it this year and is already signed up for spring flag football with the same coach (our neighbor).

Here's Drake doing the Pledge before his soccer game (I promise to respect my opponents, play fairly....)

 For Christmas treats we made chocolate covered marshmallows and used pretzels and m&m's to make the reindeer faces.  They were a pain to make and didn't look pretty, but apparently they were yummy going down the shoot.

 Drake made a gingerbread house during his Christmas party at school.  I was there, but I was too busy helping, to stop and take pictures and my hands (and sleeves) were a sticky mess.  Fun for the kindergartners, a LOT of prep work and during work for parents:)

 We tried 10+ times to get a family shot at Andy's Aunt and Uncle's house on Christmas day...this was the best one.  Me included, I couldn't focus on the camera and Andy kept tickling Dane and Drake was a reindeer.  So Merry Christmas, here is this year's family shot!

 We had dinner with Santa at the zoo and of course walked around the zoo lights.  I always ask a stranger to take our picture and Andy always walks away like he doesn't know me while I do it.  But how else am I going to get all 4 of us in the picture at once?

Here are the letters the boys gave to Santa.  They're allowed to ask for one item and then Santa surprises them with another.  We try to save our wishes for kids who don't have as much:)

Part of our hope is that we teach our children to be appreciative rather than greedy.

We had a birthday party for Jesus at our church and Santa dropped by.

Here's Dane

 and Drake

 We had our own party for Jesus on Christmas eve before we went to church.

 and then we shared the cake with Santa...silly faces!

 Santa even visited Andy!

 Our regular guest came back again this year...Harley!

Our very own Elf on the Shelf.

He was kind of mischievous this year...

Here he is resting up after his long flight in from the North Pole

 leaving advice for the boys

 hang gliding

 guess he was hungry

 joy-riding on one of our Christmas trains

 hanging with the snowman family

 making snow angels with my flour

 digging into the cookie jar, atleast he was thankful:)

 remembering Jesus

 making a slide on the breakfast table

 swinging from the formal dining-room light

 lifting weights (toothpick and marshmallows)

 the final goodbye we found on Christmas morning in the playroom.

 And basketball has officially started (and at this point, almost ended).  

Both boys are on competitive teams now.  

This is Dane in action.

 Drake sitting with Dane on the bench with his team 

(so precious, it's almost as if they like each other at this moment)

 Dane giving Drake pointers before Drake's practice starts

 And Drake taking the shot...with Dane's imaginary assistance:)

Drake waiting for his game to start...he is the shortest (by atleast a head) of everyone on his team.

 Drake lost his 1st tooth, naturally (remember he lost 3 back teeth when trying to do a wheelie on his scooter a few years ago-a retainer and 3 fake teeth out that deal)

 MONSTER JAM!  

They looked pumped right?  

It was fun, as usual, but we all agreed we've done it 4 years in a row and maybe we'll skip the 2014 one.

 Our 1st pitiful snow.  But they made the best of it and gathered snow from all of our acreage and made this monstrous snow man.  That is a carrot broke into a 1/3 to give you an idea of it's size.  It really could be used in a joke... "Your snowman's so short...."

Or my Dad would say, "He's knee-high to a grasshopper."

Good job boys:)

 Our church had it's annual valentine dinner and following the dinner we attended the John Berry Concert at our church also.  It was a very personal concert and we enjoyed it.

 Ash Wednesday

 Valentine's Day boxes for school.  Drake and I made R2D2 (star-wars) and Dane opted for a more traditional box with a heart-shaped pop up lid. 

 And of course, silly faces.  That's how I'm able to get most of my pictures - allowing silly faces at the end...whatever it takes...I'm not above bargaining:)

 I would like to say I'm caught up, but Drake lost his 2nd tooth today (I pulled it for him during Dane's basketball game) and we got soooo much snow the other day that they didn't have school for 2 days and we've sledded for 3 full days.  But really, I'm mostly caught up.
Oh, and Andy and I are training for the 1/2 Go Marathon at the beginning of April.  It's my 1st, so I'm training...he's just trying to get faster.  Obviously, we won't be running it together.  

Thanks for keeping up with us:)
Andy & Renee (the parents), Dane & Drake (the kids), T-Bone & Chloe (the dogs) & BullsEye (the horse)