December in the 70's

It doesn't feel much like Christmas with the temp. in the mid-high 70's. But we have been more festive than ever this year. The day after we came home from Texas our Christmas stuff was pull down and the tree was up. The stocking are hung and the Christmas lights are up outside. 

We kicked off our holiday spirit with an evening downtown Surprise at the annual block party. Bryan was unable to go, but Bryce, Isaac and I had a great time with some friends. There was all kinds of neat hot air balloons, Christmas music, tree lights, and great food. 

The boys and I arrived home to Daddy being in full blown holiday spirits...he was ready to watch his annual Christmas Vacation with the Griswold family. Bryan and I sat and watched the whole movie with Bryce, and Bryan and I still crack up to this day. Between the both of us we pretty much know every line in the  movie and sit and quote the whole movie before it happens. 

One of Bryan's favorites: 

Todd: Hey Griswold. Where do you think you're gonna put a tree that big? 

Clark: Bend over and I'll show you. 

Todd: You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like that Griswold. 

Clark: I wasn't talking to you

One of my favorites: 

Ellen: What are you looking at?
Clark: Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn... the clean, cool chill of the holiday air... an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer...
[Eddie, in the driveway, is draining the RV's toilet]
Eddie: Shitter was full.
Clark: Ah, yeah. You checked our shitters, honey?
Ellen: Clark, please. He doesn't know any better.
Clark: He oughta know it's illegal. That's a storm sewer. If it fills with gas, I pity the person who lights a match within ten yards of it. 

Ike's wasn't willing to stay up for all the fun, he tucked in pretty soon after getting home from the Surprise block party. But Bryce was close to pulling an all nighter with us. After our movie was over we started decorating our gingerbread house. That was a new experience for us. I'm not sure what got covered in more frosting...me or the house. The frosting was the closest thing to glue, it stuck to EVERYTHING. As I was finishing up outlining the windows with frosting Bryce started putting on all the candy. Daddy had given Bryce some Swedish fish to snack on instead of all the candy for the gingerbread house, and the next thing I knew Bryce was lining the top of the roof with swedish fish. Looked like a pretty clever idea...so we left it that way! 

  

We had our first Christmas party of the season on the 4th of December for the mom's group. It was a Mexican style party with tamales, beans, chips, margarita's, chocolate fountain and best of all Santa stopped in for a visit. 

After a quick recovery from the party we were up early on Sunday morning for family pictures. We had the whole family together which was nice for a family pictures. We were able to get a few pictures of Misty and Ryan for their engagement pictures as well. Our friends Karri and Greg joined us, and I had the pleasure of taking some family photos for them as well. They turned out great, such a photogenic family! 

Never thought it would be so hard to get a good family picture with everyone smiling and looking at the camera at once. Bryce would be looking and smiling and Ike would be looking up in the sky. Isaac would be crying and Bryce would be laughing. It was pretty funny to watch them and look back at all the pictures. 

After a morning of pictures everyone (Dave, Lori, Courtney, Misty and Ryan) headed over to our house for lunch and a game of cards. Dave, Bryan and Ryan put all their heads together and put up Bryce and Isaac's Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa McGee...and trampoline! Bryce jumped for hours that evening. Bryce is super excited when brother is willing to come in and jump/be bounced with him. Isaac loves the trampoline, but doesn't care for his brother jumping him up and down. 

Monday brought an relaxing day for the boys and I, but Bryan had to get back to the grind of work and school. Bryan is working very hard on his last 3 classes and he will be complete with his masters degree. It is taking everything out of him, but he is doing amazing and juggling work, school, being an AWESOME daddy, and loving husband!  I can't ask for a more amazing person to be the father of my kids or my husband! 

Tuesday came with shopping for our adopted little girl for Christmas, delivering food to a good friend of ours who had a baby, and a playdate with our good friend who has triplets.