Early New Year's Par-tay!

Our kids were super lucky and got to go to the Niebuhr grandparents for an early New Year's party! My dad planned out a bunch of things for the kids to do, along with decorations and my mom got some things for crafts and fun snacks.  They had a fun filled day that was all about them.  This of course included the triplets whom my kids adore.  They started the day off by going sledding, then they came home rested a bit and then made some snowman snacks.  My dad set up the basement with several obstacle courses and bought a ton of bouncy balls for the kids to race.  He used hot wheel tracks, paper tubes, wood and lots of kitchen bowls and pans.  The kids thought this was super cool. They made some monsters as crafts and also got to color and write on some place mats. Then they got in their jammies and rang in the new year kid style (with party horns and at 8:00pm) They ended the day with a sleepover in the living room telling ghost stories and when they woke up they got pancakes with smiley faces.  Carter said he had one smiley face and one frowny face.  Camden informed me that grandpa Dale filled his mouth with whipped cream straight from the can.  This also meant that Chad and I, and Brian and Erin got a break away from the kids and we went up to Omaha to see Les Miserables and eat at Joe's Crab Shack.  We topped that off with take home cheesecake from the Cheese Cake Factory.  It was pretty great.

Camden racing down the hill

Callan enjoying his first time sledding

Carter perfecting the tummy sled

Grace and Callan going down together

Callan walked back up the hill several times so he could go again.  He loved it!

taking a little rest before resuming the fun

showing off his banana snowman snack

showing my mom what they made

monster crafts

ball races (this picture does not do the course justice)

working on the place mats

Happy New Year Everyone!!

ready for the sleepover int he living room

If you thought the kids weren't already spoiled enough we picked them up this morning to head back up to Omaha to go to Defy Gravity (a trampoline park).  This was part of their Christmas gift from Grandpa Dale and Grandma Ellen.  My mom came along as well as the whole Niebuhr family.  We jumped for an hour and it was pure bliss.  I am not going to lie, this was for me, not for the kids.  I love trampolines, and want Chad to build  a spot where we can put on of these in our yard.

It is as amazing as it looks.  Everyone had a great time and it was a great work out.  I was a little worried about Callan but he did awesome and enjoyed his independence to just roam around and jump.  I tried to take pictures but it was really hard for the camera to focus, but I caught a couple ok ones.  I really wish they had one of these in Lincoln.  Chad had a decent amount of spills attempting to jump off the walls and it was fun to watch.  I think we both will need a hot/ice bath tonight and to rub each other down with aspercream.  We then went out to lunch and everyone took a nice long nap.  We are just hanging out at home taking it easy on this last night of 2012.  We hope everyone has a fabulous last day of 2012 and a great start to 2013!

grandma Ellen getting her jump on (with grace in the background)

running around the course

family shot

the kids doing their thing

Chad popcorn-ing Callan

a great action shot.  that isCcarter in the bottom right eating it, and Brian getting up from a fall

we had a lot of contests of who could jump higher, and who could do the most tricks.  

Chad perfecting his use of the wall tramp

pure jumping bliss

the sweaty end!

  

Scribner Christmas

On Wednesday we went over to the Scribner grandparents for our last Christmas celebration.  We had breakfast food for lunch, opened presents, played some games and watched a movie.  The kids enjoyed the time with their cousins and grandparents.  Here are some pictures of our day.

checking out their stockings

he loved his snowman ornament

all the kids minus mason

eating at the kids table

this is what our car ride home looked like

all three were asleep

Christmas Extravaganza!

I thought I'd get in a quick post of most of our holiday celebrations and the days leading up to Christmas.  It has been nice and relaxing, just the way I like it.  (beware of the picture overload) Over the weekend Chad took the older two out in the snow to go sledding.  There is an empty lot close to our house and it is just right for the kids.  Both Carter and Camden enjoyed themselves.

at the end of the hill

rolling down the hill

I did some baking and cooking for all of the get-togethers and some little hands that wanted to help.

my graham cracker crusher

the official stir-er and the taste tester

On Christmas Eve day we went to my parents house for our Christmas celebration.  We all opened gifts and then had a lunch of shrimp, smoked salmon, ham balls, and pork tenderloin.  Lots of homemade goodies and sides too!  Then we spent the afternoon helping the kids put together their gifts.  We left and went home to play for a little while and then we were off to 7:00 church.  The kids were tired and ready for bed but no before we fed the reindeer and left out milk and cookies for santa.  We also said goodbye to our elf on the shelf.  The kids were excited to put their light up pillow pets in their rooms at bedtime. 

the kids pointing at their stockings

the boys with Oma

my grandma and I

all the grandkids

grandparents and the grandkids

the kids holding up their gift cards from Gary and Natalie from California!

Thanks Gary and Natalie for thinking of them, they love them!

camden loves his snowman gift card

a quick family pictures before church

Bright and early we got up and opened presents from Santa and from us.  The dogs were happy to get some bones and they kids seemed pretty excited about their gifts as well.  Carter got a guitar from Santa and he was thrilled.  Camden was initially upset because he asked Santa for a DVD (that his grandparents are getting him, he just doesn't know it yet) and didn't get it, but instead got something equally as nice.  Chad was then in charge of taking gifts out and putting in batteries while I made food for the amazing brunch at aunt Erin's house.  We went over there about 10:00 and then spent the rest of the day lazing around the house, taking naps and playing with new toys.  I got to enjoy some coffee in my new thermos mug, and the best part was that several hours later it was still hot!  I love that I can drink my coffee slow and have it still be hot.  Tomorrow we go over to the Scribner's to finish off our Christmas extravaganza.  

ready to open gifts

he was really excited to be getting gotham city jail imaginext

baseball gloves (that I bought used from Carter's old preschool teacher)

he loved opening presents

carter and his guitar

ready for the yummy brunch

Kara and Sebastian

the boys playing video games

it was tough getting them to stop playing and pose for a picture

callan even found a toy to enjoy

Brian, baby Tobias (aka: tow-baby), and Callan

my mom and I