Caution: Christmas Pictures Below

We had an exciting Christmas week.  We started out the weekend before in Midland and headed back to Perrysburg on Monday.  We spent Tuesday with the Phillips clan and then spent Christmas day mostly at home. 

At Grandma Kathy's Mackenzie got a lot of My Little Pony items, which made her very happy.

 

Isaac received quite a lot of Imaginext items, but I think he was most excited about the Pirate themed Hot Wheels toy along with Jake Hot Wheels cars that he received from Uncle Mike, Aunt Misty and Lexie.  The picture is out of focus because he was jumping around too much to get a picture.  He did this after opening a lot of presents.

 

We did a couple of other fun Christmas things in Midland that were still open, since it was before Christmas Day.  Isaac went to the Santa House in Midland. 

 

Here is a very typical Isaac pose:



Here is Isaac signing Santa's guest book:

And finally, here is Isaac with Santa: 

 

We also went to the Christmas Walk at Dow Gardens.  They had set up a cute photo opportunity out front where they had a giant sparkling ornament that you could sit in.  My iPhone didn't take a great shot, but I think this picture of the kids with my mom is still pretty cute: 

At the walk they had an area covered in luminaries where they had lit a candle for everyone that the hospice team had worked with that year.  There was a candle for my grandmother, my great-aunt and my dad.  It was very nicely done and a very pretty tribute.

Finally, I love this picture.  I have a picture of Isaac laying in a toddler bed with Mackenzie when he was only a couple weeks old.  It is my absolute favorite picture of the two of them.  I couldn't resist taking this shot of the kids sleeping together at Grandma's house:

 At Grandma Linda and Grandpa Butch's we got a shot of them with all of their grandkids.  We held the kids hostage for this one and told them that they couldn't open any presents until they took a good picture.  They are focusing on another camera, but I still think I got a pretty good shot.

We always start out opening stockings.  After we were done, Mackenzie took it upon herself to start putting the stockings back on the mantle and even tried to replicate Grandma's color pattern.

After the stockings the gift opening began.  Mackenzie was really excited about all of her new kitchen toys.  She also got quite a bit of American Girl stuff, which was also very exciting.

 Isaac got a lot of lego sets, but really liked the truck that he put together himself and his hat that lights up.  Isaac and Mackenzie love the Prep and Landing shows.  This year they spent time dressed up as elves (aprons and safety glasses that they got at a Lowe's event) and pretending to make toys.  Now Isaac has a Coal Elf hat as well and likes to pretend to be a coal elf.  It was also useful for him to find things under Grandma and Grandpa's couches :)

Last, but not least, Christmas at home.  Mackenzie got a cat Fur Real Friend and Isaac got Imaginext City from Santa. They got a lot of other great stuff from Mom and Dad and Aunt Tina and Thomas and Nicholas as well, but the Santa gifts were definitely the highlights for them.

We all had Mickey Mouse pajamas for Christmas this year and the kids learned on Christmas day that we are going to Disney!

Finally, if you made it to the end of this long post, you get to read my heart-warming story of Christmas.  When we were at church on Christmas Eve the pastor did a children's sermon.  Mackenzie and Isaac went up and the moral of the sermon was that Jesus was the best Christmas gift that any of us could ever get.  When the kids came back to sit down Mackenzie told me that she told the pastor that her little brother was a great present as well.  The pastor actually repeated what Mackenzie told her during the remainder of the service. 

Happy Holidays!

Snow, Snow, Snow

We have gotten a lot of snow this week and the kids are loving it, especially Mackenzie.

Saturday it pretty much snowed all day.  We stayed home and enjoyed the day together, doing a lot of prepping for Christmas, including making Christmas cookies.

On Sunday morning we took the kids shopping for Christmas gifts for cousins and then we headed to the hill to go sledding.  After sledding for a while, Mackenzie decided to build a snowfort.  In the picture below, you can see Brian in the background, but Mackenzie is hiding behind her fort:

 Here you can see Mackenzie's head poking up from behind her fort:

 

Isaac loved sledding, but when we got home he was ready to get warm.  As we were getting out of the car I said, "Let's head inside and get warm."  I resceived an animated, "No" from Mackenzie.  Isaac and I headed inside while Mackenzie went down the street to get Payton.  The girls used our two sleds to drag big chunks of snow from our front yard, where the folks plowing the snow were nice enought to pile it on top of my flower bed, to our back yard.  They made a nice circular snow fort/house.  Mackenzie informed me that they just need to make the beds now.

Mackenzie continues to spend time in the snow each day.  Isaac on the other hand is loving pbskids.org.  He has decided that he really likes hot chocolate if he does spend time in the cold though.

I finished wrapping Christmas gifts today.  I think that I am ready.  I am sure that I forgot something though and I will be frantic on Christmas morning over something.  One more week . . .

Hilarious Conversation on the Way to Gymnastics Tonight

Isaac:  Mom, you are going to be invited to my wedding.
Mom: Great, I would really like to be there.
Isaac: You have to get a pretty dress.
Mom: OK.
Isaac: Mackenzie you will be invited too.  Dad will be invited to my wedding too.  He will have to wear his nicest shirt.  Mackenzie you have to wear a nice shirt too.  Uncle Mike will be invited too and Grandpa Butch.
Mackenzie:  I am not going to where a shirt.
Isaac: Oh, right you have to wear a pretty dress.
Mom: Isaac, do you know who you are going to marry?
Isaac:  No, who?