Christmas in Midland

Yay for being at home for Christmas!

Highlights: Skating on Dave's pool
The 2nd Annual Ultimate Christmas Challenge at Dave and Christels (Congrats Rob, champion two years in a row)
Shopping with mom & NO children
People Person Present Gift Exchange
Finally getting an electric toothbrush in the Chinese Auction... (but it was one of the only things I forgot to bring home!!! Sad day!)
Sledding with Geneva in the backyard and seeing Bailey act like a little puppy again.
Watching the girls play and colour and sled and read books and chat with their beloved uncles.
Micah waking up only once during one night of sleep AND me getting to sleep in til 10 the next morning! (first time in quite a few years on that one!)
Celebrating Jesus' birthday with family!
OH, and I can't forget: Driving in a VERY crowded van with 3 Huismans and 4 Mulders, having no wipers and needing to stop 4 times... and arriving safely at the Nugteren Boxing Day Festivities!

The cousins meet! What a party it was. Eli has Micah beat in size, but their hands are the same size. Shoulda got a shot of that. (A fuzzy pic due to a slightly frozen cam)

The cousins

Happy Birthday Jesus! Not sure what the 5 candles represent... Oh wait, aren't there 5 advent candles. There you go, it was all intentional!

Aunt Christel's first time holding Micah. She and I spent a good bit of time together since it seemed Micah and Eli were on pretty much the same 'schedule.' They were drinking buddies all week.

The beginnings of...

One of the proud poppas of...

Leroy the 4th!
Last years' Leroy made it onto a very prominent spot in the Midland calendar; he's famous! This year Leroy was even bigger and better. Complete with handsewn mitten upon his right hand. On this pic he's not quite finished, no visible left arm/hand yet...
I even helped build this Leroy, along with Dad, Bri, Rob, Dave, and 5 different neighbours. Geneva helped a bit too. It was a true community event... Which took QUITE a few hours to make, and not quite as long to fall over. Bri and Rob almost cried when they drove down the street and saw a huge pile of Leroy rubble in the front yard. Too sad to take a picture. But at least he was built, the tradition was kept, pictures were taken, and memories were made. :0)

"Match!"

Funcle Brian

Brookie was going down on her own, backwards, you name it. No fear.

I was so excited to give Eli the crossstitch I made for him!

The whole fam!

We managed to prevent over-intake of candy and most of it remarkably ended up on the house...

Lotsa snow at Grandmas house!

Skating on D & C's pool!

Oma meets Micah.

My brother Rob made up this sweet collage of the many faces of our dear Brookie.... What a child.

Going back in time a bit here, but G had her first day on the bus just before Christmas break! Getting out the door is a little tricky with 3 kids, and since the bus will come right to the end of our driveway, G is a busser now! She was rather pleased and quite excited about her 'bus buddy' Sarah. What a big brave preschool girl we have!

Sleddin in comfort!