Pre-Christmas Activities

We made it through Thanksgiving and Jackson's birthday, but December brought on a whole flurry of activities besides the ones I've already posted.  We seemed to keep the days busy with just the daily life kind of stuff and all the joy that comes with the holidays.  Here are a few pictures from the month of December leading up to Christmas...

One of Tom's co-workers from India sent us these
authentic Indian outfits.  Sadly, I don't know what they are
called, but we loved receiving them and the receiving the
love that was sent with them.  Now we just need a place
to where them to... anyone know of good Indian food in
Milwaukee??  Thank you Pooja!  We love our gift!

Tom, Jackson, and Morgan getting the Christmas tree ready. This was
actually the Saturday morning before Thanksgiving.  I've never done my
Christmas decorating so early!

The stockings were hung from the chimney with care...
Noah's stocking was the perfect addition (and I got a new one for Madi
so her's would coordinate too)!

Thank you Uncle Mike Sydow!!  The kids love their Santas that you
made and gave to them!!

December 5 -It was getting pretty dark out, but the boys kept skating.
Love them!!

December 6 - Time for more skating on the pond!

December 6 - Time for more skating on the pond!

December 6 - Time for more skating on the pond!

A gift from my amazing husband.  Around mid-December of 2013 we
should have been welcoming home a baby boy to love.  This December
would have marked our Carter's first birthday.  God had other plans for our
baby boy in 2013... God's love helps ease the pain, but the milestones
are still hard to meet at times.  Thank you, Tom, for this gift and for your
amazing love for me and our children!

December 13 - Getting into the Christmas spirit...
Spending a cold, snowy, relaxing Saturday making paper
snowflakes and nibbling Red Vines with my girl!

Noah's eating a little snack and Madi is hovering,
 waiting for the crumbs to fall!

December 19 - Mmm!  Kicking off winter break at...
(by the way, his first time sitting in a high chair at a restaurant.)

Mazatlan!!  We cleaned our plates!!

Sibling love!!  She can't get enough of her little brother!

Ah, can you guess what we are up to again?
Yes, more HOCKEY!

December 20 - Having a little birthday celebration with
our friends, the Kataniks.  Morgan with the newest
Katanik, Reid!

Morgan, Reid, and the birthday girl, Emme!

And add one more Katanik kid, biggest brother Kyler.  :) Jackson didn't
want to get in the pictures... boo to him!

Look at our littlest babies!!  Noah is 7 months and Reid is 8 weeks.  Crazy
how quickly babies change in that first year.  

These boys are going to be great buddies!

Morgan and Emme doing a little reading!
Happy 3rd birthday Emme!!

December 22 - Just in the nick of time, we made
it to see Santa and give him our wish lists!  Morgan
giving all the details of dreams/wishes of horses and
anything Elsa or Anna! 

Jackson giving his list of all things Lego related!

Our sweet kiddos with Santa!!
Christmas joys!!

Morgan got her Elf hat at Santa's and took her #ElfieSelfie
per the hat's directions.  Haha!

We followed up our Santa stop with a little shopping at
Toys R Us.  We wanted to do some thing special this
Christmas - both to help some children in need as well as
remember our Carter.  We asked the kids to help us shop
for some children that are sick this Christmas.  We took
the money we would have spent on Carter and put it
towards toys and books to donate to Children's Hospital.
The kids were so anxious to help us do this in Carter's
memory.

Our stop at Children's Hospital to end the day.
A moment of mixed emotions... hope and love for those
families spending Christmas at the hospital; sadness missing
my little boy; happiness for the joy he has in heaven this
Christmas; proud for my oldest children in how they
took a hard time and showed such compassion to others
in need.  Merry Christmas!!