An update:

Very, very, very little time or energy in the past 3 weeks for blog updating...so here is a massive photo download! 

Taking advantage of Christmas break to play with ALL OF THE FRIENDS off school.  :)

We had the traditional Christmas fondue dinner at my parent's house on January 30th.  It was a windfall of Playmobile and horse toys for the kids this year.  Hooray for 3 children of varying ages and genders who can play happily together with the SAME TOYS!

Finn relaxing in front of Grandma's fire.

We brought Anja home with us on the 30th for a sleepover.  She was very helpful in assembling a million toys.

Smoothie face.

Cora modeling the amazing fake flower crown from Aunt renee.

 Kellan turned 8 months old on December 24th...Christmas Eve.  

The joy of rotating toys.  The trains no one would play with 4 months ago become the BEST TOYS EVER if you pack them away for a while.  Christmas break with no school was highly enjoyed by the kids this year.

Christmas ends on January 6th, with Epiphany.  In my family we grew up opening our stockings on that day, so I have continued that tradition with our kids.  I love spreading out the gift giving/receiving, rather than having one massive dump of gifts that really overwhelms little kids especially. 

Slinky.  The best $3 toy out there that will always get ruined in 3 days.  But so worth it.

The girls painting nails with stocking stuffer princess nail paints.

Cora got a princess matching game and the older kids were "enlisted" to play.

 This is Kellan and me in play practice.  The older 2 kids have joined in a 1st-6th grade play of the Little Mermaid in a church 2 blocks from us.  They do productions yearly and it's kind of a big deal, so I'm super happy that Layla can fulfill her acting dream in a place that is so close, and so FREEEE.  It warms my heart so much.  They started practice on January 6th, so Kellan and I hung out the first night to watch them. 

After school started up again we eased back into things with a trip to the library.  Thankfully we did not have to leave after 5 minutes THIS time due to fights.  Phew!

Grandma came over lots to be around during Christmas break.  Before bed books with Grandma.  

Uncle Ben was in town for a weekend and the kids LOVED showing him all of their games and toys and tricks.  Somehow he managed to escape without playing 7,000 board games.  He's a sly one.

Making s'mores in front of the fire.  Finn made this one, as he has made most of them all winter, but Papa may have had to revive it once.

Jonas had a work trip to Eau Claire, WI, this week, so the kids and I joined him Monday-Wednesday.  They had play practice on Wednesday evening or we may have stayed until Thursday with him.  They LOVED the pool time, and the many hours of ipad time when they had to be quiet in the same room as a sleeping Kellan.  :)

We went to the Eau Claire Children's Museum on Tuesday morning.  I got a groupon for the 4 of us to get in for $16.  It was about worth $16...haha. 

Endless swimming = the way to my kids hearts.  

Finn has been doing lots of drawing and writing of notes on the ipad lately.  He figured out that any picture he saves becomes a photo I can see in out google photos, so now he sends me notes via this method.  Haha.  Love it. 

 Jonas and Ben went rock climbing when he was in town

Jonas, curling in WI.  CLASSIC.  

 St. Lucia 2019:

Renee and Jon took the older 3 kids out for a fun New Years Eve activity at a local community center.  They died and went to heaven.  Bouncy castles, face painting, swimming, and balloon drops at 7:30??  Yes please.