Catching up!

We started out November with a break in activities for the kids, so it was nice not to have to run from place to place for awhile and have our Saturdays back.  But now Tate is in basketball, so we are usually at a game or tournament on Saturdays, but it is so fun to watch him and the boys play.  They are such a great group of kids and we really enjoy all of them and their parents.

This is only part of the team.  They played in a 3 on 3 tournament together.

We got our first snow and the kids were loving it!  It was a lot of snow and it wasn't so cold out that they couldn't be outside.  We have a hill on the side of our house that the kids and their friends spent hours and hours snowboarding on.  They were having so much fun!

For Thanksgiving, we spent the day at Joe's parents house and had a great meal to eat there.  It was fun hanging out with family and catching up.  Then on Sunday, we went to my parents house for a big Thanksgiving meal.  At Joe's parents house, we went around the table and each said what we were thankful for.  My heart melted when it came to Troy and he said, "I am thankful that Jesus died on the cross for our sins."  That kid gets it.

Then we decorated for Christmas and have been trying to get in all of our yearly Christmas traditions.  One of my favorite new traditions that we started last year is the Jesse tree.  My moms group got together last year and made all the ornaments and got copies of the book which includes daily stories from the Bible leading up to the Christmas story.  The kids love to take turns putting the ornament for the day on the tree.

Also, Johnny the elf is back!  The kids have so much fun with it and Troy thinks it is the best thing ever.  He loves to get up first and look to see where Johnny is.  The laughs and excitement are so, so worth it.  This year our elf even has some new clothes!

Tate got to read the story this year!

It was Adria's turn to put the angel on the tree!

Our small group went caroling again this year.  We went to about 6 or 7 different places and our families sang songs and had a great time.  We would never do this on our own- so I am thankful our small group does it together and it is a great way to spread the Christmas spirit.  I am grateful that the kids get to experience this too!

Sitting on Santa's lap!  Tate said he was too old for that, but he would sit beside him for the picture :)  And afterwards, Troy was mad because he forgot to tell Santa that he wanted a snowboard. :)

Decorating gingerbread houses.  Tate and his friend's house had faulty construction! :)