Dressed up like cowboys/cowgirls with all of our Build A Bear friends
And went to the zoo! Lizzie and Arthur the lions had been missing us!
We had an awesome and very busy Christmas season! This is best told through the gazillion pictures we took...grab a drink, this is a long one!
In honor of my late Grandma Heller we all gathered around the kitchen and made her famous cherry chocolates. It was so much fun doing this together and I am certain we have a new tradition and I know she was smiling down on us and that we made her proud!
Pops was the master stirrer and thermometer reader
All hands on deck - except for Elizabeth who is sampling something!!
Final product!
Next up was Christmas Eve service with my family. David and Sara arrived earlier in the afternoon and after some creative seating (an upper loft in the corner of the church) we were all able to sit together! I have never seen that service so crowded. Brandon was actually concerned about them bringing open flames to us for the candle light portion because we had no escape/exit path. The kids were very excited to get to hold their own candles (with adult supervision!) Our location provided an unique view of the entire service. The kids were champs and it always feels good to be at the true heart of Christmas. The kids really get the true meaning of Christmas this year. For weeks Elizabeth's prayers have included the phrase "let us remember what Christmas is really about" and we talked a lot about Jesus' Birthday. In fact we even had a birthday party for Jesus at church after the Christmas program rehearsal and Grant was worried that we hadn't brought Jesus a gift. I am really proud of them. This year they did extra chores to raise money for a organization called Heifer International and bought a family a flock of chickens (to use to sell the eggs only though right mom?!).
At church. They wanted to make sure Baby Jesus was in the manager.
We had Christmas Eve dinner at our house with my family and then started our Christmas Eve rituals...
Daddy read Twas the Night Before Christmas
Reindeer Food that we sprinkled outside
Special notes, cookies, milk and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.
The kids went down remarkably easy and Ima helped rub a few backs and they slept really well all night.
The angel is so crocked on top of the tree! But she fell off one day and that is the best we could do without risking more damage!
Christmas morning!!! Finally - I wasn't sure this day was ever going to come!
Santa brought EB her own special sewing machine
Apparently the only way to start Christmas morning is by double fisting cups of milk!! Grant got a Lego head full of new Lego pieces and a new pair of swim goggles.
Modeling the new goggles and his new xmas PJ's with our family's new favorite theme song "Everything is Awesome!"
New hats!
New xmas PJ's with a dog on them ;)
I really have no idea what I am doing here, but hey it's a picture with me in it!!
I made memory boxes for the kids
Dolphin Tale 2 book and DVD
We gave daddy a new telescope - something to do on Friday Night Fire Nights!
And he can be warm while blowing snow, robbing a bank or keeping the dust out on his trail ride
EB's gift that she made for us at school
Of course we saved the best for last. In case anyone (besides the kids!) didn't know, WE ARE GETTING A DOG!!!! We decided to tell them by making a movie. It starts with us saying goodbye to Jack but ends with the news that we will be welcoming a golden doodle, named Auggie, to our family! Here is the link if you want to watch...
I didn't do a voice over on the video so we had the kids sit with Brandon and he read it to them. Here are their faces throughout the video...
Preparing to push play...
Saying goodbye to Jack sad faces....
Starting to break the news...do they get it??? EB maybe. Grant looks lost!
Ok se we didn't have a jump and down reaction I was hoping for. Brandon is trying to drum up some excitement here. Finally EB says "I don't want to wait!!!"
Well we don't real want to wait either but bringing a puppy home on Christmas morning is just crazy!! Here are the details that I have dying to share! She was born on Dec 10. The liter was 12 pups, 7 girls, 5 boys. The pics below are only of the girls. We have first choice of a girl. We will be going to the breeders (Southern IL) on Jan 25 to bring our dear Auggie home. No the kids did not name her...their pet name suggestions were Paulette and Hot Dog and mom and dad took the reins! Auggie is actually after Augustus Busch (yes a man - I know, but we shortened it to Auggie and said it was a good fit for this STL loving family)
New borns! (We really like the dark one!)
Two weeks old
3 weeks old (one of girls)
4 weeks old - 3 lbs (one of the girls)
The kids are super excited and the time will go by fast. We are working through a training book with them in preparation. Ok, I digress from Christmas...lots more on Auggie in the upcoming weeks!
We had Christmas with my family later that morning. Minute to Win It game was replaced by a dice game and Nerf ambushing!
Doesn't everyone wear camo for xmas?!
Nice matching outfits! I can't believe we didn't get the tripod out!!
Grant was all about getting those presents passed out!
Ima and Grant are going to take guitar lessons! He is thinking it over and he decided he likes the idea!
Uncle David was so thoughtful and bought him two Nerf bow and arrows - because what fun is just one?
I don't know what this is, but let me just say this kid is full of it 24/7!!
We love to color Elizabeth's new crafty stuff!!
More Christmas fun...on the 26th was the Briggs family xmas at my grandparent's. I don't know how I don't have a single picture from this day! It was a wonderful day. My grandma and I texted a few times after about what a perfect day it was. We had brunch, the kids played, we played some games, ate some more and were all merry!!! We drove home to spend some time with Brandon's family as they were arriving.
It was also time to say goodbye to David and Sara, but they did come over and play one last game of Qwirkle!
A few days later we hosted the extended Pauli family Christmas.
We were only missing Avery and Gavin!
We had a little chance to catch our breath, play with Briggs and Stella and then it was time for the Pauli Christmas and New Year's Eve, which we do on the 31st.
Pops and the grandkids!
Sporting some NYE gear!
If it gets too loud "Raleigh" just slips on his Bose noise canceling head phones!
Digi Birds!!
The wireless Mickey Band...so fun and a new Christmas tradition - in honor of Mimi
Who else would you buy a hot dog machine for??? Aunt Amber alway takes care of Grant's love of the hot dog!
Elizabeth and I are going to Beauty and the Beast!!
Stella and Briggs received the Doggie Doo game in retaliation of us receiving Goie Louie (a nose picking game) last year....the war is on!
Horrible picture but we need record of THE PICKLE WINNERS!!!!! Considering I got a late start and they began searching without me I still kicked some booty!!
In the down time...
Plastic glasses for her Build a Bears, that she loves to wear...she looks so cute though!
Trying out that new sewing machine!
Campbells and Paulis take on Costco for our all hosting needs! And once Briggs rode like this of course they all wanted to!
Caught on camera!!! Amber wearing the chief!!
Me and some love bugs!
Kids hyped up on sugar and playing dress up!
I bought that Mickey costume 3 years ago!!! He still loves to squeeze into it! And apparently those dance lessons paid off!!
A few NYE pics...
Trying to rest in preparation of the long night ahead!
Drunken Gummies and we were introduced to Cards Against Humanity!
Amber loading the dog of Doggie Doo
Happy New Year!! We set the clock forward without their knowledge and they rang in the new year at 11:30!!
Happy New Year!!
Not sure what else we could have crammed into our two week holiday (def. not a puppy!) We are so blessed for all the things we have and for all the people and love that we are surrounded by. This will bring the 2littlechiefs to close for this year!! What a great year! What will 2015 hold for the Paulis?!
