this is amazing...

hot chocolate cupcakes

 

 

 

Johnny week 1

he arrived the day after thanksgiving with breakfast

hanging out by the memo board

just like the kids playing with the bandaids

snowflake art with Q-tips

photo copied himself, several times

post-it noted the kitchen

and himself

lining up the cars

baking cookies

 

 

 

The most peaceful

Place in my home...love sitting in this room with just the glow of the Christmas lights

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Grocery shopping

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This little elf

Was my wake up call this morning

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Holiday Parade

in New Ulm...
temp at parade time 22degrees
a few of us waited in the van until the parade arrived at our location
45 minutes later I was numb, couldnt feel my toes and wondered just why I thought
this might be fun...the kids on the other hand could have stayed longer...

 

 

santa claus was the final float....he was worth the numbing wait..
his arrival certainly made my crew pretty excited

 

before the parade we vistied the Christkrindlmarkt a new addition to the holiday
celebrations in New Ulm...you can go here to read about this event.
Above the kids are taking part in elf school, we also checked out some reindeer and browsed the
market vendors...

29 years

of ornaments..
one for each year I have been married

 

some ways we are counting down the days until christmas

 

 

 

in our house this year

decorating the christmas tree

 

it doesn't seem so long ago that she needed to be lifted to reach the top of that tree...

so determined this year, placing each ornament just so
asking about some, enjoying the stories I had to tell about where they came from
or what they meant

her year to put the angel on top

 

our elf on the shelf....

johnny returned last night....

the kids awoke to the table set for breakfast, a pair of new gloves and a box
filled with treats and snacks.

 

johnny brought a new book

and a new movie

inside each box was a message written to each child
pointing out some great things they have accomplished this past year and some
suggestions about things to work on while johnny is here visiting
(this momma does love that part of johnny's visit)

 

 

scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and a fruit cup were on the menu
there were some pretty excited kids in our home this morning
eager to welcome johnny back and begin the countdown to Christmas day