God rest ye merry!

Merry Birthday! Happy Christmas!

The girls kept asking when we were going to see the "light animals" so we went to see the Festival of lights one evening.  

The "when will it be Christmas?" question was getting old so we made a paper countdown chain.

 This bottle is mine.

Why are we even bothering with Christmas presents?  The boxes they come in are the most fun!

Cadence's eyes! hehe.

So have I ever told you how much December birthdays stink?  This year they scheduled Wyss Christmas on my birthday... so I made Bob and the girls celebrate the day before.  Which was a school day.  Woot.  I took in benzene cupcakes in honor of the last day of the semester/my birthday. I also demanded that Bob pick up One World for supper. 

The best part of my almost-birthday was the 10 minutes I spent Google-ing and then FINALLY fixing Cadence's too cold bedroom.  It's only taken 5 years of adjusting heat vents, blocking drafts, covering windows.... it was just a closed damper.  Just the twist of a screw driver!  But now it's warm in there!  And the curtains move when the furnace is on!  There was great rejoicing! Seriously I was so excited and proud of myself. #stubbornwysswomen

We braved the ice on Saturday for Wyss Christmas, my birthday. We skipped breakfast because it was way too early, especially on my birthday. Did I mention it was my 32nd birthday? Emmy was glad to see Jakey again.

 Cadence was pretty good all day.  She got her very own dolly that she was mostly interested in chewing on.

Emmy kept herself busy all day... drinking unattended cans of pop while Cecily played with Neal's girls.   Dad was coloring with them.

Creepy monkey.

Grandma has a half dozen roses and we finally remembered to take a picture!  Grandma's middle name is Rose, and then all the oldest granddaughters were middle-named Rose, and then our oldest daughters... (Cecily and I've got the added bonus of being named for my Great-Grandma Rose Schlipf) Anyway, aren't we cute or something.  

 Sunday was church and then we spent the evening at the Beutel Christmas.  Someone found the caramel corn...

 "....oh by the way, I'm an angel in the play... I'm gonna sing, I'll need some wings..."

So the big girls had a great time and Cadence was grumpy and fussy...and just wanted Bob or I, poor baby.  Sometimes I felt like I was being rude, but Cadence really didn't like being touched and passed around and held by a whole bunch of strangers in that loud room.... after a long day in church.  And I don't like it when people touch her hands!  Seriously, she puts those in her mouth, when did you wash them last??  Ha.  I'm not a germaphobe, but sick babies are no fun at all.  (You can take her at church though! It's usually the second or third big event in row that she gets clingy and fussy!)

Monday morning Cecily lost her first tooth!

 And I came down with a bad sore throat and a cold that has lasted for a week.  Woot.  Actually we have been going through kleenex and tylenol like water around here- everyone is snotty and coughing. Yay.

Apparently it was crazy pants day.

Bob and Cecily made a "Tri-forrest" puzzle.  Triforce to the old Zelda game players... haha.

It was a quiet week trying to get over colds.
We had our family Christmas on Friday.  They were so excited to open presents.

Is it my turn?

Thankfully she slept.... she has been so fussy.... it's awful.

Hard to see, but she told me this was her favorite present- a kid sized push broom for outside.

 And a guitar...

And a singing bird like Cecily's!

Cadence got a rocking unicorn because... just because.  *grin*

 She's not really a fan yet.

Bob got me a serger!  I'm super excited, I just need to learn how to use it!
We did a puzzle.

 And the girls dressed up like Elsa and Anna.

It was a pretty great day over all.

Christmas eve we went to the farm.  We were passing out gifts and Emmy was quietly eating chocolate at the table, not sure how much she ate before we saw her.

New bike basket, bell, and horn!

 Little worker bee.

 Pardon me, I mustache you a question...  I thought Gideon needed a mustache pacifier. 

I made the little boys farm play mats.  They were very much spur of the moment make-it-up-as-I-sew so hopefully they hold up to playing.  

 The older boys played a game, and then we went home to bed.

The girls opened stockings at breakfast.  They were tired...

 We were running late, as usual, so this is the only picture I got Christmas morning.  Bob has a pocket square to match the girls' dresses... folded the most simple way so he would actually wear it... I have a matching scarf. I'm sure we looked very twee.

Emmy was so tired she was falling asleep standing up... she dozed off a few times in church and thankfully took a long nap at home.  We spent the evening with Bob's family. I forgot the camera... Cadence was pretty fussy though, or sleeping on my lap so I'm not sure I could have taken many pictures anyway. Cecily's highlight of the evening was playing Mario Kart with Susan and Grace and Eden.

 It's been slightly warmer and Cecily wanted to put her new bike stuff on her bike so we went outside briefly.  Haha.  Silly girls.

Otherwise we haven't done much.  Everyone is still getting over these colds.  Bleah.  Yay winter.
Blessings.