'Twas the Week Before Christmas, and all through the house...

Papa watches Maverick & Brody in the early a.m. after Bethanie drops them off and before Omi gets back from picking up Claire & Max.  This day they were keeping warm, toasty & comfy watching a movie on Roku.

Max is sporting his new neck warmer.  Omi made one for everyone.

Claire takes her nap at the farm on the loveseat in the living room.  It's kinda fun and cute to see them asleep, which is rare!  Usually they are behind a closed door, and DO NOT open the door on a sleeping child!

Mara is in trouble!  And caught in the act.  She was throwing all of Papa's mail all over the room

"What about this?  Can I throw this?"

Claire is demonstrating to Mara how to feed and rock-a-bye at the same time.

Now Mara's turn.

Two hours of hard and intense work making these paper snow globes.  Wow!  Brody's is the lower left one.  He wanted the snowflakes to be right next to each other because "they are friends".

Maverick and his Gingerbread Man friend have a snuggle with Omi.

Intense Christmas cookie decorating at the farm.

GG is QT (quality control).

Brody's 1st School Christmas Program - preschool, age 3 1/2.  Here he spots us and waves!

He is a very serious and important shepherd.  He even had a speaking part!

Omi and the star share a snuggle moment post-production.

Brody and Maverick snuggle under their Christmas tree.

I talked Claire into dressing up for school, here she is in her favorite pose spot.

Note the snowman hair bow, perfect for the day, she thought, since we have snow now!

Adding the boots for the complete outfit.

Claire's 1st School Christmas Program - preschool, age 4 3/4.  3rd girl, 3rd row.

Everleigh is in Claire's class!  Here she is posing with their group.

And here is Claire posing with their class.

Everyone at daycare got to go to Claire's Christmas program.  We all got dressed up.  Maverick and Claire matched so nice and were looking at the tree, so snapped 'em up.

Claire posing by the tree in her program outfit.

Countdown to Christmas

Enjoying the fruits of our baking labor - Gingerbears with awesome red hot eyes & hearts.

Our manger scene - this year we added a lamb and a donkey.

Daycare Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest.  Pick a winner, would ya?  (fyi - the kids would rather call it a Silly Christmas Sweater Contest - ugly is such an, um, ugly word, they say)  When shopping for the Mieska Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest (for adults), I couldn't resist sweaters for the kids!

Claire wanted to have a pic with Mara and their Christmas gear, but Mara was having none of it.  Our sweet little Mara has found her voice, and she is not afraid to use it!

Brody poses with me at his first Christmas pageant at his school/church.  He had a speaking part as a 3 year old!  Pretty impressive!  (What will we give to Jesus this Christmas?)  He did so great!

My sweet cleaning lady gave me a box of chocolates.  Isn't it ALWAYS fun to get a box of chocolates?  I thought the kids might feel the same way, and started them early in this experience!  Step 1 - show them the box.  Step 2 - open the box and let them look inside.  Step 3 - let them choose one.  Step 4 - watch them eat and enjoy them.

I'm not positive, but I think they enjoyed it!

They all chose the same kind!

Max made his last about 12 bites.  I have learned that if I am going to give them these crazy kind of sweet treats, to do it right before nap.  They can, hopefully, rev up and come back down before they wake up.  Sorry, Maverick and Mara, I didn't think you were ready for this yet!

We're having a busy December

December brought out the Docken family Christmas stockings.  My aunt, Phyllis Mieska Neff, started this tradition over 50 years ago!  I have made one for each member of our family as it has grown each year!  On December 6 we celebrate St Nicholas Day.  The kids put out their shoes the night before and in the morning find little presents in them.  This year there were puzzles, stickers, tamborines, matching shirts, personalized name bands for their cups and a Christmas book for each.

The kids are finding their treasures.  Papa and Uncle Barry got in on the action.

Papa and Maverick love to give kisses.  The kids check out each others' stuff.

Mara came a little later, so everyone is watching her, she may be overwhelmed.

Max, Brody and Maverick have matching popcorn shirts AND they all smiled AT THE SAME TIME
(Max looks like his daddy here, BTW)

Claire and Mara have matching shirts too, with leggings!  Big girls!

Mara is just getting steady on her feet.  (Full out walking followed a few days later.)

GG checks out all the gifts, and reads all the Christmas books.

What is it about snuggling in a softy blanket?  They love it!

Claire is really into puzzles, so St Nicholas brought her one (that's Princess Ariel).

Max and Brody were very helpful with the snow shoveling.  They keep it up til they "git er done".

Max is wearing his farm sweatshirt.  He said he knew it would keep his nice and warm!

Babysitter Jaime took on a snowman sticker project with the kids.  Boy, did they have fun!

Claire was so patient with Maverick, she wanted him to have a special snowman! 

Maverick's snowman says BRRR!  His tiny fingers worked magic with the little stickers.

Crazy maybe, but most of these were Max's creations!

Maverick isn't always a good afternoon napper.  Omi needed a nap this day, so she brought him along on her nap!

Had to post both of these pics.  The first one is tough guy Eric (I mean Maverick).

Here you see the real Maverick, not a tough guy, but a real stud muffin!

Max and Claire had a quiet moment one day after the other kids went home.  They told me the tree looks awesome if you turn off all the other lights, so we did.  It was such a magic moment, right up until Max told me that I had to stop singing (Christmas carols). 

Don't you love the looks of awe on their little faces!  Merry Merry!