After Fall, comes Winter. For all the boys care about is Christmas. Winter means Christmas to them. They keep track of time throughout the year by the holidays they look forward to next. The standing tradition is to get our tree the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Year to year, it's impossible to predict the weather. Sometimes you don't need a winter coat, it's been bone chilling cold, muddy, and snowy. This year was perfect. A little snow and a beautiful day!
First up... Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
The littles took just a little bit to warm up to them.
I had to get up close to hear what they said they wanted!
They asked for Hulk.
This year I put up 6 trees. Four fake and on the hunt to cut two!
Up front watching the tractor.
Love.
Cousins
Super cute that the boys were picking out little trees for Izzie.
Like father like son.
How does a hat work if it's not covering your ears?
The light shone down on this one.
Is that correct grammar?!?! Sounds weird!
Our 2015 Family tree for the living room.
Best helpers ever!
Gross. Eating the little snow that was on the ground.
My Charlie Brown tree for the entry way. Last year I found one pre-cut for $12.00. This year, they must be onto the Charlie Brown trend as this was $50.00. What!?!? I even had to cut out some branches once we got it home to make it look more Charlie Brown!
Love these two with my whole heart.
Did I already say BEST helpers EVER?!?!
Chippy came early December. He arrived with two of his favorite Reindeer and his book.
Another standing tradition is Stout Christmas with Adam's friends and family's that have grown since his Stout Years. This year we ventured to Waconia to Deke and Jamie's house.
The crew.
Mike, Adam, Deke, and Chuck
Mariah & Isaiah, Ashton & Aiden, Kaden & Avery, Reese & Malin
The Extended Crew with some other friends and wives.
St. Nick came with some treats!
Grinch Sheets!
Chippy was busy and kept us busy looking for him.
Chippy pulled a big one and got a Christmas card from Zach Parise!
He was naughty one night. The boys thought he was pretty funny.
The Holiday Parade was fun!
Even better seeing a friend there and getting to hang with Myles and Mac.
Aiden Myles, and Ashton
Santa always ends the parade.
It was a lot to remember to just move Chippy each night. Being creative was a whole other problem!
Adam thought that if he just moved him and set out candy canes, it was good.
I think the boys went through candy cane withdrawals when Chippy left.
Christmas Eve, we hosted my family. Aunt Katie brought some baked goodies that Aiden dug into.
After dinner, it was time to open presents.
It was a Star Wars kind of Christmas.
Since they have seen the new movie - Kylo Ren is all the rage. He's the new "Bad Guy"
Uncle Nate set them up for fishing this summer.
They are super excited to go fishing!
New poles and a tackle box full of everything they will need!
Chewy.
Add him to our costume bin!
Chewy was a hit because he talks when you open the mouth.
Don't get me wrong, they still LOVE hockey... but this is what you get when you tell him to take off his Star Wars costume to try on his new jersey.
Then back to happiness and Kylo Ren.
Even Nana had to try on Chewy.
and Brenden...
Then there was a light saber battle.
Then a adult game of Cards Against Humanity. Super funny but totally inappropriate game.
Adult only.
Bedtime for Chewbacca, but first they had to feed Santa's Reindeer.
Then say Good Bye to Chippy.
There is something magical about Christmas Morning.
Stockings First
Hats for My Hockey Boys.
Christmas Eve was Star Wars theme, Christmas morning was Hockey Theme.
These two love to get into character. Ashy a little more than Aiden.
Ashy wears costumes to the grocery store with me...
New skates! we've had these since summer and kept our fingers crossed that their old ones would fit until Christmas ;)
Just what they wanted from Santa - A Hulk Smash!
Izzie got a bone.
After waking and opening presents on Christmas Day, we hung for a bit and then made our way to Gramma and Grampa's house for the rest of Christmas weekend.
The kids love Grampa's train... especially Ash.
Quiet Time.
The next morning was round #2 of Christmas.
Christmas Cousins
1...2...3... GO.
Actually they had to take turns and we went from youngest to oldest. It was painful for the kids, but they did well!
Spoiled.
Down Time.
Elise was snuggled into Aiden, and then I went to snap a picture and she moved.
Melts my heart.
And just like that, Christmas is over.
Something we really tried to instill in the boys this year was that it is just as much fun to give as it is to receive. We adopted a family with some girls that we were able to shop for and the boys thought is was funny to buy presents for two little girls that we didn't know. They were very thoughtful in picking them out some gifts based on their interests.
The time with family was extra special, as this next year is the year for good health. Too many close to us were affected with cancer this year.
I am not prepared to write about losing my dad quiet yet. Don't get me wrong, I write all the time however he may or may not someday have a blog post solely dedicated to him. We lost my dad after a brief battle with Cancer in December. I think of him and miss him everyday.
My all time favorite picture of my dad and I.
Love.
Working on getting caught up with Winter and Boy's 5th Birthday!
Keep checking in!
~The A Team
