December Already?!?!

 I cannot believe it is December already!  We manage to stay busy and with hockey, I think the winter is going to fly by.  I still have Thanksgiving to get caught up on!

The boys got a special "book" in the mail.  They said, "Thanks mom and dad for the book with my picture in it!"  The are excited to go to the Dominican Republic with us for Spring Break... it seems a long way out, but it will be here before we know it!

 Having a little bath fun with Foam Soap.  What else do you do when it is dark at 4 o'clock and cold outside, with NO SNOW!

 The one and only picture I took on Thanksgiving.  

We hosted the second annual Larsen/Rueber/Kimmel/Wamboldt Thanksgiving.  Everyone bring something and it goes really smooth.  The nice part is that Adam can sneak away for work (had to go in Thanksgiving night by 6 this year) and everyone can stay and enjoy themselves.  We are hoping that SEARS corporate doesn't see good number so they will stop with the Thanksgiving night sales!

Cousins with forced smiles ;)

 Speaking of Thanksgiving Sales - we found a couple on Black Friday.  Mom and I had to miss last year, but this year we hit the boutiques on a mission.  Maybe we could have fit one more bag in the back of the car...

 On Saturday we headed East to EC to Aunt Missy and Uncle Dave's house.  The Gophers were playing the Badgers.  They boys were ready to play and eat some good snacks!

 While we were there they did some art work for Gramma and Grampa.  They made Turkeys with their hands and Reindeer with their feet.  

 We ended the day with a dip in "Gramma and Grampa's pool" at the hotel.  When Aiden gets bigger he wants to live in a hotel like Gramma and Grampa!  He loved "their" Christmas tree in the lobby too!

 All Ready!

 On Sunday we headed to get our Christmas tree.  While we were waiting we saw Santa and Mrs. Claus.  Ashton asked for a Polar Express train and Aiden asked for a remote control dinosaur.

 It was a cold day!  Brrrrrr.

 Ashton liked the little trees... the ones that were just his size... for his room.

 Having fun with the sled although I think Elise is really frozen by this point ;(

 Both boys just wanted to "cut".

 We finally found one that was perfect four our family.  We walked and froze for quite awhile!

 Adam had two eager helpers!

 Aiden got right in there...

 So did Ashton.

 Headed back for some popcorn and hot cider/chocolate.

 Last Friday night we went to our first basketball game of the season to watch Mikayla perform her holiday routine.  Missy and Elle joined us too!

 This is Mikayla's last year of dance and she is a captain... unless she dances at Stout ;)

 She makes it look easy.

 Forced smiles... pretty soon the boys are going to roll their eyes when I bring out my camera.

 Elle with her idol and the boys with their favorite High School Dancer.

 Last Saturday morning, the boys had their first Hockey Jamboree.  The Baldwin Hawks joined us for drills and a mini scrimmage.  Scout has found his way back to our house, and he was cheering them on too.

 It was a busy morning with getting ready for hockey AND finding treat from St. Nick!

 Goofballs.  Can you say EXCITED?

 "Real Jerseys"

 Ashton has turned a huge corner in the area of confidence.  Since about Thanksgiving he has been more confident and it's not even a battle getting him on the ice.  I had to do a practice without Adam right before Thanksgiving and he got right on, he had to do a practice without his favorite coach, and since then he hasn't flinched on bit about participating.  We were thinking he wouldn't do second session, but now he wakes up every morning asking if he can go to hockey practice.

 They scrimmaged with the Hawks.  The Hawks is a mean team from the movie, Mighty Ducks.  Right before hitting the ice, Aiden asked if he could "fight them."  Adam said no - so he started crying.  Oh boy!

 They do a great job working hard and listening to their coaches.

 They looked TINY compared to some other players.  Some of the kids they skate with are 5,6,7, and 8 years old.

 The boys were most excited about Bonnie and Tim coming to watch!!!

They worked so hard and it was so cute that they kept looking up to them and waving.  I hope Bonnie and Tim like watching hockey because they want them to come to e.v.e.r.y practice now ;)

 Sweaty Heads!

 The local Chevy Dealership donated shirts for all the kids.  Aiden is the 4th from the right in the back row.  Ashton didn't want to be in the picture ;)

The first weekend in December is the standing weekend for the Stout Christmas.  This year it was the 4th Annual at Mike and Berta's.  Attendance was down due to some other activities and some illnesses, but it was still a great time and fun to see one another.

3 of the 5 Stout Roommates and some of the kiddos.

We have Ashton, Mariah, Kaiden, and Aiden

*Isaiah went to bed early and Avery was at a dance recital with Jamie (her mom).

We missed the Rehfeld's and the Carignan Families whom we unable to make it.

 Thursday night we headed to the Winter Daze Parade downtown.  It was rather warm compared to past years where it was FREEZING!  We met our friends, Tatum and Jaxson there.

Thank goodness for black snow pants!  It was also kind of tricky picking up candy with mittens on ;)

Some favorites... the Packer horses...

Aunt Katie handing out candy for Bank Mutual...

the decorated horses...

the gold dragon for Nana's work (Mayo Health)...

THE GRINCH!

Mikayla dancing on a float in a HOT PINK wig (far left)...

Ending the parade are Santa and his Reindeer.

After the parade, we stayed for the fireworks over the lake.  Usually at this point we had been running to the truck to warm up and watching them from the side of the road in the truck.

On Saturday Sears teamed up with a engineering group from Stout (Engineers Without Borders) for a fundraiser.  They kids were invited in to make a ornament for a small donation.  It went really well and the turnout was good.

Concentrating on painting.

All done!

When Ashy was done, he wanted to stay and work with Daddy.  He was busy in the office, drawing and stapling.

As I mentioned earlier... Scout has been staying busy.  The boys get a kick out of finding him each morning.  With finding Scout and opening three advent calendars, the mornings are busy!

The boys LOVE pistachios!

He wanted to be on our Family Wall.

Having to go so far back, I am sure I am missing some great blog-worthy material - however I pretty much rely on my camera to remind us what we have done!  However, I have been enjoying some time and activities not being strapped to my camera and looking at life through the lens.

Let's do a SNOW dance for some snow to be in the forecast.  I wouldn't mind a snow day, or at least a White Christmas!  Not a muddy, foggy, sloppy Christmas.