Winter Fun and Vacation

Staff team bowling party!

 Tim and Gramps took the older two boys to the UND vs. Iowa basketball game!

Cru Winter Conference /// Minneapolis 

 Our boys love going to CruWC! We had about 50 students from the Greater Grand Forks area that joined 1000 other students for an incredible conference. Carter was able to participate in Feed My Starving Children as a part of his childcare program. I was on the finance team and enjoyed my role. We celebrated my 40th birthday and got some time with good friends!

After CruWC Tim flew down to FL with his dad and brother to watch the Hawkeyes in the Outback Bowl. Unfortunately they lost but Tim got some good time with the boys and ran into a great friend too!

 While Tim was in FL, I hung out with the boys in Eden Prairie!

Christmas week in Stillwater

We spent quite a few days in Stillwater this year as the Carrolls have a full house. We enjoyed some nice weather and lots of time with family!

Perfect snowman weather!

 

 We all spent the night in Stillwater on Christmas Eve. It was fun to wake up and have the cousins there and spend 2 days together! They even brought Whipper and Crosby spent most of the day cover her up with his blanket:) 

 Board games with Uncle Mike.

 Carter and Ezra played with this fire truck a lot putting out the fire in the fireplace! Love watching them bond! 

 My triplets:)

A deep chat with Gramps!

Christmas with the Carrolls

We had such a fun time celebrating both with the smaller Carroll group and then the large extended family the next day! The kids are at such a fun age where they are still so excited about gifts but then can also entertain themselves a bit too!

 Love these two!!

 Hanging out with my mama and nieces:)

 The boys got new TBT shirts from Uncle Dave. They all got to pick their colors and Carter asked for pink:) 

 Shan being Shan! 

 We all hung out on the 23rd and on the 24th Shan, Tim and I took the kids sledding to get out of the house so the other adults could all get ready for the big party. We all went to church at Wooddale and then back for the extended party. The kids did a little gift exchange and then the adults did after dinner while the kids watched a movie. Almost all the adults brought beer or wine for the gift exchange which has never happened:) So much laughter and love in this group!! 

Grace Baptist Christmas Program

 Our church has an annual Christmas program that is just adorable! Pre-k through 6th graders signing songs and reading scripture, followed by a cookie party! 

Ava didn't quite make it so Tim ran around with her in the hall. Last year we had Sophia and she didn't want to sit either:)

 Cooper and Carter both had verses to read this year. It's fun seeing their confidence and willingness to step up to the mic and read! 

Carter's School Program

 The 2nd graders at Viking Elementary put on a winter program before Christmas.

 Carter was so excited and animated! Loved watching him and his friends! 

An Early Christmas

Because of how busy our December was, we ended up celebrating Christmas as a family a couple of weeks early. Ava had a sleep-over with the family that she transitioned to so we had a quiet Saturday with the 5 of us.

 We start out each Christmas morning by picking a gift to give to through Compassion. After reading the Christmas story and remembering Jesus and why we celebrate Christmas, we exchange gifts! Simple and fun:) 

 Gear for Florida and football tights and gloves. 

 The boys waited all day for their new xbox to load and get set up. They were soooo patient!

And our usual Christmas tradition is to go to a movie as a family...this year was Trolls!