Christmas as a Family

n Christmas Day we drove home from Wisconsin to celebrate Christmas as a family. After unpacking, we all relaxed before putting together scalloped potatoes and ham for dinner. We ate together and then opened presents. It was a relaxing time and we all enjoyed our tmie together as a family of four for the first time.


Rachel and Levi opening gifts. Levi put the bow on his head.


Rachel with her new scarf. I think I would like one, too.

Levi got a bow stuck to his back end. What a great gift he makes!


Millie was "all-Christmased out"!


Mommy and Levi. I got a new vest from Bret that I am modeling.


Levi and daddy! HE was pretending to be a dog.


My two beautiful children!

Christmas #2

On Tuesday the 22nd we traveled to Wisconsin to celebrate Christmas with my family. When we arrived that evening, after having some supper, we went on a Christmas lights drive. We saw some beautiful light displays. One man had hooked his lights to a radio station. It always amazes me that people can do that. It was fun to watch. I always enjoy looking at Christmas lights on houses, especially when there is snow.

On Wednesday we had our Christmas celebration with my parents and my brother and his family. I always enjoy sitting in my parents livingroom with the Christmas tree lit, the fireplace going, and Christmas music playinig in the background. It is such a warm and cozy feeling. I also enjoy watching everyone open their presents. I like to see everyone's expression when they open the gifts we have picked out for them.

o

Levi saw his cousins playinig the recorder and wanted to do the same. At first, he would just make sounds like the ones he heard come from the others. But then he figured out how to blow it. I think this was one of his favorite things to play with at grandpa and grandma's house.





Lately Levi likes to take off his socks and clean out between his toes. After Christmas dinner, my brother had him on the table and of course he had his socks off. He was cleaning out his toes. Just look at the determination on that face! After a little while, he must have decided that using his fingers wasn't working well enough so he decided to try the recorder.



Rachel really likes warm, fuzzy socks and let a number of people know that this is what she would like for Christmas. Well, she should have enough socks to last her several years.



Hazel and Rachel got new Aero pajamas for Christmas this year.



Rachel and Jadin got Rodgers jerseys this year.


Grandma and all her grandchildren.


Levi got a piggy back ride from his cousin Jadin.

Christmas #1

We began celebrating Christmas on Sunday, December 20th with Bret's family at his parent's house. He has 3 brothers - Brian, Shawn and Mitch. Brian and Shawn are married and each have two children - a girl and a boy as Rachel pointed out, with the girl being the oldest in both families. We had a really enjoyable time with them. Jack, who is Mitch and Jill's youngest, is just a little bit younger than Levi and so they are fun to watch together. They really enjoyed watching Riley(the yellow lab) outside. I know Levi and Rachel will be excited to have Riley stay at our house again after the new year starts.

After some appetizers, it was time to get down to the business of opening presents. It was quite a lot of fun to watch the kids get into it! Then it was time for some delicious supper! But I think the best part of the evening was getting to know our newest family members. We are truly blessed to be a part of the Tegeler family and look forward to getting to know them better through the years. They have already begun to make us feel very much like family!


Hanging out on Granpa Tegeler's chair, getting ready for the un to begin.


My two wonderful children ready to begin Christmas celebrations. Never thought would get to say "children". Thank you God for your miracles and blessings!


DeLaney and Izzy (Isabella) sitting on Grandma Tegeler's lap.


Jack and Levi watching Riley on the back deck.


Izzy making a funny face for aunt Tracy.


The first gift for Levi was a Superman shirt from uncle Mitch and aunt Jill. He did a good job opening the first one or two presents but then got distracted with everything else going on.


Rahel, Levi and Jack with granpa Tegeler.


Levi and Jack having a drink on grandma Tegeler's lap.


Levi wanted daddy to read him one of the great books he got from grandpa and grandma Tegeler. The minute he saw the tractor on the one book he made the sound for the tractor.

Santa Levi

Tonight Levi put on the Santa hat and posed in front of the Christmas tree. Then, he played peek-a-boo with the hat. It was way too cute!!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

We have had the last two days off of school because of snow and bitter cold temperatures. We have thoroughly enjoyed getting caught up on laundry and baking and wrapping presents and playinig in the snow and watching Levi experience snow for the first time. We all slept in yesterday morning and then Bret was out shoveling the snow off the deck. Levi was so fascinated by it. Bret gave him a bowl of it to play with and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Rachel showed him what to do with it though. Later in the morning we went outside to play in the snow. The neighbor kids came dowwn and helped to build a snowman. Rachel calls the snowman her boyfriend (Bret's idea).












Seeing that this is a catchup post, I'm going to post about several things that have happened to us over the past 2 months. For Thanksgiving, we spent most of our time in Wisconsin with my family. Levi and Bret got to meet my friend Michelle and her family for the first time. Then, when we returned we got to meet Bret's aunt and her daughters who were visiting from Tennessee. It was a full weekend with all of our family. It was nice to see and spend time with all of them.












On Monday Levi put his own shoe on at the babysitter's house. It took him a little while but then he came over and showed her his foot. He is growing up so fast and trying to do more and more things by himself. He wants to imitate everything we say it seems.

The beginning of November my parents, niece, aunt, cousin and her son were here for Rachel's fall play. They were only able to do it on Saturday night because of sickness (Rachel and I were sick with the flu that week.) They did a play called, "Those Crazy Old Ladies in the House on the Corner." Rachel played one of the old ladies. She did an excellent job. I guess working at the nursing home for the past year and a half has really paid off. The play was hilarious!