Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013 another wonderful Christmas season with family.  We started the weekend before with the Hansen Christmas including a special birthday party for Blake.  We definitely hit the jackpot this year winning the big bucket of cheese balls, hot dog slicer, and macaroni and cheese...and of course the famous rubber chicken (stuffed with money!).  The boys were excited for their legos and X-Box games...hoping Santa would come through with the Xbox.  Christmas Eve Grandma Shonda and the gang came to celebrate and end the evening with the church Christmas Eve program.  I was so proud of the boys reading their parts and the special nativity video was fun to watch!  Braden was supposed to watch me to know when to turn his "M&M sign", however he was not watching me!  When I asked him on the way home why he didn't look at mommy he said, "Because Grandma Judy was taking my picture, I had to look at her!".  Thank you Grandma Shonda for the clothes, coloring books, drawing books, colors, markers, and drawing stuff! Thank you Aunt Amanda for all the X-Box games!   Christmas day came and Santa came through with an X-Box after also giving a new coat to Kaleb and new jeans to all along with some action figures.  Dreier Christmas filled with Apfel Kuchen, and our annual "Min it to Win it" games (we even had props made this year...it is getting serious!)  We played shooting rubber bands trying to tear the toilet paper, shooting marshmallows through wreath hoops, dice stacking, cup stacking, and blowing the cups off the table.  We also had a new game this year of a huge cellophane wrapped ball filled with candy and prizes.  The Dreier's are definitely competitive and it got kind of crazy!  It was bittersweet as we had it in Aunt Connie's house (my grandparents)...brought back a lot of wonderful memories.  Grandma Judy and I visited Great Grandma Dreier on Christmas Day and were blessed with a smile!  Marcy's annual extended Dreier Christmas party with a visit from Santa (Vern as the boys said this year), all the wonderful treats and visiting are always a special time.  We concluded the week with the Young Christmas, so happy to have Uncle Derek fly in for 2 weeks from the Philippines.  Grandma Judy and Grandpa Bob receiving the coolest "techie" gifts of the day...an iPod and tablet!  New overalls, Kaleb's quick iPod charger, monster trucks, building sets, bracelets and hats from the Philippines, and the best gift, meat for the freezer!  Blake already claimed the bacon!  We finished the day with bowling, Kaleb was a pro and beat everyone except Grandpa!  Braden found a new way to get the ball down and score big!  Blake's left handed bowling was so cute!  At one point Grandpa and one of the boys left the exact same pins!  What are the odds?!  A wonderful year, I continue to be amazed every year how blessed we are.  

The best gift of all....blessed to be with all of our family.  

My attempt at Rudolph hair!  The boys left notes for Santa, pretty impressed with Blake's...a view from above of Santa's arms checking his list.  Kaleb gave daddy and I a special hand-made calendar.  Grandma Judy made a cinnamon roll Christmas tree.  My favorite part of the week...completing a puzzle with my boys.  Excited they are old enough to carry on the Christmas tradition from Grandma Judy and I of doing a Christmas puzzle.  Kaleb did really well!

HES Christmas Concert

The Hesston Elementary School Christmas concert was a huge success this year! "The Muppet's Christmas Carol" theme was engaging and hilarious.  Kaleb tried out for a speaking part and got to be one of the "old men" who sits in the booth and cracks jokes (very fitting, right!?)  He really stole the show making the entire gym full of laughter.  Blake was so grown up singing his little heart out, full of dancing and life. My old Kermie even got to make an appearance in the production!   

So proud of my boys!

Kermie

Blake and Kaleb are both getting ready to participate in the Elementary School Christmas program...a Muppet Christmas Carol.  So, we have been watching the Muppets, talking about the Muppets, and playing with the Muppets!  Grandma Judy dug out my 35 year old Kermie I used to carry everywhere, especially to all of Aunt Cindy's basketball games.  Now Braden is sleeping with him, and kitty...the bed is getting full!

Kaleb's 1st 4th Grade Basketball Game

So proud of Kaleb at his first basketball game for 4th grade!  Things are a bit different this year as they can play man-to-man defense, much more aggressive!  Kaleb scored and had several steals!  He played really good defense, often playing at the point.  They won at Haven 30 to 14, playing so well as a team!

Live Nativity

A very cold, December night we went to the live nativity scene.  The nativity was beautifully done, and so realistic!  It was fun to go with a big part of our family and take time out of of our busy lives to experience the beauty for the real reason of the season.  Hot chocolate and popcorn, camels and horses, guards, and characters all made the night a special one, letting the "light" lead us through the story.

Merry Christmas from the Hansen's

When Braden Grows Up...

Braden loves to build legos.  He used to not want to take them apart and would leave them all together in his room, then we convinced him we can take pictures of them so he can tear them apart.  I was commenting to Jason about how amazed I am with the stuff he builds.  I said (not knowing any of the boys were listening) that I think he will be an engineer or an architect when he grows up....Blake pipes in, "...or a buckin' bull rider"!

Thanksgiving Vacation

Thanksgiving vacation was a beautiful one!  The weather was gorgeous, so a lot of time was spent outside playing in the leaves, shooting hoops, playing catch with the football, and riding bikes. Daddy finished our new basement, so after Kaleb and Blake helped finish painting and new carpet, we were able to move everything back in!  We baked cookies, celebrated my birthday, daddy climbed a tree to rescue kitty after she was sent up it by Duke, played with making Santa faces on my iPhone App, decorated for Christmas, and slept in! Kitty enjoys sleeping with the boys!