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Last year we started a new tradition because we were going to gran and granddad’s for Christmas, so we had our family Christmas at home a few weeks early. it was really nice to break up the gift giving and have more to look forward to, so we did it again this year.

Part I
On Saturday, December 12, we continued our tradition of cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast. What a great way to start the festivities, hopped up on sweets! They do taste good. After a healthy dose of sugar, we headed to the family room and lined them up on the couch. First they opened a couple of books each. Lame! They were not impressed. At all. So we moved on to other things. They each got a few gifts and one main present. Brinlee got a doll house. Sawyer got a work bench. Kimball got a tower of doom (we just call it a castle) and Caisen got a parking garage thing (yes, that’s the technical name for it). They also got a train table with a few more accessories, and Adam put together a very nice track layout the night before. They love it all. They had a big time playing with everything.

Brinlee enjoying a cinnamon roll. At least this year Brinlee ate them while there were still seconds to be had (and she had some)

Caisen loves cinnamon rolls.

Sawyer loading up on crystalized energy.

Kimball and Daddy look happy with their breakfast.

Brinlee and Sawyer look ready to start the festivities.

Daddy holding Kimball and Caisen back. The night before when we dressed them in their pajamas, Caisen immediately started crying when he saw his. I’ve never seen him offended by clothing, but he kept insisting that those pajamas were Brinlee’s. It was really funny. To us. Not to him. The king fought Adam with everything he had to keep those pajamas off his royal bod.

евтини мебели
Checking out each other’s stuff.

They each got a new train building for their set.

Checking out the layout daddy came up with.

In their stockings they each had a train engineer hat. They love wearing those hats while they play with their trains.

Caisen rocking the hat. His head is a little smaller.

We managed to be healthy for Thanksgiving this year (which is a near miracle since BKS are in preschool now), so we headed to Knoxville to spend the holiday with my family. We got to spend time with lots of cousins. Kimball just loves running around with the big boys, and Brinlee loves running around with the girls. She’s been the only girl her whole life (which will soon be remedied), so I guess she is drawn to the estrogen.

A few weeks we left for Thanksgiving, the kids got their first swingset. They love it.

When did the rug grow legs?

Granddad with part of his crew.

Aunt Amber supervising everyone with their crayons.

One morning, mid-diaper change/getting dressed, granddad brought out one of his most treasured possessions, the Lionel train set his parents bought his 60 YEARS AGO. Once they saw that, all progression toward getting them dressed ceased. They were mesmerized.

I confess that I thought he was crazy to bring it out, and even crazier to LET THEM TOUCH IT, but they did a great job being gentle. Look at that giddy Sawyer.

Kimball running the train all by his big self.

It doesn’t matter that Brinlee is a girl, she is the biggest train fan in the family (except maybe Granddad).

Caisen was not as interested in the trains or being gentle, but he is younger (even if he doesn’t know it).

Gran broke up the mega table into three big tables so everyone could have a seat. Here’s our table, and Madelin joined us.

Gran and Granddad babysat one afternoon while Adam and I went out, and when the kids woke up from the nap, they built this fort, which BKSC LOVED.

They sat in their little fort playing contentedly for quite a while.

The cousins hanging out on the couch. Everyone loves that little corner on the couch.

One afternoon we helped the kids make ornaments with this little kit we bought at Michael’s.

Having a snack together.

I had big concerns about my Christmas tree this year. I wanted to put it up, but I didn’t want it destroyed. I got this big idea to buy the kids their own Christmas tree with non-breakable ornaments so they could explore and get it out of their systems. We bought them this little tree, and when we got home from our trip to Knoxville, we put it up and let them decorate it. Caisen stripped his pants off and did his best Tom Cruise/Risky Business impression. He spent the rest of the evening running around. Not so interested in decorating a tree. Very interesting in scattering ornaments.

Brinlee putting an ornament on.

Mommy and Kimball trimming the tree.

Sawyer wanted to put an ornament up top, of course, so I gave him a lift.

I have to say, the kids have mostly left the big Christmas tree alone, so I guess our plan worked.

We had a fun time with playing with the cousins. We went out to dinner with Eric and Tristi one night, which was fun. The night before we went to a movie with Leo and Amber. We partied, can’t your tell?