Christmas 2018 | Part One

We began celebrating Christmas on December 7th, as that's what Michael and his family came to Kansas to be with us. We were so glad they were able to come at all, since Sara was very pregnant!

On that Friday, we wanted to get Carson out of the house and away from the pets, so we bundled up and went to the park that's across from Grandma's work. We played and looked for trolls under the bridge.

It was pretty cold, so we went to the library at Grandma's work to play with all the toys there.

That evening, we ate and opened presents at my parents' house.

The next morning, Sutton had a basketball game in Newton. So we all went to the game to watch him play.

After that, we drove out to Goessel to the cemetery to bury my Grandpa Melvin's ashes. He passed away at the beginning of November, and and Michael was unable to make it back for his funeral. So we kept the ashes til this day so we could bury them as a family. Adam and my dad had dug the hole on an earlier day. Once we got there on this day, Mom said a few words.

Mom placed his urn in the hole, then we each took turns shoveling some dirt on top.

Afterwards, we went to the nursing home where both of my grandmas live. Grandma Norma was getting up some energy to come sit with us out in the gathering room.

Glad we were able to all get together and see them while Michael and Sara were here.

We spent some more time with Michael, Sara, Carson, and Selah, and then they left Sunday morning.

Ren had a Christmas party at school on the last day before Christmas break.

At his preschool parties, they always have a treat and a drink. After they clean up, they go get their towel to sit on and listen to a story and sing some songs.

Halloween 2018 | Part 2

Before we went trick-or-treating, we had to take some photos in our costumes! Sutton was Master Chief from the video game Halo. But he actually didn't know that until later in the evening...he just saw this costume and thought it looked SO COOL. Since he'd wanted to be a soldier and it was a kind of soldier...that's what he got! And we borrowed Ren's Batman costume from a friend after he told us he wanted to be Bathman!

We were happy the Papa Ed and Grandma Janet could come trick-or-treating with us this year.

And here's the comparison collage over the years of the boys:

And me with the boys each year!

Then we set out walking from our house to go trick-or-treating in the nearby neighborhood.

Every time after they finished at a house they would come at us yelling "LOOK WHAT I GOT!" It was cute how excited they were about every candy.

Ren was definitely not timid this year like he'd been the past! He was allllllll about it.

Our friends Don and Ashley live in the neighborhood, so we went and visited. They were sitting out in their driveway passing out candy. Don totally knew who Sutton's costume was!

Then we happened to meet Sutton's friend Axel from school! He lives in the same town as us, which I totally didn't know before last night. So cool!

This cul-de-sac always has firepits going in their driveways, lots of fun decorations, and great candy.

The boys wanted to take a picture with this ship. When Ren saw it, he said "Now THAT'S what I call Halloween!!"

Had to get a selfie with each of my boys.

So glad that Sutton still wants to (and chooses to!) hold my hand. He's getting so tall!

Ren has really been a weirdo lately, and we love every second. He was doing poses for us here.

We got a ton of candy, and made our way to this spooky house in the neighborhood that goes CRAZY with the decorations. Like, think a full size fake cemetary in addition to all these other crazy things. Ren was terrified. Walking up to the house, he said "No problem, I'm not scared!" And then one of the animatronic things started moving and talking and he flipped and made me hold him and buried his head in my neck. When we started walking away, he said "Now I'm brave again!"