Back to the Midwest

We headed back to Ohio to celebrate Christmas. We left with 3 suitcases, a duffle bag and 5 backpacks for 4 days...traveling with kids. We flew into Indy and drove to Ohio. We didn't get in until around 7 Ohio and since we left at 10 that morning...it made for a long day. On Saturday the Callsions' came over to visit. Gabby enjoyed Auntie doing her hair everyday...but it had to be just like Auntie was doing her hair. The girls were excited to play with cousins!! Although we couldn't convince Dean to let us pull his tooth...they had fun playing chase and hide and go seek.

Great Grandpa Everett and Maryanne with the great-grand-kids (J, Bella, Gabby, Dean and Ryland)

The girls had fun with family, but could not wait to get outside and play in the snow.

 Gabby making her snow angel.

 Gabby loved eating the snow...every time we turned around she was putting more in her mouth

Jeremiah got a kick out of watching the snowball fight. When he tried to walk around in the snow he did a great face plant and couldn't get up because of his snow pants. 

 Snowball fight

 Bella chasing Auntie down with a snowball

 J helping Auntie make a snowman

 Warming up inside watching Madagascar 3...Jeremiah became obsessed with this movie...he watched it several times a day...it came in handy on the drive to Indiana and on the flight home.

 On Sunday we swung by Target to spend Auntie's gift cards she got the girls and picked up some inner-tubes. This was definitely the highlight of the trip.

 Gabby's hat kept covering her eyes

 On Monday morning we headed to Anderson. We were able to spend some time with the Shorts and got to  meet Mathew for the first time. Mary-Kate showed the girls around her playroom. We headed over to Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma Newell's house in hopes that Arlo would be released from the hospital at any time that morning. The girls, especially Gabby loved baby Kelden.

 The cousins playing with the cars that Maverick got

 J and Maverick...they were pretty cute and only 3 months apart

 Luckily Arlo was released from having gallbladder surgery right after Christmas Day. J and Maverick didn't want to sit with the other kids, so Joel and Rose got to be in the Great-Grand-Kids picture. We were surprised that Bella was taller than Hailey even though she is 2 years younger than her. They had a blast chasing each other all around the house.

 Checking out the snow.

Christmas Day

The kids woke up to find Santa had come. Jeremiah got a new workbench. Bella got a Puppy she named Cupcake and Gabby received a Dora horse house with ponies. We had a nice and relaxed day. We Skyped Granna and Pappa and Auntie before we opened gifts.

J got an Ohio State light from Granna and Pappa

The girls opening up their pjs and slippers from Jeremiah

J opening the present from Bella - Sesame Street Cars - He kept saying "Go Ert" or "Go Nernie" when racing them.

Gabby got a Tinkerbell House

Bella with her Strawberry Shortcake House

We ended the night with Zoo Lights. Papa and Nana joined us to walk around.

Christmas Eve

The girls love the candlelight part of Christmas Eve service. They sat so quietly throughout the service but kept asking when was the candle part.

I attempted a picture with all three kids and after a few minutes I knew it was not going to work out...so single of all in their Christmas outfits they got from Papa and Nana from New York.

We loved Uncle Chad's hair...so we had to get a picture

Elmo ("Melmo") guitar was a bit hit

However, Jeremiah preferred to sit or stand on all the boxes...that seemed like more fun than the actual gifts.

We ended the night putting out cookies, carrots and milk for Santa and the Reindeer

Traditions of making cookies

Making our Christmas cookies have become such a fun tradition. I can't say they are fancy, but they sure are fun to do. 

Little hands making the shapes

Nana joined us this year and after a few minutes Gabby had already wiped flour on her arm.