Christmas Day at the Kostanski's - Santa came to visit!

On Christmas morning, the kids woke up to find the toys that Santa had left for them. Brooke got a few food items for her kitchen and a toy minivan for her dolls. Clayton got some wooden blocks and some new farm animals. We then exchanged gifts as a family and enjoyed playing together in the morning. Around noon we headed over to Grandma Nancy's and Grandpa Ken's to exchange our gifts there.

After just about everyone took a nap we ate our Christmas dinner. Brooke and Clayton then got a very special visit from Santa! (Thanks Santa for making us one of your stops on a very busy day.) He gave Clayton a Barney puzzle and an Elmo coloring book and Brooke received a My Little Pony and Dora CD. WOW!

Here's Clayton with Grandpa Ken & Uncle Eric

And Brooke with her new baby doll from Great Grandpa Ted

Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night!

Christmas Eve at the Stanley's

Tonight we celebrated Christmas with Mike's side of the family. We had a nice evening exchanging gifts and sharing a meal together. After many, many attempts - here's the best of our family picture. From left to right is Chris & Alicia Stanley (Mike's brother and his wife), Mark & Denyse (Mike's parents) and then of course us. (Willie the dog is on the floor trying to be part of the excitement too.)

Santa comes tonight to bring gifts for Jesus' birthday - Brooke was very intentional this year about the cookies and milk that she set out for him, along with some reindeer food and a note that she wrote all by herself "Hi Santa Love Brooke"

Latest and greatest Brooke stories

I have two Brooke stories from the day that really made me smile.

Today at preschool Brooke learned about Hanukkah and colored a menorah that she brought home. We were talking about what she learned and I told her that the Jewish people are related to the same people that she is learning about in BSF (this year we are studying the life of Moses.) I told her that the Jewish people today are still waiting for Jesus to come and they don't think he was born 2000 years ago like we do. She walks over to our nativity set and says, "Mom! That's silly. Jesus is right here." as she picks up the baby Jesus figure and brings him over to me. I love that anything other than the truth of the Gospel is "silly" to her - may God hold her heart and mind tight to that as she grows.

Then, during nap Brooke was helping with laundry, wrapping gifts and putting away a few things I had bought that morning. So she was unpackaging some new underwear for her daddy and putting them into his drawer when all of a sudden she says in a most excited voice, "LOOK! Daddy's underwear even come with a pocket in them! Did you know that? That's cool." I almost fell out of my chair laughing at her observation. I made her call Mike to tell him herself - she did and adds, "AND DADDY! The pocket goes all the way through!" And we left the conversation at that - Brooke thinks daddy has a cool pocket in his underwear.

Those we walk through life with...

On Sunday, our friends Bud & Jessica DeGraff opened their home for our "small" group at church to have our Annual Christmas party. It's a great time of fellowship while sharing a traditional Christmas dinner. It has been amazing to see how the group has grown over the past 6 years - and how quickly a few children can fill a room! We are so blessed to have this group of individuals to walk through life together.

Snowmen & Nutcracker

Most of the snow that we've gotten so far this year has been powder. The temperatures warmed up enough yesterday to change the snow to some good packing snow. Brooke and Mike had a lot of fun creating - and Brooke had just gotten some fun snowmen accessories to help decorate.

Brooke also went to her first Nutcracker performance yesterday with Mike & I and both sets of grandparents. She did really well sitting there for the full 2 hour show. It ended up that we had front row tickets which definitely captivated her attention because you could see the orchestra and the dancers. When asked what her favorite part was she said "the ballerina"

O Christmas Tree

For the 3rd year now we heading out to Riehle's Farm in Dousman to cut down our Christmas tree. It really struck me as to how important pictures and stories are for our children - Brooke really didn't remember going to get our tree last year. I guess I would have thought at 3 and 4 yrs that she would have at least a vague remembrance. The kids were very excited to help pick out the tree and supervise as daddy cut it down.