Christmas Day

Barb and I couldn't keep the marshmallows from catching fire in the broiler. So we finally just put them in the oven. The third time is the charm!
This is Asa and Zeke giving us their mean faces. The got "Fearless Forces" guys for Christmas. They were pretty pumped.
Peter modeling his new robe and golf balls.
Some golf madness.
Barnabas always gives me trouble for not putting pictures of myself up. So this one makes 3 in just as many posts!

Christmas Eve

Grace modeling her new tiara from Auntie Maria.
Asa and Zeke in their new jamas!
My mother in law, Maria and her friend Nick.
Giovanni is going to love this one when he is older.
My dad and I in the kitchen. I had a great time helping him get all the food ready.

This Christmas Eve was a bit different from the rest. We just had immediate family. It was my parents, in-laws, my sister, the twins and my brood. We had quite the Italian feast! It was a great time.

So Grown Up!

Ready and waiting!
Here are the earrings!
Making the marks.
First earring in and not even a flinch!
Grace is now saving her money to get Kit's ears pierced!

Happy Birthday Grace!!

We celebrated Grace's 9th Birthday today at The American Girl Store. Grace loved the fancy desserts and getting to look at all of the fun doll accessories. While we walked around the mall Grace decided that she was ready to get her ears pierced!!

Ack!

So it seems that the lights loaded in backwards order. Sigh. Well you get the main idea. After Black Friday shopping all the Howard's went to go see the Bentlyville lights. It used to be at a persons house but he donated them to the city of Duluth, so they set them up down at Bayfront. We had a wonderful time!

Grace adored the houses.
The kids loved the dragon.
A great way to kick off the season!

Asa and Rudolph.
The boys and Blitzen.
Zeke loved the rockin' elf!
Family photo in front of the ariel lift bridge. Bummer you can't see it.
But here it is in lights.

Zeke's group at school is called "the penguins" so when he saw them he pointed and yelled "That's me!! That's me!!"
The kids wanted me to get this one for Uncle Jed.We came to a fire pit area where they had free marshmallows to roast.

Bentlyville Lights

Entering Bentlyville...

The kids chat with Frosty.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The kids made apple turkeys while dinner cooked.
The family. I was behind the camera because I couldn't figure out how to set the timer.
Barb read a story about the first Thanksgiving.
Zeke decided the story sounded better from within the mantel.
My good lookin' hubby taking over his father's usual video duty.

Grace Becomes a Brownie!

Grace waiting for the ceremony.
The official Brownie vest.
Congratulations Grace!

Batman goes for a ride...

Asa in his "fort."
Zeke stalled when it was bedtime. Barn and I were tucking in Grace and Asa and called up Zeke after a few minutes. When we came down we saw what was keeping him from getting to bed on time. He had eaten a whole sleeve of sandwich cookies, well the cream center of the sandwich cookie to be more specific leaving the cookies lined up on the kitchen island.