Video - Harmonicas

Blessed to Open Many Gifts

Christmas Breakfast and Stockings

Scrambled eggs, sausage, and sticky buns were on the menu. The kids didn't like the sticky buns so much though. Oh well. More for Mommy and Daddy! lol. 

Leading Up to Christmas

Brent's rendition of the nativity scene above. Below, Amber and Brent build a fort while they excitedly wait for Christmas to arrive. 

Christmas Eve morning we took a walk up to the grocery store for some final food items. 

We ended up with heavy groceries and the stroller basket kept collapsing part-way. Lol. We made it though!

Christmas Eve service at church; sitting with friends. 

Away In A Manger

Singing At Church

Amber and Brent got to be part of the children's Advent choir last Sunday. They sang "Away In A Manger" and "We Three Kings."  Well...Brent participated in the rehearsal, but when the actual time came to sing during the service, he got stage fright and empty belly syndrome. lol. He was desperate for a snack and didn't want to sing. Oh well. Maybe next year for him. Amber did a good job though. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone from the Smith Family!  Wishing you a wonderful day full of family and joy in Jesus's birth - the greatest gift of all!  

Cookie Decorating with Friends

In getting ready for Christmas, our friends had us over for some Christmas cookie decorating. Amber really got into this activity! 

These were Brent's two (total) cookies of the day. ;-)

Clara popped a few "red hots" (cinnamon candies) into her mouth!

Visiting G'ma Sally Too

Before flying back home, we were able to stop in and visit with G'ma Sally in her new Senior Living home. What a cute place she has! And she is very happy there. It was a blessing to see her so happy. :) [We were also happy the Packers had such an amazing come-back win that night against Dallas!]

No More Tree; and Reading to Daddy

While I was in WI, Lucas and the kids took down the damaged front tree. This is the new look. :)

Amber continue to make progress with reading. Here she and Daddy were taking turns reading pages of the Berenstain Bears book. 

Laughing Together in WI

Laughter really is a good for the soul, especially when you play Taboo with team-identification stickers/tape on your forehead! LOL. Noah wasn't too sure about this family tradition. lol. Lots of laughs for sure!

G'pa and G'ma made a really fun team. ;-)

Pictionary and football in the background. :)

We Larsen girls really like our yoga pants! ;-D

Being Together in WI

It was a blessing for me to be able to fly home to WI for Dennis' funeral. I'm thankful Lucas could take off from work to stay home with the kids here. It was so important for me to be with the extended family during this time. My sweet nephew Noah was such a joy! He is 4 months old now. 

Renee rounded up a bunch of us to do some good old-fashioned sledding on Joanie and Dennis' famous hills. ;-)  It was really fun to be out there again, even though it was only 10 degrees outside!