New York 2014

As one of our relational gifts we gave the kids an overnight in NYC.  We picked the date and hotel a while ago and as the date approached the weather was looking terrible!  They were advertising the lowest temperatures in five years and a blizzard!  We made the decision to go anyway and to take our snow clothes and make the best of it!

On Thursday we headed up first thing and made it in only two hours!  We first went to Ground Zero to see the memorial and spent time explaining 9/11 to the kids.  Noah was particularly interested and asked a lot of questions.  

At the burger joint across the street the kids got Wiki Stiks with their kids meals.  They were really neat twistable wax sticks that we had a blast with.

We checked into our hotel and then walked around Times Square.

The Toys R Us in Times Square was awesome!  A huge roaring TRex,

a giant lego Incredible Hulk,

a ride on the indoor ferris wheel,

and lots more fun!!!  We walked around some more and watched some street performers before eating a yummy meal at Carmines.

                                      

After a good night's rest we woke up to a very snowy NYC!  We put on our gear and headed into the city. 

The streets were virtually empty of cars and we did snow angels everywhere we could!!!  We walked back to Times Square to get coffee when Maeve had her epic meltdown.  The NYPD was doing a publicity boost to improve their image and a police officer came over to see if he could do anything to help Maeve.  They caught it on camera and put it on the NYPD facebook page!

We trekked a few blocks away and looked at Rockefeller Square and St. Patrick's Cathedral.  

Then we split up and Maeve and I headed to The American Girl Cafe for lunch while Paul and Noah went ice skating at Rockefeller center.

Maeve was in absolute glory during the whole event grinning from ear to ear.  The lunch was actually very nice and pretty large.  It was fun to share the experience with her!

We gathered the boys and went to the Lego store....

And then we headed back to the car.  We didn't see as much as we had hoped but with the weather we were just grateful to have made it!!!! We all hope to go back again soon!

Christmas 2013

Christmas was a really special time for us this year.  Both children were immersed in the biblical story and I was so excited to see them interact with all of the amazing opportunities to learn and experience the birth of Christ!

We allowed the children to pick a gift for each other.  Noah remembered a My Little Pony Maeve wanted and Maeve wanted to get Noah is favorite Root Beer.  Here she is wrapping his gift!

On December 23rd we allowed the kids to open their Icelandic presents.  They received awesome monogrammed suitcases filled with books and goodies from Iceland.  They spent the entire Christmas week carting everything around in their luggage!

On Christmas Eve I had to head to church very early to get ready for 6 services from 1pm to midnight.  It was so exhausting but so amazing to see so many people at worship!

Here are the cuties all dressed and ready!

The 3pm service is the children's pageant.  Maeve was there early and got to pick the Mary costume.  She was so excited. 

Maeve's choir sang three songs before the pageant began and she was adorable!

A few children had speaking parts but for most of the play children came just in costume for their part and joined the nativity.  We had shepherds, angels, magi, and animals in a great surplus!

As the worship service continued, Noah was able to read the Christmas prayer and he did a wonderful job.  Part of the set was a bed and we used Maeve's bedding.  At the end of worship, right before the benediction Maeve walked up on the altar area and laid down in her bed and started reading a book that was a prop.  Hilarious!!!!

She and I walked out after the benediction together!

We went home and put the kids to bed full of excitement and joy.  On Christmas Day they woke up and raced to begin the day.  We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus in blueberry muffins and then started opening gifts.

Christmas was much calmer this year than it has been in the past which was a welcome addition.  We casually strolled through the day, opening, playing and eating with our family.

A big part of our Christmas celebration was giving the kids gifts of family time.  The first one was a trip to Disney on Ice, the second an overnight in New York and the third tickets to see the Wild Kratts, our favorite PBS show about animals.

It was a great Christmas!!!!