Christmas Activities

So my plan for Christmas was to do advent activities each day like we did last year... This did not happen.  I had so little energy that I could barely get done the "must-dos" let alone all the "extras"... I have high hopes of making a cute advent calendar for next year--I must start now!  I did try to fit in as much fun as we could.  Here are some of our Christmas activities:  

We decorated a gingerbread house

We made s'mores in the fireplace

I decorated cookies with my friend Michelle (for a MOPS cookie exchange)

Took the kids shopping for toys to donate to Ms. Pearl's Toystore

                                     

Took a Friday night drive to look at lights... complete with hot cocoa and a Starbucks stop

Wrapped up Christmas books for the kids to open each day

Made snowmen shaped pizzas

Listened to Sadie's class sing at Barnes and Nobel...

And had a treat afterwards!

                                               

Had fun with our Elf--Nick

Made treats with the kids for a Christmas Party

                                     
I always love making memories with my family and have to remind myself that sometimes "less" really is "more"!
PS--As I'm posting these pictures Sadie just walked by and said "Seriously--you're just putting up pictures from that long ago?!?  That little guy (pointing to my stomach) must really be bothering you!"

'12 Christmas Pictures

Christmas Pictures 2012

Kinnick's B-day... Again!

December 9th:  We were able to celebrate Kinnick's birthday again with his Grandmas and Grandpas!

I was a bit stressed out about making another cake... so my mom got supplies to make this fun train cake!  Sadie and I had a blast helping decorate it and Kinnick thought it was pretty cool!

  We had a fabulous Sunday lunch at Grandma & Grandpa Gorsch's house followed by presents...

And of course cake!

 4 candles for my BIG boy!

Had to add this picture also... Kinnick got to go a few days before the party and stay at Uncle Jason & Aunt Trista's by himself for a few days.  He got to go see "Batman Live" with Jaren (as part of Jaren's birthday present) and stay in a hotel in St. Louis--he LOVED doing this and keeps asking me when he gets to go Jaren's house by himself again!

Polar Express

While we were having fun in Chicago (see below) Jason & Trista came to stay with our kids!  Marc was able to get tickets for them all to ride the "Polar Express".  While I was bummed to not be able to take them myself (their first real train ride too!) I was excited they got to have this fun experience with their cousins.  Trista took lots of pictures for me...

  

Chicago

December 1 & 2:  Every year we get together with some WIU friends for homecoming weekend in the fall.  We usually plan a girls trip in Nov/Dec to shop and spend the night together... this year we decided instead to do a couple's weekend.  We thought it would be a good way to celebrate turning 30 (even though we turned 30 over a period of several years!)  We thought it would be fun to come in December so we could have fun seeing all the down-town lights.  We had fun planning and anticipating our trip and even more fun enjoying it!  

We started our day with shopping... of course!  We had fun walking down Michigan.  After a few hours of shopping we moved our cars to our hotel and checked in.  We then caught a cab to our lunch destination... Reza's.  This was a Mediterranean inspired restaurant.  Several of us enjoyed eating a Chad's Inn in Lincoln, IL (while it was open).  Marc heard from some friends awhile back that the chef at Chad's Inn had trained at Reza's so we had to try it.  It did not disappoint!

After lunch we did more shopping.  We walked over to State Street to see Macy's.  After that we split up--the guys headed back to the hotel.  We had to visit the Walnut Room to see the 3-story Christmas tree...

Eventually we made it back to our hotel (in a cab!) and got ready for dinner.  After we were all glamed up for dinner we went down to catch a cab.  We were trying to wait for a van so we could all ride together.  As we stood waiting, the guys were approached by a limo driver.  He saw our group and offered to drive us to dinner for $5/person.  It was a very fun surprise!  We loved cruising down Michigan in our sweet ride...

For dinner we decided to get reservations at Table 52 (well know because the head chef is Oprah's personal chef!) based on Luke & Sarah's recommendation.  It was such an adorable little restaurant!  It is tucked away into a cute little house just off State Street.  The menu was small but it was still difficult to decide.  We had a great unhurried dinner... the best part--no little ones to worry about!

 We truly love this group of friends so much!! Glad there in our lives for keeps...