Christmas

WAKE UP DAD!

Emma, Nolan and Alex ready to open the gifts.

Nolan got a pillow pet!

I went outside to clean off the drive-way.  The snow wasn't good enough to pack for a snowman, so I went out to the backyard and kept myself otherwise occupied.

Braggin' Rights Game

There's not much better way to spend a day off than with great friends and an Illini game.  I had the week off work and was invited to go to the Illinois/Missouri Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis.  We had 2/3 of the G6 and allowed two subs since Scott and Klop couldn't make it.  Ken and Jarod joined us as temporary, honorary G6 members.  Unfortuately, Illinois lost the game but it was one of the most fun road trips I've had.

Three Rinks: Bart, Ken and Jarod

Doug, Hode, Bart, Ken, Jarod, Phil

Go ILLINI!

Tip off!

Heather had to work this week so I took the kids and we spent the night at our friends house in Maroa.  The Hodel's have three kids in similar age to our kids and the same order (boy, girl, boy).  The kids had a great time together while the dads were road trippin'.

Back row: Alex, Ethan
Front row: Emma, Kara, Ty, Nolan

More Advent Nights

We finished up with the last two of our advent nights.  I enjoy the review of Scripture and going over the Christmas story with the family.  The third night's craft didn't work out so well.  We ended up not completing any of the three of them.  They were supposed to be ornaments.  We have enough of those anyway.  :)

The last night's activity went better.  It was a Christmas bracelet that Emma really enjoyed!  It was lot easier and more fun to put together than the ornament.  

Alex is 12

Alex turns 12 years old today.  We celebrated with his Steffen grandparents last weekend.  We'll celebrate w/ his Conrad grandparents this coming Saturday!

He got an AirSoft gun!!  Yikes!

The Spirit of Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!

Advent

Last year we began a tradition of celebrating the Advent Sundays as we anticipate the celebration of the coming of Christ's birth.  We go through the Scripture and read over the prophecy and the Christmas story and do a craft together. 

Our first craft was a window hanging that we put together.  It turned out really neat.

Our second craft, on the second Advent Sunday was a gift box.  Those turned out well too!

The most recent craft, this past Sunday, didn't go as well.  No one actually finished it.  It was supposed to be an ornament ball.  Just what we need is another crafted ornament.  They didn't turn out which was just as well I guess.  It has been good for our family to reflect on the true meaning of the season each week.  This time of year gets so busy.

Thanksgiving

We were in Remington with Heather's family on Thanksgiving day, then hosted my family on Saturday.  We enjoyed a weekend of being with our families, playing games, eating turkey, etc.

 

Leshoure Feels Good

Illinois finally got another win today over Northwestern at Wrigley Field.  That's right...Wrigley.  (see pics below)  They played at Wrigley and, due to safety concerns, only used one end zone sending both offenses the same direction.  At least Mikel Leshoure knew where he was going racking up 330 yards on the ground in 33 running attempts.  That's 10 yards per carry.  Incredible.  Would have been a fun game to watch.  Maybe I'll be able to catch some highlights.

Anyway, after a productive morning, we went to Merrillville this afternoon to go to the movies and out to eat.  I took Nolan to Guitar Center so he could try out the drums.  He loved practicing on the trap set.  I should have gotten a picture of it.  He probably has better rhythm than I do.

We went out to eat at UNO's for some deep dish pizza.  So good. 

Fun day with the fam!

Trick or Treat

Funniest costume of the day..."Cereal Killer".  One kid had little boxes of cereal all over his shirt with plastic knives sticking out of them.  I liked the creativity.

Heather carved a spider web in one of our pumpkins this year.  We've really been able to enjoy the season this year with all the activities.  It's been a good month.

Nolan has to skip out this year on trick-or-treating as he has bronchitis.  The other kids were able to go out and around with their friends. 

Hammered Down

Alex and I met up w/ my best friend Doug and his family in Champaign today prior to the Illinois football game.  Illinois put a hurtin' on the Boilermakers winning 44-10.  It's a rare occasion for me to get to witness that good of a game by Illini football so it was a lot of fun.  I think it was Alex's first Illinois football game and I haven't been to one in quite a while.  We sat in the horseshoe by the south end zone.  A great fall day!

Conner Prairie

Heather and I took Alex and Emma on a field trip to Conner Prairie in Fishers, IN.  We went back in time and learned about what life was like in 1837.  We also visited a Lenape Indian settlement.

The kids each made a basket and we had a fun and educational visit.  Conner Prairie is the sight of the original home of William Conner built in 1823.  The original home is still there.  This was later purchased by Eli Lilly who restored it.