UPDATE

Happy Holidays. We hope you all had a great Christmas and Holidays. We did, and the week before was a great way to lead up to it. The kids and Kim went to the Nutcracker, we had fondue night, we watched tons of holiday movies, drove through neighborhoods looking at decorated houses, and had game nights almost every night. It seemed like every day leading up to Christmas that week the kids made a new gift for Kim or I , wrapped it and put it under the tree. On Christmas eve we set out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his reindeer. At around 3:30am Eva woke up from a nightmare and Tanner and Grace woke up ready to see if Santa had come. They were so excited and I was afraid they would never go back to bed. Grace pulled up her eye mask, that she has been wearing to bed every night, and said "Dad, I went like this (cupping her hand behind her ear to amplify sound) and I heard someone say "mmmmm" like they were eating cookies and then I heard clip clop on the roof!" Fortunately they went back to bed and in the morning we found out Santa had come. We later saw that pieces of the carrots were on our garage roof. So that is where the reindeer landed.

Ben is doing great and eating like a champ. He is starting to get a very impressive bosom. He loves baths and also loves his siblings holding him. He calms right down as soon as they hold him. He is getting very strong and seems to be doing great.

Tanner got a trumpet for Christmas and sounds great. He has been such a great helper with the kids. I am sure we rely on him too heavily and yet he is always so willing to help with the girls or Benjamin.

Grace had a great Christmas and is learning how to ride a two-wheeler. We took the pedals off one of our old bikes and she is getting the hang of how a two-wheeler feels.

Eva is the perfect age for Christmas joy. One of her favorite presents from Santa was a purse full of lip gloss and a package of lipgloss watches. Since Christmas she has carried her purse everywhere the only time it is not on her is when she sleeps and as soon as she gets up she asks for it.

Mom is doing great. Mom and Dad are tackling some house projects while we have some extra time at home.

One of the gifts we got for Christmas was the WII Fit plus. Since then we have all been playing it and having so much fun challenging each other. I caught part of it on tape with Grace running. It is a great way for all of us to get some exercise when it is so cold outside.