Christmas Part Deux

Today we got to see Megan for the first time since April!  The DeYoungs spent the summer in Zambia working on an adoption (which sadly did not go through).  Peter and the girls returned in time for the school year to start, but Megan stayed in Zambia for another month.  She came home to San Antonio in October and the whole fam made it up to Holland for Christmas (on New Year's Eve :).

Adeline took this picture :)

We had a fun time opening gifts together and spending quality time with everyone.  The time went by way too quickly, but not so quickly that we didn't manage to get our family photo with everyone in it out on the deck.  The crazy part?  Someone said, "Wow!  Look at that sunset!" and within minutes we were all outside, the timer was set and the picture was taken!

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Phase 1

This was an interesting year for Christmas!  The week before Christmas Adeline became very ill and stayed that way for quite some time.  We're not sure if she got the croup (it had been going around) or just a bad respiratory flu, but she was scary sick :(.  In the meantime Evelyn wouldn't leave her sick sister's side (hence the picture below) and she got sick too :(.

Nevertheless I took the girls over to Amma's house the week of Christmas as Alan was flying to California to spend some time with his grandpa who was dying.  After a couple more sick days at Amma's we were finally able to go outside and enjoy some winter fun on the frozen pond.

On Christmas Eve I drove to the airport to pick Alan up.  On the way I received word from his mom that Alan's grandpa has passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus.  Although sad we were very grateful that Alan was able to spend his grandpa's final days with him.

We awoke Christmas morning with all the family together again.  The girls had helped to put presents sent from Grandmother & Pa under the tree.  We had our requisite pictures in front of the tree with the girls in their Christmas jammies.  Overall we had a fun time, and are looking forward to Christmas Part Deux with the rest of the whole family together next week!

Coloring with Daddy

Lighting the Advent Wreath

Today we lit the third candle of the Advent wreath in church.  Adeline memorized her very own part to recite before the church.  She was a little surprised at how loud her voice was in the microphone, but with a little encouragement from Mom & Dad she recovered and recited her part perfectly.  After the service we had a chance to snap some pictures for the Christmas card.

Christmas Crafts

Today we did a Christmas craft!  I pulled out a large sheet of posterboard and some green paint and the girls put their hand prints all over it (Mommy helped a little too).

After getting all cleaned up...

We put our magnet on our new Advent calendar.

While the girls snoozed I cut out the painted posterboard into the shape of a tree and added a star at the top.  When they woke up they put the finishing touches on with stickers.

 Adeline took the picture of it hanging on our wall :).