A Visit from the Stiechs

We were blessed by a visit from my best friend from college and her family over winter break.  Our our kids enjoyed having a house full with the extra six people.  It's so difficult to live far away but I'm thankful for the time we do get together and that our kids also enjoy the friendships.

We spent a day at the Children's Museum

There was a photo booth upstairs at the museum that everybody enjoyed.

Each year Rachel and I send Christmas packages to each other's families but this year we got to open our gifts together.

Micah, Drake, Sylvia, Lydia, J.D., Abi & Eric

All but the two youngest boys slept in Sylvia and Eric's room.  Bedtime is fun with friends.  We also enjoyed playing at home and snuggling on the couch.

On New Year's Eve we took the kids to Hiawatha for a celebration.  There were bouncy houses, a spinning ride, photo booth, lunch and a countdown to a 12:00 noon balloon drop.

We skipped the expensive face painting at the New Year's Eve party and let the kids paint each other's faces at home.  They also made hats and drank sparkling grape juice while we watched a youtube countdown.  There was no way they were making it to midnight after playing all day.

Our final outing was to tot time at the gym.  The kids lined up their bikes for lots of races.

The kids (with lots of help from the adults) made hand print pillow cases for each other.

Matching shirts as we say goodbye.

Christmas at the Broffitts

We celebrated Christmas with the Broffitts on the 26 and enjoyed spending the whole day at Nana and Papa's.  We opened stockings and presents, ate a delicious meal, took the kids sledding, watched Wreck it Ralph in 3D and visited the basement to see Aunt Ginny and Uncle Stephen's dogs.  It's so nice to have family right here in town.

Drake tried hard to figure out how to play the "catch cup" Papa made for him.  He slowed down from time to time to spend some time with both Nana and Papa while opening gifts.

These are the only two pictures I have of Sylvia.  I believe she was moving this fast all day.

Eric insisted on wearing his suspenders for Christmas.  He was also on the move most of the day.

Uncle Stephen and Aunt Ginny posing with their gifts from us.

We changed into pajamas before heading home which turned out to be a good thing.  This is what the kids looked like when we pulled into our garage.

Christmas Day at home

We spent Christmas Day at home as a family.  With no afternoon plans, the kids had time to play with their gifts at home.  We spent the month of December preparing for Christmas by reading Bible stories, doing fun winter and Christmas activities and blessing our neighbors and friends with gifts and goodies.

Dan assembling the kid's play school bus on Christmas Eve.

Opening stockings before a yummy breakfast of french toast.

Sylvia worked hard with daddy's help to make this rocket ship for me.

Dan was a bit surprised by his gift from me.

I had a local artist add a monster to this Goodwill find.

Drake got a Little People Circus from Mommy and Daddy.

Sylvia's gift was a doll house.

The kids enjoying their new bus while Daddy hangs up his new artwork.

We also payed for some animals through World Vision for all of the kids and they got to open cards with pictures of the animals to remind them of their gift.

Eric got a box of Legos and Dan bought me a Kindle which I am very excited about.  The grandparents joined us for dinner and took a look at the kids' gifts.  What a blessing to celebrate the birth of our Savior and the gift he gave us on the day of his birth.

Hoefer Family Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family on the weekend before Christmas Day.  The morning started with Christmas stockings and Grandpa read a new book to the grandkids.

I mislabeled on of my boxes and Grandma ended up opening a paintable robot that was intended for one of the little boys.  She was very excited!

Sylvia got a new snow globe from Grandma and Grandpa that she was very excited about.

Eric was more interested in how things work than opening his gifts.

Great Nana wasn't sure what to think of Drake all morning.  He kept using the clementines from our stockings as balls and throwing them to/at her.  They cleared things up when she shared her caramel corn with him later in the day.

Drake did a little sharing of his own too.

There was plenty of time to play with toys/games new and old.

It was a busy day and we were all a little worn out by the end.

Sylvia and I enjoyed a sleepover at our place with two of her cousins over the weekend.  We made popsicle stick snowflakes and drew designs to make our own shirts.  The girls played together well and all slept downstairs.

Grandma and Grandpa also took us to an Iowa basketball game where we all enjoyed some ice cream...and maybe watched a little basketball.  We tried to catch Herky but he was too fast for us.

The Hoefer Family

The Hoefer Cousins