Happy New Year!

As we all head back to our normal lives tomorrow of work, preschool, and daycare, I've been thinking about how nice it has been to be home together over the past two weeks.  Our break started two days early with a big blizzard that canceled the last two days before winter break.  I have no complaints!  Our kids seemed to be at a particularly fun age for Christmas this year (although I think I'll probably continue to say that for many more years).  They loved everything about the holiday - the sweets, the relatives, the gifts, the songs, the lights, the Christmas story... just everything.

Our New Year's was extremely low key.  We made New Year's hats, but then didn't wear them because we opted to go out to dinner instead of eat at home... and I think we all agreed the homemade party hats in public would be a bit much.  Ha!  The kids went to bed early and Brant and I watched a movie.  It was much like any other night, but we welcome 2013 and know that many great things lay ahead over the next 12 months.

Here are a few pictures of our holiday break together:

 Look at those pig tails!!

 Oh... and just to clarify that it really was Christmas and not Halloween in our house, Santa brought the kids costumes for our "dress-up" basket.  This explains why Ben is in costume in all of the pictures.  Well, except for the skeleton pajamas.  I can't explain that with Santa - those are the real thing.

 Someone is ready to catch some big fish!  Ice fishing, anyone?

 It was the Christmas of scooters and castles.  We gave Abby a new scooter, and Ben received a new one from Grandma and Papa.  They also both got a castle, although apparently Abby's Little People castle didn't make the cut for pictures.  Oops.