Sudan Christmas Part 1 (christmas Eve-cookie decorating contest)

we had a wonderful christmas with my family!

we started the celebration Christmas eve with our annual cookie decorating contest
duncan and EK always up to no good :)

love Jayden

the cookies are ready to decorate...

the newly engaged couple...so happy for them!

Alex's parents were in from Peru and spent Christmas with us...his mom was so sweet and really connected with molly...she let molly work on the cookies too!

loving it

Blake was the master cookie decorator this year

blake's winning masterpiece

B had a second place finish with these lovebirds

after the contest we quickly got the kids ready to go to the Antioch Christmas Eve service...i love all the little girls in their smocked dresses

we brought home On the Border for dinner and Molly LOVED it...as you can see!

My parents got the kids matching Christmas pj's to wear Christmas Eve and they looked SO cute in them! Love this of Molly and my dad!

these cousins love each other so much...they are so cute together!

next...Christmas morning!

Marable Christmas Eve Eve celebration

We had our annual December 23rd celebration with the Marable side.

It's always a fun time at the funny farm!
father & son

the kids sang christmas carols to us...so precious! reminds me of the type of "events" we used to put on for our parents on christmas eve! EK even participated in it as well...so grown up!

i feel like we look alike in this picture

Sterling loving her Molly

the kids ready to open presents on Christmas Eve morning

amber, thomas and ashton

me & carrie

me & jenny

blake & carey

on to the Sudan christmas celebration!

a play group christmas party & some before Christmas pics

we had a pj christmas party breakfast at play group

i love kids in pj's

sweet Riley

the kids being silly

a typical face lately when I ask EK to smile...nice, huh?

attempting a group picture, Molly NOT happy

took Molly out...now a better pic!

I love our playgroup and all the kids (and moms!) at our church...we are so blessed!

alex & hallie

cute hallie...this is the expression she usually gives you when you try and get her to smile :)

EK so grown up playing on the iPad

sweet

cute blue eyed cousins!

now for LOTS of christmas pics to come...

girls trip to Chicago!

chicago style pizza...yummy! (sorry this one is out of order)

I am really behind in updating my blog! Life has been busy!

The beginning of December my dad sent us on a girls trip to Chicago!

Jason and my dad have gone on a few trips together so us girls thought we needed a trip!

it was so fun to be together without any distractions!

december was a COLD time to go but we loved it!

we visited the bean...it was pretty fun!


then the rest of the time we shopped! so.fun.

loved time with my mom...she was very cold the whole time!

the navy pier

view of downtown

i love my mom and sisters so much! so thankful for this time with them!

thanks so much dad!