Zoe has started ballet this year, and loves it! She has her BFF Madi in the class too! There is nothing like a bunch of 3 year old in pink tights. Too cute for words!! ♥

 You will note, than in almost every picture...someone's tongue is hanging out. And it's NOT Madison (pictured below) aka Zoe's BFF. ;)












 LOVES IT! SOOOOO cute!!! ♥♥♥♥

There were a few pics that simply needed to be included in my blog, but didn't fit anywhere else, so...here they are!

Yesterday I took the kids sledding (behind the hospital)! It was fun, and I'm paying today (maybe should have gone down the hill with the massive drop - twice!!), and Nana and Grandpa looked after Lil'Lex, and eventually Zoe - who gave up half way through. ;)

Max, discovered he liked Grandpa's new iPad...


And our JibJab Christmas card!!! :D
 http://www.jibjab.com/view/GqdTXcM6QCmJewPM9Or6PA?utm_campaign=My+Timeline&utm_medium=Share&utm_source=Facebook&

LOL...Poor Max waiting patiently (?) for the Ingersoll parade to start. ;)
:D

This year we had a blast in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Crafts, Alfa, yummy foods...oh, it was just all so fun, and good!!

This was our second year with our little elf friend Alfa. She comes around December first, and watches everyone to make sure they are behaving.  Then, every night she flies back and reports to Santa. When Santa comes on Christmas Eve, she flies back to her home with him, and hopefully will come back next year!
The kids LOVE her - every morning they have to find where she 'lands' after returning from the North Pole. She must be getting more comfortable at our house this year because she ended up being a little more naughty than ever before...

Because I have a hard time buying those really expensive/mostly garbage/filled with crap/yet really fun Christmas crackers, I decided to make my own this year! And although they didn't snap (which Max was VERY happy about), they turned out perfectly. Plus, it was your napkin too!


And last, but certainly not least, Max has been making me lots and lots of 'artwork' lately. It's covering our bedroom door, and pretty much every other surface in the kitchen lately. But, I can't help it. I love it all.  ♥

Two days before Christmas, and all the children were...CRAZY EXCITED!!! Plus, it was time for a Christmas party at Nana and Grandpa's!!

The kids started it out by singing us Christmas carols! (And dancing to Gangnam Style!) All while Lil'Lex got some sleep.

Then we had a break on Grandpa's knee...♥

Jeff & Mel, awwww...!

And TIME FOR PRESENTS!!

Aww, Nana and Maxy!









Lexie decided she loved Zoe's present the best. And I love how Zoe says it best: LalaLoopsy!!

Oh dear - Alfa was at it again! On her last day with us (Christmas Eve) she spelled out: "be good!" (and I swear when we first looked at her, there were extra candies around her, but they seemed to disappear somehow...I'm sure it had nothing to do with the sweet little girl posing in this pic...I'm sure.)
Ha!

 Ella had her very first piano recital!! I wasn't sure if she would like playing the piano in front of a lot of people, but turns out - she LOVES it! She did a duet with her piano teacher, and then a song on her own. We were sooo proud!! ♥


Then it was OFF to the Vries Christmas at Joe and Jennie's! And the chaos began...!!





After dinner Lexie and Travis decided to play together
 Happy, happy!

 Uh, oh - has she learned to tattle already? LOL!

Ella and Loren were dancing to the Wii - GREAT FUN!

And then, just like that, it was all over. :(

...and we took the kids home to bed. Except pool Lil'Lex was sick and couldn't get to sleep. Plus, I'm sure her head hurt. She fell at Grandma's and bonked her forehead. She had a big bruise for DAYS! Poor little thing!
Another chaotic Christmas over for another year!!