The FIRST GIFT of CHRISTMAS!

We got a Wii!

Will scored the first treasure hunt clue with his finding of the traditional Christmas tree pickle!

I can't tell who is more excited...me or the kids!

Having too much fun....Merry Merry Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve!

No screaming babies in the Christmas PJ pic this year!  This may very well be a first!

...however, if you look closely, it might look like Henry is being beheaded...

May you have a very merry Christmas!

Joe's birthday celebrations....

 Joe usually goes fishing for his birthday, but this year, he went out a day early so that he could make it to Sara's Christmas play.  So instead, he got to spend his birthday with me!  We ran Christmas errands, wrapped presents, and had lunch together...we partied with the kids and then headed out to the Alumni Pizza Party and fed the little people....

 

...and then we headed over to our favorite people's new house and had a little surf and turf, snow crab legs and t-bones.  Yum.

Happy Birthday, Joe!

Gingerbread Man.

We started this week with a puker.  Seriously.  Tuesday night.  Kayte got violently ill practically the minute she walked in the door from school.  So sick I called the doctor in a bit of a panic, cause at one point her hands and feet seized up in cramps.  Honestly, I'd never seen anything like it...apparently she'd lost calcium so fast that her extremities just cramped right up.  By 8 that evening she was feeling better, but being a week out from Christmas, well, I was in constant prayer that no one else would get it.  I was most concerned about Sara.  She had her big assembly play coming up, and she got to be the 'Little Girl'!  The same role Kayte played 3 years ago and she was gonna wear the same dress and everything.  Sure enough.  Thursday morning, Sara woke up with a little tummy ache.  I kept her home from school and we prayed and prayed and then I fed her lots of food and drink so we could test the waters.  God healed her right up without any puking at all!  She was back to school by lunch!  Really, such a small little miracle, but it meant such a whole lot to me.

And so, with no more ado, we all made it to the Gingerbread Man play, in the normal runny-nosed Christmas health.  Thanks be to God!

Jack played Sara's brother in the play.  How perfect!

 A little birthday present, from Sara to Joe...

 



Christmas Concert....

Ok, seriously.  I can't pick a favorite event of the season....but I do love love love watching my kids up on stage.  So it makes top marks.  And loads of photos.

Except I forgot to take some before we left for the evening.  So I did my best to hunt them all down :)

Nearly killed Kayte to get this one on film....isn't she all grown up with her little black song binder and everything?

Can you take this much cuteness???

This is the closest I could get to a pic of my Will....he was waayyy back there!

 

The crowd. 

Ta da!  Really, a beautiful evening...

Before we left, we were eating some pizza and three of the four of them nearly fell asleep at the table...it's been a long busy week!  (Can you even attempt a guess at which Casebolt child was up and ready to roll?  Hint:  the one spinning circles on the risers prior to breaking out in song.)



Most.fun.ever.

At the Logos Market this year, I had the brilliant foresight to pick up a package of Sisters' Cookies sugar cookies.  They advertise 3 dozen, but I got a few more than 4 dozen out of the deal.  I had just found a huge box of cookie cutters with every Christmas shape you can imagine: stockings, mittens, reindeer, gingerbread houses, santas, snowmen, gingerbread boys....  I rolled them out and baked them in a flash.  It took us much longer to find a day where everyone was healthy and awake and home in order to have our decorating party.  Tons of sprinkles and frosting...haha!

This is Joe's 'so many pictures' face.

And yes, we are still eating all these cookies!  Best sugar cookies!



The Ltown lights!

One of our favorite Christmas activities:  Lewiston lights and Red Lobster...

We love to ring that bell:

and climb on the train:

The igloo...selling treats, of course!

Cousins!  Too fun!

First Annual Casebolt Ladies' Baking Day

I've been wanting to start this tradition with my girls for quite some time.  Thanks to their persistence, we finally made a date, kicked the boys out of the house, and cranked up the tunes!

And this doesn't even count the fudge!

We love cuties...

All sorts.

Merry Christmas, Joe.

I love this guy.

He makes me happy every.single.day.

I know I'm about three weeks early on our anniversary, and a week from his birthday, but I cannot wait.  He is my very favorite thing about yesterday, and today, and tomorrow.  He fills up my day with JOY until my cup runs over.  I've been madly in love with him for exactly 13 years, 16 days, and 8 hours.

Thanks for being awesome, Joe.  Merry Christmas!

Where you might find Ben:

He likes to hang the ornaments waayyy up at the top!

Don't worry.  Our lopsided tree is securely tied to the window with the cord from the blinds.  Cause that's how we roll.

Happy St. Lucia Day!

Joe and I had a knock on our door at 4:30 this morning.  The only time this ever happens is if someone is puking, so yes...cause for alarm! 

But then Kayte hollered out, "St. Lucia welcomes you to breakfast!"

And in walked Kayte and Sara and loads of fruit loops and candles....I panicked for a moment as I saw them teetering towards me with candles in the darkness, and I realized they were the fake kind that flicker and everything....Kayte had been planning this for a long time and borrowed some from Ava.  She said they didn't get a wink of sleep trying to stay alert for 4 am.  She was so worried that they'd woken us up as they'd clattered around in the kitchen.

She read about St. Lucia in a book a couple of years ago, and has celebrated the day ever since.  I thought she'd forgotten about it this year, but she always surprises me!  I think this is her third year, she's my little traditionalist...And this was Sara's first year as first lady :)

Love these girls!

(Don't mind my messy closet in the background.  I have yet to figure out photoshop :)

Ahh, pinterest.

Pinterest suggests that you drop some essential oil inside the toilet paper roll so that your bathroom smells lovely everytime you tug at it....

When we actually live in a world where people replace an empty roll, we'll get right on that.

Clearly, I'm not cut out for pinteresting.

Lookie what came for me in the mail...

Maybe when I finish this, I will finally feel all grown up!

Game on.

Cinderella goes to her (very first) Ball!

Kayte's been dy-ing to go to a Ball.  We barely had time to squeeze this one in, but she was so excited to get out, even for an hour.  We did her hair up in a bun and she even let me put mascara on her :)

Growing up...