Kilian Family Christmas

This year we changed it up for Kilian Christmas just a bit!!

In the past we've always stayed at the Farmstead Inn in Shipshewanna. This year we gave the Essenhaus Hotel a shot!! And it didn't disappoint!!! Thanks to our friend Glori Goodrich for all the "hook-ups" :)

Dinner at the Essenhaus

Maddie and Pa checking out the huge train set upstairsPhil and his Mom!! :)
The Taylor Family
Mimi and Pa and the Kiddos...

The Wes Kilian Family! :)

And...Us!

The ol' stand by...Use your teeth!!! :)

Maddie and her webkin from Mimi!!!

Aunt Carrie got the boys Green Bay gear

Caleb got Apples to Apples the Junior Edition...which looked like a lot of fun!

Allison sporting the fuzzy sweatshirt we gave her, and her webkin from Mimi!

Emma, waiting patiently for her turn! :)

All the kids landed in our room for a 9:30 showing of Bedtime Stories...which by the sounds of laughter and giggling until 11:30....it was a hit!!! :)

Show time....

Eli and Pa playing a friendly game of pool

Phil bought all the boys cross bows for Christmas. We quickly cleared the game room of "non-Kilians" so we could shoot them across the room! :)

Watch out!!!!

Determination.....

The Pepsi machine made an excellent target for the rubber arrows....hours of fun...and no unwanted visitors! :)

Relaxin' in the "hot pool" otherwise known as a hot tub! :)

I loved watching the kids play all together in the pool! They are such good kids...and truly enjoy each other!! :)

Again...other's quickly cleared out when we arrived!! Apparently we have that effect! :)

Group shot! :)

Annual Treasure Hunt!

Enjoying the treasures....

Lookin' Good!!! :)

We hosted our first "ugly" Christmas sweater party last weekend. I'm pretty sure everyone had just as much fun as we did choosing the perfect outfit!!

Phil not only found a wonderful sweatshirt, but also some nice brown pants with the flex band around the waist...perfect!!!! :)

Phil, Phil (I'm pretty sure that's a woman's sweater...), and Scott
The guys....

Scott and Stacey....Stacey you had the most glitz and glam of the evening!!! :)

Liz and Phil...Liz rocked a sweet Christmas pin!! :)

Joel and Gretchen...Joel went above and beyond!!! :)

Kenny and Crystal (with Dane and Nyle)...Crystal had some sweet 90's makeup! :)

The ladies

Kenny was so warm...he finally had to go "red neck" on us, and cut off the sleeves to his sweater! Which I thought made it even better! :)

Playin' a little Mario Cart on the Wii

Uno Flash...great party game!!!

The winner for the evening was Mr. Joel DeVisser! The pleated white pants may have helped him clinch the coveted prize!! :)

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Emma had a Birthday Party for Jesus in her class last Friday.

I helped her teacher coordinate it, so Maddie and Phil joined

me in setting up the classroom early. A mom of one of Emma's classmates made this cake!!! She made a marshmallow fondant, and the little Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were adorable!!

Mrs. Rus and the class singing Christmas carols! :)

Reading the Christmas story

Emma's Kindergarten class

Singing "Happy Birthday!"

A visit with Santa

The girls were very excited to visit with Santa this year! We went on a random Thursday morning, and we didn't have to wait!!! Perfect!!! :)Sharing their wish list....I'm sure! :)

I think Emma's making sure he's got it all right! :)

Maddie's Christmas Program

Maddie had her Christmas program last week (I know..I know..I'm behind!!!) :)

She was SO excited for this day...and to wear her Christmas outfit!

Waving hello to their special people in the audience!

I was so excited that Maddie was standing next to Eli DeVisser (family friends!) It makes the pictures more special when you have a friend in them...rather than just a classmate!

To our surprise, Maddie and Eli, were part of the "hand bell" choir. They did a nice Christmas medley. SO cute to watch their eyes...while they waited until it was their turn!

Can you guess what song we're singing here? :) Precious!!! :)

Maddie and her "Bampa" :)

I had to put this picture of our friend Tyler Stiger.

It's perfect! :)

10 Honest Things about Me!

Thanks Gretchen for honoring me with this award! Now I just have to think of 10 things that I want to share with my blogging world!!!! :) Which is turning out to be harder than I thought it would be!!!

1. I wish I could grow long, beautiful nails! I love to go get manicures, but my nails get to a certain point...and then they start to break!! It makes me mad!! :)

2. Phil and I joined the YMCA last month! I go almost 5x a week...and I love it! In the past two weeks I have lost 7.4 pounds...weigh in is tomorrow for this past week!!! Hopefully Thanksgiving didn't ruin my diet!!! :)

3. I wish my hair was pin straight. I wish I could comb it, and let it air dry...Instead, I 've been blessed with some funky curl that has to be tamed every morning!!!

4. I never considered my self a cat person, but I love our cat Max! He's the best pet we could ask for!!!

5. I don't like clutter! I get very frustrated when my house isn't "just so"..and the way I like it!!

6. I haven't had a dish washer in the past two years...but that will all change soon!! :)

7. I love to host parties/get together's.

8.I like being busy. If we don't have something to "do" on the weekend, we often seek out some sort of fun. We love our friends and enjoy hanging out...even on a moments notice!

9. Many of my good friends are old friends! :) I have known many of my friends since I was very young! Thanks for all the great memories girls!!!! :) "God is soverign Christi" Classic youth group quote!!! :)

10. I have known my husband since I was in the 2nd grade. He is my very best friend and I'm so thankful that God answered a middle/high school girl's prayers! I love you "pak" man!!! :)

Phew...I actually thought of a few more..but I'll save them for the next time around!!

Now I have to pass the award along to some friends! :) SO....Lindsay, Liz, Amber C., Crystal, and Stacey. If you want to play along, post the award above on your blog and list your 10 truths!! Linds...I'd say this is an adult form of truth or dare...so I know your in!!! :)

Oh..Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree....

It's that time of year again! It's amazing how quickly you can find a tree when it's raining outside!! :) We found a beautiful Frasier Fur....I LOVE IT!!!! (Thanks Phil...your so good to me!!! :)

I ran back to the van to get my camera (b/c of the rain) and by the time I got back Phil had already cut it down!!!! I know...the nerve ....right??? :)

Make sure he does it right girls!! :)
YIKES!!!!! Again..the girls did a great job supervising this year!!Emma was very concerned that the tree was going to fall off into the mud!!! Fortunately Phil's done this a time or two!!! :) In staying with the the local theme this year...we bought our tree from a farmer that use to work with Phil!What a great thing to do after you retire! Before we decorated the tree, the girls indulged a little hot cocoa and a rice krispie treat!You can't decorate on an empty stomach!!!

Every year we buy the girls one special ornament from the two of us.They look forward to opening it before we decorate the tree!

The last time we on our way to North Carolina we stopped at the Tamarack in West Virgina.

It is a glorified rest stop! :) There are a bunch of local artists that make and sell their work there. It's a fun place to stop, stretch, look around, and of course go potty! :)

This year I found these really cool blown glass ornaments for the girls...and I just had to buy one for myself too!

The tree is "trimmed" :)

Love my new lights...thanks babe! :)

Emma's ornament...pink of course! :)

Maddie's my purple girlie!!

Mine..pink...of course! :)

Where does she get that from????