Christmas Eve

Here is Ryan putting the finishing touches on our snowman.

Here's our creation: Quasi-snowman. Cucumber eyes, a carrot nose, and rock teeth.
Here are a few pictures from our Christmas Eve. Our attempt to include our parents and family that are far away. We love you all and wish you a very merry Christmas!

Our gorgeous Beth in her new Christmas pajamas.

Eric sporting his Thomas sleepware.

Our Christmas lineup. Merry Christmas to all!

Welcome!

Congratulations to Jason and Ellen! They have a new member of the family, Gavin Glenn Alleman. Ellen deserves a medal because he was a healthy 9 lbs and 11.5 oz! And she was in labor a really long time. Great job you guys and welcome little Gavin.

Snow Time

We have had some fun in the snow this last week, although it is so cold outside that we don't go out that often. Eric doesn't care one way or the other but Beth gets chilled and red nosed very fast. She spends most her time as a little Eskimo, wrapped up so tight that she can hardly move while Eric runs all over the place and makes her laugh. It also looks like we will be getting a white Christmas and isn’t supposed to stop snowing till Saturday. Eric will love it.

Hi!

Sunday

We have found that feeding Beth-of-the-flailing-arms is much easier when she doesn't have any clothes on. She knocks the spoon out of your hand so fast and makes a complete mess.

Here is our little-big man in his church clothes. The belt seems to make him look so much older. Why is it that he always looks like he's up to something?

This is one of Erics and Beths favorite games together. I sometimes worry about how fast he can get going but Beth seems to keep up without a problem.

Christmas Cookies

Ryan here! Last Sunday we figured it was time to roll out some Christmas cookies: delicious and aesthetically pleasing. We even made a train for Eric. Take a look see:
The kids got in on the baking action as well. Beth proved remarkably adept at rolling it out.

Eric did extensive taste-testing of the dough and frosting, and he had a little too much fun with the flour.

Here're the kids in action. Santa's little cookie-making elves:

We hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas season!

What the kids are up to.

This is some of what the kids have been up to.

Eric is still doing great, we have been enjoying using paper to make pictures. Of course he doesn’t want to make anything to do with Christmas or Thanksgiving, just Thomas. Big surprise. (We also have no idea how to get his hair to stay down in the back. Is this a "little-boy" thing?)

I forgot how nice it is when the baby can’t move and has to stay in one spot. Now if I turn my back for a minute she is somewhere I don’t want her to be. This incident also inspired a call to poison control just to make sure that the plant food I use would not be harmful. Thankfully it is not.

More Pictures

Beth showing me her teeth.

Big blue eyes and a great smile.

Eric and our tree.
Am I up to something? Guess?

I am so cute!