Happy Birthday Jesus!

Wow - Christmas with three kids.  We couldn't be more blessed.  This was a year of the boys understanding a little bit more about Christmas and as parents we struggled with the secular meaning of Christmas vs our belief that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus' birthday.  So how do we teach and instill the Christian meaning of Christmas in our kids? Well, lots of talking about the Christmas story! We felt great as parents when on Christmas morning our boys couldn't wait to belt out Happy Birthday to Jesus (of course they did get to do that with coffee cake, a family favorite). We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus more than 30 times (until the candle was almost completely melted)which each boy taking turns blowing out the candle.  It was great fun.  We celebrated the morning with a visit from Nama and Pa, coffee cake and buna (coffee).  Christmas morning was the start of Christmas parties and visits - Nama and Pa Harmelink, Nana Jan and Papa Kurt (called Uncle Kurt by the boys), and the Driver Family Christmas party.  Unfortunately we missed the Spauling/Driver Christmas party the week before Christmas because Thomas had thrown up (green smoothie all over the kitchen floor, a first for mom and dad) and we didn't want to share the germs.  Overall, it was a great season filled with family and fun.

The Driver Family Five

Sweet David

Who me? Get into the Christmas ornaments?

Thomas

Thomas boy - checking out the ornaments

Brothers for life (David and Thomas)

David loved the Christmas tree

Thomas

Daddy and David

David and Thomas - checking out all the ornaments

Thomas and David

Thomas and his mischievous smile.

David reading a Christmas story.

Daddy, Mommy and Jennifer

David - Hey sister - cool jammies!

Papa Dave and Jennifer

Papa, Nama and Jennifer

Who needs presents when you have a big box?

Daddy, Papa, Thomas and David

Sweet Jennifer

Busters playing music and reading - such talented boys.

The Driver Family - all dressed up and heading to a Christmas party.

Grandma Vi (Jennifer) and David

Christmas involved a train set from Aunt Liss and Uncle Jeremy.  

The boys loved their new train table.

It was a team project to put the train table together.

Pa Dave (Harmelink), Rylan, David, Thomas, Uncle Jeremy

"Happy Birthday, Jesus!" - David

"Happy Birthday, Jesus!" - Thomas

Bears playing the saxophone.

Jennifer - the best Christmas present this year.

Our little present.

Brayden helping the boys open presents. 

Thanks Nama for the new sit n' spin

Thomas riding the sit n' spin.

Grandma Gwen trying out the boys' new trumpet.

Great Grandma Harmelink's Newest Great Grand Kids (all within six months of each other)

Kailey, Jennifer and Doriana

Girls and their moms

Sandy, Doriana, Julie, Jennifer, Steph, Kailey

All of Great Grandma's great grand kids

Momma's and their babies

Jennifer and Doriana

"Santa" Jennifer

Rylan and Jennifer

Aunt Liss and Jennifer