For the Rim Family

This post is to thank the Rim Family for the wonderful gifts they sent Rowynn and Brennyn. Kaitlyn, Ivan and Leslie, Rowynn loved opening all of his presents (his brother's too). He has been using his blanket often and we have watched the videos numerous times! Thank you all so much.

Lots of love from the Stampers.

Thank you so much!

Our Christmas

Get ready for a long one! I can't have a Christmas with TWO kids and not have a ton of pictures. This has to be the best Christmas, ever! I loved getting to watch Rowynn open gifts and play with toys. It was a day full of relaxation, eating, gifts, playing, eating and relaxing. Perfection!

Our tree on Christmas morning. Look what all Santa brought the boys! (The table was a gift from Alaska grandma but we had to throw it in the mix)

 Stockings were brimming with goodies from Santa

Here is Rowynn coming in on Christmas morning:

Time to play!!

 Rowynn opening his stocking:

 More playing!!

 Our little chunk

Funny story about Rusty's gift. I went out one day to find him the perfect rocker/recliner. I made sure I didn't give away what stores I went to or what I was even looking for. I got home late that evening and had been unable to drop it off at a friend's house before heading home. We woke up that Sunday morning and Rusty said, "sorry we didn't make it to church this morning." I replied, "That's okay. I didn't think we would be going this morning anyway since the recliner is in the back of the van." He replied, "Oh, so that's what you got me?" At that point, I believe a look of shock and horror crossed my face as I threw my hands to my face and just started crying. I tried so hard to keep it a secret and then I just blurted it out.

No one said I was the brightest bulb in the box!

Here is Rusty's recliner. He did great and didn't open it until Christmas day. He tried to make me feel better by saying that he may have known what it was but he had no clue what color or fabric it was. Such a sweet husband.

 I'm not sure who likes it more, Rowynn or Rusty.

Our Christmas dinner was horseradish crusted prime rib, mashed potatoes, burgundy mushrooms, maple bacon brussel sprouts and buttery rosemary rolls.

Rowynn's face in the above picture cracks me up!

 Rowynn helped Brennyn play with his new toy

 Rowynn will most likely be a musician, he received drums and a keyboard this year and hasn't stopped playing since he got them.

All-in-all, it was an amazing day. We are so blessed. It was a wonderful day with our family as we celebrated our saviors birth. We will always instill the true meaning of Christmas to our children.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent with Rusty's dad, step-mother, brother (and family) and sister (and family). It is always so wonderful to get together with everyone. Though we are all within close proximity to each other, it seems as though we only see them a few times a year. I always enjoy getting together for Christmas because all of the family is in one room.

Rowynn certainly enjoyed himself! He was SPOILED this year.

 Brennyn got spoiled too!

Going to bed in their matching jammies and ready for Christmas!!

 How cute are they?! I love seeing them together. It never gets old.

The other day I bought Rowynn these foam stockings and my friend Katie said she had a bunch of stickers that she would give me for him to decorate with. He had a BLAST! I think Rowynn is sticker crazy.

 Here he is, hard at work.

 He was saying, "cheeese"

 Always wanting mommy's camera

 Rowynn's sticker creations!

 I was so happy that all three of us made it in the picture! Awesome.

Here is my happy, chunky baby. Who, by the way, is getting his two bottom teeth! I can't believe he is getting so big. 

Rowynn is also changing everyday. He says new words every day and is becoming a little more independent. I'm loving every moment with these boys.

Merry Christmas Abigayl

Gingerbread Fun

Last week I got together with four of my girlfriends and their little ones to decorated gingerbread nativity scenes.

After a stressful few hours of trying to make a template, I decided a simple design for the scene would save my sanity.

So, here's what I came up with! I cut the 3 walls all the same size rectangle and them cut a big rectangle for the roof. I hot glued the walls together and left the roof detached so the kids could decorated the inside.  

I made the manger out of 3 pieces of a graham cracker where one laid flat with a stripe of icing and then the other two pieces made a "V" in the icing. 

Baby Jesus was made of 3 gum drops on a toothpick and then wrapped in fruit roll-up. 

I ran out of gingerbread dough so I made Mary, Joseph, an angel and a star out of sugar cookies.

This was probably only 1/3 the candy and sprinkles that we had!

How can you celebrate Jesus' birthday and not have a cake?!

Let the decorating begin!!!

Rowynn did a little lot more eating than decorating so I "helped" him decorate. By help, I mean that I decorated Rowynn's first gingerbread house!

I love the kids' faces in the next few pictures! It is funny to see how their attention to the camera changed in each shot:

Rowynn's nativity