Spartan Fans!

Chris and Jacqui came over the other night to hang out and brought the boys new Spartan gear!

They are pumped up! 

Thanks again Coach Chris for these awesome shirts --- we will be sporting them at a game in the near future!

Guess who is signed up for swimming lessons?!?

These two!!! 

Isaac is registered for "water adjustment" class... I think he will pass with flying colors! 

James is gonna be a "mini-fish" and he over the moon excited! 

Stay tuned for swimming updates in February!

Cute Packer fans despite the outcome

Last weekend we had Jeff, Jenny, Leo and Parker over to watch the Packer game with us. 

While the game wasn't what we hoped - we still had a great time! 

Check out this stud :) 

 

Remember the breakdancing videos --- this is how Isaac ends his spin - what a cheese! 

 

No Packer party is complete without a little football wrestling! 

 

There is a daddy/uncle under there somewhere! 

 

3 men in a tub - drinking milk... 

 

James asked to hold Parker --- for about 15 seconds he thought it was great! 

Swenson Christmas

With Christmas on a weekend this year, we spent New Year's weekend with the Swenson family.

 It was nice to space out the celebrating and gifts a little too! 

This was actually a picture from Christmas Day dinner - I think the only picture from Christmas where everyone in the photo is looking at the camera!

The boys started with their stockings --- lots of fun snacks and goodies including the 3D christmas tree glasses. 

 

My quick attempt at an Ellestad boys photo mid gifts --- you can see that James has already enjoyed some sort of red treat by the looks of his cheek! 

 

Helping Buppa open a gift for the train set. 

 

Santa came for a visit too! 

 

Can you tell who wanted to keep their distance?!? 

 

All the presents are opened?!? ... okay, lets wrestle... right next to the tree! 

 

We got Jojo some night vision goggles - not sure how much you can really see at night - but they are fun to wear and he looks super cool! 

 

Owlette and Daddy reading the new cottage book 

 

And the annual Christmas measure... 

 

Weekend holidays = FOOTBALL! 

TJ is a big fan and can rattle off stats like the big guys --- James was happy to get some time on a Ruble computer! 

 

These two are trouble! 

You can't see it but they are both balancing on one stool to get to the snacks --- 

 

And we jumped right from Christmas to NYE --- party hats and a Madagascar countdown... you know, at 7:59 pm! 

 

Christmas Morning!

The lead up to Christmas was pretty great this year - both boys were very excited and would tell anyone that would listen that they wanted "Thomas Sky Jump" for Christmas. Lucky for Santa their passion never wavered! 

As a kid my grandma always took us shopping to buy small gifts for our family from "us". We each took a kid shopping for the other so they got to give a present too. When I told Isaac where we were going he was pumped because he assumed we were going to buy "Thomas Sky jump" since that was all Jimmy wanted...  :) 

Santa and his elves brought Thomas Sky Jump to our house fully assembled but left the box for the boys (James really was concerned about seeing the box!) 

We woke up Christmas morning to the box being pushed down the hallyway into our bedroom followed by, "It's here! We got THOMAS Sky Jump!!!!!" 

(Never realizing the box was empty!) 

 

Both boys were thrilled and while Thomas doesn't successfully "jump" the ice valley EVERY time - it is still awesome and something to cheer about! 

 

Isaac was still in awe that it was here! 

 

Here is the tower - the trains make their way on the track to the tower and then are carried up to the top to take the plunge down to the jump and (hopefully) land in the shoot. 

I would say Thomas is about 60% successful (with fresh batteries of course) - but again the boys don't really seem to care! 

Also - I would urge you to buy stock in batteries based on our house alone --- yikes! 

 

The boys were excited to give their gifts to each other too. 

James bought Isaac Lightning McQueen playdoh.  

(which is continually crumbled all over the floor --- TG for the wood floors!)

 

It was all we could do to keep Isaac from telling Jimmy what we bought that first day so I had to hide it and wrap it alone so he wouldn't remember!  

Isaac bought James Spiderman bowling 

(which works awesome in our wooden floor hallway - the walls are the bumpers!) 

Still a little dumbfounded...! 

 

I think based on Isaac's face the train just landed successfully! 

It was a fun morning :)

Ellestad Christmas!

We started our Christmas festivities in Fond du Lac on the 23rd and got to enjoy the family and the snow :) It was just us and Jeff and Jenny's family on the 23rd and it was a plaid affair! 

Isaac and Leo spent some time wrestling with adult helmets... 

I think Leo won this round! 

 

And they are off again....! 

 

This one looks like Lord Helmet!

Leo and Isaac snuggling with Grandpa in the big chair! 

Jeff had packed all of their snow gear in a suitcase... once it was empty - the boys filled it again... 

The snow was awesome so we all spent some time outside and built Grandma Carol a HUGE snowman! 

 

Building a snowman is hard work --- the boys were trying to catch snow chunks as they were shaved off the snowman to get a drink! 

 

The 3 guys making their way to the garage to come in for cocoa. 

Isaac lost his boot have way and melted down... I think "cocoa" was replaced with NAP! 

 

9 Ellestad cousins - crazy to think it was only Landon at my first Ellestad Christmas. 

 

The kids shot is always followed by the crazy parent photo --- "smile" "look over here!"... 

 

Parker got lots of love from the adults - being snuggled is exhausting!  

Uncle Buck got James an ET for Christmas. 

This is a love that Patrick and I don't share - but are happy that they have each other and that slightly creepy alien :)

Isaac got a Big Wheel from Aunt Amy - I am already picturing the madness is the driveway next summer...and the quick turns and foot brakes we used to use right before you hit the road! 

 

"No Isaac --- no piano!!!!" 

 

Post present nap... I am not sure who is more content?!? 

 

Uncle Jojo is so awesome! 

It was a selfie stick kind of Christmas --- Jack especially was a fan! 

 

There were lots more - but you can see Jack or me in most of the photos! 

 

Such goofy kids! 

 

The whole gang!