Christmas 2010

We had a fantastic trip to St. Louis for Xmas this year. These are just a few of the many photos that I took. I'll probably have a whole extra post with grandma's photos as well! We left on a Tuesday morning (Xmas eve was on Friday) and headed south. Nate bought an extra cool hitchy-ma-thingy that hooked onto the back of our car and held a ton of extra luggage. He was pretty excited about it. :)
On Christmas Eve, we enjoyed our traditional feast at grandma and papa's house. Nate made potstickers and we had raw beef and onions, shrimp, cheese and sausage and a TON of other yummy treats. Aunt Kathy came with us and it was SOOOO much fun to have her along and share our Christmas with even more family! We had a fantastic holiday!


Asher performs as a shepherd in his school program at Christ Lutheran, just a few days before we left for St. Louis. He did a great job!


Nate does an amazing job fitting all our STUFF into the car to head south.


All the kids packed in and ready to go!


Rhy gets bored in the car as Roxy looks over her shoulder.


Asher opens a gift on Christmas Eve.


Brothers!


Unwrapping presents!


Rhy got a 3.5 foot tall Rapunzel doll from Aunt Kathy, and a matching dress for her, from me and my mom. She was SOOO excited!


Gabe got Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Mario Kart from Aunt Gret and Uncle Leon.


Playing with toys on Christmas Day while waiting for a super yummy dinner.


The kitchen was busy with people chatting, cooking and helping out.


Dad made an amazing cured ham that took six hours to bake. It was sooooo good!


Everyone sits down to dinner at Gret and Leon's house.


An English tradition, we all opened crackers after dinner.


Each one included a paper crown that HAD to be worn!


The day after Christmas (it was a white Christmas, if you can believe it!) we all went sledding and such a fun time! I'm not sure what is going on in this photo or why Nate is grabbing my dad's ankles ... I think it was a sledding chain.


Dad and Leon, being goofy.


Everyone trudging back up the hill.


A tackle of Harrmanns/Jamesons.


Gabe gets a face full of snow.


Dad and Aunt Kathy went sledding for the first time in 40ish years.


My handsome sledder being funny.


Gretchen and my boys go for a sled.


After Christmas, and back home, Rhy plays with her new doll.

Trim up the Tree

Here are some fuzzy photos of us decorating the tree and the house. You'll have to forgive the out of focus quality of some of them ... my camera is better at taking photos outside.














We made a new advent "wreath" this year out of a log. I couldn't find a wreath that I liked, so Nate drilled some holes in this birch log and we were ready to go!

Random Rhylah

Here are some random shots of Rhy from the past month.


Dressing yourself up with random items from your dresser can be great fun!





Drinkin' hot cocoa ... through a straw.




Stickers from your godmother on your baptism birthday ROCK! I'm not sure why she decided to decorate her nose with them ... I think maybe she was just so tired as she zoned out watching DORA, that she probably didn't even notice what she was doing.

Christmas Tree Hunt 2010

We went to Bredewig Acres to get our Christmas tree today. We were going to go yesterday, but decided to hold off until the snow struck today ... it makes for such picturesque photos!



My boys take time out to tackle each other in the snow. Boys will be boys.


Gabe had a blast making snowballs.



Gabe gets a snowball in the face. I didn't want to post this, because it looks so terrible, although all the boys were laughing afterwards. But Nate and Gabe made me promise to put it up, because they think it's so "AWESOME!" So here it is. :)


Rhy carefully made a snowball, just like the boys, and sneaked up behind the boys to throw it at them. However, her aim was several feet off the mark, and she ended up falling on her butt in the snow. The boys had no idea she had even tried to get them. Poor girl! :)


Me and my Rhy girl.


Lookout behind you Asher! You're about to get a snowball in the noggin!



Daddy and Rhy walk out into the deep snow, in search of the perfect tree.


My handsome hubby by our tree.


The Harrmann tree for 2010 -- a Douglas Fir ... $38.


The boys watch in fascination, as daddy cuts down the tree.


Nate solves the problem of the lack of tree carts.


WHEN CHRISTMAS TREES ATTACK!! Yes, we were feeling silly, can you tell?


It takes all three Harrmann "men" to haul in the tree. ... men return from the hunt with their "kill" :)


By boys.


By the barn.


Asher takes aim.


Asher takes a snowball fight break by the barn at the tree farm.


My three kiddos!