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Before I kick off December, I forgot to mention that we got to spend Thanksgiving with Auntie Dana and Grandma Joy Joy!  We did a terrible job though at taking pictures this year!  So sad we don’t have one of all of us together!  But here’s our little fickle turkey :).

We would be remiss to not acknowledge the years of build-up and excitement that this house was filled with in anticipation for the release of the new Star Wars.  It was a big deal.  Daddy took Asher on opening night, and they waited in the theater for three hours before it started.  It was long.  It was late.  It was totally worth it for a memory for the two of them :).

It was the season for Christmas parties!  Punkie wouldn’t let us get a keepsake without him…which, who can say no to that cutie!

We teamed up this year and had a Gingerbread Competition!

We had our first year of doing an advent calendar, and the boys loved it!  We read a part of the Gospel story, and had a family activity that we would do together.  Here’s our, “Sing a Christmas Song together”.  Except, no one could remember the end of the song, lol!

Decorating the tree and house this year for Christmas…one of our favorite memories since our sweet Paxon.  Beck was SOOO into Christmas this year, which our hearts needed.  His little 3 year old joy was a sweet blessing from God.  Christmas will always carry a tearful sting with it as we remember our boy, and wish things didn’t have to be the way they were.  But this year, we were thankful for a little more childlike joy that Beck brought to us all.

Here’s a perfect example.  Beck had a blast decorating the tree with all of our ornaments.  He couldn’t stop himself, and moved on to anything that could dangle :).

There was a lot of talk about us hanging up our stockings.  Stockings.  Stockings.  Stockings.  But, we realized Beck didn’t really know what that meant when he put his stocking on his foot and said, “Ok where’s my other stocking?!”  Ha!

Grandma and Grandpa Necas drove all the way down from Minnesota to spend 3 weeks with us!  We had a great time and made many memories.  Unfortunately though, not as many as we were hoping.  Sickness kind of invaded our family, mostly Asher.  Poor thing was sick three times in the month of December.  The boys were still able to make lots of memories with Grandma and Grandpa with sleepovers, swim dates, Christmas lights, movie dates, shopping…but we all wanted more and wished we would have had more of a healthy visit.  Thanks for coming to see us Grandma and Grandpa!

They sacrificed 1/2 of their van to reunite Asher with his beloved Pikachu :).

Asher had a Christmas Cottage Fair at school, and it was so sweet for him to have both of his Grandparents here to celebrate and share in the time together.  He has such a tender heart.

Our traditional Hoverson Christmas Party!

Christmas Eve pictures before service!

The boys did great, until we wanted just one picture of the two of them.  Just one.  This is the crazy season we’re in right now :).

Dinner and games with everyone after services! One of our favorite memories was going over as a group to our neighbor Mel’s house to sing Christmas Carol’s to him. It was a sweet, festive time :).

The boys were super excited to put out cookies and carrots and milk for Santa and his reindeer.  There was a lot of strategy talk about the best location in the house :).

Christmas Eve.  Oh the anticipation of the morning to come!

Finally here!

Traditional park date and making homemade pizzas on Christmas!

How blessed are these boys that they got to have two Christmas’!  Breakfast and Christmas-time with Grandma Joy Joy, Grandma and Grandpa Olimb, and Auntie Dana!

Family Christmas Movie!  Beck couldn’t be left out of the Star Wars phenomenon!

New Years Eve.  Grandma and Grandpa Olimb were going to take both the boys for a sleep over so we could have a date night, but alas sickness wins again…although, getting time with just Punkie and snuggling all night hardly seems like a loss.  And, I’m certain Asher loved his special time with Grandma and Grandpa too :).