Christmas happened. Recovery in session.

The Christmas tree is still up. In fact, I think my mom will get hers down before me this year. She is notorious for leaving the tree up for weeks months. Maybe it's in my blood. She's done better in recent years, but one year we were able to decorate it for St. Patrick's Day. It officially became a holiday tree that year.

Christmas was a marathon this year. So many activities, parties, and goodies. Honestly, it's all a blur.
But I do remember the food! Here's a recap...
Huenefeld: Baked potato bar
Mine: Prime rib
Ours: Ebelskivers and smoked chicken
James: Shrimp lunch and Turkey supper
Kliewer: Pot luck
Nuss: Brunch and soup
New Year's: Homemade Runzas and German soup (If I had to sound it out, it would look like this, glooned beta shneetzeld nep meet vaush soup. That is definitely not close to how you spell it in German.)

Trevin received a lot of movies (per my request) and equipment. Trucks, trailers, tractors, semis, dump trucks, diggers, and cars. He's had plenty to keep him busy. Ashton was bunny-sitting over Christmas so that made for some good entertainment. Now he always asks for the bunny when he goes over.

Trevin loves being spoiled by his cousins. Adelé toted him around like a prince.











We were glad Gracia could be back for a week. We soaked up every moment of her being around. By the end of the week, Trevin had warmed up to her and it was fun to see them interact. Trevin even got to try out Papa's razor!

We spent Christmas Eve at home with a quiet celebration. James got a massive gun safe and I got a new surround sound. And it's awesome. 

I found some metal Tonka trucks a couple months back and decided that they would make a good Christmas present for Trevin. I bought the dump truck and brought it home. I showed it to James and he said, "What's he going to use to fill it?" So I went back and got the payloader. Boys and their toys... 

We had our annual high school reunion Christmas party. These are some of the greatest girls you'll meet. Such a fun-filled evening with presents, cake, yearbooks, and catching up. So good to see them all! ***You guys made the blog! ;) ***

We had Scott and Billy over for movie nights during Christmas break. Cousin bonding time!

New year's eve brought our dear friends over for our Christmas celebration. Decorations included candy, because what's better than candy? Have you ever noticed how church banquets always include candy on the tables as "decorations?" People of Jesus know how it's done. 

Just Dance. Enough said. I think I could play that every day. Way too much fun! The men went hunting for the majority of the night and may have ruined some poor young couple's plan for their evening. I've been so grateful to have friends with spouses that are friends with my husband.

This is pretty accurate as to what our friendship looks like. 

New Year's Eve got late, like it's known for. Unfortunately, children don't sleep in when Mom and Dad would like to. Trevin woke up at his usual time and James got him out of his crib and came back into the bedroom and laid back down. Trevin headed for the living room and before we could get up, we were back asleep. I woke up in a panic 5 minutes later. We ran out to the living room to find him on the table digging, elbow deep in the M&M's. I don't know how many he had, but he was shoveling them in as fast as he could. After a start like that, we're probably out of the running for Parents of the Year. So that happened.

Trevin's obsession with peas has not dwindled. Corn and peas are the only vegetables that he will touch. Unless french fries count... He drinks almost all of his calories. He's a chugger, but rarely will eat a good meal. Yet, he still has rolls.

My DIY project for the month was to re-do this nasty old card table that I bought at an auction a year ago. It was really simple and it turned out awesome! James painted the frame for me. What a nice guy. I already bought another card table at an auction this weekend. For $3! Gotta love that!

This. melts. me. 

Warming our toes, growing on the farm...

Merry Christmas!

The cutting of the curls.

December is... peaceful chaos, overeating, joyous traditions, and one irreplaceable manger. And so it begins. 

The Parade of Lights takes place in Sutton every year and it is one of my favorite traditions. The excitement of the event has only compounded now that I can share the memories with my little man.

Trevin wasn't fond of Clifford but enjoyed frosting cookies!

And eating them... 

There's a Christmas concert that James and I have attended religiously since the first year we went. It's Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God tour. We have gone each year (minus the year that didn't make it to Nebraska) and this was our 4th time. The concert was on a Tuesday night, and I was scheduled to get my wisdom teeth taken out on Wednesday (2 weeks ago) in Omaha. It just so happened that the concert was in Elkhorn this year. So we made an over-nighter out of it. The concert was incredible and seems to get more intimate every year. We had a great time and met James' sister and brother-in-law, Hannah and Dalane, there.  It was a wonderful evening and is perfect to get us into the holiday spirit.

Then it was time for the wisdom teeth to come out. I was under the impression that I would be knocked out for the procedure, but apparently I was wrong. I sat down in the dentist chair and they immediately started shooting numbing solution into my gums. My mind panicked and kept screaming, "I'm awake! I'm awake!" It was horrifying. The first tooth hurt terribly, it was numb, but I could feel the pressure of the yanking of the tooth. The second tooth went smoothly. The third tooth was just as bad as the first. But the last one was a doozy. I guess I wasn't fully numb and they started drilling. I pulled my head back and they shot me up again. Started drilling again, still intense pain. This time they shot it right into my root? Or something like that... All I know is that I cried. I actually cried. It was such a sharp pain. They started drilling for the third time and it was finally numb. You know how when you cry you start shaking and taking quick breaths? Well as I was trying to avoid convulsions, the dentist was pulling with all of his might to get that stinkin' tooth out. Then it broke. The head of the tooth was out but now the roots were each still embedded and would have to be dug out separately. The last tooth was worse than the first 3 combined. I told the dentist, (with numb mouth, lips, and tongue, I remind you) "Nn Nnnw Nowww I  shee why peep people put dis off." He smiled. He smiled, and I cried. Recovery was rough. I almost threw up and passed out in the Walmart parking lot waiting for my prescriptions, I swelled up like a balloon over the next few days, and I could barely move my mouth. I did, however, lose a pound, there's always a silver-lining...  I didn't really do the ice cream thing, because I don't care for ice cream. I'm cold all the time, and ice cream only adds salt to the wound. So I don't like ice cream, why do you care? You probably don't, so moving on.. Now I get food lost into those holes that I can't reach with my tongue. This is my life now.

Got to spend a day with these kiddos. Too much fun. 

Merry Christmas from the Kliewer's!

Check out that hair! Whew. 

The basement is coming along nicely. We are completely through and concrete is poured!  Next we'll be framing and cleaning out both basements completely before starting the remodeling process.  So lucky to have married such a hard worker! 

I don't know if you realize this, but Christmas is next week. WHERE DID THIS YEAR GO????  The good news is that my Christmas shopping is done and I'm ready to take on this marathon. 7 Christmas parties. I love to give gifts, but am generally terrible at finding the "perfect" gift, which I am convinced, doesn't exist. Ashton and I went black friday shopping again this year. The opening times were ill-placed. Walmart - 6:00 pm, Kohl's - 8:00 pm, Gordman's 5:00 am... and a few stores opened later. We hit up Walmart and Kohls (and Rue 21 since it was close!) and were done shopping by 10:00... We went to Perkins to try and buy some time. We each had a chicken salad, fries, and hot chocolate. It was weird, but tasted so right. By 11:15 we were sitting in our car ready to take on the almost 6 hours before our next store. We lasted until 11:30 and said "ok, let's go home and sleep."  We managed to come home with a number of bags and some awesome buys. Until next year, black friday...

Guys, it was time. Do you see this? It was out of control. My plan was to just trim it, but of course, that never happens as planned. When we wet it down, it made for a nice picture. I'm still kicking myself for not cutting the sides first and snapping his first full mullet shot. Maybe next time. 

The first cut! And check out my cheeks. This was 5 days after surgery and I was feeling pretty good. It was pretty funny going to church though. Everyone kept looking at me and I could tell they were trying to decide if they should ask me if I had something done this week or if I always looked that balloonish in the face. It made for a good laugh, and then pain, from laughing.

The bangs got a little short... As soon as I brought the scissors to his face he wasn't sure about the process. He moved his head and the bangs got chopped. 

So after 20 months of growing, the hair is long gone. Sad to see it go, but now it can grow on. 

James has been hauling popcorn this week. Trevin has been in heaven. That's what he had for supper... It's the Christmas season, anything goes. 

And he got stuck in the crock.

We went to the church Christmas program on Sunday. Gotta love sweaters this time of year! (PS, thanks for letting us use Noah's clothes Amy! They fit him great! ) I like my boy dapper and my man scruffy. Amen.

Light at the end of the tunnel, growing on the farm...
(Pun intended)