New Years Eve

We hosted our annual New Years Eve party. We had brisket and tons of other food. And as per tradition, I seemed to cut myself while washing a porcelain dish. It slipped out of my hand and when I attempted to catch it it cut me. It seems that for several years either Russ or I cut ourselves on or around the holidays.  We played some games with the kids (our pop-a-shot we got for Christmas was a hit with everyone). The kids went to bed pretty late and then we hung out with Scott and Brielle until 2am! 

It was a fun night. We joked that this was a retirement party for Russ since tomorrow he will no longer be employed. I had a freak out this week about Russ losing his job. Honestly I feel like I have handled this big life change very well. But I did freak out this week thinking Russ is just going to become complacent and make bad decisions and I really just went down a rabbit hole. But I have to remember that Russ has never given me a reason to think he would not put our family first and so I am going to try and remember that on the inevitable hard days to come. Luckily we have a pay out coming in Sept 2025 and due to the non-compete that Russ signed a few years ago, he will likely be out of a job for the next 9 months until we get our pay out. Trying to exercise faith over fear. 

Brooks, Jack, Henry, Hallie
Jackson, Dallas, Grace
Stockton, Flora

Rosie

 My sweet little Rosie baby! She is just an angel and I love her so much! We speak the same love language which is snuggling! She is my favorite shadow and never gets on my nerves. So grateful for all this dog has done for me! 

Kids

 Our kids are awesome. I just love them to pieces. I am so proud to be their mommy! 

Brooks

Oh our sweet Brooks! He is truly one of a kind. Just a happy-go-lucky basketball loving kid. It is fun to see his friend circle grow as he meets new friends at school. He is doing so well with his reading and is above grade level. I think I will continue him doing reading through the summer to really gain his confidence. He is a natural basketball with a great "form" as Russ says it. He loves to play basketball any chance he can. In fact, if a basketball game is not on the TV, he asks if we can just watch about people talking about basketball. Haha!

Story of Brooks that happened this month: Stockton was eating way too much ice cream. Hallie yelled, "Taco, you're going to die of diabetes!" Brooks who is recovering from a cold and also misheard Hallie took the ice cream and said, "I'm sick already. I already have diarrhea!" We had a good laugh about that for a long time!!

Ninja Gym with Cooper and Griffey

Brooks wrote a note to Santa but wouldn't put it in his Stockton because "Santa didn't look at it last year!" Haha!

Brooks' note to Santa. "I want for Christmas is a phone. And A watch. A basketball hoop. A lego basketball court. And lego hoop. Pick 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 of those. Look on back.
On the back he wrote his full name and drew a snow globe. 

Halloween at school but his teachers just sent the parents this picture this month. 

Nickle Christmas

My mom once again put on a great Christmas morning/afternoon at her house. We had Norwegian pancakes for breakfast as always. She gave every couple $300 and the kids all got a little gift from her/Dad as well. We then played the candy game (idea came from the Ahlberg side of the family) and it was a huge hit. Everyone got a little bit of money and had a great time. We got to talk to Jensen while he is out on his mission and that was fun to do as well. Alex and Katrina told us about this weird growth on Zeke's foot. The doctor was concerned it was a tumor but it turned out to be an extra toe he was growing in utero so that was weird. But before we found out it was just an extra toe we were all really nervous about it.  

Christmas

Christmas was so wonderful and magical with our little kiddies! Golly they are just so cute and fun. Because Russ and I went on a trip for Christmas, we just focused solely on the kids and what they got and what they were excited about. 

Hallie and Brooks (with the help of Russ) made a fort to sleep in in Brooks' room. We didn't give Stockton the option of sleeping with them. Maybe next year for him. 

Russ and I did stuff each others stockings, however, and Russ snuck a new apple watch in my stocking. We had agreed to not get each other anything but of course Russ broke that rule. But I'm not mad about it. I love my new apple watch. And I did not forget to put something in Rosie's stocking this year like I did last year, so that is good. She loved her bone! And cute Hallie got Rosie a new toy too when we went shopping for her sibling gifts. 

Hallie got a large Harry Potter chamber of secrets lego set and lego storage bench, markers, colored pencils and coloring book, a kiwi box art subscription box, heely's and a soccer lego ball.

Brooks got a pop-a-shot basketball, markers, colored pencils and coloring book, heely's, lego Grave Digger truck, and a kids smart watch.

Stockton got a monster truck ramp, monster truck storage box, a remote control lizard that can climb up walls, mystery monster trucks, a large blue thunder monster truck, and all the variations of Grave Digger truck set. 

We ended the night with a sleepover under the Christmas tree while watching The Grinch. 

Brooks wrapped some air filter cleaners for Russ. Haha!

A gag gift from Russ. A loud horn shaped as a cup to blow at Hallie's soccer games. Haha!

A family gift game