Another Incredible Christmas in the Books!!!!!

Christmas Day 2012

 We had a remarkable Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the kids...so many great memories made and captured...Joy to the World...Christ, Our Savior is BORN!

 Santa and his reindeer made it to the Stang Household! We had two very excited children in the house on Christmas morning!!

 Andray figured it out that Santa came in from the deck and through our sliding door! He also explained that the reindeer must have landed on top of the house! Talk about pure enjoyment witnessing the kids' "true belief" in Christmas this year!

Santa sure was good to us this year!

 Santa came to the Stang Household and the kids were pumped!

 The kids had so much fun opening their gifts in their stockings!

Santa even brought Baby Stang #3 a present...Santa knows the Stang family well!

Perfect shirt for the lil' tike!

"Start 'em Young...Raise 'em Right!"

GO DUKE!

The kids loved their yo yo's and slinkies from Santa....Jake and I got new Duke hats from Santa.

Super pumped!

I'm so thankful my parents were able to drive up to spend Christmas Day with us. They met us in church and surprised the kids...our kids had no idea Papa Larry and Gma Carol would be waiting in the church pew for us - was fun to see how excited they were!

Roslyn is absolutely in LOVE with her new Dora doll and Horse...thank you Papa Steve and Gma Sandy! Talk about making a little girl's Christmas wish come true!

My parents gave me these Angel plates for my 22nd bday...fun to bring them out for the Holidays!

 We continued our 2nd Annual Carbles game on Christmas Day. Andray of course paired up with
Papa Larry and Roz partnered with Gma Carol!

For the second consecutive Christmas...Andray and Papa Larry are the Champions!

Christmas Eve Morning

The four of us celebrated our own family Christmas the morning of Christmas Eve. The kids were BEYOND EXCITED to open gifts. They were very patient this Christmas season, as their gifts have been wrapped and sitting under the tree since the Friday following Thanksgiving!

 Christmas Eve was the last day that "Chucky" the Elf watched the kids for Santa. Chucky had a great view from the top of our Christmas tree to watch us open gifts!

Our last Christmas with just two kiddos around the tree - next year we'll have 3 kiddos to share the Christmas Season with...looking forward to it! (Only 10 weeks to go!)

 When Roz and Andray opened their Cinderalla Barbie and Fire Truck, they both said,
"Now THAT'S what I was talkin' about!"  Too fun!

Andray and Roz bought each other gifts this year using their own money...

 They both picked out sleds for each other...was fun to watch them open their BIG GIFTS!

I thought last year I was the "wife of the year" buying Jake a Nacho Cheese machine for Christmas...

 I think I "raised the bar" this year buying Jake the best Duke warm-up jacket ever! Love it!

Ah, what a great family Christmas together...our last as a Family of Four!

Andray made this Santa at Pre-School and had to cut off a section of Santa's beard each day leading up to Christmas Eve. Santa's beard is gone, which means Christmas is OFFICIALLY HERE!

Christmas Eve at the Stang Farm

We had an incredible time at the Stang Farm celebrating with Jake's family on Christmas Eve. Complete chaos filled with absolute enjoyment...truly what Christmas is all about!

Jake's sister Sarah spear-headed the Christmas Story with the 8 grandchildren re-inacting the Birth of Jesus.

Baby Emery was the most PERFECT Baby Jesus!

Skyler did an incredible job narrating the Christmas Story.

Talk about the perfect Christmas Story! Ella was Mary, Andray was Joseph, Emery was Baby Jesus, Mya was the Angel and Easton/Roslyn/Neely played the role of both the 3 shepherds and the 3 wisemen.

Talk about PRECIOUS!

Can you tell Roz was just a "tad" excited to open gifts? She had the biggest gift of all under the tree,

what a lucky lil' girl!

 Christmas Joy...

 Roslyn and Neely LOVED their mint ice cream for dessert!

I told Jake I think this is my most FAVORITE photo from the Christmas Holiday thus far!

The looks on Mya's face and Sandy's face are just PRICELESS!
Truly, this is what opening gifts at Christmas time is all about!

 Andray's scored BIG TIME from Papa Steve and Gma Sandy...a new Ambulance, Combine and map to drive all his trucks and cars on...love it!

 Roslyn was beyond excited to open her new Dora doll and Horse at the farm!

Andray with his Godmother Sarah...not sure who was more excited to get the Legos and Puzzle...

Jake or Andray! :)

Roslyn loves her Godmother Rhonda so much!

 Thanks for the awesome Easel and hair salon toys! The blow dryer and curling iron are a hit!

 Easton is getting way too big...we love you Buddy!

 Mya...our lil' M&M!

Roslyn enjoyed holding Baby Emery on her 1st Christmas...even Andray asked to hold Emery!

Papa Steve with his oldest and youngest grandchildren (Skyler and Emery).

Papa and Gma with their 8 grandchildren...fun to see and be a part of.

Preparing for SANTA!!

 When we got home from the Farm we had to mix up some Chocolate Milk for Santa!

 Both kids took turns stirring the milk.

 Andray picked out two "cracker cookies" (as he calls them) for Santa!

 Roz and Andray made sure there were exactly 9 carrots for the reindeer!

All set for Santa and his reindeer to arrive on Christmas Eve night...way too much fun!

Have a Blessed Christmas!!!!!

Jake and I would like to wish you all a Blessed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with your families. This year we are praying for Peace, Patience, Justice, Hope and Good Health!

We are so excited to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Andray and Roslyn...it is beyond enjoyable to witness their excitement  and "true belief" this Christmas Season...can't wait to open presents and get ready for Santa tomorrow night! Love and prayers to all of you this week!

So Excited for Christmas!!!!!

 Ah, we are so excited for Christmas next week! Jake made me a proud wife today as he dressed up for Christmas festivities at school today. Can't make it up...as Zoolander would say, "So HOT right now!"

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winter is SNOW Much Fun!!!

 Jake and I had a blast with the kids on Saturday at home making a snowman and a slide in the front yard - this is what Saturdays in the winter are supposed to be! Time spent together at home as a family having FUN!

Roslyn named the snowman...."FROSTY!"

Andray named the snowman, "GEORGE!" - too funny.

On Sunday Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus made an appearance at church. Roslyn told Santa that she wanted Dora with a horse and stable. Andray wouldn't look at Santa, but he at least got in the sleigh and told him (while looking the other way at the wall) that he wanted more CARS for Christmas. Too fun! Can't believe Christmas is a week away, super excited to celebrate it with Jake and the kids!

Andray Did GREAT at his Pre-K Christmas Program!

Ah, I was so proud of Andray this morning at his Pre-School Christmas Program...those kids are too dang cute! I'm so grateful my Mom and Andray's Godfather Jacob could be in attendance too...great memories!

Andray was so excited this morning to go to school. He looked a little nervous on stage, but he participated in all the songs and knew all the words - too fun!

Roz had the best seat in the house...Uncle Jacob's shoulders!

Andray with his Godfather Jacob - notice the stocking in the background that Andray made in school. Of course green tinsel and he wrote that all he wanted for Christmas was CARS!

Andray and Grandma Carol.

Even Roslyn got dressed up for the Christmas program...was a fun morning with the kids! Have a great weekend everyone! Stay safe in the storm that's supposed to hit Central Minnesota!

Winter is Here & Chucky is Back!!!!

Winter is officially here in Minnesota after the snow storm this weekend and our trusty "Elf on the Shelf"...aka "Chucky" has returned to our house for the Christmas season. The kids are truly enjoying searching for Chucky each morning and they are constantly reminding each other to act nice because Chucky is watching...too darn fun!

Some of my most favorite hiding spots for Chucky thus far...in the light fixture above our front door.

 In Baby Jesus' place in the manger...trust me, this took a while for the kids to find!

Above our door bell sound box in the kitchen...Chucky was tired from his flight back from the North Pole, so he laid down all day...Andray said he didn't think Chucky looked very comfortable, I would have to agree!

Chucky's magic powers continue this Holiday Season!

PHOTOS WITH SANTA - PART 2

I took the kids to Coborn's last week to visit Santa and his Elf...our second try with Santa this Christmas didn't fair too well with Andray. Oh well, Tis the Season!

Andray wouldn't even look at Santa or his Elf. But Roz told the Elf she wanted Dora and Boots for Christmas. Both were very shy.

 The kids were pretty pumped to get candy canes after their photo shoot with Santa and continue to shop around in Coborn's with their own little carts that say "Cutomer in Training"....TOO FUN!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!

Happy Birthday to Jake's oldest sister Sarah today...lots of continued prayers for her and Eric and the rest of the Cold Spring Police Department as they continue to grieve the tragedy suffered over a week ago!
We love you!

The Christmas Gatherings Continue

This weekend we will head to the Stang farm on Sunday for the Annual Christmas Tree Decorating and Holiday Baking. Should be complete chaous with 8 grandkids running around...Andray has already declared that he'll be using GREEN frosting to decorate his cookies this year!

Last weekend I brought the kids home to RWF to help Mom and Dad decorate their Christmas tree. Andray was pumped that it was his turn to put the Angel on top of the tree.

Andray and Roslyn both helped hang my brother Adam's Christmas ornaments...

Adam is missing out on a lot of family fun...very sad.

It took both Andray and Papa Larry to get the Angel hung on top of the tree this year!

Mom and Dad's Christmas tree is a little bottom heavy with the ornaments, but it was fun to help decorate this season...brought back a lot of childhood memories for me!

Mom hung the grandkids' stockings upstairs this year. At one time Andray and Roslyn had all the stockings singing and the Hallmark snowmen below...hilarious and loud, all at the same time! Going to be a fun Frank Christmas at the end of December this year!

The kids also helped Mom make some Candy Cane cookies for the Lingl Christmas gathering in Bird Island...a work of art!

Roslyn's masterpiece.

The Ties that Bind...4 generations of Lingls.

 I stopped with the kids at the Bird Island cemetary on our way home so they could visit their Great Gpa Shorty and Great Frank Grandparents, always nice to come and visit, especially around the holidays.

EMERY'S BAPTISM DAY

Our newest beautiful niece, Emery Sanda, had her Baptism Day on Sunday. We heard she did great in church and never cried...a very special day for a very special baby girl.

Roslyn loves Baby Emery very much...good training for when Roz becomes a BIG SISTER in March!