Sunday School Christmas Program

Addysen walked baby Jesus down the aisle and laid him in the manger. We didn't know she was going to be doing this, so it was a total surprise for us. We were so proud of her...Her first big part in a play;)

singing "Away In a Manger"

Look at those cuties!  Hunter, Lexi and Addysen

I really wanted to get a picture in front of the tree at church, but Ainsley was not having it.  This is the best I got.

I had to share this picture... This was mid melt down for Ainsley!  I think it is a classic Christmas picture.

The Olson Christmas

The "Olson" family (minus the Baker's)

Addysen got a bedazzled guitar - WITH A STRAP - from the Lott's!  She LOVES it! 

Drinking from a fancy cup!

Grandma K opening her gifts.

Hey look, that's weird! Our Little Piggy and Frank the Tank are playing with food!

My little family of elves!

The festive Lott family - Thanks for hosting 2 parties in 1 day! We had a great time - you guys ROCK!

The Johnson Family Christmas

The winners of the ugly Christmas sweater contest!

The 3 wise (wo)men

Opening gifts

The Hall Family

The Swanson Family (minus Nici)

cousins!

I think Landon is partied out!

The Link Family Christmas Tree

Like the Griswalds, each year we "kick off our fun old fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols", The Link Family Christmas Tree!  Usually, we head over to  Grohmann's Christmas Tree Farm in Gilson, Illinois, but this year we wanted to try something different....and different is what we got.  A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a tree farm sign on route 150, on the way to Moline. It was a nice big sign, so I thought that it would have a nice BIG selection.  WRONG! It was a small lot with a bunch of dying trees.  To top it off, the creepy man that owned the tree farm, followed us around the whole time and told us about every tree we stopped to look at.  Aaron and I just wanted to get out of there, but we couldn't lose him, as he was on our tail at every tree! Finally, the owner went to check on the other family and we took that as our opportunity to book it outta there!  We felt bad for leaving, but we were losing daylight and we needed to get a tree that day!  So we found another tree farm.... CLOSED.  Crap.  What do we do now?  Well, Aaron didn't want me to tell anyone, but we purchased our family Christmas tree this year, at a tree lot in Galesburg.  Not exactly the scene I pictured for our tree buying adventure, but the day was an adventure in itself.  We wanted to do something different, AND WE DID:)

Addysen and Ainsley in front of our tree we just picked out. (notice to concrete parking lot)

The Link's and the Family Christmas Tree

Addysen freaked out and didn't want to put the star on the tree, because it was too high!

So Ainsley did it - or pretended to do it:)

The Link Family Christmas Tree

This little piggy went to the... pantry

Ainsley - our little piggy - likes to play in the pantry!

reading a book, eating cheerios and playing with a naked baby in the pantry - doesn't get any better than this for Ainsley:)

John Deere Pavilion

Papa and Grandma Sharon took us to the John Deere Pavilion to see the combine made of can goods.  It was very impressive - I'm glad we got to see it!  It was a fun day... John Deere after church, Mexican food for a late lunch and Farm and Fleet for some shopping:)  Yep, that is what we'd call a good day!

combine made of can goods. There was lot of canned spinach, beans and pumpkin used.

The back of the "combine"

Our 2 little holiday farm girls

Grandma Sharon, Addysen, Papa and Ainsley

Ainsley and Addysen testing out the mower

Addysen had to test out every piece of equipment she could!

FINALLY... sissy got out of the way, so Ainsley could drive!

Ainsley and Addysen found something in the store they wanted to buy, a little John Deere couch.  Just right the the 2 of them!

Ainsley and Daddy wishing that they could sit in the track tractor that was outside.

Thanksgiving Day

Our two little turkeys!

Frank the Tank and our little piggy sitting on a stool in the kitchen after lunch.  I think they are trying to figure out how to get more food:) 

Morgy and Addysen

The kiddos (minus Hunter and Lexi)  I forgot to take a pic of ALL the kids until just before we left:(

Grandma K (or Bean-a, as Evan calls her) and Ainsley - who was TIRED!!!

On Friday, after Turkey day, this is how I found Ainsley - one arm out of her jammies.  We thought it was pretty funny so Addysen had to try it too!

Thanksgiving w/ the Links!

The Link Family :)

The newest BIG sister of the Link family! - Congratulations Nate, Mary and Anna!

Frank the Tank is 2!

She may be able to eat like a tank, but she sure is pretty!

Happy Birthday Evan Nicole!

I can't wait until Addysen is older and looks back at these pictures.... And asks me why she is the only one with her face painted.  These pictures just crack me up and give me the church giggles!        (she's the only one with her face painted because Morgan and Caleb just got a face painting kit AND Addysen will do almost anything Morgan tells her to do!)

Opening presents!

A visit from one cute cow!

After Halloween, once Anna was feeling all better she made her trick-or-treating rounds!  We were so happy that she stopped by to see us and play for a while!

Anna, rockin the cow costume!

Ainsley and Anna - who is dressed in a cow costume, reading a cow book:)

As Anna was leaving, she found Ainsley's time out chair in the kitchen and she couldn't resist sitting in it.  Then Uncle Nate put Ainsley in Anna's lap!  Anna didn't mind and neither did Ainsley so then Addysen decided to hop in for a picture!!