Gavin is a Handful (5)

Gavin turned 5 last Tuesday and he's already counting down to when he turns six, I guess at that age birthdays just don't come often enough.

Gavin woke up to a couple presents (new sled and mini air hockey table) and cards.

Polar Bear Sled

His bday card that sings "Wipeout"

 

We went with a couple friends, Avery and Cullen, to SkyZone (trampoline park).

Here is Gavin mid-flip into the foam pit.

Avery, Gavin, and Cullen.

 

Then we headed to Target for lunch and cake. We may have started a trend in birthday parties at Target. We got a cake from the bakery department and shared that with friends after pizza and icees for lunch.

Birthday lunch with friends.

Gavin with his monster cake.

 

We didn't get out of Target without spending a little birthday money. Gavin loves to shop and buy stuff. He found a Jake playset that included a sword, spotting scope, headband, and gold tabloons.

Gavin with his birthday buy.

 

After he rested up from his morning of fun, we picked up Fred and headed to the Mall of America. We picked up McDonald's on the way - per Gavin's request. He was offered Rainforest Cafe - but the animals there still creap him out. The boys all rode rides for a couple hours. We took a break for birthday cupcakes towards the end. 

Happy birthday cupcake.

Me with the boys.

Fred with the boys.

 

We'll celebrate with family once Grandma and Grandpa Middendorf return from Arizona.

Christmas Review

We started Christmas acitivities at Grandma Lyd's on the Saturday before Christmas. 6 great-grandsons in a house full of breakables always keeps us on our toes - nothing got broken again this year - its part of the Christmas miracle.

 

Then we headed to Melrose for continued Christmas fun. We started Sunday evening at Jeske's with a wonderful spread of appetizers (if Alyssa says so herself). Then did the stocking presents - since my mom had chemo on Christmas eve morning, which is when we usually do stocking presents. The kids are so patient for this, it always amazes us. Fred is a great guesser - we all have to guess before we open - its part of the "fun". 

 

Jeske grandkids - Jacob, Isaac, Gavin, Maddie and Wyatt.

Jacob showing off one of his stocking presents.

Wyatt opening some animal crackers.

Adrea and Tim hoping the loveseat doesn't give out from underneath them this year.

My Mom and Dad.

Alyssa and Joe.

Fred and I, with 3 boys I have taken to wearing safety glasses at all times.

 

On Christmas Eve day, we started at Middendorfs. We had the traditional Middendorf Christmas meal - chicken kievs and wild rice. Then we opened gifts and played the dice game to do the teen-adult present exchange. Fred ended up with my bag of coffee and cookie goodies. I ended up with a Crown Royal gift set that found its way to Tim eventually.

Jacob got a Wii game from G & G M, Indy 500. He didn't know what Santa would bring, since that's what he told Santa he wanted.

I framed a homework project of Jacob's that told how Chad was his super hero - since he gives him 4-wheeler rides and buys him drums and bow & arrows.

Wyatt opening some John Deere machinery from Uncle Joel & Aunt Julie.

 

Late afternoon, we head to church with the Jeskes. My favorite part of Christmas is the singing of Silent Night by candle light. Jacob was very excited for it too and kept asking how many more songs until the candles - quite a few as the choir sang for about 40 minutes - not that anyone (Alyssa) was keeping track. After church we had a light supper and then opened gifts. We got exhausted kids to bed and then played Trivia Pursuit over the iPads with Alyssa and Joe at their house and Tim, Adrea, Fred and I at mom and dads. Tim and Adrea won both nights. We are still in disbelief.

The Middendorfs after church - no Fred did not wear that dorky tie anywhere.

The annual Jeske girls photo.

 

On Christmas day we headed home to Chaska to see what Santa had brought and open the rest of the gifts at our house.

Gavin is the first to try out the Kindle Fire that Santa brought for the family.

Jacob with some of his loot.

Wyatt opening a book.

This year we made Jesus cupcakes - since Adrea had given us the topping tornado and it was a great excuse to use it. We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus, blew out the candles, and dug in.

Wyatt.

Jacob.

Gavin.

 

I think all were satisfied in the end with their presents this year. Sharing of the Kindle has been going pretty well. The boys and Fred have played a lot of the new Wii Wipeout game. Gavin's favorite present is probably the Mario he picked out for Wyatt to give to himself :)

Christmas Performances

The boys had church performances back on December 9th. Jacob was a shepherd in the nativity narrative that they do each year (last year he was a wise man, the year before a donkey). Gavin's "Little Lamb" group sang a couple songs during the later service. Jacob did a great job, knew his lines (which he just had to say with the rest of the shepherds) and the songs. Gavin was not so good about practicing, in fact he refused to even participate in practice on the Saturday before the performance, so I just assumed there was no way he was going to perform on Sunday - and I wasn't about to go to battle about it. But, with Grandma and Grandpa Middendorf and Adrea and Tim there to watch, he worked up the courage (or just plain bucked up) and went out there and sang the songs complete with actions.

 

Noah (as Joseph), Max, Jacob, Griffin, and Aaron as shepherds.

Shepherds singing. 

Gavin during his performance.

Gavin's group singing.

 

Gavin also had a school performance, which also took place in the church. Last year they did it back where they have class and we had front row seats to a squirrley Gavin who did a strange dance and made faces during the performance. We could barely watch. This year he did a great job, nothing goofy, but we could only see the back of him. He would look back to see us every now and again to make sure we were watching none the less - which we were. Fred went over to the other side to stand in the back and tried to snag some pictures. 

Gavin with his preschool friends, and Miss Debbie in the back.

This picture cracks me up. Avery has been Gavin's friend since birth, she's on the right. Zoe is Gavin's new friend from preschool - she's holding Gavin's hand. I hear a lot of complaining about how Zoe is always bugging him, but today when he was writing notes to "all his girlfriends" - Zoe was the first one he dedicated one to. I asked "Zoe, who you say always bugs you?" His reply, "yeah, well, I kinda like her now." And so it begins...

Holidazzle

Adrea & Tim got to be in the Holidazzle Parade this year. Tim works for Excel, so they got to be lightbulbs in the parade. We got a pretty mild evening (on my birthday) to go watch them dance thru the parade. Wyatt loved the parade - thought everyone was waving just at him and he was certainly waving back (with gloves too big for his hands). Gavin was in a mood and was crabby about the "cold" for most of the outting.

 

Waiting for the parade. Alyssa, Maddie, Isaac, Fred, my mom, and Jacob. 

Wyatt, with the best seat around.

Red lightbulb is Adrea. Blue one behind her is Tim.

After the parade.

Rosenbergers.

Grandma and Grandpa Jeske.