Christmas with the Jumps

 

On Friday, we celebrated Christmas with the Jumps and families. A highlight was playing hilarious minute games that Meg organized.

Merry Christmas!

 

What a Merry Christmas! The kids woke bright & early. We love that Kit texts to make sure it's safe for them to come see what's under the tree. Santa brought Emerson a Nerf gun & a stocking full of darts and favorite candies. He practiced his aim much of the day! Winnie dialed into her creative outlet & taught herself how to crochet over the last day!

Christmas Eve 2024

Christmas Eve was a relaxing, slower-paced day. Thankfully, the girls helped wrap gifts. The kids and I made Oreo balls and buckeyes while Seth worked. In the evening, we went to church & then had lasagna at home. We put out a plate for Santa before the kids continued their tradition of a Christmas Eve sleepover (this year taking advantage of the pit sectional).

Cut Out Cookies

 

Emerson loved making cut out sugar cookies. Rolling the dough was his favorite part.

Ladies' Christmas

 

Jess hosted a fun ladies' Christmas event for all of us on Saturday afternoon. The ladies were served first and had fun painting mason jars to hold evergreen branches. The kids played with disappearing ink.

Elf Night

 

On Friday, we had Buddy the Elf pasta and watched the holiday classic!

Emerson's Christmas Art

What a beauty!

 

Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights

Thanks to a discount coupon from Shale Meadows, we enjoyed the Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek. It was even better than we remembered!

Celebrating Emerson’s RISE Up Award

 

Dad accompanied Emerson to RISE Up Award breakfast at Shale Meadows.

Emerson, we are proud of you for receiving the RISE Up Award at school again this year! Your positive behavior continues to shine. Keep up the amazing work!

Winterfest Afternoon at Berlin High School

 

Our family, joined by Nana Ilene and Grandma Jo (fresh from her mission trip to Cuba), had a wonderful afternoon at Berlin High School’s Winterfest concert. It was such a joy to see Kit perform alongside the choirs, orchestra, and jazz band. One highlight was when glittering snow fell on the audience during the performance! The choir's selections were absolutely beautiful.

Slam Dunk Finish

 

On Sunday, Emerson wrapped up his basketball season by making the final shot! Seth was happy to serve as the assistant coach throughout the season. Now, we’re looking forward to the next adventure: flag football.

4th & State and Holiday Trains

 

On Saturday, we visited our favorite vegan diner, 4th & State, in downtown Columbus. The food was amazing, and everyone loved their meals. The city vibe and brunch menu make it a hit.

After eating, we got into the holiday spirit at the Columbus library by checking out the holiday train displays. The setup was beautiful and full of festive details. Emerson wrote a letter to Santa while we were there.

Emerson's Friends

 

Friends/neighbors make the season bright: Bryson, Tego, Emerson, Quinn, and Norah!

Thanksgiving Gatherings

 

We enjoyed the Thanksgiving season with family! On Thanksgiving day, we hosted Ilene for lunch and Mom & John for dinner. On Saturday, we watched the Buckeyes at Kara & Cody's with all of the Jumps. Later, all of the doggies played at Meg & Nathan's--chaotic cuteness. During the season, we also got to see Zech, Matt. Molly, and Maggie.