Bishop Family Christmas

We hosted the Bishop Family Christmas on Saturday! It was a smaller group than usual, as a few people couldn't make it and a few got sick right before Saturday. The flu has been nasty lately and my cousin actually has mono. We definitely missed those that couldn't be with us!

The Bishop Family

Bishop adored Tyler--he was such a great sport to play 'trucks" with Bishop!

The Great Grandparents and their Great Grandkids!

Thank you hugs! :)

Uncle Bob came all by himself (from Decorah, IA) and made the delicious appetizers himself...because Aunt Sandy was sick with the flu! Thanks for coming, Uncle Bob-it was great having you here!

Uncle Bob and Nora

As always, it was a very fun time being together with The Bishop's!

Christmas Eve

On Sunday we went to Owatonna. Since Shelly was 38 weeks pregnant they didn't make the trip (so we went to their place on Christmas Eve). We stopped by Countryside to see my grandparents and give them their gifts. All my grandma wants to do is hold the kids---and they'll only give her a few seconds here and there. I truly treasure these times with my grandparents because I realize they won't be around forever. I hope Bishop is old enough to remember them and I hope they live long enough for Nora to have memories of them as well. I have so many wonderful memories with them (Shelly and I are their only grandchildren), so we were spoiled! :)

Bishop and Great Grandma looking at the new calendar!

Bishop checking out Great Grandpa's new weather calendar!

Riding in the laundry cart--a highlight for sure! :)

Walking to Great Grandma!

Bishop got a PILE of books for Papa to read to him

Monday morning was kind of a whirlwind. In true Froehle fashion we tried to do too much (well, we did do too much, but we made it work..it just caused a little stress for us). Nora, my mom and I went to Owatonna shoe to pick out Nora's pair of first "real" shoes. While we were there she got the chance to ride the horse for the first time. She loved it!

Nana and Nora

So excited--I think it's blurry because she's moving

After we got Nora some new shoes we took Bishop cross country skiing for the first time. He did well for his first time out!

Going downhill is fun!

We got ready as fast as we could and took off for Shelly and Ryan's house. The kids slept on the way and we got there in time to take a few pictures before church. The kids did awesome at church--seriously, we were all impressed! :)

Ryan made awesome stuffed pork chops for dinner and it was so fun being together. The kids had a blast (and the parents did too)!

This was the ONLY picture we took of all of us--it turned out so we kept it! :)

Cousins-it was the best we could do to get 2 of the 3 together!

My beautiful niece, Madelyn! LOVE her!

My sweet (and very excited) boy and I!

Reading with Madelyn!

It was a lot of traveling for 3 days, but it was nice to be home Christmas Eve night and to wake up at home on Christmas Day! 

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas from the Froehle's! Bishop woke up first and was excited to see if Santa came (he was still a bit confused since he thought Santa was coming to his house, but he never saw him). He was pretty excited to see Nora's new airplane and that he got a truck and a backhoe!

A truck and a Backhoe!

Nora got her own airplane!

As Bishop says "We Match"!

Making a fire with daddy

In years past we have celebrated with Luke's aunt and uncle (and cousins and their kids)....The Danielson's. It didn't work out to celebrate with them this year, so we had Rich, Eileen and Jake over to celebrate at our house. It was nice to be able to be home and also be able to celebrate with them again!

Grandma and Nora reading Pat the Bunny

Bishop and Grandpa playing with his new tool set from Uncle Jake

Christmas is becoming more and more fun as we get to live through our children's eyes. The excitement and joy they experience is second to none and it was sad to see it end. We had such a wonderful Christmas weekend and the most important part was that we were able to be with our families! We hope your Christmas "season" was a special one! 

Christmas at Grandpa and Grandma's

We started our Christmas weekend at Grandpa and Grandma's in Cold Spring! We went up Saturday afternoon (after having breakfast with the Hennum's, finishing some Christmas shopping in Linden Hills and Luke being interviewed by WCCO and making the news!) Ha! He even said "this isn't how my wife would do it, but I'm not stressed"...the part they missed was his wife in the car with 2 screaming kids! I had no idea he was being interviewed and that's what was taking so long. 

Regardless, we had a great time in Cold Spring! There's something about being at his parents place with everything covered in snow that is magical. It's beautiful up there. Bishop got to experience "sliding" (as the Froehle's call it), just like Luke and Jake did when they were kids. They actually go on the road outside their place....it was really fun! I had my chance to try it...and I was steering too much and ended up in the snowbank! It was good for a good laugh!

All smiles while sliding

I love this picture-I just wish it wasn't blurry!

Mommy's turn--with the boys close behind!

Right before I ended up in the snowbank! :)

Merry Christmas!

Grandpa and Grandma with their grandkids! 

Uncle Jake!!

Bishop got The Jungle Book (book) from Grandpa and Grandma and it was his favorite gift that night...he sat and "read" it over and over and over! 

I love sitting in front of the fireplace at their house, it's so cozy!

Miss Nora enjoying the fire

It was a very fun time celebrating in Cold Spring!

Santa at the Thiesen's

On Wednesday night we were able to have a special visit from Santa. Bishop, Leo, Johnny and Danny got together (with their sisters and moms and dads) at Leo's house for a very fun night! Santa came, handed out some presents, took a few pictures and then took off for the North Pole! The boys were much more receptive to him this year, compared to last year--but they weren't overly eager to get too close (only when he was handing out presents)! Thanks Al and Taya for hosting such a fun night!

Nora enjoyed sitting on Santa's lap more than anyone! :)

Bishop, Leo, Danny and Johnny!

Bishop, Daddy and Santa!

Tubes for Nora

Nora had tubes put in last Friday. We were at the hospital (Children's West in Minnetonka) at 7am...she had surgery scheduled for 8am. It literally took 5 minutes from the time we left her until the Dr came out to say the tubes were in! She had a cold (runny nose, slight cough) and that caused a little trouble when she came out of anethesia. She needed a neb treatment when she was waking up from the anesthesia...so I think that held us up from seeing her a little bit. She was wide awake when we saw her and she was excited to see mom and dad! The nurse said the problems with her breathing were most likely due to her cold and the anesthesia being an irritant, as her lungs sounded fine.

I spent the day at home with her and she was herself the entire day! She was quite the trooper (but it wasn't that intensive of a procedure). Regardless...we're hoping this keeps her ears clear and we can have less infections this winter!



Nora is 10 months old today!!

Right before surgery to have her tubes put in

First snow

We got our first big snow fall of the year this past weekend! The kids were in Owatonna with my parents while we hosted Fesituvs....so we drove down on Sunday to pick them up and it probably wasn't the best idea----the roads were terrible! We made it back safe and sound and Bishop couldn't wait to help shobel (that's how he pronounces it) with daddy!

Nora admiring the snow from inside