The Baker Bunch: Christmas 2015

Christmas 2015 is in the books! Okay, so we still have 2 gatherings to get to, but December 25 has come and gone. I'm always a little sad once it's over. I just love this time of year! Here's a little dose of Thomas!

Walking with Papa

OMGoodness this is the BEST face ever!

Vroom Vroom!

Mozart or Thomas?

So Christmas vacation started off a little differently than I'd planned it. On the last Friday of school (18th) we had our annual Ugly Sweater contest. I had won for the last 2 years so I really had to bring my game to keep my title. The night before Matt was helping me hot glue my ensemble together. I thought it turned out nice!

Oh Christmas Tree...

Another teacher dressed as a present so she posed under the tree! :)

The day was fun. On my way out I found out I'd won, and then I missed a step...and fell...and my ankle rolled underneath me. I was completely embarrassed. A whole group of kids waiting for their bus, plus my boss, were standing there watching me. I was dressed in the outfit above. A couple of teachers helped me up and I just thought my ankle was sore. Um...no...I couldn't put any weight on it! Luckily I work with amazing people who just took over. They called Matt and Bryce's preschool. They picked up Bryce. They drove me to the hospital. As soon as the school nurse saw me she said "Oh honey, you broke your ankle," to which I cried harder. That was NOT what I wanted to hear! It seemed like a long ride to the hospital. At one point I was nauseous. My hands went numb. My costume was falling apart all over her van. I was a complete mess. Then I had to be wheeled in with THAT COSTUME on!

I'm telling you, it HURT!

It was really swollen!

They did say I was their most festive patient of the day!

I got a text from a parent asking if I was okay. A neighbor girl told her my bone was sticking out of my foot! She was one of the kids waiting for the bus. I sent her mom a message assuring her I was okay and she said "thank you for telling me. She has been sobbing worried about you." Apparently my principal had to hold all the kids back from running to help me. This isn't really how I had Christmas break planned out in my head. I was going to get a lot done...organized...etc...but I've done lots of laying, icing, and Netflix watching. Guess this was the universe's way of telling me to SLOW DOWN! I've been using crutches the last week and finally now can limp/hobble around without them. They told me I'd have been better off to break it than sprain it. It could take 6-8 weeks to fully heal...what!?! I'm most nervous about driving, and the ice/snow.

One thing I was bummed about is that I had to miss Northwest's championship game. Matt went in my place. I really wanted to go since it would have been the first championship game I would have gone to. Matt, Zane, and Mason went with my mom, dad, Aaron, Adam, and Bethany. They had a good time and ever since then I've heard Mason chanting "B.E.A.R.C.A.T.S. Bearcats, Bearcats, GO Bearcats!" He now says they are one of his favorite teams and wants to go to another game! He keeps telling me how cool it was when they ran out on the field!

Aaron caught him looking!!!

Zane at the game

Scoreboard says 17 38...it's a Royals joke...do you get it?

Cheering them on to victory!

The next day we celebrated Christmas with my parents, Adam and Bethany. This was day 3 of my injury, and the day I felt the absolute worst. My body hurt all over. I was glad to be with family who understood and didn't care that I just wanted to sit there.

Mom and Mason selfie

Bethany, Mom, Dad, Adam

Mom, Mason, Zane selfie

Mom, Mason, Bryce selfie

TRACTORS!

Goofy Zane

Papa and Bryce

The boys and Grandma

A new NW shirt!

Bryce eating dinner. He was cutting his ham all by himself!

Bethany let Mason borrow her box of Junie B. Jones books. He has already read one! He puts them back in the box every single night after reading!

I am thankful I'm injured at a time Matt's not busy at work. He is able to come home when I need or stay home if needed. Monday night the boys had practice. He took Bryce also so I could rest/relax. Bryce was tired and fell asleep on the floor of the gym!

Sleepy Bryce

Tuesday was another interesting day! Mason, Bryce and I had our dental cleanings first thing that morning, so Matt drove us there. I was telling them I'd had some pain and they couldn't see anything, so they sent me on to a specialist to make sure I didn't need a root canal...or two! So Matt ended up staying home with me that day. My appointment was at 12:45. We got there and waited until 2:30 before I was taken back! Oh my, it was a long day! Luckily I found out I do NOT need any root canals right now! Whew! I tell you, I've had more x-rays in the last couple of weeks than EVER in my life! I even had a CT scan!

I was feeling guilty cause we really hadn't done any of our "normal" Christmas activities, so I let the boys make their gingerbread houses. Bryce said "Mom, watch this. It's going to be incredible!" Ha! Usually I get more frosting and more candy cause the kits don't have much, but I was a little out of commission for that, so we made do with what was in there.

Decorating away!

Yes, Bryce, incredible!

We also needed a little time away from technology, so I declared a reading hour that afternoon!

MOST of us were reading! Bryce was just playing!

On Christmas Eve we went to church at 3:00. It's always so beautiful singing Silent Night by candlelight!

Family church selfie!

Silent Night (Bryce was sleeping)!

And then...Christmas morning was here! I wasn't sure if Bryce was ever going to fall asleep! He kept coming in to tell us he heard Santa, he wanted a drink, he wanted to sleep in our room, you name it he came up with it! One time we had our door shut and we heard knocking along with "Hey guys, hello?" Zane was having trouble sleeping too. Mason...out like a light.

Merry Christmas!

Can we just open please?

Digging in

Caught off guard!

Ripstick!

New BLUE Baseball helmet

New glove!

A Tigers hat!

The aftermath

It's somewhat hard to see...forgot to change settings before taking...but on Christmas morning Matt looked out and saw a Cardinal in the tree! We know it was Grandma Beggs checking in and saying Merry Christmas! She loved Cardinals! Merry Christmas in Heaven Grandma Beggs (and everyone else celebrating in Heaven)!

In the afternoon, we packed, loaded up, and headed for Iowa to have our Christmas with the Bakers. We were happy everyone could be there for the whole weekend!

Presents anyone?

Marcy and Nate

Madison, Brent, Jodie

Bryce, Mason, Grandma, Papa

Hoodlum...

More tractors!

STOP GROWING!

Another interesting part of Christmas 2015 is that not only was I on crutches, but so was Matt's dad! He had knee replacement surgery on the 16th. Then I fell on the 18th. So it was quite interesting with us sitting around, icing our ankle/leg/knee, and dodging all of the toys, blankets, people, and stairs with our crutches! We had to capture this memory!