Family Christmas photos 2021.

Christmas with kids is so very sweet; I love to watch them experience it. So thankful for Jesus coming to earth, and to celebrate that with family!

My BIL worked Christmas day, so our "official" De Jong Christmas was later in the week. To have all of us together was a joy!

Entire family shots are my absolute favorite- our first whole family one with Gerrit (my newest nephew)!

And cousin photos in coordinating pajamas is about the best ever!

Christmas 2021.

Since all three girls are in school for at least a portion of each week, Christmas break felt extra special this year to have a true break and extra time together! It was a nice mix of seeing both families for a bit and being home too. The girls asked several times to go ice skating, so it was fun to make it happen! 

Ellory recently got "big girl" glasses and she looks so sweet and grown up!

Norah is a pretty good skater!

We also went to the indoor pool one day too. So fun to get to do a few activities we don't usually get to in typical weeks. And fun that Kley could join too! He was home for the Thursday and Friday of Christmas week because the office was closed, and I honestly can't remember a time where that happened! Usually he's always working or we are not at home if he takes time off, so to be at home together for two weekdays with him was such a treat!

Our family does Thanksgiving with one side and then Christmas with the other, and then flips the following year (and fits in celebrating that holiday with the other side at a different time usually). Like this year we were in Des Moines (with my family) for Thanksgiving, and we were home (with Kley's family- we live in the same town as my in-laws) for Christmas. 

My BIL was working Christmas, but thankful we were still able to get together with everyone who was able on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Our official De Jong Christmas was later in the week.

Christmas morning with our girls! I was never home on Christmas day growing up, and every other year we aren't now either, so it's different yet also special, to spend Christmas morning just the five of us.

Decorating gingerbread houses- the girls love this and glad we were able to get it in with the De Jongs on Christmas day!

The girls love their sweet baby cousin Gerrit! They all are so good with him, but Ellory really loves to be around him. She has said several times that she wants to marry him. :)

Hard at work on the houses.

The finished products.

Christmas is such a joyous season. So thankful for God sending his Son!

Church Christmas program 2021.

All three of the girls were in our church Christmas program and it was so cute! So thankful for our church doing a great job of investing in children and teaching them about Jesus. They all did a great job, proud of them for getting up there and doing it. My parents also drove up for the day and surprised the girls to come to it, which was special! Kley's parents and grandma were also there too!

Norah sang a solo! We are so so proud of her! She did amazing and has such a precious voice! I was talking to her about it after about how proud I was and explaining that singing a solo is something that would make many adults nervous and she did it as a 7-year-old. She just said, "Well, Daddy does it all the time!" like it was no big deal. (Kley sings/plays often on the worship team.) So, thanks to Kley for making it not seem scary. Kley was up there playing guitar for that song also, which helped too. Way to go, Norah!

Lucy and Ellory did a great job singing too!

Way to go girls! Proud of you and thankful you are singing about the true reason for the season!