Santa's workshop

It's become a tradition that Megan I take the boys to see Santa at the bass pro shop in Richmond. It is an absolute wonderland for children! However this year upon arrival we found that Santa would not arrive for two more hours. It actually worked out in our favor as the boys were free to roam the workshop without any other children there. If you've seen our little tornadoes in action you would know how challenging it can be to ask all four of them to stands till at one time and wait their turn. Here are some pics of them observing the electric choo-choo, shooting real-life duck hunt, driving the ATVs and attempting to rescue an elf who had toppled into the fake snow.

I'm not sure who's having more fun here. Uncle Van or the boys.

Lincoln had big plans for the snow and it had nothing to do with keeping it where was supposed to be.

I snapped this picture to demonstrate the vast difference between toddler boys and toddler girls. Note that because there are no girls present there's no one sitting still. Ever. Coloring? Seriously?

Selfie!

Such a good shot!

Linc-Linc is getting sleepy!  He's happy to have daddy there with him and so were mommy and aunt Mimi. I'm sure you can imagine how they scatter and the second set of adult arms is incredibly helpful.

Maybe next you'll actually get a picture with Santa.

December

Daddy bliss. Watching a show snuggled up with his boys. 

As eluded to in the Collier family blog, we took the boys to see Thomas the train. To our despair, (after much waiting in line with four children under four), we found Thomas to be a cardboard cutout. Epic mommy fail. The boys were still pretty jacked to be surrounded by a whole building full of choo-choos and their accoutrements. The boys were decked out in overalls, looking the part of would-be train conductors. The best part of the day was having time with their awesome cousins :)

After the Thomas the train debacle we headed over to the toy store to fit Elias for his first big boy bike. Daddy is such a trooper. He put on a helmet and ran around the store with me as we test drove many bikes :)

Elias loves drinking warm beverages and here he is sipping some cider with a cinnamon stick stirrer. He says it makes him feel warm and comfty. That's right, there's a 't' in the comfy when he says it. 

We had a few mild days in December and we enjoyed some great outdoor play at the park in our neighborhood. Here's Elias channeling a homeless person, sleeping on the bench. 

Note Elias cheesing in the background :)

Peek a boo!

Here's Elias feigning sleep again. I think he's trying to tell me something.

Smiley boys

Sweet happy faces :)

More snow!?!

I am famous for saying "If it's going to be this cold I want to see some snow to show for it." Well, I spoke that into existence! This year we've been pelted with more ice than I can ever remember in a single year. Elias missed so much preschool I feel I've paid months tuition in vain. Nonetheless the boys are getting great exercise and fresh air despite the frigid temps :) During the last snow we made such a giant snowman it took all of mommy and daddy's combined strength to lift the base into place. That beast stuck around for eight days before it finally melted! Elias loved lamenting over his stooped and shed appendages each day until he was nothing more than a scarf and a carrot lying on the wet ground. Lincoln Elias enjoyed their post snow-mageddon cocoa with peppermint marshmallows with great delight :) Truthfully, Lincoln's was more like chocolate milk and instead of marshmallows he got crushed candycane  or as we call it "peppermint dust". We are thankful for fabulous snow gear which Pa brought back from a business trip to Germany. Here you see Van hoisting Lincoln into the air by the scruff of his snowsuit. Your eyes are not deceiving you. That third appendage on the snowman is not only necessary according to Elias but also beautiful :) He very creatively named him snowman. 

Snow day #2

And then a bigger snow came... We kicked off the morning with some snow day yoga at the new gym just around the corner from the house. Daddy even joined Mommy for the class! In one of these pics Daddy is offering Lincoln a goldfish and in the subsequent picture you can see the fish plummet toward the ground uneaten. At the end of our adventure we turned some fresh powder into snow cream! Yum!