The Twins Turn "One"

Kirsten and Rachelle Nichols born 12/24/07

Happy Christmas Eve Day Birthday to Kirsten and Rachelle!!!
We Love you very much!!!

Grandpa and Grandma

Two precious babies wrapped in love

Two little girls....God's gift from above.

Born on the eve of Christmas Day

Perfect and sweet in every way.

Welcomed home by Andrew and Jon

Grandmas Judy and Carol, Grandpas Ken and Ron

The family expanded from four to six

Daddy and Mommy took so many pics!

The joy you've brought in this short year

is something our hearts will always hold dear!

Your journey in life will be filled with joys,

Keep kind and sweet and stay away from the boys!!!!

Kirsten Lynn Nichols

Rachelle Ann Nichols

Our Nichols Family Christmas

(collage by Heidi)

Ken and I want to wish each and every one of you a very "Merry Christmas". Even though we all have challenges that come our way...we are so thankful for what we do have! Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of our Savior....but it's also the time to tell you that there is "hope" for a troubled world....that God is in control...and His son Jesus will never leave you or forsake you!

Our family has experienced this first hand and we want to share that good news with you....at Christmas...and every day

We had our Nichols Family Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 20th down at Kurt and Heidi's in Jenison.

(in between snow storms!!)

We had a great day!!! We arrived around 11:00, visited, had a yummy lunch, opened the gift of shirts from Joel, took family pictures, layed 5 out of the 8 kids down for naps, played a card game called "Rage"(actually played one complete game before kids woke up), opened gifts, ate a yummy supper, sang Christmas songs with Jason on guitar, and headed home around 7:00! The day went by way too fast......but we loved being together! I have posted several pictures from the day! Enjoy!

The "15" of us!!

Here we are in the cool shirts Uncle Joel bought for the family!

They said "Nichols Christmas 2008"

Another angle....Thanks Ron and Carol for taking coming over and taking family pictures for us!!! We really appreciated that!

Kids on the couch!

Grandpa and Jon

Uncle Joel and Kirsten Uncle Jason and Rachelle
Uncle Kurt and Madeline
Grandma and the twins

Our three sons

me and "the girls"

Isaac and Andrew "firstborns"

Jon and Seth....the sweet natured "middle child"

Bright eyed Anabelle

Kirsten......turns 1 year old on Christmas eve!!

Rachelle.....turns 1 year old on Christmas eve!

Baby Madeline....almost 6 weeks old!

Jason playing the guitar with Kirsten looking on

Jason and Emily and family
Kurt and Heidi and family
Cousins getting acquainted

Getting ready for opening gifts.

Before the children opened gifts Uncle Kurt sat everyone down and gave them instructions! it was soooo cute!

He told them they would be opening gifts one child at a time and that's exactly what they did! It was very orderly and there was no fussing or whining!!!

Waiting patiently

Heidi and Jonny looking at his new clothes

The above three pics were our attempt at getting the perfect "Grandparents/Grand kids" shot. I would not recommend using balloons (LOL) if you want to see everyones faces!!

Tickle Bee

Back in the 1950' and 1960's when I was a child we played with a game called "tickle bee". I'm wondering if any of you remember it? Anyway.......recently I purchased two of these game from a place called "Back To Basic Toys". http://www.backtobasicstoys.com/item/productid/2568

Well....today during "Thursday With Grandma" Isaac, Seth and I played with this game! They loved it....and spent lots of time playing it....(not to mention the memories it brought back to me). The game is very affordable and is great for traveling as well as in home play! So....if you want to relive your childhood while providing fun play for the children in your life....I highly recommend "Tickle Bee"!

Sorry I didn't take any pictures today....we were just too busy "tickling" and "giggling"!

Getting Ready for Christmas

This year our Christmas tree came from the back of our property.

It's a beautiful blue spruce...."all natural"....as in not trimmed every fall or painted! Ken and Jason took the snowmobiles out a couple of weekends ago and got Jason and Emily's tree...then Ken took the snowmobile out Sunday afternoon to get ours.

We've themed our tree our family "heritage" tree because the ornament's express many years of wonderful memories we've collected! Such as our "First Christmas Together 1978", "Baby's 1st Christmas 1981, 1983, 1985", a napkin from our wedding made into a bell ornament, ornaments from our trips out west, antique ornaments from our Grandma's trees, special ornaments received as gifts, and the list goes on!

Behind every ornament there was some fond memory.....it was like unwrapping a gift every time we took an ornament out of the box to hang on the tree!! To top it all off....Ken made a batch of chocolate chip cookies......yum! What a joy to look upon the tree everyday....and remember so many special moments!

If one more ornament was placed on the tree

I know exactly what it would be.

It would be these bright and sunshiny faces

Hung with delight and all in their places.

Four little girls and four little boys

Bringing our family immeasurable joys!

Eight little children who are loved by Jesus

We know He's there and He always sees us!

As Christmas Day arrives at your home

Don't feel left out or feel left alone.

Remember the gift that came from above

God gave you His Son....the true gift of love.

Now what do you do with the gift you received?

You trust in His word and and then you believe.

Believe you're forgiven and accept all the joys

The same that is offered to all girls and boys!

(by Judy Nichols December 16, 2008)