Saturday, December 26, 2015

The Science Museum

My boys looooooove "the science museum!" We have a family membership to the Science Museum of Western Virginia, which is downtown. So, this morning, we took the boys! And, for the first time ever, we visited the Butterfly Garden.


This is a picture of Nathan with his absolute favorite gecko, the Leopard Gecko. He has named him "Spotty."


The butterfly garden! So fun! The butterflies were beautiful!




The museum currently has an exhibit called "Pixel Play." There are about fifty arcade games to play. So fun! The boys loved it! Nathan especially loved that he didn't need a stool to play the games!







What a fun way to spend the morning!

Merry Christmas

Well, we had a very merry Christmas this year! For the second year in a row, we stayed put in Roanoke, just the four of us. It was happy and peaceful and wonderful! I feel that--more than ever before--the four of us focused on the true reason for celebrating at Christmas. Every evening this month, we have gathered together and read verses that relate to the birth of Christ. New family tradition! It reiterated what we already tell our children: Christmas is about Jesus. Not presents. Not Santa. Not candy and excitement and Christmas morning. No. It's about Jesus, the greatest gift of all, stepping down from Heaven to rescue us.

And as has apparently become a tradition around here, we made sugar cookies from scratch. So fun! {By the way, the greatest sugar cookie recipe I've ever found is in the Little Rock Junior League's cookbook.}




This was also the first Christmas Eve church service that we've actually all sat through, {mostly!} quietly, and enjoyed. WOW! There are major advantages to have two bigger boys, let me tell ya! Our pastor preached on the meaning behind the carol "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." So special.





Christmas morning! Breakfast casserole, presents, and sweet family time.









Another special Christmas in Roanoke! :)

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Pancakes And Pajamas

This morning, we had our friends over for a pancakes and pajamas playdate!


I made pancakes with chocolate chips and bacon. And I served juice in those cute Christmas cups! The kiddos loved it!


What a wonderful time of year--treasuring our friends and celebrating the birth of our Savior!


Monday, December 14, 2015

Getting In The Christmas Spirit

The Christmas spirit is alive and well at Casa de Ryan! This includes:

Santa hats!


Choo choo train rides!


More Santa hats {and electronics}!


Christmas letters!


Looking all handsome for church!


Reindeer antlers!




Rudolph {x2} {Thanks, BeeGee}!


Adventures with Rudolph {and enjoying some unseasonably warm weather}!


Christmas jammies {Thanks, BeeGee}!



Thank-you note to the neighbor who sewed up Rudolph when one adventure became too much for the red-nosed reindeer!






Friends over to eat dinner!


And watch a Christmas movie!


And decorate Rudolph cookies!


Hot apple cider in our favorite Christmas mug!


And driving around town looking at Christmas lights {in jammies, of course}!