- Norman Vincent Peale
A traditional Christmas treat we made twice this year.
I love to watch his little fingers unwrap the foil
and my serious girl put the chocolates on just right.
Victoria got that gorgeous headband at the Dollar Store the previous day and insisted on wearing it to school two days in a row.
She looked like she was starring in Flashdance throughout the day.
By the way...I wonder where that thing is...
We're gonna wear that sweatshirt out,
because soon we'll have to find a boy who's only three
because this big boy only has 24 more days until his birthday!
The week before Christmas at Mark's cousin's Juli's house.
We had the best time ever there!!
Family
Tegan...soon to be Auntie Tegan
The cousins and second consins
The brothers
The Lovebirds
Mother and child ;-)
Favorite Cousins of All Time
The girls
Beginning a game of Pin the Nose on Rudolph
Christian just wanted to run around and bump into things blind folded though.
Watching the big kids get closer than them.
Poor Rudolph looks like he got shot.
The gifts.
It's a week BEFORE Christmas and we could have stopped right here with all the gifts.
The kids were in HEAVEN!
"A Barbie! I love Barbies!!"
Really?!? I didn't know!
Then the real fun began!!!!
We sent the kids downstairs to watch a movie (over and over and over)
(Sent them down over and over not watch the movie over and over)
Then we had to roll doubles to get a chance to unwrap the gift. First person to get to the prize wins it.
Little did we know it was wrapped in seven different boxes.
Plus you're wearing Christmas over mitts never mind the Santa hat.
Absolutely hilarious!!!
Poor Tegan.
That girl really can roll doubles!!
Over and over.
I refused to chew at it and decided to punch it instead.
Needless to say, I didn't get in.
Tegan eventually won the gift card to Cub.
She deserved it.
My very own adorable elf.
Damn, that kid is cute!!
On the eve of Christmas Eve
we spent a few hours celebrating at my brother's house.
We made gingerbread houses.
Yes, the teacher comes out of me at all functions I am even relatively in charge of.
Does she look like she wants her daddy's help?
Maybe I should have set him up with his own little house.
Very proud and very hopped up on sugar!!
A game of Roll Doubles for prizes.
They're so little they don't even know how to roll dice
let alone recognize doubles.
Eventually I just started cheering and told them to grab a prize.
Wasn't quite as exciting as I planned.
Next year will be the year.
More gifts.
These kids are so spoiled. . .
All night Ashley called me, in her super sweet - high pitched voice, Markandkelly.
It sounded like peanut butter and jelly or auntie kelly.
Then we finally figured it out.
I guess she's still trying to figure out who Mark is.
Uncle Wayne and Aunt Cassie got Christian a chainsaw complete with goggles and he immediately started trying to cut down their house.
Mama Deb got him his very own hair gel.
He does spend more time on his one inch of hair each morning than I spend on mine.
Taking a ride in Mama's gardening thingabumbob.
Victoria got a SpyKit that works amazingly well!
Luckily for us, Mama and Papa let us know she was planning on staying up late to
hear what Mark and I talk about late at night.
Papa convinced her the kitchen is further than 15 ft away from her bed.
The very next night was Christmas Eve.
We got to Mama Jeanne's around 4:30 ready for a good time!!
Mama Jeanne likes to open gifts the MINUTE you walk in the door.
The kids were down for it, but the rest of us held them off for a good 30 minutes or so.
Love this picture of us on the couch.
Love it.
The Lovebirds.
Love that one too.
Hey, love that one too!!
We built gingerbread houses (again).
The annual As Soon As You Walk in the Door Group Shot
Hopped up on sugar (again).
Cuddling with Papa!
She open her real tea set from Mama and Papa
and shouted,
"This is just perfect! Now we can plan that tea party mom!"
It's going to be very special!
I somehow was short a milk carton.
I called Mark down to improvise.
He made a small large gingerbread house out of the box from Christian's recently received Nerf football.
He handed it to Emilee who looked like she was going to cry.
Then we passed it over to 3rd grader Matthew who went to town!
Turns out, he worked on it for two days!
Then we had to play the annual game of "Name that Celebrity"
I made the game for the first time in 2003 and we've played every year since.
I made it way harder this year.
#23 was Lamar Odom and I included many wearing shades.
However, Guy still won with 100%.
I was shocked.
I think I'm going to secretly cancel his secret subscription to US Weekly.
Tegan made adorable penguins made out of black olives and carrots.
So cute!
She's got just the right amount of Martha in her. ;-)
I made my 5th batch of my infamous
deviled eggs.
Whew, I'm sick of peeling, eating, making those little suckers!
(Before we left for Mama Jeanne's)
We received a special delivery from Mrs. Claus on our stoop from Mrs. Claus.
They both actually just stepped over the package and kept on walking.
Thanks to Amazon, a package on the stoop ain't nothin' around here!
We sprinkled the magic reindeer food strategically around the house.
Oat by oat.
Very very strategically
while looking at the sky discussing Santa theories.
When we got home we laid out the cookies, milk and carrots for Santa and his crew.
With a napkin so he could wipe his beard - per Christian's request.
Then we got our special
Here Comes Santa jammies and cuddled for a real Night Before Christmas rendition of Night Before Christmas.
Next thing we knew, Santa had been here!!
This is the shot I was hoping for.
Isn't it just oozing Christmas magic!!??
I wonder how much longer he'll do that little squat like that instead of just sit down?
All the planning.
The lists.
The running around.
The money.
The lists.
The running around.
That's why, right there.
Look at those little faces!!
Thank goodness Santa blesses our girl with her beloved
Go Go Puppy.
She's been pining over it for over a year and looked right into Santa's eyes and clearly stated,
"I really really want the Go Go Puppy. Just a Go Go Puppy."
Well Santa, you came through.
However, I could have told you that $50 'puppy' wouldn't hold her attention for long.
Good try though.
Seriously, a three year old who rips off his Santa jammies to through on his
new sz 7 (he's got his daddy's butt) Scooby Doo undies.
Then Victoria wants to know where hers are too!
Of all his gifts -
remote control cars - to the tune of nearly half a dozen of them
games
tools
his most fave gift of all...
the 4.49 shaving set I haphazardly threw in to the cart last minute.
Loves it.
Is this the cutest thing ever?!?!
So serious.
It's even cuter when he gets done and says,
"Ok, Mom feel these cheeks!
That was an amazing Christmas!!
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