Okay, so this is a bit late in posting, but what can I say. The kids are off school, Braden's off work and well, it's kinda nice to just hang out as a family . . . but . . . I know I've been asked for pics so here is a post, pretty much all pictures, just for you!!!
On Christmas Eve we started the evening off by going to the Christmas Eve service at our church - which Emma looks forward too a lot! During the service all the children were asked to come up and hold battery operated candles (thank goodness!!!) during the singing of 'Silent Night'. Our kids loved that!
Kids at front of church for Silent Night
Navia had fun singing beside her big sister!
Another Christmas tradition is Reindeer Food - yep - every Christmas Eve before the kids go to bed we sprinkle reindeer food in the front yard so that Santa's reindeer know which house to go to. You can see last year's reindeer food if you click here.
Kaleb (behind the tree), Navia and Emma running as fast as they can with their reindeer food - it was kinda cold!!!
Each Christmas Eve we open up one present and the kids have kinda caught on that it will be new pj's. This year even Daddy got new pj's as a Christmas Eve present!
On Christmas morning the kids wake up to their stocking in their rooms and play with whatever Santa has left for them and then we go downstairs and read the Christmas story before any gifts are open. I usually make a big breakfast but this year because Braden and I had been up until around 4:30am working on Navia's doll house I kinda skimped and just did an Amish Casserole (which was yummy). So we started opening gifts, took a break when the timer rang and ate breakfast, and then went back to finish opening gifts.
Daddy reading the Christmas Story to a snuggled in Kaleb
Navia with Barbie House from Mom and Dad.
Braden's been working on it for hours upon hours and losing a lot of sleep getting it down. It was hard giving it to her unfinished, but it just couldn't get done in time. When it's done we'll post more detailed pics.
Navia with her Club Penguin DS game from Gramma and Grampa McGifford
The kids with their Wii game from Uncle Duff, Auntie Rhonda, Sol, Thad, Eli & Ezra
The kids each with a Beyblade from Auntie Jenna - boy were they excited when they saw that they could battle each other and then open a Battle Arena from Great Gramma McGifford
Kaleb and his Zhu Zhu Armor from Gramma and Grampa McGifford
Kaleb set up his tent in his bedroom and has been sleeping in it - so cute!
Kaleb and the Color Wonder Dome from Gramma and Grampa McGifford
Kaleb's first design on his Dome - he loves that his 3D image glows in the dark and even spins around!
Kaleb and the newest Donkey Kong game from Grampa Bailey - he's loving how good he is at it and already on level three!
Kaleb's been asking for a camera for a while now so he's pretty excited
Kaleb and Navia were pretty excited to see that they got actual money from Uncle Garrett, Auntie Laurel and Uncle Jesse!
Emma trying out her new video camera that will even record underwater - summer's gonna be interesting this year!!!
And she can spy on the neighbors with her new telescope (and microscope) from Grampa Bailey! We're in trouble!!!
And thanks to Gramma and Grampa McGifford we're hearing the "wonderful" sounds of tumbling rocks . . . which Emma can't wait to see what they end up looking like!
Emma's been in a medieval reading stage and has been wanting characters to play with so was excited to see that she got a Forest Dragon from Uncle Garrett, Auntie Laurel & Uncle Jesse
Great Gramma McGifford also got our family a few more family games (the kids love playing games as a family) and a year's membership to the Museum of Civilization and the War Museum, so I'm sure that this week we'll end up heading there for a day.
After opening gifts we just spend the day at home hanging out - we had a turkey dinner (just for Emma) with sweet potato casserole (for Kaleb), and peaches 'n' cream corn (for Daddy). The only thing we kinda forgot was to make the apple pie - oops! We'll have to catch that one for next year.
From Great Gramma McGifford - The family playing 'Sorry' for the first time - I remember playing this at my Gramma and Grampa McGifford's house and it's cool seeing how our family loves the game too!
Navia looked so grown up playing on her DSi from Grampa Bailey with her headphone on - she's only 5 but is looking to grow up faster than we want!
On the 27th we went to a friend's house for lunch and the kids were so excited that the husband had given the wife a new puppy for Christmas, Wayne Gretzky. He's going to be trained as a hunting dog - but until then the kids will just cuddle him like crazy!!!
Daddy and Kaleb watching Hockey together
Braden has the week between Christmas and New Year's off too so we'll be able to just hang out at home and do whatever we want . . . which will include finishing Navia's barbie house off and making a rink in the backyard. Hmm . . . sounds like Daddy's not going to be able to do that much relaxing!!!
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