Christmas Day.....

We waited until Christmas morning this year to open most of our gifts which I actually enjoyed!!

Catching the expressions on the kids' faces as them came into the living room Christmas morning to see the giant gifts was pretty fun!!

 

Bean bag chairs for everyone!! This is my feeble attempt to save my furniture.....we'll see if it works!!

 

All Adi wanted for Christmas or her birthday was a "huwa hoop"....Hula hoop! She got it!!

I'm pretty sure Eli could get Lego's for at least the next 10 years and still be as excited then as he is today about them....he can play countless hours with them inventing new things to build....just like his Dad!!

 

Ema was a little un-sure of this box....she opened it with such "gusto" and then stopped and said "wait..this one isn't mine".....she didn't think the "Sony receiver" was for her....and it wasn't...but she couldn't get beyond the box and what was actually inside....

 

I guess Eli was pretty excited about this one....

 

Ana too...she has become our new resident chef with her easy bake oven.....

 

 Bags/Bed's for their dolls...

And at long last a football jersey for Eli.....Eli has been adamantly opposed to cheering for any team that Eric cheers for....not sure why or how this came about (I promise I did not try to brain wash him)...but he is finally back on board with the Vikings....and sporting his very own jersey now!!

Christmas Eve....

Christmas Eve was low key this year....we had a relaxing day at home, followed by Christmas Eve service at church, home for a less than desirable dinner (beef stew gone wrong), Eric finished up the advent calendar scriptures with the kids and a few more gifts to follow. 

 It takes like 50 shots to get 1 good picture like this.....

 

And it only takes one shot to get a goofy picture like this.....go figure!!

 

We got to spend Christmas with Grandma Judi and Grandpa Hal this year...we had a wonderful 4 days with them....

 

After dinner and reading the Christmas story we opened just a few more gifts.....

 

First up...was gifts from Uncle Brad and Aunt Shasta.......the gifts were quite a hit...but I am not sure I can even adequately describe them...so go to this link and check them out....we affectionately refer to them as the "wind-up bugs".....

 

 Next up was a gift from Grandma Judi...that I think I was as excited about as the kids were....they all got their own bags for church made by Grandma Judi herself....something I've been on the hunt for for a while now....I no longer have to haul all their bibles, pens, paper, water bottles, snacks and crayons for them!! YAY!!!

 

Dinner and spoons....

While sitting around the table last Sunday....Eric decides to put a spoon on his nose....which turned into EVERYONE wanting to balance a spoon on their nose!! 

Some good laughs came from this little show!!

Ema's sense of humor came out...and she was quick to put on spoon on her dolly's nose too!!

 

Normal Pictures....what's that??

3 of my 4 children sort of cooperating for a picture......Ema decided she was going to have nothing to do with getting her picture taken!!

Christmas Celebration #2....

The Friday before Christmas we opened another round of gifts from Grandpa Ron and Grandma Mary...they couldn't be with us to celebrate...but we did our best to document the gifts they gave us through pictures.

It was a fun evening of games, legos and dolls!!

Kids Craft Day.....

We had a kids craft day with some friends once school let out for break....3 Momma's, 11 kiddos, 4 crafts and LOT'S of SUGAR!!

9 of the 11 kids.....ages 8yrs.  to 12 months....it was good fun chaos!!

 

The birthday girl on her actual birthday!!