Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 started at our house. We were home Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.

Here are the kids before church...we were running late, so this was the best we could do :)

The kids get to open one present on Christmas Eve...new pajamas. Jake has Thomas on his and Addison has Tinkerbelle.

Here we are, Christmas morning before going out into the living room to see if Santa had come.

Opening stockings.

I put (I mean, Santa puts) an apple and orange in stockings...I didn't realize that was odd until my step-sister, Lisa, asked me about it. Did you get fruit in your stocking growing up??

Anyway, throughout our present opening, Jake ate 2 apples and a clementine. He had an apple in one hand and a present in the other for much of the morning. Funny guy.

Addison modeling her new heart locket.

Jake got a train table for Christmas. I found a coffee table on Craigslist and painted it. It had glass in the center. I took it out and replaced it with painted plywood...it can be flipped over and the other side has a race track on it.

Addison's big present this year was a dollhouse made by her daddy. I'll do another post with more pictures of it.

Christmas afternoon we spent at my dad's house. There are lots of cousins to play with and a pond with woods. My kids are in heaven at this house!

Jake taking his big dump truck to Grandma J.

Playing intently with a lego train.

Roasting marshmallows.

The two youngest playing on an iPhone.

Unfortunately, this is the house where we left our camera. From here, we went to Kyle's hometown to celebrate with his brothers and the Morris clan. I wish I had my camera, because there were some great times.

We played the game "Things" with Kyle's brother. It was a good time with lots of laughs. The kids loved being spoiled by their older cousins. Kolbi and Kyndal gave them rides up and down the hallway's wood floors on Jake's blanket.

The next day we headed to the Morris house....still no camera. We did raclette for dinner...yummo! The kids played with their cousins, Avery and Luke. Aunt Ali and Uncle Andy gave the 3 oldest kids scooters. The weather was nice enough that they rode them quite a bit. The adults all showed their competitive sides with games of Catch Phrase and Outburst. It was a good time.

Christmas #5, and the camera has returned! We celebrated with my mom and Steve over New Year's weekend. My sister and her family and my brother were all there. It was great to be together. My sister and I played cards. The cousins played well together. It was great fun.

The cousins before opening presents.

Caleb snuggling the travel pillow I made him. Another idea from Pinterest :)

Christmas 2011 was full and fun...we wouldn't have it any other way.

We love our crazy-big family and always enjoy our time together!