Christmas Day {2014}

Very early Christmas morning....like at 3:30, I heard the prancing and pawing of our two middle children.  Payton and Addi got up and were so surprised to see that Santa had stopped by our house.  I heard Addi yell out that Santa drank his egg "nerhg" and had ate all of his cookies!  Both girls were slightly disappointed when I sent them back to bed.  The exact same scene played out again at 5:30 a.m. The girls went back to bed and were quickly asleep, but I wasn't.  I got out of bed and tried to make a video on the Kringle ap, but it froze up.  Stink!  By 6:30 a.m. everyone in our little family was up for good and ready to see what Santa had brought.  For the second year in a row, Addi was convinced that I gave her the wrong stocking. She wouldn't open hers at first. (The lighting in the pictures isn't the best.)

Payton was very excited to have new nail polish in her stocking.

Evan loved his new DSi games.

With a little prompting from Karsyn, Addi decided to open her stocking.  Silly girl!

Karsyn was very excited to give us the present she made in school.  Since I'm her teacher and I did the finishing touches, we decided to let Daddy open it.  Karsyn ran to give it to Daddy and this was the best picture I got of that moment.

Karsyn giving her gift.

It's a little snowmen made from her hand print.  So cute!

From that time forward, paper went a'flying. I didn't take very many pictures, because I wanted to enjoy the moment.

Excited sisters 

Karsyn asked to open her baby, so yeah, she peaked too!  I had to search high and low for Addi's mermaid baby.  She saw it a couple of months ago and it was high on her list. 

Jason didn't realize that when he rewrapped Addi's Baby Alive, that she had put a hat on it. What are we going to do with this girl? Aye?

When we were finished opening gifts, Daddy and Evan made us cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Then, we got around and left to go over the river (or maybe it's a creek) and through the woods to Grandma and Papa's house.  We got to open even more presents there!  Evan and Payton were our little elves passing out presents.

Evan and Payton passing out presents.

Addi sat on Grandma's lap. 

Payton looked so pretty in one of the new top and vest that Santa brought her.

Karsyn, Uncle Brian, Aunt Stephanie, and Payton

Papa, Evan, Grandma, and Addi

Addi was so excited that she got a Sofia amulet and princess gown that she had to put it on right away.  She LOVED it!

After we finished opening presents, cleaned up, and loaded up, we started getting Christmas dinner on the table.  Well, some of us.  Daddy and Addi decided to play a little game on his phone. 

Uncle Robert arrived and then it was time to eat.  We had a very nice spread.

Jason's side of the family loves to play board games.  After dinner, many games were played.  Grandma, Addi, and Karsyn played Candy Land.

The guys all played a domino game called Moon.  It's kind of like the card game Spades.  Evan loved learning how.

A game of Clue also got played.  Grandma learned how well Addi has been learning how to read.  She may have read off a few of Grandma's cards. ha!

Between playing games, the little ladies also enjoyed playing with Grandma's doll house.

We spent most of Christmas Day at Grandma and Papa Floyd's house.  It was very nice.  On the way home, we stopped by Nana and Papa's house.  I forgot to give them their gift when we saw them on Saturday.  It was such a nice Christmas!

'Twas The Night Before Christmas {2014}

This Christmas Eve, nothing and I mean nothing, went quite as planned.  The kiddos and I were going to go visit all of the Great Grands and then go to a Candle Light Christmas Eve service while Jason was at work.  My van battery died and I ruined the girls' Christmas dresses in the wash. Ahh!!!  We thought we could salvage the night by attending another church's Christmas services after Jason got off of work.  Right before Jason left, he got tied up with a situation that made him unable to leave for quite some time.  He got off nearly two hours later than expected. The kiddos and I didn't end up leaving the house at all. =(  We did get a visit from Super Nana and Papa.  They brought us everything we needed to finish making our Christmas cookies.  The kiddos and I spent our day in our pjs, watching Christmas movies, and singing Karaoke.  When Jason got home, we ate dinner and then decided to make the best of our Christmas Eve.  First, all of the kiddos took baths and got in their favorite pajamas.

Christmas Eve 2014

Sweetness

Sisters waiting on Santa.  Addi looks a bit like her Daddy in this picture, don't you think?

Then, we sprinkled reindeer food, that looked strangely similar to Fruity Pebbles in our front yard.  I guess the reindeer weren't too hungry, because they left a little in our yard. =)

After we made sure the reindeer wouldn't leave hungry, we worked on Santa's tasty treat.  We figured lots of kids would leave him gingerbread men cookies.  So, we made gingerbread seahorses cookies, along with a big glass of eggnog to wash it all down. (If you ask Addi and Karsyn, it's called "egg narhg.")  Santa really enjoyed his treat. He gobbled down all of the cookies and there was not a drop of egg narhg left.

Right before bed, the kiddos checked the Santa Tracker.  He was in Buenos Aires.

With that, the kiddos went to bed and it was soon Christmas Day.

A Wonderful Winter Weekend

This weekend was so wonderful!  It started Friday when Karsyn and I went to Addi and Payton's class Christmas parties.  I didn't put my SD card in my camera, so I have no pictures to share.  Both parties were a lot of fun.  On Saturday, our little family got to spend time celebrating Christmas with most of our family.  Aunt Becky, Uncle Eugene, Kellie, Kyle, and Katelyn came up from Texas.  Aunt Ashley, Jessi, Superman, and Spiderman came down from Missouri.  Unfortunately, Uncle Chad wasn't able to come.  He had to work.  We had aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and more meet for Christmas dinner.  My parents rented the senior center in our little town, since there are so many of us. I love that we were all able to eat and spend time in the same room!  The kids loved that they got to play pool and shuffleboard with their cousins.  (Thank you Nana and Papa for all of the hard work you all put into this dinner.  It couldn't have went any better!)

Payton, Jessi, Karsyn, and Addi.  Doesn't Payton look so grown up with her scarf??

We all loved being able to catch up with family.

Emily and Kyle

Aunt Kary, Me, Aunt Ashley, Aunt Becky, Polly, Rita, and Erin

I didn't take too many pictures at the dinner.  I wasn't the lone crazy picture lady.  And quite frankly, there's only room for one. ha!  Jason wasn't able to come to the dinner, but he got off work in time for our Annual Christmas Light Walk Tour.  Part of the tradition, includes having a stranger take a group picture.  Here's all 22 of us.  I had to put a sticker over my foster nephews' pictures.  We hope to find out soon if they will be part of our forever family.  When we do, because I am believing that we will, I will repost this picture with no stickers.

Here's a few more from the night!  I can't tell you how happy it made my heart to have everyone there.  I may have been a little emotional. =)

Papa and Nana

The beautiful gazebo 

Uncle Billy, Nana, Payton, Emily, Aunt Kary, and Stephen

Karsyn and Daddy on the bridge

Papa and Aunt Becky

Kellie, Natalie, and Addi

I love the reflection of the trees on the pond.

The trees above us.

All of the girl cousins - Jessi, Katelyn, Addi, Natalie, Payton, Karsyn, Kellile, and  Emily

I had really hoped to get a family picture of each individual family, but I wasn't able.  I did get a snapshot of Uncle Billy's family.

Natalie, Stephen, Uncle Billy, Aunt Kary, and Emily

And here is our little family.  This is the very best of many. ha!

Jason, Karsyn, Addi, Me, Evan, and Payton

While we were on our walk tour, Addi and Natalie had a special cousin moment.  They stopped and sang "Let It Go" while it was playing during the light show.  It was so sweet.  It made Aunt Kary tear up. =)  After our walk, we went out to dinner.  Aunt Ashley and her crew had to part ways with us after we ate.  They had to head back to Missouri.  The remainder of us went out for ice cream.  Sunday afternoon, we all hung out at Nana and Papa's house.  It's always so fun seeing the cousins pair off.  Karsyn and Addi loved spending time with Katelyn and Natalie.  Kyle, Emily, Stephen, Payton, and Evan played a game that I don't think I'll ever fully understand. lol.  Kellie didn't feel so great, so she rested on the couch.  Jason and I tried to steal Katelyn, but Aunt Becky noticed.  We had to give her back. =(  I feel so blessed to have spent such a wonderful weekend with our family!

The Count Down to Christmas

The count down to Christmas has begun.  I can't believe that we are down to just a single digit amount of days before it's here. I know I've said this before, but I love all of the fun activities this time of year!  On Wednesday, Payton's 4th grade class did a Christmas recital during their morning Rise and Shine assembly.  I was at work, but Jason got to go.  Here's a video that he took.  Payton is wearing a Santa hat and a black shirt.  If you watch close, you can see her doing the motions.

 

It's really hard to get a good picture in the school gym, because of the lighting.  Jason really tried though.  Can you spot Pay?

Wednesday and Thursday, Karsyn and I had our class Christmas parties.  Being a preschool teacher during a Christmas party makes me a lousy photographer.  I just don't have time to take any pictures.  I did manage to snap one before the festivities for the day started.  Karsyn is coloring Mary and Baby Jesus.

Party days are a lot of fun, but they are also very high energy.  Karsyn and I were both pooped when it was all over!  On Thursday, Addi had her class "Polar Express Experience."  She got to wear her p.j's to school.  Addi and Payton were both super pumped after school.  They had a surprise during PE class.  They got to jump on inflatables.  Payton said it was the best day of school ever!  Evan had a pretty good day at school yesterday too.  His math teacher has been having his class do debates.  She stopped me at pick up to let me know that she was on a national debate team in high school and thinks that Evan is very good and has a lot of natural debate abilities.  Evan grinned ear to ear when I told him that. =)  We'll find out today if his team won the debate.

Thursday evening, we went on a horse drawn carriage ride in our little downtown.  Papa went with us.  Nana really wanted to go, but they had a contractor coming to their house.  We had an absolute blast!  A Christmastime carriage ride will be a new tradition for our family.  The only way the 7 of us could all go at the same time, is if someone rode up by the driver.  Evan rode there and was so excited!  Karsyn pointed out everywhere we go with Papa.  Addi was pretty much silent.  She just absorbed the sights and sounds of the night.  Payton loved it when we rode past the art studio.  Her instructior yelled "Merry Christmas" to us.  She thought it was great!

After our ride, we went and ate pizza for dinner.  Pay and Evan loved sitting by Papa at dinner.

After we ate, we drove around for a short time and looked at Christmas lights.  We cannot wait to do it again...just next time Nana has to come too!  It was a wonderful night!