Phew....can't believe that ANOTHER Christmas has come and gone....seriously, the years are flying by and it makes me so sad to think that there may only be a few more years that my kids still "believe"!! I seriously love the magic that comes with Christmas and I will be so sad when that "magic" isn't as strong as it is now with little kids!!! I remember reading something that said that we use to think that the best part of Christmas was being a kid, but it's even better to be a parent! I totally agree!! I would be fine getting nothing for Christmas....to me, the joy is in giving and seeing the excitement in my kid's eyes this time of year!! :)
Grammy continued the tradition of giving the kids new Christmas jammies.....so cute.....
We hosted Christmas Eve at our house this year and one of the first things the kids all did when cousins arrived was seperating all the presents under the tree....
So many presents...
Maddix was so fun with presents this year! He was totally interested and loved opening things! I love this age (actually, normally I hate this age, but at Christmas time it's super fun)!! :)
These 2 can't keep their hands off each other....they get into some serious wrestling matches when they are together!!!
That's better.... :)
Adults snacked on appetizers while the kids were busy with presents....
Grammy and Cooper....he's a 13 year old giant!!
Carter....
Crew and Zoey....1 month apart! :)
One of the kids favorite gifts was a book that Grammy made of all the fun they had at "Critter Camp" this summer!!! They all loved looking at them!! Maddix was the only one that didn't get one cuz he wasn't old enough for Critter Camp, but he checked out Cooper's book!! :)
Zoey got her #1 gift.....the ONLY thing she had really asked for....a little stuffed animal named "Belle" that came with a book and a CD audio of the book! She was excited!
Maddix took his time opening gifts and then played with and enjoyed whatever he opened! It was refreshing to see him enjoy each gift and take his time....since some other children (who will go unnamed) seemed to RUSH right through and were ready for the "next gift"! Argh!! :-/
Gift cards are fun gifts....thanks Aunt Pam & Uncle John!! :)
Our friends in Utah were so sweet to send gifts....
And this ADORABLE beanie for Maddix....
Ayden kinda loves anything "Minecraft"....
Zoey got a Hello Kitty CD player and she literally sat and listened to the Taylor Swift Christmas CD like this FOREVER!!!!
This girl SOOOO appreciates the little things!! :)
Kids got busy building legos....
...and playing a new game on the computer...
We ate dinner and then the adults opened gifts while the kids played upstairs! The only pic of the hubby and me at Christmas....I'm so sad we didn't get a family picture!! :(
Farting Santa for Jer....
The aftermath.....phew....what a mess!!!
Looks like Santa has been here.....a lego table for Ayden with a "HO HO HO" message!!! :)
Maddix took his time opening gifts again and enjoyed each one individually....
Zoey loved her very own Rainbow Loom.....
Ayden opened his presents so fast that he was itching to open more....so he helped Maddix when he needed it....
The kids are obsessed with the fox song...so Santa brought them little stuffed foxes in their stockings.....this is what my kids do with stuffed animals.....the love them and snuggle them and rub them on their faces!!! LOL!!
Maddix was happy too....
We were lucky enough to get to host Christmas day at our house too! It's always so hard to have the kids open presents and then have to leave everything to go somewhere! It was such a nice day to let them play with their toys ALL DAY LONG!!!!
Two of Jer's siblings stayed in Utah for Christmas, so we just had his parents and his brother Kirt and his wife, Stephanie! My parents had spent the night and were leaving, so we had everyone for a delicious brunch and then my parents left and we had the rest of the day with Jeremiah's family!
Jer's mom made the most delicious apple pie!! :) Isn't this picture perfect!!!??!?
Grandma and Grandpa....
Kirt & Steph....
Ayden got a lump of coal....hahahahaha.....he thought it was kinda funny!! :)
Christmas felt small this year without his other 2 siblings and more cousins, but at the same time, it was very nice and relaxing!! :)
We discovered K'nex this year and are obsessed!!! I love them!! I think they're so much more fun than legos....Ayden has been building so many fun things the last couple days!! :)
We love Dave Ramsey around here.....now the kids can learn about money and how to be debt free!! :)
Grandma Brenda made a "cousin book" for the kids....seriously, these kinds of things are my fave gifts! The kids have loved looking at them all!!
See......I told you we had a nice relaxing (nap worthy) day!! :)
Jeremiah's mom and I made turkey and some fixin's for dinner....
It was a really nice and relaxing day! Everyone left our house at 4:30 pm and we decided to take a walk over to the park.....Maddix was still in his jammies from the night before, Zoey was wearing her Christmas Eve shirt and a new skirt she got for Christmas Eve AND slept in and Ayden was at least dressed for the day! That's the joy of having Christmas at your house....you are allowed to look like a ragamuffin and stay in your jammies all day!! :) After the park, we came home to eat the delicious apple pie that Grandma Brenda made and the kids all showered and were tucked in by 6:30 pm! Jeremiah and I watched TV for the rest of the night and then headed up to bed at 9:30 pm!! Ahhh....I wish every day/night could be like that!!!
The day after Christmas, Ayden and I went exercising and he brought his elf, Rudy, along for the ride (can you see Rudy sticking out of his pocket?!?)!! We are breaking all the elf rules around here....it's 2 days after Christmas and they are STILL around because they keep forgetting to fly back to the North Pole!!
What a wonderful Christmas we had!! Can't believe another year is over already!!
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