Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

A runaway shepherd 

Shepherd stealing the frankincense 

Nativity picture. I can't believe we have 9 kids in it now! Seems like last year we only had 4. It's so fun with a full cast. 

Earlier in the day Alexis, Thomas, Kaitlyn, and Makenna put on the Nutcracker Ballet. They did an awesome job. I took a video of it, but I guess no pictures. I'm a little embarrassed that they know the story way better than I do! 

Sunday morning: Hanging out in the little kids' room, waiting for Daddy to get up. The kids got up around 7:15 and I woke up at 7:24. This picture was taken at 7:49am. 

Looking out the bedroom window. A white Christmas! Our first one ever! 

(Not that we were surprised.) 

Pictures of the couches just before allowing the kids to come down. Kylie got Enchanted and Tangled violin music. Madalyn got colored pencils. They both got an electric mattress pad to share. Alexis got doll clothes and a watch. Mine and Nathan's stockings are on the corner couch. 

Thomas got Legos and a pogo scooter. Spencer got rubix cubes and gloves. 

Kaitlyn and Makenna got doll clothes and ballet slippers. Samuel got a xylophone and pogo hopper. Anderson got a cash register and teddy bear.  

Lining up to go downstairs. 8:03am 

Showing Samuel his pogo hopper. He has an imaginary pogo stick, so it was fun seeing his reaction to getting a real one. He didn't know what to think. 

Makenna with her ballet slippers and doll clothes. 

Alexis with her doll clothes. 

Kylie playing with Andy. 

The kids found reindeer tracks in the front yard. 

Here's where the reindeer took off. They just stop here so they must have flown away. 

Or it could be the fat quail that live in our yard. 

I'm not sure who took this picture, but it shows the 26 degrees we woke up to on Christmas. 

8" 

All the snow blown up against the door. 

Kaitlyn got a pair of tiny crocheted shoes for her doll. 

Alexis made Thomas an elaborate car wash. 

Thomas made Samuel a map of our town to drive cars on. 

Cinnamon roll breakfast. 

Makenna got an adorable crocheted purse for her baby as well as fuzzy socks (made from Kylie's old socks.) Kylie made these for all 3 girls. 

I found Samuel a tricycle in the classifieds for really cheap. That's all he really wanted! 

I got these 3 the new Piano Guys piano music.

We had a really nice Christmas. I feel like we got just the right amount of gifts and just what everyone needed/ wanted most. It's always so fun watching the kids see/open their gifts and I'm so grateful everything came together so easily and cheaply this year. I was really blessed. We enjoyed going to church except for getting stuck in the parking lot. :)

Week ending 12-25-16

Monday: Spencer had his orchestra concert. The picture didn't turn out, but the videos did. 

Tuesday: Someone gave us 5 free tickets to the aquarium so Kylie took 4 kids. I wasn't there, so I don't know much about the pictures, but I'm posting them so that they can look at them. 

Looks like they had a lot of fun.

Kaitlyn 

Thomas 

At home I brought the boys' carseats in and let them play with them since they weren't going. Anderson sat in his and sang songs out of the Children's songbook and waved his hand. It was so cute. 

Wednesday we made gingerbread houses. Alexis did most of the work, making the dough, cutting the pieces, getting out all the candy, etc. 

She was also the most patient one, letting her frosting harden to ensure her house stayed up. 

Everyone else held theirs up for the picture, then let it fall and decorated it flat. 

Madalyn's 

Anderson regularly climbs up on the toilet and into the sink and turns the water on himself. 

Thursday: First day of no seminary! I came downstairs to find all of my 9 children eating breakfast at the table. I love having them all home all day. 

Friday morning: mopping the floors. All of the kids were supposed to be helping, but Anderson was the first to jump in and actually start scrubbing. He's a keeper. 

Friday after lunch: Movie party! Spencer and the little kids watched a Daniel Tiger movie. 

Anderson took a nap. 

Alexis and Thomas watched funniest Christmas videos. 

Kylie, Madalyn, and I watched a Christmas movie together and crocheted/cross-stitched. It was a really fun afternoon and I wish we could do it again before Christmas. But tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I'll blog about it and Christmas Eve another time.