We had a great Christmas week. Monday (Christmas Eve) Nathan went to work from 9-5 and the rest of us hung out at home and had a laid-back day. The older kids got caught up in their scripture reading and journals. The little kids played. In the afternoon we watched a movie and I went for a walk. Then we had dinner at 5:30 and everyone went to bed early! Christmas we hung out at home and then went to a friend's house for dinner at 4. The rest of the week we hung out at home, caught up on projects and finishing the Book of Mormon, watched some movies, did a puzzle, and played with cousins. Here are the pictures:
Sunday: Doing the nativity with 2 little cousins who are moving to Samoa tomorrow!
Monday: Christmas Eve dinner. When we moved here my sister-in-law told us she did pita bread, fish, and cheese like what Jesus would have eaten so we have done that too the past few years.
Nathan is rarely home for dinner and Kylie's in college now so it was extra special having the whole family around the table.
Last picture before taking the stockings down and putting them on the couches.
Starting to get lined up to go downstairs.
Then Lexi reminded me to go take pictures of their presents.
Family gifts, Kylie's, Madalyn's, Alexis's.
Nathan's and mine. Nathan got a vacuum for work. I got ear phones, a fanny pack, and kitchen mats.
Spencer's and Thomas's gifts.
Kaitlyn's, Makenna's, Samuel's, and Anderson's.
Talea's.
Trying to get 10 kids to line up!
Talea hiding behind Lexi.
Coming down!
Balloons!
A blessing dress for Kenna's doll.
A little "Go-pro" type camera.
I'm not sure what Alexis was reading but I took this because it was funny how Alexis found scrunchiis in her stocking and put them in her hair in a silly way then wore them like that the rest of the morning, not caring about pictures. :)
Andy totally loves his garbage truck!
A unicorn finger puppet.
Whole wheat cinnamon roll Christmas tree breakfast.
Arm wrestling. Can't remember how this got started. :)
Trying out Spencer's weights.
Spencer's muscle is growing already!
Last look at the tree before opening presents. It was our best tree ever, given to us by dear friends. Unfortunately it was pretty dead by Christmas so we took it down a couple days later.
Spencer drew Kait and Kylie's names for presents.
Matching necklaces!
It's the sweetest thing when your teenage boy picks out presents for his sisters all by himself, spends a lot of money, and gives them with love. They will long be treasured.
Madalyn got Thomas a BYU shirt at DI.
Thomas got Alexis (being silly with new scrunchiis in her hair) a niffler.
Watching Alexis open her present. At one point all the kids were laughing.
Alexis got Spencer a BYU shirt at Savers.
Kylie got Madalyn ear phones and fuzzy socks.
Sibling gifts are the sweetest! I love watching the kids give gifts to each other.
The older kids got me ear muffs, Alexis got me a "Mom" necklace, and the little girls got me chapstick and lipgloss.
I got Talea a new outfit.
I gave Kaitlyn a pedometer and Makenna a sketchbook.
And Thomas new shoes to wear walking with his cello in the snow to orchestra.
This is what his present looked like before he opened it. Andy helped me put lots of tags on it. :)
The 7 oldest kids holding the gifts I got them. I love giving them gifts.
And it felt extra special this year for some reason.
Nathan opening the present I got him.
A fridge for his office! To keep his lunches, dinners and midnight snacks in, as well as water bottles for his patients. I've wanted to get him one for a long time because he often leaves his food there overnight and then has to throw it away the next day.
My mom got these princess dresses for the little girls at Kid to Kid. They love them!
Opening the Green Machine my sister Lori gave us!
Alexis riding with Talea. I tried to get Talea to come in for a nap but she refused to get off Lexi's lap. I think she could have stayed there all day. :)
Getting ready for a bike race down the street.
The kids were surprised not to have a white Christmas like the past 2 years but then it was fun to be able to play outside like we did in NC, so we were glad it didn't snow until later in the day.
Spencer got weights and got Kylie to lift them with him.
Till Talea wanted to be Kylie's weights. :)
Kylie was stretching her leg against the wall when Talea wanted to be picked up so I grabbed the camera and Alexis jumped in too.
Wednesday: Playing board games.
The little boys eating their stocking candy and playing at the table.
Makenna and Kaitlyn playing with a toy we got from cousins. (I took this to show my brother)
Thursday: Kylie took 8 kids to visit cousins so I only had these 2 little ones. We spilled and swept a good part of the day. :) We also shoveled snow, blew out the garage, went for a long walk in the falling snow, read, and played.
I took this to show Kylie the huge mess the little kids were making while she was gone.
That night we started a puzzle and finished it the next morning.
Saturday: Playing at a cousin's house after a baptism.
Talea playing before church this morning.
