::christmas day::

Usually on Christmas day, we are getting packed up to go to my parents' house and then on to St. George (blah) the next day.  This year, we just got to stay home.  There was no golf trip planned, Papa Guitar was visiting, and Grandma & Papa Kitty went to Oklahoma to visit their families.  It was kinda fun to just stay home.  My brother and his wife came up for dinner and to visit for a while, and we just kind of stayed in.

Except when Papa took the kids out...in the snow.  Bubb had to try out his new shovels (shovel, rake, and hoe), and also his ware barro (wheel barrow).

Also on Christmas day, pretty much all day, Matt's flew his new helicopter around.  You get about 7 minutes of fly time per 50 minute charge.  Nice, huh?  It's totally worth it though-according to Matt.  

It can fly up...

...down...

It can hover...

It can go up on top of the pantry...

...And get stuck.  Thanks for bailin' us out, Bubb!

It's pretty fun.  I can't say it hasn't crashed a few times, and I can't say the kids don't scream and run around like crazy people when they hear the hum of the propellers, and we might have even taped out a landing pad on the carpet.  Pretty awesome Christmas present, don't ya think??

:]

::christmas morning::

Christmas morning was SO much fun!  The 3 bigger kids slept downstairs in Port's room (on Matt's air mattress-partly because Papa was staying in Coop's room, and partly because it's fun).  They came upstairs at about 7ish.  We were totally asleep.  We had to wake up Ava-she was totally asleep too-poor little teeny-weeny.  She didn't really understand what we were doing.  So I changed her diaper, and at some point during the changing, going to the bathroom, Matt getting a shirt on, Port had already gone through his stocking!  Stinky boy.

The morning was way fun, we got way too much fun stuff, and we are way grateful.

And here are way too many photos of our morning that I didn't take (thank goodness Papa did!)...

(I guess Santa's handwriting is a little tough to read)

(I think he's still trying to wake up)

Ok, so Chloe and Port both got 3ds's.  They opened them at the same time, but weren't sitting next to each other.  Chloe's face(s) is G R E A T!!!  Port's was too, we just didn't get pictures of it.  They were both SO excited!!

His favorite color might be green :]

(green shirt, green jammie shirt, green sweater, green hat and gloves, green wrapping paper)

Ave was a slow present opener.  

(The disadvantage to not being the picture taker is that you might end up in the photos looking like Christmas morning  Cute on the kids-me, not so much).

She LOVED her hat and mittens! LOVED them!  I didn't think she would, but she did, and it was HILARIOUS, and she knew it :]

Stockings...

(Port already did his...he was checking to see if he missed anything)

(she got B's in her stocking!! And she wanted 'em!)

One of my favorite presents from Santa...

(I've been wanting a big ol' chunky gold watch---oh, Santa.)

It was a fun morning.  Jared and Sarah came by (which we love).  We had our cinnamon rolls, as always, plus a few extra breakfast items thanks to Papa.  It was so fun to share our Christmas with him.  It went by too fast, but that's just how it is, I guess.  Next year (yes already thinking about next year), I want to try to slow it down a little!

We missed Grandma and Papa Snowman.  We got to skype with them, and were glad for that, but it wasn't the same.  Chloe said-what if they just showed up and rang the doorbell?!-.  That would've been fun!

::still still still::

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep.

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.

The night is peaceful all around you,

Close your eyes

Let sleep surround you.

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep,

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.

                                                                                                   ~"Still, Still, Still" Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Everyone's in bed.  Everything's quiet.  

We're thankful for our Saviour and 

this special time of year:  family, love, charity, peace, hope.

Merry Christmas.

::the rest of our christmas eve::

Merry Christmas Eve!!

We came home pretty quickly after the Halling party (and it was still snowing) to open our family gifts. Jammies, of course, some fun things from Papa, and some fun things from Gramma Ruby.

Bubb was excited about his monster truck jammies...

Port's happy with his Mario jams...

Chloe loves the purple and pink polkas...

Mae-Mae got some pink princessy ones, but I didn't get a photo of her in them.  She was a little busy opening my present from Papa...

Bubb thinks Papa's hat is weird...

And Portie thought he should give it a try...

And here's all of us in our jammies!  

(I love this photo.  Papa's in it.  I love that he came for Christmas.  We were all so excited to have him.  We're so happy he could be with us.  I hope he had fun too.)

Papa read them Twas the Night Before Christmas this year, and it was all kinds of goofy.  He made up his own words for the story and it was just goofy!  The kids laughed and rolled back on the bed (they all slept together in Port's room) and thought he was just the funniest thing in the world.

Now cookies and carrots out, milk in the fridge, a note for Santa, Santa key on the door, and off to bed!!

::Halling party::

On Christmas eve, we always exchange gifts with Matt's family and go to the Halling party (Matt's mom's side of the fam).  This year was no different.  We exchange names, do some shopping, and finally get together on Christmas eve to give gifts :]

First, I want to make note of the weather.  This is a picture of the canyon (Sardine Canyon) just before the Mantua exit.  It was AWFUL!  Thank goodness for AWD!!  And thank goodness I didn't have to drive in it! :]  Needless to say, we were in for a white Christmas!

We have a new member this year, Baby Harper (Keely's-Matt's niece- baby.  Isn't she so cute??)  One of us drew her name!  We got her a wipee warmer for her teeny little bummy.

Here are all the grandkids-minus Keely, and plus one great-grandchild.  Wow, that's weird.

Chloe passed out the presents...

Bubb didn't waste any time.  He was kind of excited.

Then we went to the big party at the church (just down the street).  We're such a big group, so we go there.  

Papa Guitar came!!  He's here for Christmas (actual Christmas!!), so he came to the big family party!

We have a big dinner and listen to some Christmas carols on Steve's guitar.  The little kids dance.  We told Chloe she started that whole thing (the dancing).  She was like "whaaa???"  She didn't remember any of that.  We have video proof of it thoiugh!  She was the dance-at-the-Christmas-party-trendsetter!  Great job, girl!!

...And she wasn't too much older than that...

All the great and great, great grandkids got some gloves/mittens from the aunts for Christmas.  Fun, huh?

Then, the sister gifts, of course.