::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.

::frycakes::

We, of course, did fry cakes.  It's tradish.  Even if you do have to wash your hair 3 times to get the frycake smell out ;]

Aunt Deanne and Amberlee mostly cooked them.  Portie liked to help put them in baggies...

While we were up there, we thought it'd be a good time to skype Grandma & Papa Snowman...

My brown eyed girl...

Grandma & Papa, we miss you.  

We just plain miss you.

::santa::

Just like every year, Santa came to Mantua!  (It's been 2 weeks ago yikes!)  We all still believe (so far)-despite Santa's beard malfunction-and the kids were way excited to tell him what they wanted.  The candy canes, hot chocolate, and doughnuts probably helped a little too.

Port went first...

A Ninendo 3DS, Mario toys, and Pokemon toys.

Then Chloe...

All she could think to tell him was new paints and some new play-doh.

(We asked her later if that's really all she wants.  We're having a hard time with this girl!  She's growing out of toys, but not quite old enough for iPhones and things like that-but don't think she hasn't asked for one!  She said she does want a 3ds too, but didn't ask Santa for one.  We still don't know why.  I think we've got her figured out now though.  I think/hope she'll have a fun Chirstmas morning :] )

Bubba..

He wasn't too scared.  He didn't talk too loud, but he told Santa he wanted a worker guy house (??) .

And Poor little Mae-Mae...

She was too scared to tell Santa anysing!!  But she wants some new b's (binkies) (I know, she'll be 2 in March, but she loves them!), and some new baby dolls (she looooves "beebees". :]

And all of us!!  We got our group shot this year!  

Thank goodness.

In other news...
We're getting way excited for Christmas, as usual.  I'm almost done with the shopping-even the extended family!  Matt and I have to "take inventory" of everything we have for the kids one of these days to make sure everything's even between the 4 of them.  He's off work from this Thursday until the week after (AFTER) new years!!  We're way excited to have him home for a while!  I love it!  Love that he saves all his vacation and floating holidays and sick days like that.  Makes it so fun!  The kids have been writing notes back and forth with our elf on the shelf every night.  He answers questions and draws them pictures.  He helped Chloe decide between an iPod touch and a 3ds for Christmas.  Lucky (for us) he told her the 3ds was a better choice :]...those new iPod touches are SO expensive-especially for a 9-year-old!!  But they'e way cute and she'd love it....ugh!.....not this year.  She's only 9!!  When I was 9, I played with Barbies and markers and coloring books!  Jeez!!!  Aaaannnyyyway...I'm WAY excited for Christmas!  Did I mention that already??  My dad will be here...for Christmas!  He's coming in on Christmas eve and leaving on the 26th, so a quick little visit, but he'll be here for the big day.  It makes me happy.  My brother and his wife are coming up, and I'll be making dinner, which I'm a little nervous about, but It'll be ok. I'm not making turkey, so that takes a little pressure off.  Only 8 more days...
:]

::thanksgiving::

This year we were with my side of the family.  It was really fun because my brother had his kids this year, so all the cousins got to play together all day, AND, my Grampa and my Aunt Karen drove in from Oklahoma and Indiana (respectively).  It was a long drive for them (especially Aunt Karen-she drove to OK, and picked up Grampa, and then on to Utah!!), but we're SO glad they did.  I can't even express how fun it was to have them there.  It was just neat.  I haven't seen my Grampa in a while, and it was so fun to have him there.  He talked to us about Oklahoma, the Air Force, turning 30 (turns out I'm not the only one who had a hard time with it), and it was just so fun to have him there...I might've said that already :]  Aunt Karen jumped in and helped us cook.  We came down early Thursday morning, and by then, she'd already been at it for a day and a half, but she did great!  We're so glad to have her in our family!

Here's Bubb at the kids' table.  Mom put some brown paper on them so they could draw pictures while they waited.  Isn't he cute??

Lucky little Bubb got a birthday present on Thanksgiving!  Grandma & Papa gave him a truck and trailer and some dinosaurs to ride on the trailer :]  Grampa & Aunt Karen gave him the cutest card with a little blow-up sword in it!!  He loved it!  Thanks you guys!

Here's the grown ups' table.  Mom always does such a pretty table.

We decided since we were all together, we oughtta take a big group photo.

Here's my Grampa with all the great-grands.

Liam (7) Tristan (5-almost 6) Mia (2-almost 3) Cooper (4) Porter (6 1/2) Chloe (9)

Grampa (82)

I Love this photo.

Aunt Karen with all the great-nieces and nephews.  Don't you love sweet Mia's face??

So it was a pretty special Thanksgiving for us.  It was really fun to have them here.  We didn't do any black friday shopping, and it was SO nice!!  I felt a little left out, but I didn't miss getting up super early, and I really didn't feel like I missed much.  I only wanted to go for myself to be perfectly honest, and that's not gonna get the Christmas shopping done, so Matt I decided it'd be better if I avoid black friday altogether :]

So we got our tree on Friday, and Grampa, Aunt Karen, and Mom & Kevin came up to have Thanksgiving leftovers and play games.  It was pretty fun.  We couldn't get Grampa to play Pictionary on the Wii, but I hope he still had fun just sitting down there with all of us.  We're so glad he came to hang with us for a while :]