CHRISTMAS FUN 2009!

We had a great Christmas this year. We decided to make it real low key and just stay at home in our pj's all day. Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Kacie joined in the festivities and we had a great time. The kids were so excited about their gifts. Eli got a new Wii game, which Daniel and I enjoy just as much as him! Kaylynn got a couple Disney Barbies and a "Make-over" as she calls it. It is actually just some glittery make-up for little girls and as you will see in the scary picture below, she got a little carried away with the pink. Liam got the best gift of all...his very own Dirt Devil vacuum! This kid is obsessed with the vacuum and is always getting the real one out of the closet and leaving the parts all over the house. We thought this would be great for him to play with and save us some time cleaning up after him all the time. It was a hit and he is even a little possessive over it. No one touch the Dirt Devil!!! Daniel and I cooked up a yummy turkey for everyone and Grandpa made an awesome chocolate pie that, according to Grandma, took all day to make! All-in-all, Christmas turned out very nice and of coarse we didn't forget about the true meaning of the holiday. We give thanks to Jesus Christ. We are so very blessed! Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Eve at Grandpa's!

New jammies and 1 gift to open!

Kacie's having a great time!

Grandma finishing off Grandpa's chocolate pie!

Did I just miss Santa?

Cookies for Santa, carrots for his reindeer, and 5 Santa hats for the Riley's!

Here come the troops down the hall on Christmas morning!

That is a paper crown on Eli's head!

"I see the lights!"

Eli reading a note from Santa all by himself!

A new comfy cozy couch to watch movies on! We were in need of a new one. I am telling you that this has been the best investment. The kids love it!

Kaylynn with her Cinderella!

I had to open many of Liam's presents because all he wanted to do was hold these crazy balls that light up.

One more gift for Liam. What could be hiding in the closet?

"Is this for me? It's just my size!"

"Where's the dirt?"

"Thanks for this really fun box wrapped in shinny paper! What am I suppose to do with it?"

As I said before...Kaylynn got a little out of hand with her "makeover"! Anyone for some WWF Smackdown?

Sistas!

Yummy food!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

CHRISTMAS TREES & "BLESSINGS"

Preparations for Christmas this year went as usual...hectic to complete but a relief when it was all finished. We finally got our fresh Christmas tree only to find out that it was frozen solid and we would have to thaw it out over night before putting it in our tree stand. On top of that, Eli had both basketball and swimming almost every night of the week so it was hard to find enough time for us all to be together and decorate the tree. It all finally came together and the tree turned out beautiful...with the exception of Liam taking all the lower ornaments off. I thought this would happen so I purposely put the non-breakable ones on the bottom. Daniel actually wanted to forgo getting a tree this year and just have the kids draw a tree on a big piece of paper and putting it up on the wall. I talked him out of this idea sighting that Liam would just pull it down anyways and plus it was a dorky idea! Anyways, Christmas came way too fast and I have decided with three kids, next year I am totally doing my shopping on-line!

Kaylynn!

Eli

Notice how most of the ornaments are higher up the tree!

Kaylynn was tuckered out afterwards!

Kaylynn at her pre-school Christmas program. "Merry Christmas everybody!"

Daddy and Liam being silly in their Santa hats!

HO HO HO!!!

"The blessings!"

"See my sparkly new Christmas dress?"

Looking sharp for church!

SNOW MUCH FUN!!!

It's snow much fun to play in the snow! Kaylynn loves to make snow angels and Eli is determined to build his own snow man no matter how much snow is on the ground. Liam has not quite figured out what to do with the snow and can't even walk in it because his boots are too big...third child syndrome! Usually it snows and then it melts by the end of the day but, the past 2 years, we have had the pleasure of enjoying the snow for more than a few hours. Here are a few good pictures of some fun the kids had in our winter wonderland!

That's the cutest angel I've ever seen!

"It's snowing!"

Does this remind you of the "Christmas Story?"

"What am I suppose to do with this?"

Eli and his perfect snow ball!

Is it going to stay?

The proud finished product with a sporty hat of grapes on top!

Kaylynn and mommy's attempt at a snow man. The snow was too cold to roll it so a snow pile will have to do!

A little hot chocolate to warm us up afterwards! "Got hot cocoa?"

THE POLAR EXPRESS!

Hop aboard and take a ride on the Polar Express! We took the kids (and Daniel for that matter) on their first train ride to see Santa at the North Pole! We had so much fun and had lots of treats. The kids loved to look out the window and see the beautiful scenery. They all want to go back next year!

"Are we there yet?"

Kaylynn eating some lunch!

Like father, like son!

HO HO HO!

"I thought there would be more snow at the North Pole!"

Grandma and Grandpa came along for the ride!

Liam was tuckered out!

Look out! Here come Kaylynn and Eli aboard the Polar Express!