Christmas 2011

Our kids always look forward to Christmas and this year was no exception, except Brooke was really excited, I can't put into words how excited she really was, but she was so fun to watch as Christmas got closer. For Christmas Eve we always go to my Mom's for our annual Christmas Eve party, the kids always look forward to going and playing games at grandma's, I think they like the candy game the most. This year Mom told us to each come up with a game to play, so I found a game called fill the stocking, and it was a lot of fun. The little kids really got into it and the adults that were on each team got really competitive, it was so fun to see how all the adults would try to cheat to fill their teams sock first. I don't remember whose team actually won, but it was a lot of fun. After a few games it was getting time to get settled and some people actually needed to get going, so we opened a few gifts and were on our way. Once we got home we settled in to watch our traditional Christmas Eve movie, the Polar Express. Then it was off to bed and I was exhausted.
Christmas day was a little different than most years, where it fell on Sunday we told the kids we would be going to church before we opened gifts. I was really hoping that with the kids knowing this they would sleep in, but no such luck, they were up at 6 a.m. So I got up and made breakfast and we tried to keep the kids busy for the next 3 hours. After church we got home and they could hardly contain themselves. They all wanted to get their pj's back on and then go see what Santa brought them. It is always so much fun to see the joy on their faces when the see everything. After gifts at home we went to Grandpa and Grandma Tolman's to open gifts and eat cinnamon rolls. Then later that afternoon we went to the Grandma Chickaboo's and Grandpa Tater's to open gifts and eat dinner. It was such a great day to be able to be with everyone we love. This was our first Christmas without my Grandma and I knew it would be hard for me to not be able to call her and wish her a Merry Christmas, but we were all able to get through it and although I couldn't call Grandma I know she was looking down on all of us smiling and enjoying her view from above. I was still able to call my Grandpa that night and wish him a Merry Christmas, but at times like this I really wish I lived closer so I could go visit him more.

Brooke asked for a boys bike for Christmas because she doesn't like the colors of the girls' bikes, so that is just what she got.

Ben got a new pole with an open face reel.

Kylee got an ereader and a new bean bag chair.

Brooke really wanted to go ride her bike.

The day after Christmas I decided we should go fishing, Ben got a new pole and a bb gun, so I figured why not take him out fishing and shooting all at once. Well my plan was halfway foiled. We got to the reservoir and guess what...it was frozen over, I had mentioned to Jaime that we should bring and auger, but he didn't think it had been that cold. We still had fun with it, the kids were able to play on the ice and then they were able to shoot bb guns, it ended up just being a fun day to get away. Thanks Carolyn and boys for coming along with us and enjoying one of our crazy adventures.

The kids playing on the ice.