Christmas 2008

Here is the rundown of our Christmas craziness! Like my friend put it.....This is going to be a long post and I know you probably don't care about the details but this is my "scrapbook," something my family will look back at, so here it is!
Christmas Eve we headed to my parents house and had our Christmas dinner....I always enjoy this part the most...the whole family sitting around the table having dinner and conversing! My second favorite is still waking up at my parents house Christmas morning, picture on the steps (tradition), doing the stocking/present thing and then a yummy breakfast!

Traditional picture.....the comment was made that we are going to need to add more steps pretty soon!

Kate gaurding the loot! It looks like she already found her favorite gift and she hasn't even gotten to the tree yet!

Mackenzie has been wanting an umbrella and she got to use it right away....who would guess....rain at Christmas?

Kate showing how big she is getting!

Aunt Amy and Mackenzie multi-tasking....hanging out in the new tent...watching the new Wiggles movie....and probably checking FB!

Christmas day was a great day of just hanging out with the family....it was actually our only relaxing day! We played a lot of "Things" over Christmas. It is a game that I was introduced to by some friends and I told my mom she HAD to get it for the boys for Christmas. I explain it as a mixture of Balderdash and Apples to Apples. Lots of Laughs!

Friday I got to have lunch with Destiny, my best friend from High School. It was so good to catch up with her! Then on to the preparations for the next day. Saturday my parents were having my dad's side of the family for the Christmas this year....all 40 of us were there!

We had it all out in my parents gym...we set up tables on one half, the kids played in the other half and it worked out perfectly...plenty of room! Here is just half of the clan!

It happened to fall on Zach's birthday this year......the big 17!

We got to meet my cousin Jenny's 2 new additions to the family....her husband Shawn and their new little baby Alexander Randall(Xander)! He is so adorable!

Then on to the volleyball match....the was more than enough for 2 teams... I'm not sure who won!

It was so great for all of us to be together.....that doesn't happen every year! So thankful that we all still get together and that my Grandpa was there and doing well! ( he was in the hospital for several weeks around Thanksgiving)

Sunday was off to Aaron's family Christmas! We were all there except Mark's....we missed you! We ate....did the present thing and then ate again (I think it is a theme for the holidays)

Here is Mackenzie and Sophia helping Grandma play Christmas tunes on the piano!

Zach entertaining Kate!

Molly and her cute little present! She stuffed Mackenzie into a sack and gave her as a gift!

Mackenzie enjoyed playing with her cousin Sophia...the only one close to her age! We also introduced the Musselman's to "Things!" We got to stay at Aaron's brother Mike's place....thank you so much for the hospitality.

On Sunday we missed my mom's side of the family Christmas. It wasn't supposed to be this way, but somewhere along the line there was a misunderstanding or miscommunication. My parents were hosting again and my mom was trying to plan around my schedule so I could help her. Oops! We missed seeing all of you!

Then on Monday I got to meet some college friends for lunch! Holli was back from the UK and it was SO great to get together....it has been years since we were all together and we have so many memories together. Some of us have seen each other, but all 5 of us are literally spread across the globe.....UK.... Seattle.... Georgia....Illinois..... Iowa!

Holli, Tara, Bridget, me and Leisa! I thank God for friends like this that after years of not being together you can just pick up right were you left off!

We drove back home then late monday night. So Tuesday was our own little family Christmas. I never want to do it before we leave because well, we just had Mackenzie's birthday and it just seems more separated if we do it this way....and it is always something to look forward to going home after all the hoopla!

Starting the tradition of the step picture with our family!

The girls unwrapping yet another present! I mean really, where are we going to put this stuff?

Kate really caught on to the whole unwrapping process. Of course she really didn't know what was going on except that if she ripped the paper there was something fun underneath!

Well all in all there was much food...laughter... presents.....more food....more good times...more presents....more food.....and even more presents! But I can't end this post without Praising God for what He gave to us....His Son sent here on earth to free us ...and that is the reason we celebrate Christmas!