Christmas Day 2011

This year...as in years past...we have been blessed enough, mostly through points at Chris' work, that we are going on another trip for Christmas!! Back in October the kids started asking if there was any way that we could go somewhere together again instead of getting presents. We told them no. They even volunteered to earn part of the money themselves. Then miracles happened and more points showed up than we thought. When we got to figuring it out we could see that it would work. It was not a surprise this year...we had them help plan it. They of course wanted to go to Disneyland. We decided we did not want to be there during Christmas break this year because of the crowds, so we are going in January instead. So...for Christmas they each got one Santa gift, a pair of PJ's each that their mother found very cheap on black friday, and their favorite box of cereal. I am always amazed that this seems to be plenty and we have a great christmas every year!!

When you have 5 kids you can fill up a tree with presents with only a couple each...amazing how that works!
Santa was good and left them each a present wrapped in Disney wrapping paper!!
Waiting patiently on the stairs before they were allowed to enter the family room downstairs. Brinley was so funny this year. Kade had been working on us all week about letting him set his alarm and waking up at 6:00am. We told him 7 would be great! Well, little miss Brinley showed up on the side of my bed at 5:30!! She said she just couldn't stand it anymore and she needed to see what Santa had brought. She woke up Quincy and Kade when I sent her away and had them help convince us that it was time to get up. At 6:00 we finally realized that she was not going to let us get anymore sleep and she woke her big sisters up.


Kylee had a "getting ready for College" Christmas! She got a Bed-in-a-bag set (which she helped pay for) and some tupperware. She opened up the tupperware and said, "I got lids"?? That was the joke the rest of the day. It's hard to grow up...especially on Christmas!



Emilee always wants to be surprised. She would not tell Santa what she wanted...so she got a skin for her ipod and a shirt! She was happy and surprised. Mission accomplished!!

Kade gave Santa two ideas and wanted to be surprised to see which one he would get. Luckily Santa was smart and picked the one he was secretly hoping he would get!! He got a wii hunting game.

All Quincy has wanted for two months was a Figit Friend. Luckily Santa honored her wish...it was a little hard for Santa to do this! It looks like a purple alien and tells jokes and dances to music.

Brinley wanted a Baby Alive...the doll that eats and poops!! Oh how fun! Santa was also crazy enough to honor her request. She looooves it!

The kids drew names and traded gifts with each other. They did a great job with this. As a mother, this was probably my favorite part of getting ready for Christmas. The older three spent their own money and they spent a lot of time thinking about what the other person might want. Kylee gave Em this shirt and some lotion from Bath and Body Works.

Quincy gave Kade this big tin of popcorn that he has been drooling over every time we have walked past it in Walmart for the past month! See that big smile on his face!! She also made him a cute note on the inside of a rolled up wrapping paper tube with a picture of him and her together.

Brinley had Kylee and she gave her a big princess coloring book, some crayons and this cute picture that she drew of her and Kylee.

Kade had Brinley and he gave her a memory game that she loves, a big box on Nerds and a candy neclace.

Emilee had Quincy and she got her a huge fuzzy poster to color and a box of candy.

The kids were so nice and gave Chris and I this cute picture of them with their names signed around the picture. We got a basket full of hot cocoa, mugs and our favorite giant sized candy bars!! It was the biggest present under the tree!

Later that afternoon we went to Grandpa and Grandma's for Christmas Breakfast...which had to be at noon because of church! We exchanged gifts after we ate. Brinley and Quincy both got princess dolls for their present.

Kade got this cool watch from Grandpa and Grandma

Kylee and Emilee got clothes...every teenagers love. Kylee got a wool coat and Emilee got a hoodie and some pajama pants.

Grandma was one busy bee this year. She sewed us all these cool aprons!

Dad is modeling his "big bib". Grandma told everyone that the women's were aprons and the men's were bibs. I think that is appropriate.

What a bunch of macho guys in their bibs!!! Hahahaha

Christmas this year was on Sunday. I decided I wouldn't care if it was on Sunday every year. I loved going to church on Christmas morning. We had the choir program and the spirit was as strong as I think I have ever felt it. It was a wonderful spiritual feast and a great time to remember why we celebrate the day.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!