Christmas 2009

Well, it's been almost a month since Christmas and I'm finally getting around to blogging about it. We had such a fantastic time with my side of the family. I apologize for the lighting on a lot of the pictures.
On Christmas Eve Tanya built gingerbread houses with all of the nieces and nephews. They love doing this with her and you can just tell by their faces how proud they are of their work.
Here are all of the cousins on Christmas morning. They were so excited to get downstairs and see what Santa brought them.

We all got some really neat presents from Santa, mom and dad, the grandmas and grandpas, and their cousins too. I don't like to focus on what the kids received for Christmas, so here are just some of their favorites.

Avery loved her makeup bag. I think she must have reapplied her hot pink lipstick at least 50 times that day.

Blake loved playing basketball with whomever would hold him up to put the ball in the net. He hasn't quite grasped the concept of throwing the ball up yet.

Ashlyn loved playing with her cousin Kayla and their new Barbies and horses.

We tried to focus our kids minds on what they were going to give to each other this year rather than what they were receiving. Since GIVING is the most important part of Christmas. Even a month later they are still talking about what they gave each other and how special it was. Hearing them talk like that makes my heart melt.

The cousins played games most of the time they were together, but late at night we grownups had a chance to play too.

It got very, very cold while we were there, but it's never too cold to take a walk with Grandma. Here they are on the trail that's right behind their house.

Christmas is always such a special time of year. Aunt Donna and Uncle Gill stopped by and Erik's parents, Harald and Ranae came for the festivities. After dinner grandma and grandpa and the kids put on a fabulous Nativity play. Stay tuned for that video.