Christmas

wait...be sure to look at the post below as well!

We had a really great one this year! It was great having Christmas on a Tuesday since that gave Marty a 4 day weekend. I worked on Saturday (did I tell ya'll that I am working on Saturday's at a little cafe?). On Sunday I had 2 big projects on my list 1. Wrap a lot of gifts for the kids that were from us, Saint Nick, and Marty's Dad and 2. Do some major grocery shopping. So, we split up and Marty went to the store with Cole and Ella. I was able to get all of the gifts wrapped since Marty was at the store for 3 hours! That's right, 3 hours! Poor guy. He said that WINCO was so busy that people had to wait for a shopping cart. So, thank you Marty!!

On Christmas Eve, we spent most of the day at home as a family. Something that we haven't had a lot of time to do latley. I gave the kids a gingerbread house kit as their first gift and they loved it! It was a lot more time comsuming than I thought (it was our first), but it worked out since we had the time. I can't wait to do another one next year. I thought that it would be a fun tradition to do that every Christmas Eve Day. (there are a ton of photos of it and more in the album on the side) We also had a breakfast casserole that I planned to have on Christmas morning, but I knew the kids would be so busy playing, we I'm glad that we had it then.

We went to my mom's at 4 to have Christmas with my family. It's always so crazy with all of these kids, but they were really good! The kids made quite a haul. Cole got some legos (and a case, thanks mom!)

and his favorite gift ever was from Jere and Heather- a flexable clip on flash light thing. That kid has had a serious love for flashlights since he was one! Ella got a new box full of princess dresses- her favorite is this "raspberry" one.

Alli was just thrilled with the wrapping paper. She likes her litle toy cookie jar too!


We came home and did the traditional new pjs, set cookies, milk and eggnog out for Santa, hang up the Santa Key outside, and read the Night Before Christmas. The kids were in bed at 10:00, which isn't too bad since they crashed the second they hit the pillow. Marty and I were able to get to bed at 12:30 after doing all of our "stuff". (that wasn't meant to sound dirty!)

Alli woke up on Christmas morning at 6:30, so I gave her a bottle and tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't since I knew it wouldn't be long until the kids were up. So, I grabbed a cup of coffee and my owners manuel to my new camera from Marty (he gave it me a few days early so I could get familiar with it before Christmas) and sat on the couch waiting for this...




I'm so glad that I did! I might just have to do that every year (might! It worked out since they weren't up until 8:00). We opened gifts and played and played and played with the dollhouse, spy gear, Fairytopia, basketball hoop and so much more!! Santa brought Alli a walk and push lion and she can walk all the way across the house with it! We went to Marty's Mom's for dinner and even more gifts. Then to Marty's stepdad's house to say Hello and we were home by 7.

I wish that Marty had the day after Christmas off as well to watch the kids play with everything! That's all we have done the past 3 days, play, play and play!! And I have gotten a lot of organzing done to make room for everything ;) I am really looking forward to leaving the house to go grocery shopping and you all know how much I dislike grocery shopping!

We are looking forward to another 4 day weekend for New Years. We just plan to stay home and have dinner with kids then either watch a movie here or go to a friends for fireworks. Happy 2008 everyone!!