Sunday, January 3, 2010

Merry Christmas!

What an awesome Christmas this was. The first of our 36 guests arrived on the 23rd. Jeff, Lois & Reed Heit from Maryland pulled in around 8:30 that evening, and Andy & Steph Gerla completed the Christmas group as we pulled in from the St. Louis airport at about 1am. (I have never been searched coming through the gates here, and of course, night of all nights, I have to be searched then. At least my kids didn't wake up when the guards made us turn all the lights on in our van.)

The kids enjoyed naps
Dec 24 2009 Shanna Reed Haley

And playing
Dec 25 2009 Lee Cal Reed Clark

Dec 23 2009 Reed Clark Cal

Dec 24 2009 Reed Shanna (2)

We had a fun Christmas Eve. Shanna didn't during dinner...but we managed to get through that
Dec 24 2009 Clark Haley

Dec 24 2009 Haley

Dec 24 2009 Clark Shanna

Dec 24 2009 The Gang

After a few tries and some WONDERFUL tips from Cindy, the dinner rolls turned out great! I was unexpectedly surprised at how yummy they were. Thanks Cindy! Oh, and I even froze them because I made them two days before Christmas Eve and they still tasted fabulous!
Dec 22 2009 The best rolls!

After dinner we had acted out the Nativity, sang Christmas carols and watched The Nativity. Clark was a wiseman.
Dec 24 2009 The wiseman

Dec 24 2009 Haley Baby

Dec 24 2009 Reed

Dec 24 2009 Clark Reed Shanna Haley

Dec 24 2009 Reed Shanna (3)

Dec 24 2009 Reed Shanna Haley again

Dec 24 2009 Reed Shanna Haley once more

Dec 24 2009 Shanna baby

Cal was a lion. And he wasn't anybody's lion, just a plain old lion. Too funny!
Dec 24 2009 Cal the lion

Joseph, Mary and the babe.
Dec 24 2009 Joseph Mary Baby

King Herod and the wiseman
Dec 24 2009 Wiseman and Herrod

Dec 24 2009 the girls

Dec 24 2009 Elden Andy Steph (2)

Lois during the program
Dec 24 2009 Lois

Us during the program
Dec 24 2009 Cal Haley Ruth Lee Clark

King Herod contemplating his deeds while the cheery lion and wiseman stand by
Dec 24 2009 Clark Lion King Herrod

Ahh...Christmas morning! I am glad I went down early because we forgot to eat Santa's treat that Clark and Cal left out, along with their notes to Santa. As you can see out the window, we woke up to SNOW Christmas morning! There wasn't much, but it was GREAT!!! Reed and Clark were watching some message from or about Santa that morning. (I am glad my kids slept till about 7:30!)
Dec 25 2009 Jeff Reed Clark

Before going to see presents we all had a pumpkin pie breakfast. Then it was present time...
Dec 25 2009  Cal Clark

Dec 25 2009  Clark

Our kids get olives and mini cereal boxes with their stockings each year. (Well, I didn't give Shanna and Haley their own can of olives this year, just Clark and Cal; but next year they'll be in on it.)
Dec 25 2009  Haley Cal

Dec 25 2009  Shanna

Dec 25 2009  Haley again

Dec 25 2009  Haley Shanna Clark

Dec 25 2009 Shanna (2)

Dec 25 2009 Haley Cal

Dec 25 2009 Shanna Haley (2)

Dec 25 2009 Reed Lois (2)

Dec 25 2009  Steph and Andy

Dec 25 2009 Cal Haley Andy Steph

Dec 25 2009 presents!

Dec 25 2009  Cal opening

Dec 25 2009  Haley Rae

Dec 25 2009  Shanna Mae

Dec 25 2009  Lois Anne

Dec 25 2009 Reed opening

Dec 25 2009 Steph and Andy Gerla

Dec 25 2009  Cal and Clark again

Dec 25 2009 Lois opening

Dec 25 2009  Steph y Andy

Dec 25 2009  Lee

Dec 25 2009  Haley baby

Dec 25 2009 Cal once more

Dec 25 2009  Cal

Dec 25 2009 Clark (2)

Dec 25 2009  Shanna Haley

Dec 25 2009 Reed (2)

Dec 25 2009 Reed Jeff Lois

Dec 25 2009 The Crew

Dec 25 2009 Reed (3)

Dec 25 2009 Reed (4)

Dec 25 2009 Cal Jeff Lois

Dec 25 2009 Cal Jeff Lois

Dec 25 2009 Haley Steph Reed

Dec 25 2009 Shanna Reed Ruth

Dec 25 2009  Clark Ruth and Lee

I enjoyed receiving these from Lee Christmas day: a Nalgene water bottle and 6 things of my favorite lip balm!


Image from ecrater.com


After playing with toys and eating a yummy Christmas brunch (thanks for the tradition Kent and Saundra--we're three years strong!) we talked to family, played Bananagrams, and enjoyed the day; it was wonderful. Since it has been a tradition-sharing blog, every year Lee and I listen to or read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. We listened to the book on CD this year. Though we did not enjoy the reader, we once again enjoyed hearing the story and learning Christmas lessons. One of my favorite lines in the book from Jacob Marley himself, is: "Mankind was my business!" And of course after listening to the book, we had to watch the movie. And so we did Christmas night. This is our favorite rendition of A Christmas Carol:


Image from www.sheeplaughs.com

We ended the day stuffed, sleepy and satisfied. Christmas day is always a magical day for me.

We truly hope you all had a very merry Christmas!
Dec 25 2009 The Family

3 comments:

Lois said...

YAY!!!! Merry Christmas! :) Thanks an awesome Christmas! It was SO fun!!! You guys are sure great hosts!!!!

Lois said...

YAY!!!! Merry Christmas! :) Thanks an awesome Christmas! It was SO fun!!! You guys are sure great hosts!!!!

Photo Crazy! said...

Wow~you had a busy Christmas! Hope you are having a wonderful New Year!