finishing up the year with Christmas

Christmas Eve this year was with the Goodrich's. Christmas Eve there consists of three things: candlelight dinner, nativity, and singing. I love the simplicity of this night...just being with family, the anticipation of Christmas morning, and the hymns of Christmas all make it a special night.

This year Molly and Brynn were angels and Stockton was a shepherd.

Molly had practiced all month long so that she could play the piano on Christmas Eve. She played "Jolly Old St. Nicholas." She was pretty nervous but did a great job. The practicing paid off!

I think this was the first year Molly really got into the singing around the piano, probably because she knew a lot of the songs. My hope is that eventually all the kids will enjoy and participate.

Then home and to bed. And then morning came, but not too early, thankfully. Here is our morning-top-of-the-stairs-picture. The kids are excited to see what Santa brought!

Molly: EasyBake Oven, a nutcracker, a snow globe, the Brave movie, Barbie coloring book, stocking stuffers

Stockton: Captain America, a marble run, The Incredibles movie, some cars, Avengers T-shirts, Jake and the Neverland Pirates coloring book, stocking stuffers

Brynn: bean bag, cash register, Dora coloring book, tutu, stocking stuffers

Brynn got those little squeezable applesauce snacks in her stocking. She LOVES those and had eaten all of them (4) before we even started breakfast!

We got breakfast out of the way and then went back for the presents under the tree. Each kid got two more presents: one from mom and dad and one from their siblings.

Molly got a pop-up soccer net and some Legos Friends.

Stockton got Siddeley the Spyjet and cars (all from Cars, Cars 2, and Maters Tall Tales) and a turtle night-light (like Molly's ladybug...it projects stars all over the ceiling).

Brynn got a mini trampoline and a butterfly pillow pet.

We also got the game Headbanz for the family. It's been so fun...played by us, grandparents, cousins, and friends that have come to visit.

Justin's parents and Brett came next. They brought Molly a Boogie Board (an LCD screen with a stylus pen...you can write or draw whatever you want and then push a button to delete it and start again...it's been great for car rides and church).

Stockton got a little kit that he can build a car, train, airplane, or helicopter with. He didn't play with it much while they were there but it's been out a whole bunch in the last few weeks.

Brynn got a shopping cart with a doll.

We got a new camera. We needed one desperately...we don't have phones that take pictures and our old camera was a little beat up from being run over by a ride at Disneyland 18 months previous (true story)...the front of it wouldn't even stay on anymore. But it still worked so we never got around to buying a new one. Anyway, we were happy to have a new camera and from here on out you can probably tell a difference in the quality of pictures.

After visiting with them for a little bit we drove to Plain City and spent the rest of the day there. It's always exciting to see more family and cousins and see what all the kids got. The kids wasted no time in opening more presents.

Molly: clothes, a sewing machine and sewing kit, a Hello Kitty scrapbook, and a LeapPad.

Stockton: a batcage and batmobile, superhero figurines, superhero dress-ups, and clothes.

Brynn: Little People princess castle, Ariel sea carriage, clothes, and princess dress-ups.

My mom and dad gave us money to spend however we wanted. We each kept a little for fun and then put the rest toward a new computer. Our old computer had been around for a while...we bought it when we got married 9 years ago and it was slow...we love the new one and can't believe how fast it is! It makes quite a big difference!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and playing...

Stockton and Gavin played some form of superheroes the whole night.