Christmas 2014

Christmas Eve was at the Goodrich's this year.  We had our traditional candlelight dinner of appetizers...some old staples and some new things as well.  Justin always makes his bacon-wrapped shrimp to grill and I made some chipotle chicken skewers and cut them into bite-sized pieces.  Everything was tasty as it usually is!

The nativity was acted out.  Brynn got to be Mary this year.

Cameron was Joseph...can you see them holding hands?  So cute.

Stockton was a shepherd, along with Luke and Evie.

Molly and Tiana were the angels.

Here is the whole group, minus Micah.

Tiana, Evie, Cameron (well, his back), Luke, Stockton, Jake, Molly * Brynn and Riley in front

Up next is to gather around the piano for some singing.  I never thought I would enjoy doing this as much as I do.  We start with the commercial songs and end with the Christmas hymns.  I enjoyed watching Molly participate this year and hope all my kids eventually love it like the rest of us do.

Grandpa, Tiana, Molly

After that it was jammies on, pile in the car, and home we go.  Lay cookies out for Santa, listen to Justin read "The Night Before Christmas," then off to bed.

Pretty soon it's Christmas morning and the excitement is almost too much to bear!!  There always has to be a picture at the top of the stairs.

Santa was good to the kids this year, but they are pretty awesome kids so they completely deserve it.  Molly got her artist's easel complete with an art kit.

She also got some Harry Potter books,  a card game, and a snowglobe along with her stocking stuffers.

Stockton got not only his Darth Vader lightsaber but a mask and cape to go with it.

He also got some Star Wars guys, Star Wars Legos, some soft baseballs, a baseball Spot-It game and some stocking stuffers.

Brynn got the exact Belle doll that she asked for.

She also got some Ariel legos, Sofia Spot-It, playdough, and her stocking stuffers.

The kids played with their new things while Justin and I made breakfast.  We had Kneaders french toast, sausage, strawberries and bananas, egg nog, and hot chocolate.  Once breakfast was over we went back for the presents under the tree.

Molly got a Harry Potter Lego board game from Stockton and Brynn and a backpacking backpack from Justin and me.

Stockton got a Harry Potter Firebolt and HP glasses from Molly and Brynn and a batting helmet and batting gloves from Justin and me.

Brynn got Frozen dress-ups (Anna and Elsa) from Molly and Stockton and Bitty Baby clothes from Justin and me.

They also had one extra gift...pajamas.  This was mostly because Justin couldn't resist buying Stockton the Darth Vader pajamas he saw at Costco.  That required us to buy pajamas for the girls too, since you've got to be even in the gift department.

Justin and I did exchange gifts as well.  He gave me a video baby monitor (not completely necessary, but I am loving it and wish I would have splurged for one four kids ago), some Silpat baking liners, a headlamp, and the complete Anne of Green Gables book set.  I gave him some golf clubs (that he totally picked out himself), a yellow tie, a gift card for sushi, and a picture calendar for his office.

We took an hour or so to get dressed and ready before Gene and April and Brett came to visit.  Brett brought the kids Cooties (a game) and Grandma and Grandpa brought presents too.  Molly got a Perplexus maze and some water dancing speakers for her iPod.

Stockton got a pitching machine.

And Brynn got a singing Elsa doll.

After visiting for a little with them, we hopped in the car and drove to Plain City where we spent the rest of our day.  All my siblings are going different directions on Christmas Day but we did manage to get together for an hour in the afternoon so the cousins could exchange their gifts.  Molly got Scrabble from Abby, Stockton got some Star Wars legos from the Broadbent's, and Brynn got some Doc McStuffins playdough from Tessa.

Grace, Molly, Chloe, Abby, Ben, Gavin, Stockton, Seth, Tessa, Harper, Grant, and Brynn

They also got spoiled from Grandma and Grandpa.  Molly got clothes, a bag to carry her American Girl dolls in, a subscription to AG magazine, and roller blades.

Stockton got clothes, some baseball guys, and a LeapPad.

Brynn got clothes, and a whole bunch of Doc McStuffins stuff-Hallie the hippo, Doc McStuffins dress-up, and the Doc-mobile.

The weather was not the best so we decided to just stay the night there.  The kids were okay with that...they got to play with Bryce and Erin's kids and Molly even got a sleep-over with Abby.  We came home the next morning.  We had a great Christmas and, as is the case each year, recognize that our greatest blessings are not all of this stuff but our families and the true gospel of Jesus Christ.