Christmas

Christmas Eve this year was at the Moyes's.  Justin was not feeling well and if it would have been any other day, we would have stayed home.  He came, for the sake of the kids, and slept on my parent's bed for the majority of the party.  He made it down to see the nativity and was, thankfully, feeling much better and was even able to drive home (I drove us there).

It was nice to have Christmas Eve on a Sunday so that we could start the party a little earlier.  My mom put each family in charge of a game for the kids and we started with those.  I took the jingle bell toss that I had used for Brynn's class party.

Brynn, Chloe, Molly, Abby, Stockton

Tessa and Brynn

After the games, the cousins exchanged their presents.  I don't remember exactly who had who but Molly got a notebook with some markers, Stockton got the game Twister, Brynn got some hair chalk, and Ivy got a stuffed unicorn and a coloring pad where you use water to make the colors appear.

Grace, Molly, Chloe, Abby, Brynn, Spencer, Seth, Stockton, Gavin, Ben, Grant, Ivy, Tessa, Harper, Lucy (missing Josie)

The older kids had planned a talent show so after gifts were exchanged, we went next door to Jeff and Ali's for the recital.  The kids either played the piano, guitar, or violin.  Molly played "Do You Hear What I Hear," Stockton played "Rudolph," and Brynn did "Pat-a-Cake" on her violin.

We ate dinner next and then the kids acted out the nativity.  Stockton and Brynn were able to play Joseph and Mary this year, Molly was one of the wisemen, and Ivy made an adorable angel with her little girl cousins.

Molly, Chloe, Abby

Brynn and Lucy

Ivy, Lucy, Josie

Harper, Abby, Grace, Tessa, Molly, Ivy, Seth, Brynn, Stockton, Chloe, Grant, Josie, Lucy, Gavin, Ben

We headed home after that.  But not before appeasing my mom with a family picture in front of the tree-it's tradition!

The kids set out cookies and milk for Santa, Justin read The Night Before Christmas, and we tucked them into the beds they had made on Stockton's floor.  They were excited but they fell asleep quickly.

We gave them Justin's phone and told them they couldn't call us until 7:00.  They called right at 7 to say they were ready to come up and see what Santa brought.  We made them watch a movie until Ivy woke up, probably around 8.  It was hard for them to wait that long.
 

Finally they made it up to see what Santa brought them.  I think they all got what they wished for!  Molly got a camera and the third illustrated Harry Potter book-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  Her stocking had a popper gun, doughnut pans, Uno Deal, replacement bands for her fitness tracker, candy, and an ornament.  

Stockton got a slot car race track and a Jerry Rice jersey.  His stocking had a set of I Survived books, sports cards, a Sandlot T-shirt ("You're killing me, Smalls"-Justin got a matching one), a popper gun, candy, and an ornament.

Brynn got a doll with hair she can comb and an art kit.  Her stocking had a popper gun, a little bird that talks, a hair brush for her doll, mini notebooks and pens, candy, and an ornament.

Ivy got a Sofia and Amber doll and Minnie Mouse read-to-me books.  In her stocking, she had playdough, kinetic sand, a Sofia amulet, a popper gun, candy, and an ornament.

They played with their new things while I got breakfast ready and then we sat down together for Christmas morning breakfast.  Heidi recommended that we make creme brulee french toast, which we did, and it was so delicious!  We just topped it with fresh whipped cream, strawberries, and bananas.  It was so good that it might become a Christmas morning staple.  We also had Christmas eggs, sausage, bacon, oranges, chocolate milk, and grape juice and it all made for a scrumptious morning feast.

After breakfast, we were ready to see what was waiting under the tree for everyone.  Molly was so excited to give her homemade gift to Justin.  She typed and illustrated a story that Justin made up years ago and tells the kids occassionally.  Justin was very touched (and a little emotional) and everyone gathered around while he read it and looked at her pictures.

They got the following from their siblings:

Molly-a London Lego architecture kit.  I was really excited for her to open this because she talks often about being an architect when she grows up.  London is also top on her list for places to visit because of the Harry Potter connection.  She put it together over Christmas break and it sits on her dresser.  She'd like to collect more of these architecture kits.

Stockton got battle bots.

Brynn got a nail polish kit.

Ivy got a Moana plush doll and a Moana dress-up.

Their presents from Justin and I were a little too big or awkward to wrap so they had to unwrap a box with a clue that directed them where to find their gift.  Justin spent all of December making a loft bed for Molly, something that she has been wanting for years.

The bed was hiding out in the shed.  He had only just finished it the night before!  We had to trek out in the snow to find it.

Stockton got a new baseball bat and batting gloves.

Brynn got a lamp for her room and a bulletin board to put above her bed.  We bought the corkboard and Justin made a frame to go around it and painted it with the same color paint that is on her accent wall.

Ivy's was wrapped under the tree-it was a sleeping bag.  She didn't have one and was very excited about the purple color.

After all the presents were unwrapped, I made the kids get dressed and ready for the day and then they were able to play with their toys. 

Brynn wanted matching hair with her doll so they both got pigtails.

While Justin was making the bed, he took the time to frame the full-length mirror that Molly got last year.  We tried to trick her and had her first clue lead to the mirror.  On the back of the mirror was the clue to go find her bed.  She was so funny and tried really hard to act happy about getting her mirror framed when she thought that was the actual present.  Later, I caught Ivy admiring herself in the mirror with her new Moana dress-up.

We had already done the Goodrich and Moyes parties so we stayed home and had grandparents come to us.  First up was Gene, April, and Brett.  The kids showed off their new things and then opened presents from them.  They gave laser guns (eight of them) as a big family gift.  We have had a lot of fun inside with these and are excited to be able to use them outside in the yard when it warms up.

 

Grandma also gave my kids these squooshy pillows-they love the one she has at her house.

They left and a couple hours later, Grandma Kay and Grandpa Moyes came up.  They usually wait until the day after Christmas but have a temple assignment twice a week so they made it work to come up for dinner.  They spoiled the kids this year.  They gave Molly clothes, a bathrobe and slippers, a solar system she painted and hung in her room, and a telescope.

They gave Stockton clothes, a small air hockey table, and a Nintendo DS with an extra game.

They gave Brynn clothes, clothes and hair accessories for her new doll, and a wooden ice cream set and a diner (shared with Ivy).

They gave Ivy clothes, a homemade apron, a duffel bag, a Furreal puppy, and the ice cream set and diner (shared with Brynn).

We had dinner  (I grilled some chicken, made funeral potatoes, and set out some leftover things that we had-veggie tray and jalapeno jelly and crackers) and they stayed for a little longer and then, just like that, it was time to say goodbye to another Christmas (I have now blogged about 10 Christmases!!-my first ever blog post was a slideshow of Christmas 2007 when Molly was 15 months old) and go to bed.  I didn't bother cleaning up the mess that night, I was way too tired, but if this picture is any indication of another great Christmas, I don't know what else is!  Everyone went to bed that night extremely grateful and content.