I'm {Still} Dreaming of a White Christmas...Part Two

And the afternoon fun...



She was soo excited to get the American Girl doll that looked just like her!

Dane has been begging for a something from BYU. Here it is!

 

He was stoked for new game players!

Playing "Swammi" to guess what's inside

So excited for new puffles from Tash

Who would've guessed beanbags would be this entertaining?

Snarfing down Christmas dinner

Modeling the new bride outfit her doll got

Annual Christmas photo

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas {Morning}...

No snow. Not even a hint. Days of sun before Christmas. It was a strange December. But Santa came anyway...he sure did!
Memorable Christmas moments:
*Kids waiting at top of stairs as they've done since they were tiny.
*Daddy taking WAY too long to emerge from bedroom to see what Santa brought!
*A mysterious ringing coming from under the tree. It's Mom's phone...no, it's Daddy's...it's not?! Well...whose is...is it MINE??? *SCREECH* 13-year-old burrowing through gifts to find the ringing package!
*Much anticipated, highly awesome Christmas breakfast (kids talk about it all year!)
*Stopping all festivities to get ready for church, *sigh*
*Mom/daughter loving singing in the beautiful Christmas program
*Meeting with the Bishop for last-minute tithing settlement (what?! Yep, had to get it done!)
*Rush home to change back into jammies
*Posing for annual Christmas Sunday photo (kids groaning and wishing it wasn't so)
*Cheap-o camera battery dying, forcing Mom to use good camera...wow! Nice Christmas photos for once!
*Dragging out gift opening for ten hours...that's right...church will do that you!
*Littles parking themselves on new beanbags for the entire day and declaring them the best invention ever
*Much indecision on what the traditional Keckley Family Christmas Dinner will be! Make chicken croquettes AND Ronni rolls to please everyone (*tired Mom*)
*Family snuggled together watching a movie to finish the day

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Family sleepovers have been a longstanding tradition in our house. I love that my kids love to sleep together (and giggle, and play games, and beat each other with pillows, and get yelled at to stop trying to break a hole in the ceiling!). Thanks to their big sister who has always enjoyed re-decorating a room (especially if a 'theme' is involved), there is never a lack of enthusiasm from any of kiddo when it comes time for room transformation. They spent most of the day getting their sleeping quarters just the way they wanted, then it was time to pack up the freshly baked treats and head to Grammy Su and Grandpa Bar's for the Christmas Eve celebration with the rest of the family.
After a pot-luck dinner, we gathered in the family room with Nate/Lindsay's family, Kathy/Kyle's family, Uncle Johnny, Grandma and Grandpa, and Grandma Wakefield for our annual reading of the Nativity account from the scriptures. The kids insisted on breaking out Grandma's costumes, but we were a little short on short players this year! So, Shayne and Kyle got in on the fun and looked hilarious modeling way too little wise men costumes. And Nate, as the bearded star, is always good for a laugh. But, Paris and Fynn took their angel roles very seriously and watched over our very own live 'Baby Jesus' in the form of new, little, Miller.
Afterwards, Grandpa showed us a beautiful video done by the church of a man's Christmas experience during WWII. Sadly, Grandpa Wakefield had contracted an infection a few days earlier and was in the hospital trying to get help. We missed having him with us and Dad asked Grandma to tell us of the Christmas during that same war when Grandpa had to hitchhike home from San Francisco trying to arrive before Christmas to surprise Grandma and his new little son. It was a sweet experience to hear my dear, humble Grandma share that story. I was really touched by the emotion and love you could feel between her and Grandpa at such a bleak time in our nation's history.
We then got to open the Christmas jammies from Grammy Su and Grandpa Bar, and it was off to our homes to hit the sack before Santa hit our houses with his loot!

The re-decorated room

Connor drew the Grinch, Tash drew Cindy and Fynn drew the dog! So adorable!

Demonstrating how Mom feels by this time of night on Christmas Eve

His special self-portrait sleeping companion

The children were snuggled all sound in their beds...

Santa has come!

Proof he was here!

I'll Have a Blue Christmas Without You...

The UPS truck delivers to our house at 10:30 a.m. Even though it has it's logo clearly displayed on the side of the truck, at our house, it's known as 'The Nordstrom Truck.' Yeah, I like to buy a lot of clothes from my favorite store. But, sometimes, it is new photo equipment which I get equally giddy about! And who is most likely to be my model as I test out the new stuff? The one and only, Fynnley! She's a pretty darn good poser these days since she's been subjected to it since birth. And who can resist that adorable face? I can never get enough...