Christmas Eve

I will just start off with saying sometimes you get great pictures on holidays and sometimes they are just completely crappy.  Christmas Eve pictures...... on the crappy side of the spectrum.  I don't know. I was not in the mood for the camera, bad lighting, my camera was acting up...just all together annoying.

But a few memories were documented and that's what really matters anyway.

So Christmas Eve....

Oh wrapping, every year I say I will get better with wrapping get it done before the 24th.

Nope.

Our tree had zero presents under up it until the morning of Christmas Eve.

Santa of course brings his presents that night but we usually have a few presents for the kids from Eric and I.  Presents to extended family members, presents from the kids to each other and to Eric and I.  

The kids were so relieved to wake up Christmas Eve morning and find the tree adorned with packages.

I think they were beginning to fear Christmas wasn't coming to them!

We had just attended a family Christmas party a few nights before were the kids got some new games.

We had a minor catastrophe with Luke when Eric did a poor job of explaining the rules of Operation to him and Luke was under the impression that the losers nose turned red and actually had to be cut open for an operation.  Oh my so sad....he would not stop crying and kept asking us "to throw that naughty game in the garbage truck".  Thankfully after opening up the game and showing him that is not what actually happens.  He now loves it and has played it multiple times even taking it to bed with him for a few nights last week.  In our house if a toy gets the privilege of accompanying the boys to bed, you know it's a winner!

So the kids watched Christmas movie after Christmas movie, playing game after game on Christmas Eve day while I kept myself plenty busy.

I had some baking to do, a little cleaning to do, a few last minute gifts to organize.....you know the essentials.

Finally it came time to get ready to go to our annual Christmas Eve party at Grandpa Woodyatt's or as the kids call him Grandpa Cherry because of his cherry farm.

Yup flash pictures.

I know I know I hate the flash.

But what can you do.

And this picture is just all together bad, completely out of focus.

But hey they are all together and smiling and excited.

So there's that.

The only picture of me with my sweet peas was taken with my phone camera.

Oh and George we can't forget George.

My four babies how they have grown!

The one and only picture from Grandpa Woodyatt's house.

You just can't even understand the chaos surrounding this night.

So much fun, but wow we have a lot of kids!

I loved this one of Grandpa opening his present from his kids.

That is my mom, a cousin and two of my aunts.

I love all the expressions on their faces...so priceless.

Home from Grandpa's we of course have to track Santa, change into our Christmas pj's, open one present under the tree, watch Luke 2......

.....and leave cookies er donuts and milk for the big guy.

(Give me a break it's all we had, Santa like donuts for sure!)

And it's off to bed for the babies.

Sweet dreams fill their minds of what awaits them come morning.

This here is the magic of Christmas, I adore it.

The lead up to Christmas.....

Well I meant to get these up before Christmas cause where is the fun when it's after Christmas?

But oh well.

Christmas was wonderful, those photos to come soon.

But for now enjoy enjoy the lead up to Christmas....

Gingerbread man decorating......

It's serious work around here.....

This was a whole heck of a lot easier than gingerbread houses that fall apart now matter how much frosting you use.

Though we did have one little man break half way through the night, it still went much smoother than it ever does with the houses.

Thank you Costco for a good kit!

Lance on the left, Luke on the right.

Little K's bit the dust!

Watching the snowfall.....we were hoping for a white Christmas.

And boy did we get one!

We watched Christmas movie after Christmas movie.

The kids favorites include Charlie Brown, Polar Express and Home Alone 1 & 2.

My favorites are the Family Stone, Christmas Vacation and It's a wonderful life.

Wrote  multiple letters to Santa.

Making sure he was well aware of the ever changing wish list.

Delivered our neighbor gifts.

Went way easy this year and just bought a bunch of glass tree treat jars and filled them with candy.

I didn't do home made treats just good old store bought.

Sometimes you just have to make it easy on yourself.

Had our annual Christmas Cousin Party.

The kids look forward to this all year long and if I am being truthful so do the mommies.

It really is so much fun.

Waiting on her turn.....

Plenty of cups of hot wassails were consumed.

Favorite little cousins....

Went to my moms house for our annual mother daughter Christmas dinner.

A quiet evening at my mommy's gorgeous house.

We eat girly festive food, exchange small gifts and enjoy lots of cozy fire time.

It's the best!

Lukey had his end of year Christmas program.

Where his mother dropped the ball and forgot he was supposed to dress up in his Sunday best for the program.

Hey you can't win them all, at least I remember the cookies!

That is really what is most important anyway.

Right, right?

The Sunday before Christmas we dressed up in our Christmas best and got a few pictures in front of the Christmas tree.

Oh they looked so adorable I love the Sunday before Christmas.

I was blessed to be able to teach the relief society lesson that day and it was really special to me.

I felt like my heart was just where I wanted it to be going into the Christmas holiday.

Such a great day.

So late merry Christmas to you all.

I hope it was a blessed one indeed for all of you.

Ours most definitely was magical.

Instagram Update

A quick update through instagram photos:

Having a mini speech therapy session "Katelynn can you say bumpy with a ba ba ba sound."

We are in heaven over here....this little girl has been so excited to watch Sofia the first once upon a princess on the Disney channel.  The first of many viewings I am sure.

Girl time with Elle Bell!

Daddy let Lance sneak out of bed to watch the Jazz game, only neither of them knew they had another little sneak watching from the stairs.

One of my favorite sights.

Sunday dinner as a family.

Moms are the best!

Cafe Rio.

Cupcakes.

And she solved my dilemma of a tree skirt by using a baby blanket for K's tree.

All this child does is draw Angry Birds.....and naughty piggies.

He named a pig Katelynn.

Thanks Ter for your chicken parmesan crockpot recipe, it's a winner!

And a big thanks to little K she was a big "help".

It's Breaking Dawn time!

Survived stake conference, first time ever little K sat still for the entire two hours.

Using a borrowed Hello Kitty blanket from miss K, drinking hot chocolate while watching Arthur's Christmas with my kids.

Sunday's are my favorite.

Might even sneak in a nap.

Frosty the snowman....

Bernard you naughty elf, I have you to thank for the idea of sledding down the stairs.

Lance's piano teacher gave him this cute mug......I am taking over possession of it.

He doesn't even like hot chocolate and I love it!

Sweet babies reading Twas the Night Before Christmas....

Oh look I am wearing an actual outfit and on a Friday!

Now this is what I have been waiting for....snow it's good to see you!

But please keep on coming!

Sweet sister thanks for coming and drinking wassail with me!

Litza's Pizza's!

This sight soothes your soul......

If the three of you write one more letter to Santa.....

Two things Lance was excited to show me at school today; first the second grade Christmas tree and second the letter he wrote to Santa.  My favorite question "do you drink sour milk"?

I love when they play nicely together.

You guys I can hardly handle her cuteness today.

4 days and counting until Christmas are you feeling ready?