Christmas 2018

Nathan and Ana had been with us for about four days and we all got ready for Christmas together. For the day of, they went over to my parents house. There's Elin trying to claim a present for herself. 😜😂

Theo and Elin were ready to go and Noah was saying goodbye to sweet baby Quinn.

Having our traditional coffee cake breakfast. I need to start making this more than once a year. Crazy delicious. I didn't even bother with a gluten free version this year.

Next up were stockings. 

Squishy balls. 

All the kids quite enjoyed them.

Someone put the cat like that and he stayed there. 😆

They also really loved these foldable block things.

Evie opening the kitty's toy. 

Trouncie enjoyed it til it got destroyed not long after.

Luna got a special snack.

Stockings overview.

After that we sat down to read the Christmas story and the last Christmas devotional. I made this video to sent to Steph since they were in the progress of flying in for Christmas at that very moment. They would arrive after lunch.

Evie read part of Luke.

Ezzie listening...and eating...

We didn't realize he was actually trying to eat the chocolate coin with the foil still on. He drooled chocolate all over Terry's pants!

And at long last it was time to begin. 

Evie got a "time turner," aka pocket watch.

And the water color pencils she wanted.

A big eight quart instant pot for mommy!

This monster truck was number one on Ezra's list.

Noah was awfully excited for a journal. 😁

A useful little car holder. Ezra loves cars.

Daddy got this aluminum clock I made at Snapfish...as did my parents, his parents, and Shari and Jesse. We liked them but Ana didn't. It was funny. They were glad to have not received one. Terry put his in his office.

Evie made gifts for every single person in the family. Mine was a long song... It was quite sweet but also a little funny because she brought out the black and white things mommy does.

Daddy's rhyme was a lot more positive because he's the funny one. 

I got the next illustrated Harry Potter book.

Calico Critters stuff.

A Solo calendar.

The big ticket item, his biggest Lego set yet. Ninjago.

Noah also got a large Lego set.

There were quite a few Lego sets, come to think of it. 😆

The biggest surprise was a new phone for mommy. I was so shocked. We had been talking about upgrading my three and a half year old iPhone 6 for a while but had decided not to get a brand new phone, or so I thought. We wanted to be able to give my phone to the kids to use when I had to go out to shop or work or when we're on dates. So now we're all good. 

It was such a lovely morning.

What a mess!

The boys enjoyed some play time while daddy set up my phone before we headed to the ranch for the rest of the day. 

getting ready for Christmas

One Friday in the middle of December while we were watching The Price is Right as a family per usual, Evie randomly made foam crowns for everyone. We were still in our pajamas and everything! Luna's face. 😂

She even made one for Trouncer. His expression is so funny and appropriate. "Kill me now," comes to mind, or, "I am plotting your murder," or, "I will just wait."

Just the day before, my mom had randomly stopped by and I took advantage of her magical presence and made the first of my Christmas treats. My fudge never seems to turn out unless she's present, or helping. It was the first time that I'd made my mom's traditional nut butter balls. YUM.

Terry had bought a Christmas devotional book called "Prepare Him Room" that we started up around that same time. Here we are singing a Christmas carol...

...while the littles wrestle the submissive yet unwilling kitty into a snuggle headlock.

That weekend was packed with Christmas parties but the following week I thought of a good gift for me, a haircut for Luna! 

She hadn't had one since the one I gave her at the end of August and clearly was in desperate need. I call her grooming a shorn because she's so curly like a sheep.

Boom baby! She looked so great and I didn't have to do any of the work. However, the following week she developed an ear infection and some redness to one paw, her first problems ever. I didn't and still don't know if it was related to her visit to Snap's groomer (he actually died a few days after getting last groomed there), but regardless, we're not going back. 

That evening, which was December 18th, we participated in a Christmas scavenger hunt like last year. It wasn't quite as much fun since we were all exceptionally grouchy for some reason, but still a good time. Oh, that reminds me, part of the reason I had such a rough night was that I actually had strep throat! I found out the next day and had to take a day off of school to recover. 

The following night I missed the Youth Group Christmas party where this hilarious gift was given to Terry by Kaleah. 😂

A couple days later we found that even our friendly neighborhood squirrel was preparing for Christmas by eating one of our old apples. You could see the juice dripping to the ground!

Later that day, which was Thursday the 20th, I had "enough energy" to do school with the boys though it really tired me out. I actually didn't feel better for three days but we got it done...with a little help from fun Snapchat filters. 

Cut little Dwidge reviewing his reading words. 

We laughed and laughed at the hotdog filter. That's me.

All five of us as hotdogs!

And then with fat faces. 

Later that afternoon, despite being pretty worn out we all visited the park with Denise and her girls so we could meet the three orphans they were hosting for a month. Here's Samuel and Luda. They were SO interested in phones and technology. 

The following night I took the plunge and made Terry's favorite Christmas treat, peanut butter balls. 

I always have a hard time dipping them but added enough Crisco to thin it and it worked like a charm. 👏

Trouncer and Luna were sure tired that family pizza movie night. 😂

Trouncer was similarly tired the next day, Saturday the 22nd.

Late afternoon Nathan and Ana arrived!!

While they were running around getting settled, we made our very last Christmas treat, spritz cookies. I've had a rough time with those in recent years too so Terry is now in charge of pressing them out. 

Evie and I used the extra chocolate dip for half of the spritz cookies for just meh results. We don't need to do that again. 

Goodnight Elin!

Goodnight Theo!

The following day after church Terry and Evie delivered the completed treats to our neighbors. 

YUM.

That afternoon was spent just chilling.

Elin is so pretty! And so is her mama! 

Quinn is just the sweetest baby. She was eight months old then.

That night we ate delicious beef and broccoli together (my folks came over too) and mom began some prep work on our Christmas/Thanksgiving feast for the following night.

Mer-ower!

All the kids listening to the bedtime Christmas story.

I made a point to take more pictures while Nathan and Ana were here. It's easy to forget because it gets absolutely crazy with seven kids in the house.

The following day, Christmas Eve, was our feast.

It was a tight squeeze that's for sure, but wonderfully delicious. We ate early since we had the Christmas Eve service to go to.

There's Ezra grabbing the advent stocking's last bible verse from what my mom made in 2014.

One more Christmas story and they were so excited for the following morning!