A Happy Christmas for All!

This year we really got to spread out our family Christmas celebrating.  Our first gathering was at Nannie and Pop-Pop’s (Donna and Doug’s) on Thursday, December 19^th.

It was a lovely day with reading …


playing …


and being together!


Also, there was eating and gift opening, but I didn’t manage to keep the camera in my hand during those two events!  Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying their items the next day.


Playing with the sports set Uncle Doug, Aunt Sarah and Rebecca gave the boys.  (Notice that Emma is still wearing her dress … because it matches the necklace and hairdo that were a part of a GIANT box of accessories from Uncle Doug, Aunt Sarah and Rebecca!)


Sharpening the Christmas pencils from Uncle Ryan, Auntie Donna, David and Ellie.  (Not pictured: The fantastic hand-decorated bags Auntie Donna made for the kids to carry their Bibles and notebooks to church in, the yo-yo’s she got them and the bibs she picked out for Henry and Hazel.)


Ruth arranging the reusable stickers in a room in the sticker book Nannie, Pop-Pop and Uncle Joshua gave her for Christmas.


Emma already hard at work on her Rainbow Loom making rubber band bracelets for everyone!


Luke and Henry introducing Luke’s new nutcracker to the family nutcracker.


Ruth and Robyn playing marbles on the new marble carpet from Grannie and Granddaddy.  Also, Robyn is wearing (albeit upside-down) the blue-hair headband which was one of the variety of interesting items that Ben snagged for the kids.

We celebrated Christmas Eve with Matt’s side of the family.  I forgot my camera, so I don’t have any pictures of the event itself, but here are some pictures of the kids enjoying their gifts afterwards.


Wearing the pajamas and boots from Nana and Papa.


Coloring the large cardboard Charlie Brown house from Uncle Lyle and Auntie Michelle.


And reading in the large cardboard Charlie Brown house from Uncle Lyle and Auntie Michelle!

On Christmas morning, we opened stockings and exchanged gifts amongst ourselves.








(Somehow I missed capturing Emma’s stocking-opening!  Ooops.  Sorry, Emma!)

Nannie and Pop-Pop had taken the kids to the Dollar Store to pick out gifts for each other and for us, so each kid got a pillowcase and a chance to play “Santa”!





After the gifts were opened and the debris cleared away (mostly) Nana and Papa came over for brunch.  All in all, it was a lovely season!  I’ll leave you with a few of my favorite pictures.







(As usual, click on any image to see the whole album.)