Christmas 2011

We started our Christmas festivities on the 23rd at our house. My family all came over and we had a great time being with everyone. Here is Grandpa starting off some festivities with some Christmas trivia - they all did a great job answering questions.

The loot :)

We played some games before opening presents. Reilly was one determined child to get this box open. They had to wear a hat, scarf, and oven mitts and try to open several boxes within each other. They were so funny!

Harper looked awful cute with his stuff on.

Channing's first Christmas present for 2011!

She had to taste the packaging to see if it was good quality :)

Carly, Chloe, and Kaitlyn were all excited about their horses and Jeep!

Chloe loves her horse!

Kris, Gina, Connor, and Kaitlyn all spent the night here that night and in the morning the kids loved playing with their new stuff. Harper spent the entire morning with Gina. He got out all his gifts and they just sat together investigating. He really loved spending some good quality time with her! He loves for someone to just sit with him and this was the best thing in the world - and the fact that was with his awesome Aunt Gina made it even better (and he did get to do some Legos with Uncle Kris - yup, he was on cloud 9).

We mellowed out on Christmas Eve day and that afternoon, Matt's Grandma Thomas and Charlie were able to stop by and see the kids. She was so happy to see them - she hadn't even met Channing yet so it was special. She came in and went right with Finley to check out her train and to help her fix it. She was so sweet with them :)

And here they all are with her (Carly wasn't feeling well so she hadn't gotten dressed yet).

Channing was happy it was Christmas Eve!!

Don't they all look thrilled!

Then Christmas Eve night we went to church. We had to drop Channing off at Mom's house because there was no way she would make it through a service.

Christmas morning looked like this......until 8:00! The kids woke up and really didn't come flying in, they actually didn't even realize it was Christmas morning. So once we got everyone up and ready, I told the kids that it was Jesus' birthday and there was a celebration downstairs to be had in honor of Him!!! Then it clicked what was going on and they all got down there quickly!

Finley got a "boat" - it is a plasma car and it is really fun. She gave Channing some rides to test it out!

Channing wouldn't stop eating paper so we had to put her in the saucer for her own protection :) She clapped.

Finley spent the entire morning on her boat!

And then not long after it was all over, we hear a scream from the 3rd floor and this is how Channing comes downstairs. She slipped off a shelf she was holding onto and banged her lip in 2 spots. So she had a swollen eye, fat lip, and was bleeding everywhere - nice!!! I love how the blood pooled up into a heart over her first Christmas shirt. Classy!

That evening, Matt's parents and brother came over and we had a nice Christmas dinner. The kids got a lot of musical instruments (pics of those will come later). It was an amazing Christmas and we are so very thankful for our friends and family. Happy Birthday Jesus!