Christmas!

Christmas is here! After my mom and dad's party on the 23rd it brought us to Christmas Eve and some sick kids. This Christmas was a little different in that by Dec 27 all my kids had been sick so we spent a lot of family time together this week with some visiting in between. It was fun playing with the kids all week but by day 4 of kids fevering and coughing we were looking for some time away from the house! 

Christmas Eve was spent at home while Ryan and Tyler went out to the movies with my brother Ryan, Kim, Matthew, and Rachel. We went up to Carolee's so the kids could see the cousins and get their Christmas Jammies from Grandpa and Grandma Strong. Treven and Halle went down hill quick so we left only after being there for an hour while Ryan, Tyler, and Emery stayed and played with the cousins. When they came home that night we had Ryan and Kim and the kids come over to play some games and talk. Kim and I went out to the cemetery to see Grandma, Nancy, and Joseph's graves. It was really beautiful and peaceful to see all the lights and decorations on the graves. After Ryan and Kim left it was time to open our Christmas Eve packages that Santa had dropped off on his way to deliver gifts. The kids get clothes or jammies and Ryan loved his Millennium Falcon Start Wars shirt! Way to go Santa.  While Treven and Halle were home with me we had baked some cookies and sent out milk for Santa. Treven was quick to remember the reindeer and left some carrots out with a note for Santa to make sure that he gave the reindeer their carrots. Treven had also written and note to Santa telling him that he loves him and hopes he likes the cookies. It started out that we were going to leave all cookies for Santa, but then the kids wanted a cookie and by that time it left only 2 for the big guy. Finally the kids were ready for bed after laying in our bed watching some TV and saying prayers!

Santa has been here. The before  the tornado of children come in shot

Oops some one left their glove, glasses, and button! But he left a really nice note thanking the kids for the Cookies and letting them know that Comet loves carrots the most!

The kids waiting for Janette to come over so they can go see what Santa brought.

Janette came and it was time to open presents. Most years the kids cannot wait and everyone just starts ripping gifts open. Well Ryan and I got a huge surprise this year from Treven. He was the one to suggest that we watch everyone open them and then we put our feet in to do bubble gum bubble gum to find our who goes first and so on. Well Treven was picked last to go and he was a wonderful audience and waiting patiently while everyone opened their gifts. Emery went first and got a wagon for her baby doll, a color wonder coloring board, some clothes, and a Dora guitar from her dad. Halle was next with a laundry set for her doll, a fijit doll that sings and dances, a bath tub from Emery for her doll, and a drawing desk. Tyler got a spy plane, a new basketball bag, and a new guitar and guitar lessons. Treven got a spy car, Lego's, and a ripstick, and a glow in the dark color board from Janette. Mom got a shirt from dad and pillows from Tyler. While dad got clay pigeons from mom and a bike rider. It was a wonderful Christmas. The kids also got some new board games and Wii games and since we were mostly home we played a lot of games together. it was fun and we even got Janette to shake her booty dancing to Just Dance 3. All the Grandparents stopped by and so did Ryan and his family. We tried to go to church but only Treven and Dad survived and I was home again with the sick ones. We went up to Carolee's for our annual Christmas brunch, but again I came home with Tyler and Halle who weren't feeling all that great! So with sick kids we spent Christmas night playing games and drugging up the kids so they would sleep good. Dec 26 Ryan went clay pigeon shooting with his brother and brother in laws while I stayed home with the sick kids and got some Christmas stuff put away. Since the kids were still on feeling well we had a family game night for FHE. Halle taught us a game she learned from school and we spent the night playing the Wii and Sorry Sliders. Tues Dec 27 Ryan got of work a little early and we took the kids to Chuckee Cheeses since it was the first day that all of them but Emery were fevering. Emery was sick in the morning but was doing better in the afternoon so we took the chance and took the kids out! It was glorious to be out, I do not stay home very well and after staying home all weekend with either kids playing with cousins for kids being sick it was great to get out. We had a fun time playing games and eating pizza. Emery loved all the rides and every did good on tickets and everyone came out with the toy that they wanted.