Christmas Pictures!

Hello all!  Here's a picture blog of all of our fun activities over Christmas.  Hope you enjoy!

After Christmas Eve services, Kara's family came over to have dinner and open a few presents.  The one present they got from us that night was matching jammies.  This has become a tradition that I love!   This is Eli's happy face, by the way.

The boys opening presents on Christmas morning!! Luke was so overjoyed that he could barely stand it.

The boys playing with their big present, a new sled!! Bring on the snow man! 

Daddy holding a present that Luke made for us at preschool.  This is the coolest thing!

Luke very intently opening a present.  Look at that focus...

On Christmas night, all of our extended families came over to our house for a big Christmas Dinner and for the Kids to play.  Our house was packed full of Yaraschefski's, Bednarko's, and Warner's as we all played with new toys, drank wine, and even hung out in the back yard enjoying the crazy 60 degree weather.  This picture is Uncle Jason helping the big boys learn how to use their new Leap Frog tablets from Grandpa Jim.

Grandpa Jim and Aunt Kristy by the Christmas Tree!

The kids' favorite activity - wallering!

I absolutely love this picture.  Noah's big sweet smile and Aunt Kristy can't help but love it. 

The Bednarko's.  Love this family.

Papa Bill and Eli, who is sporting his new California shirt from Uncle Joe and Aunt Hannah.

I also love this picture.  He looks like a teenager having some coffee, but really, it's water, and some of Grammy's yummy cake!

Grammy and Eli.  What you can't see here is that this is just after Eli stuck his entire hand in the piece of cake in front of Grammy.

On the 26th, we had a Christmas Celebration at Grandma Jan's house.  She dug up some old photo albums, and this is Bowen showing Luke some of his favorite pictures.  Watching these two play brings me so much joy.

Great pic of all the ladies, predictably ruined by Eli Frankenstein-running into the middle of the picture.

Time for PRESENTS AGAIN!!!  This is Bowen showing off his new snow shovel, that we got him so he could help Daddy shovel snow.  (I had to explain to him again what snow was.  Crazy Texas kid... :)

Eli making his "Whatever Dad, I'm opening this." face.

Luke and Bowen helping Grandma open one of her gifts! 

Aunt Julie and Alicia - when did Alicia grow up so much!! 

Aunt Kristy had a tough time not squeezing Eli constantly - but I get it.  The struggle is real.

After presents, it was time to do what these kids do best - dress up and break things.  Admittedly, at one hour and 15 minutes, I think this is the longest I've ever been around Bowen before he puts a costume on.

Someone got the older kids Fun Dip.  I am VERY upset about this.  I did NOT receive Fun Dip.  I basically just stood there and stared at them eating it with a hateful look on my face.

Uncle Jason and the four kids learning how to play with some building blocks that they got.   Well, Eli is just standing there eating wood, but the other three were playing so nicely.

Aunt Kristy and Noah in a sugar coma after dinner and cookies. :)

These four - I swear.  This is my leading candidate for the picture that the four of them should recreate in 30 years.

My favorite picture out of all of them.  I only gave the camera up for a few minutes, and somebody else was able to get this awesome shot of Eli and I.  Noah doesn't have time for this nonsense, but Eli's smile is killer.

If you can't tell from these pictures, it was a wonderful Christmas season, and I so enjoyed spending it with all of our family and friends.  While the holidays are hectic, there is such truth to the notion that having young kids brings the magic back to Christmas.  I am proud of the way we handled the holidays this year - we spread things out to give ourselves some breathing room, we held onto old traditions, and we started some really great new traditions.  My two favorite new traditions, by far, are the Advent Calendar, which gave us an excuse to talk to Luke on a consistent basis about why Christmas is so important, and ice skating.

Until next Christmas!