Christmas Day

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!
Here is ours:

Since I couldn't do much of anything, 

Mike and the kids went to work on all

the decorations and setting up the tree.

I really need to get a collection of Christina

wrapping herself in lights over the years!

Even Mikey decorated himself!

With the pool table in the living room,

they had to find another place for the tree.

Mike put the couch in the garage and set

the tree up in the den.

Mikey and Christina did almost all the shopping.

Christina and Ben were on vacation for several days

before Christmas. I will also blog some of her vacation

pictures soon.

The Kids decorated a gingerbread house.

By Christmas Eve I was feeling better so

we went to Church. The boys loved it, and so did

we. In fact, we liked it so much that I believe

it is going to become a regular Sunday tradition 

for us again. We really liked the church we went to,

which is Lutheran. 

For Santa we left out an assortment of his

favorite items. (as told to us by his phone calls

the kids received from him)

Cookies, milk, ice cream, Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich

and of course carrots for his reindeer.

We knew Santa had come in the morning because

Zeeb was sitting under his stocking meowing at it.

He just KNEW Santa had brought him

catnip!

All the kitties enjoyed their gifts right away!

Next it was the kids turn for Santa gifts.

Santa doesn't wrap them of course, so they immediately 

knew who's gift was who's.

They all said they love stocking gifts so much

because its fun to reach in and pull out a surprise.

Caleb received a Spy Watch. He loves Mikes iphone

to take videos and post them to Youtube. Now he

can wear a watch with a camera and record hours

or take 3000 pictures, and post them. He loves it.

Zachary got a DS3 with a 3D game 

that we had to take away so he could open other gifts!

 and a big exercise ball

that he can bounce all over the house.

Christina was next. 

Birds! 2 baby parakeets!

She had absolutely no idea and was thrilled!

Aren't they cute?!

Then the boys got their gifts from us.

What is it???!!!!  what is it?????!!!!!

Zachary got an onion.

Caleb got a banana.

Zachary refused to eat his onion.

But Caleb ate his banana.

Ok, next gift??!!!

Time for gift 2.

What is it?? So excited!!

Zachary got an old Little People doll that he had

colored the eyes out years ago.

Caleb got an old Jeff Gordon car that was from 1997.
From his collection.

Next it was Mikeys turn.

He has really wanted a new ladder for awhile now.

So I got him a ladder.

He never said how BIG of a ladder he wanted.

Next was Bens turn.

He got little action figures.

My stocking had a nail polish in it.
Forgot to get a picture but it was purple.

Hope your Christmas presents were

as wonderful as our were!

The day was 80 and we loved the warm weather.
Happy Holidays!!

My friend Diane adopted a family that recently

lived on the streets and her 4 kids had no toys

to their name or even beds to sleep on. 

 I told the boys to go thru their room

and pick out some things to give the family.

Caleb came out with math flash cards and Zachary 

found some old Burger King toys.

Ummm. ya, right boys!

So while they were out playing I went thru

their room and removed about a hundred + toys.

When they came in, I had them close their eyes,

took them to their room and asked them to tell

me if they saw anything at all different.

Neither kid could see anything different in their rooms.

THEN I showed them the huge pile I had in the

living room.  Since they hadn't missed any toys,

they decided it was ok to give them away to a needy family.

The two boxes are completely stuffed full of toys, books

and games, the bags were filled with stuffed animals

and clothing.

I am hoping my kids learned that GIVING is so much

better than receiving.

We delivered these packages to the kids

on Christmas Eve.

Ok,  so we did get the kids more than
onions, bananas, and an old toy.
On to the real ones.
Caleb got golf tees and balls.
Lots of tees and balls.

Ben pampered Christina by getting her all kinds

of pampering items.

Zacharys theme was Angry Birds.

Thats about all he was received was Angry Bird

something or others.

Caleb bought his own gift and wrapped it and then 

acted surprised.

Mike and Caleb got Peppermint patties.

This turned out to be Calebs favorite gift.

Spiderman!

Zachary picked it out and bought it for him

with his own money.

Caleb bought Zachary an Angry Bird shirt he loves.

More pampering stuff from Ben to Christina.

Christina also got Ben pampering gifts.

Comfy jammie pants etc.

Zachary now has an Angry Bird collection.

All but the Blue Bird.

The boys received NASCAR flags from 

Uncle Barney, Aunt Suzy and the girls.

Zachary bought Christina a hooded sweater

that she loved.

Caleb also got a fast remote control car

that uses an itouch type of remote rather than the traditional kind.

Christina also got a ton of makeup stuff.

She will be set for about 6 months.

She also got a Victoria Secrets robe.

Her and Ben stayed in their new comfy robes and

jammies most of the day!

Later in the day Frank and Dave came over

bearing more gifts from the AZ relatives as well

as from themselves.

So we had a 2nd Christmas opening.

Bro got a cuisinart food processor. 

I'm so jealous!!

The boys wanted to wait to open their biggest

gift last.  A gumball bank.

You have to put a quarter in to get a gumball out.

They plan on making money from their friends.

Let's see, 200 gumballs = $50!

Since Frank and Dave didn't have a traditional

Thanksgiving dinner, and we had a small one

with no leftovers we decided to do a turkey,

mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes and

stuffing.  I made the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy

(which I normally make with my from scratch stock,

but when I made the stock, I sprinkled pepper into

it, well the sprinkle lid came off and dumped 7 oz

of pepper into it.  Made it inedible, so I had to BUY

stock. Insert my face cringing here.)

deviled eggs and homemade cranberry orange relish.

bro made the other food. Everything was

absolutely delish! We ate outside in the warm

weather and enjoyed the sunshine and good

conversation.  It was a very relaxing and

enjoyable Christmas.

Hope your New Year is Wonderful and that

2012 brings all of us happiness, good fortune,

and good health.