Christmas Day!!!

As is consistent with previous years, we had to wake the kids up to tell them that Santa had come.  I have total night owls, which is good when mornings arrive.  We slept over at my parents like we do every year.  Evan and Rachel rolled in nice and early and then the festivities began!

"Santa" brought the kids the following:

Baylee - a new iPad!

Jackson - huge Nurf gun and some video games

Wyland - a bike

Jackson and Wyland - Skylander Swapforce to share

Oliver - a bike

Sleepy heads.

Note the specific instructions that it's to SHARE.

Wyland was so excited to get Vanellopi.

Wyland loved his skates!

Evan loved Jackson's gun!

Oliver will be riding that bike in no time.

Wyland sharing the love.

The boys.

Wyland knew he was getting these and was SOO happy when he finally got them.

The girls from Frozen for his Disney Infinity.

I got a new lens for my camera.  Here's one of the first pictures.

LOVE how crisp that picture is!

Just a few more with my new lens.

We were all so very very fortunate this Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you all!  (even if it is now January)

Happy New Year!

This is my very last catch up post.  I spent all of New Years Day catching up blog posts that I'd missed over the second half of this year.  Goal for 2014 .. blog more regularly.  It's going to help that my new phone will automatically upload ALL of my phone pictures to my Google + account.  That's pretty cool!  This is post number 18 that I've written today (1/1/14).

My parents spent the New Year in Mexico.  I'm totally jealous.  We were originally planning to host a game night at our house.  It's been a really long time since we've hosted ANYthing at our house.  But then the day before Robie told us that rather than coming to us they were just going to host at their house.  Change of plans then.  So I spent the day at home with the kids, my last PTO day of 2013.  Even with our two big vacations this year I still had a ton of PTO time that I needed to use before I lost it.  Let's just say I think my kids are ready to return to school.  Being stuck inside all day with just themselves is wearing on them.  The fighting is at an all time high.

I'm SO digging this lens!!

This boy is intense.

Oliver and Wyland kind of love to play with my heels.

After heading to Robie's for the evening Oliver MADE her sit at the bottom of the stairs to eat with him.

That boy has his Grandma wrapped around his little finger!

I brought and made Rachel's famous punch recipe.

It lasted for ONE round with so many adults.

FAIL.  Although people loved it .. so WIN.

Jackson waiting for the games to begin.

We played a little Logo Party edition and it was really fun!

I need to get that one.

Happy New Year from us!  Boys were still awake.

Some good old fashioned pans banging with Great Grandma!

Christmas Eve

I can hardly believe that another Christmas is here.  The kids were beyond excited.  I only had to work a half day, but Jeramie had to work a bit longer.  As soon as I got home the kids were super antsy to get the show on the road and head up to my parents.  It didn't help that they knew Mike's kids would be up there.  As of last year we switched the big Christmas meal to Christmas Eve to try and accommodate everyone and their alternate family commitments.  It's so hard.  Even when you feel like you're bending over backwards to be flexible around the in laws, it still always seems like it's not good enough.  But then celebrating the holiday on a different day just isn't the same.

My parents set such a pretty table.

SMILE I said.

Wouldn't be normal if my kids were wearing all their clothes I guess.

The kids all love the English tradition of Christmas crackers.

The usual cleaning crew!!

Mike .. feel free to help anytime.  :o)

Then we opened just a few presents.

Mike and Amber got Sailor her own set of jammies.

Pretty cute idea.

Mike tried to put Zarley's new jacket on.

Bit small I think.

Blowing balloons is hard work!

Evan made a failed attempt to help Baylee with her rubber band thing.

My kids might be obsessed with Disney Infinity

They did have some company though.