Christmas

Christmas at our house begins with Christmas Eve.  We read the nativity story, talk about the true meaning of Christmas, open new Christmas ornaments and leave cookies for Santa.  McKenzie was excited to get the present unwrapping started. 

And these are their ornaments for this year.  McKenzie always gets a snowman, and Cambrie always gets a puppy.  Jeremy and I get a new one based on major activities of the year.  This year it was a runner :)

This year instead of making cookies for Santa, we gave Santa some of our best neighbor goodies that we received.  He thought the peanut butter fudge was delicious! 

Christmas morning came and this is what the girls found by their stockings.  Kit got a new bed, and McKenzie got a teeter-totter from Grandma & Grandpa. 

The girls wasted no time before trying out that new toy. 

Then they started opening presents.  Cambrie got a new headlamp just for her. 

New clothes for Kit. 

A fun book from Grandma about a magic moss covered rock. 

And both girls got handmade turtles from Hannah. 

McKenzie got a big-girl sleeping bag. 

 A cradle for her baby. 

And a CD player with two microphones for singing and dancing. 

Considering how excited she was to open presents the night before we were really surprised when Christmas morning came and she didn't really care about them.  In fact, she was so hungry that the only thing she could think about was snacking, especially on their new lollipops (which turned her face yellow for the rest of the morning). 

It seemed like we kept trying to find McKenzie to have her open presents, she did a lot of hiding.

We did convince her to be the Christmas elf for a bit and deliver packages.  For being so small that girl has got some serious strength. 

This was a year of ski goodies for Jeremy and I.  We each got a new pair of skis.  I got a helmet, and Jeremy got some sweet ski poles. 

His favorite gift however, would have to be his Nerf Gun.  He immediately loading it and started shooting things...and us.  Oh happy husband. 

We also got some goofy things.  I got a caramel apple which I have been seriously craving, and it did not disappoint. 

Jeremy got a glowing Santa nose, McKenzie chose that for him on one of our shopping trips. 

McKenzie with her spoils. 

Cambrie with her loot. 

 Me with my sweet things. 

Jeremy with his gear. 

Later that evening we had our neighbors over for dinner.  Cambrie loves playing with Jacob, and even though she tried to play American Girl doll store with him, he held his ground and they played on the teeter totter instead. 

Jacob also taught Cambrie how to play with a dreidal.  Jacob's family is Jewish so that night before dinner they showed us how they light the menorah and Jacob got to open a new gift.  It was quite a blend of Christmas and Hanukkah that night.  Paul likes photography, so while he was over he asked to take a few family pictures.  We ended up with some that make me smile.