Christmas Celebrating!!!

I uploaded all of the pictures backwards :) So, here is Christmas dinner! Meighan and her family came over for dinner and then we played games all evening! Riley recieved Just Dance 2 - this has been a big hit!!! We all took turns playing/laughing at each other! Loved it! Also, we got our Ashlie home for a whole week!!!! She arrived the 19th and flew out the 26th - it went too fast but I so enjoyed having her home!! Picking her up at the airport was one of my favorite things! Waiting with the rest of the family, watching all the people stream out the doors, and then FINALLY, there she was! I teared up a little and Grandma kept worrying about where her parents were (she was so shocked when I kept telling her that we were her family)!

I was a bit lax on the picture taking front this year - too busy watching and enjoying to remember to visually record! Andi is thanking her grandma for a present!!

Craig tearing into a present from Grandma Highbarger!!!

Ashlie!!!!!! Hurray - still just happy she was home!

Cooper's 1st CHRISTMAS!!! He was a bit confused by the whole process, became as excited by other's presents as his own and only sort of figured out the opening procedure! We all had fun watching him!

I know it sounds silly for a 5 year old BUT, Andi really really wanted her very own blow dryer :)

Cooper on his little bike! This has been a real hit! He loves it and his siblings love to push him around the house (for hours)!!! I was concerned about the speed with wich Andi was pushing him. I admonished her to be more careful and slow down. Andi's solution - belt him to the bike!

Craig got a couple of Wii games he has been DYING for!! He ran around the room yelling, "He gave me both, he gave me both."

But - it was Riley that won the prize for BEST CHRISTMAS REACTION EVER! There has been begging for a cell phone going on at my house for YEARS!!! Scott was on the "never gonna happen" team and I thought she should maybe have something by the time she was driving/dating. Santa ran across a program that finally helped ease Scott's mind about a cell phone! So many parental controls the phone almost isn't fun!! Santa puts the kids presents, unwrapped, under their stockings. When Riley came out there was nothing under her stocking. She is used to her dad teasing her but just as she was starting to sound a bit upset - Scott called her phone, I said, "Riley, is your stocking ringing?" There was a short pause and then "DID I GET A CEEEEELLLL PHOOOOONNNNE?" All at a very very loud volume. She them dumped the contents of her stocking onto the floor, picked up the cell phone and screamed like a wild banshee. It was so much fun to watch! I had the hardest time sleeping Christmas Eve because I knew she would be so excited!!! Thank you Riley - parents dream of that kind of reaction! Later Andi declared it "The best Christmas Ever!" wich always makes a parent happy.

The good news; it was actually a pretty slim Christmas for us materially speaking. I shopped like crazy and horded coupons and even I was a bit amazed at how well I did considering the budget - but I think we tried extra hard to have the right spirit. We have done homemade gifts for each for the last three years - my children LOVE it (especially Craig). I love watching/helping them create things for family members. It is wonderful to be sooooo invested in a gift. We also did the 12 days of Christ this year - instead of the 12 Days of Christmas. Each gift (mostly baked goods) was related to and accompanied by a story or miracle from Christ's life. I liked that each night (well most anyway) we took a moment each night to think about our Savior. Plus, the kids really like the sneaking and doorbell ditching that goes along with it. It was a first time effort and I am already thinking and planning for how next year will go!! We also started a new tradition on Christmas Eve. Everyone wrote an "I love you" letter for the person who's name they drew in the gift exchange. After the regular Christmas Eve festivities, we sat in our jammies around the tree and read our letters out loud to each other. There were a few tears, some laughs and a beautiful spirit!! We all agreed it was a wonderful new addition to our festivities!

We had our silly program with Meighan and Kirsten's families - sorry, lost my mind and didn't take any pictures! Trust me though, it was fun!

Coming into the family room Christmas morning!

Waiting for the go ahead from dad as they waited excitedly at the top of the stairs!!!!! It was a wonderful Christmas - came and went too quickly but magical as ever! Merry Christmas my sweet little family! I love you all so!