Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Few words, many pictures... Merry Christmas!

What a wonderful holiday we've had! My husband and I ended up with some time off, and we put it to good use. :) We made Christmas tree pictures and added presents for all our family members. Atty decided to add an extra present under his tree for his brother in Montana... So sweet!
We are thankful that he has been able to stay in contact with is biological brother even though they were adopted in different states! Doesn't often happen.

Bubu sang Christmas songs up front at church. He was so brave and so adorable. Spike said he wanted to but then he got a little too scared and decided to sit and watch instead. But he did stay with his class the whole time... little steps. Atty isn't ready for that yet so he sat with us. Just the fact that he sat with us in the super crowded and loud church and listened to the music is a big step for him! He use to get so overwhelmed by situations like that, he would melt down in to a out of control tantrum.


We went to a get together at my mom's house and the kids fell in love with this cute puppy... especially Spike, he really really wants a dog.


We also went to the Lights of Christmas this year. Our neighbor brought over free tickets for all of us! We had wanted to go but hadn't found enough coupons to make it affordable for us so I had given the coupons I found away to some one else that I knew was going. It was so sweet of our neighbors to think of us. I think this neighbor and I have been trying to be friends for the last three years {she home schools too!} but we are just both to shy to get around to actually hanging out, haha! Anyways they had already gone and then her husband got the tickets so they passed them on to us.


It was a lot of fun, but super crowded as we went the night before Christmas eve... then because it was late and I had some of Atty's food with we stopped at a fast food restaurant {which we never do} and got the kids some dinner. This might have been cooler to them then the light, ha!


Lala in her Christmas eve dress pushing her "baby" around in the stroller. He actually likes it, such a sweet cat.


The kids always get to open one present on Christmas eve that is their special pj's and one present from someone out side of the family. Then I make them sit for pictures in their Christmas jammies... :) We also went to look at the "dancing lights" this year on Christmas eve right before bed. It was a lot of fun, sitting in the van, eating some treats and watching the lights go to the sound of the music. They had the donation box again for Children's hospital, which we love. Feels good to be able to donate. It goes to stuffed animals for the kids that are there, and Atty got a few of those when he was there, it really does make a difference.


Love stuffing the stockings after the kids are in bed. I always put a Big Hunk in my husbands stocking... ;)


Stockings stuffed, presents under the tree, Atty's special cookies ready, bring on the morning! {All by 10:30 too, that's a record for me!}


Here they come... I don't know if Lala was yawning or excited in this picture, haha!


I had to include this picture, even though it's blurry. {As many of my early morning pictures were, so frustrating!} The boys found a stuffed animal dachshund, and because they know that she loves the two {real ones} that she has, they were so very excited to give it to her. It was really cute.


Because Atty can't have any treats in his stockings I made him his special cookies this year as well as his freezer "candies". I gave the other kids a few more treats this year in there stocking and it didn't seem to cause any problems. I try to stay away from the wrapped ones and just put bulk treats in there stockings. The bright flashy holiday candies draw the most attention, so I stay aways from those still.


Lala got some lip gloss in her stocking, oh boy was she excited! She's always trying to use mine.


Bubu taking his turn to hand out presents.


Spike in his monkey hat, over the moon excited over his Nerf gun... something I never though I would get my kids. There will be rules, but I've relaxed a bit with the boys on this.


The kids were so excited for me to open the presents they got for me... even though some of them had already slipped up and told me what they were, haha! They found me another adorable snow globe, and it was Bubu that reminded my husband that they needed to get one, so cute!


This year we decided to go sledding on Christmas day. Mount Baker is closed to skiers on Christmas day, so we thought we would try it out. It was awesome and might have to be our new tradition. Normally we go seeking snow on New Years day... but you can't beat an almost empty mountain for sledding! It was a lot of fun!! And free, bonus!


Made sure to take a picture of me so that in the future my kids would know that I was there as well... haha! Some times I wonder if they will think I just wasn't ever there since I'm always the one taking the pictures and don't end up in many of them.


Getting ready to sled down.


My sister and mom came too! My sister acted as a human sled for Lala a few times, she loved it.


We need more sleds... Didn't stop the boys from having fun though, they just rolled down the hills in between turns. :)


The climb back up wasn't easy... but they managed. Tough little guys.


These two only made it a little while before they headed back to the van.


We found a snow fort and had a snow ball fight, me against them... I won. Haha! It was only because I had endless snow available to me, they ran out pretty fast... once that happened they started losing member fast, first one to join my side... Spike of course.


It was a beautiful day.


A late Merry Christmas wish to you all.

3 comments:

lifebythehandful said...

It looks to me like you have it right this holiday season! So blessed by your encouraging words and by the pictures of you enjoying your family. <3

Kat said...

That sounds (and looks) perfect!!! What a GREAT Christmas! And we go to a house with "dancing" lights too. My kids love it. We just did it again last night as part of our celebration. So fun. They donate the money to St. Jude's Hospital which is one of my fav charities too, so I LOVE that. :)

Love all the pictures! Sledding on Christmas! You are such a fun family. I wish we lived closer, I bet we'd be great friends! :)

Hope you have a WONDERFUL New Year!!!!

Riahli said...

Kat, I'm pretty sure we would have tons of fun together, can you imagine taking our group of 6 boys and 2 girls on outings.... hahaha! Oh man, people would run if they saw us coming! :) It would be awesome!!!