Christmas Tree 2011

Once again we went with the fake loaner tree for mostly financial reasons, yoy!  Real tree for sure next year. After fussing with the lights and adding new lights to the "pre-lit tree", fluffing branches and finally adding ornaments we decided this is just as much work as a real tree without the fun of finding and cutting it down and the lovely smell. We had a good time after all was said and done, now Brooklyn as to learn to keep her sticky-from-candy-cane fingers off the ornaments and presents. Feeling relieved that there are only 4 1/2 days till Christmas. 

Merry Christmas to you and your family!  We sure do enjoy Christmas with two little ones running around. Christmas through a kids eyes is priceless.  It's sometimes chaos, but it's organized chaos. :)

Living Nativity

We were able to take the kids to the living nativity today at the Seventh Day Adventist School, it was so neat. We have lived in this area for 6 1/2 years now and have never been. Hailey was slightly scared of Clyde the Camel, but she loved the lamas, goats, cow and horses.  There was a carpenter, a black smith, a potter, candle making, rugs, a market and countless other areas to see how the various things were made, and what Bethlehem would have been like when Jesus was born.  There were Roman guards at the entrance to welcome you into Bethlehem.  Every character was dressed the part, and there was even a census taken on a scroll "from Cesar".  Cute little books for Hailey to collect stickers at every station.  This is really a great thing that the community puts on every year.  We are excited to go back next year and make this a part of our Christmas tradition.  Such a great learning experience for the kids and for us really. Brooklyn loved the little bon fire pits, it was brrrr freezing for sure. 

Feeding baby Jesus

Angels singing

Arc of the covenant  

Clyde the Camel and his Wise Man 

Giant! 

Sassy all bundled up

Line of people coming into Bethlehem 

Christmas Day

We hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and will have a wonderful New Year. We had a great Christmas, and it wasn't just because we got really great gifts. Sharing our holiday with others and being with family is a really great thing. This year we taught Hailey that getting presents is not the only reason behind Christmas, Christmas is about faith, family and giving back to others. In an attempt to teach Hailey about giving we bought some books and donated them back to our local libraries in her name. We cleaned our our clothes and toys and donated them to charities that can pass them on to others who could use them. We adopted two soldiers overseas and sent them goodies for the holidays. And Hailey got to make gifts to wrap and give to friends and family. We hope that these things can be something we do every year, possibly turn into traditions, and just become second nature to not only receive gifts but to give back to those who are both less fortunate and those who make it possible for us to live in this country and have the luxuries that we do. She's only two, so hopefully it will be something she always remembers doing.

Christmas morning, what a good day!

Waiting on mom and dad's bed so she can go out and see what Santa brought her

Can I go out yet???

WOW!!!

I'm so excited!

Hailey with all of her presents

waiting for all of the camera's to be ready for present opening

A camera, it's just what I just always wanted!

sitting with Papa while daddio video tapes

Backgammon--Trevor really wanted this and I surprised him

helping Nana open her presents

black jeans for Papa, pretty much a standard gift for him. We don't have a fireplace, so we bought a fireplace DVD last year to open presents in front of. Unfortunately, you can't burn all of your torn wrapping paper in a fake fireplace... *shrugs* oh well, we'll make it work anyway.

Mommy and Hailey--Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve morning

Nana & Papa got Hailey a cradle for Christmas, she really liked it.

Hailey got this really cool Little People Castle from our wonderful friends Chris and Traci. I really like this!

I see you!

Playing the castle with daddio. I think this was Hailey's favorite gift. She literally played with it all day Christmas Eve, Christmas, and only stopped playing with it today (the day after Christmas) so she could eat lunch and take a nap. Great gift!

Daddio picked out his own special gift for Hailey. A radio controlled car for Hailey, it's pink, of course.

She loves to run it into the walls and table. So fun!