Christmas

On December 23 we had a sleepover by the Christmas tree.  The kids LOVED it.



Here is our Christmas Eve dinner:  red and green jello, rolls, ham, canned green beans (from our garden), and 7-Up with green snowflake shaped ice cubes.  We ate the meal by candlelight, which the kids thought was very cool.



We acted out the nativity story.  Megan was Mary. Tyler was Joseph and Emily was an angel.  Then Emily became a wiseman with Darrell and me.



Christmas morning.  Waiting to go see what Santa Claus brought. (Emily, Megan, Tyler)



Heading downstairs.



Christmas morning fun.



After breakfast we opened up our presents from under the tree. 

Tyler



Megan



Emily



New princess dresses for Megan and Emily





And superhero capes and a mask for Tyler



Legos for all







It was a great Christmas.

Emily



Megan



Tyler



That afternoon we walked down to the sledding hill (literally 2 houses away from us) to try out the kids' new sleds. We sent Tyler down by himself, which was very scary for him, so after that Darrell and I took turns going down with them.

Emily, Darrell and Megan



Megan and Darrell





Emily and Darrell





Tyler and Darrell





Megan and me

 

 

This was our first Christmas with just our little family.  It was nice to be together and start some traditions of our own.

California Part 2

Heading to church on Sunday



Enjoying lunch and some play time out on the patio

Megan





Emily





Tyler





We had a family Christmas dinner.  It was so great to be together.  Nellie was able to be there also.





The kids enjoyed playing yard games.



Jeff trying out Nellie's wheelchair.



The kids were ecstatic to be able to open their Christmas presents.





Emily was so tuckered she fell asleep before she could get her bedtime snack.

 

Playing with their toys before we had to pack them all up.




Grandma helping the girls with one of their floor puzzles.





I had to get a picture of the girls with their "carry ons."  Carol gave each of the girls a puppy with a carry case and that's what the girls took on the plane as their carry ons.

 

 

 

We're so grateful we were able to spend a part of the holidays with family--it's definitely what they're all about.

 

California Part 1

We were able to go stay with Darrell's mom from December 18-23.  It was so wonderful to be with family.

The flight there--coloring books with stickers helped the time go by quickly for the kids. (Darrell and I enjoyed Jet Blue's TV service.)



Carol volunteers in a classroom and we were able to visit on the day they were making gingerbread houses.  Emily, Megan and Tyler loved being there and the "big kids" loved having them there.  It was a win-win for everyone.

Listening to the directions for how to make the gingerbread houses.





The supplies



A girl helping Emily



Megan



Emily



Tyler



Giving the kids ten



The finished gingerbread houses



One evening we went out to eat at Hof's Hut (Emily, Carol and Megan)



Emily with the holiday stuffed animals.



Megan and Tyler



Enjoying the warm California sun!

Darrell and Tyler



Megan



Emily (with a flower, of course)



We were able to visit Darrell's grandma Nellie at the care center.

Emily, Nellie and Megan



Tyler and Nellie



One night we ate the Olive Garden.  We LOVE that place!



All of the grandkids. (David, Emily, Matt, Tyler, Megan and Jeff)



One day we walked to the park and had a picnic.  The kids were in heaven.





Tyler gathering wood



Emily on the bars



Megan and Emily