Christmas Eve: part 2

After a much needed nap from all of the fun at the Browns we went to Brandon's parents house.  There we had more yummy food, nativity fun and a sing-a- long.

Here my "Joseph" and my "Wise-Man."

And my little angel who DID NOT like her costume!

And here in our completed nativity scene (minus the angel) ninja style.  Grandpa then took them around to the neighbors asking if "there was room in the inn."

After dinner we sang some Christmas songs...

while the little girls danced...

and the boys wrestled.

So fun to watch!

Here are the kids listening to the story of the first Christmas.

Then it was time to go home, go to bed, and wait anxiously for the arrival of SANTA!

Christmas Eve: part 1

Christmas Eve was a very busy day!  First we went to our friends the Brown's where we had lunch with them and our friends the Johnson's.

Here are the kids lined up to get their lunch.  There are 13 kids total, ages 16 months to almost 12.  8 girls and 5 boys.  It's a wild group sometimes, but lots of fun!

And this is the yummy food that we had to eat.

Here are the oldest kids waiting, and playing around!

After lunch we had them decorate cookies.

Josh really got into the decorating

Every cookie that he did looked like this one.

Eric was our official taste tester.

and Katie watched and helped out the other kids.

It was such a fun afternoon for everyone!

Christmas Eve

This year we had a Christmas Eve party with our friends, the Browns and the Johnsons. IT WAS SO FUN! Between us there are 13 kids and it was WILD!

We had a gift exchange for the kids. It was especially fun to see the little ones participate. My Katie got Kassi some markers that she would not let any other child touch! And Kassi got my Katie a doll.
Eric got this snap hand that is currently stuck to my ceiling. But he had fun with it until it got stuck!

J got this robot toy, which was great for him. He loves robots!

Next we decorated cookies. I have to say that my friend Denise is the bravest woman I know. She had the kids decorating over the carpet!

Next was the live Nativity. The kids were so good and so cute during this special story. Sadly my kids were not to interested in participating.

Josh, the Shepard, was stealing candy from the cookie decorating area.

My Katie was dancing to the music with Kati Brown. And Eric, the Wise Man, was hiding behind the camera.

After we got home we had the kids get into their nice, new Christmas jammies. We set out the cookies for Santa, and read "The Night Before Christmas." Then off to bed they went to wait for morning.