Christmas Highlights

First Christmases

Christmas Eve with family and exciting toys

Preschool Christmas programs

Piano Recitals

Cute Kids

This is last night when they were waiting to decorate our Christmas tree. I think they're adorable.

Christmas Morning

We followed out usual tradition on Dan going downstairs first to make sure all the lights are on and everything's ready to go, then I came down the stairs with all the kids. Jonah immediately saw his new "Mater" car and stayed on it forever. We didn't even try to entice him with other presents to unwrap. This is all he wanted and it kept him happy for at least a little while. (The ironic thing is, a day or two later when we pulled out his sister's little "bike", which is the same, just pink and less buttons to push, he didn't want Mater, he only wanted the other one. Go figure.) He was adorable that morning though and will ride it when the other one isn't around. Megan opening presents in her stocking.

These are a little out of order, but I had to include this present. As Megan opened it, she said, "I wasn't expecting this" then set it aside and told us she didn't want it. It was a Backyardigans toy. Later that morning she told us that Jonah could have it because she didn't expect it and didn't want it. I guess that present from mom and dad didn't go off that well. At least she's honest.

Catherine opening presents from her stocking.

Like most 18 month olds, Jonah took forever opening presents that morning. I think he finished a couple of hours after everyone else. He would open one and insist on playing with it for a while and could not be enticed away from it. Unwrapping presents was not interesting to him, just playing with the ones he knew about. I think the next time we have a kid in this age range at Christmas we should take everything out of its box before it's wrapped up. That way they do not get as frustrated Christmas morning when they can't play with it right away.

Jonah with his new dump truck.

Unlike Jonah, Catherine and Megan were very interested in opening the next present. Some presents barely get looked at before rushing to the next one. It's a good thing mom and dad pace everyone or we wouldn't be able to see the kids as they open it. As a tradition, we pass out one present to everyone and everyone gets to open theirs and show it around. Then we do it again. Eventually we stagger some, because naturally everyone does not get the exact same amount of presents. It makes it nice to actually see what the kids get and the morning doesn't get lost in a bunch of flying paper and bows.

One of Megan's favorite toys is her big Tinkerbell doll Santa brought her. She really made out with the Tinkerbell toys. I still don't know how much Tinkerbell stuff she actually got and she loves it. I made her a Tinkerbell fleece blanket and a flannel nightgown. She got Tinkerbell dolls and pajamas, the movie and a coloring book. There's probably more, but not that I can think of right now. She was in heaven.

Catherine asked for an Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) dress for Christmas which she was so excited about when she unwrapped it, but still has not tried it on (about 1 1/2 weeks later). Now she claims she wanted an Barbie Mariposa dress up dress. I guess you can't please them all the time, especially when they change their mind.

That was our Christmas morning. Dan and I faired well also. Dan got some games, especially an x-box game that I won't leave alone. He's been trying to get me to play x-box for awhile and now that I have started he can't get me to leave it alone. Ok, I'm not that bad, but I could be. I'm so excited for my Adobe Photoshop so I can work on digital scrapbooking. Overall we had a great holiday with Christmas eve and Christmas day and everything else that built up to it.

Christmas Eve

For amount of pictures that might be posted, I think I need to separate Christmas Eve & Day. We had a great party at our house on Christmas Eve. We had almost 30 people there and it was the first time in who knows how long Dan's mom got to spend Christmas Eve with her brothers. We definately had lots of people, lots of food and lots of fun. Dan and Jonah enjoying the evening.

Megan had lots of fun and wore her antlers almost all night.

This is earlier in the day. This is Jonah sampling the eggnog and throughly enjoying it. I must say, we have enjoyed combining some of our traditions we have. Both Dan and my family have had big gatherings Christmas eve with lots of extended family and sandwiches which we've started here in Utah. My Aunt has given me her yummy eggnog recipe, so I don't have to miss that.

Children's Nativity

My sister-in-law invited us over for a musical Christmas evening and the kids were all part of the Nativity. They were so cute. This is Catherine, an angel. She insist on smiling this way for all her pictures.

Megan was the "star angel" which meant she got to hold up the star to guide the shepherds.

Jonah was supposed to be a sheep or something. We didn't really try at all with him. He doesn't listen very well yet. Imagine that. The cute part though, was when the nativity was finished and the kids all went downstairs to play, Jonah found the star paper and climbed up on the chair holding high above his head just like he saw his sister do. It was very cute.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

It was late and he was tired, but he still got to put his two ornaments on the tree.

Megan with her antlers. She wore them all night while decorating the tree.

Who needs a ladder when you have a daddy?

We had to tell the girls to put ornaments on the back of the tree because they kept wanting to put them all on the front where everyone could see them.

It wouldn't be Christmas without Catherine having a Strawberry Shortcake ornament. It even smells strawberry. I'll have to post a picture of the finished tree later.

Antlers

We got these antlers at the store the other day. Megan saw them first and wanted to wear them around the store and then Jonah took them from her and wouldn't take them off his head (which he usually doesn't like stuff on his head). They were so cute that I had to buy them. And if you buy one for one kid, you have to buy one for the others.

I guess this picture should have been first. I went shopping at Macey's one day and they had Santa there. I expected Megan to be shy, but no. She asked to sit on his lap, walked right up and just chatted with him. I was so proud. Jonah only wanted the candy cane. When Catherine heard Megan got to sit on Santa's lap, she asked her, "where you a little bit scared?" She then told me she had to sit on Santa's lap also and kept asking when we could take her to the mall. I must admit though, I am throughly disappointed with the mall Santa's I've seen. No hat, no coat, just the red pants, and some Christmasy turtleneck, and very bald. Then Albertson's announced Santa was going to be there on Saturday, so we went and Catherine got to sit on his lap and tell him what she wanted. Of course, Megan got all shy and wouldn't go near him and Jonah still only wanted the candy cane. Wouldn't go anywhere near him either.

Shepherds

Our ward had a cute Christmas party where everyone came as shepherds and they had a potluck dinner then the Christmas Nativity play. These are my two shepherds. Catherine was so excited to dress up as a shepherd but was also the first one to take her costume off during the dinner. Megan kept hers on all night. Catherine also was bored because all they had was just singing. Megan sat there singing or just watching the whole time. They were very cute.