Christmas 2012

I didn't get pictures, but Christmas Eve activities were as follows: John worked painting the rocket all day, the rest of us played a few Christmas games and cleaned up the house to get ready for Santa to come.  We had a nice spaghetti dinner with Sparkling Cranberry juice in plastic goblets, and then we played a really hectic game of Santa Claus cooties, where Charlotte kept crawling on top of everyone's pieces and trying to eat them.  Then we watched the Christmas Nativity Cartoon mom sent.  Afterwards, using the information we had just learned, we re-enacted the Nativity with the stuffed set from Grandma.  After this we tried to make the kids sing a few Christmas songs, but they refused, so we got the kids into their Christmas PJs, let them open a present, and then hung up stockings.  Right before bed we sprinkled the reindeer food on the lawn that Jeffrey had made in school.  When we went outside, we saw that it had just started to snow--we are currently enjoying a beautiful white Christmas!

The kids each got to open one gift on Christmas Eve, and Jeffrey chose this cool blow-up hammer from Aunt Emily, which he insisted on sleeping with.  Arabelle was only interested in this present she is holding, but it was actually Jeffrey's, so we said she couldn't open it.  Fortunately she was content to just hold it.

The Elf at work.

That's Jeffrey's stocking on the right.

From left: Elsie, Charlotte, Arabelle.  That's a bone and a slim jim in Elsie's stocking.  Each of the kids have a cool toy gun poking out from their stockings.

The rocket had to be assembled in place, so John and I were up 'til 11 creating this spread.

Charlotte LOVED her waxy little chocolate donut.

Robot Nesting Dolls from Uncle Phil

Movie projector from Memaw and Papa

Tree Trimming Party

 One of our guests, Karly brought a camera and was kind enough to take lots of photos for us.  Jeffrey really got into it and loved the attention of having the camera on him.  He came up with several poses:

                                                

Such a cute little guy!

 

 

 

As anyone might have guessed, Arabelle loved ladling the punch.

Arabelle also enjoyed distributing ornaments to guests for them to hang on the tree.

Arabelle grabbed the bowl of M&Ms and after a couple of minutes I went to take it back.  I said she could have one more before I took it, so she grabbed a giant handful and stuffed it in her mouth as I pulled the bowl away from her.  She definitely takes after her mother in her taste in food.

Fun Uncle James!

Such a "knowing" look on James.  What could he be thinking?  Of course, the look could also be "smug," in which case the expression is obviously due to the svelte dog that fits so snugly in front of his laptop.

Jeffrey LOVED playing games on his uncle's smart phone.  Is that what they're calling those things these days?

Thanks for the punch bowl, Emily.  You'd be surprised how many opportunities one can find to use it.  I also have enjoyed using the crystal that I got from the Southerners for my wedding.  It was funny the difference between the gifts I got in Mississippi and those I got in Utah.   The ones I got in Mississippi were so fancy and the ones in Utah were equally nice to have but very practical--like several bottles of cleaner in a new kitchen trash can.

John put up the tree around 2 o'clock.  Jeffrey then had to wait to start decorating the tree until 6 o'clock when the party started.  I don't know if I've ever seen him so excited/in pain.  He could hardly bear to wait and asked about every 5-10 minutes if he could start decorating the tree.  It was cute, but I really felt like I was torturing him!

You can see Arabelle directing Jeffrey where to put the ornament.