The Party Begins!!

We all look forward to this week! My brother Arch, Kiley and family come from California and we begin the party. It always consists of our family's traditions which started many years ago before any of our kids were even thought of. My mom let us play games, party and not clean for the whole holiday. Now that we have had to move the party to Sandy, we do the same routine but in several different locations. Cris hosts Christmas Eve. The acting of the Nativity is now our children and our children's children. The older ones get a little grumpy but the younger ones love it, just like the older one's once did. It's magic! Once the Nativity is complete, then comes the gift exchange from their cousins. Mom always makes everyone pajama pants and other wonderful items. We always watch "Luke 2". Then the siblings retire to a more quiet area of the house and we exchange our gifts. There are usually some tears shed as we love to give the emotional gifts that really touch the heart. The kids usually wonder in to feel the wonderful spirit of giving. Each year the pictures all look the same and so this year I got some shots of the people!! Oh how they love their grandma!

And the homemade pajama pants that grandma makes

Never to big to enjoy the thrill that the holiday brings

What will the fabric look like this year? Will we really get them again? She's getting older, can she really make that many again?

When Riley's teacher asked who comes at Christmas, she replied," Cambria and Nicko",

(Arch's children)

Love the feeling in the air....

and we love eachother.....

We are so good. We've even made our children love each other!!

The Nativity in action...

Here's the grumpy older child..

He has to pretend that he hates it. He's much too old for this!

Elle finally got to be Mary and we had a number of canditates for Baby Jesus this year! Jace won!