Tradition - with variation - December 21

[gasp] We changed the date of our sleep over. Tradition has it on the night of the 23rd. But Kurt's family is leaving for IF and will be gone. And thanks to Kristen's lobbying in the past for doing it - a) so the kids aren't so tired from sleepover/Christmas eve/Christmas all in a row and b) so they can sleep under their own tree for a tradition at their own house. So tradition become a variable. I loved every minute of it.
We are so busy during the cousin sleep-over that I don't get around to taking photo's - until the highlight of the evening, when they open their pajamas. We play games, the kids run and run. They slid on Opa's ice rink. We made individual pizza's- with toppings of their individual choice. We delivered neighbor gifts - the kids actually sounded great this year. " Jingle bells" and "We wish you a Merry Christmas" with gusto. Then we piled into the van to go to the church gym to play when "what to our wondering eyes did apear..." there were cars and other people in the church (Could be because it's a Wednesday night and not every ward canceled YM/YW like our ward did) So we came back home and played some more.
We played a game with the PJ opening. They all know it's PJ's so which one belongs to who?
We had tags with clues like-
Blue eyes - oldest boy in family - goes to grade school - has only sisters - last name is not Simpson - brown hair *Carter*
So if you had a tag with the clue "blue eyes" and you had brown eyes, you would trade the pkg with someone who had blue eyes. Some kids had their package right away- others had to get down to the last clue. How many blue eyed- blond preschoolers do we have?

Zoe Ellie Stella Bree Christy in their matching monkey pj's.
Hannah Hallie and McKayla
Carter and Tyler
Jake and Tucker - they don't match because it's hard to match young men with size 4 little boys.
I always take photo's of the kids sleeping. Even when they are pretending. We let the older ones play downstairs while the little ones settled down. Amazing we found floor space for all.
This is what it is really like taking pictures. Jake couldn't stop rough-housing with Tucker. Love it.

And Carter gave his pillow to Hallie, then went into his own bed for a good night's sleep.
Next morning the rough housing started all over again. Tucker is such a good sport. We had poffertje's and cereal and everyone played in their pj's till parents came to take them home.PS. We really missed Emma and Aspen. Fortunately Aunt Jessi had a party for them on the 20th. They made gingerbread houses and got to open their PJ's then. Also Lincoln and Rachel had to miss out on the overnight stay. You have to be potty trained to join this party. They got PJ's too, I just didn't get a picture.

Zoe's birthday

Zoe is 5 and wanted to have her family party at Jabbers (as last year) - difference this year, she is one year older -got her ears pierced and is growing up (silly dad- kids grow up too fast one day at a time) High light for Zoe- she got her ears pierced. Maybe that's why dad is pulling a face- or maybe it's because he has to go back to work after the party.
The kids had a great time. Playing - playing - playing.
I gave my camera to Hannah and McK and this was the best photo they got (the battery went dead). I love it because it shows how happy they are.

Thankful 30

Every day we give Thanks for these families. We are so blessed.

Thanksgiving

We're thankful for the good dinner and for left overs for the rest of the weekend.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING - Lets do it again next year

Thankful 28

This photo was taken in June 2010- We were cemetery hopping and had a wonderful day. Jessi was there too. I am thankful for my parents - Nov 28 is Mom's birthday, Dec. 5th is Dads. and I am thankful for my heritage. For ancestors that sacrificed to emigrate to America, to join the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to get an education and to teach values to their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Thankful day 27

I am thankful for music. Christmas music is playing at our house. Thankful for Pandora computer radio too, because most of our Christmas CD's are scratched and skip. We will be enjoying Christmas music for a month, and probably more because it lifts my soul and makes me happy.

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” -John Bowring

November 26, Thankful

One of my most favorite days of the year. Maybe even the favorite. It would be even better if the Doty's were here. Maybe next year. Thanks Uncle Neil and Maria for photo's.