Christmas 2009

Well, it's going to be a long post. I've decided to just "get it over with" and post all our Christmas celebrations in one LONG post! So, sit down & get ready for pictures!

This year my poor mom had to work on Christmas day. She works for a local hospital -- she is retiring on 12/31/2009, so they asked if she would work Christmas day. She decided that since it was her last, she's go ahead and give in. So, we decided to celebrate with my family on Christmas Eve. We spent Christmas morning at home just the 3 of us. After our little celebration we went to our Church around 1:00 -- our Church serves a free Christmas dinner to anyone in the community that would like to come. It's something that we think is a GREAT thing that our Church does, and we try to take part in some way every year. Mike and I offered to help clean up this year. After a yummy lunch (workers always get a big plate ... heee) and cleaning up we headed to Mike's parents to celebrate Christmas with them.

Christmas Eve morning we had cousin Naomi over to help us bake special cookies for Santa. The girls made ginger bread men & tree cookies.

Then, it was off to my Moms to celebrate.
This is 3 of the cousins together...so cute!

My middle sister got the girls "Christmas Barbies"...ohhhh boy...I've tried to stay away from Barbies.....just not my thing, but the girls loved playing with them. They would walk around with them "talking" to each other through the Barbie...funny!

The girls having fun opening their gifts (this happened to be candy...the smiles kind of gave it away I think...haaaa)

Then, each family had a little "photo shoot" by Moms tree.

Then, it was back to our house...isn't it great that both parents live within 30 minutes!

Anne Marie in her special Christmas-Eve jammies


We set out Santa's Cookie & Rudolph's apple....

This is what we woke up to Christmas morning.....hmmmm...

Ready to open Santa's gift. We have special wrapping paper that Anne Marie picks out that we leave for Santa to wrap her one gift so that she knows which one is from him.

She got Ballet clothes!! Santa knew just what to get... it will go perfect with the gift that Nana & Mommy & Daddy got her -- Ballet lessons! She's been asking for MONTHS!!

Candy Land!!!

New lady-bug earrings!!

Then, it was off to help at Church....Anne Marie & her friend Mira being BIG helpers getting the flowers ready to take to nursing homes after the Church Christmas dinner! So cute!

Then, it was off to Grandma & Grandpas. We had a birthday celebration there. We got cupcakes to eat & I brought a candle so that we could sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Then, it was time for gifts...Ohhh...KaiLan Mega Blocks!!! Yea!!

Then, Grandma & Grandpa had a BIG surprise!!

A "big girl" bike!!!! WhooooHooooo!!

Due to the massive snow still on the ground.... (did I say I was over the snow yet??? Well, if you missed it... I AM!!!) she was not able to ride her bike outside...so Grandpa decided it would be fun to go in the basement. They have a finished basement, however they really don't have anything down there, so it was a good place to ride. And, ride she did...for 1/2 hour!!

We hope you all had a Christmas as blessed as ours!! Now, we're looking forward to our week off with Daddy & bringing in 2010 together!!!