This will probably go down as one of my favorite Christmases ever. Not because we got to travel anywhere. Or we brought home another baby. Or because we got extravagant gifts.
But just because we got to spend quality time with extended family members. And it was a blast!
Let’s start with Christmas #1….Christmas eve with my family.
This year it was at my brother’s. We had a great dinner (as always…tenderloin, turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, salad, green beans, corn, rolls…and chocolate cake (delicious chocolate cake) and the famous mouse cookies for dessert (more on the mouse cookies later), the kids were able to play together, the adults conversed, a few presents were handed out (we only do presents for the kids), including dollar coins (which the kids get every year) from my dad. The kids really enjoy getting these coins, and think it’s really cool to buy something using all coins (they get $2 for every year of age). Kalia was a little grumpy, but I’m contributing that to the fact that our family is loud. L-O-U-D! And she doesn’t do well with loud, crowded areas. We topped off our fun night with an impromptu snowball fight. The snow was beautiful…and very wet…which made for some pretty hard, packed snowballs. Luckily noone was hurt 
We headed back home around 10, so we could get things ready to go for Christmas morning.
Everyone slept in Christmas morning (even Kalia…it was NICE). Once everyone was up and we had a shower (well…Kalia & I had a shower), we opened presents. Kalia had seen the kitchen “Santa” had brought her, and I tried to keep it away from her as long as I could so she would open the other presents. She played with it for a bit, than we were able to get her interested in her other gifts. She got the kitchen set, a Tag Jr., some Tag books and a pair of Tinkerbell slippers from us this year. Emilee got some Heelys (which she had been DYING for), a super soft robe, and Just Dance 2 for the Wii. Amanda got a HUGE makeup kit, a robe and a dock for her i-Pod. Dan got a GPS & an electric shaver…and I got a new purse camera (a Nikon Coolpix). Everyone got good stuff in their stockings, too (lottery scratch-off tickets, candy, gum, Bath & Body Works sugar scrubs (me), Tag Jr. books (Kalia), Jerkey & Slim Jims (Dan)).
After all the opening was done, I started on cleaning up & finishing packing for our overnight stay at the in-laws….while trying to get the girls to get ready to go, too. They wanted to play with their stuff (understandably), but we really needed to get on the road. Dinner was waiting to be served at noon….
After dinner at Dan’s grandparent’s, which was DELICIOUS, as always, we went back to Dan’s parent’s house to open gifts & relax from the busy day. The girls got games (Scrabble Flash, Pictionary Man and Sorry), Kalia got another Tag book, CDs and a Leap Frog learning toy. Dan & I made out with gift cards for date nights (Applebees, Red Lobster, Olive Garden & Chilis….all of our favorites).
We had made a photo book for both Dan’s mom & step-mom this year from Picaboo (EXCELLENT quality…will definitely be making more). Dorothy absolutely LOVED hers….her face says it all. (I’m sure Kathy loved hers as well…but we weren’t able to be with her to see it). Dave loved his cordless screwdriver, too.
The rest of the weekend was spent just enjoying being with family. Dan’s step-brother has a new girlfriend…who we’re thinking (hoping) will be a keeper. She’s wonderful…
We had an amazing time….definitely a Christmas to remember.
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