The Annual Christmas Marathon

Christmas with Adam's side of the family, Tuesday, December 20th:

Adam was able to take most of the week before Christmas off, but there was lots on the agenda! We started our Christmas marathon at Steve and Patty's. Patty had made gingerbread loaf houses for each family to make, then we opened gifts and had lasagna and pizza. We didn't stay too late so that we could get home to check on our sick puppy.

Steve and Patty have a few "pet" squirrels. Soren was able to feed one by hand two different times!

Synnove and Soren's creation

Soren got another Candyland game to add to his collection as a gift. It seemed like he and the cousins enjoyed playing together!

Annual Camp 18 dinner and Christmas with My side of the family, Thursday, Dec. 22nd:

Grandma Barb joined us this year because she decided to go to Leavenworth, WA with a friend for Christmas this year. This was the first year EVER to not have Christmas Day at Grandma Barb's house.

Back from dinner to open gifts at my parent's house

Soren got a voice changer from Uncle Henry...here he is with the "old man" voice...ha ha!


Synnove was very excited for Adam and I to open her gifts to us. At school she painted an ornament and made a calendar with hand print pictures. They are precious!

Baking and cleaning day, Friday, December 23rd:

Elise and Chris stayed at my parent's house for several days during the week. Mom was working at the coffee shop while Elise stayed home to bake all the Christmas goodies. She made everything...pumpkin pie, berry pie, pecan pie (for Adam), rocky road, dream bars, magic cookie bars, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, frosted sugar cookies, and date bars. I came in the afternoon to help do any cleaning or last minute chores before the big Christmas Eve dinner the next day. But, because of Elise, most everything was done. The kids stayed the night there while I had to go home to help Adam with Lucy.

Sweet Evelyn in the kitchen watching her mommy bake...

Christmas Eve dinner with the Thompson clan, Saturday, December 24th:

I don't have very many photos from this day because I'm usually busy with the gift exchange game. For some reason, Christmas Eve felt very quiet and low key. It was nice. Unfortunately, Heidi had been in the hospital with kidney stones! But, she made it out in time for our evening. The poor girl looked miserable. This was our first Christmas without John Bradley, an older gentleman from church we "adopted" several years ago. He passed away last spring. Other than him, my cousin Bryan was the only one missing. He is a lost soul in need of a lot of prayer.

My mom and Aunt Jeanne

Mmmm....Hammmm...

Christmas morning at my parent's house, Sunday, December 25th:

The kids stayed the night Christmas Eve while Adam and I went home to take care of Lucy. We literally drug ourselves out of bed to try to make it to my parent's house by 9AM...we were only 10 minutes late. I knew the kids would be up early to see what Santa had brought to grandma and grandpa's house. I got a phone call at around 8:15 from Synnove saying "we're up..we're waiting for you!"

My dad with 2 out of 3 "grand-dog's." Sophie (left) and Trigger (right) are Chris and Elise's schnauzers. However, if you ask Sophie and Trigger...they'll tell you that my Dad is their master.

Evie gazing and grandma

Soren's new viewfinder!

Evie talking to Uncle Henry while getting dressed after her bath.

Sweet reindeer buns

After opening gifts, a few of us headed to the kitchen to make a big breakfast with eggs, hash browns, and biscuits and sausage gravy. Then we all lounged in our jammies all day watching Muppet Christmas movies. The boys did end up venturing out later to go shoot Henry's new gun.

Christmas Day evening at our house, Saturday, December 25th:

Because we didn't go to Grandma Barb's this year, we were able to head home at a reasonable hour. The kids were eager to get home to see if Santa brought gifts to their house as well. Of course, he had.

Soren got an Angry bird (he'd gotten a pig and an Angry Bird blanket as gifts prior), some more Hot Wheels, and a miniature Candyland game...among other things.

On the way home from my parent's house, I asked Synnove if she had gotten everything she wanted for Christmas...she said, "yes....but, I really wanted a Tangled doll..." She wasn't unhappy with her gifts, but that doll was one of only two things she asked for for Christmas (the other being a new pair of rubber boots). It was really fun to see her face at the very end of our Christmas marathon to open her very last gift...a Tangled doll.