Christmas Day & Night

Who would have believed that we slept in Christmas morning.... okay everyone but me. I had to wake up and get the Mississippi Mud made. I enjoyed the quiet house, sipping coffee and making desserts.
Santa came sometime during the night and left full stockings and added a few presents to the christmas tree. The kids tore through wrapping paper and destroyed the house. There were clothes and kitchen toys all over the Familyroom.
After cleaning up, we made christmas pancakes and then headed to Amy and Tylers new house to enjoy Christmas day and dinner with family and friends.
Guests included - our five, Tyler, Amy, Bailey, Nana, Papa, Rachelle, Cole (who the girls call Cool) and Paige. Donny had to work at the hospital and he showed up late... and I don't think I took a picture.

We filled up on snacks. Yummy stuffed mushrooms, chips and dip, olives and veggies. We sipped Apple Cider all day and played with the new christmas pup Bailey. Cole and the girls played outside on the swings and then played with his bakugones (sp?) Nana was in the kitchen warming the HoneyBakedHam, and mashing potatoes.
The kids opened presents in the middle of the day, played dress up and tag. After dinner we made sugar cookies and decorated them (I didn't get pictures of that either)
Sydney and Peyton spent the night with Amy & Ty.

Peyton munchin olives and playing

Cole aka Cool

Sydney

Uncle Ty and Amy watch the fun

Paige loves cookies

Group photo

Ty is dreaming of sand mountain

Kids are so easy

"Let's play Cool"

Bianca and Bailey

Peyton and Cole

Bianca, Bailey & Ben

Peyton, Ben, Bailey & Bianca

Give me some suga

We took Amy's Hot Rod home leaving them my car with the carseats. I forget how much fun it is to drive a stick. We got home and Uncle Michael came over to hang out. Michelle was sick with a fever so he left her at his parents house. ;P First thing we did was play Band Hero. Uncle Micheal on the vocals, Me on the guitar and Bianca on the drums. He sang "beautiful soul" then we switched it up with Bianca on vocals, me on the drums and Uncle Michael on the guitar. Too many songs to remember.
Ben was feeling left out so the boys played UFC ... I got this on video and pictures. They were funny. Michael and Bianca ganging up on Ben. High Fives flying along with disgusting air masses from Bianca.....

Uncle Michael on the Left, Ben on the Right

UFC champions
They are concentrating

Christmas Eve

Time to bang these blog posts out while the memories are fresh.... Merry Christmas!!!

I started the Christmas vacation early this year, but it didn't really help with shopping and wrapping, not as much as I'd hoped, instead I spent those days chasing Sydney, Peyton and Bianca when I could catch her.
Bianca went to Grandma and Papa's early to help make Tamales for Christmas Eve dinner. I spent the morning wrapping the rest of the gifts, and making cookies jars. Sydney and Peyton really loved measuring and jarring the ingredients. I know what we're doing next year.
Tia Carmen, Matthew and Kalyn were already at Grandma and Papa's when we got there. Carmen and Martin were sick the night before and Tio was still feeling under the weather. They werent' planning on staying long.
Tia Andria, Tio Rudy, Dominic, Donovan and Devin were there. All the kids had a dance off in the back bedroom. Yes, eight kids.... one small bedroom, that was stinky with sweat... I didn't get one picture of it... They were shy when camera's came around.
Movies to watch - Dark Knight, the Simpson's movie & DragonBall. I don't think anyone watched an entire movie, just bits and pieces of different ones
Rudy talked a whole bunch of mess about how his Fantasy Football team was going to slaughter mine, he put an L up to his forehead and walked around the house, he's quite amuzing
Carmen packed up their christmas goodies and headed home to take care of Tio
Andria's parents were there, her mom brought some 7 layer dip that was delicious, and a kids dip with Chocolate, peanutbutter, Nutella, marshmellow cream, chocolate chips, coconut (tiny bit) and gummie bears... a kids dream of sweets... and it was rich and I think I'll take some more ;P and her camera!
Dinner was excellent, the company was great. The kids opened presents and played. It was a great evening of being with Family.

Christmas is near

There's lots of Holiday cheer. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas



Some December pictures...

Dominic & Bianca at the Tree lighting

Peyton, Bianca, Donovan

My goalie

decorating the tree

Hot coco & popcorn

A Happy Birthday to Uncle Rudy

Uncle Rudy turned 40. We stopped over to wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, we missed the Wild Ones on Thanksgiving...

Fruit Basket Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake


Daddy smiles for the camera

Dominic holds onto the bullets for safe keeping

Devin smiles behind the Binkie

Happy Thanksgiving

Ben, Papa, Nana, Tyler

Kristie, Peyton, Bianca, Sydney, Amy

Ben woke me up at 7 am to start the Turkey. I guess someone woke up on the hungry side of the bed. I felt like I'd just fallen asleep an hour before he woke me up. Talk about tired....

Ben washed the Turkey while I got all the veggies washed and cut. We made a Rosemary Orange Turkey. Fresh Rosemary and freshly cut oranges... Oh what a difference ;P

Nana and Papa brought over their dogs for a playdate with Kallie. Nana also made brownies to start the morning off right. We took the dogs and kids for a long walk, and then played in the backyard while we finished up the cooking.

Dinner guests included Soccer Jim, Amy, Tyler, Nana, Papa and our five.... after our Turkey Feast we had a concert (rockband style) pumpkin pie.... and then after a nice nap (only Ben got one of those) We headed over to the in laws for some Pozole, cheesecake and cake. Yummie

Dinner is served

roll anyone

Bloody Lip

Kallie had a feast as well

Soccer Jim in action

Furlough Friday

Another Furlough Friday and this time we decided to stay home and make our own fun. We pumped the jogging stroller tires and got some snacks... let the kids choose their own outfits and then headed off on a 1.5 mile walk to the closest park in our neck of the woods. We covered asphalt, pebbled/dirt roads, sidewalks and a grassy field all for the name of adventure.

Once there we played on the swings, played hide and seek and let daddy chase us around the enormous soccer field for a couple hours and then went to seach for a bridge that goes over the wetland preserves.... I don't think the bridge is built, even though it's on all the maps....

We probably walked a good mile in seach of the bridge and then braved the 1.5 trek home.. it was long and my feet hurt.... next time I'll wear jogging shoe