Merry Christmas 2019

Merry Christmas!!!! We had a wonderful time celebrating the Savior's birth and showering our kids with gifts. We are so grateful for grandparents who add to the fun. We decided a few Christmas's ago that we really prefer eating breakfast first. We had delicious cinnamon rolls, bacon, and orange juice for breakfast. The kids got to give each other the gifts they picked from the dollar store during breakfast. 

 Sienna also wanted to get a gift for Daddy at the dollar store. I love the look on her face in this picture. She was so excited to give him this robo-dog. Gabriel insisted on getting me a gift too, a piggy bank.

 They were all excited about the robo-dog and the gifts they had gotten each other.

 We let everyone take their time eating, and when everyone was all done, we opened stockings. We each got to pick a fruit we don't normally buy at the grocery store, and we ended up with a lot of fun ones: Pineapple, Mango, Kiwi, Dragon Fruit, and Pomegranate. We saved them to eat for lunch.

Enjoying stocking treats

This face was Bridget trying pop-rocks

 Once they were all starting to wonder away from their stockings, which took a good amount of time, I went and hid in the middle room with all the presents and Sean told the kids to come find me. It was a lot of fun. This is them sitting listening to the rules and looking at the presents.

 Below are just some of the presents being opened.

I tried to get all the toys out of their packaging and clean up a little bit and then I fell asleep. Christmas burnout is a real thing, but these cuties are so worth it. 

Christmas Eve 2019

We drove to Erie Pennsylvania to check out Sam's Club. The kids had been missing Costco and Sam's Club was an hour and a half closer. It was pretty comparable and did the trick.

 Gabriel wanted roller blades, which surprised me for some reason.

 This grill was exciting as well.

 The beautiful swirl cloud and sunset just before we broke out the traditional "gingerbread" house supplies. Isn't it beautiful.

 Sienna's house complete with a garden roof top and patrolled by police bears in the traditional blue police hats.

 Bridget showing off hers, complete with a slide in the front and a campfire for her bears in the back.

 Gabriel and Daddy working on his robber themed ginger bread house, complete with bars on the windows.

 Gabriel told me I could have a bear from the bear bush he made. It was tasty.

 Contemplating what to eat next.

 Hard at work

 The complete set

 I looked to see what the kids would when they get out of the room in the morning. The first thing that drew my eye was the picture of Jesus that their  primary teacher gave them, and then the picture of our family. I thought that was perfect. We read Luke 2 and had them help act it out. It was crazy, they were crazy but still I felt the spirit of that night fill our home. I am grateful for the sacrifices of Mary and Joseph. I am grateful for the sacrifice of Heavenly Father in sending His Son. And I am grateful for my Savior, the gifts I have been excited about all month are nothing in comparison to the gift of having a Savior.

 The stockings are lined up

 The gifts they bought for each other at the dollar store are lined on the table to be opened first.

 The rest of the presents are shut away in the middle room for after breakfast. I can't wait till they see it. Eek. I woke up at 5am this morning Christmas morning...but they probably won't be up till 8 or 9. Oh well. Merry Christmas!!!

Last week

Saturday at the home inspection

Bridget building her house with chairs

 Our Christmas tree

 Sunday: ready for church

 This moment filled my heart with joy.

 Monday: took the kids to play at the park. They loved ascending and sliding down snow mountain, and of course the first thing Bridget wants to do is swing.

 A good way to snuggle daddy.

A week of sickness, in pictures