Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Christmas-Birthday Extravaganza

Christmas + Birthday = Pictures Galore = LONG post!
We had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great time celebrating at home with our family through Christmas morning and then headed down to see all of our extended families! Our kids (and us) got wonderful gifts and we all had a magical time remembering that we were celebrating Jesus' birthday!
We had some friends over (Benjamin's friend, Tyler's family) and had a little Christmas party lunch on Christmas Eve, which was lots of fun. Then we let the kids open one present each before going to Christmas Eve service at our church.

Benjamin got a new "Big Boy Bible". He LOVES reading bible stories every night before bed and so I found this new one that goes more into the stories than his old one did.

I was so pleased with how much he loved it. He sat right down and started reading it!

Anna, opening her very first present! She got a helicopter!
This is how Anna tends to crawl around these days, with some toy in her mouth!


Playing with Daddy!


All ready for bed in their matching jammies!


Had to put out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer first!


Benjamin woke up Christmas morning and discovered Santa and the reindeer had come!


Opening presents together!!!


Benjamin got a cool fridge magnet letter toy!


Our baby's first Christmas!


Benjamin got lots of books and after each one, he would take it to the bookshelf and put with his other books and then declare, "it fits!!!"


Anna got a fun ball toy from her Aunt Betsy!


Benjamin and Anna opening the big present of the morning, a cool house with a door they can crawl through!


Stocking time!


Anna likes the ball from her stocking!


Crawling through the door! (Please excuse the underwear only little boy, I don't know who let him play like that???)



Then we headed to Christmas with my Dad's side of the family........


Anna with her Great Grandpa!


And then Christmas with my parents and sister!!! Benjamin loved the bouncy ball my parents got him. The babies (Anna and Katrina) weren't much for opening presents, so he opened his and most of their presents sitting on his ball!


I LOVE this jacket that he got!!!! He wouldn't hold still, so I couldn't get a good shot of him.....but trust me, it's adorable!!!


You may notice that the pictures get a lot better after this point and it's b/c they do! My parents got me an amazing new camera and I really, REALLY LOVE it!!!!


The next day we went and had Christmas with Dave's family. Benjamin and Jack had fun playing in the ball pit!


Look at my sweet Anna!


Present time with Grandma!


Anna got a fun music mirror toy!


What a great Christmas pose!


Benjamin LOVED the remote car he got. It's such a cool car!

Anna like her book! It's about a cupcake!


Do you like Anna's outfit??? It was Benjamin's too! :)


Jack opening one of the presents we got him!


Anna talking to Kelly on the computer!


Playing with cousin Jack!


Benjamin and Jack opening had to open this present at the same time, b/c........


they got matching Curious George's and track suits!


I think this is a very cute pic!


This is my favorite picture I've taken with my new camera so far!


On Saturday we went to my aunt's house for Christmas with my Mom's family. Katie and Katrina.......


and kids everywhere!!!!


Benjamin and Katrina played for a long time yesterday morning, it was really cute!



Look at my cute niece!!!


Guess who's three years old??????????????????

Benjamin is!!! Can you believe it?


We are having his party this Saturday, but decided to have a fun get together with all our family since we were still down there on his actual birthday. We all met at a play place called Fun House that's kind of like Chuck E Cheese, but cooler! He had a GRAND time!!!!


Benjamin liked the slide.......


but Daddy got shocked going down them!


Katrina had loads of fun, for such a little girl! She rode rides..........


and had fun playing through all the tunnels!!!!!

The last couple of days we were there, Anna was a big time Grandma's girl!!! It was really sweet!


Even though Benjamin had tons of fun, I think Daddy and Uncle Mike might have had the most fun!


Benjamin loves Aunt Katie! Especially when he gets her alone away from Katrina!!!


Cake time!!!!! He was so cute and started singing Happy Birthday first and sang it all the way through!!!


He did such a fantastic job blowing out his candles and is just getting so BIG!!!

Mmmmmmm! Birthday cake with sprinkles!!!

Anna liked it too!! Her first taste of cake!


Benjamin had so much fun playing games with Uncle Mike!


And basketball with Daddy!


My aunt got Benjamin and Anna a wagon for their birthdays. So while Benjamin was napping, Dave put it together and Anna helped!!!!


They both really like it!



Anna learned how to give high fives yesterday and said, "dada" for the first time!!!


I love my birthday boy!

When we got back into town yesterday evening we were happy to have our friends come over to spend Benjamin's birthday evening with us! Benjamin, Maddux, and Anna all had fun playing with all the new toys!!!


I had an eventful day myself yesterday too. I had 10 inches of hair cut off to donate for Locks for Love. It was the first time I've done something like this and it was pretty cool to do!

Here's my new look!

StatCounter