December 25, 2013

Pictures for Anderson Family Christmas Day.

December 25, 2013

Christmas came!
The kids let us sleep in until about 7:30.  They obeyed the rules about not going down the hall until everyone was awake well.
Each kids got a large gift from Jake and I that sat unwrapped in the living room. For Kate and American Girl Doll with some clothes and accesories, for Sam a Imaginex Batman Fort with all the guys, for Marianne a little wooden play kitchen with food, and for Bethany a ball popping dino.  Kate also got a new backpack full of art stuff including a fashion plates kit, stamp set, and markers.  Sam also got some lincoln logs, and Marianne also got some calico critters, Bethany some new clothes.  Santa brought Kate tons and tons of marbles plus a marbles track, as well as markers, keychains, lego friends, shampoo, toothbrushes, soda, candy, and a bunch of hair things.  Santa brought Sam a steel backhoe and grader (just like he has been saying he asked for on repeat for weeks) as well as a monster truck, lego, shampoo, toothbrush, candy and keychains.  Santa brought Marianne a magna doodle, and lots of art stuff, a minnie mouse doll and book, a toothrbush, shampoo, candy, soda, hair bows.  Santa brought Bethany some baby rattles, a new baby doll ( a very similar one to the one Mari has loved since she was almost Bethy's age) baby shampoo and lotion, baby food and baby treats.
Jake and I usually pick out something for ourselves and puchase it ourselves. This year he picked out a treadmill and I picked out a kitchen aid- which we have both been using for a few weeks.  He also got me some new music as a surprise and I got him a new remote control helicopter.
I love putting so much thought into the gifts I get this little family of mine.  It is really fun to make dreams come true.   It is also so fun as they can't believe what Santa remembered or found that was just so perfect and exactly what they were thinking or exactly like the one they saw in the store and wanted :) it is also really great watching the kids be happy for one another.  For example they were all really happy for Mari's kitchen (and maybe even liked it more than her) and also all loved playing with Bethany and her dino guy.  The house was covered in wrapping paper and toys and it was awesome.

December 24, 2013

Christmas Eve!
I have been looking forward to this Christmas Eve for years.  All settled in our own house, not a move anywhere in sight.    We have had sick kids the past two Christmas Day's too, and only Mari has a little cold. I have mentioned before. But some of my favorite things of this holiday have been sacrificed the past two years because of moves And of course sick kids make Christmas a little less magical.  The decorating, the neighbors all stopping by, the slower pace, the happy fun kids.  I had  a lot of high expectations and hopes for the perfect Christmas.  It was not as perfect as my mind had concocted but it was pretty great.  Nobody screaminsg because of ear infections, no living out of boxes, and lots of Christmas things.

We started Christmas Eve Day but moving the Christmas tree from the front room where it stood in a front window but most of all behind glass doors, so we could see the tree, but little kids were not into it and knocking it on top of themselves all month- to the living room so we could put gifts under it and have it out for the day.  Bethany has giggled every time I bring her close to the Christmas tree with lights.  Her first Christmas tree!  You can see she is in awe.... and I am in awe watching her.

The kids and I started planning a nativity play.  We collected costumes. Then when Jake came in from work, we started our family Christmas Eve with it.  The kids dressed up.  Marianne was a shepard, Kate was Mary, and Sam was all the wise men.  We made Bethy the angel and everyone thought it was pretty fun when I flew her in the air and made her pretend to proclaim Christ's birth.  Jake read the story from Luke.

Then we ate our Christmas Eve Dinner.  Ham, pineapple, salad, and delicious mashed potatoes and gravy.  Many of the kids favorite foods.
Then there was a break out Chrismas Carol Dance Party in the Living Room.

Then the sibling gift exchange.  Our kids love to pick out gifts for one another, but this year instead of everyone getting a gift for every sibling like we have done in the past and is way too many gifts, we opted for a draw.  Kate had Bethany and picked her out two rattles.  Sam had Marianne and picked her out a mini dream light.  Mari was delighted with her new (beebug)  it is a ladybug and that is what she calls them.  She went straight away and placed it in her bed.  Marianne had Kate and I helped her pick out Candyland for her. We all played it right after. Except for Sam.  Bethany picked him out a new soccer ball, and he was too busy playing himself in soccer in the living room to play with us.

After the gift exchange the kids opened a gift from us- new Christmas pj's.
Then we set out some gumballs from our neighbor gift collection for our Christmas Eve elf.  At our house we don't have an elf on the shelf who makes mischief, we just have one who bring you a game to play as a family if you have been good that year.  He likes when you sing Christmas Carols as a family and when you are all ready for bed.  He came this year while the kids were in the bath and dressing in their new pj's.  He brough a Disney Guess Who Game, which we played together as a family.

Next the kids got to open another gift from us- their name books.  I have started getting them each a book with their name as a character-usually the main character for that year.  I managed to find everyone this year except Bethany- who got a book about a Dorothy (her middle name) instead.  Kate's book this year was my favorite- Katie the Candycane Fairy.  It was a Christmas book, similar to a book she bought her teacher (from the same series) so I knew that meant she wanted it for herself, and had a Crystal as the Katie's best fairy friend.  Sam got a true story book about a dare devil jumper named Sam, Marianne got a Christmas book called "Mary's first Christmas" a nativity book, and Bethany got a book about Dorothy who didn't like to sleep  (sounds about right!)  We read all the books and then said our family prayers and went to bed.  Jake and I sang the children Christmas Carols in their rooms while they laid in bed to tuck them in- we very rarley both tuck each child in- it is usually more of a divide and conquer strategy.

After kids were finally sleeping, we wrapped and assembled and stuffed stockings.  It took us only about an hour maybe and hour and a half, because Jake had already begun to put together the larger present.  We turned on the Christmas Story as we wrapped like we often do. And managed several hours sleep before the morning came and kids woke us happily.