Joanie and Jimbo Chirstmas

Our final Christmas hoorah. Dec. 26 we celebrated with Joanie and Jimbo....everyone got new bicycles.

It was too cold to ride for long...so back inside for more gifts and food.

The kids were completely pooped and asleep before we said our goodbyes for the night.

Christmas Lunch

Christmas lunch at Granny Andrews. I promised William he could change out of his church clothes as soon as we got to Granny's house...a picture was not in his plans.

Christmas Morning

He came.

We had to wake both kids up this year to make time for Santa before church services.
William took a little time for things to set in...he just looked at everything for a few minutes before tearing in.

I didn't get a great picture of Emma's initial expression...but the Barbie house was an instant hit.

Fingers Crossed

Cookies and milk for Santa...
Magical reindeer mix for Rudolph...

Fingers crossed.

Do you think HE will come?

Christmas Eve with Mawmaw & Pawpaw

I think we are going to have to start renting out a party room to host the Lovell family Christmas....the presents alone fill up the room minus the people to open them!
As is tradition, we all gathered at Mawmaw & Pawpaw's house for breakfast for supper and lots and lots of gifts.

An attempt at a cousin picture....

Then on to the presents. William was extra excited this year about giving and receiving presents. There were many mornings that I found him up early wrapping "presents"....random items from around the house...and signing his name to ever one of the packages under the tree. He cut the paper and everything completely by himself. He equally enjoyed opening all of his gifts...EVERY single thing was "just what he wanted"!

Helping Pawpaw open his gifts...

A great start to the Christmas frenzy.....

Family Time & Silly Gloves

Last year we had a lot of fun making our very own "Charlie Brown" x-mas tree, so we gave it another try this year. We mostly just made a big mess, but hopefully it will be a tradition that the kids will always remember when they get older.
Then we turned our 'mess making' to the kitchen. We made white chocolate Rudolph crackers and pretty much covered everything else we could think of in chocolate.

And because I had no where else to include this....Emma modelling her silly gloves...

School Parties

Both kids had their school parties on the same day and at overlapping times. Luckily, Will was off work so both kids could have a parent with them for the entire party. Emma chose me and William picked Daddy (surprise, surprise).

Emma's class did a book exchange and had snowman Crispy Creme doughnuts before letting out early for school.

William's one hour, 3/4 yr old party included decorations, lunch, crafts and cookie decorating. I think it was a little more than Will was prepared for. I'm signed up for the Easter party...looks like I have my work cut out for me....