Christmas 2012

We had a very special Christmas 2012.  It was Elaine's 1st Christmas 

and also our big kids could really understand what was going on this year and couldn't be any more excited!  

Here are the kids in their coordinating jammies on Christmas morning.  They were all so happy!  Especially when they came down the stairs and saw all the gifts.

This year's celebrating began early as we got to be with Pops on Sunday, December 9.

Here are Daddy and the kids with Elaine as she opens her first ever Christmas present from Pops!

Then we got to celebrate with my family on Christmas Eve.  In the day time the kids were able to open a special present from Mommy and Daddy (their new Christmas jammies).

Then we all got spiffed up and went to Creekside's Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

 
After we traveled to Sacramento and had a delicious dinner at Outback.  Then back to my parent's place for presents with Grandma and Grandma Thompson, Grandma Shirley, and Uncle Rhett and Aunt Debra.  When the kids saw the gifts they were giddy!  We were able to get some real cute pictures of them together thanks to my awesome sister-in-law Debra. This is one of my absolute favorites.  :)

Some of the highlights from Christmas Eve included these neat keepsake rugs we made for everyone with the kids foot prints and hand prints.  I was really proud of how they turned out.  They were a lot of work, especially trying to get those prints made of the kids (seemed easier than it was, but good memories).  I also was able to perfect my puffy paint skills.

This picture cracks me up because it shows Evan proudly showing off his super cool new Spiderman gear too.

This is another great picture.  Aunt Debra looking like Santa with all the gifts they brought for everyone in her blue bag.  We all loved it and were able to capture a fun picture.

Evan and Evie enjoyed every moment of opening up presents and were really working together.

Here is the whole family admiring some delicious candy Daddy received from Aunt Debra and Uncle Rhett.

This is a sweet picture of Grandpa helping Evan put on his new Captain America mask.

We all had a wonderful evening.  Especially our newest little Christmas Darling Elaine.

Christmas Day was a whirlwind of fun as the official day that everyone was counting down to was finally here!  

Here are the kids opening up presents that morning.  

And Elaine enjoying the festivities too.

Here favorite gift this year at her first Chrsitmas were all the pretty and shiny bows.

Here she is munching away at one with Daddy and Evie too.

Yet again, another picture where Elaine can be munching on a bow in the background as I admire a new book that we got for the kids. :)

The super big highlights for the big kids this year were their gifts from Santa.  Evan received his big boy scooter.  Complete with new Spiderman helmet from Evie.

Evie got her special pink bike that she asked Santa for too.

Last but certainty not least, we had Christmas with Grandma Knight and Aunt Alison on December 28 in Riverside.  The kids loved that Christmas was still happening.  They were thrilled to open more presents!

Elaine was having a good time too and especially liked her new babies that she received.

Here is Evan with Grandma Knight's new rug.

As with tradition we gave all the Grandma's Elaine's footprint ornament.  Here is Grandma Knight seeing if Elaine's foot had already grown in size.

Here is Aunt Alison posing pretty with a new Owl Wallet that we got her.

Finally, I leave you with a cute picture of Evie in her Sweetie outfit she got from Grandma Knight. She immediately had to put it on.  It was love at first sight.

What an amazing Christmas we had.  Thank You very much to our family for all their kindness and generosity this year!!!  We love you!

Christmas Happenings

Still catching up, bear with me as I share about Christmas...

This was Elaine's first Christmas and boy did she get to do a lot!  

It all began when we put up our Christmas Decorations starting on November 23.

The big kids had so much fun hanging up ornaments this year and they really were great helpers.  There was a bit of rearranging after all was said and done, only because sometimes certain areas of the tree were covered with ornaments and others were bear, but overall they were excellent.

This was Evan's favorite ornament because it said his name and it was a snow globe.  He was a tad obsessed.  It actually did eventually end up breaking because he wanted to hold it all the time and accidentally dropped it.  However, I think it helped him learn his lesson and we at least got a picture of it before it broke.

Elaine got into the fun too and especially enjoyed the ornaments that played music, moved, and lite up.

Next was our annual visit with Santa on November 24.

They had a new interactive attraction that the kids could play with as we waiting in line.

Here is Elaine all dressed up in her special Santa dress from the Wilder Family, as we wait in line.

Here are the kids and Daddy collecting a special bracelet from Santa after their visit and picture.

Here was the official picture.  The hilarious thing is Santa was also holding Evan on his lap too, but then Elaine got a little squirmy for him and then Evan ended up standing with Evie, which in the end turned out cuter anyways.  I should mention that Evie didn't want to sit on Santa's lap.  She was excited to see him, but thought standing was a good option.

Then on December 1 our elf, Rudy Pepper Christmas Train, arrived.  Didn't the kids give him the cutest name ever.  It all came about by a brainstorming session we had in trying to come up with his name and there you have it.

Evie and Evan were so excited and couldn't believe we had a "real life" elf in our house.  They could barely sleep that night.  Evan actually woke up at one point and was really concerned about where Rudy was.

Elaine had fun too!

Mommy also was able to get into the fun with MOPS.  This was a fun snack she provided to the MOPS Leadership on December 7 during one of our meetings.  They cake place messed up the message, it was supposed to say Good job MOPS Steering Team, instead it came out like this.  I actually thought it came out much better.  So fun!

On December 14 we had our last meeting of the semester and had our annual Christmas Outfit/Sweater Contest.  I was a Lighting Engineer, complete with a strand of lights and everything.  Good times. :)

Then on December 16, our family embarked on our first Gingerbread House adventure.  This was a lot of fun.  Here is everyone in action.

Evie really was enjoying it and stuck with it for most of the decorating. Evan moved on to playing pretty quickly after. I love this picture, I am just noticing Rudy Pepper was in the background too.  Hee hee!

Elaine and I got to get in on the pictures too.

Here is the final product.  Our Gingerbread Train Station.

On December 17 we went out for our annual Christmas Lights Tour with MOPS.  Here is the family in the parking lot getting read to head out with all our friends.

Evan asked me to take his picture on this light pole. 

This was one of the fun attractions on our walk.  Santa in his workshop.  He even had a Nice List, Elaine's name was on it! :)

These were some other fun houses.  Here are the kids with Lily, Milly and Tilly.

Here is Evie with Lightening.  She requested to pose with him.  Is she her brother's sister or what?!

Elaine passed out during our walk.  Overall it was a really great night and lots of fun.

Then there was Evan's Preschool Christmas Party on December 20.  Here is Elaine with her girlfriend Avery.

Evan with his beloved Mrs. Netty as she opened his Christmas gift to her.

I love this picture of the boys, Miles, Charlie, Ewan and Evan.  Four very handsome little men.

This was the best party, we meet at Campelli's Pizza and the kids got to each make their own pizza.  They all had a blast!  Here is Ms. Ashley giving instructions on what to do first.

Lastly, we had fun at the Meyer's House on December 22.  They invited our family over for breakfast and Ms. Lois helped the kids participate in their first Hot Chocolate Train (It was like the Polar Express).  They had so much fun, Evie was the biggest fan of this experience.  She couldn't wait to have her drink.

Hoping to also post our actual Christmas Eve and Christmas Day real soon.  Better late than never, right! :)