Merry Christmas! {warning LONG post}

We had such a great Christmas this year!! I can't believe our first week of vacation is already over! Greg worked Monday and Tuesday and then Wednesday he did some last minute running around. We baked and passed out goodies to friends and neighbors, wrapped lots of presents and enjoyed the craziness that comes a few days before Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve at the Butlers with Diana, Chad, Josh, Megan, Matthew, Hannah and Grandma and Grandpa Butler. It was so fun. We enjoyed a yummy dinner and then acted out the Nativity--everyone had a part!! (I was the Narrator, Grandma was the Audience, Diana played the piano while we sang songs, Grandpa was the camera man and everyone else had a part).

Zach (Donkey), Chad (Wise Man), Kaden (Joseph), Matthew (Wise Man), Megan (Mary), Josh (Shepherd), Tanner (Shepherd), Brynn (Angel), Greg (Wise Man), Hannah (Shepherd)

The kids had fun playing with their cousins and chasing Hannah around. Hannah is 16 months and just an absolute doll. She sure made the holiday fun this year. We headed home around 9:00 and did some "secret" gift drop offs--Zach is so good at doorbell ditching; however, he almost got busted at one place!! That is something we look forward to every year. We got home and found some gifts that Santa left early with new pajamas for the kids. The kids have always slept in one room on Christmas Eve so we got them all settled (air mattresses and blankets, etc). It didn't take long for them to fall asleep (that was a big surprise). Then Greg and I stayed up until 2:30 enjoying Christmas Eve and the quiet- it was a fun night. We finally got to bed and the kids woke up at 4 having to use the bathroom---a little story here, they are all sleeping upstairs and our upstairs toilet is not in--so we are all using the downstairs one--that is where the tree is...so I had to take them down so they wouldn't peek!! ha It took everyone a while to fall back asleep but we finally did--and got up at 7:45 Christmas morning.

Waiting to come downstairs and see what Santa left

We checked out what Santa left, opened gifts, had breakfast (that was prepared the night before--thank goodness) and then later that afternoon went back to the Butlers for a nice Christmas dinner and visiting. Julene came for dinner also--it was so great to see her, too.

Zach with his Skullcandy--big gifts this year: iPod Video & Skullcandy

Tanner showing his new Cardinals hat-his big gifts this year: Baseball card set, Under Armour shoes, Sorel slippers and the Cardinals hat

Kaden ready to open a gift--his big gifts this year: PSP games, PSP case and game holders, new basketball & a new baseball mitt

Brynn with High School Musical dolls (notice Gabriella is modestly dressed--not easy to find!!)-her big gifts this year: Hello Kitty CD player, Littlest Petshop, Webkin and HSM dolls

While there it started snowing like crazy -- it was so beautiful!! We left around 8:30 pm -- it had been snowing for 2 hours and was so deep already. When we got home, we had a few more gifts to open. We saved the Wii until later so the kids wouldn't want to stay home and play it all day (plus it worked out that Grandpa Butler bought Grandma Butler a Wii also so they played over there!). They were so excited and stayed up playing for awhile while Greg snowblowed outside. We woke up the next day to about a foot of snow. It was so awesome.

Notice the shock/surprise on their faces (especially Tanner) when they saw that Wii in the package!!