Christmas Eve

My 4th batch of rolls in two weeks

Trying to train for a marathon and Christmas FOOD items don't really seem to offset one another too well. Over the past few weeks the junk not only keeps piling due to generous friends and neighbors, but I can't seem to keep my hands away from it.

Funny, my 5 year old can't seem to stop doing this either (but that is a different post all together).

Each year my in-laws set up two trains that go around the Christmas tree. My boys never do understand look with your eyes and not your hands despite our desperate pleas of "Don't touch Grandpa's special train" One of these days I think it would be worth investing one for our own family. They seem to add that extra magic touch to the Christmas season.

The Angels
Jordan and Taylor

This was the first Christmas Eve we were able to be here for the annual grand kids nativity. I am not sure my kids fully understood, but I think they acted our their parts pretty well. Even if they did look more like Muslim children.

Weston, Luke and Austin (Wisemen)
Aubrey (Mary) Bret (Joseph)

Aaron and Jared ( The Kings)

After dinner and a quick Christmas program we headed over to the Hughes' for a small gathering and opening gifts. This was the first year we all drew names and I think it worked out pretty well, not to mention you were only responsible for one couple's gift. Nice. Janet and Aaron drew our names and treated our entire family with movie passes and a box full of treats (each person getting their favorite). Doug and I drew my brother Justin, I think he was thrilled to get a new ipod shuffle.

Papa and Grandma Hughes

My dad and Susanne continue to get things I would have never even thought of. I suppose that is why he claims and is one of the best grandpa's around. They bought my older kids each a pogo stick and my little boys some sort of nerf bazooka gun. At any rate they loved them both. Thank you! My kids were pretty thrashed by the time we were done. Since it was so late we opted to bathe them, (hence the funky hair) throw them in the car so the man in the white beard could come pay our house a visit.

Grandpa Stan, Susanne, Jared, Luke, Weston and Taylor