Christmas 2012

We were very blessed to have a very fun and present-filled Christmas.  The kids had a lot of fun this year.  It was fun to have three kids excited for Santa to come.  Kate seemed to get it, so that was fun.

Baking Christmas Cookies

We baked the Christmas cookies a few days before Christmas.  Better late than never, right? : )

[this is how I wrapped a lot of the presents for family ~ I love RuMe bags!]

Decorating Christmas Cookies

We decorated the cookies just in time to enjoy on Christmas day.  Rachel and Eli decorated after Kate and Nate were in bed, so Kate didn't get to decorate this year.  We did leave some for her to decorate, but still haven't done them.

Christmas Eve Day
We went to Mike's parents' house for Christmas Eve.  The kids were very excited and had so much fun.  It was a great time.

[Kate was excited about her shopping cart]

[I was waiting and waiting for Mike to stick up his naughty finger, but he never did!  He thought I was zoomed in on Nate, that's why. ; )]

[love...]

[Olivia and Kate eating at Olivia's new table]

[Pilot Nate]

[the kids watching the train]

[here is what the kids left out for Santa and his reindeer]

[Nate was up about 5am on Christmas morning.  I gave him puffs after a bottle to try to keep him quiet.]

[the tree at 5am]

[Nate feel asleep after the puffs.  I left him there until the kids woke up just after 7am.]

[peeking downstairs on Christmas morning]

[Nate thought he was cool up there!]

[what Santa left - we were very surprised he wrote back... very exciting]

[Rachel's favorite present - her american girl doll]

[Eli was excited about getting Skylanders Giants]

[and, Beyblades!  glad Santa brought these because he kept talking about and I had no idea what they were!]

[love how Rachel is helping Nate here]

[the back of Rachel's owl sweatshirt]

Today I took Rachel and Kate to Starbucks after we did some running around.  It was their first time there.  It was fun to just chat and hangout.  Rachel had a hot chocolate and Kate brought in her sucker from our credit union stop. : )

We still have Christmas at my parents' this Saturday.  It's nice to have that left... otherwise it all goes by so fast.

Keep smiling!