Christmas--Family Time!!

This was the very first time all of us were here for Christmas!  I gave up on ever seeing Melissa, Tim or Scott.  So, my family is Wayne, Alison, Larry, Hunter, Grace, Leslea and Bob.  My first family is in Florida.  I am blessed that the LORD gave me this family.  I enjoyed watching all of them interact and get along.  That was present enough for me. Here's hoping for more family times like this!

I decorated a little bit for Christmas but my favorite decoration by far was a big snowman made by Hunter.  Usually all that he does goes home to Mama but this time, I received it!  It was proudly displayed on our fire place along with the stockings.

Wayne was Santa again this year.  Here he is looking more like George Washington.  Santa made an appearance but Grace was in the middle of a meltdown in my art room.  She hid in the closet and it took Larry and me to talk her out of it.  Santa tried but she didn't want anything to do with him.  After we finally got her out, she told me that Santa sounded alot like Gramps. BUSTED!  And to seal it, Hunter told her Gramps is Santa.  Wayne was crushed--he lost his Santa job.  Here is hoping that next year someone will need a Santa to visit their kids.  He enjoys it so much!

We thought that Leslea and Bob's chihuahua, Honey and our grand puppy, Misha may have issues about getting along but we were wrong. They got along great--with the help of some treats to keep it that way :) Grace loved Honey and is hoping there is a Chihuahua in her near future!

Miss Grace put together the table with place mats with every one's name and place holder cards to match.  She decorated the mats with stickers and laid out the dinnerware.  She was quite proud of her work!

I bought special glasses for the girls and Hunter.  The kids loved the glasses filled with Sprite and strawberry lemonade.  I had cute penguin charms for each glass--Grace helped me pick out who got which glass and the charms.  Note to self, get three more glasses for the guys!  This is a start of a new Christmas tradition.

Grace was done with the meal and so naturally, she insisted it was time to open presents!  She wasn't too patient waiting for Santa.

Santa came and left some of the reindeers' sleigh bells!  Grace loved finding the sleigh bells--she might have questions about who Santa really is but...these reindeer are for real!!

Opening up gifts.  The kids of course loved their gifts.  I loved it when Hunter opened his telescope and looked at Bob and Leslea and said "I don't like my present--I LOVE IT!" and then gave them big hugs.

Even Misha and Honey had presents in their stockings!

Leslea liking her fun shower cap she got in her stocking.and Hunter laying out the planets.

Larry reading the direction for Grace's crayon maker and wondering what he got into!

Family photos not the full family photo I wanted but these will work fine ....for now :)

Honey loving the Oregon Duck blanket.

Grace tied her bag of gifts onto the front door knob to make sure that when they left, it was going with her! Nothing gets by her!

A wonderful Christmas with family--what a blessing!