Merry Christmas!

The girls kept their word...and woke up at 6:00 in the morning.  Oh dear, it was still dark outside AND they had to wake up our kids!  There was no waiting until 6:30 or even 7:00.  We all rolled out of bed and and stumbled to the tree.  We made the girls wait with the kids at the top of the stairs, per our tradition as we set up the video camera and the Christmas music.  We told them Santa did come, and thank goodness we left our Santa key so he could find us out in the country away from home!

Everyone discovered what was in their stockings and then it was time for the kids to open the quilts I made them.  I was SO excited to finally give them and to see their reaction.  Oh, they loved them and commented on their colors and thought having their names embroidered on them was pretty cool too!

Santa spoiled the boys with GINORMOUS Nerf guns and Ella with The Littlest Pet Shop toys.  It was a pretty amazing Christmas as we were able to watch gifts being opened and the joy on the faces of those who gave and those who received.   The boys and Ella received some gifts they REALLY wanted!  Morley was dying for a Austin Collie jersey, Drew wanted an art set, and Brayden was drooling for a pair of cowboy boots.  Matt loves his first wild rag (silk cowboy scarf), Elaine was teary opening gifts from her girls and Mitch was loaded down with cowboy stuff. 

Thanks to Coley and Grace, we were done by 8:30 in the morning!  We tried cleaning up the wrapping paper mess and started cooking breakfast: eggs, pancakes, bacon, cinnamon rolls and fresh fruit!  We were going to have company coming for a big Christmas dinner so Elaine and I started preparing that as well while we decorated the basement walls.  It was fun and she let me do whatever I wanted!  ha ha

For dinner we had ham, cheese potatoes, sweet potatoes, green salad, broccoli salad, fresh rolls, fruit salad, and corn.  I'm sure this probably more that I can't remember.  There was a full house again with 22 people ready to eat and celebrate.  Once we were stuffed, we broke out the games and had a super fun time!  There was a lot of laughing, yelling, maybe a little pushing and debating!  My cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling so much!

I had such a great time hanging out with Coley and Grace.  These girls are amazing and I love them to death!  Ella had a pretty good time having some girls to hang out with too!  They painted her nails and even sent her home with two purses and a stuffed horsey!  They are her best friends for life now!

After all of the guests went home...we stayed another night.  We got ready for church and planned on leaving in the morning with all of our stuff...but everyone convinced us to come back after church and stay another night.  Okay, fine...they really had to beg us.  We just couldn't believe they weren't sick of us yet!  We had a wonderful day at church and came back to their place and had leftovers and watched nearly all of the movies that were under the tree!  It was so relaxing and fun!  Ella and Brayden were begging to do the gingerbread house Elaine bought for them.  They finally convinced me and it was not as easy as I thought it would be.  We finally finished it...and I was happy to walk away from that project.  Now I'm not so sure I want to start that tradition...

Brayden was in cowboy heaven all week!  He went out "caking (feeding) the cows several times with Mitch and then Mitch taught Brayden how to oil his boots!  It was fun to watch them together!

Monday morning Matt and Mitch went out deer hunting again, with no luck.  Matt headed into work and the kids and I stayed for the rest of the day.  Coley is leaving to BYU-I this week so we helped her pack and just played around, talked and laughed a lot.

Here are the boys with their Nerf guns...Santa may regret giving those gifts...

and finally a picture of Ella with the kitty.  This kitty was SO patient with her and let Ella carry her around the house ALL.THE.TIME.

We had an amazing Christmas.  We missed our immediate family so much and we are so thankful for them!  Our 'adopted' family is the next best thing and the most wonderful people to spend the holidays with!

And...we LOVE the Christmas cards sent by our family and friends!