Christmas and New Year's Eve 2011

My kids really love taking pictures. Here are some beauties! Isn't digital great? I remember really budgeting out my film on pictures, and never knowing how they'd turn out until they were developed. I love digital.

 She is growing up so fast! I think she looks so old now and is really tall. 

 Oh, good. I was hoping I chose the modest pictures. This little horsey ride made Scott's pants fall down a few times, and I got some semi-indecent shots!

 Brookie trying horsey with Jake.

 Christmas Eve at the Seaman's. We trade off each year between families. This year we decided it was time to do our own Christmas morning. Our kids are getting bigger and it was just time to start our own tradition. It was awesome. We had a great time with our little family! On Christmas Eve, we spent the day with the Seaman's. We all dressed up to act out the nativity story from Luke 2. We did this all growing up and I was so glad Scott's family did it, too. It was always nice to take another opportunity to remember that Jesus is the reason we are celebrating.

Alisa was the angel.

 Brookie was Mary, but wanted this white dress.

 Jake was the cheetah. Yep, it was a bit exotic.

 We had to get creative with the costumes. Here's Caleb rockin' the graduation robe.

 Brookie with Baby Maddie as baby Jesus.

 Les, Derek and me (no robes leftover for me).

 Kelsi, Caleb, Luke as Joseph, Brookie as Mary, Maddie, Jake, Alisa, Bethi.

 After a lovely candlelight dinner of take out from Olive Garden and listening to Candlelight Carol, then getting new pj's from Grandma and Grandpa Seaman, we headed home to go to sleep! We read the Polar Express and wrote notes to Santa, as well as leaving milk, cookies, and carrots. The kids loved it and went to bed surprisingly well. They slept until 7 am and woke up to this:

 Alisa really wanted a Barbie house. This was pretty close. Thanks, Santa. Once Grandpa CRANE found out Santa would bring a doll house, he was so awesome to make furniture for it. He put together a table, chairs, beds, end tables, a bench... all out of moulding. I love having a handy dad! Thank you, dad!

 Jake got a basketball and was thrilled.

 Stockings were another highlight.

 We did a "mom's store" in my room. I pick out a few small gifts usually from the Dollar Tree and take each kid in one at a time to buy a gift with their own money. Here is a coloring poster of Tiana for Brookie from Jake. Alisa got her a baby bottle with orange juice in it. It was her absolute favorite gift.

 I love it!

 After playing with our presents, we got ready for church and met the Seaman's at their ward. It was great to go to church on Christmas day. I loved it. After, we headed over to the nursing home/senior home to sing Christmas songs to the residents. We've done this for a few years with whichever family is in Flag all together. It is really neat. We ended up walking the halls and caroling in the cafeteria and down the halls. I love Christmas music and feel like it brings such a unique spirit.

Here are the kids while we were waiting to sing, all in their beautiful Christmas dresses made by Scott's mom. They really turned out so darling. The boys are looking pretty handsome themselves! Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

 I thought this was so sweet. Brookie really wanted to hold Grandpa's hand.

 Back at home. Baby Maddie was awake so we attempted a grandkids picture.

 The day after Christmas, we woke up and got our Zumba groove on in the basement. We took turns leading, with an original routine from Kels. It was fun!

 Me leading the crew.

 Jenni with some moves.

 We moved on to kickboxing.

 They were all such good sports to do "just one more" with me!

 Then we busted out a jump rope Linda bought. It was great!

 Brookie decided not to try the jump rope, but she was the only one.

 Alisa got ahold of the camera again. Here's Ash...

 Seaman Variety Show: we love the tradition, but this year all were a little unprepared and our kids were in a major meltdown... it was still fun. Caleb was the MC. He had some funny lists of top 10's for our family.

 Kelsi was Miss America and sang the 50 states song.

 Bethi and Derek throwing and catching cheerios or some cereal.

 Ash sang this sweet song from the Young Women's CD about Virtue.

 Our kids were impressed. We did a black light show to a rockin' version of Popcorn Popping. No pictures. And it wasn't quite as planned since the kids broke one of the black light bulbs the day I bought it. Those things are like $7 a pop!

On New Year's Eve, we had my parents over. My parents are great at playing games and making anything a party with the kids.

 My mom made party hats for everyone.

 My dad and Scott in the background playing Candyland with Brookie.

 We decided midnight was a little late with 8:00 am church starting the next day, so we counted down courtesy of an old youtube video and banged lids and stuff with the kids. They were down by about 8:30 and then Scott fulfilled a long-standing desire to play bridge. He loves it and taught me and my parents a few years ago so we could all play. Yep, we know how to party hard! :)