Christmas 2015

I headed down to Corvallis with the kids Tuesday afternoon after Olivia's nap.  Sean had a work party so he was heading down Wednesday afternoon.  We got a bit of a late start as it took a long time to get all the presents loaded into the car.  Then we were off around 4:00 PM but hit terrible traffic.  We finally rolled into Corvallis around 6:15 and the kids were so excited to see everyone!  We had a yummy dinner of meatballs and spaghetti and then got to decorate some cookies after dinner.  Then we read stories and went to bed. 

Christmas cookie decorating time!

Olivia loved the frosting and eating the sparkles

Umm yummy

Reading with CiCi before bed

Reading with CiCi

Pumpkin 1.5 years old

The next day we hung out all day and relaxed.  The kids had lots of playmates to play with!  Brandon got quite good at playing Go Fish with CiCi and Uncle Carl every morning as he was getting up quite early.  We watched some holiday movies.  It was nice just hanging around the house and not having to do anything!  Daddy got home and we all had dinner together, a yummy soup that Rachel and Patrick made.  The kids were starting to get really excited for Christmas!

On Thursday (Christmas Eve), we mainly just stuck around the house.  The kids got to open their presents to each other (a tradition we started last year).  The kids decorated their gingerbread house with Auntie Tory and Auntie Rachel.  Sean and I went on a run with Pumpkin at Walnut Park.  It was fun but very muddy due to all the rain we have had.  We got the sandwiches ready for our annual Christmas eve dinner under the Christmas tree and had our Hot and Sour soup as well as the Egg Flower Soup.  We had some new exotic sandwiches this time including a very yummy salami meat sandwich and a brie and apple sandwich.  The kids enjoyed eating under the tree and then it was time to hang the stockings!  We hung the stockings and read the night before Christmas and made sure to leave out Santa's cookie and milk.  The kids were very excited for Christmas but settled down pretty quickly. 

Opening up presents from each other on Christmas Eve-Brandon gave Liv a Mickie Mouse duplo set

Liv gave Brandon a Ninja turtle back pack and a glow in the dark soccer ball

Playing with Liv's duplos

Christmas Eve run with Pumpkin at Walnut Park

Beautiful view

Helping decorate the gingerbread house

Gingerbread house time with Auntie Tory

Looking pretty good

Photo bomb by Uncle Carl!

Still loving frosting

Pumpkin eager to get the left overs

Liv would not nap but then fell asleep on daddy later in the afternoon

First Christmas eve as newly weds!

Trying to blow out the fake candle

Then running off with it

Sandwiches all ready to eat under the Christmas tree

Enjoying the sandwiches

Hugs in front of the tree our ninth as husband and wife and 11 years ago from when Sean proposed to me

Legos! Brandon and Uncle Patrick enjoyed playing legos together

Cookie time under the tree

Yummy cookies

Helping get the stocking string ready

Helping Baba

Watching the Christmas tree

Selfie with Brandon on Christmas eve

More serious

Olivia and CiCi

Olivia and CiCi enjoying some cookies

Being silly under the tree

Reading a Night Before Christmas with Baba

Olivia really got into the story this time

Silly Sean!

Stocking hanging

Pumpkin and Charlie snuggling

On Christmas day, we all woke up (except Brandon who had been waking up early the whole trip) pretty late at 8:15 AM.  We quickly got everyone up as the kids were so excited to go downstairs and see their presents.  We made the kids wait until everything was ready and then came down the stairs in birth order (adults included).  It was so fun seeing the excitement on their faces when they saw the presents.  Brandon immediately went and looked to make sure that Santa had come and ate his cookie.  Then he went looking in the tree for the sacred lucky pickle.  We had our traditional breakfast of cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, and bacon and then we got to open presents!

Excited and running through the hallway on Christmas morning

Ready to go look at presents

Christmas morning presents!  Santa came!

Going down the stairs

So many piles this year with all the people

Opening up stockings

Liv was super excited for her candy in her stocking

A big pink candy cane!

Already trying to eat the candy cane

Looking for the pickle with Auntie Rachel

He found it!

Waiting to open presents

Christmas morning breakfast

Breakfast time!

More stocking opening

Looking at what Santa gave them

Pumpkin would love the candy cane too

We took turns opening up presents and the kids were excited with their loot.  Olivia got a Minnie Mouse helmet and Scooter from mom and dad, a Minne Mouse house from Santa, Disney little princesses from Santa, an Elsa doll that sings "Let it Go," a Frozen soundtrack from Rachel and Tory, and a CD player and karaoke machine from my parents.  Brandon got a Imaginex Space Racers set from us, a first knife kit from Daddy, Bat Cave from Santa, light up legos from us, the board game "Sorry" from Rachel and Patrick, and a science kit that he was super stoked with.  Everyone seemed very pleased with their presents.  My present highlights was a new video camera (my old one broke) from Sean, 3 pairs of Victoria Secret PJs, some new clothes and shoes, and some new make up. 

First present-A Minnie Mouse helmet

Brandon opened up a wooden knife from Daddy's new company

Liv loved her Great Uncle Carl

Looking at presents with daddy

Opening up a present

Liv excited with her princesses

Launchers

All ready to go on her scooter!

Beer Coozy from Tory and Tom!

Minnie Mouse house

Playing Brandon's new game "sorry"

Liv even joined in

Hess 2015 fire truck from Santa

Sean made the prime rib (as my dad was still recovering from the flu he caught on Tuesday night) for Christmas Eve dinner.  I made the twice baked potatoes, and we had salad and crescent rolls.  We had Pumpkin and Cherry pies for dessert.  We also had all sorts of yummy wine.  Everything tasted great and we had a fun Christmas dinner.  Olivia and Brandon learned that they love whipped cream! 

Sean making the prime rib

Brandon, Rachel, and Patrick made the green beans

Tom and Olivia playing Minnie Mouse house

Silly boy

Brandon 5 Christmas day

All dressed up for Christmas dinner

Love these two

Working on final dinner preparations

Playing on the I-pad with CiCi after dinner

Licking the beaters of whipped cream

Yummy

Loving whipped cream

Liv and Mommy selfie

On Saturday, we hung around and played with our new toys.  Sean and I went and saw the new Star Wars movie while my parents and Rachel and Patrick baby sat.  My parents even took the kids to the park (even though it was very cold).  We had yummy left overs for dinner and then we were faced with the arduous task of packing up (always fun with so many kids and so many days and new Christmas toys).  We left home Sunday morning and got home to snow (which turned to rain later on).  It was fun to see snow in our new house for the first time even though it was short lasted.

Snowing when we came home

Snow in our new home for the first time