Christmas at Home

After spending a couple days in Redding, we came home to have an extended Christmas (it lasted for days with the amount of presents we had to open). Thank you for spoiling us family and friends. When we first arrived Santa had left filled stockings, then we spent a few days opening gifts from all our different family members who we could facetime or drop in on to do it over video.

The girls with their wreath!

Stocking Time

Big present from Mom and Dad, the girls got a ride on horse and Jaydon got tickets to the Kings game. Everyone was pretty excited.

Jeremy got an awesome chess set from Grandma and Gram, it has seen a ton of use already.

Here is the horse the girls have named S'mores.

Thanks Uncles Jeff and Steve for the air flying creatures.

General excitement and merriment to be had with a very spoiled Christmas.

Thank you everyone!

Christmas in Redding

We headed up to Redding, CA to visit with family for Christmas. My Great Aunt and Great Uncle flew in from NC along with many of their family members. We had such a great time hanging out with everyone and being with family on Christmas even though it wasn't the usual family we spent time with.

Cousin Sally did aprons for all the kids and then they helped make some reindeer food to leave out, it was great

Baby Greyson just chilling

Kiddos enjoying a Christmas movie (while the older 'kids' played video games).

Lucy and Dad snuggle time

 Reading stories with cousin Rich (or Papa to the little guys)

Sydney giving Greyson his bottle

Great Uncle Bill and Great Aunt Carol

 Cousin Sally went above and beyond to feed us all the whole time, Reindeer pancakes for Christmas breakfast was a huge hit!

Waiting behind the gate to rush the presents.

 Present time

Gavin and Gabriel got a cool jeep

Lots of gifts, lots of fun, lots of love and an all around wonderful holiday.

December Fun

Hard to believe how fast December is going. We have had a ton of fun and crammed in a lot of great activities already!

Note Kate and I were alone in this bed, the amount of space I had...the small spot to left in the photo. My little snuggler!

We even managed to go to a Seahawks party down here! Our friends family were in town and the brother in law is a huge Hawks fan. We managed to enjoy celebrating a W together. Kate even got a makeover from 6 year old Lilah, she was thrilled

Last day of gymnastics - ta da. Kate brought little cards for each kid and handed them out at the end.

Breakfast with Santa

Our HOA did a fun breakfast with Santa thing

Cookie decorating

Santa performed the telling of the Night Before Christmas

It was a fun family event.

Church Santa Pics

Right after breakfast with Santa we ran to our church and got more pics with Santa and did fun crafts.

Sirens with Santa

Our local fire/police work together to host a big parade called Sirens with Santa. They collect toys for tots and have all kinds of emergency vehicles with sirens blaring and one decorated sleigh with Santa. It was a pretty fun outing.

This house (above video) is less than .5 miles from our house, it does a huge light show/display every year. Pretty fun to see.

We headed to WA for the weekend and were able to get in to see our favorite Santa, this year they also took these additional pics of the kids.

Same Santa for our 5th year

Cookie Decorating

 While I was sad to miss cookie day in WA this year I did have each kid pick out a type of cookie they wanted to make with me. Lucy went for chocolate chips with mint M&Ms, Kate did gingerbread cutouts and Jaydon picked snicker doodles. I then made no bake cookies for Jeremy and he got in on the decorating action.

 

 

 

Kate's Christmas Concert

We got ourselves on the wrong side of the sanctuary but Kate enjoyed her Christmas concert and I attempted to get a couple pics.

Croatian Hall Santa Dinner

Immediately after Kate's concert we ran to the Croatian Hall to enjoy a lovely dinner and visit with Santa. The kids had fun playing with their friends and we enjoyed another lovely meal and socializing time. Above Kate with her friend Gavin. Below Lucy with Lilah and Mia.

Jaydon with Marco, Mateo and Luca

The kids sing some songs and in order for Santa to arrive they have to sing really loudly because he gets lost. It was great.

Sharing the mic or just trying not to be the one holding it at the end.

Santa!

Kate was thrilled, Lucy was not happy. Also we found out about 7 hours later that Lucy had the flu so that may have contributed to her not being super happy.

Yummm...dessert

The 5 of us

Our friends Erica, Lilah and Gavin

All of us together with Santa

As I mentioned Lucy came down with the flu, poor girl it always hits her hard and she can't seem to stop throwing up until she gets a zofran in her system. I had neglected to take pics the week before when both Jaydon and I came down with the 12 hour flu! So at this point Jeremy fought it hard and seems to have been successful and I can only hope that Kate doesn't get it.

Hard to believe it is only about half way through December - we have had a lot of fun so far!