Fun For All That Children Call Their Favorite Time of Year

Christmas and the two days leading up to it were pretty fun.
Sunday
I sing in my church choir.  It makes me happy.  We were asked to sing at the retirement community in the morning.  After that, we sang in our church meeting and it was amazing.  You had to be there.
After church, my brother picked us up and family and I went to my mother's side's family Christmas shin-dig.  I was asked to come up with a game and after we stuffed our bellies full of soup and salad (and bread sticks!), and then yummy desserts, we played Christmas pictionary!  I think everybody who played had a really great time.  Mostly just the cousins played, but that's okay.
I had so much fun, I forgot to take pictures.  Sorry! :(

Monday
Christmas Eve.  I made the boys help me take the neighbors gifts around the neighborhood.  I hope they liked them.  Candy canes and hot cocoa.  It's hard to go wrong with that, right?  Then we ran to the store to buy rolls to bring to Grandma's house.  I was in such a hurry to get out of town that I forgot to buy dog food for our dear Abbey.  She's old and can't chew the hard stuff anymore, so we have to buy her the wet dog food.  When I realized this, I felt so selfish.  We had one can to last all of Christmas day!  Ugh.
While we were at Grandma's house, we played Pandemic and watched The Avengers.  We also ate tons of food.  I think I've pretty much gained all the weight I have lost back.  Eek.  It's really hard for me to work out when my kids are around.  They won't leave me alone!

Tuesday
Christmas Day!  We opened presents and did a whole lot of nothing but playing with our new stuff!  I also got to chat with my family on Google Hang Outs.  That thing is pretty dang cool.  I love it!  Kurtis couldn't find the books I wanted for Christmas, so he got me a bunch of random ones that are on my "to read" list on GoodReads.com.  He also got me a few table top games.  I'm really excited to get to play them.  Only, we can't play two of them.  Instead of getting me the actual games, he got me expansions to the games I wanted.  Ha ha ha!  I just ordered them online.  The game store we went to said they were out of print.  Maybe they are, but I knew we could find them on Amazon.  We had a good Christmas.

 Christmas Eve:  My family draws names and we exchanged gifts on Christmas Even this year.  Rodney said, "Every year, I ask for a five gallon bucket of Chex-Mix and I never get it!  Finally!  Jeremy!  You are the best brother ever!"

 Holy crap that is a lot of Chex-Mix!

 Ben drew Emily and Joel.  He got them these drops that you put in the toilet before you go and they will eat up the odor.  "This will save your marriage!" Ben said as they opened it.

 He works at an embroidery shop and he also embroidered some toilet paper to go with it.  Hilarious.

 I can't remember who drew Michael and Lili's name.  Emily and Joel?

 "A wooden chess set!  Just what we wanted!" exclaimed Lili.

 Kurtis and I drew my parents.  We got them a book.

 My parents drew Ryan.  I think toothpaste scares him.

 I think Ryan drew Ben.  I can't remember.  But sheets!  Awesome!

 Zach likes to ruin all my pictures.  Or so he thinks.  He he.  I think he just makes them better.

 Michele's family drew Jeremy.  A Dr. Who lunchbox!?  Lucky.

 What's inside this box of Junior Mints?  It doesn't sound like Junior Mints.

 Muwahahahahaha!  Those nephews and that niece!  They are so funny!

 Then the Joneses opened up their Christmas Eve presents.

Kaleb really loves these pajamas.  They are so soft.

 Dinosaur pajamas!  Remarkable!

 See?  He just makes the photos that much better every time he pulls a face. :)

 Kurtis's pajama bottoms coordinate with Zach's.  That's pretty cool.

Nobody takes pictures of me, so you don't get to see my cute snowflake pajamas.  Maybe I can find a picture online...  Nope.  I couldn't.  I got them at Target and they are gray.  Maybe you will see them another day.

 Then Michael and Lili gave my mom the best present of all:

 Their wedding pictures!

 That book my dad is holding is the one we gave them.  They liked it.  He's also showing me the awesome peppermint bark they got from...from...I don't remember. :D

 Rodney is still pleased as punch about his present.  Best Christmas Ever.

 Santa came to our house!

 Grandma and Grandpa Nancy gave this to Kaleb.

 Santa gave Zach some books.

 Grandma and Grandpa Nancy gave Riley a watch.

 Santa gave Kaleb Skylanders.  He is now obsessed and can't get enough of them.

 My parents gave me my own set of headphones?  Whaaaat?

But wait!  There's more!

 His very first MP3 player!?  Oh my gosh!  I'm so excited!

 Riley got Worms Reloaded and three other Worms games from Mom and Dad.

 Mom and Dad gave Kaleb Lego Lord of the Rings.  Pretty epic.

 Gift cards from Grandma Bonnie are awesome!

 Look what Santa brought him!  He's pretty happy.  It's also the only present he got to unwrap because my parents gave him books for his Kindle and he got to open them via email.  From me, I told him to pick some games off of Steam that he wanted.  He was pretty stoked about that, too.

 Grandma and Grandpa Nancy also gave Zach a watch.

 Santa gave him the game Wits and Wages and this awesome game set that has Chinese Checkers in it!  He wanted a game of Chinese Checkers!

 This is my HAUL!

Thanks for the gift card Grandma Bonnie!

The boys love them and can't wait to use them.  Wait.  Kaleb already has! :)

I hope you had an amazing Christmas, too!