For Uncle Mike and Aunt Susan Patterson!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

For the Curtis and Timmons families!!!

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For Grandma and Grandpa

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For Great Grandma!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Celebrating Christmas Eve

It is Christmas Eve morning and all 6 kids are bursting with excitement!!! They can't wait to open a gift tonight and suggested that they be able to open one at noon. Then decided since Matt won't be home yet, they'd wait for him to get home and open it around 2pm. We finally agreed to 7pm because we have so many things to get done!!!

The house needs to be tidy so Santa doesn't trip.................

We will be making Fudge for Santa....I have several volunteers to help with that.

We will be baking cut out cookies and decorating them for Santa!! All hands on deck for that one!

Ryley, Tyler and Tori have volunteered to assist with lasagna making this evening for dinner......

There is so much excitement in this house it is unbelievable. Life doesn't get better than this!!!

In the afternoon, my Uncle Dave, Aunt Linda and Cousins Mary, Erik and baby Macey Timmons came by to visit! We hadn't met baby Macey yet, so we were all excited to meet her. She is absolutely adorable and such a happy little girl!

Sarah emptying a bag of goodies that was almost as tall as she is!

Curtis, Timmons and Tishendorfs!!!

Around 6:45 we did the kids gift exchange! They drew names this year and had fun playing "Secret Santa" delivering little surprises to each other!

Tori opening her gift from Ryley....

A plush Littlest Pet Shop Lady bug

Ryley opening his gift from Tori......

A Bendomino game (dominoes, but they are curved...much more challenging)

Brandon opening his gift from Ryan

A Nerf gun.....

Tyler with his gift from Brandon...Lego's and M&M fan

Sarah opening her gifts from Tyler

A My Little Pony

and another My Little Pony

Ryan opening his gift from Sarah....

hmmmmm...what do you know.... A Nerf Gun

After their gift exchange I got busy in the kitchen rolling out cookie dough for Santa's cookies!!!

Meanwhile.....

Sarah was playing My Little Ponies....

Tyler built his Lego set....

Brandon and Ryan had Nerf wars and target practice on the upstairs windows (the darts have suction cups)

Ryley and Matt played "Bendominos"

Then it was time to follow our Christmas tradition of going out to feed Santa's Reindeer. The kids were out in the pouring rain, throwing the "reindeer food" (oatmeal and glitter) so Santa will be sure to find our house tonight!!!

Koda came in covered with glitter...

After some quick showers the kids were busy decorating cookies for Santa!!!

Their masterpieces!!!

Tori, Tyler and Sarah looking for Rudolph in the sky....

Ryan and Sarah out looking again a few minutes later....

Sarah wrote a letter to Santa... it says "Roller Skates Sarah" All of the letters are there, just not necessarily in the right order. The big Qs are lower case a's (an o with a tail). Thought she did pretty good for 3 years old.

Everyone contributed to Santa's buffet. Tori provided the milk and left a note to Santa, Tyler left out a tray of carrots for the reindeer, Brandon contributed fudge, Ryan left a note and some buckeyes, Ryley picked out a couple of the decorated cookies and Sarah decided Santa needed "sprinkles" and poured the cookie sprinkles straight onto the plate!

Then it was off to bed at 9pm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our kitty Krystal wondering why there are so many kids invading the upstairs tonight.

Amber heading off to hide.

Ryley

Tyler

Ryan
Tori and SarahBrandon

Before we went to bed we set out the gifts we have received from family by mail under the tree and can't wait to see what Santa will bring!

And the snow continues................

Being the workaholic he is...Matt left for work at 6am in his Subaru with snow tires and NOT the required chains (however, he did buy chains at work for his return home). His commute is usually 45 minutes, however today it was 1 1/2 hours thanks to the 35 mph speed and stops to de-ice and unfreeze his windshield wipers.

Picture he sent at 8am to show us that he made it to work. Vancouver Washington hasn't received any new snowfall today.

We however, have a new 4 1/2" and it doesn't look like it will stop snowing any time soon. Above is a photo out our back window. If the kids hadn't been out to play already, the snow was about 3" up the windows!!!

May scary looking bus which will be sitting in this spot until the ice is melted and gone.

My ice tree that I posted yesterday is now an ice AND snow tree.

Tori playing out front. The snow is all powder so we can't make snowmen, igloos or snowballs....we've all tried and it just won't pack.

Tori preparing a sledding ramp from our flower beds, down to the lawn.

The best snow igloo Tori and Ryley could make with all this powdery snow!

With over a foot of snow and no luck building snowmen, a friend mentioned making snow ice cream! So, we looked up a recipe and made it! Delicious!