Christmas 2014

Christmas morning . . . oh how we all love you.  The one day a year that you actually look forward to waking up early.  Unless, of course, it's 5:30 in the morning and since I woke up at the sound of Santa's sleigh leaving at about 2:30 that morning, 5:30 seemed to roll around a little early.  So with a little convincing, we talked them into going back to sleep for a little while.  Finally, at 7 o'clock the anticipation could not be kept in their bedroom for very long, so out they all came, smiles and all.  I have to say, I don't blame them, that last hour and a half wasn't much for sleeping, even for this excited mom!

 

 

Jeremy and I love nothing more than to see their faces come around that corning on Christmas morning.  Their expressions and pure excitement are priceless as they each spot their section of stuff that Santa left for them earlier that morning. 

Allyson and McKenna's Stuff



 

Lottie and Trey's Stuff

 



 

 

The opening of presents from Santa and those gifts wrapped under the tree brought so much happiness to each kids.  With four kids and so much stuff, we try to take turns so we are able to what everyone received.  This makes it fun for all of usto share in the excitement.

 

 

After about an hour and a half of opening gifts and sorting through all the boxes and wrapping paper, everyone had worked up an appetite.  We were so fortunate to have Rick, Kallie, Dillon, and Grandma Jo come down to show them all that Santa dumped out of his sleigh.  After a bit of playing with all the new stuff, Grandma JoAnn fixed a yummy breakfast for all to enjoy. 

 

 After breakfast, we headed right back home to hang out the rest of the day.  This has been our first year where we have literally been able to stay home in pajamas all day long.  The kids absolutely loved relaxing and playing with their stuff.  McKenna and Kallie got busy doing their Shellac nails.  McKenna set up a table with all her stuff and did almost every one's nails that day.

 

 

 Allyson and Lottie played dolls most of the afternoon.

Lottie had her barn all set up with her new tack for her horse and her doll dressed ready to go on a horse ride and then on a picnic with Ally's doll.  She did sneak in a nap for sometime today too!

 

Ally changed her doll's clothes a dozen times in getting her ready to go camping and then dancing.  She had fun driving round the jeep and trailer around the house to play.

 

 

 

Trey figured out how his new water feature speaker worked for his iPod and wore out the song 'No Time For What' as he cranked up the volume to watch the water dance around in his speaker.  He was consumed by that for quite some time.

 

We were excited when Grandpa Rod made it down, not only for the kids to show of their stuff, but to give him his gift.  Jeremy and I had this metal sign custom made for him to hang on his barn.  Jeremy thought it was awesome because it showed a guy on a horse looking at some buffalo out in the desert; similar to the Henry Mountain rides they take every year.  Rod was pretty excited.

 

 

And for the first time ever, we were lucky to have cousins come to our house for a while on Christmas Day.  Kambree and Laynee also got American Girl dolls for Christmas, so they had fun playing with Allyson and Lottie for a while.  We also had Grandpa and Grandma Okerlund stop by to see our stuff on their way home from spending Christmas morning with Tyler and family. 

 

Later that afternoon, we did decide to get ready and head to Salina.  We went and ate dinner at Kim and Darlene's.  This has been one tradition that we like to be involved in on Christmas every year.  This year was fun because of baby Reese; our little girls just couldn't get enough of her.  The older kids disappeared to Justin and Tammy's house.  They like going over there and hanging out with Marshall and Trevor and see all that they got for Christmas.

 

 

And what more could we ask for on Christmas Day than to have a white Christmas.  We woke up this morning to a couple inches of snow on the ground.  Nothing make the holiday more complete that snow on the ground.

 



 

Merry Christmas!  This definitely has been a wonderful day.  Our kids totally make it all worth the work!  In the end, they know how much we love them and that the holiday's wouldn't be what they are if we didn't have family to share it with!  I love the memories that we make and that we are able to share them with each other!