Monday we headed into Grove City for the large family Christmas gathering on both sides of Justin's family.  The younger cousins (baby-high school), all participate in a gift exchange.  It was a fun filled day of food, family and laughter!

Our afternoon with the Magee Family:

Big Papa is comfy.  Logan was OUT!

 The best picture of the cousins I could get (minus Kyla and Logan - the babies)

Hailey opening her Dora piano (and a recorder!)....thanks Jill :).  She loved it!

 Rapunzel----A metal handbag and a mini figurine set.  

K thinks she is using the handbag as a lunchbox for school.

Big Papa and Grandma also got K a children's Bible and H a bunch of coloring books and crayons, which she proceeded to use right away! Logan got his ONLY 'Baby's First Christmas' ornament!

Our evening with the Trezona's:

 Logan's gift...a letter train. It's very cute. 

Of course I say that now before he can push the button a thousand times a minute.

 This is when I decided that both of sides of the family were conspiring against me!  Hailey got a Dora guitar!!! Seriously....both Dora, and a guitar and keyboard in the same day!?

Littlest Pet Shop!  So fun...it had to be opened immediately!

Great Grandma and Grandpa got each of the girls several craft kits and a McDonald's gift card.  Logan got some clothes and a pillow pet (a little giraffe).

 K can't wait to color/design this messanger bag. 

 Hailey opened this right away and went to work! She impressed me with how well she did!

Another fun day...and we thought our Christmas celebrations were done....until a box came in the mail today from my sister.  Puzzles and glow bracelets for the girls, a game for Justin, a bib for Logan and a cookbook, wax melts, and scrabooking embellishment set for me!  We got it just before nap time. Needless to say the girls were not thrilled they could not put their puzzles together right away!  :)

I think we are spoiled! I could pull out a craft kit every day for the girls and never run out it seems! We are blessed!  Our kids are blessed!  And I am grateful! I am grateful for our family, friends, and most of all for the reason we celebrate Christmas!  I love that Hailey was telling me about Jesus' birthday and that K was telling me about why Mary and Joseph had to stay in the manger.  I am grateful my kids know the real reason behind the season. I pray that their understanding continues to grow as each year passes.

Our Family Christmas Day

When we got home on Christmas Eve we got ready for Santa. 

Kaelin set out cookies and milk....Hailey was WAY to tired to participate.

Unloading Logan's gifts from the  Grandparents.

 Kaelin and Hailey's gifts from the Grandparents on Christmas Eve.

We got a picture after Santa set up his gifts (the Candy Cane stripes).

The adults's stockings...we all pitched in on each other's.  It was fun.  I scored - Newsies from Ray!  and Uggs and a pan I wanted from Jubb....plus candy B&N gift card/Nook books.  Justin got Sirius in his car for a year, an Underarmour hat, and a beer kit (plus pistachios etc).  Ray got a PS3, a beer kit, a movie and some candy/gum.

 Kiddos stockings and the note from Santa.

 Christmas Morning:

Kaelin is excited!

Logan got rice cereal in his stocking...he'll get to try it in the next month.

 K went shopping at Santa's Workshop at school.  I got a pink daisy ring.  Ray got a "World's Best Uncle" mug, and Justin got a glass globe for his desk. Kaelin was SO EXCITED when he opened it :).  Adorable!

Merry Christmas Logan!

I'm not sure why these dolls are so annoying...um I mean cool :).  BUT the girls love them!

 Baby Rapunzel....she said, "Now I have big and baby Rapunzel. I love them."

 K got the light up/singing Rapunzel....notice the theme of our house the last year or so? 

We LOVE Rapunzel!

 Logan's toy from Hailey. 

 Kid safe headphones from Uncle Ray...

 ...to go with their Ipods from us!  Great choice by us!

 Logan fell asleep in all the excitement.

 So cute!

We spent the day playing with our new toys, and then in the evening headed over to our brother-in-law - Brad's parent's house to visit!  They are so nice to open their door to us.  Its always fun to watch the kids play and interact. It was a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Eve (Celebrations 3 & 4)

Christmas Eve was spent in Grove City.  We spent the afternoon at Papa Tom's and Grandma Barb's house.  Aunti Amy, Uncle Brad, Dominic and Uncle Jasey were there too. 

Kaelin, Dominic and Hailey

 Uncle Jasey holding a tired, but stylin', little boy :)

 Kaelin found her stocking!

So did Hailey!

 Uncle Jasey gave Hailey a DORA backpack, backpack. 

(For those of you who aren't familiar, backpack was meant to be repeated twice).

The girls received a joint gift of 10 Disney Princess Barbies from Papa Tom and Grandma Barb.

 Dominic got this train track.  He was very excited!

Papa Tom and Logan talking and laughing.

Around dinner time we headed over to Grandma Cindy and Papa Keith's.  Uncle Chris and Jecca joined us there.  Cindy and Keith did something different this year...the big gift for everyone is a trip to Splash Lagoon, an indoor waterpark, in February.  We are all very excited.  Kaelin is counting down...39 days left.  She said, "I just keep imagining how fun it is going to be!".  Hailey's response, "We have to take floaties, so we can swim by ourselves!".  

Cindy got a new wallet from Jason and he put $1 in it.  Hailey tried to be a pickpocket. 

Rapunzel Barbie head from Uncle Chris and Jecca. Perfect gift for our little hair stylist. 

 Dominic got Hungry Hungry Hippos...big hit!

 Rapunzel Journal.

Brad and Logan playing. 

Playing with K's new Connect 4.  

She is learning but sometimes forgets to watch the other person's pieces. 

It was a fun day for all! We got home around 9:30 to set out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. 

Christmas with the Theodore Family

Friday night was our second Christmas celebration (our first being with my parents after Thanksgiving). Unfortunately for me I spiked a fever on Friday and got pretty sick.  I am now on my second antibiotic in 3 weeks....so I was a little drugged up.  Thank goodness Justin is off, he was really able to help with the kids so that I could just feed Logan when needed and then hide under my covers.  The meds finally started kicking in late afternoon.


We headed over to Amy and Brad's house so that the cousins (Dominic, Kaelin, Hailey and Logan) could exchange gifts.  We don't like to take the gifts to Grove City to have to bring them back.  Amy made chicken pot pie and we brought the salad.  Then we let the kids open gifts, followed by play time and then sugar cookie decorating.  Amy came up with an ingenious idea of letting them use a pastry brush to paint on a thin frosting rather than using a knife.  The kids really liked it.

Logan got his first Piggy Bank.  It is so cute with a baseball, bat and glove on it.

 Hailey and Kaelin both got magnetic paper dolls and doodle bears!

 My mom made Dominic a Towmater jean quilt.  

D loved it...he said, "Can we put it on my bed Mommy?"

 We got D a Cars Playdough set and an Aquadoodle mat.

 We think Uncle Brad liked the Playdough best.

Cookie Time.  Pretty sure more got licked or eaten than actually decorated by Dominic and Hailey :)