Christmas Catch-Up

So I know it is now February, but I am just now getting the chance to blog. "You are home all day" you say "why haven't you had time" you say, well Elli loves the computer and she is now climbing and pulling up on everything. She loves the computer so much that anytime I try to do anything on it, she tries to touch the buttons and get at it and if she can't touch it, you would sometimes think that she is in mortal pain. So needless to say, I only get the chance to blog at night, and since we only have one computer now, and Todd often needs it at night.... well that's my excuse. Take it or leave it!

ANYWHO! We did have a fabulous 1st Christmas with Elliana in Texas and I do want to share all about it! So enjoy all the pics and reignite that spirit of Christmas for a just a little bit here.

We'll start with a few Christmas Day pics!

GRANDDADDY TIME!!!!!

Everybody home for the holidays!

So before we left for Texas, we had a little pre-christmas party where Elli opened up her presents from Todd's parents and our bigger present to her. Todd's mom and Dad got Elli a cute little outfit and a sweet doll, and we got her a fun musical toy. She loved them (and the paper!) and of course proceeded to eat all her gifts. After the gifts, we sang some christmas carols, read a couple christmas stories, and had eggnog. Elli was actually really content and happy the whole time. It was great.

Then OFF TO TEXAS!

One of the very first things we had to do in Texas was visit SANTA. I wanted her first experience with Santa to be where Santa is happiest and of course-- Who wouldn't be happy in Texas! So my niece and nephew, Grace and Kyle, were Elli's guides and we all went and visited Santa. Elliana was fascinated and completely awestruck by his white beard. She couldn't keep her eyes off it! She wasn't scared though, and at least she didn't cry, but I couldn't get her to smile; it was all a little too surreal for her.

Below are all the pics from our Christmas party at my Uncle Brian's house that we celebrated a few days before Christmas. It was fun to be all together and enjoy the family.

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My Grandmother gave a great gift to all the grandkids (me included!) of our own binder full of information, charts, and stories of our ancestors. My Grandmother loves geneology and I am so glad to have my own reference for all she is learning. She is going to update it each Christmas and for birthdays too I think. I am excited to read more stories and learn more about our ancestors. Thanks so much Grandbetty!

You gotta love my dad! Hawaiian Santa shirt, crazy dancing snowtree hat, GREAT Smile! I love him! Elliana got an animal book from Grandbetty and she was totally enthralled by it!

Below are some pics of us all just hanging out and also getting ready for German dinner Christmas eve night! YUMM!! I must say that being in Texas really spoiled me as far as Elliana is concerned. So many people were available to feed, carry, play with, and entertain Elli and she and I both were in heaven! Sadly, when we got home back to D.C. Elliana kept looking around me and down the hall in confusion trying to find where all the people were. It took a little bit for her to adjust to just us again!

The Bratwurst master! What a manly man!

Dave and Jenny being Dave and Jenny! This pic totally just captures each of their personalities!


Here is Elli getting her Christmas Eve pajamas! This is a TRADITION in our home that MUST be observed at least for somebody in my family! I am emphatic about traditions, maybe to the point of being unreasonable- actually yes- usually unreasonably attached to them! Thanks for being so understanding family!

NOW ON TO THE TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS PAGEANT!

I did narration this year and the directing! Dad did the video recording and everybody had a part, even Elliana who was a very sweet and content baby Jesus. Actually even Stephanie's unborn baby, Ryann, had a part as baby Jesus in the womb!

Mary and Joseph and baby in womb!

Innkeepers rejecting Mary and Joseph-- no room, no room

Baby Jesus was born (so thus we had a post not pregnant Mary too played by Gracie- she really wanted to be Mary, but there were too many lines so we had to improvise!). Kyle, as the donkey, couldn't stop petting "baby Jesus." I think it is supposed to be the other way around!

The angels visit the shepherds on the hillside watching over their flock, well, watching over their one sheep-- little Natalie. Such a great sheep too.

Angels singing Joy to the World!

Shepherds and sheep visit the manger.

And in conclusion, wisemen from "the orient" come bearing gifts. We sang songs throughout (with Laura running back and forth to the piano :) !) and just had a merry time. We ended reading the story from Luke and later having dad share our traditional bird story. Kids went to bed excited for what the next day would bring.

CHRISTMAS DAY!

All the kids and Jenny waiting on the top of the stairs to come down to see the tree and all the presents! Jenny was such a good sport about still keeping with this tradition!

Elliana took a while to wake up but she enjoyed Christmas morning too. She loved all the paper and bows and oh her gifts too!

She has actually loved this little kitchen my mom got for her. I soooo wish I would have video taped her opening it too! She had the perfect reaction of a quick squeal of delight and then panting happy noises. It was so adorable! She still loves the gift too. It is what keeps her entertained most evenings here at home! I will have to get a picture of her playing with it.

Here is a picture of Todd enjoying Christmas morning breakfast! I am sad I didn't get more pics of him! Here you see Todd enjoying one of the most delicious pears we have ever eaten. It is so juicy and tender that you can actually eat it with a spoon and that is just what Todd did!

A couple days after Christmas, the Williams cousins came and visited and it was so fun! (I didn't take any pics of them-- bummer) But, I did get pictures of the performance that the kids put on for the whole family.

They started off with a fun creative dance number where the girls danced and twirled and then the boys came on with explosive dance moves and karate chops. It was awesome!

So after the kids did the dancing; I helped the kids put on a play "The mitten" about a boy who dropped a mitten in the snow and different animals squish in the mitten stretching it, until finally the bear sneezes and all the animals came flying out!

Here is Jenny, Grace and Natalie getting in "the mitten."

Here is all of us bowing at the end of the show! They did a great job! It was sooo cute! I was so proud!

MY FAMILY IN FRONT OF THE TEMPLE

What a great looking bunch!