From our house to yours...

We hope your Christmas was filled with wonder and joy.
As we hung the stockings we realized that our family is really quite big... it was strange to think that next year we'll even have one more stocking to hang... I don't know where we'll put it.
I woke up at 6 am. I have always been and always will be the early riser on Christmas morning. I just can't sleep in! I woke Ethan up and we had fun chatting about our expectations for the day and waiting for the kids to get up...

Finally at 7 we ventured out of our room and turned on some Christmas tunes. I checked the kids' rooms to see if anyone was awake yet and I had one little boy staring in awe out his window at the snow covered back yard. It was sweet. I poked my head in and said, "Merry Christmas Jonas!" and he got the biggest grin on his face like he just realized that it was actually finally Christmas morning. He started getting out of bed and changing into his jammies (yes, you read that right... see Christmas Eve for the full story). He was all to eager to wake all the other kids, it was great!

We started the morning with a family prayer and remember why we get and give gifts at Christmas time, as a symbol of our Savior's gift to us. Then we began checking out our stockings. Santa left some lovely surprises... watches and goggles, candy and most exciting of all... red apples (Mom's too mean to buy them for the kids because she thinks they are YUCKY! The skin is so bitter... or something).
After we thoroughly went through all the good stuff in the stockings and ate all the candy and poptarts we could handle we headed upstairs to the tree and all the wonderful gifts from one another and our generous families in Utah.

I made the boys each a winter hat because I've never done anything like that for them since they've been old enough to remember... isn't that sad? This mom will do better from now on.

I love that I captured Eliza showing her new sock monkey to her dad. Isn't she sweet?
Jonas was so thrilled to get his GI Joe. Its basically the only thing he really asked for. And while all the kids were setting up all sorts of other stuff and playing with a variety of things he just sat and played with his new GI Joe, for at least a couple hours. It made me happy to see him so enthralled.
Bryant was also super excited about getting his new skateboard. He wrote a note to Santa for school that said, "Dear Santa, I would like a skateboard, a wii, and a new puppy." It was fun to be able to get the kids something they really wanted.
And everyone really loved the skateboard. :)
The boys all got some different car track things that set up all together. The best part about this toy is the daddy time that comes along with it. Nothing better!
After a few hours of playing with all the cool, new stuff we decided to open the big gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Woody. As you'll see below they are awesome! We highly recommend them to everyone. Too much fun! It was really funny watching all our neighbors faces as they passed by while we were out riding them. We got a lot of laughs and even had a few come over to try them out.

Oh and later even still we had a fashion show of sorts with a couple of the kids sporting their new digs. Jonas had a super cute grin on his face the first time I tried to take his picture... but my silly camera was on the wrong setting so this is what we got from there on out. Grandma Hoss made this awesome sweater in Gryffindor colors special for Jonas. He loves it and looks so handsome... (the hat I made him is in coordinating colors and is tied around his neck).
And little miss Eliza looked so cute in her new clothes from Grandma and Grandpa Woody. I'm just amazed at how much these kiddos are growing up!
For our Christmas dinner I attempted making Chicken Saltimbocca. Unfortunately, I was brain dead when I did my grocery shopping and bought the wrong chicken so it wasn't as wonderful as Tom's but I'll try it again. The orange/butter sauce was super yummy! Tom is Ethan's brother and has lot of great recipes, you should check out his helpful tips too.

It was a very laid back day. Full of playing, relaxing, and just enjoying being a family. Just what it should have been. We sure love these kids and all the fun and joy they bring into our lives.