OK this will be one big grand daddy of a post. I usually take lots of pictures of the tree. This year we had a tree and we had our ornaments, I just didn't take so many pictures. The tree had LED lights that were of the bluish hue - it was special. Watch out for next year because we shopped the clearance aisle of Target after xmas and picked up some new holiday decorations. But you will just have to wait until next year :)
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| We did make gingerbread houses. We put that leftover Halloween candy to good use. I love this re-usable plastic houses. Just as the box says you just get to do the fun part - the decorating! |
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| What Christmas season is complete without a visit to the Bass Pro Shop Santa? The expressions are priceless however! Santa was trying very hard to listen to Grant and Grant was thinking very hard about what to say. |
We went to the candle light Christmas Eve service at church. Yes again, more fire at the church and as soon as we walked in the usher handed Grant a candle - YIKES! I LOVE this service, it is one of my favorite. We sing all of the good xmas songs and the church looks beautiful and all in all you just really feel the xmas spirit. However, all of this being said one of the funniest parts is finding a seat. It is always crowded and no matter how early you think you are it is never early enough. I will never forget the year our family was ushered to the first pew (so it wasn't a long pew and it was before we had kids). It was such a tight squeeze we literally had to stand up and sit down in unison to fit! We all laughed so hard. This year was a similar situation except we had the kids sitting on our laps. When they decided they didn't want to sit on our laps anymore it got to be quite a tight squeeze. Instead of being in the front we were 2nd to last in the back with good family friends of ours sitting behind us - equally as cozy! Grant actually fell asleep through half of it, but in fear of him not falling asleep xmas eve night we woke him before communion. The kids both held candles and Grant took great pleasure in blowing his out...twice! We then headed home for a steak dinner with my parents.
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| After dinner Daddy did his traditional reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas. |
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| We headed home to prepare the milk and cookies. Grant really likes having his picture taken! |
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| EB divided cookies for Santa and Mrs.Claus. |
The kids also sprinkled their reindeer food out on the lawn. And it worked - Santa found us!
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| Traditional "Kids go stand by the tree so I can take your picture!" picture |
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| A goofy one! |
We were a little nervous about the kids sleeping so close to the tree so we made a little barrier. We were worried about one of them getting up in the middle of the night and not having their xmas surprise with us. Santa leaves one unwrapped present for the kids. In our old house we just put a baby gate at the top of the stairs and we waited until everyone was awake and went down together. Grant is usually our alarm clock so we had to safe guard against any peeking!
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| Their beds are on the other side of the chairs. See how blue the tree is! |
Sleep was not a problem - they were out cold!
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| This does not look comfortable but does explain the morning hair-dos! |
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| He looks pretty comfy :) |
We got to sleep until 6:45 and then it was show time!
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| Santa brought Elizabeth the Digital Barbie Make-up Mirror that she wanted. |
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| Grant got a new barn and silo with a couple of big semi trucks. |
Christmas morning was a lot of fun. Grant couldn't unwrap his gifts fast enough! Just the stage he is in. Elizabeth diligently unwrapped each one and gave us hugs and thank yous after each gift. However, when the kids exchanged gifts Grant did go over and hug his sister - it was priceless! Kenny Pops was on FaceTime with us from AZ and my parent's came over a little later to watch the kids unwrap gifts and for breakfast.
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| Getting ready to open their stockings. Powered toothbrushes are always a big hit! |
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| She wanted ear muffs so bad! I was very excited to give her this gift. BTW, the snowflake picture in the background is an Elizabeth original. |
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| Daddy helping EB with her make-up! |
The kids got lots of classic games...Trouble, Operation, Connect4. They are such a fun age to play games. Grant plays Operation the way he opens presents! He needs to work on his finite surgical skills!
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| The hug! |
For the past few years Ima and Pops have taken the kids to the mall to do their own shopping at the Secret Santa store. It is always a hoot to see what they buy for us. Grant had to give Ima her gift a few weeks earlier. The day after he brought his gifts home he decided to drop hers on the floor and I could tell it broke and upon further investigation found a Mini Cooper piggy bank in pieces. He had to give it her and tell her what happened. It was very painful and tearful, but Pops did save the day by gluing it back together! We had to all laugh about him giving her a piggy bank though. As if his mind was really thinking "Put some coin in their for me Ima!" Elizabeth got my mom and I jewelry. My mom got a "Grandmother" necklace with pink stones. I got blue heart earrings, a plastic pearl necklace and a bracelet. Grant also gave me what he thought were colorful sparkly bracelets but were actually hair ties. They insisted I wear all this things (together) to the Schoch family Christmas later that day. Which I did, but probably not as proudly as I should have (I was a little embarrassed). My mom does a much better job proudly wearing her "Grandmother" necklace. They are always so proud to give us gifts that they hand pick and it is fun to watch them keep a secret. Elizabeth got Brandon a cat ornament ... not like Caterpillar, but just a cat. It was hilarious and then she didn't want Pops to see him open it because she had gotten him the same thing, but turned out it was the golf paper holder that she had gotten both of them for their desks. She got her brother a beanie baby alligator that was green with yellow eyes because she knows how much he loves green and yellow and a Mickey Mouse puzzle. She is a very thoughtful gift giver.
Grant got dad a pen set that said "#1 Dad" and Elizabeth a purple purse - also thoughtful.
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| I know her eyes are closed...but there is the purple purse. |
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| Thank you Brandon for once again wearing the "I'd Hit That" old softball t-shirt on Christmas morning! |
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| Elizabeth with her Strawberry Shortcake house. |
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| Grant really likes Elizabeth's big dollhouse. Just the other day she pouted "He is always playing with it - I never get to!" We told her when he's 9 he probably won't think the Loving Family Dollhouse is so cool! |
We had breakfast and played all morning - it was wonderful. Early afternoon we headed to Aunt Ruth's for the Schoch family Christmas. It was a little more low key and a smaller group than years past. The aunts all got the kids really nice gifts and we had a nice dinner and a great time chatting with everyone. We headed home and prepared for the arrival of our siblings the next day!
Next up was the extended family Christmas at Aunt Becky's and Uncle Darrell's. We had a special visit from Santa that was a surprise to us. Becky had us all singing xmas carols and then we heard his bells ring! The kids really got into it and since Elizabeth was on his lap Grant had no problem standing near by. He was sitting on my lap when Santa first entered and his grip tightened! But by the time poor Santa was leaving he was having a hard time keeping his beard on and his hat fell off and when he stood up his belt was falling down! The adults were having lots of chuckles.
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| Stella, Santa, EB and Grant |
New Year's Eve finally arrived and it was the Pauli Christmas. We decided to celebrate in part on the 31st because we are all really looking forward to a new and better year! The kids are always excited to see their cousins and even had a sleepover with them the day before we celebrated.
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| Christmas Cousin Bath! The bubbles about swallowed poor Briggs! |
Kenny Pops is a trooper! With 4 kids under the age of 5 you never know what you are going to get. Needless to say it took us ALL day to open gifts. We got a bit of a late start, then one would get hungry, then they would all get hungry, one would need to nap, two more should have but....they get excited and want to play with everything they open...they want to open gifts faster (Grant) etc.... someone is hungry again - you get the idea. Luckily, we know to expect this and go in with the mindset that we are flexible and just go with it and always have a good time. The highlight of the Pauli Christmas is always the pickle game. This year Grant was the victor for the grandkids and won $10. It took him less than a minute to find the large pickle. The tiny adult pickle game was another story this year. We had Aunt Sandy and Billy there to help hide it. After 30 minutes and a total tree striping...I mean ornaments, lights, popcorn garland and branches were off the tree before Brian finally found it wrapped up in some branches. Unfortunately his lotto cards only produced him a $7 win.
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| Yay Grant! |
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| Two years in a row for Brian! |
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| The victors! |
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| Do you spot the flying fairy? The kids had a lot of fun with the girls' new FlutterBye fairies. |
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| Apple dominated the quiet time. We joked that Steve Jobs was looking in the family room and smiling - at one point we ALL had an apple device in our hands (and I think they might have been a couple of spares on the table) - crazy. |
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| Brandon got new warm bibs. |
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| Pops and the pickle winner. |
We got Briggs light up Minnie Mouse shoes as a joke, but Grant was quite fond of them too! I think there is an untapped market for dress up shoes for boys!
We wrapped the night up with an adult spin on the game Boom Boom Balloon and rang in the New Year with some progressive rummy. This was our first Christmas without Mimi. We all really missed her - especially during the pickle game (for various reasons!). Amber made us a picture that says "Because someone we love is in heaven, there is a little heaven in our home." We unwrapped them at the same time Kenny gave the kids cards that Robin had bought for them. They weren't written in, but were just really nice daughter/son cards - the kind that says what you would want to say. It was sweet and drew some tears. Most of all we just keep talking about her and remembering all the good stuff.
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| Aunt Sandy popped the balloon in the game a lot...but was such a good sport! |
The kids got kind of upset when we took the tree down so I promised them I'd post a picture of them with one of their favorite ornaments. Keeping true to my word...
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| Poor puffy teary eyes :( |
As many of my FB friends said "2013, don't let the door hit you on your way out!" We still have a lot to be thankful for this year, but I am really hoping we have a lot more positive things to share in 2014. Let's make it a great 2014! Brandon likes to quote an old car dealership commercial "Something goods going to happen to you!" I have a hunch he just might be right! Stay tuned...
