Finnestad Family Christmas #1

We sure made some great Christmas memories today at Grandma and Grandpa Finnestad's house. Most of them made outside in the deep, deep snow! It was certainly a team effort to build the 9 foot snowman in the backyard....and then each person was on their own for a fun snowball fight. Sadly my attempts to whitewash Jimmy backfired and I ended up being the one all white :) We're looking forward to celebrating Christmas one last time on Sunday when Jeremy, Maria and their family arrive from Utah.

Cousins and Their 9 Foot Snowman
Aliya Playing Peek-A-Boo From the Top
Daddy's Working Like a Team
Snowtime Fun with Aliya
Finnestad Cousins
Sy's Cool Cars Gift
Helping Jonathan Open Gifts
Love Those Big Blue Eyes
JJ Was So Excited to Get New Jammies
Grandpa and Elizabeth
Now There's Trouble (Talking About the Game)
Yeah! Aliya Got Her "Hot Tea"

Christmas Morning

The boys were the first up today - heading downstairs around 6:45. After about 10 minutes, we figured we better head down and make sure they weren't getting into presents or stockings. Obviously we had a great time celebrating at Grandma & Grandpa's last night because rather than finding them in the living room in front of our Christmas tree - they were in the family room playing with their Christmas Eve toys. They had completely forgotten there were new gifts under OUR tree!

Everyone was up by 7:15 and ready to check out their stockings. There is certainly something magical about opening your gifts while watching the snow falling outside. What a blessing to have a white Christmas! After a leisurely morning of enjoying our new goodies, eating waffles and watching The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, it was time to pack up for our Finnestad Family Christmas.

Boys Checking Out the Tree (once they remembered)
Stockings!
Sy's Hoop
One of Many Fun Games They Got This Year
Leela Loves Little Mermaid
Jonathan's Special Present
Daddy's New 5 x 5 Rubix Cube

Christmas Eve Traditions

It's going to take more than a foot of snow to keep us Hirst's from carrying on our Christmas Eve traditions. Our night began with Christmas crafts and playtime, followed by a yummy dinner and entertaining Christmas show. Abby read the Christmas story and the cousins took turns singing songs and reading bible verses. Then it was time for presents! Though if it were up to Grandpa Hirst, we would open presents first! The cousins did very well (all things considered) waiting and watching each person open just one gift at a time. As you can imagine, that requires a bit of patience when you have 18 people to go through - 10 of which are 8 and under! One of my children (who shall remain nameless) found a solution to being tired of waiting...just steal her cousins presents! Thank goodness we are family :)

After singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and eating a bunch of other great dessert, it was time to head home. We had such a wonderful time celebrating with the Hirst gang The kids were wiped out by the time we made it home. There were no struggles getting off to bed - in fact, they fell asleep in the middle of our last chapter of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Just couldn't keep those eyes open!

Happy Birthday Dear Jesus
Jenna Hanging Out with the Big Girls
Aliya Enjoying Playtime with Grandpa
Auntie Karen Lovin' Juju-Ana who's Lovin' "Baby Jonovan"
Jonathan's New Tractor

Christmas With the Earnhardts

Another celebration full of memories, laughter and just real-life livin'. You just can't beat hours of visiting, beautiful snow falling, great food - which I worked so hard to prepare (OK, you got me...I served the lasagna that Stephanie mega cooked for all of us. ha ha!)

The kids had a blast playing together and exchanging gifts. While they watched Kung Fu Panda for the first time, we enjoyed a game of Settlers (Congrats Greg on the big win!) Once the movie was over, the older boys ripped off their shirts to do a little Kung Fu fighting of their own. Can you hear that song "Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting"? Very entertaining!

Though I think one of the most entertaining parts of the day was watching the kids' Christmas Performance. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to upload the video (I'll keep trying), so in the meantime...you'll just have to settle for some pictures.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Really Getting Into It
Mikayla Getting her Groove On
Mikayla and Jordans Special Song
Away in the Manger
Abby Reading the Christmas Story from Luke 2
Very Happy Josiah
Cuddle Time with Aunt Stephanie
Kung Fu Fighting (before the shirts came off)

Bitter Sweet / Bitter Cold Day!

Together with the Curreys, Myers and Wagners we sang Christmas carols and decorated a little Christmas tree at Hillcrest Memorial. Huddled together in the 22° weather, the group sang Jingle Bells and then giggled while a semi-toothless Austin sang All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth.

It was a special way to celebrate both Timothy's life and Christmas at the same time. I couldn't help but think of the impact his tiny little life has made...which then moved my thoughts to another tiny baby who has impacted the world for eternity...Jesus!

Thank you Curreys for allowing us to celebrate with you.

Snow Much Fun

We not only live in a great neighborhood with fun neighbors, but we have the perfect driveway...which doubles as a sledding run in the Winter. We've really been enjoying school starting 2 hours late this week, which means playtime until 11:30!

Neighborhood Christmas

Last year marked our first annual Neighborhood Christmas Craft Party / Caroling Night. Tonight we carried on the tradition and couldn't have asked for better weather during our caroling expedition...SNOW!! The kids attempted to make it through their songs, but in reality were far too distracted by the flurry of flakes falling around them. After all, there were snowball fights to be had and snowmen to build. They made sure to do it all until their little fingers had just about frozen off! Even then, they would come inside for a short time, sip some hot cocoa and then head right back out. We are so blessed to live in such a great neighborhood.

Christmas Tea

Abby has been counting down the years until she was finally old enough to attend Faith's Annual Christmas Tea Luncheon. This was the year marking that rite of passage for her. She carefully helped pack up the china for our table and was more than thrilled to not only help hostess a table, but to participate in the program. She delivered chocolate to various tables during one of His Harmony's songs, and played the part of a Christmas Caroller during another song. Today exceeded all of her expectations, as she shared it was one of the best days of her life. I thoroughly enjoyed the Mommy Daughter time, as well as seeing all of the impressively decorated tables and getting to spend some moments with the wonderful ladies at ours.

A New Stocking to Love

The stockings are hung by my chimney with care
And thanks to my Mom, all 7 are there!!

Growing up each member of my family had their own handmade stocking on display every Christmas. My mom has since made stockings for each member of our families now - yes, me, my sisters, our husbands and each of her 10 grandchildren. I can't even imagine the countless number of hours she has invested into these treasured gems!

Today Jonathan received his special stocking. When Abby & James came home from school, they noticed the new addition immediately. All of the kids hovered around it ooh'ing and ahh'ing, talking about how much they love their stockings. Thank you so much Mom!

Finnestad First Annual Christmas Cookie Party

Thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law Kim, we started a new Christmas tradition with the Finnestad family this year...Christmas Cookie Baking! Both Kim and my mother-in-law have fancy cookie presses that can make all sorts of different festive shapes - Christmas trees, snowflakes, flowers. The kids loved decorating the cookies, although for Aliya and her cousin Amanda, it was more fun "cleaning up" the sprinkles afterwards. We are certainly looking forward to continuing the tradition every year.

P.S. Kudos to Sue and Kim, who ended up making 20 dozen cookies and 700 peanut butter balls that day. No, that was not a typo...they are seriously that dedicated (and crazy!!)