Merry Christmas-2011!

                                                                              

Christmas Eve 2011-Jen's Parent's House
Philly went to Logansport to be with his family this Christmas Eve. So we spent our first Christmas holiday apart. My whole family was bummed of course but, we knew Phil was where he needed to be. Much to my amazement, by the time Ely and I arrived for dinner, Philly was present!

You got it... that's Phil standing there in the red shirt and blue pants. They just couldn't celebrate Christmas without him. You know that you are very loved when you parents take time to make a dumby to represent the one you miss. Thanks family!
And Philly... I love you from your head...

                                              down to your toes!                                                                                                                                                                       

As if there wasn't enough excitement with Phil being present but, to discover that one of Santa's elf's stayed behind just to celebrate Christmas with our family... Thrilling!
A right jolly ol' elf...

A very happy 9 year old boy....

(Who couldn't keep his eyes off all of that army stuff in the box he is starring at...)

   A joyful Christmas hug...                                                                                                                           

And a special picture frame tradition carried on one more year. Santa we are glad your elf stayed behind!                                             

You know we couldn't end the night without a Photo of the girls! Jen, Krista, Mom (Diane), and Oma (Mamaw Lisa.) Amaya wasn't able to attend the party this year. She was missed very much.

Happy Holidays,
Jen and Ely

Christmas Eve Morning-2011
Our Christmas tradition rests on the morning of Christmas Eve. When the kids wake up and find that they were on the "good list" (Santa stopped again this year!) they dart in to our bedroom, jump on our bed shouting something that sounds like..." Get Santa, Up came, gifts stockings, up get..." If you have children you know exactly what we hear! So as fast as we can possibly fumble around for house shoes, the camera, praying we make in and out of the bathroom before all gifts are open, Philly and I miraculously make it down the hall and into a Christmas explosion! And every year the same.

Santa always knows exactly what is wanted most.
This years most wanted gift was a cupcake making machine.

Some cupcake pajamas to boot! How sweet!
A couple 'do it yourself'' robots for one fun loving boy.

A three foot nutcracker for the nutcracker collector and a Snowbabies collectible for the princess.

Yes, Ely is in his underwear again this Christmas morning. He seems to loose his pants in the middle of the night. Getting a little old for the underwear shots Ely. Maybe by next year I will have him trained;)

One very happy Christmas morning has come and gone. Always to fast.

Up Goes the Tree
The dance with the lights ... it happens every year. Amaya and I have it down to an art. Perfected like synchronized swimming. Ha! She gets on the back side of the tree. I'm always to the front. She hands it to me, I wrap it round, Maya grabs the strand just right and begins to place each light perfectly while I get in position to grab the lights again. Nobody can replace our lighting of the tree operation! Nobody!

And it is always required to use the furniture in place of a ladder. Hehe!

Amaya didn't leave me, (she wouldn't do that to me) she is just hidden by the tree in preparation for the next light exchange.

It's the girls job to decorate the tree. So this year, as a tree went up in the house, the boys cut a tree down in the yard.

Our plan was to turn this area into a parking space until we got news of a house for sale that we are interested in. More info. on the house soon to come. Shhhh.... the kids don't know about the it yet.

Love and Laughter, Jen, Phil, Amaya, and Ely