Christmas Celebration!

Is it possible that Christmas has come and now gone? Are we really at the end of 2007? The past week has been a whirlwind of shopping, family gatherings, eating, playing games, laughing and yet...in the midst of all that, contemplating and celebrating the birth of our Savior.

We had the chance to watch the Nativity Story with the girls this year. To my amazement, they sat through the whole movie! We watched it with my mom and dad, and paused it several times to answer the girls' questions. It was really neat for my dad to be there to answer some of the more insightful questions that only a child thinks to ask. It was an important generational moment that I hope will be repeated for years to come. It was a special time.



Our Christmas is always shared between Gary & Cindy (Chris' parents) and my family. Both families have always done Christmas, traditionally, on Christmas Eve. So, to compromise, we have gone over to the Schultz' for the afternoon and early evening celebrating and opening presents with them.



Every year, Papa reads the Christmas story to begin the evening.





This year the girls got a new kitchen and table for the playroom at Nana and papa's!




Then we come back to my parents, for the evening.



This year we mae it home for Veraneki, a german-type perogie. It was awesome! Mom makes them one time a year...Christmas only. We didn't get them last year, so this was extra special.



Since the kids are getting older, we decided to incorporate them in the beginning of our adult time together. We had each of the older ones prepare a song to sing in front of everyone, and then, as a family we 'performed' a number as well. This year Kamryn sang 'Silent Night'. Addison sang 'Away From the Manger' and then as a family we sang - with actions - 'Jingle Bell Rock'! Kim and Dave did a number as well, with thier family. Here is a picture of my sister-in-law, Leah, and her son Shepard singing a song that Leah wrote for my Dad.

All in all, it was a time of great laughter and appreciation for that which God has blessed us with.

Once the kids had gone to bed all the adults in my family (10 in all) had time to sit around and 'Bless' one another with a gift and a written blessing. We pick names every year, but this year, instead of each of us recapping our year of the highs and lows, we decided to write a blessing to the person we had picked; so the gift was part of fun of it, but the best part was that each of us had to take the time to really think on that member of the family and express our prayer for them. It was a really neat time of sharing and one we will continue to do.


That night we put out cookies for Santa...
...and guess who showed up?!




Thank GOODNESS his suit is fire proof!



Christmas morning the girls openned up thier stockings and other gifts from Chris and I.









The rest of the day was filled with food, games and lots and lots of muching! It was a wonderful Christmas!