Christmas Day 2012

I love Christmas!!! Can you tell? The second Thanksgiving dinner is over, it's Christmastime to me. And now, finally, it's here!

It's always been a tradition growing up to have a big dinner on Christmas Eve. It was extra special this year because my Dad came to visit...for the first time in Pittsburgh! A few weeks before he came, he sent a surprise package in the mail...a piano keyboard. A really, really nice one. It was such a blessing because I have been giving Kaylee piano lessons on a keyboard that did not even have weighted keys. This keyboard DOES have weighted keys, a metronome, drums, and hundreds of sounds and program capabilities! This will be a treasure to us for years.

Since it came before Christmas, Kaylee was able to learn a couple of Christmas songs and play them for Grandpa when he came.

So, on Christmas Eve, we visited a nursing home (which is where a member of our ward resides) to give out homemade ornaments. Ammon was not shy at all! He walked right up to the old ladies and said, "May Ki-mas!" He had on a blinking Rudolph nose that was very entertaining. The old folks were expecting an elaborate program, and although we did sing some Christmas carols and visit with them, I think they were a little disappointed. Oh well, we tried!

We made turkey, potatoes, all the necessary sides, and lots of treats. It was great!

Here I am with my jingle bell earrings!

Dinner setup! Then after dinner, jammie time!

We also set out some cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.

Here are the kiddos Christmas morning!

Santa had set up the nativity in front of the toys and wrote the children a note about his testimony of the birth of Jesus Christ. :) I failed to get a picture of this, but the girls were thrilled about the note, and the fact that Rudolph had eaten a bunch of carrots.

Santa brought Kaylee a science kit, Brenna a sewing machine, and Ammon some building logs. Also, a bunch of other stuff that was way too much.

Then, it was time to get spoiled even more! They opened presents from Grandparents, Great Grandparents, and aunts. Spoiled rotten!

....but you gotta love the Christmas morning disaster.

We're just waiting for Aunt Cami to be officially broke because of us. :)

After playing hard and eating junk all day, the missionaries came over for dinner {leftovers}. Dad got on the keyboard and jammed out with Elder Escobar, who is a talented vocalist. They were singing Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, you name it! So fun!

And last but not least, we finished the night off by pulling out the projector (no TV still) and watched some Christmas movies until everyone passed out.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!