Christmas Day!!

CHRISTMAS DAY!
We had an interesting Christmas this year!  We had told the kids that they could get up at 5:00am and open stockings and Santa gifts before Nate had to go to work.  So that was the plan.  But somehow they all slept in!  It was so weird when Nate woke me up at 6:00 and told me the time and that everyone was still asleep!  He needed to leave for work, so he left, but I just laid there enjoying the fact that I didn't need to get up yet!  It was awesome!  I had gotten to sleep earlier because I had wrapped so much previously, going to bed at 1:30 was pretty remarkable.  Then not having to get up til 7:00-ish was amazing!  At about 6:30 Kelly came in asking if she could wake everyone up, but I talked her into just coming in and laying down and talking with me.  It was so nice!  I loved it!  Eventually everyone woke up and came downstairs.  We did stockings.

We had puffy pancake for breakfast.  Then we all just played games and watched movies for the rest of the day!  Counting down the minutes til Nate would get home!  Near the end there, the last two or three hours, Erika was asking Kelly for her official count down about every five minutes!  It was nuts!  But I have to say that everyone did really well!  They were all happy for the most part!  I really couldn't be happier with how the day went!  And we learned how to play ticket to ride!  So that was exciting.  We also worked on our 2018 ornaments!  Which didn't take NEAR as long as I had planned!  haha!!  But we did good!  Some people even took naps!
Nate got home around 3:00, then he had to finish up and wrap a few gifts, so did Charity, and THEN we were able to sit around the tree and open gifts!!  Lots of fun!  Everyone was good and spoiled this year!  We did the Santa gifts first,

Brad was so nice to consent to painting with Molly.  He probably won't admit it, but he had a really good time :).  So did Molly.  

Patiently waiting...

As much as I liked NOT cramming the living room with Christmas this year, and celebrating downstairs and such... it was a little too crowded.  Next year, we move the ottoman, no table for gingerbread houses, and possibly pull the couch out a little away from the tree more.  Just some thoughts for next year.  But I do so love not having the living room PACKED ALL SEASON!

She loves the tags on gifts... pretty cute.

Molly got a little dog carrier with a dalmation doggie with a leash and collar!  It's super cute!  Erika and I were surprised to see this because we had picked out the same thing for Molly- had to get ours out from under the tree!

Jack got "building stuff".  He loved these and I hope I never forget how cute he looked that evening with his little safety goggles and gloves on while he was sawing everything in the house... loved it!

Erika had full on guessed what her gift was, and basically knew all day :).  I think she was still pretty excited when she opened it though.  Pogo Stick!!

Still keeping it suspenseful.  For the past few years Noah has asked for a metal detector... Santa finally delivered :).

Was he surprised? I think so!  Marble Rollercoaster- I loved his face when he opened this- I wish I'd caught it on camera.

Brad got a new phone!

So did Kelly :).

Charity got Jazz tickets!  And a super cute shirt!  

then the homemade family ones,

Charity had Molly, she made her some lip gloss.

Noah had Jack, he made him a little fishing game.

wow that looks awkward.

Kelly had Erika, she made her "Open when..." letters with little charms with each one... so cute!! 

Erika had Noah, she made him a science kit with all the materials.

I had Luke and I slaved over his weighted blanket!  It was SO HARD TO MAKE!!  But I was pretty pleased with his reaction.  He's used it everyday since too!

Nate had Brad... very creative!

I think we'd all like to keep the picture of Nate walking through Walmart with the camera around his neck like a tourist, ingrained in our minds forever... hahaha!

Molly had Kelly.  This was a fun one to watch.  Molly made Kelly a package of yellow :).  We found everything yellow that we could in the store and put it in a homemade pillowcase.  Kelly loved it and we all loved watching Molly give her each item... so cute!

Jack had Charity.  Pretty sweet picture of JAZZ and one of Jack for cuteness.

We never have pictures of me opening my homemade gift, but Luke had me and he made me the coolest cake stand I've ever seen!  It's so cool!!  Thanks, Luke!

Brad had Nate.  He made him 30 flies!  I seriously thought Nate was going to cry when he opened this, and Nate is not a crier!  Super touching!

and then it was anything goes.

Brad saw these at the dollar store and knew Jack needed them :).

I was SO EXCITED to give Luke his Stack the States game!  This was a highlight of my Christmas this year.  Unfortunately there were little photo bombers in the way when he first opened it, but that's okay... he seemed to think it was pretty cool :).  Fun stuff.

 It's fun that the kids still like to go youngest to oldest and follow it through to the end!  I got a ton of gifts this year, so did Nate :).  So we were opening past the kids, which was new!  It was a fun Christmas.  After presents Nate whipped up some Creamed Eggs on Toast, so that we could carry out that tradition!  So nice of him even though he was probably exhausted.  Luke and I worked on his marble roller coaster a little, we set up the Echo Dots, my mom and Simon came for a little while, then Nate pulled out a birthday cake!  He always remembers!  I don't know how he does, but he does!  It was a yummy ice cream cake and since I've let Keto slip (understatement of the century) a little, I ate some- it was delicious!  Such a fun birthday/Christmas!

We turned on the Jazz game.  Then Nate had to leave around 9:00 for his night shift.  Poor guy.  Fun day!  Ready to be done though :).  12-25-18

Christmas Eve

CHRISTMAS EVE
This was my mad dash to get all the last minute stuff done!  Kind of nuts!  I left the kids in charge of Project Spotless House, and just ran around like a crazy person.  I was able to get Nate's gift and some of the ones that we had to wait til then.
Then at 4:30 we headed out to Nate's work to talk to Santa.  This was a fun one this year.  Everyone was still shy, but it felt like they talked a little more.  Santa commended Molly for learning to go potty this year.  He told her take good care of Buddy and Misty.  He asked Jack about his basketball games.  Jack said he likes to "practice baseball" in his spare time... that's a new one :) HA!  Erika got to talk about her basketball and soccer (apparently she plays basketball with her feet- HA!), she asked him for a pogo stick and he told her he was too heavy to do a pogo stick.  Then he told her to tell Kate hi for him.  Noah asked Santa for magnets and a fly tying kit.  Luke told him to surprise him again.  He talked about becoming a deacon and being able to pass the sacrament.  That was fun for him.  Bradley asked him for a ghillie suit and a B B Gun.  Santa asked him if he's a sniper or something!  HA!  Kelly talked about learning to drive.  And said he could surprise her.  Charity talked about driving as well and being a pro.  Not getting paid to do it, but still being a pro.  She said surprise me as well.  Poor Santa had his work cut out for him, having to think of gifts for all these kids!!  Fun stuff.
After Santa, we sat in the lobby of Nate's work for a while just waiting for his shift to be over.  Then headed up to Grandpa Hatch's house.  This was a lot of fun as usual.  We sat around eating and talking for quite a while before everyone started getting antsy- not sure why Grandpa had us wait a little this year :).  But it was a lot of fun.  I think the highlight of the night was Molly opening her gift from Grandpa.  She sat there and read the tag- pointing to each letter.  Then after one big chunk of paper came off the gift, she screamed out, "NO WAY!!"  She had seen the My Little Pony Movie Logo and gone nuts!  It was SO FUNNY!!  Grandpa was doubled over laughing.  We all got a kick out of it.  She hadn't even seen all the ponies til the very end, but she was overjoyed!!  So cute!!  Everyone opened their gifts and we hurried out of there.  I wanted to get home and get wrapping!  The kids were kind of ho-ing and humming and one of them mentioned pajamas (LUCKILY!) I had almost forgotten about the Christmas jammies!!  Luckily I had wrapped them several days before, so that was good- they all loved their jammies- well, except Kelly, but she had had a pretty big day and I think it all just came crashing down.  Plus hers were too small.  Such a bummer.  But anyway- they all dragged their blankets and pillows down to the boys' room for their big night!  I can't believe they like that tradition :).  12-24-18