Christmas 2009

Christmas Eve started with our traditional breakfast of sugar pancakes. My dad makes them for us every year on Christmas Eve morning. After breakfast was done and all cleaned up, the boys went out ice fishing while the girls stayed at my mom's house and baked desserts for the family Christmas party.
Look at Justin all ready to go out fishing! I think he thought that if he wore goggles that made him look bug eyed that the fish would think he was a big bug and jump out of the water to try to eat him.
It was only 8 degrees while they were out fishing which was very different from the baking department where we had two ovens running and heating up the house. My dad caught the first fish.Dan also caught a decent size fish.
Justin's fish was the most impressive though. Look at the size of that thing. I think that they had a good time and were even more excited to not have to help bake. Brady wasn't able to go though because he had to work. Poor guy.

On Christmas Eve we had an unexpected visitor come and see us.
It was Santa Claus. My nephew was a little weary of him, but once Santa gave him a toy he seemed to like him better.
He was the best looking Santa I had ever seen! Very cheerful and jolly.
We were all able to get our pictures taken with him.
The Laraways (Nathan wasn't cooperating very well).
Jillian and Brady
My dad and mom
Santa and my dad - don't you just love Santa's Nikes? We weren't able to get a picture of Santa and Justin though, maybe next year. After Santa left Nathan walked around with his Thomas the Train radio Santa had given him and said, "Ho ho, train" which translates into Santa brought me this train. It was pretty funny.

It is a tradition every year to get new pajamas for Christmas. We open them up on Christmas Eve and change into them to watch a Christmas movie every year.Nathan got Elmo pajamas this year. He really likes Elmo.
Brady's legs blend right into the Christmas tree. Crazy! I didn't get a picture of Cammie and Dan, but Dan had Elmo pajamas too!

We all spent the night at my parents' house on Christmas Eve. Matthew and Lisa weren't able to make it and we all missed them and think they should plan their vacations a little better in the future.

Christmas morning we watched everyone open their presents. Nathan was pretty entertaining because he would go and get a present, sit down, open it and then he'd just want to play with it. Then you would tell him to open another one and we would do the same thing again. After a while he didn't want to open anymore, he just wanted to play.
We were definitely spoiled this year (as we usually are). Justin got me this really cute statue. It is of a little girl and her puppy on her horse. I love it!

On Christmas night we all get together at my grandparents' house for a Christmas dinner with all of the cousins and aunts and uncles. I think there were over 40 of us this year and some of the cousins weren't able to make it.
It is always fun to get together with everyone. Sometimes it is a little noisy, but always fun!

As always Christmas comes and goes way too fast, but we enjoyed it and are excited to have the baby here next Christmas.
Here is the picture of me at seven months or thirty two weeks. Still not quite as big as Santa.