Christmas Day

We really enjoyed Christmas this year. It was a lot of fun with Parker being old enough to be excited, and for us to be here once again with Ben's family.

The kids had fun opening up a few presents,

and playing with them (and the other cousin's toys) throughout the day.

After lunch we all decorated gingerbread houses (as families since there are so many of us). Parker requested a castle, so we attempted to make that for him. Of course most of his help was testing the candy out to make sure it was safe :-), but we all had fun being creative and working together.

Paul & Camille & their kids made this house, which had the most color and the most candy by far than anyone else's (I took this picture half way through and unfortunately didn't get a picture of the final product).

Laura & Hussein's house

And Aaron & Megan's castle (I got pictures of the other houses, but only when they were in the workings, so I didn't put them on here).

In the evening the kids put on a play of the manger scene. Five of the kids escaped before we took this picture (or had just had enough by then), but here are some of them. Tyler (13), Gavin (6), Parker (2), Ashyln (4), Cole (4), Chloe (5), Naomi (5mo), Isaac (5), Clara (7), & Madisyn (1).

After much play, the kids all vegged out in the tv room and watched a movie (Horton Hears a Who). I thought it was cute how most of them were in there all together, so I took a picture of that. Here they are: Tyler (well, his legs that is), Isaac, Nathan, Clara, Cole, Ashlyn, Taya, Chloe, Porter, Parker, & Gavin.