six girls and their favorite guy: Christmas Fun...

So it's a new year, with new goals, and a new start.

I've exercised the last two mornings...

(I had been putting that off for months because I thought it would make a fabulous New Year's Resolution.)

I'm hurting, but I think I might even do it again tomorrow... so I'm off to a good start,

Kenna exercised with me before school... she is tough!

Like a rock really...

she did all her push-ups in REAL push-up style with her body straight as an arrow, and she touched her nose every time... and then asked, "can't you do that mom?"

So I'm feeling a little behind in the exercise department and in my blogging because I was having so much fun enjoying all the Christmas Stuff that I never got around to posting about it...

Oh, and I spent the entire month eating WAY too much food!

Which is why I am going to exercise 4 days a week for the next year...

I'll let you know when I can do awesome push-ups like Kenna!!

(Don't hold your breath...)

But anyway...

Christmas Eve Lunch was at our house. We had about 18 which is a small crowd for our family now.

Normally we do a dinner, but it worked out better for some of the families to do it early...

and I quite enjoyed it.

We had a great meal, spent time with the family...

and then had time to do stuff with our little family that night.

We've loved having Jeff, Kimi and Trey here for Christmas...

Lydia pretty much likes her cousin Trey too...

yep... she's forward...

After all the fun was done,

the girls performed their "annual Christmas Dance" for us.

Then since it was only our immediate family we played "chimes"... We did pretty good, but might have done better with a bigger group. ( Chimes is a a family tradition that my siblings and I recall with mixed emotions.. :) This year I offered to pull them out before everyone went home... and everyone pretty much ignored me... So we didn't play as a "group" :))

Then... I had a lot of fun and pulled both Kenna's and Tayler's teeth out...

Kenna's because it was Christmas Eve and we wanted to sing her "all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"... and mainly because it was so loose that she wouldn't brush it... and it was gross!

Tayler's... because the orthodontist has been telling us for over a year to get it out or we would need it pulled... and I'm cheap like that!!

Tayler was in agreement... Kenna WAS NOT... but they both look happy here, and the tooth fairy and Santa got to come the same night!!! :)

We played games, read Christmas stories, and read THE Christmas story from Luke...

and then opened one present before bed.

This year it was Tayler's present...

She MADE all of these PJ bottoms by herself...

one pair in school... and then she did a YW value project by finishing the rest.

They looked ADORABLE!

It was only 8... but they were all anxious to get to bed... so we didn't complain. We set out the milk and cookies, left "reindeer snacks" on the front walk and they were off for giggles and fun in Tayler's room.

...

Christmas morning the girls called Shane's cell phone to wake us up @ 7...

Sure enough when we checked Santa had been there and they were pretty excited to get downstairs to see what he had brought...

After checking out all of the Santa stuff, we had breakfast, got ready for the day and then opened presents...

one at a time in our house. It takes lots longer and I love it that way.

It gives us time for everyone to see what we got and give thanks for each others thoughtfulness and hard work.

Oh, and I don't save one piece of paper!!

We had lunch at my parents later, opened more presents there and had a fabulous day! My favorite gifts "to give" of the day were the 2 blog book that I had printed. One of Tayler's blog for the last couple years and one of mine. I wasn't sure that the price would be worth it at first, but I was pleasantly surprised... totally love those books and they will be a forever keepsake. (I used blog-2-print, if you live close and want to see them I will be happy to share them with you. :)

It was pretty fun giving Tayler her 1st cell phone too... I guess she was "suspicious" that she might be getting one... but the look on her face when her present started ringing under the tree was pretty priceless.

Lydia's stuff...