Wow.  I don't have very many pictures to document Christmas Day....or Christmas vacation for that matter.  Hopefully that means that I was too busy having fun and enjoying the moment to be bothered with my camera.  And really, I think that was just the case.

I did, however, manage to take the annual "what-did-you-get-for-Christmas" picture of the kids next to their stash. 

 Meagan, 10 years

Not sure what her 'favorite' was, but she really did love everything.

 Lindsay, 8 years

The Justin Beiber doll was her favorite...and the Justin Beiber CD.  Heaven.  She was so excited when she opened the gift.  At first, she could tell it was a doll, but didn't realize 'who' it was, but when she did.....squeals of delight and a super huge smile!  The perfect reaction!

 Ellie, 2 1/2 years

 Tanner, 2 days shy of being 5 years old

I thought for sure the Nintendo DS would be his favorite, but he really liked everything.

I have to say Christmas was so much fun and super relaxing.  We (Brad and I) decided to stay at home Christmas Day this year.  We could visit family another day, but we were staying put.  We welcomed anyone who wanted to come our way with open arms.  We stayed in our jammies all day, watched 3 movies (Toy Story 3, Shrek 4, and Despicable Me), ate too much candy and chocolate, napped, played Wii, and spent quality time together.  Awesome.  Brad's parents made their annual trek of visiting their kids' and stayed for a couple hours.  It was nice to visit and spend time with them.  I think we even got Grandpa to play Wii.  My parents were planning on coming up, but my mom got sick.  Like she stayed in bed all day sick.  Not characteristic of my mom, so I knew she was sick.  :(  So we opted for visiting on the phone several times. The day (and morning) was just as magical as I hoped it would be!

Christmas Eve 2010

What a fun day!  It started out with a surprise too!  As we were getting ready for the day I heard a knock at the door and the kids answered it.  The next thing I hear is "HO HO HO, MERRY CHRISTMAS!"  I hurried downstairs to see Santa standing in our front room!  How fun!  Lindsay was just getting out of the shower, but still made it down in time to get a picture with him.  Santa stayed for a few minutes, told my kids that they'd been good this year, and then he gave them a candy cane from his bag.  What a great surprise!  Thanks Santa for taking the time to visit us on Christmas Eve! 

Ellie still tells everyone when asked what Santa gave her for Christmas this year....."a candycane."  Because he did!

 After our visit with Santa, we headed to my parents house for the annual Christmas Eve dinner.  Oh so yummy.  Ham, rolls, baked beans, a bazillion yummy salads, shrimp, oh delicious!  It's always fun to get together with family.  And this year, there were lots of them.  My parents, Callie and Brian and Olivia, Aimee and Brennen and Kaylee, my Grandma and Grandpa, Sherri and Bruce, Justin, Grandma Merrell, Jennifer and Johnny and kids, and Angie and Nate and kids...and us.  Phew! But we still wished a happy Hawaiian family and a few California residents could have been there too.  Next year Cami, Brian, Tyler, Suzanne....and kiddos!

 It's a tradition to get new jammies on Christmas Eve...and then of course you have to get a picture.  Baby Liv was eating at the moment, and missed this photo op, and then we forgot to get another one later.  This picture cracks me up....get a load of Ellie's face! lol.

 Lindsay, Ellie, Meagan, and Tanner.....love these kids!

 After dinner, we put together an impromptu Nativity.  Jennifer supplied the amazing costumes.  Thanks!  Johnny was the Narrator and I played the piano for a couple songs.  I'm not exactly sure who ended up with what parts, but everyone got to dress up.

 Cute Liv...the free range cow! :)  A "must" in every respectable Nativity.

 

The night eventually had to end.....and off we went, back to Morgan, to get ready for Santa!...