A new tradition....

Our families are all getting big enough and G&G Kidd are getting up there in age ( preparing for all of us is a HUGE job and very tiring), that this year we set a new tradition and had Christmas Day at our own homes. This was the first year in 20 years that we were not rushing to get out of the house in order to be at G&G Kidd's on time.
I had been craving a deep fried turkey so Kent met the order. We had lots of pre-dinner snacks and I decorated the table with Christmas dinnerware, glasses and serving dishes.
It turned out great!! After dinner we headed downstairs for some more gift exchanges and the day turned out well.

Bright and Early!!!!!!

Sayger was sprinkling Reindeer Dust on the lawn in hopes St Nick would find us!! HE DID!!!

Christmas morning is always filled with absolute excitement!!! The kids have been instructed to wait until 7 a.m. or we would all be up shortly after midnight. They come bounding into our room declaring it is Christmas morning(like we didn't know) and it is time to open presents!!! Kent and I gather photography materials and head downstairs to see what Santa has left us!! Stockings are always first, then on to the wrapped gifts. It is one of my favorites too!!! I love to see their faces when they go through their stockings and open their gifts!

Are you kidding me???

Kent went to Jason's with his computer one night to build us a Christmas card. He was gone until after 1:00 a.m. in the morning so I was so excited to see what they had created. Kent called me down to see their artistic creativity just before I left for work. He pulled up this card and I just stood there...somewhat speechless trying to find something I liked. Kent started explaining the art work they had created and how they agreed on the lines, and colors. I was still speechless. Finally knowing Jason and the perfectionist he is along with his creative artistry, not to mention he has done our Christmas card for three years now, I thought "Okay! This is it, he knows what he's doing." I then started to explain to Kent it was not my favorite card, but it was okay if Jason thought it was okay. Kent couldn't take it, he had spent to long keeping a straight face and explaining to me the great brains behind the design, he began laughing hysterically!!! This was not our Christmas card, it was those two wizards idea of fun until 1:00 a.m., just to see my reaction!! Thanks boys, you really had me worried there for a few minutes!!!!

Pictures in the snow!!

We took family pictures to build a Christmas card with while we were looking for a fresh tree to cut! It was fine at the beginning but the kids were not cooperative with the reflector shining in their eyes and the sun starting to go down. We did get a shot we could use! And Kent a Jason built a great card for us after they played a very funny practical joke on me! I will try and find the first draft of the one they tried to pass off and put it on the blog! During the pictures Sayger and Kent were eyeing a hill close by...Sayger just so happened to pack the sled and they spent a few trips sledding just before it got to dark!!!

Christmas Eve 2009

Chrismas Eve at Grandma Berni's!!! Every year we spend Christmas Eve at Grandma Berni's! We have snacks, egg nog and open presents, which is the highlight of the evening. Grandma has a special guest come and suprise the kids and they all love it. Santa gives each child special time and even got the two grandmas in for a hug!

Decorating for Christmas.....

Christmas 09

He loves to do this.....Rudolph antlers

He HATED that tie!

My upstairs tree that we cut ourselves....my favorite!!

Downstairs tree that holds all the eclectic ornaments

Placing the really heavy ones on the bigger branches.

Christmas fun!

I love decorating Christmas trees.

Can you see the excitement!!!!

Kent does not share the enthusiasm for Christmas that I have. However, when he wears his Santa hat I know the mood will be happy. He and Sayger found these as I was unpacking the decorations and placed them on their heads as they sang a few carols with each other (not good harmony) but the mood was great. He and Sayger put together our fake tree for downstairs- I love live trees but the fireplace dries them out so quickly downstairs so we decided on a fake tree(BEST INVESTMENT EVER!!) Takes Kent about 10 minutes to put it together, which he loves!!! The downstairs tree has all of the ornaments my Grandma Fowler has given me since I joined the family(there are several from the 70's on that tree).Every year, still, she buys or makes an ornament for my tree and they are all on there, at least 40 of them. I have also done the same for my children and so has Grandma Berni. Stormie has 14 x2, Shandler 11 x2 and Sayger 7 x2. The great part was when I got married I had over 20 decorations to place on a tree, it was great!! Our tree is loaded!!! With all of my decorations and my children's decorations there is getting to be little room to hang stuff!! BUT I love it...the tree looks wonderful with all those memories hanging from each branch!!!

NOTE- I did the same thing for Kenna and Charlce when Kent and I got married and they each were able to begin a tree with memories of their own!