We're Home! (1 of 7)

We had a wonderful Christmas visiting family this year. We took over 200 pictures (crazy I know). Well I scaled them way down into 7 posts. Sorry, that is the best I could do. Here are the pictures of us opening gifts at home.

The kids were great little helpers with cleaning up the mess.

I am playing with my new iTouch.

I know this is a weird picture, but I got a tripod for my camera and I had to test it out.

Instead of eating breakfast this morning, the kids wanted to play with Legos. Being the overly responsible parent I am, I said okay.

The kids all got some new churchy stuff. They look so cute.

Kathleen loves her new sweater and says it makes her give snuggly hugs. If you felt it, you would understand.

It was a great week, but we are sure glad to be home.

O Christmas Tree (2 of 7)

How many trees have presents for you under them on Christmas morning. For my kids this year, it was 5. Insane, yes. But true. Here is Grammy and Pompa's tree holding their Christmas Eve gifts. Then Emily's tree holding Christmas morning gifts.

Then Grandma and Grandpa's tree holding yet more gifts for Christmas morning.

Then when we got home, even before we unloaded the car (which is how you know we really love them) there was another tree full of gifts.

Then to every one's surprise, after we were all done cleaning up from the trip, we found more presents under the playroom tree. Mom maybe should have seen that coming, and yet I didn't. Even though technically I was the one to make sure Santa put them there. I guess I have a bad memory.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas (3 of 7)

Good morning and Merry Christmas! We spent the night at Emily's for the event.

Garret was so excited about the new snow shovel. It was pretty cute.

Cody was so slow and careful with the wrapping.

Then he played with his new laptop as he opened other gifts. I guess he liked it.

Kathleen got an "ipod". It isn't really an ipod, but she doesn't know the difference.

Then we headed to the "other" family for "second Christmas." Santa came twice. Spoiled kids.

Bradley and Ruthanne:

Brandon sat on Grandpa's lap for like 30 minutes looking through the coloring book he got.

Then he swapped for Uncle Boo who he adores:

Then on to Grandma:

Cody fell head first into the edge of the coffee table. The gash must have traumatized him because he fell fast asleep while we watched the Christmas Story.

Christmas Eve (4 of 7)

For Christmas Eve, Ryan and I played songs for everyone. Here is the Nativity group:

Playing the chimes:

Pompa put together a matching game. It was fun because he had us color all the pictures first and then match them. The kids loved it.

I think Kathleen enjoyed riding Grammy a little too much.

"No room in the inn..."

Kathleen and Katie had a blood feud over who got to be Mary. In the end, Katie (very sweetly) offered to be an angel. She was so good. Kathleen on the other hand...well, let's just say, she got to be Mary. Surprise, surprise.

And, apparently, every picture taken of me, I look hot. I am sorry I put this on here, but you get what you get. I was a soldier.

Christmas PJ's. I made everyone (with great help from Spring...I miss her) Red Sox Pj's.

The cousins in their new pajamas:

Washington Fun (5 of 7)

Ryan and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary on the 18th. And if you ask me, they were wonderful years. He might disagree. But for our anniversary we went to the hotel suite that we spent our wedding night in. Here is a picture of one of the rooms in the suite. And for good reason, we didn't take any other pictures for you. Sorry. But Grammy and Pompa babysat for us. They are always so good to us. To make it even more fun, they decided to have a Granparent's night with the kids in town. The kids had so much fun. I don't think they wanted us to come back.

Kathleen and Katie:

Ryan read a story to Garret and Cody.

It poured rain the first half of the week we were there. It finally snowed a skiff. The kids were sooooo excited.

Kathleen pretended to be Santa. The kids stood in line and took turns on her lap.

We went to a pizza place that has an indoor playground.

This is kind of crazy. This guy is building his house to look like a real castle. I think it is just insane. I should have taken more angles for you. The sides look really cool. But you just get this.

We went and looked at Christmas lights. This tree is amazing. More lights than I have ever seen on a single tree. And to give you a size reference, check out the car in the bottom left corner.

Kathleen loves "her" room at Grammy and Pompa's house. She loved sitting in the chair in the corner, coloring and watching TV.

The kids just played the wii most of the week.

Finally someone got smart and we went and got out energy out at the church playing kick ball, soccer, basketball, and other ball games.

Brandon LOVED the piano at Grandma and Grandpa's.

A Christmas Eve gift from Grandma and Grandpa:

Cousin Tanner and Brandon are buds.

And, of course, the reason we really went in the first place, Alyssa's reception, I didn't get a single picture of. Sorry.