2012 Friend's Christmas

Each year, we get together with our friends and all the kiddos for a little get together and gift exchange. It's such a special time and we love being with our bestest of friends during the holidays. This year, The Cortes family hosted our fun in their beautiful home! The Grammers, The Grants, The Judds, The Owens, The Abellis, Alex & Karly's parents along with us, had a great night together. Of course, the kiddos look forward to the gift exchange. With our ever growing group of kids, we decided to draw names this year. It was a little less chaotic and the kids really enjoyed their gifts.

We all brought a few dishes to share with everyone. Karly and Faith made some DELISH cookies! And aren't they just precious! Too good looking to even eat!

Our two newest additions to the clan! Tanner was born in May and Ethan in February. Such cute boys!

A couple of the girls... Leah and Kendall... didn't mind posing for me :)

A couple good shots of the Grants

The Future Mr & Mrs... Stryker & Avery

 

A group shot of our cutie kids!

 

Time for presents!!!!

 

Some more sweet shots of the night:

 

Aunt Angela & Tanner.. Next year we'll have another baby! Rudy & Angela are expecting!

 

Full belly and all that fun = a sleepy baby!

 

Shawn & Christie

 

Such a cute picture of The Grams

2012 Boys

2012 Gals

 

You know me, I LOVE traditions! And this is yet another tradition I look forward to each Christmas. Celebrating such a joyous season with such great friends is what it's about. And the kids... the kids are such a blessing! They play together, look out for each other and always enjoy time together. I can't wait for next year when we add Miss Sydney (Abelli) and the little Judd... whom shall be here any day (we are all looking forward to finding out if it's a boy or a girl!). I hope we continue to get together every year and watch the children grow and celebrate!

Christmas Treats

Today we enjoyed a nice church service, a quick trip to Wal-Mart, lunch at Los Arcos and some fun Christmas activities. My little helper was very eager to get his hands dirty (and lick the bowl!) to assist me with chocolate cover peanut butter balls and decorating some Christmas trees.

The PB balls were a pain and didn't really turn out as I imagined. Good thing it's not the looks that count, but the taste! And they.are.GOOD! We moved on to a more Stryker friendly treat. Instead of a gingerbread house, we made Christmas trees this year. We used sugar cones, icing dyed green and some M&Ms. Stryker did a great job putting the candies on his tree. At first, he wasn't digging the green icing being all over him, but then he figured out it was purely sugar and delish! I think he may have eaten more icing and M&Ms then not, but we had a good time.

Back in November, we made salt dough ornaments to send to Uncle Bubba for his tree. Stryker had so much fun doing these as well! He helped mix the dough, roll it out, cut the shapes and then painted them! We will absolutely be making these again next year for our own tree!

 

I just love doing these fun things with my little man! I hope he appreciates it and one day looks back on these traditions we are making. Either way, Mommy & Daddy are enjoying each moment of this Season with him!

Quiggly at Christmas!

Today we did some visiting with Dan's Aunt Lee and Uncle Ronald. We look forward to seeing family, but a certain little someone (and us too actually!) look forward to seeing Quiggly the Camel as well! Aunt Lee & Uncle Ronald's neighbors have a few exotic animals on their property. It's pretty cool to pet a camel and this year a zebra as well!

 The animals enjoyed seeing us and we enjoyed seeing them. Stryker has been talking about Quiggly since we left! Perhaps Quiggly and the Zebra will be around next year!

After heading back to the house, we took a walk down Uncle Ronald's dock to look at the water. It was super low tide so it was mainly pluff mud, but Stryker didn't mind. He thought overlooking the water was great!

We can't wait to head out to the Island again next year to see our family and (animal) friends!