Hemmer's Christmas Eve

This is how the Hemmers do Christmas Eve.

The house is too small but we don't care.  The kids are excited to spend time at Grandma and Grandpa's house with their cousins.  This year I was more than ready so I had some time to take John and my picture before the rest started arriving.  I would always make the family take a Christmas photo together and John and I still try to do it.  It's amazing how much everyone changes from year to year.  

Forget us look at all those presents.  They are jam packed under that tree and around the side of the couch.  Every year John tells me to stop spoiling them and every year I don't listen.  

As John went to get his mother I took a few from around the house when it was empty.

I had a collection of little woodsy animal salt and pepper shakers at the cottage so I brought them home for the table centerpieces.  The kids love little animals so it was perfect for their little eyes.

We need three different table set up for all of us to sit at one time.  The other two tables got snowflakes that I painted.

Treats for the kids

And the kids count on Mom to get their family pictures as they start to arrive.  And Lynn wanted me to tell everyone (especially her brother and sister) that she was the FIRST to arrive.  Max is our goofball and Mallory's dolls go everywhere with her so it's only fitting that they are in the family photo.  The one you can see her face is Lea...... a doll with her Great Grandma's name.  And Melanie is getting to be so grown up.  They have quite the stories from their little family.  Someday Lynn will have time to blog again to share her stories but for now her time between adventures is spent loving those littles.

Shannon and her family.  Elly is so tall we had to have her sit in the chair.  She is getting to be quite the young lady.  She is our chaser of the little ones making sure they don't fall down the steps, feeding them, supervising the lego playtime, and she enjoys every minute of it.  Garrett is a kind little boy that gets his feelings hurt very quickly.  He was coloring so perfect and Jr scribbled all over it and broke his little heart.  We talked him into keeping it for the memory when Jr and him were older.  Their days are filled with school, work and just having time to spend together.

Adam and his family.... these are the littles that Elly loves to chase.  Jr is getting so big and plays with Garrett and Max so well, he loves his boy cousins.  Andee..... oh Andee she is a BULL in a china store.  We all laugh at her as she tears into anything in her path but she melts my heart when she walks in the door she has to find me and put her arms up for me to hold her and she gives me her big sweet grin.  Caiden is getting so big and we are loving him so much, he fits our family so well.  He plays so hard and is such a good boy.  Adam and Monica are busy, busy parents with kids and work but they do it so well.  Adam takes time to spend time with each of them one on one, whether it be story time before bed, wresting on the floor or just laying in their bed to talk about the day.  He is their world.  

John's mom (Grandma Great) spends Christmas Eve with us and she loves to watch all the craziness happen.  The kids like to have their picture taken with Grandma too.  

And here she is with all this families Great Grandchildren.  

And us with all the littles.

I didn't pick up my camera during the opening but this is after.

Ornaments from Grandma and Grandpa always ends in a photo so I can someday make them a book of all the years.   It's not about the ornament it's about their growing personalities.

Our niece Shawna and her family stop on their way home and we love having them.  Not sure why this stated happening but it was quite the pile of humans.  

We had so much fun and the night went by way to fast.  I'm ready for the next family day to happen.  

Merry Christmas Everyone from our family to yours.