Christmas at Home (family)

Let the fun begin.  

This night is by far the best night for all of us.  We look so forward to spending the time together in a house they can all call HOME.  No matter how crazy the night is going we need to have some pictures.  I take off my photographers hat during the holidays and try not to spend the night behind the lens so these happen for memories only in snapshot format.  I don't care if the lighting isn't quite right or if the background is messy.  This is who we are and what we love. 

This first one I'm not sure who told them to kiss or why they did but I love Mallory's expression too much not to share.  

Our oldest daughter Lynn with her family.  

The MIDDLE child Shannon and her family

And the Baby - Adam and his family.

John's mom likes to come to our house for Christmas eve, she loves to watch little kids opening presents and living in their excitement so with all these kids she picks the right house.  They all love to see her too.  So we attempt a photo of her with all the great grandchildren.

Then the grandchildren were jealous so they thought it was their turn to have a picture taken with Grandma.  After they all attempted to sit on her lap we finally got them to behave.  

Shannon is the spitting image of her Grandmother.... and I love Adam's dimple, it only shows when he's being naughty..... so guess what?

They were planning to be naughty.

Looks like Grandma is blaming Lynn but I'm thinking Adam was the instigator.  

Now just the grandkids

This is not an easy feat.

Who want's to open presents?

Time for presents.  Each family has to be in one spot and hopefully they can keep up with the tearing.  

It's pure madness...... just what we all like the most about Christmas.

Now it's time for the 2015 ornaments. (in no particular order.... it's hard enough to get this photo let alone in order)

Elly

Maxwell

Garrett

Mallory

Melanie

Adam Jr.

Andee

It's of the kids got pjs from Grandma and Grandpa so as soon as they are done opening they strip down and get comfy.  Andee was already sleeping and Jr was too busy playing (he loves to play).  But we can get this done just for memory and they are too funny not to share.

If you made it this far........ thank you!!  

Merry Christmas to all from all of us.  We are certainly blessed with a family full of LOVE, FUN and HAPPINESS.  365 days we can do it all over again.  

Christmas at HOME (preperations)

Christmas is a magical time of year that comes with so many hours of preparations to make it just perfect for everyone.  But that's just what I like to do....

Every year I write a list of everything that needs to be done thinking that John might be willing to cross a few of them off the list.  Well it's usually not as easy as I think, guys just find some of these tasks difficult and won't even attempt to help so this year it was a different list.  The list was everything that I thought he could help with.  The list was only about 8 items and he crossed them off like a champ.  The rest of the list was in my head and I got to do them quicker and with less questions since he couldn't see them written down anywhere.  

Record time....... these pictures were taken after my shower and I'm just wandering around waiting for the kids to show up.   Our family has grown so quickly and the kids are all getting bigger and need a spot at the table so this year we have to set up 3 tables to allow everyone a spot to sit.  Our house is not that big but we don't care we'll keep putting up tables.  

I like to have a pretty table decoration.  This year it's bottles, snow, trees and candles.

We are eating supper so there wasn't much time for munching before so that saved me lots of time.  This little cookie/candy area was just for fun.  

A few pine branches for a little Christmas charm.

One of the other tables with a Pear decor.

Tucked in-between the columns to help keep the traffic flowing before we eat.

My white village with too much sunshine at the moment.

Everyone's stockings

The tree complete with presents to spoil everyone.

My little house and deer from my Grandma Emmerich

This year I hung sparkly deer on every cabinet door.

Even the bathroom got a few Christmas items.

I put brown paper on the two tables and the small table for two I painted a little fun.

Time to light the candles.....

I started collecting these Santa cups quite a few years ago.  My Grandma Kellnhofer had some and I remember looking at them in her curio cabinet.  I could never touch them and I don't know whatever happened to them but now I have a collection of my own.  The two small ones are more like the ones Grandma had.

I also decorated the kids toy room into a craft room complete with lights but didn't take the pictures up there.  They talked me into that again this year....... push over!!

Now it's just time to wait for the kids to start showing up.