Merry Christmas

Christmas 2018

Making marshmallow and dipping graham crackers for give away gifts.  I really love this picture of my beautiful kitchen.

Cooper and Dad's Rocky Road Day

The finished Gingerbread House.  No marital fights this year.  I guess it only takes 25 tries.

Dad's Christmas Prime Rib.  (Dad was on call so it was just he and Wilson and a side of beef)

Cousins at the ice skating rink

Christmas Eve Dinner with homemade tamales.  Celebrating Grandpa's Birthday!

Marshmallow making wars.

The Moses Lake Nutcracker with all the girls.  Minus Eliza at a basketball tournament.

Eliza at the Christmas Concert.  Max was home sick in bed.

Audrey brings belated and appreciated birthday cupcakes

Tony's Christmas Colonoscopy!  Cooper's  Christmas gift was taking him to the procedure, and boy oh boy did that turn into an adventure!

With the cousins in Boise to celebrate Rebekah and Colt's wedding.

Grandma and Grandpa with the nearly missed Christmas Jello!

Christmas Eve Angels were our program this year.

Uncle Dustin at the rink

The annual stair picture--we barely fit!

Cooper receives his hoped for Costco card.

Eliza is delighted with her locket.

Santa helps feed Max's pancake addiction.

Marcos sports a new basketball jersey.

Everyone loves Grandma and Grandpas gifts of cash

the hoped for EarPods!

Eliza is pleased with her fabric.

Wilson is surprised to receive new headphones too.

The best gift I ever got.

Christmas day checkers.

Christmas Basketball boys

post Christmas Gingerbread House

Eliza excited to try out her sewing skills

We set a new record this year.  We lasted until Christmas day at 3:00 before the big implosion! That's 24 hours longer than last year.  Christmas is beautiful and hard.  So many unrealistic expectations, and moments of bliss.  Christmas is getting much easier for me as I learn to decrease expectations.  I felt pure joy Christmas morning watching my kids receive the gifts.  Wilson's face was as excited as it was when he was 3 year's old, especially with his ukulele.  Cooper liked his piano, or at least successfully faked like he liked it. Eliza was thrilled with her fabric and pins and patterns, and especially her mirror.  Max didn't expect both headphones and a microphone and was really surprised.  Marcos seemed happy with his jersey and nerf guns.  It was a wonderful peaceful Christmas morning.  The best we have had in years.  After presents the kids all went to play basketball at the gym and left me in utter peace.  They even took the trash out on the way.