Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve we followed our CO tradition of going over to Craig's parents house for a fun-filled night of good food, opening presents, great company and plenty of cocktails! Carol & Marvin are always the best hosts and have lots of festive appetizers, drinks and the main event - crab legs!! A few weeks ago they joked about not having crab legs this year and I think you could hear a pin drop when they said it - ha ha! Of course I completely forgot to get a family pic of the 3 of us on Christmas Eve but oh well - I'll remember it :)

Grandma reading a Christmas story to all the kids before dinner...



Marae took to my Mom right away and would sit in her lap and call her the "other Grandma" - it was too cute!


Mom & Dad hanging out with Chase before the craziness of 7 kids opening presents began!


Melissa helping the boys open some of their gifts


Jill, Don & Ty


Marvin & Carol's beautiful tree!


Everyone opening gifts



Uncle Don showing Chase how to work his new toy


Carson & Chase playing with their new toys!


Time for the annual car-bomb race --- hey you have your traditions and we have ours :)



Ty playing with his nieces


The night ended with Dad & Craig building this train set for Chase until 2:00am!!

Pre-Christmas Festivities

My Mom & Dad came out to visit us and have a Colorado WHITE Christmas! It was really special to get to have Christmas in our new home and have them be a part of it. Jim, Christine & Ben went to NY for Christmas so we missed being with them. Mom & Dad flew out the Tuesday before Christmas so we did some fun activites as soon as they got in town...

Dad getting all bundled up to head outside - "We're not in California anymore!"


Grabbing dinner the first night in Larimer Square downtown


Drinks before dinner - Cheers!


Grandpa wrestling with Chase!


Dad shoveling our driveway - one of the many reasons they left Indiana:)


Grandpa & Chase watching Craig finish the shoveling...


We took a trip to the Hammond's candy factory to watch them make all hand-made candy from candy canes to chocolates! Dad was dying for the conveyer belt to speed up so he could watch a live version of I Love Lucy:)




Out of a huge candy store notice what is in Chase's hand that he chose ---- a bouncy ball :) Ha Ha

Christmas Cookie Decorating

The Sunday before Christmas we hosted a cookie decorating party at our house with all the nieces & nephews. The kids had a great time decorating sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles!! They also got to cut some shapes out of sugar cookie dough and gingerbread men!!




Jill helping the little guys out...



Chase was more interested in eating the icing than decorating :)



Drew & Kyler finding the gingerbread men that "ran away" while baking:)



Enough cookies for the whole neighborhood! Yikes - someone save us from a sugar coma!!

Polar Express

The weekend before Christmas we had our very own Polar Express night with all the nieces and nephews. Melissa & Brad hosted and they made the night so much fun for the kids (and adults :) ) The kids all came in their PJ's and they got "tickets" to board the train. We had a great chili dinner and Grandpa read the book to them to get them in the mood. The kids had an art craft and cookies with hot chocolate, then it was movie time!!

Before we started the movie the kids had way too much fun with the train around the tree - Chase is obsessed - we have to get one now!!









Next the kids got to make a Polar Express craft - a 2009 ornament!!


Time for some adult fun - tequila shots!





All 7 cousins having a blast!


Time for cookies and hot chocolate!!





Grandpa reading them the story...


The kids all bundled up watching Polar Express and eating popcorn..



What a great night - we are ready for Christmas!!