Christmas Day

After our little Christmas at home we got ready and went to church.  We had a beautiful service with lots of great special music.  When it ended, we went back to our house so I could finish making a few things for Christmas lunch and then headed over to the Littles for Christmas.  We ate lunch first and then unwrapped presents.  At 4:00 we left to meet the missionaries at our house so they could skype with their families.  We visited with them for quite sometime and then headed back to eat leftovers, dessert and visit some more.  We also were able to skype with some of our family members too.  It was a pretty simple holiday this year but still really good. 

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning started a little early for Adam and I.  We didn't get back home until Midnight and after unloading the car, putting kids to bed, playing Santa and everything else we were lucky to be in bed around 1 am.  

So when Damon and Xavier bursted in our room at 7:30 am, we were not quite ready to get up.  But we did.  First the boys went downstairs to see what Santa brought.  Damon and Xavier got skateboards and Aiden and Grayson got pillow pets

Then we went upstairs to unwrap our presents from each other and the presents the boys got from Jim and Grandpa Dolezal.

Damon received from us: Snow boots, Steelers bag, Lego game, Fleece hoodie.  From Jim he got a remote control Batman and a light saber. 
Xavier received from us: tennis shoes, Steelers bag, Battleship, fleece hoodie.  He received the same from Jim.
Aiden received from us: rain boots, ksu bags, dinosaur toy, fleece hoodie.  He got 2 shirts from Jim and a light saber.
Grayson received from us: dress shoes, G bag, scout toy, fleece hoodie.  He got another hoodie from Jim and a light saber. 

All the boys received gift cards from their Grandpa Dolezal for Wal-Mart.

Adam is also taking Damon and Xavier to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we always celebrate with my family.  My sisters and their families came over to dad's and we had pizza for dinner.  Then Charla, Carrie and I went out to my Uncle Glenn's and Uncle Jame's to bring them cookie platters like we do every year.  After that we hid in my old room and opened our presents from Jim.  We were happy girls!

 

We always attend the Christmas Eve service at the Baptist Church my parents go to, and the one we grew up in.  Then we come home and eat more goodies and open presents.  This was the first year that we drew names for the kids so we didn't buy presents for everyone.  Then my sisters and I made gifts for each other and our poor husbands didn't get anything.  Sad face for them :(   My sisters and I went in for a food processor for my parents.  

Also, every year we've had the missionaries join us too.  Its always been fun to have them join in our Christmas traditions.


Damon got a basketball and ball pump.  Xavier got an ant farm, Aiden got a bumblebee, smurf puzzle and a shark wash cloth, Grayson got an outfit, pjs, a monster washcloth...was there something else?  I'm blanking!

I made my sisters memo boards and Carrie made us zipper bracelets and a magnet board.  Charla made a name picture from our family vacation last year.

Christmas Cookies

Not to keep talking about my sugar cookies I made this year, but they are the prettiest ones I've ever decorated.  So I'm kinda proud of them, even though I know that is ridiculous! 

Anyway, I used a different recipe then I normally do, this one is from Our Best Bites.  I also used their frosting recipe and decorating tips.  Now I want to stay in the kitchen all day and decorate sugar cookies for every holiday.  This might be my new sickness...

My favs are the candy canes but everyone seemed to prefer the snowmen. 

Damon helped with the Christmas trees and Xavier did the houses.  

Aiden's Preschool Christmas Party

I surprised Aiden at his school Christmas party.  We met them at the school library to hear a story and then they made a craft and performed some songs. 

Aiden was done with singing and decided to look at books for the last couple of songs.  I guess he knows that is what they do in the library.  After his party we went back to his class to pick up his treats they had all packaged up for him. 

Damon's Birthday Party - Family

 Sunday on Damon's actual birthday we had our friends and family over to celebrate his birthday.  We served soup and then had cake and ice cream.  My cakes were lame this year.  I didn't know what to put on them so this is all he got.  Thankfully he is a boy and just cares about it tasting good and the legos. 

  He got them all in one puff!

 Opening his presents.  He mostly received money and gift cards to Dick's Sporting Goods which is EXACTLY what he wanted.  He has been wanting to go shopping at Dick's since they've opened. 

As you can see, he was pretty excited about it all.

We got him a couple pairs of pants, a gift card, a book, and new tennis shoes.  He also received a couple shirts and a new watch. 

And I can't believe my baby boy is 10!

Damon's Birthday Party - Friends

For a long time Damon had wanted to do a movie party, similar to what Xavier did for his birthday.  Then it hit me, we should do a basketball themed party.  Damon loves basketball and wanted to play on a team this year but couldn't since all the games are on Sunday.  Anyway, we decided to have every body come over and play basketball at the church.  But we got super lucky and the young men were planning an activity that night and they had rented this beast...

 So they let us use it along with all the black lights they had set up so they could play basketball in the dark.  It was super fun and made Damon's party way more fun then it would have been.  We did have to give Xavier a warning, that this will not be happening for his birthday, it was a one time gig.

It is quite possible that Adam and I had more fun then the kids...

 

After playing for a long time we went back to our house for cake and presents.  Damon is lucky to ave good friends that are nice boys.  Unfortunately not all of his friends could make it, its the curse of a Christmas birthday.