Oh my goodness.....what fun we had! After Eli's basketball game, we loaded up and headed down to the Farm to celebrate with Evia's side of the family. Grandma & Grandpa C, Jeff & Erin (and Kaleb & Keegan) and Billy & Niki (and Connor). It was quite a group! The boys absolutely LOVED seeing their cousins and playing with them. There is nothing like the noise and chaos of five boys excited about Christmas. It is so much fun to watch them all play together. We really don't get together as much as we should but we'll try for more next year. With them being somewhat close in age, I really want them to have memories of being together as they grow up.
Of course, got to start Christmas Family Celebration off with green punch. Course 1! Yummy as always. And Grandma C made so much yummy food. I had been saving up my "bad" eating for just this night. Country Style Steak......oh my. Truthfully that's all I really cared about because no matter how she has showed me how to make it, nothing is like your Mom's cooking. We had quite the spread and everyone was super stuffed and happy when dinner was over. But then......time for presents! All of the Grandkids had a blast. Wrapping paper everywhere. Just like I remember growing up. Now that all the grandkids are big enough to play a bit, it was a fun night and I know my parents were happy as could be. I'm fairly sure this fulfilled my Mom's Christmas wish.
Headed to the Farm - sweet little Santa's helper
Tractor time
Connor
One of the K's (I'm not sure if it was Kaleb or Keegan - I'm totally not good at telling them apart yet!!)
Uncle Jeff
Cole & Connor. Cole pushed Connor around in this wagon exactly the way Eli used to push Cole around. My how times have changed!
Kaleb and Keegan. Cuties!
Start of presents!!! Notice everyone has completed stopped and is totally focused.
We love presents Mom!
Everyone once in a while I'll have a great idea and this year was excited to give both my brothers and their families a year pass to NC Zoo and Aquariums. I'd say Niki was pretty surprised.
Erin was happy too! She can take the K's and see all the animals / run around.
Cole is my Dinosaur loving boy.
Connor was quite interested too.
This is what a dinosaur sounds like "R-O-A-R"!!!!!!
A special surprise for Grandma & Grandpa.
All of us chipped in and replaced their massive tube tv with a new (larger) flat screen one. Yay us! We were able to surprise them. Funny enough, their old tv is the one I gave them for a Christmas a million years ago.
Let's see if we can get everyone together for a picture.
Maybe?
Best we could do.
The aftermath....my Mom and I both love to just let all the paper be everywhere and enjoy the chaos. It drove my brother Jeff crazy but Mom made him leave it. Got to keep Mom happy at Christmas!
Playing Angry Birds Death Star game.
We were all hanging out upstairs in Billy's old room letting the kids play. They loved exploring what Grandma had.
This was hilarious. He kept banging his head on the exercise ball and laughed about how it bounced him back up. I cannot imagine how Erin does it all day - home with two crazy Ks?!! She's an angel!
Cole was super excited to have a remote control dinosaur. Thank you Uncle Billy and Aunt Niki!
Me & Erin - love her. So glad she puts up with my brother.
My brother Jeff, Erin, Kaleb and Keegan.
I'm the "big" sister but don't look it here. Jeff, Me and Billy. Love my brothers and so glad for technology and being able to stay in touch. I had to all but bribe Jeff for a picture. He's not a fan.
Niki, Connor and Billy. Sorry Billy your eyes are closed but we only got one shot!
Tim and I are so blessed with these awesome boys!
Roles reversed. Connor pushing Cole.
The boys had a Christmas ornament for Grandpa.
And a little "junking" money so he could go to auctions or whatever.
I also had a little surprise for my Mom.
A Vera duffle bag. And I told her that if she ever came to visit again using plastic bags for her clothes that I wouldn't let her in the door. =)
The boys got to search Grandma's tree for their ornaments......Minions, what else?!
Grandpa's Antique ornament. I couldn't resist.
A fun tradition we've started is that I give the boys their Christmas PJs at Grandma's house and we all watch a movie together. So fun and I love it.
Gingerbread Ninjas
In bed with Mommy.
Sunday morning these two were LOVING the recliners. It cracked me up to look downstairs and see them chillin' like this.
We went to see Great Grandma and Great Grandpa S Sunday morning.
The boys and Great Grandma S - they like to call her Great Grandma Ruth.
With Great Grandpa S. Have you ever seen three such handsome men?
My heart. I am so thankful that I've had many many Christmases with my Grandparents.
Love my Grandma S. I was named after her and I am so proud of that. And also, I got her blood type and Cole got her blue eyes!
We went to Grandpa's Church for service.
The boys went up for Children's service. And funny thing, my Mom gives all of the kids a treat at the end of the Children's story. She handled out Skittles today and Cole told her, in front of the entire congregation, that he didn't like Skittles. I tried to get him to be quiet but, of course, Grandma had some M&Ms for him.
Great Grandma C. Love her! She has also been so sweet my entire life.
Best picture I could get of the boys with Grandma & Grandpa at their church. By this time, Cole did not want to have his picture taken. Can you tell?!
My parents.....so thankful for all they have done for me. I don't think you really value your parents or appreciate how you were raised until you have your own kids. Having kids has definitely changed my relationship with my parents....for the better!
After church, we all went out to eat with Great Grandma C and then we headed home. Such a fast weekend but SO much fun!!
And when we got home Sunday night, we found that Elfie Jim had made a nice mess. I forgot to mention that it did snow a little bit Saturday - about an hour - so I guess Elfie got all excited!
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