Bellagio Christmas

Braving the crowds on Christmas Eve on the Strip with friends was crazy but fun.We had 8 kids, 4 adults, 2 strollers and 2 cameras - and we were fighting through tour bus sized crowds of people everywhere. We went through the Bellagio Gardens and then saw two water shows outside - O Holy Night and It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.

Claire's Notes on Christmas

For Christmas Eve, here are some thoughts on the holiday from Claire:

Here is what she wrote - with spelling corrections:

Jesus is here. Don't be afraid - he's gentle don't you see. 

The three Wise Men came and gave him gold and his father is sacred, you can see him!

Oh my it is great. I go to church and I learn about him and he is sacred. 

Holiday Baking

My assembly line workers for my very simple holiday baking this year. I didn't want a ton of treats around the house and we gave most of the cookies away while they were still hot.

Gingerbread Houses

We made gingerbread houses for Family Home Evening tonight, but fondant and icing proved to be too difficult for us. We weren't patient enough to let the icing dry, and the entire house collapsed about five seconds after taking the last picture. But hey, it kept us entertained for an hour and we tried our best. The kids ate more candy than they put on the house, so everyone was happy.

The Boys

Just some cute cousins getting along - does my heart good to see them together. 

Christmas Party w/ The Poppe's

We had a great Christmas dinner with the Poppe's, complete with crafts, games, presents and Santa. The kids took cute pictures, all in their matching outfits. And Heather outdid herself with crocheted gifts for all the kids - the beards and beanies were the favorite gift of the night, and Penelope loved wearing her Christmas hat around. It was the first time everyone was all together in a long time, with Christian back from his job in Oregon.

 Penelope tried so hard to be brave with Santa - she seemed actually really happy to see him when he first came in, smiling and waving and trying to cut in line. But once she was on Santa's lap, her smile crumbled and she held on as long as she could before she started to cry. This face just says, "Help me!" It's a right of passage, it seems, to scare our children with a visit with Santa.

Claire loves showing off her missing front teeth! She "pranced" up to Santa with her reindeer antlers - it was super cute :) 

The Boys' Table

The Hiller Table

Penelope and Heather's daughter Brooke

Kevin and Cindy

The Poppe Boys

 The Mountain Men

My Love/Hate Relationship with the Elf on the Shelf

Our elf on the shelf Gladstone is a pretty good fellow - he doesn't cause trouble or act mischievous like some elves do. He goes home to the North Pole every night to report to Santa how the kiddos have been acting and then comes back to watch them again the next day. So that means EVERY DAY Gladstone is in a new spot. Sometimes I wonder how he finds new places to hang out every morning, but he is creative. Here are a few places he has been spotted this year:

Kneeling by the Manger

Peeping Gladstone

Mission Impossible: zip line from the window

Roasting Marshmallows 

Writing His Note to Santa

On a Sleigh Ride

Ok, He is a Little Naughty Sometimes....

A Few More...

... just because they are so cute I can't resist posting them ALL.

 

Christmas Moments

 Look how cute these kiddos are snuggled together next to the tree, looking at the ornaments. Miles even gave Penelope a kiss on the cheek right when I was snapping a quick picture. Then I realized what they were really cuddled around - the iPad.