We decided to not make the drive to Michigan this year and celebrate in Tulsa. I wasn't sure what the kids would think as they love seeing cousins. They did great and actually were pretty excited about staying home. Most excited was to actually wake up in their own house and open stockings on Christmas morning. I was most looking forward to enjoying our church's candle light service. It was a nice time...lots of work as Christmas always is but nice celebrating the birth of our Savior together.
The family Christmas church service ended with a small service project of making Christmas cards for our missionaries...and then a little cookie decoration.
I wasn't sure if we were going to decorate ginger bread houses this year. The Westfelds are a wonderful/special family from church and she pulled it together the weekend before Christmas. It was perfect as all sports activities had stopped and it was a fun afternoon of decorating.
The kids love her horses and the fact that they have a pond and some land to run on.
No snow or ice this year...in fact it was pretty warm
A little silliness before doing a little pipe playing. Denise was the person who first showed up these fun activity-fun that we can still get together and play with her.
The houses...I think everyone was pretty happy with theirs....although the icing was super hard and they couldn't get much candy off.
Some ice skating fun...we found the hockey skates were more comfortable that they hard plastic ones they first gave us.
Cutting out Christmas Cookies and then decorating actually happened...amazing how much time you have just staying home for a couple day. Becca helped with royal icing after taking a decorating glass...they turned out pretty good this year.
We found out going to the gathering place in the evening is the time to go...many less crowds. They were having a Christmas celebration with santa but we found the quieter parts of the park more enjoyable than the Christmas market.
Most fun....packages that come in the mail! Thanks to grandparents for taking the time to send these fun packages. Christmas day was a full day of celebrating. Stocking in the morning then presents slowly through-out the day. We had a big Christmas meal mid afternoon but left room for fudge, brownies and other goodies to end off the day. Not a ton of pictures but still a special day.
The kids loved seeing what Christmas ornaments were picked out for them this year.
Red nose silly....stocking fun-thanks Grandma and Grandpa!
New games. The two we have enjoyed the most is monopoly deal and Telestrations...which has given us some pretty good laughs.
Thanks again to grandparents for special presents. We missed celebrating together but a day spent at home was pretty special as well.
