Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

So, we have spent the last week in the rain and the clouds...no snow yet, just really soggy.  We have also spent the last week wondering why we didn't stay in Spain for another week:)

We had our traditional Christmas Eve party with some friends.  We had yummy German potato salad, meat with cheese and fresh rolls, finger jello (this was a big hit with the kids), broccoli salad, stollen, pumpkin pie and some cookies.  The adults hung out in the living room and had fun chatting while the 16 kids (yes, I said 16 KIDS) ran around upstairs!  After we all ate we had the kids each do a talent to win a "grab bag." Inside the brown paper "grab bag" we had put money, candy or a small toy.  The kids all LOVED this and had fun tearing into the bag to see what they discovered.

After everyone left Hyrum and I cleaned the house, did the dishes and then wrapped the gifts...getting to bed around 2:00 AM.

This is the shot of our beautiful tree with all the wrapped presents (taken around 1:30 AM)

The boys slept in until 7:30, what a blessing:)  They got to unwrap their santa gift and then we had our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.  Rolls with cocoa, orange juice and stollen.

We had church at 10:30 Christmas morning and we made the boys wait to open their presents until after church.  They thought we were the meanest parents around!  After church we all got back into our pajamas and had a fun time opening presents.  I think we mad the right choice in making the kids wait to open the gifts, it made Christmas last much longer and was so much more relaxing than rushing through it all before church.

Santa brought Julian a little train station that makes noise and flashes red lights.  He loves it:)  Townsend's favorite gift was his new football and Emerson really liked his remote control car.

This is my living room after the unwrapping was all done.  

Hyrum surprised me with this new nativity he got while we were in Spain.  He met the artist at the store while he was buying it and the man gave Hyrum the angel figure for free, pretty cool!

Last night, New Years Eve, we had Becky and the boys over for our traditional game/movie night and for the torching of our tree.  Hyrum made fabulous pizza and homemade doughnuts and the boys all watched Harry Potter while Becky, Hyrum and I played "Ticket To Ride."  We had lots of fun.  Unfortunately our tree was still too green to burn so we didn't get to bring in the New Year with a burning tree.  I was sort of sad but all our German neighbors sure made up for it by shooting off fireworks from about 11:45 PM to 12:15 AM!!!!

Changes for 2012

Townsend and Emerson getting baptized

Squeeze in as much travel as we can before June

Move from Germany to Oregon

Hyrum separating from the military

Buying a house

The boys starting 3rd grade in a new school

Change makes me anxious and I'm already dreading the move, even though it's 6 months away.  I hope we can grow together as a family through all the changes and I do look forward to living a bit closer to extended family in the coming year.  We hope you all have a fabulous 2012!